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#CHAPTER 5: Desire

  • ADAM'S POV *

I win. I bet on Lilly, and she came through.

Kay reaches into his pocket with a huff.

"Okay, okay. You win the wager. It seems your little Luna is a good and trustworthy person after all," he says.

I almost smile as Kay tosses me the iridescent stone.

"Here's your prize," he says. "The moonstone is supposed to grant protection. It will give you good dreams."

I catch the crystal in midair and examine it for a moment.

"Thank you very much," I say with a trace of amusement. "It's been a pleasure doing business with you."

"Very funny. You're welcome," Kay huffs. "Come on, let's get out of here."


That night, I decide to turn in early. I'm exhausted from a long day's work and want nothing more than a decent night's sleep. I strip out of my clothes until I'm in nothing but my underwear and climb into bed.

I lie in the darkness for a few minutes, tossing and turning. After a while, I reach for the top drawer of my nightstand where I'd stashed the moonstone. I pick it up and examine it in the shadows. It's smooth and cold to the touch and almost seems to glow in the blackness. I can't explain it, but for some reason, the gem reminds me of Lilly.

Somehow, Lilly is the last thing I think of before drifting off to sleep.

But in my dreams, Lilly is there in bed with me. I dream that we are tangled up together, her back pressed against me. Her silky skin is soft against my bare chest. She arches against me as my hand glides up her inner thigh. Lilly leans into me, resting the back of her head against me with a sensual gasp as my fingers slide up the satin nightgown.

She reaches an arm behind her to pull me closer to her. I kiss her bare neck, and she tilts her head back to the side, giving me access as I lick her skin. She smells like firewood and vanilla, sweet and comforting. She writhes against me as my hand trails higher and higher between her legs.

"Adam… my mate," she says in a hushed tone, her voice purring with desire. I drag my teeth across her shoulder, teasing her, and my name on her lips makes me harden against her. Her breath quickens as she arches against me. I kiss her neck again as she squirms, trying to angle herself away from me. I growl softly as she modestly tries to shift away from my wandering touch, concealing her desire for me. But it's too late. My fingers glide over the incriminating wetness between her legs as her body screams that she wants me as much as I want her.

I touch her where she's most sensitive, her lust slick on my fingers. She groans with pleasure and screams my name, and the sound is almost enough to drive me over the edge. I bite her neck, marking her as my own. My mate. Mine.


I wake up with a start, tossing the sheets off me. My skin glistens with sweat, my chest heaving with every unsteady breath. I shake my head, trying to clear away the tendrils of the sensual dream that cling to my mind.

What just happened?

I glance around myself, still startled by how vivid it had seemed. My eyes land on the moonstone next to my pillow.

Of course. Kay mentioned the crystal granted good dreams, but I hadn't expected… that.

I quickly get out of bed and proceed to take a quick, cold shower. I have meetings all day today, so I pick out a light grey tux and a pale blue shirt. As Alpha King, I am expected to look professional and presentable.

Once I've finished buttoning up the smooth shirt, I head downstairs. Much to my surprise, Lilly is already in the kitchen. She hums to herself softly, filling the space with a gentle melody. Her long, silky black hair is down, going all the way past her waist. She's wearing a crop top that exposes her belly, revealing the lean curves of her abdomen. Her short shorts are casual and comfortable, but they accentuate her curves and reveal the length of her legs.

After last night's dream, the sight of her like that almost takes my breath away. I want to lift her onto the counter and kiss her hard. But she doesn't want me.

"Good morning Adam," she greets me lightly before frowning at my expression. "Is everything okay?"

"What are you wearing?" I demand before looking away. "Shouldn't you have a little property in my presence? I'm surprised you don't mind looking that way in front of me when you claim to be in love with someone else."

Her cheeks turn rosy at my words, her dark blue eyes glancing down at what she's wearing. She tries to change the subject, noticing the moonstone I've been fiddling with to keep myself distracted.

"What's that?" she asks.

This time, I'm the one to blush. I can't exactly tell her I got the moonstone from Kay from a wager on her loyalty. Instead, I walk over to her and take her hand in mine. I drop the crystal into her palm and close her fingers around it.

"Here," I tell her. "It's yours."

Technically, she's the one who won it. She examines it for a while before looking back up at me, her expression brightening with a grateful smile.

"It's beautiful. Thank you, Adam," she says, and then she presses a quick kiss to the silky stone. I try not to imagine that if things were different, that kiss would be meant for me.

"Sure," I reply calmly. Perhaps the crystal will work better for Lilly than it did for me.

Later that afternoon, I come up to the penthouse to take a short break from work. I still have much to do, but there are too many things on my mind. I step out onto the terrace, enjoying the cool breeze.

I obviously have strong feelings for Lilly, but things are complicated.

Back in the day, I used to take Gloria shopping during my breaks. I'd take her anywhere and everywhere she wanted. We'd do wherever she pleased, and I was always expected to indulge her every whim. I'd carry her bags, pay for her things, and drive her around. Her wish was my command, and I would have done anything to make her happy.

But Lilly? She's truly nothing like Gloria. The two may be nearly identical in appearance, but in reality, they could not be more different. Lilly doesn't expect anything from me, and somehow she never seems disappointed. In fact, she seems content to help me and just keep me company. She is kind, caring, and nurturing, and I'm lucky to have her in my life. Any man would be lucky to call her a wife.

Not to mention her beauty. Lilly seems to have no idea how incredibly desirable she is. Her silky skin, ebony hair, and elegant frame are breathtaking. And those deep blue eyes of hers are hypnotic. She's absolutely stunning, and my wolf constantly stirs at her presence, hungry for my mate. It's a constant effort not to take her and make her mine.

But I could never make her anything she doesn't want to be.

Eventually, I come back in from the terrace and decide to take a quick shower to clear my thoughts. But as I make my way to the bathroom, I'm surprised to see the door is open and the shower is already running. I peer around the doorway, stopping when I catch sight of Lilly through the frosted glass in the shower.

My eyes widen at the sight of her silhouette. I'd once believed that Lilly and Gloria were carbon copies of each other, but I can now see that I was wrong. They both have tall frames and small waists, but Lilly's curves are far more graceful and muscled than Gloria's.

I've always known Lilly is beautiful but seeing her like this, her body relaxed and perfect, it's absolutely stunning. I can smell that warm scent of vanilla she always gives off and feel the steam of the hot water. Unwittingly, I take a step toward her, my wolf eager to devour her and claim her as mine.

Lilly's silhouette stiffens.

"Who's there?" she calls out, and I halt in place.

After a moment, she quirks her head to the side as though trying to listen over the sound of rushing water. I chuckle under my breath at the cute little movement.

"Adam?" she asks.

"What are you doing in my shower?"

I hold back a smile as I see her cross her arms through the blurred glass.

"Mine wasn't working. I didn't know you were. What are you doing standing there?" she asks. "Were you watching me?"

There's an amused edge to her voice that makes my blood boil. She sways slightly on the other side of the glass as though toying with the idea.

"Did you see anything you like, my king?" she taunts me.

Of course, I do. But how can I admit that to her when her heart belongs to another? Lust heats my head, her teasing making me more impulsive.

"Maybe I just like seeing you wet… Gloria," I decide to say.

Shit.

Lilly stiffens at the sound of her cousin's name, and I realize I've gone too far. Her flirtatious stance turns rigid, and even through the frosted glass, I can make out the sight of her hands trembling.

Her voice is shaky and low when she replies, a heart-wrenching combination of hurt and anger.

"Get out."

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