ROSALIND’S POV
I found myself on a bed when I woke up, with no idea how I got there. I rubbed my eyes trying to remember what happened, yawned heartily and stretched out on the bed.
I almost shrieked when my hand touched someone’s body. I turned to my side to see Killian’s figure lying next to me. Shirtless and possibly even pantless and… What the fuck was wrong with me?
I deleted the thoughts from my mind. And tried to close my eyes. Then it happened.
The events of last night came swimming back into my head. The encounter with Adelyn, the questioning from Aunt Lily, seeing Cillian with someone else and…
I gasped.
And having wild sex with Killian. It was a lot. I wasn’t sure how long we had gone at it but it must have been long enough to make me wake up wondering what had happened.
I laid there wondering if I was supposed to feel guilty about it since I was in love with Cillian. I wasn’t sorry and I definitely wasn’t feeling guilty. It was just as I imagined, maybe even better. He was brutal, rough, toxic. Just like I imagined.
My feelings didn’t make all this any less messed up though.
I turned to look at Killian. He didn’t breathe heavily while he was asleep. His left palm was tucked under his head as he laid, face up. His big muscles looked even more chiseled as he slept. He didn’t have a shirt on. His abs were so pronounced that I couldn’t take my eyes off them. I traced it down with my eyes, his wide shoulders, broad chest, ripped abs and his…
“I thought it was rude to stare.”
I nearly jumped at the sound of his voice.
Killian didn’t move an inch, he laid perfectly still, the same way he had been, only that he wasn’t asleep. He just had his eyes closed. Meaning that he knew that I had been staring, practically drooling over his body like an idiot.
His lips spread in a smile but his eyes stayed closed. He had probably been awake for a while, but just stayed like that till I woke up.
His eyes flew open all of a sudden and now it was his turn to stare at me.
My heart stopped beating for what felt like ten minutes under his gaze.
“You have no idea how you got here, do you?” He smiled and his bright eyes twinkled.
I recalled my climax. I remembered passing out on the roof but I had no memory of coming back to my chambers and…
My thoughts trailed off as I scanned the chambers for the first time. These weren’t my chambers. I was in Killian’s room!
“Don’t look so surprised.” Killian rolled closer to me. He was very close now, grinning because he knew I could feel the heat from his presence.
I tried to shift away but the sexual connection between us was just way too strong.
He smirked and whispered in my ear;
“You want it again, don’t you?”
I shivered at those words and even though I was lying down, I felt my legs go weak.
He grabbed my tit fiercely and I moaned, feeling myself get wet in seconds.
“Answer me. Do you want this again, you little slut?” He squeezed my nipple in his fingertips.
“Mhmm.” My nipples were hard and I could see his erection under the blanket.
Just then, the sound of the drum could be heard.
It came again, and again.
Killian sat up, listening. His erection was struggling with the blanket fabric around it. I struggled to look away.
That sound was the royal drum and it signified that the pack should gather. It was sounded when the pack leaders wanted to address the pack.
I looked at Killian and I was surprised to see that he was just as surprised as me about hearing the drum.
He immediately hopped out of the bed and started getting dressed.
I was flustered at how he changed so casually in front of me. His muscles were even more sexy when he stood than laying down.
I scolded myself for ogling at him like an idiot and I looked away with effort. He removed the pants he had on and changed into his royal colours in a flash.
“You should get dressed too. It’s a sin to ignore the call and you’re my fiance.” He said, and left.
I jumped out of the bed after he left and wore my own clothes. I hadn’t seen Killian worried before, it was strange.
When I got to the door, I realized that if anyone would suspect that I spent the night in Killian’s room if they saw me coming out.
I guess there were more important things to worry about. I headed back to my chambers and saw that the maids were already waiting to dress me up. I was still trying to get used to that.
I told them to hurry up and they did just that. In less than thirty minutes, I was in a gown in Killian’s colours heading for the pack square. The drum was still sounding every three seconds.
KILLIAN’S POV
I was surprised to hear the drum. It could have been for anything. I searched my mind for what it could be.
The rogues?
No. That would have been discussed in a council meeting. Sounding the drum for that would put the entire pack in distress. That wasn’t it.
I blocked out all the thoughts and assumptions for the time being and just headed to the grounds. The crowd was building. The drum was rarely played. It was an ancient relic. No matter where a wolf was in the pack, they could hear its sound as far as they were part of the Southern Paw pack.
I looked around and saw that the high priestess was present. Her long staff in hand and her disciples beside her. This was no random gathering.
The crowd kept on growing and after some time, Rosalind joined. I looked around and saw Cillian and just then the drum sound stopped.
Everyone held their breath as the high priestess took the stage. She lifted her hands to the sky and her disciples hit the drum in fast beats. She began to dance to the tune.
Everyone watched in absolute silence.
She danced and danced until she raised her staff and the sounds came to halt.
She looked at the crowd with expressionless eyes.
“The goddess be blessed!” She screamed
“Blessed!” We replied in unison.
She looked around again. Almost like she was trying to scan everyone’s face with her eyes.
“Thirty years of peace and harvest in the Southern Paw pack. Thirty years of growth. Thirty years of blessings. The goddess be praised!”
“Praised.”
“The time has come. The stars have aligned. There have been trying times but we push through by the grace of the moon goddess. And now it is time for the moon festival to commence.”
The sound of the drum resonated loudly at this and from the crowd came a round of applause and shouts of joy.
After some time, the high priestess lifted her hands and the place was quiet again.
“Let us come together once more. From the north and the south and remember that we are all one in the eyes of our moon goddess. Let the celebrations begin!” She lifted her hands to the sky and there was another round of applause and shouts of excitement.
Cillian and I exchanged glances.
We had both totally forgotten about this. We had been so occupied with every other thing that we forgot about the greatest festival in the pack.
CILLIAN’S POV
After the high priestess’ announcement, I felt very guilty for forgetting l about the festival but when I saw the same look on Killian’s face, I knew he felt the same. Well, maybe not the same, he didn’t have the emotions of guilt but at least he was just as surprised as I was.
I saw Rosalind by his side and something moved inside of me. I realized that Killian and I always went on dates to the festivals over the years and I would want nothing more than to take Rosalind with me. But as I saw her by his side, wearing his colours, I knew that wouldn’t happen. I couldn’t take my brother’s fiance as a date. That would be inappropriate and moreover, Killian would never agree.
Rosalind’s eyes met with mine and she looked a little startled to find me staring through the crowd. I did not look away but kept my gaze. She gave me a short look then averted her eyes.
I didn’t have time to think about what happened because Aunty Celia had just appeared before me. She looked happy. She always loved balls and festivals.
“Don’t you look happy.” I smiled, pe pecking her on both cheeks.
“This is going to be the best moon festival yet.”
“You think so?”
“Well you didn’t have me around the last time, did you?
She smiled widely and fixed an imaginary crease on my regalia.
Aunt Celia used to plan all the events back in the day. She knew how to arrange even the trees in the forest to her taste.
“Aunty Lily is around as well. Isn’t that nice, you can both work together to make this perfect.”
She gave a look and smiled.
“Perhaps we’ll find out.”
I nodded.
“I suppose you’ll be going with Elizabeth as your date.” She chipped.
So that was her plan. I didn’t want to ruin her good mood though. And Elizabeth wasn’t bad at all, I just wasn’t expecting it when we kissed the other night. Maybe we had too much tequila.
“You want me to go with her?” I asked thoughtfully.
“She’s a nice girl, and pretty.” Aunt Celia shrugged innocently.
“Why can’t I go with you?”
“I’m afraid you can’t. I already have a date.” She winked and left.
Killian wasn’t far away from where I stood. Beside him was a blonde wolf. They were talking. He looked uncomfortable. There was something about the lady’s hair that rang a bell.
Suddenly she turned around and waved at me.
It was Sonia. Killian’s ex.
I heard she had gone abroad for business or something. What was she doing here?
There was only one answer.
Aunty Lily.