Captive

36 // The Morning After

Waking up with the mark felt stranger than the last time. I rolled over in bed to see Damien fast asleep beside me. The morning sunlight was filtering in through the blinds and hitting his face in shards. I zoned in on his eyelashes, and then my attention was drawn to the light freckles on his flawless cheekbones. 

I replayed last night in my head a few times, and felt myself growing warm at my core. My thoughts were interrupted by his eyelids fluttering open. His arm wrapped itself around my waist and pulled him underneath him as he collapsed once more on top of me, half asleep. 

"I can smell your excitement," he growled. He pecked my cheek. "I could get used to waking up like that." 

"It's late, what are you still doing in bed?" 

"I had to wake up next to the new and improved Cyan," he propped himself up as he moved my hair away from over top my mark. He smiled at the sight of it. "Back where it belongs." 

"It's not going anywhere," I pecked his cheek and rested my head back against the pillow. "Would they let us stay here all day?"

"You have a wedding to plan," he reminded. 

"You have an entire species to run, a rogue brother to protect the castle against, and a Council to please. We could go on and on about the reasons, Damien," I mumbled as I traced circles over his skin. He shivered at my touch, and my wrists were quickly pinned overtop my head. 

"You're making this whole waiting thing awfully hard," he grumbled. 

"Oopsies," I grinned, rolling out from underneath him. 

I made my way to the kitchen to find a very happy Ace. He was singing lowly to himself, dancing in place as he cooked the eggs in the pan. Damien crept up behind me, and I lifted a finger to tell him to be quiet as I tried to hold in my laugh. If there was one thing that could make my day, it was the Alpha King's loyal bodyguard tough-guy playing housewife in the kitchen. 

"Have a good night, Ace?" Damien's voice boomed from behind me. 

Ace nearly jumped out of his skin, turning around in fright as he pressed up against the counter. 

"Dammit, Damien, you almost made me throw my eggs into the ceiling." 

"The maid wouldn't like you, although I'm not sure it's possible for her to like you any less than she does now," Damien shot him a wink as he patted his shoulder and started on waffles for the two of us. 

"You're making waffles?" Ace raised an eyebrow. 

Lyon strolled into the room, and Ace waved him over. 

"What's up?" Lyon asked, raising his eyebrow. 

"Damien is making...waffles." 

"So surprised to see your Alpha King cook? I'm a king, not a martian." 

"Martians cook more than you do, Damien," Ace frowned. 

"Hold up," Lyon grinned back at me as he made his way over. He nudged the blanket that was draped over my shoulders away, to reveal the fainted mark on my neck. The sight of it released a howl from the both of them that nearly rattled the entire house. Damien hit them both somewhat playfully, cursing them out. 

"Damien and Cyan, sitting in a tree, f-u-c--" 

"Shut it!" he warned. 

I felt myself going red at everyone's reaction, and pulled the blanket back up to my neck. I tried my best to change the topic of discussion. The giddy look on both their faces was making me nauseous. 

"Ace, where's your girlfriend? She and I have a wedding planning date." 

"Up in her room, taking three years to get ready, as per usual." 

I took the fastest exit out of that kitchen that I could find, but I couldn't ignore the sound of Lyon pressing Damien for details about what happened last night. They would probably be shocked when they found out we hadn't slept together. Most wolves, and normal humans, would knock it all out on the first night. I was not a normal human. Normal humans can't meet with the Moon Goddess of another species. Normal humans aren't mated to the most powerful male werewolf in the entire world. I'm a...special case. 

I was relieved when my eyes set on Alessia's figure. 

"Rise and shine, it's planning time." 

She looked over her shoulder to me from her seat at the vanity, confused. Her eyes locked on the portfolio in my hand, and then she turned back to the mirror. 

"I've finished the rest of the planning, silly." 

"What are you talking about? We still had a ton to call in and order in. The place cards?" 

"Got 'em." 

"The floral arrangements?" 

"En route." 

"Thank you gifts?"

"They'll be arriving on your credit card bill next week." 

"Wow," I folded the portfolio to-do list in defeat. "You just freed up my entire week." 

She smiled at me through the mirror, and then I watched the smile drop from her face. She whipped around on her stool, and raced to gaze at my neck. 

"Last night?" she shrieked. 

"Is it that noticeable?" I muttered, struggling to cover it once more. "I'm going to need some makeup or something." 

"It's a mark you're supposed to be proud of, Cyan," she rolled her eyes. 

"It feels like a permanent hickey," I groaned. "I know that I'm with Damien, the whole werewolf population knows that I'm with Damien, what's the point of this thing?" 

"To keep Xander far away from you," she smiled. 

"Sounds like something Damien would do." 

"You should go on a vacation with him, before the wedding." 

"A pre-wedding honeymoon?" I frowned. 

"Have you even decided where you're going after the wedding?" she hid away in her closet as she fumbled around for an outfit. Most girls would hang around the house in a sweatshirt and a t-shirt, but not Alessia. She would wear a prom dress 24/7 if it was considered socially acceptable. But that's a little over the top, even for a palace. I wouldn't be surprised if she wore another wedding dress to my wedding, honestly. 

"The beautiful island of Bora Bora," I fantasized at the thought of it. "Damien has a yacht, he's really pulling out all the stops for this one, and for once I think I'm just going to let him roll with it. No one ever complained about having too good of a honeymoon, after all." 

"His house there is so beautiful, Ace has told me all about it."

If I had a drink at that moment, I would have spit it out. 

"What do you mean house? I thought we were staying at a resort." 

"You think that the King of an entire species would take you to a hotel room for your honeymoon?" She was nearly laughing at the thought. 

"I thought we would have a normal honeymoon--minus the yacht--yes." 

"You're in for a real treat, sweetheart." 

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Good, juicy chapters coming soon. You're going to get a super long, super special one in the new year to celebrate. This is probably my last chapter of 2016, but knowing me I'll cave and post one tomorrow. 

*The more you vote and comment, the more it motivates me to post! Keep your funny commentary coming, I love reading what you guys say* 

xoxo 

Kate