All Chapters of The 200-Year Bride Swap: Chapter 41 - Chapter 50

(Rocco)My wolf snarls in ungratified frustration, and I’m left standing there, caught between wanting to chase after her and knowing I need to let her figure this out on her own.It’s only when the door clicks shut behind her that I almost let go of the tight restraint I had placed on myself and my wolf while in her presence. The heat of the encounter lingers in the air, a heavy, electric charge that settles into my skin, making every nerve feel like it’s been lit on fire. My pulse thrums wildly, each beat amplified by the faint echo of her footsteps down the hall.Alicia. Damn her and this pull she has on me. It’s not just the mate bond. I can feel it. It’s deeper, more primal, like a magnet dragging me to her with every glance, every breath. My skin is no longer damp from the shower. Instead, it burns from where her gaze lingered, every inch of me taut with a tension that has nothing to do with what I’m trying to hide from her. My cock throbs painfully, accusing me of the neglect I

(Rocco)I wake up before the sun’s fully risen, my internal clock dragging me from restless sleep. I sit up in bed, blinking against the early morning light filtering through the curtains, casting odd shadows across the walls.There’s a strange stillness in the air today, something off-kilter. I can’t quite place it, but it sets my instincts on edge, like a whisper I can’t hear but can almost feel. My wolf is pacing inside me, restless and alert, urging me to be wary.I went for a long run in wolf form last night, like I’ve done most nights since Alicia arrived, but he’s still restless and constantly uneasy.I swing my legs out of bed and rub my hands over my face, trying to shake off the lingering unease. I’ve learned over the years not to ignore these feelings. My instincts have never steered me wrong before.I push Alicia’s t-shirt, the one I’ve been cuddling all night, back under my pillow. It’s starting to lose her scent. Maybe I can return this one and nick the one she wore yest

(Rocco)Alicia arrives, and my eyes find her immediately. She looks wary, her posture stiff as she scans the room. Our eyes meet briefly, and for a second, it’s like she sees right through me, to the tangled mess of thoughts I’ve been wrestling with all day.I see her look up while she makes her way to our table, towards where the axe remains wedged into the roof beam, her challenge, as yet, not met by anyone.She takes her seat beside me, but the conversation is stilted, every word feeling forced. I can tell she’s holding back, keeping her thoughts to herself, and it only adds to my frustration. Across the room, I catch snippets of conversation. Mutters about the peace treaty, about her. I clench my jaw, the glass in my hand threatening to crack under the pressure of my grip.Tahlia leans over, her voice low. “Alpha, there’s been increased communication among the disgruntled factions. It’s… escalating.”I nod, not trusting myself to speak. My instincts tell me this… tension… it’s abo

(Alicia)Shadows move in the corners of my vision, the scent of unfamiliar wolves permeating the air. My grip tightens on the blade as we reach the living area, and that’s when I see them, a group of wolves, at least ten strong, eyes gleaming with malice.The sight sends a fresh wave of chills down my spine, heightening the tension already coiled tight within me. Since arriving in Wolfsreach, I hadn’t yet witnessed anyone fully transformed, all shrouded in fur and raw power. Now that I have, the reality is far more terrifying than anything I had imagined.And clearly, not all of them were in fur form. I barely register the glint of metal before it happens. Two gunshots crack through the room like thunderclaps.I don’t think, don’t aim. My sword jerks in my grip as if it has a will of its own, dragging my arm sharply to the right. Metal meets metal with a shriek; the bullets ricochet off the blade and drop harmlessly at Rocco’s feet, their dull clinks nearly lost in the chaos erupting

(Alicia)I help Rocco limp into his room. Thankfully, someone had given him a pair of shorts, sparing me from having to look down at his impressively big, flaccid member, which I caught a glimpse of earlier swinging between his legs. I mean, I’ve seen a few of those since Aphrodite’s blessing placed me in all sorts of awkward moments, but geez…I force my mind out of the gutter. This is the worst possible time for those kinds of thoughts, for fuck's sake.The air is thick with the coppery scent of blood, sweat, and the lingering tension of battle. My muscles ache, and my mind is still spinning with adrenaline. Yes, let’s blame my gutter-brain on that. But I push through, focusing on the task at hand: getting Rocco somewhere safe so we can tend to his wounds.His arm is slung over my shoulder, his weight heavy but reassuring. I feel every staggered step, each pained breath he takes, and it stirs something fierce in my chest.Rocco’s wound still seeps, a vivid red against his skin, and