CHAPTER 60: MADE YOU SURRENDER

"Stop me," Lucien growled in his husky voice as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. His breath was hot against her skin, and he nuzzled the delicate bridge where her neck met her shoulder.

"Would you even listen if I did?" Leia asked in a low and breathless voice, trying to steady herself.

Lucien let out a faint murmur, "Maybe. Do you not desire it?"

She inhaled deeply, her pulse quickening. "It seems like you’ve been craving this. As for my desire, you don’t know anything."

His lips curved into a faint smirk against her skin. "And what exactly are you trying to do?" he whispered, just before he extended his tongue and traced a slow, deliberate line along the curve of her neck.

A shiver ran through her, and a soft moan slipped from her lips. Her eyes fluttered shut, betraying the way his touch was unraveling her resolve.

"An omega loves it when an alpha touches her like this," Lucien murmured against her skin, his voice rough with desire. His teeth grazed the sensitive curve of her neck, drawing a sharp breath from her lips as her body tensed beneath him.

Leia’s mind screamed against the pull of instinct. ’I can’t give in...’ Her body ached with the betrayal of her resolve, drawn too easily into the heat he stirred within her.

Mustering her will, she pressed both palms firmly against his chest. "This wasn’t part of our deal," she said, her tone steady despite the tremor in her veins.

Lucien froze, his breath slowing as he gradually pulled back. His eyes lingered on her for a moment, but he didn’t argue.

"I’m hungry. Is there a kitchen here?" Leia asked, straightening her posture as she sat up. She ran her fingers through her tousled hair, composing herself. "I suppose you got enough of my pheromones to feel better."

"Hm." Lucien gave a noncommittal sound, hiding the frustration simmering beneath his composed expression. He did feel better, calmer, but it wasn’t nearly enough. Without another word, he disappeared into the washroom for what would be his fifth cold shower of the day.

Leia drew in a deep breath, her fingers curling slightly into the bedsheet. "I almost lost myself under his touch," she whispered to herself, the confession burning like shame and longing in her chest.

’It felt so good,’ her wolf, Zei, purred in the back of her mind.

Leia didn’t want to admit it, but she couldn’t deny the truth either. Lucien’s touch had set her ablaze, unlike anything she had experienced before. ’Maybe it’s because we’ve never been kissed or touched by an alpha like that before...’

’No,’ Zei countered gently. ’Ronan kissed you. But you didn’t want more from him. You held back. With Lucien... you lost control. You wanted it, even if just for a moment. Your urges made you surrender.’

Leia shut her eyes tightly, willing away the warmth that still lingered in her body, the ache that refused to fade.

Then, reluctantly, she got down from the bed and went out of the room.

What Leia found was the cottage was a cozy place to spend time alone. "I wonder if all the brothers come here every time they are in rut," she mumbled. She descended the stairs while admiring the interior of the cottage.

Finally, Leia was in the kitchen and opened the refrigerator first.

She grabbed a few small potatoes, a handful of green beans, a couple of eggs, and a tomato.

She prepared a simple vegetable sauté with fried eggs and boiled potatoes. It wasn’t a grand meal, but it was exactly what she needed.

Filling two bowls, she placed them carefully on a tray and carried it upstairs. As she stepped into the room, her gaze was instantly drawn to Lucien’s back which was bare, defined, and glistening faintly under the dim light.

"Don’t worry, Ronan. I know what I’m doing," Lucien said into the phone as he turned around after sensing her presence.

Leia set the tray gently on the nearby table, doing her best not to let the image of his damp skin or low-hanging trousers affect her. But her eyes betrayed her, lingering a second too long on the sculpted lines of his v-cut.

He caught the look in her eyes. "Let’s talk tomorrow," he said into the phone before ending the call and tossing it onto the bed.

Leia quickly looked away, but it was too late.

"What are you looking at?" he asked in a low and teasing voice, drawing a line between awareness and amusement.

"Nothing. Let’s eat," Leia said quickly, trying to dismiss the heat rising in her cheeks. "Was Ronan worried about me? Did he have dinner?"

"Yeah," Lucien replied, picking up one of the bowls. "He thought I fucked you."

Leia froze. "What? How could you say that?" she snapped, her fists clenched. But even as she glared at him, a traitorous warmth bloomed in her chest.

Lucien glanced at her with a lazy smirk. "Because that was supposed to happen tonight."

He brushed past her, his bare torso brushing her arm, and sat down in one of the sofa chairs. Taking a bite from the bowl, he hummed in approval. "Mmm... This is delicious. I didn’t eat anything since yesterday."

Then, glancing over his shoulder, he added, "Weren’t you hungry?"

Leia said nothing and took the seat across from him, quietly beginning to eat. The food steadied her, but her thoughts still danced dangerously close to him.

"You can drop me off after dinner," she said finally, eyes on her bowl.

"Stay the night with me," Lucien said, his voice calm but firm. "I even stopped myself when you asked me to. I’ll grant you two wishes. Name them."

Leia let out a small chuckle. "You’re awfully generous tonight."

He met her gaze across the table, his expression softer than before. "Because you helped me, even when I didn’t ask. Honestly... I was afraid you’d never agree to help me at all."

"I am of helpful nature," Leia proudly said. "You should’ve asked a servant from the house to send meals for you," she murmured.

"In the rut, all an alpha needs is an omega. Not food," Lucien corrected her.

"Liar," she muttered and averted her gaze from him to eat quietly.