Chapter 23

Katla

“Damien, what is happening?” I grabbed him, “Where are we?”

“Katla, calm down, this is an elevator. It will take us to our home in the city. It’s on the 105th floor. Well, 105th through 107th to be exact. You’ll see. I hope you like it.” My wolf awoke somewhere in the corner of my mind to appreciate the way he said “our home” with ease.

I tried to regain control of my breaths, and he held me close. His smell enveloped me, and soon, there was nothing else except him and me wrapped protectively in his arms. I rested my head against his chest, instantly relaxing. The elevator came to a stop with a small lurch that made my stomach slide up and down, then the doors slid open to reveal a massive space surrounded by windows that touched the sky itself.

I took a step out of the elevator and the doors closed shut behind us. I looked around, expecting to see the familiar buzz of a packhouse, and he sensed it, “It’s just us Katla,” he breathed. “My parents are in their suite, as are everyone else. This space is ours now.”

“Ours. There that word was again,” I thought contentedly.

I walked across the plush rugs, down several steps, into a large circular room with a fireplace and white sofas. For being alone here, there was enough space for the entirety of Iceclaw.

I walked to the row of windows to look out at the inky sky dotted with stars. I placed my hands on the cool window and stretched out before me was the entire, glittering world, with darkness on the horizon. I could just make out the shimmer of the Southern barrier, far in the distance. I gasped at the beauty of everything below. Damien came next to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. “Do you like it?”

“Damien, it’s…I don’t know how to even begin to process this…” I breathed. He nuzzled into my neck, kissing under my ear.

“And do you like this?” he purred, nipping my earlobe and pulling me close.

“Mmmhmm…” I leaned into his kisses and nips. He swept me up in his arms like a baby and carried me up a sweeping, modern staircase to the second floor. He stopped in front of a door, and hissed, “Shit.”

“Damien, is that you,” a female’s voice called from the room. I looked up at Damien and panic flashed across his face. He put me down, and kept an arm wrapped around my waist, like I would try to run if he let go, then swept his hair back with his hand. He was clearly flustered.

“Damien?” I asked, “Who is that?”

“Eh, that’s Clarissa, my…uh….other assistant,” he said.

“And I suppose your assistants…assist you in any way you see fit?” I mused, looking down his body to the lump beneath his sweats.

He looked down at me and I could tell he was carefully considering his words, “My assistants are there to…um…serve my needs… yes. Whatever those … needs… may be. I hadn’t anticipated–”

“Me,” I finished for him. “You hadn’t anticipated my tagging along after our engagement. So, you wanted to come back to this giant glass tower and fuck your assistant?”

“Well, yes, I hadn’t expected a lot of things today. It’s been very… eventful?” He ran his hand through his hair again. He did that when he was thinking or nervous. I bit the corner of my lip, thinking about my response.

“Eventful is certainly one word you could use to describe today. Though, I think I would go with unexpected. Goddess, this day has been something.” I looked up at him, eyes burning.

I couldn’t blame him for arranging something after he returned from Iceclaw. It was an arranged alliance marriage after all, and this was the absolute last place I would have expected to be when I woke up this this morning. I should be at a banquet, celebrating my ascension to Alpha-in-Waiting. I touched the diamond at my throat, noting it seemed to sparkle less here, and I started to slide the jacket off my shoulders, letting it fall to the floor.

“Damien, are you coming or what?” Clarissa called from around the corner, clearly unaware that I was there.

“Clarissa, I think-” Damien began to speak.

“No, Damien, wait,” I stopped him from sending her away. I continued to undress, letting my pink pants slip down my long pale legs. I heard Damien’s breath catch.

“Katla, what are you–”

“Shh,” I said, “Watch.” I felt powerful. I was unclaimed and unmarked, but something deep in me took over, claiming my sexuality. As I stood there in my white tanktop and white panties looking up at Damien, my lips parted and I ordered, “Well, get on with it then. I’m going to watch.”