Chapter 104

Agnes

I woke to the sensation of Elijah’s arm around me. For a moment, I forgot where I was, the events of the previous night a hazy blur in my mind. All I felt was cozy familiarity.

But then it all came rushing back—the cab, the kiss, the way we’d stumbled into the house, so desperate for each other that we had finally given in to our fantasies.

Sex. It was just sex—that was what I told myself, anyway, as if that would help any. It couldn’t be more than that, not with Olivia still marked and fully capable of manipulating her bond with Elijah.

And yet, I couldn’t bring myself to get up yet. Elijah was still sleeping beside me, his face softened in sleep, and I wanted to enjoy this for just a while longer.

I nuzzled into him instinctively, my cheek resting against his chest as I listened to the steady beat of his heart. His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer, and I felt a flicker of contentment that I hadn’t known in years.

Something about this felt… familiar. Comforting. Like it was not only natural, but something I had experienced with him before.

Of course, that made no sense. Elijah and I had never made love before. And for all I knew, we might never again.

Finally, he began to stir. His eyes fluttered open, glancing down at me with a softness in his eyes that made my heart break. For a moment, just a moment, we looked at each other, tangled up together beneath the blankets.

But we couldn’t stay like this. And as the events of last night fully returned to us, as our bare skin pressing together became overwhelming, we finally realized what we had done.

Elijah was the first to pull away. He was gentle as he disentangled himself from me, but a little awkward. He sat up in bed, raking a hand through his dark hair. I followed suit, sitting up and pulling the sheets around my bare breasts, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

Those damn red heels were still sitting discarded beside the bed, along with my torn pantyhose and his silk tie.

“Good morning,” he finally said, his voice deliciously rough and gravelly from sleep.

“Morning,” I replied.

We sat in silence for another moment, the weight of what had happened last night hanging between us. I could see the conflict in his eyes, the way he was struggling to reconcile the potential consequences of what we had done with how fucking good it felt to be together.

“Agnes,” he began, glancing at me over his shoulder, “about last night…”

I shook my head, cutting him off. “It was just a one-time thing,” I said quickly, although the words felt hollow even as I said them. “Just to let out our frustrations. Physical, and nothing more.”

Liar, a voice seemed to say in the back of my mind. I pushed that thought down though and buried it deep.

Elijah nodded, but I could see the doubt in his eyes. “Right. Makes sense.”

But even as we made that vow, I knew it was a lie. Last night hadn’t been just physical. It couldn’t be. Not with the way he’d looked at me, the way his hands had trembled as they traced the curve of my waist. Not with the way my heart raced every time he said my name.

Still, I could convince myself that it would remain physical. I could bury myself in my work, and he could do the same, and we could put it behind us before things got worse. Just keep it as a one-time, sweet little memory in our minds, unsullied by the consequences. And there would be consequences if Olivia found out.

As Elijah got out of bed, the book I’d been reading—the one about ancient spells and curses—slipped out from beneath my mattress and fell to the floor with a soft thud. He bent down to pick it up before I could stop him, his brow furrowing as he examined the cover.

“What’s this?” he asked, glancing up at me.

I felt a flush of panic right through me, my mind racing as I tried to come up with an explanation. But it was no use lying now.

“It’s a book from the restricted section of the library,” I said. “I’ve been reading it to see if there’s a way to break the spell that’s holding my wolf back.”

Elijah blinked at me in surprise. I expected him to be disappointed, to scold me for taking a book from the restricted section of the library—especially one with such volatile information inside.

But instead, a slow smile spread across his face, his eyes lighting up with something that looked almost like admiration.

“You’re full of surprises, Agnes,” he said.

I blinked, caught off guard by his reaction. “You’re not mad?”

He shook his head, his smile widening. “No. I’m impressed. You’ve got a defiant streak, and I like it.”

I felt a flush of heat rise to my cheeks, my heart pounding in my chest. He handed the book back to me, his fingers brushing against mine, and for a moment, I thought he might kiss me again.

But then he turned away, grabbing his shirt from the floor and pulling it on. “I should go,” he said, clearing his throat. “Don’t let anyone else see that book. Restricted books are supposed to be kept in the restricted section, not under your mattress.”

I nodded, clutching the book to my chest as I watched him leave the room. The sight of him shirtless, his muscles rippling beneath his skin, sent a shiver down my spine. But then I caught a glimpse of it—the mark on his neck—and my stomach sank.

As the door closed behind him, I glanced down at the book in my lap, my mind racing. Last night had been incredible, but the mark on his neck was just a reminder of just how complicated our situation was.

No matter how sweet our night together had been, he was still mated to Olivia.

A little while later, once I’d bathed and dressed, I found Thea in her room, curled up in bed with her stuffed bear clutched to her chest. She was sick today, and I felt a pang of guilt for not checking on her sooner.

“Hey, sweetheart,” I said softly, sitting on the edge of her bed. “How are you feeling?”

“My tummy still hurts.”

I brushed a strand of hair from her face, my heart aching for her. “I’m so sorry, Thea. I should have been there to make sure Olivia didn’t make you eat all those sweets.”

Thea shook her head. “It’s okay, Mommy. You and Daddy fell in love, and that’s all that matters. I won’t have to see that lady much longer.”

My cheeks flushed at her words, and I quickly shook my head. “Thea, it’s not like that. Your daddy and I… we’re not in love.”

She tilted her head, her brow furrowing. “But you kissed him last night. I saw you. And he smelled like you this morning when he brought me toast.”

My stomach twisted. “Sometimes adults kiss because they care about each other, but that doesn’t mean they’re in love,” I said quickly.

Thea didn’t look convinced, but she didn’t argue. Instead, she snuggled deeper into her blankets, her eyes drifting closed.

I kissed her forehead and stood. “Get some rest, sweetheart. I’ll check on you later. And bring you your favorite soup for lunch.”

As I left the room, my mind was still racing. Thea’s words had struck a chord, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that she was right. Elijah and I had crossed a line last night, and there was no going back.

But love? That was a different story.

I made my way back to my room, where the book was still sitting on my bed. Elijah’s confession about wanting to unmark Olivia lingered in my mind, and I frowned, considering for a moment.

If there was a way to break the mate bond, perhaps a method outlined in that book…

Then maybe we could have a chance. Maybe he could have a chance.

And maybe this could be my thank-you gift to him, my show of gratitude for all the lessons he had taught me thus far as his Luna. If I could offer him a way out of his toxic relationship with Olivia, then maybe all of our lives would be easier.

So I sat on the edge of my bed, flipping through the pages of the book in search of any ancient spells that could unmark mates.