Chapter 7: The Beast Beneath

LOGAN

The moment I arrived at her door, I could hear the frantic pounding of her heart from within the room. It was fast, anxious, and uneasy.

I stood still, allowing my senses to stretch through the thick wooden barrier. Her voice trembled as she spoke, asking Lucy to leave. That alone confirmed what I had already begun to suspect: Lucy was troubling her.

But nothing prepared me for what came next.

As I stepped inside, the scent that hit me was sharp and unmistakable. A different scent that possibly belonged to Lucy, thick on Reina’s skin like it had clung to her.

It wasn’t just that she had been close; it was as if Lucy had handled her, touched her… invaded her space.

The beast inside me howled for blood, clawing at my insides, and I didn’t hesitate to wrap my fingers around Lucy’s throat, lifting her from the ground like she weighed nothing. My rage was instantaneous, primal.

I didn’t care that Reina was right there. I didn’t care that my actions might terrify her. At that moment, I was seeing red, and nothing else mattered.

But then she moved. Quick and silent, she was at my side, her eyes wide with panic, and I felt her presence pulling me back from the edge.

“I’m going to ask you one more time, Lucy. What did you do to her?” I snarled, lowering my face closer to hers. Her scent was still fresh, and it burned in my nostrils, feeding the fire already raging within me. “Tell me the truth, or I’ll end you here.”

Lucy's eyes widened even further, glistening with tears. Her lips quivered, and for a moment, I thought she would pass out. “I… I touched her,” she choked out.

“You touched her?” I repeated. That wasn't enough to make me mad surely. “In what way did you touch her?”

“I... Your highness, please,” she cried. “I didn't hurt her I swear!”

I chuckled. But not out of amusement. It was a deadly sound and every servant knew that. “Don’t test my patience, Lucy. How and where did you touch her?”

“Her... Her thighs.” Her voice was raspy, and I knew that it was because of my firm grip on her throat. But the very moment the words left her mouth, my grip tightened.

My fingers sank deeper into her throat, and I could feel her pulse flickering beneath my grip. The beast in me rejoiced, thrilled by the confession.

But then, I heard Reina's whisper, it was soft, pleading, and desperate.

"You’re going to kill her," she said, her hand grasping my forearm with more strength than I expected.

I heard the tremble in her voice, the fear that wasn’t just for Lucy, but for what I might become. That snapped me out of it.

I loosened my grip, and Lucy dropped like dead weight, landing hard on the floor. She coughed violently, clutching her neck as she scrambled away, a pitiful mess of fear and tears.

“Go to my chamber and wait,” I growled, not taking my eyes off her.

But Reina wasn’t having it. She tugged on my arm with both hands, her brows furrowed and her eyes wide with pleading. “Let her go, please. She’s taken care of me all this time.”

Her voice was gentle but firm. It cracked through the storm in my head, making me falter for just a moment. I didn’t respond, but when Lucy took that chance to run,

I didn’t stop her. I watched her retreat down the hallway, the sounds of her shuffling steps disappearing into the distance.

Still, I kept my eyes on the corridor, letting the silence calm my fury.

Reina’s hand slowly slipped away from my arm, and that momentary absence sparked something deeper. I grabbed her wrist before it could fall completely, pulling her gently but firmly toward me.

Her body stumbled against mine, soft and warm, and the sound that escaped her lips was nothing short of addictive.

“Alpha Logan, somebody could see—”

But I didn’t let her finish. I tilted her chin up and pressed my lips to hers, hungry and unrelenting. The kiss was fire hot, demanding, and selfish. I couldn’t get enough of her taste, the softness of her lips, the way she leaned into me, even if just a little.

Without breaking the kiss, I lifted her from the ground, her body molding perfectly into my arms as if she had always belonged there. Her arms wrapped around my neck, and I carried her into the room, kicking the door shut behind us.

I broke the kiss just enough to stare at her. “Do you remember what I asked you to do?”

“No,” she mumbled quietly.

I smirked. “I asked you to prepare for me. Did you forget?”

Her eyes widened, and she tried to back away, but I caught her by the waist, pulling her flush against me.

“Did you prepare for me?” I asked, my voice no longer the thunder it had been when I confronted Lucy. It was a quieter, smoother sound now, like silk drawn over steel.

“No,” she said. Her tone was steady, almost stubborn. She wasn’t afraid, not in the way others usually were. She stood her ground, bracing herself for whatever I might say next.

Oh, she thought that would spare her. That not preparing meant I would lose interest. That I would leave her be.

“Alright then,” I said, lifting her into my arms. She gasped again, but I didn’t let her go. I carried her to the bed and lowered her down with care, placing her gently on the soft sheets.

“What are you doing?” she stammered, eyes wide as she stared at me.

“I’m about to prepare you for myself.” I said as I stepped back. "Take off your dress."

"What?" Her voice shook and she tried to move further into the bed. Her gaze was a mix of fright and curiosity. Something I loved to see. It looked like she wanted to be pleased, but was too afraid to ask.

"Reina, there's no way to run from me. So, obey and you'll be fine." I warned. "Take off your clothes. I hate to repeat myself."

Staring at me, she slowly knelt in the bed and started loosening the ropes on her dress. Her movements were too coordinated as if she was being compelled. After loosening the ropes, she put her hands down, staring at me.

I watched her and smiled. "Take everything off," I said.

Still staring at me, she started peeling the rest of the clothes off her body, until she was completely naked.

"Good girl," I murmured. “Now lay flat, and open up for me.”