Chapter 135: Chapter 135 Where I Ached Most
Phoebe’s POV
The heat between us reached a breaking point, then Perry went completely still. His hand remained buried beneath my dress, palm cupping my breast with possessive warmth.
I blinked, disoriented by the sudden shift. When I glanced down, Perry had fallen asleep.
"What?"
I stared in disbelief. One moment he’d been devouring me with hungry desperation, the next he was passed out against my chest, breathing peacefully.
This had to be some cruel joke.
His fever had broken, but his mind was clearly still foggy from whatever had consumed him.
My brows knitted together as I pushed his heavy body away from mine. Heat flooded my cheeks. God, I hoped he’d have no memory of this when he woke up. I’d been so ready to surrender completely to him. The thought alone twisted something uncomfortable in my stomach.
I escaped to the bathroom, splashing cold water against my burning face. My reflection stared back, flushed and wild-eyed. My nipple throbbed where his teeth had marked me. I tugged down my collar, revealing the dark bruise blooming across my breast.
I pressed my lips together, eyes squeezed shut, trying to extinguish the fire still raging inside me. But when my finger accidentally grazed my sensitive peak, that flame roared back to life. Before I could stop myself, my hand was sliding down to where I ached most.
I despised myself for this weakness, yet I couldn’t help imagining it was his touch instead of mine. Even though nothing could compare to the real thing.
My fingers found my slick heat, and I was shocked by how ready I was for him. Mortifying and thrilling all at once.
Sex had always meant pain and shame to me. Kevin had made sure of that. Perry’s brutal treatment during my first days here hadn’t helped either.
I’d never wanted it before.
But this was different.
The mate bond transformed everything... made it less terrifying.
No, that wasn’t right. It was something entirely new. Something that consumed me completely.
I bit down hard on my lip as my legs trembled. My breathing came in ragged gasps, face burning scarlet. I moved faster as the pressure built.
One hand worked between my thighs while the other squeezed my breast, feeling that familiar coil tighten in my core. I couldn’t believe I was doing this.
When release finally crashed over me, everything else disappeared. My body shook as waves of pleasure rolled through me.
It wasn’t as earth-shattering as when Perry touched me, but it dulled the sharp edge of need.
Once the haze cleared, guilt crashed down. Shame heated my skin as I realized I’d been thinking of him the entire time. The man I was supposed to hate.
But maybe I didn’t hate him anymore. I wasn’t exactly innocent in all this mess either...
The only thing keeping me from moving forward was losing our baby...
My hand drifted to my empty belly, and that hollow ache settled in my chest once more.
——
Fiona ran toward her father the moment she spotted Alpha Theodore approaching. He pulled his daughter into a fierce embrace, relief evident in every line of his body, before his razor-sharp gaze found Reginald standing nearby.
"How the hell did they break through your defenses?!" Alpha Theodore’s roar echoed off the walls. "They’ve captured half your pack, and reinforcements are already here. More attacks are coming. How do you plan to handle this?!"
"Dad!" Fiona cried out, not wanting Reginald to take the blame. "It wasn’t his fault. They knew about the secret passage."
"And how exactly did they learn about it?!"
"We should discuss this privately," Reginald said with forced calm. Fiona tried desperately to cool her father’s rage, but Alpha Theodore was beyond reason—they’d put his daughter in danger.
"Dad, please stop. If you need someone to blame, blame the royals, not him."
"Stay put." Alpha Theodore dismissed her words and stalked toward one of the rooms with Reginald in tow.
The royal forces had seized the pack house, now using it as their strategic headquarters.
"What’s your excuse this time?" Alpha Theodore demanded, slamming the door behind them.
Alpha Sterling was alive but badly wounded from the assault, leaving Reginald to shoulder all control and responsibility for the Obsidian Claw pack.
"I don’t have one. I have no clue how they discovered the secret passage." Reginald paused. "But I do have a theory."
He told Alpha Theodore about Viola, his sister who’d been living at the palace. She’d fled the pack after finding her destined mate.
Seeing her there had been a shock, but Viola wanted nothing to do with him or anyone from their pack, so Reginald had kept his distance.
"Living with Kevin all these years, she must’ve picked up useful information."
"Think you can turn her into our spy?"
"Not sure, but I can try." Reginald’s thoughts went to their mother, who’d been falling apart since the king captured Cameron. She had no idea about Reginald’s attempt on her mate’s life.
"Good. The other alphas are getting restless. If you can’t handle this attack, we’re finished."
If the royal forces destroyed the Obsidian Claw pack, Alpha Theodore’s territory would be next.
"You’d better have a solid plan for the second wave."
"I can manage that if you give me more warriors. Mine were slaughtered in the ambush."
Reginald cut off Alpha Theodore’s protest. "There’s no point holding back your forces. You’ll have to face the royals anyway if I fall."
"You’re asking for a lot."
"And I need your beta to take out their gamma."
