4: His Home

When the carriage stopped at Quinlan's castle, Quinlan made his way out and was going to Penelope's side to help her out, to his surprise she was already outside, whirling her head around with the most intriguing mouth he had ever seen.

For several moments he studied her, wondered why he even stared at her lips more than normal, the half-full moon gave it this delightful-

"You came to help me out of the carriage?" Her voice snapped him from his thoughts and he clenched his jaw for losing his concentration on her.

"You're too kind, my lord," she offered him a smile and then hooked her arm around his.

"Castle looks magnificent, can you please lead the way?" Penelope arched a brow at him and he immediately cleared his throat before he found himself lost in basking in her flowery scent for a moment. The way they bounced in the carriage earlier was doing no justice to his mind, however, the face that kept appearing was Cecile's because she was the only woman he ever slept with.

"Right, let's go," Quinlan's voice was a bit too raspy for his own good and as he led Penelope from the corner of the carriage, he could tell if Alpha Kieran was able to read thoughts, he'd be a lump of dead meat.

"I'm surprised you didn't bring any of your belongings, Penelope?" He paused to look at her.

Penelope appeared a bit offended upon hearing this as Quinlan wondered what he said wrong.

"I don't want to think you have a weak memory, Quinlan. You asked me to dress up and meet you at the Sun God's.."

There was silence because she was pressed to the carriage with a finger on her lips.

"We'll talk about this later, they're listening," he said in a low tone and then withdrew his hand.

Quinlan's servants were waiting for them at the front when they made their presence known.

"Welcome, Lord and Lady Odwolf," they chorused, bowing and curtseying. But their faces gave off different meanings.

"Thank you," this was a unified response from Quinlan and Penelope and they exchanged a look before returning their gazes to the servants.

"She's the lady of the house now, you'll give her the same respect you give to me," Quinlan made this authoritative order to his servants and they nodded.

But that didn't stop them from weirdly glancing at Penelope.

And it didn't budge her a bit. She knew what they were thinking.

"Where is Mr. Gallagher, the head butler?"

"Cross-checking the Lady's Chamber, my lord," an under butler answered.

"Introduce yourselves to the lady," Quinlan held Penelope's hand in his because he could read through the faces of his servants.

Whore.

Has slept with everything in the pants of men.

Could she even bear Quinlan a child?

It was as if Penelope could read minds as they came to introduce themselves, she felt the corner of her lips curving into a smirk.

She wouldn't mind if they said the words to her face rather than letting their gazes do the job. Of course, they were scared of what Quinlan would do. Calling her a whore wasn't an insult to her even though the words came out harsh intending to hurt her. It was her job, she could claim she was a whore with pride, she wasn't hurting anyone it was business. Pay and get served. And now someone with wealth had asked for her services, not to warm his bed for a year but to be his contracted wife.

He wouldn't touch her, she could get herself pleasured anywhere, although it would be under the disguise of a man.

Going on a hiatus from the pleasure house wasn't a bad idea. The pounds in total were six times what she could make from customers in a year. She paid her rent and gave the pleasure house owner his own share. But this time she wasn't working for him.

When Quinlan's servants were done with the introduction, Penelope had already known their faces and names by heart. They headed towards the entrance of the castle that had guards in front.

Quinlan's castle screamed wealth, even though he was just the Alpha's Beta. He had so much money one would ponder why he chose to be Alpha Kieran's Beta.

The statue of a twenty feet wolf was in the middle, and it seemed somewhat powerful. And then a fountain of the moon goddess that gushed out fresh clean water.

Quinlan was the Beta of the Arrowhead Pack, but he was more huge than Alpha Kieran, although both men had big bodies.

Odwolf's castle was considered the second-largest castle on this side of England.

Penelope had a smile on her face the whole time she walked beside Quinlan as his wife. She felt she would have an epic stay at his castle, considering how everyone knew her as the town's biggest whore. She wanted drama, so far it would be better than seeing the unclad bodies of men. Old, young, ugly, good-looking, tall, dwarfish, and then the men who lasted two seconds in bed and begged to be cuddled so they wouldn't lose their money's worth.

She chuckled and clung to Kieran's surprisingly stiff arm that was like one of his statues.

The large doors gave off a screeching noise when Quinlan's head butler opened them, showing the inward appearance of the castle.

The floors weren't cemented like that of the pleasure house, they were made of marble which was mopped to perfection so that no dirt stain could be found. The expensive-looking lamps made the castle seem magnificent.

"Welcome, my lady," Mr. Gallagher, the head butler bowed his head with a smile on his face. Unlike the servants under him. And Penelope beamed at him.

"My, my, this place is breathtaking, husband," Penelope still had the same smile on her face when she looked at Quinlan, ensuring her hand didn't leave his arm.

"It gladdens me that you like it, wife," he forced this response from his mouth and instantly wished he hadn't.

Wife? Dear lord, he would never see her as that even though they just got married. The contract was only known between them. No one else knew, so it was best he acted along with her. But calling her, 'wife,' was all shades of unsettling.

Several paintings of the moon goddess, son God, and wolves were on the wall. And the giant stairs looked like they would lead someone to a sanctuary.

Penelope was certain the castle cost a fortune, considering it was what his grandsire left for him. And she would live there for a year.

"Would you mind me showing you around the castle on the morrow, my lady?" Mr. Gallagher asked.

"I would very much like that, Mr. Gallagher,"

"Just call me Eddard, my Lady,"

She nodded with a grateful look.

"Has everything been set in the lady's chambers?' Quinlan asked after gently pulling his arm away from Penelope.

"Yes, my lord," Eddard replied quickly, "May I say something? Forgive me if you find it displeasing."

"Go ahead," Quinlan said after squinting for a second.

"I deliberately told the servants to rubbish the lady's chambers because I figured you newlyweds would want to spend the night together."

"What!?" Quinlan's outburst made the butler flinch.

"I can guarantee, my lord, my night will be spent fixing things. For the meantime, you two can have the honeymoon phase together," the butler provided, avoiding Quinlan's gaze.

Penelope on the other hand was bubbling with laughter.

"Shit," Quinlan cursed under his breath and clenched his fists.

How could the meddling butler do that?

"Why didn't you seek my permission before doing this?" Quinlan gritted out.

"I wanted to surprise you, my lord," Eddard was recoiling and stepping backward because an intimidating Quinlan was nearing his side, looking really upset, "I thought you'd find it pleasing,"

"Eddard?" Quinlan called the butler's name in a low tone.

"My lord?" Eddard answered with a gulp and then he looked at Penelope to come to his rescue because he was certain he had crossed a line and he would be yelled at.

"Calm down, husband. " Penelope said from Quinlan's behind, "do not get mad, today's our first night together in your home. I'll bet Eddard has outdone himself, with the way he's trying to romanticize everything. Thank you Eddard, you may leave us,"

Quinlan snapped his head back to meet Penelope's gaze. He hoped she didn't intend to walk faster than her shadow because he wanted to give the meddling butler a good warning.

"Thank you, my lady." Eddard bowed, he was about to leave them with the rest of the servants when he paused and narrowed his gaze, "may I ask where are the lady's belongings, I suppose she came with some?"

"If you don't shut up and leave this moment, I'm going to wring your neck," Quinlan threatened, he was still so mad. Couldn't picture Penelope spending the night in his room. He could recall telling the butler to clean her room to perfection before he left for the Sun god's temple just this evening.

And the butler gulped, upon sensing his master's anger.

"The dining room is set with a small feast for you and the lord, and you'll have the maids attend to you when you need them," Eddard paused and avoided the homicidal gaze of Quinlan.

"Have a good evening, my lady. And do not worry about the Lord threatening me, it's something I'm used to already," with this he disappeared immediately before Quinlan could utter another word.

"Leave us," he told the remaining servants and they hurriedly left after bowing their heads.