Chapter 8. Calloused

Have you ever seen both Heaven

and Hell inside someone's eyes?

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Light rays roamed as shadows crawled between the doorsills cracks — enveloping the scarred girl inside of a dark room that was adored by enchantment, grace. The fire place was still crackling loud at the hearth as it did once the her mate torched it.

Vera stirred in her sleep as nightmares of the previous night played over like a mixtape in the depths of her mind. All while ending the same - with Alexander claiming her so domineeringly, like his wolf kin did with their mates.

One set of eyes still chilled her bones remembering how she gawked at the grotesque monstrosity getting off to Eve. Wordlessly biting over and over again into the curvaceousness of her neck as Eve called out to her at first until she started barking a name.

Her mate's name.

Then her mind drifted back to a certain alpha, making her wonder if he would preform in the rough acts as they did giving in to his carnal side. Driven by the gods of Love and Fertility.

A clear picture of the lycan prince tasting her skin, dipping his tongue into uncharted territory, marking, claiming her most loveliest intimate areas invaded her conscious. How her insides would reek of his milky fluids after their ferals first release reminded her of a game of tug and war. Did she really want Alexander to take her in such savage way? Would he do it out of love or just to be crowned by his father amongst his family and trustees.

And Mavis... more specifically her and that beta...

Out of a heap of frustration, Vera filled with heat, tossed and turns underneath the sheets as realization dawned upon her that laid restless in his bed. If she didn't move she'd nearly bask or drown in his scent that was all to consuming. His intoxicating fumes would seize and drug her if she allowed it.

The raven haired child found herself lifting the bedding to her face at first to wrap it around her head like a freshly knitted sweater, before she would start inhaling it like a mad woman.

"You like how I smell." He says and Vera hadn't realized he was present because if she did she wouldn't have acted so crazy for his natural aroma. The blush abuptly colors her face,"No it's not that- I just have-" she tries to reason but fails miserably.

"My scent finds you in best comfort the same as yours does to me." He admits. "You infatuate him, alot." Vera stares openly at her mate as if just seeing him physically for the first time. Dark rings circles around his eyes hinting to the hours of sleep he's gotten. If he did get any that is. "My wolf I mean." Alexander steals this moment to stand closer to her bedside.

"You don't say," She hums more to herself, but Alexander hadn't dared to say anything. He only watches with prominent eyes, cutting into her soul like a tainted dagger.

His bronze hair falls over his face disheveled after he raked his fingers threw them. "Alexander I can explain, just let me see Mavis." Vera says getting up to stand at full height in front of him, and yet he still towered over her even as he's slouching.

His stare is a double edged blade, and he doesn't even know it,

Breathing in and exhaling, he takes the time to size Vera up with his gaze lingering on her naked legs a little longer.

Had he claimed her like he was suppose to under the deluxe moon, and yet he debated against it for some reason still unknown to himself.

"I don't want to hear whatever lies you come up with on the spot,mate. It is entirely what it looks like." Alexander takes two steps dangerously close to Vera's face daring her to move or look away.

"No room for bargains. I assured you mate, you'll never leave my sight of vision again." Vera shuffles her fingers around in her palm that became sweaty at the wine color that always appeared in her head during the day and invaded her dreams at night.

"Fine whatever! At least let me see my friends." Vera finds herself shouting. At any moment now she'd collapsed by simply sitting in the same room with him as his scent floated around. "Oh that I can't do." Alexander laughs pushing past her to sit on his bed resting his head where Vera previously laid.

She pulls down her shirt that swayed loosely around her hips. "Why not." She questions adding more emphasis to her tone. "Mavis and Eve are very occupied at the moment. I think you know what their doing. What we should doing." A mischievous glint hid in Alexander's eyes as he pushes back the smirk wanting to spread across his face.

Realization dawned over her as her face coats pink with another blush. "Bane please! I know Mavis is scared for dear life without me. I have to do something." Vera pleads straddling his lap taking the lycan by surprise. " That I cannot..." He only growls out pulling her closer.

" I suggest you get some shut eye, child. I'll be gone all day running errands by then my return we can discuss more on my newer arrangements." Alexander doesn't hesitate to drag his fingers threw Vera's silky dark hair as he says this. She only stares at his face a little longer before getting an idea.

"Why can't I... come along with you?" Vera bats her eyelashes poking out her bottom lip. "No." He takes Vera by surprise when he says this.

Before She knew it she was getting up and scampering on her feet huffing a breath aloud fully agitated. "Yes I am. My mind is made." Vera sends him a daring smile.

Alexander studies her for a moment.

His shirt she sported made her look youthful than what she actually was and somehow he was turned on by that. Before he could get a word out suddenly Vera was pushing him out of the room which he allowed in this action knowing he could've resisted,

Taking her by surprise he grasps Vera's wrist forcefully pulling them down getting at eye level with her. "Okay fine. How about this, meet me in the dining pavilion in thirty. Any later than that then it's off. You're going back to your room." He settles.

Vera hadn't gotten the chance to bargain as Alexander is storming out of the room with his heavy foot steps sound retreating.

Vera rushes to the bathroom determined to spend time with her mate - before she could register anymore details she's cutting the steaming hot water on and jumping in.

As days passed all she wore was Alexander's clothes. No undergarments, strictly his lanky tees and shorts. She never combed her hair or styled it, giving this her perfect opportunity to shampoo and condition.

Letting the water soak her from head to toe she can see all the dirt drain the tub at her feet as she scrubs and lathers the soap into her skin feeling it go soft at the touch. It sure wasn't heaven but it came pretty damn close.

She rinses the shampoo and goes in with her fingertips scratching away as the water ran down her backside. Time comes for the conditioner.

Hope Alexander likes her smelling masculine sense that's all the shampoo, soaps, and scrubs smelt like.

"There's no time for this, Vera. I gave you a time limit." She hears coming from behind the shower curtain. Her scream rings as she feels two hands snake around her body pulling her into his.

She hears the water shutting off as she doesn't reap what's going on until she feels Alexander's rumbling laugh vibrating against her naked back.

"What the actual fuck!" Vera curses for the first time as Alexander's laugh ceases. With no time spared Vera finds herself face to face with the bastard interrupting her from her peace time. "No such words should come from my mate of mine." He says teasingly. He wore a bleak expression yet Vera could see the smirk breaking away before he pushed it back.

"Well excuse me, I wouldn't have shouted it in the first place if my mate hadn't scared the living shit out of me!" Vera mutters utterly baffled. Alexander gaining irritation, squeezes her.

"Vera. Do not detest me." He slants his eyebrows beginning to glare at her with her feet floating from the ground as he held her. "You'll never say another word like that. Especially not to your alpha." He growled.

Vera only stares at him for a moment thinking he was maddening crazed that it was just about the last straw for her. She considered his words before deciding he was really, genuinely out of it. "Seriously what the fuck made you do that? I've seen way to many horror movies to know how it ends with the innocent girl." She pokes at his chest.

Her hands became heavier as she pounded wherever her hands lied, "You know... with her in the shower most vulnerable. So exposed to whoever-" Before she could fully begin her lecture she feels Alexander wrapping his hands around her throat pushing her against the bathroom wall with a thud following behind it. He tends to do that often, Vera notes.

She sees her steamy reflection threw the glass mirror staring back at her with shiny brown eyes that seemed to glance farther down Alexander's physique, his rippling back muscles.

The scars that ran down her mate's backside did nothing but peer at her with confession and promises to a slumbering honesty. She stiffens so tightly in attempt to cave in but couldn't as curiosity frolicked in grease and condensation, fairly stunning but aware— she skims her fingertips around the edges of her mate's creases and heat.

Alexander reels her into his hard chest that bounced from her breast, he absentmindedly dismissed how naked she were but he pretended as if he didn't care to register.He moistens his lips after darting his tongue outside of his mouth and licks over his bottom lip, with ease, he had Vera in a choke hold.

"Listen closely, because I don't think your picking up entirely what I'm laying down." Alexander's wine colored eyes glistened, staring daggers into her soul. Vera lifted herself to try and maneuver in his grasp only for him to turn her around to face him.  He was so hot, Vera felt to be melting. Especially with his scent engulfing her entire existence.

"Never at all again. Open your mouth to spew filthy words so easily to disrespect me. Or I'll fill it with something else." Tilting Vera's head back with his hand against her Adam's apple, he slurs on his words lavishing the sight of her small, full body for the taking.

But he fought back his urges and instead scoffs,"Do you understand me, mate." He snarls out before letting go without waiting for another response as he leaves.

Vera hears the door slam. How he left her swarming body with butterflies all flustered like that, filled with heat. Begging for more.

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