Chapter 8| Double Temptation

Theo’s POV 

I pushed open the door to my room and let it shut behind me with a soft thud. The day had drained me both physically and mentally, yet my mind wouldn't rest. It never did, not since I saw her. 

I rolled my sleeves up and stared at my forearms. The red veins still pulsed angrily beneath my skin, burning with a pain I had no name for. It throbbed, steady and stubborn, like a reminder of everything I was trying to push down.

It hurt, but I could bear it. I always had when I chose to materialize. Without wasting another second, I stripped off my shirt and trousers and walked into the bathroom. 

I turned the shower on and stepped under it without waiting for the water to settle. The icy spray hit my skin and I hissed out a breath, my body tensing before it slowly relaxed under the sting.

The water ran over my shoulders, down my back, into the curve of my spine. I tilted my head back and dragged my fingers through my hair, brushing it away from my face as the water kept pouring down. 

For a brief second, it felt like I could breathe. Like I could forget. But I couldn't. Not today. Of all days, fate chose today to shove her in front of me. My mate. I didn’t want a mate. I never searched for one. I had made peace with the emptiness. 

But then she showed up, and everything changed. And then she has the guts to run. She really thought she could escape from me. How pathetic. She probably thought I was one of those soft Alphas who’d beg and whimper at the sight of a mate. 

I wasn’t. I never would be.

I threw her in the cell to teach her what it meant to defy me. Maybe she'd learn some manners down there, even if it meant bleeding out in the dark. Though... when I saw the blood between her thighs, something twisted inside me. 

Not guilt. Not sorrow. Just something cold and sharp that wouldn’t leave. I didn’t want a dead mate. I didn’t want her, period, but dead? That would be messy. So I sent Marilyn down with herbs. 

That should be enough to stop the bleeding. I leaned against the shower wall, my palm flat against the cool tile. My muscles were tight, like wires pulled to their limit, my mind louder than ever.

Then I heard it. A soft sound. The faint click of a door handle. I frowned but didn’t move. Probably just one of the maids coming in to clean or change the sheets. They knew better than to disturb me. I let it go. 

I closed my eyes and let the water keep falling. But then, something else came. A familiar scent. My heart gave one hard thump, just one, before going still again. I knew that scent. I could smell it in my veins. 

I didn’t need to guess.

Before I could even form her name in my head, the door to the bathroom creaked open.

I didn’t turn.

I knew exactly who it was.

Her hands were warm against my wet skin, slow and steady as they slid from my shoulders down to my waist. The water kept falling, but all I could feel was her touch. 

She pressed herself against my back, soft curves molding into the hard lines of my body like she belonged there. Her lips brushed against my neck, just a breath, and my muscles tightened.

“You smell so heavenly, Alpha Theo,” she whispered, her voice low, like she was trying to tempt the devil himself. I didn’t stop her. I let her hands explore me, let her fingers tease every inch they touched. 

It was exactly what I needed. I’d been too tense, too wound up, and now that she was here offering herself. I wasn’t about to push her away.

Her hands moved lower, dangerously close, and my body responded before I could even think. But just before she could touch what she was clearly reaching for, I caught her wrist, holding her still.

“Not so fast, Christabel,” I murmured, turning to face her. Water still ran down my body, dripping from my hair, but all I saw was her. Her eyes were wide and dark, lips slightly parted, breath shaky. 

She looked up at me like she needed me to ruin her, like she was begging me to lose control. Her gaze dropped to my arm, the red veins still glowing faintly.

“Your hand, Theo…” she whispered, softer now. 

“Let me help you. Let me, Theo.”

“It’s Alpha Theo,” I said, my voice low and rough as I reached for her throat. “I’m sorry Alpha.” She replied. 

I didn’t squeeze. I just held her there, gently, but with enough pressure to make her breath catch. She shivered. I could feel her pulse quicken under my palm. Her lips trembled, her thighs pressed together like she was trying to calm the heat building inside her.

I watched her, just for a moment. I liked seeing her like this. Weak for me. Wanting me. She always tried to act strong, but here…now…she was melting, and it made something dark and hungry stir inside me.

I leaned down and kissed her, hard. My mouth crashed into hers, and she didn’t hold back. Her fingers dug into my back, her body pressing even closer. The kiss was messy, deep, full of heat and need. 

My hand stayed on her throat, and hers tangled in my wet hair, pulling me in even more. Her moan vibrated against my mouth when my hand found her breast. I didn’t rush. I just touched, slow and deliberate, loving how her body responded to every move.

I pulled away suddenly, lips still tingling, breath still uneven, and walked out of the bathroom. She followed behind me cause she knew we needed to be on the bed. 

But I froze the second I saw my bed.

Joan was lying there, completely naked, her legs spread open, one hand between them. She was already lost in pleasure, head tilted back, eyes half-lidded with lust.

“Hey, twin,” Joan said with a slow smirk, eyes drifting to Christabel behind me. “Don’t think you’d enjoy him all to yourself.”

“The more the merrier.”