A law

She blinked in disbelief. Ren wasn't prepared to answer such an unexpected question. She stared up at him like a complete fool, as though she couldn't understand his language. Her voice seemed trapped in her throat, and her mind was too numb to conjure any suitable response that wouldn't inadvertently provoke his resentment.

'Oh, my holy hell! Why does he care how I feel?'

Until now, no one had ever cared about her feelings or desires. Her stepmother had always forced her to prioritize the family's interests over her own. But that was a lie, a convenient excuse to manipulate her into following orders. In truth, her stepmother only commanded her to do things that wouldn't upset Ara, her daughter.

"Why don't you answer? Do you like me?"

His hoarse, sorrowful voice snapped her out of her reverie. She couldn't deny that her husband had enchanted her, for he had. Yet, his unpredictability made her feel insecure around him.

"I'm a logical person. I don't know much about you, and you've made it clear you don't want me to."

His expression shifted instantly, a bitter grin curling on his lips. Without a word, he slightly nodded as he leaned closer to her. Grabbing her waist, he pulled her onto his lap to close the gap between them.

"All right, sweet doe-eyes. Sleep here tonight; the forest floor is damp and will only cramp your muscles. Tomorrow, you'll find out how many people live in my castle."

He pulled her close to his chest. She could hear his smooth, steady heartbeat, a sign of his robust health, she thought.

Ren tried to take comfort in his warmth, relaxing in the shelter of his strong arms and sturdy chest. But his earlier question nagged at her, the irritation twisting painfully in her chest. Why wasn't she entitled to love someone?

A hopeless voice deep within her mind answered: You are not worthy of a love life, witch.

Her eyes grew warm with unshed tears, but before she could dwell further, he suddenly said, "I don't like it when you make that sound while eating."

Her spine stiffened. What sound did he mean? Had she done something wrong?

"What?" she murmured.

"Don't get close to other males. As my wife, you must behave with propriety. Eat your food quietly, and do not smile at any male, even if you consider him a friend."

Kaisun reached out, his fingers brushing against her soft, beautiful hair. Her delicate scent filled his senses, so gentle and intoxicating that he thought twice to touch her fully, afraid he might hurt her. Reluctantly, he retracted his hand back.

The way his wolves seemed drawn to her stirred a chaotic rhythm in his chest. He wasn't like this before, no woman had ever agitated his heart like this. Yet here he was, shaken to his core by a human who had somehow pierced the barriers around his heart. He was doomed.

Was it jealousy or disgust? Ren clenched her fists, her expression unreadable. Whatever he felt, she couldn't oppose him, but she at least deserved an explanation.

"Why? Do they hate me?" she raised the question softly not to offend him.

Hate? That's not what he meant! But there was no way he would reveal the real reason.

"Hm, I don't know, and I don't care," he said with an indifferent tone. "That's the law. You don't show interest in anything they do. As my wife, you must draw a line between other males and me. Otherwise, the females in the castle might feel threatened and accuse you of seducing their mates."

She was beautiful, delicate, and soothing, so different from the wolf females. He wasn't guessing. He was sure of it.

"I understand," she replied, her skin tingling. So, it was another warning. But Rail didn't have that flirty demeanor about him; he seemed like a genuine person. She felt stupid for thinking Kaisun might have been jealous or started to like her. Just moments ago, he'd suspected she was plotting to kill them all and escape.

She refused to let helplessness deplete her strength; she needed her wits to focus on significant matters, such as studying herbs. If any life was at stake, she had to be the one to save it. 

Moreover, she was tired of staying in the vast, lush forests or spending time in roadside inns that reeked of filth like a shit-hole. She couldn't tolerate it any longer. His warmth wrapped around her like a soothing lullaby, and she closed her eyes.

In the morning, Kai watched her blushed cheeks and reached his hand out to touch them, but she snuggled deep, and her body brushed against his middle making his cock tingle and throb. 

'Holly Shit!' 

He stifled a groan that nearly escaped his lips when his foot suddenly pressed on a twig, causing a bird to fly away with a sharp chirp.

She wriggled again, making him hold his breath and clutch the tree root near him, tightly.

"Oh, I overslept," she slurred.

"Ah, no! It's fine," he said, struggling to push his arousal down as he stood up and lifted her.

"Please put me down, I can walk."

It was an involuntary reaction, and when she turned to look up at him, he quickly averted his gaze and set her down.

"Okay, then. If you need to… piss…" He cringed, embarrassed at his own words. Why was he even telling her what she needed to do? "Never mind. Get ready. We're moving in an hour."He walked away, and Ren followed his steps, but her husband quickly hurried to his horse to saddle it.

Ren looked around, still groggy. Only Axe was present, standing guard over the surroundings.

As they finished preparing, Siamon remarked, "We'll be at the castle before noon!"

"I miss my bed!" Rail laughed loudly, slapping the flank of his horse, and hit the road. As he had said once, Gamma warriors were the vanguards of a pack, and the Alpha was usually the last to approach.

Ren had learned a lot about them, but there was one very disturbing thing about them that she couldn't quite get used to.

Shifters' oh-gods-fucking naked body! 

In normal situations, they would cover their bodies and dress properly, but when returning from a patrol, they didn't mind shifting in front of others without any clothes on, feeling no shame about it.

However, as for her husband, she had never seen him shift. She hadn't even seen him shirtless yet. The only vivid memory she could recall was from the goblins' attack, his hand, as black as ink, with no fur. He wasn't entirely like the other males around him. Ren convinced herself that he was probably trying to be considerate toward his bride and didn't want to scare the shit out of her.