The Perfect Performance

Bree’s POV

I knew I had to think fast. Lucien was looking at me, and although he tried to maintain a calm expression, I could tell he was just as uncomfortable as I was.

His father had given him an order, and judging by the number of people sitting around the room, there was no way we could simply refuse without making ourselves look guilty.

We had to do something. But what?

I had never imagined that my consummation night would turn into something like this. I had always dreamed of sharing my first time with the man I loved.

For years, I had imagined Adrian being that man. I had pictured him holding me gently, whispering sweet words to me, and making me feel like the most beautiful woman in the world.

Instead, Adrian was sitting across the room, watching me with Sandra beside him. The thought hurt more than I wanted to admit.

I was still a virgin, and now I was being pressured to give that part of myself to a man who had only claimed me to spite his brother.

Lucien suddenly moved closer.

"Come here," he whispered.

I swallowed and allowed him to guide me as we sank deeper into the bed. My heart kept on beating harder, unable to stop with each second that passed between us.

He turned to face the audience, then began unbuttoning his shirt.

My eyes widened slightly as he removed it.

I had never really paid attention to his physique before. He was always so intimidating that I rarely looked at him for longer than necessary.

But without his shirt, it was impossible not to notice his broad shoulders, defined chest, and impressive muscles.

He was incredibly well-built.

I quickly looked away, annoyed with myself for even noticing. Lucien caught my expression but said nothing. Instead, he took my hand and placed it against his chest.

My breath caught.

"What are you doing?" I whispered.

"Just follow my lead," he murmured.

Before I could respond, he guided my hand down his torso, allowing my palm to rest briefly against his firm abdomen.

I could feel the warmth of his skin beneath my fingers, the firmness of his beautiful body resting against my palm.

Suddenly, he leaned closer, bringing his lips near my ear.

"Listen carefully," he whispered. "We're going to make them believe we've done what they came here to see. Just follow my movements. When I tell you, pretend to moan."

I stared at him.

Was he serious?

"Lucien..." I started to say something but he stopped me by placing a finger between my lips.

"Trust me, Bree” he insisted.

I wanted to ask him how exactly he intended to pull this off, but there was no time. The Alpha King was already watching us impatiently.

Lucien pulled back and gave me a look that silently instructed me to cooperate then he climbed deeper onto the bed.

He pulled the covers over us, making sure they concealed most of what was happening beneath them. From where the audience sat, they could only see our movements above the blanket.

I shifted nervously as Lucien leaned toward me again.

"Relax," he whispered.

How was I supposed to relax when the Alpha King, Luna Queen, and half the royal court were watching us?

He reached for the hem of my nightgown and lifted it slightly beneath the covers, creating the impression that he was about to penetrate me.

I stiffened.

"Don't panic," he whispered. "Just follow me.”

He moved closer, positioning himself over me while keeping the blanket carefully arranged around us.

Soon, he gave me a small signal and I understood what he wanted me to do.

"Oh..."

My voice came out weak and unconvincing then Lucien gave me a warning look.

I swallowed.

"Ah..."

He continued moving beneath the covers, carefully controlling his movements to make the performance look convincing from the outside.

"That's it," he whispered. "A little louder."

I wanted to bury my face in the pillow.

This was humiliating, but I had no choice.

I allowed my voice to rise, pretending to respond to his movements. Lucien occasionally murmured something close to my ear, guiding me through the ridiculous performance while making sure the people watching couldn't tell what was actually happening.

His hand settled against my waist before moving to my breasts over the light fabric of my nightgown.

I almost flinched, but then remembered that we had an audience to convince so I forced myself to remain still.

At first, I couldn't feel anything that suggested Lucien was genuinely aroused. Everything seemed carefully controlled, and I assumed he was simply doing his best to maintain the illusion.

However, I felt something against my thighs and my eyes widened.

It took me a moment to understand what it was.

Lucien was actually aroused. I’m fact, I could feel his erect cock resting on my thighs.

I froze for half a second.

Was that possible? Had he really become attracted to me?

I glanced at his face, but he was focused on maintaining the performance. His expression was difficult to read, and I couldn't tell whether his reaction was genuine or simply another part of the act.

My thoughts began racing.

This was the same man who had practically told me he wasn't interested in women like me. He had only claimed me to annoy Adrian, and he had made it clear that our supposed affair was nothing but a convenient lie.

So why was he reacting this way?

I looked at him again. His face was close to mine, and his breathing seemed slightly different from before.

For a moment, I wondered whether there was something about me he hadn't admitted.

Could Lucien actually find me attractive?

The thought was so unexpected that I almost forgot we were supposed to be performing for an audience. I quickly turned my face toward the pillow, trying to hide my confusion.

But one question continued troubling me.

Was Lucien only pretending to want me, or was something about this situation beginning to feel real to him?