Chapter 40

• LYDIA
• His lips plundered mine like soft rosebuds. It reminded me of the color red. Hot and demanding, a veritable sexual force. Better than the ones I had resigned myself in when I had my daydreams, better than the ones that popped up even in my nightmares. How could someone I hated be so intense, so skilled? Alexios 's proficiency to overwhelm my judgments with the slightest touch of his strong hands, let alone his glorious mouth, frightened me. He nipped at my lower lip, surprising me. I hated the whimper of longing that escaped my throat. For a brief moment, I realized that kissing Alexios Rose should mortify me but for a brief movement, I let the mate bond get the better of me. It was the only reason I was doing this. I let the words of my kindred wolf get into my head. I let lust prevail and it was sadly winning. However, common sense did return and when it did, my stomach careened and my legs quivered. I was enjoying it when I shouldn't. It was all shades of wrong. Alexios Rose had a witch he loved. Doing this meant I betrayed Fiona even though I owed her nothing. Even when their relationship was bound to fail. I just couldn't bring myself to do it. An added bonus also happened to be that the thought of being this intimate with Alexios Rose would make my parents roll in their grave. If not my father, my mother deserved better and I wasn't about to be another of Alexios Rose's sloppy seconds. I pushed Alexios off me as difficult as it proved to be and wiped the secretions and craving he left on my swollen lips.
• "What the hell!" I shuddered in revulsion. I did make sure to be hushed. The last thing I needed was for one of the maids to find us out. People gossiped. Loyalty to their Alpha meant nothing. If Fiona found out, I was afraid of what the witch would do if she caught us in such a compromising position. She already had her doubts about my intentions after the fated mates' fiasco. This would solidify every back sided opinion she had about me and perhaps put my already volatile life in jeopardy. I could not risk that.