No Control

~Amaris

As I lay on the bed again, everything that had happened replayed in my head like something I couldn’t control. The betrayal that led me here. The scent…that heavy, frostbitten pine that seemed to have claimed the very air of my room. The shadow. The hunger that left its mark on my pussy, like a low-frequency hum I couldn't switch off.

I clutched my pillow tighter, trying to push it all away, clasping my legs over it like that would stop my pussy from leaking.

It was just a dream, I told myself, even though the phantom weight of those massive footprints on my mat said otherwise.

But it wasn’t so easy.

At some point, exhaustion won.

When I opened my eyes again, bright morning light poured across my face. I squinted slightly and let out a slow breath.

“Oh goddess… it’s morning already,” I muttered, rubbing my eyes.

It took a moment for my vision to adjust to the room. I was used to the plain white walls at Uncle May’s place. But this… this was different. Softer. Warmer. Carefully arranged in a way that felt almost too intentional, like a gilded cage designed to keep me exactly where I was.

A knock broke through my thoughts.

“I’m coming,” I said groggily as I pushed myself out of bed, slid my feet into my slippers, and walked toward the door.

I opened it.

Ember stood there, wearing a matching blue lingerie set. The waist string of the panty clung to the curve of her waist, accentuating it in a lip-dripping way. The bra was barely covering her boobs, just her nipples and an extra bit of skin. She was already awake, already full of energy.

“Finally,” she said, stepping in without waiting. “I was starting to think you planned on sleeping through your first full day here.”

I yawned softly. “I just woke up.”

“I can see that.” She grabbed my wrist and pulled me further into the room. “Come on, you need to freshen up. We’re going to the poolside.”

“The poolside?” I repeated, still trying to fully wake up.

“Yes. And don’t even try to say no.” She shot me a look. “You didn’t come all the way here to stay locked in your room.”

I sighed quietly. Before I could say anything else, she was already moving toward the bathroom.

“Go,” she said, nudging me forward. “Take your bath. I’ll get something for you to wear.”

I didn’t argue. I was too tired to. I stepped into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water ran over me, warm and steady, helping me wake up properly this time. But then, the memories of last night crawled in. Everything I saw. Everything I felt. I managed to shake it off, scrubbing my skin as if I could wash away the lingering sensation of being watched.

As if scrubbing between my legs thoroughly would completely stop that slimy substance from dripping out of me.

I made sure the cold water touched every inch of my skin. Because I needed to get rid of the heat that didn't seem to stop emitting my skin.

By the time I finished, I wrapped a towel around myself before stepping out.

Ember was already waiting. She turned immediately, a satisfied smile forming on her lips.

“Perfect timing,” she said, holding up a set of lingerie.

Pink. Tiny.

I paused.

“This?”

It wasn’t what I expected.

“Ember…”

“No complaints,” she cut in immediately. “You’re with me now. You’re not hiding anymore.”

“I'm not used to wearing these things around people,” I argued, feeling a flare of heat in my cheeks.

“People? It's just the pack workers and my Dad.”

That…

Her dad.

If only she knew how much that word felt on her lips.

My chest beat for a second, a sharp image of his predatory gaze flashing through my mind. The way he made my chest beat hard, craving for something I shouldn't dare to think of.

I took the fabric from her.

A few minutes later, I wore the piece. She stepped back, scanning me from head to toe again.

“That’s better,” she said with a satisfied nod.

I looked down at myself, slightly uncomfortable, adjusting the fabric unconsciously. It felt like I was wearing nothing at all…an invitation I wasn't sure I wanted to send.

“It’s fine,” she added, softer this time. “You’ll get used to it.”

I didn’t respond.

“Come on,” she said, grabbing my hand again. “Let’s go.”

— — —

The poolside was already alive when we got there. The late morning sun reflected off the water, creating soft ripples of light. At one corner, a maid stood beside a grill, carefully turning pieces of fish. The smell of charred salt and citrus filled the air, but it felt thin, easily broken.

Ember led me to one of the chairs and sat down, pulling me with her.

“This is nice, right?” she said, stretching slightly.

“It is,” I replied quietly, though my skin felt too tight, my wolf pacing restlessly in the back of my mind.

Ember leaned back in her chair, a playful smile forming on her lips. “You came at the perfect time, honestly. There’s a gathering in a few nights. Not official, but you know how it gets. Alcohol, music, sex… too many egos in one place.”

I glanced at her, surprised by her bluntness.

“You should see the Alphas that show up,” she continued, lowering her voice. “Some of them travel from other packs just to be there. Tall, confident, veiny.” She laughed softly. “They'll leave you wondering what their monster shaft looks like down there.”

I gave a faint hum, my mind already drifting.

“And don’t worry, I’ll pick the good ones for you,” she added. “You’re not about to waste your time on boring wolves while you’re here.”

“I’m not really thinking about that,” I said.

“That’s because you just got here, and you're probably still thinking about that worthless being in Oakhaven,” she replied quickly. “Give it a few days, you’ll forget everything and loosen up.”

She tilted her head, studying me. “You’ve been too serious lately. That whole situation really got to you, didn’t it?”

I looked away slightly. “I’m fine.”

“Mm,” she hummed, not fully convinced. “Well, whether you like it or not, you’re going to have fun here. I’m not letting you hide in your room and overthink everything.”

I nodded faintly, but then the air around the pool changed. The smell of the grill and the chlorine vanished, crushed under a scent that was colder, deeper… that familiar, overwhelming frostbitten pine.

My body reacted before my mind could catch up. My pulse skyrocketed, a frantic drumming against my ribs.

I turned and saw him.

Alpha Varg.

He was walking toward the pool. Shirtless.

My breath caught instantly. His build was even more imposing now, without anything to soften it. Broad shoulders, defined chest, powerful arms that made him look like the perfect sexual monster for me.

No. Not me.

That is my best friend's father. I shouldn't think like that.

But every step he took closer, made me tremble, my clit thudding against the chair uncontrollably.

The tattoos spread across his skin like ancient markings of dominance.

I tried to pull my eyes away, but the more unbearable it felt, the more I failed.

Stop looking, I screamed at myself, yet I remained frozen.

My pussy remained clenched, clit pulsing harder than even my heart.

He stopped not too far from us and Ember stood up immediately.

“Dad.”

He acknowledged her, his voice low and vibrating, but I barely heard the words. How could I have heard when his eyes darted toward me like that.

Not quickly. Not accidentally.

Deliberately.

He tracked the line of the pink lace against my boobs, his gaze a physical weight that made my thighs flush with heat. I caught myself biting my inner lip, my breathing coming in shallow, audible hitches.

I forced myself to look away, staring hard at the water. But seconds later… I looked back again. I hated it. I hated that I had no control. Not over my thoughts, not over my eyes, not over the way my wolf was yearning for a man I had just met.

They spoke for a while. I didn’t follow the conversation, because every now and then, his gaze returned to me…steady, unshaken, and filled with a dark, possessive heat that made me feel like I was already claimed.

But I wasn't.

I was still dripping hopelessly on the chair, clutching my legs because that was all I could do in the heat of that moment.

When he finally turned to leave, the air felt suddenly thin, as if he’d taken all the oxygen with him. I watched the play of muscles in his back, the way his overwhelming scent lingered like a brand. I didn’t realize how long I had been staring.

“Amaris.”

I didn’t respond.

“Amaris.”

Still nothing.

“Amaris!”

I blinked and turned suddenly, my heart nearly jumping out of my chest. Ember was looking at me, her expression sharpened, the playful lightness gone.

“Why are you staring at my father like that?”

The air fell silent between us, letting the question sink in.