15. Chapter FifteenMelina
Chapter Fifteen
Melina
I let the warm water from the shower hit my back, waking me up for the next day in a land I never thought I’d visit in my lifetime in any positive way. However, I’d actually enjoyed myself so far. The city was entertaining, Aaron’s family was warm, and last night was…exhilarating.
I had no idea Aaron was such an exhibitionist. Or that I was. And last night, he had awakened parts of me that I didn’t know were dormant. The most I’d done was have sex in a transporter or a bathroom at a restaurant. Aaron was no stranger to it, although I didn’t want to know anything about his past exploits.
To see Aaron be his true alpha around me was enticing, and I wanted to explore this further. He was just enough alpha in his behavior that I wanted to submit without feeling scared or oppressed. Suddenly, the thought of being claimed by him became more appealing.
Then there was him scenting me. When I finally got off him, he ran a hand over the tip of his dick and grabbed the back of my neck to hold me still as he spread his damp hand over my inner thighs, neck, and clavicle. I had cursed and scooted away from him, horrified by the primitive act.
“Did you just spread your seed all over me?” I asked, indignant.
Looking very unapologetic, he put his member back inside his trousers. “I did tell you I would scent you. I marked you as mine . You can wash it off later, but the scent will last for quite some time, better than any other scent marking. Although, I will do those ways as well. And when my scent fades, I’ll do it again. I won’t have to once I claim you. Not that it would stop me either.”
He gave me a pointed look, and I knew he wanted to claim me. I no longer doubted that. When he pressed his teeth into me as we came down from orgasms, I secretly wanted him to bite. I just wanted him to be sure about establishing such a soul connection.
When I left the bathroom, I found Aaron sitting at the edge of the bed in his pajama bottoms, hair up in a messy bun. He had a sleepy look on his face as he watched a holo program.
“Good morning,” I said, pausing at the bathroom entrance.
He looked over at me and opened his arms, motioning with his hands for me to come to him. I chuckled and walked over to him. He wrapped his arms around me and rubbed his cheek against my blouse-covered stomach. He then sat me down and moved his cheeks back and forth over my neck, arms, and against my face, his scent wrapping around me. He had marked me at the restaurant, and now he was doing more. He was like a man possessed.
“Are you going to do this day and night?” I asked. “People will think I’m an alpha with so much of your scent on me.”
He gave a curt nod. “Yes, this is for me not scenting you properly all this time.”
I kissed him on the cheek and stood up. “It’s because I wouldn’t have let you. ”
He pulled me onto his lap and kissed my shoulder, and I melted at that bit of contact. “Why are you now?”
“Because you’re cute. Now get ready. We have a big day.”
He chuckled. “I was always cute.”
“And you know it.” I got up again and walked to the dresser.
“Melina,” Aaron called.
I turned to look at him, and his face seemed almost hesitant, but there was a warmth in his eyes that caught me. My heart jumped, and I couldn’t explain it. Something had shifted between us since his rut. A comfort and ease that we’d only danced around before. He said I was his, and there was nothing more I wanted to be. And when he told me he was mine and that he loved me, my heart nearly burst.
“Nothing,” he said, getting up. “I’ll be ready quickly.”
I stared after him, wondering what he was too afraid to say and hoping what I was feeling would never end.
When we arrived at a bar not too far from the hotel to meet Lucian, I found him already there, sitting at a small circular table near a tall window. The space was bright and looked like a green room, surrounded by windows and green plant life.
Lucian stood up when we arrived. He was tall, over six-five, and had long brown hair he wore in a braid down his back. His friendly orange eyes lit up as he looked me over, and I suddenly felt slightly uncomfortable with Aaron standing beside me. While Lucian was an attractive man, I’d never considered him for anything more. We were close while he watched over me, and, as a beta, there wasn’t a primal connection. We’d only connected as friends. An enemy prison wasn’t a great setting to find love.
“Melina, you look amazing,” he said, quickly moving to me and embracing me in a tight hug.
I hugged him as was polite and stepped away next to Aaron, who seemed to be radiating an angry heat by my side. “Thanks, but I don’t look that amazing. Just don’t have the scratches and dirt from being kidnapped.” I motioned to Aaron. “This is my husband I was telling you about. Aaron, this is Lucian, Lucian, Aaron.”
Lucian kept his grin, betraying no concern in his eyes as he offered a hand to Aaron. “I hope you know how lucky you are to marry this amazing Faerie. She is stronger than you can imagine.”
I was afraid Aaron wouldn’t shake his hand for a moment there, but he grabbed it, giving a tight smile that I noticed did not reach his eyes. “Yes, I know just how fortunate I am to be married to Melina. And I want to thank you for taking care of my wife during that dark time.”
Lucian motioned for us to sit, and we went through light conversation, giving our orders to the waiter.
“So, I’ve been meaning to visit Prinath,” Lucian began. “Luca has been trying to get me to visit, but I’ve been so busy with work.”
I nodded eagerly. “Yes, we can all do something together when you visit. But I also wanted to see you today to get your thoughts on what’s been going on with the arranged couples. I know it’s been just as mysterious here, and since you now work in enforcement, I didn’t know if you could share anything. Maybe something our city wouldn’t know.”
He sat back, scratching his chin, the early makings of a beard shadowing his skin. “Our leaderships share everything. I would assume yours would keep you informed?”
I nodded. “I don’t know why they would withhold anything. They told us that those who are claimed survive. So far.”
“That’s right, but I think it’s just a coincidence. We’re trying to narrow down who would have access to both areas.”
Aaron shifted in his seat next to me, a frown of thought on his face. “Not many can get approval to travel to both lands. Of course, leadership and the treaty couples. Those who got approval for work like my friend, Ivan.”
There had to be more than that with access. “What about those who just want to visit? Like you were talking about, Lucian? That’s all the access one would need,” I said.
Lucian rubbed his forehead, squinting his eyes. I wondered if this was a principle case for him. Each attack, disappearance, and death probably plagued him. “Yes, we thought of that. We track every visitor and every Prinathian and Nodoorian who has access. The group is larger than we thought, but we are exploring the possibilities. So far, we haven’t found anyone with a criminal history or who has voiced disapproval of the arranged marriages who has gone to both areas. That would mean that this is being done by multiple Fae from both lands. Either working together or one is copying the other.”
Two sets of killers in both our territories were horrifying. It could be anyone, both Nodoorian or Prinathian. It could even be both. “What about the creatures? This has to be connected, right?”
“We are exploring that, and it’s untraceable magic. We believe these creatures are conjured from another realm.”
Aaron leaned forward, intrigued. “And you’ve checked Fae with that kind of power and inter-realm access?”
Lucian sighed, glancing over to Aaron with mild annoyance. Sure, we were asking remedial questions that any law enforcement should have covered, but we were the ones being targeted, so we had to ask. Then again, Lucian didn’t seem annoyed when I asked the questions. Was this going to be a problem? “Yes, we’ve been doing our jobs. We are questioning all the Fae we learn about with those related gifts, but certain powers aren’t very well known. We’re following any intelligence we get on groups against the unification. We’ve even tracked leads into the Seelie side and the human realm. We’re doing our due diligence to get to the bottom of this and checking where the disappeared could be, including the use of location magic. So far, we haven’t been able to track them. It appears whoever is behind this is good at being hidden.”
Aaron sat back, still frowning. “Yes, they are. However, these creatures aren’t impossible to kill.”
Lucian raised a brow. “You’ve fought them before?”
“Yes, twice. I’ve faced more dangerous creatures in my time. These were relatively weak.”
He’d mentioned that before. Luckily, I'd missed seeing any of these beasts, but I heard they looked quite horrifying and dangerous looking. If that were the case, why were they not more like other predators, especially if they initiated the attacks? “Aaron saved my life the first time. If someone wanted to kill us, why attack us with a creature that is easy to defeat?”
Aaron placed his hand on my lower back. I wasn’t sure if it was to comfort me or to connect, but I appreciated it. “They have the element of surprise, but any being could have that,” Aaron stated.
Our waiter returned, setting our meals down, and we quieted. When he left, Lucian spoke up. “These creatures are probably easy to control and spread out. Untraceable. Just like the taken, which I’m sure they are connected to.” He reached over to me, placing a hand on my forearm, his eyes soft. I knew he cared for me, but I didn’t want to give him hope of something more. “Look, Melina, we are doing our very best to stop these creatures and get to the bottom of where the Fae who disappeared are. We have hope they’re still alive.”
I patted his hand and then slid my arm away from his touch. “I appreciate all you’re doing and am reassured that both lands stay in open communication. We know the claiming doesn’t prevent the kidnapping; it just reduces the chance of being killed by the creature. Perhaps because the claimed couples are stronger.”
Lucian leaned back, looking between Aaron and me, interest in his eyes. “Correct. Do you mind me asking if you’ve been claimed? You don’t smell like I remember.”
I glanced sideways at Aaron. With him fully scenting me, it was no surprise that I no longer had my omega scent pushing out. It felt awkward to tell him no. It would bring up too many questions and assumptions. Right now, I wanted to present us as a united team. To do otherwise would make things challenging and perhaps give Lucian false hope.
“You remember her scent all this time later?” Aaron asked. He balled his hand into a fist on the table.
Lucian gave a wistful smile, turning his eyes over to me. “You never forget the scent of an omega.”
I shifted uncomfortably under his heavy gaze. We’d grown close during our time in the prison, but it was not a setting for romance to bloom. I found him friendly and thoughtful. He’d been nurturing even. He wasn’t what I expected, and Luca’s trust in him made sense. He protected not only me, but the other innocent kidnapped from poor treatment. The last few days, he’d even managed to get me out of the prison, lying and saying that I was going into heat and that he would help me through it. He did not even try to take advantage of me when we were alone.
But he was not my love. I did not feel for him in that way. I placed my hand over Aaron’s, the heat of his skin almost simmering under mine. I opened my mouth to speak, but Aaron spoke first. “No, she isn’t claimed yet.”
Lucian shook his head. “What’s the delay? You’ve been together for almost two months now. For an alpha and omega living together, that’s more than enough time. Do you not like her?”
“Being claimed is not something one does lightly, even in an arranged marriage.”
“For Melina, there should be no delay.”
Aaron’s eyes darkened. “You don’t know our situation, and you don’t know Melina.”
Lucian shrugged. “We’ve kept in touch since then. I wished they matched her with me.”
“Too bad you’re not an alpha,” Aaron growled, his scent thickening.
While the thought of two men arguing over me sounded enticing in theory, it was very uncomfortable in reality. Further, I wanted Aaron, and putting him in a situation to defend our marriage to another male Fae, was not supportive.
I raised a hand. “Lucian, Aaron is no longer a stranger to me. I will be claimed by him when the time is right.”
Aaron’s shoulders dropped, and I uncurled his balled fist, lacing my fingers between his.
Lucian shook his head slowly. “Do you intend to be claimed by someone responsible for the killing of innocent Prinathians?”
Aaron scooted his seat back. “I need to step out before I kill someone.”
Lucian smirked. “That is what you’re good at, apparently.”
Aaron stood and looked down at Lucian as if contemplating murder but then spun around and left.
I looked after him, wondering if I should follow. However, I had some things to say to Lucian because I needed clarity. I turned back to Lucian, anger bubbling up inside of me. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. Aaron is good. He didn’t hurt anyone. He saved as many of the kidnapped as he could. All the horrible rumors are from those labeling him a traitor for helping Prinathians. The same could be said of you. You couldn’t save everyone from harm in that prison. I realize we had a bond during my time imprisoned, and I will never forget it. I could have been hurt in so many ways, and you ensured I wasn’t. But there was nothing more between us, and I think you know that. We had so much time to make something happen, and it didn’t.”
Lucian breathed out and looked down at his hands resting on the table. “I was locked up after the war while they determined which, if any, Nodoorian soldiers would be set free. Then, after, I didn’t think you’d want anything to do with my kind after what you endured. I thought it was cruel of them to put you in this marriage. They should have spared you.”
I gave a dry laugh. “I can agree that forced marriages are particularly unfair.”
He looked up. “I could kick myself for not professing to you sooner. I can see in your eyes that it’s too late for me. Maybe it was never an option. You care for him?”
I nodded. “I really do. He has protected me physically and emotionally. He has shown me, without words, how good it can feel to be cherished and desired. I feel blessed to have been arranged with such an alpha.”
“Do you think he can love you the way you deserve? ”
Thinking back on all my time with Aaron, I never felt that he didn’t have the ability to love me. I saw it every day in his actions before he even professed. If he had never said he couldn’t give me love, perhaps I would have never known. Despite his words, he showed me. I smiled, ready to respond, but a voice cut in.
“I can and do love her in every possible way,” Aaron stated.
I spun around. And there he was, staring down at me with such heart-squeezing intensity that I momentarily stopped breathing. How long had he been there? Why hadn’t Lucian said anything?
It didn’t matter. Aaron had said he loved me again. “And I love him, too,” I replied, still gazing at my husband.
For the first time in a long time, I was truly happy and in love.