REA'S POV
We – Jerome and I were shown into a very nice, cosy house, and this time around, Jerome checked to make sure the rest of our 'pack' was properly quartered before he moved in.
It was a bungalow, with white picket fence, and a tiny little gate that was probably more of a decoration than a necessity.
The aesthetic also had a general appeal to the werewolf senses, the house could easily be described as being buried in the woods.
Tall mahogany trees lined the Westside of the house, shielding the view of the sunset. I hadn't yet known if the story about werewolves and sunsets was mere myth, but I did not intend to find out.
The Eastside however was covered with lower pine trees, high enough to make the house feel like a sanctuary, but low enough so that the rising moon could peek through the top of the trees – of course, whoever had provided this accommodation could not know that I had moonbane.
The front door opened into an expensive but old-fashioned living room. My jaw hung open as I noted the antique decorations, the Persian rug, and the paintings of such obvious originality that hung on the wall, I knew they had to be very expensive.
"That's an original Moparte," Jerome said from beside me, finally breaking the silence. He hadn't spoken a single word to me since he returned from his walk with Alpha Kendricks, and I'd had the niggling fear he might decide to punish me again today.
"Y-yes. I'm sure it's expensive," I agreed in a shaky voice as my eyes trailed over to the painting he had pointed at. It was of a man and woman in the nude, locked in the most passionate of embraces. The woman was facing outwards, her legs spread open, and the man lay between her open legs, his mouth on her …. I couldn't bring myself to fully describe the erotic scene, even to myself. I could feel a tell-tale blush stain my cheeks, and I had no doubt that my eyes were already turning red.
"Turn around Rae," Jerome said quietly, too quietly. His voice had dropped an octave the way it usually did when he was very angry with me and about to punish me.
Fear clawed at my insides as I turned around.
"Open your eyes."
It was really silly of me to shut them. Somehow, Jerome knew more about my moonbane than even I did, but something about the way he was speaking to me made me feel very vulnerable, and of course, I reacted like I always did – I hid my shameful vulnerability.
Jerome sucked in a breath. "I knew your eyes would go red. Do you know they mostly turn red when you feel aroused?"
I did not know, but I nodded. Once again, Jerome had managed to know more about me than I did about myself.
He lifted a hand and trailed it down my shoulder, lifting my left breast and squeezing. "If you don't hurry to the bedroom, we might not make it there. I want you so much I'm ready to take you right here, spread-eagled on this Persian rug."
His voice was husky, with a tinge of laughter, and I couldn't tell if he was genuinely excited, or merely in one of his cruel moods.
I felt too weak to put up again with his usual rough love making, but I knew he would only be more angry with me if I pleaded with him to be gentle. I had another secret though, news that I did not know how he would react to. I was pregnant for Jerome, soon to be Alpha of our pack.
At first, I thought the nausea and fatigue that assailed me was something I had picked up from one of the packs we took shelter with., but I had sneaked out to seek a healer, and she confirmed that I was to have Jerome's baby.
I did not yet know what his concept about family was, and so I did not know how he would take the news. It frightened me, because I already knew I wanted so badly to keep the child growing within me, to love it fiercely with all my heart.
Would Jerome treat me with new gentleness if he learned I would soon become the mother of his child? I had no time to find out as he already got impatient and began dragging me towards the bedroom.
His love making as usual was rough, impatient, and left my body feeling sore, and my heart empty. It suddenly dawned on me that Jerome would never take me as anything more than his mere pleasure toy. I could not tell him about the pregnancy, he'd insist I remove it.
He surprised me by pulling me in for an easy embrace afterwards, and I let him cuddle me, pretending to myself that all was fine, that he loved me.
"You don't seem excited that we would soon be named a pack," he said, and I shut my eyes and drew in a breath.
Of course, he would not understand my fears, he would only think me stupid. "The rest of our members are angry. I sense that they are plotting a revolt," I said, deciding to air my more believable fears. He would only think I was crazy if I said Alpha Kendricks, the Lycan king was not to be trusted, and he might react angrily if I told him I feared for my unborn child – a child I was beginning to understand he may never want.
I felt him shrug beside me. "The people would be happy once they see the good news is indeed very real, that they are to become a pack – Rae open your eyes. I like watching you aroused for me."
I drew in a shaky breath. This time, I hadn't shut my eyes because I felt it turn red. I had been trying to shut out my fears.
I saw the immediate anger in Jerome's eyes when he saw my eyes were no longer red, and I stilled myself and waited for his anger.
He trailed a hand across my open thighs, and I forced a moan from my lips. "You don't crave me like you used to, back when I found you dirty, alone and hungry in the woods. You seemed so grateful then that I would even look your way."
"You know I crave your touch even more now," I lied. "I am just worried about the pack."
"Forget the pack. I am to be Alpha, not you remember. It is my pack to handle." He got up as he spoke, and easily threw on a pair of trousers. Unlike the usual times we made love, Jerome had actually gotten naked along with me. Did that mean anything? I hoped it did.
I studied him as he fished around for a shirt from among our bags that had not yet been unpacked. His clothes were still shabby. With time, we would buy clothes befitting of an Alpha for him.
And I was to be his Luna. I studied the man who was the closest thing I could ever come to having a mate. He was tall, with wavy, long golden hair, and sea-green eyes that sparkled on the rare occasions that he smiled. His broad shoulders and perfectly sculpted cheek-bones easily set him apart as a very handsome man. And he was to be Alpha.
Jerome would be considered as a catch by other women, and I had been glad when he chose me. According to him, he had provided adequately for me, and I should be grateful, but how would the father of my unborn child react if I told him I wanted more, that I wanted him to love me?
As if reading my thoughts, Jerome turned around and flashed me one of his rare smiles. "You know I'm falling in love with you. There's really no one I can think of that's better suited to be my Luna."
I couldn't hold back the answering smile that curved my lips as I finally felt something akin to hope flutter in my heart. "Really?"
"Of course," he said easily. He turned around, shirt in hand, and walked back to the bed to give me one of the longest, gentlest kisses I had ever had. "You're right. I should be worried about the behaviour of the members of our soon-to-be pack, but I have a solution. All the pack needs is a scapegoat, someone to pour their anger on, then all would be well."
I shivered at the thought of whom he would choose as scapegoat. It didn't seem fair. I knew our band could get very brutal when they were angry, but I stared into the sea-green eyes of my boyfriend, I saw the ruthlessness in them. He would not listen to me if I told him not to sacrifice an innocent member of our band to pacify the rest. I needed to find a way to make him change his mind.
"In the meantime," Jerome continued, "I need you to do something for me. Something to prove your love for me."
The ruthlessness glinted in his eyes again, and I felt a familiar fear stab at my heart. I knew if I did whatever Jerome would ask me to do, my life would not remain the same again, but somehow I knew I had to try, if only to make him love me.
"What do you need me to do?"
Jerome smiled, and something about his smile sent shivers down my spine. "I need you to…."