Chapter Twelve
Ryan
After two nights watching Maya disappear into a place I can’t enter and come out smelling like sweetness and sex, my wolf and I are both on edge.
Fuck, if she goes back again tonight, I don’t know that I’ll be able to keep him from ripping out the security guy’s throat.
She hasn’t smelled like anyone else, which has been the only thing holding me back from completely losing what’s left of my sanity.
I follow Maya as she drives to a house in another suburb on Sunday.
Watching from a distance as she lets herself in, my stomach sinks to the floor at the thought of whose home it could be.
Why does she seem so familiar here? If she were dating someone, surely I would have seen some hint of him already.
I move closer, sneaking toward the backyard to get a better view.
My wolf snarls under the surface as I prowl along the side of the house, urging me forward.
It’s risky during daylight hours, and I have no idea how I’ll explain myself if I’m seen.
But my wolf doesn’t care. He’s convinced we would hear someone coming long before they got close enough to identify me.
The thoughts of our mate with someone else has my muscles coiled tightly, and a need to annihilate any potential threat is resolutely present. I have to sink below a hedge when I hear the click of the front door opening.
“You are the best sister in the world,” calls a woman as she climbs into her car, and I recognize them as the person Maya met for lunch earlier in the week.
Sister? They look nothing alike; the other woman is red-haired and Caucasian, taller than Maya and curvier.
Their scent shares no similar notes as family usually does.
And while I’m still not sure what exactly my mate is, her sister is definitely human.
What is going on?
“Please stop thanking me,” comes Maya’s voice. I can’t see her from my position, but even hearing her speak settles my wolf in a way I once worried I wouldn’t feel again. “You know how much I love Maddie. I’m more than happy to spend the day with my favorite girl.”
“Love you!” calls the redhead. Then she’s gone, and the door clicks shut again, leaving me outside and alone.
Fates, I can’t wait for my next therapy session.
I need to be in her orbit. Until I can convince her to start giving me a chance, that’s the best option I have to try to build a connection with my mate.
Watching her from a distance—only being near her when she sleeps—doesn’t feel like enough anymore.
I feel like I’m not learning anything about my mate.
Everything about her remains elusive and mysterious.
I’ve been following her for days now, and I haven’t uncovered anything I can use yet to get closer to her.
I tune out other noises and adjust my hearing to focus on what’s going on in the house.
Maya is reading to the child she is looking after, and she alters her voice for the different characters to the child’s delight.
Pain blooms in my chest at how much I want us to have that of our own. I want us to have a whole pack of pups.
But that will never happen unless I win her over.
Monday morning brings with it the first sign of things going my way when I get a call for an interview at Sanctum Obscura this evening.
The sultry tone of the woman on the other side and the direction not to wear a mask has my head spinning.
Why the hell would I wear a mask? What kind of place is Maya spending her Friday and Saturday nights?
I still have no idea what the members-only space is, other than the knowledge that Maya leaves smelling like sex and sleeps like the dead when she gets home from there.
When I ask the woman on the call about how best to prepare for the interview, she tells me to ‘just be myself,’ and I hate that shit. I’ve never interviewed for anything in my life, but I want to be prepared for whatever comes up.
I need this to go well.
But even with the nervous energy coursing through me, a flicker of hope takes root for the first time since Maya all but threw me out of her office last week. Even if she doesn’t feel the bond the same way I do, she must feel something. And any opportunity to be in her vicinity will help.
The day goes on uneventfully, and I’m happy to receive the therapy appointment reminder message for tomorrow.
She might have all but told me to fuck off last week, but she hasn’t given up on me completely.
And if I need to take a slower approach, I can do it for her.
My wolf huffs out an unimpressed breath at the thought, but he’s letting me steer for now.
And I’ll do anything for her.
Hours later, that includes my meeting at Sanctum Obscura with whom I have now learned to be the resident dominatrix, Madame Veleta.
Maya, Maya, Maya. What are you up to?
The woman sitting across from me radiates undeniable power in her full latex catsuit and eight-inch-high heels. Her lipstick is fire-engine red, and the shade matches her hair exactly.
“So, you want to join my club, Mr. Rivera,” she says, eyeing me appreciatively. “You’re an exceedingly handsome man. I’m sure many of the members would be more than happy to have you join us. You’re not my type, of course.”
“Too dominant?” I ask, quirking an eyebrow.
“Too male,” she says, smirking at me.
I smile and nod, my wolf soothed by her lack of interest. “Of course.”
“There are a few questions I need to ask you. All going well, you will then need a full STI screen before you are permitted to join. We require all members to be tested every three months or after any sexual contact with non-members. You are encouraged to use condoms, naturally, but the screening rules apply regardless. If you are bringing a guest at any stage, they will need a full screening to participate in any activities with other members. If they are only with you, they may avoid the screening but must wear a wristband to identify this.”
I nod, knowing full well the only one I’ll ever have sex with again for the rest of my life is already a member.
I’ll need to call Doc and confirm I can have the screening done.
Shifters don’t get STIs, so it’s not something I’ve ever needed to worry about.
I just need to make sure nothing related to my genetics will raise concerns.
We spend the next thirty minutes discussing my kinks, proclivities, and my understanding of soft and hard limits.
I wish I had known what I was getting into with this appointment so I could have studied, but it seems that human kink isn’t too dissimilar from the regular shifter sexual dynamics of power balance and dominance.
Judging by the way Madame Veleta smiles and nods as I speak, I think this is going well.
“So, do you have any questions for me?” she asks once she appears satisfied with my responses.
“Why the masks? And the secrecy?” I ask, unable to avoid the question that has my curiosity piqued. Nothing about her is reserved, so why hide away behind cloaks and daggers?
“I’m unapologetically me,” she replies, leaning back in her chair and crossing her legs.
“But many of our members are high profile. Politicians, celebrities, high-level executives. We take confidentiality seriously; there are no phones or cameras inside these walls. The only way I can guarantee safety is through anonymity. My members deserve to be able to practice their kinks without the fear of repercussions, as long as all involved are consenting adults. Everyone is free to share their identity, but we encourage members to wait a few weeks before they do so.”
I nod along to her words, letting them sink in and wondering what they mean for Maya.
“However, anonymity doesn’t mean members can act with impunity,” she says firmly.
“You will check in at the desk on arrival, and I am able to confirm details if needed should any laws be broken or accidental pregnancies occur. Part of the agreement for members is they maintain confidentiality. Any instances of doxing other members will result in immediate barring and possible legal ramifications.”
“Of course. Sounds good to me,” I say with a smile.
None of my pack would judge me for my sexual preferences.
Power exchange is typical within heterosexual relationships amongst wolves; dominance is an attractive feature to female wolves.
As an alpha, it’s why I’ve been fending off advances for years.
And when it comes to fated mates, their kinks generally align, so there’s no fear in expressing oneself.
But I guess it’s different for humans. It’s why Maya rejected my advances. And it’s why a masked BDSM club is the perfect place to knock her walls down.
I’m not sure how I feel about my mate being a member here, but the fact safety and security are prioritized is definitely helping.
Maybe if the situation was different, I would hate the idea of my mate going to a sex club.
But it feels like this is a good thing. Like Fate hasn’t completely fucked me.
Let’s see her resist the pull of the mate bond now.