ROTTEN LOVE - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

If I was heated earlier, I am burning now. My legs are firmly against his thighs.
There are no words as my palms become sweaty with an itch unable to mend. I only stare. Stare as he takes strands of my damp hair in his fingers and toys with it. He leans in. His nose grazes the top of my head and there is a rumble.
The green room seems to vibrate, his chest a hard engine. He whiffs the top of my head. He is so close. I hold my breath.
"Werewolves can smell things such as arousal quite easily," he leans out. His eyes find mine as he trails his hands to my side. "What exactly were you thinking back there?"
I thought about his proposition, but I honestly was consumed with memories of Maddox. He smelled it off me. This man smelled my arousal and took it as a response to his offer.
I swallow. His eye focuses on the movement. He licks his lips. I rub my palms against my thighs, glimpsing how my thighs encircle him. I look up, flustered. His eyes are still a midnight shade.
My lips stayed closed. I couldn't answer him, at least not truthfully. The situation muffled my brain.
His hands drag up and down my side in taunting strokes. It's not right how uneasy he makes me. Something about him is inescapable. He broke the silence. "You don't have to say it. I can smell it."
As in, I am still aroused. I don't know him, but I would have to be blind not to acknowledge he is a fine specimen. Not to mention the strange pull I have to him.
"Zain, we shouldn't," I say confidently. I lean back but his hand makes it to my back. He holds firmly and tugs me to him.
I place my hand against his abdomen to prevent crashing into him. But the heat radiating from him warms my hand and there is an unbelievable comfort. My heart picks up speed.
"Seeing you fluster has me wanting to make you do all types of faces for me."
I bite my lip. I fight an urge to get closer.
"You also have a nasty habit of biting these." He leads his hand to my face and thumbs my bottom lip.
My mouth is slightly ajar from the contact. Subtle sparks fly through me.
"Do you think you are dreaming? Let me help you grasp reality." Before I knew it, he had my bottom lip in between his teeth ever so gently.
I stay still as a rock. My eyes widen with the touch. He releases my lip to suck on it.
Leaning back to see my face, he gives me a deadly grin as I use my hair to shield my face.
I take a deep breath. He leads his hands to my face. "You don't have to be shy with me. I will be your husband. I told you I wanted something real." Despite the moment we just shared, his tone is even and tender.
He rubs my cheek, then releases my face. But he keeps skin contact. His hands roam the length of my arms, caressing them in taunting motions.
"It's weird. I smell your arousal. A better word is sense it, but I can't smell you."
"I took a shower," I reply.
He chuckles lowly. I found myself waiting for the next time I would hear it. "That would not matter. Everyone has a distinct smell, but not you."
I put the piece of information at the back of my head. "Is that a problem?"
"No, but it's confusing."
"Why?"
"Because I want an explanation as to why I feel a pull toward you."
"Other than my good looks," I joke.
He chuckles again and I felt lighter around him. I made him laugh. For some reason that satisfied me. "Right. Mystery solve."
I see his attention snag on my chest. I shove him. "Or it could be my features. Aren't we daring?"
"Funny you say that considering your grip on me." He eyes my thighs. I jolt off the counter and he stares at me smugly.
He grabs my hand and leads it to his waist. He places it there firmly. Then, he grabs the other and does the same thing.
Unsure of whether to hold him or to remove my hands, I opt to grab the sides of his shirt, keeping my gaze on his chest. He chuckles. "Look at me."
I build my way up and notice his eyes have returned to normal. I found them settling yet my stomach is in knots.
He stares into mine and searches for something. He cups my face. "Your eyes are as green as this earth, the embodiment of tranquility and strength."
The compliment felt foreign. Nobody talks to me in this manner. Not even Maddox. My heart jumps.
Then I catch him eye my chest again. I nudge him. "Alpha Zain is there something of interest on my chest you wish to share." I cross my arms, rolling my eyes.
He smirks. "Your necklace," he pauses, looks at my chest directly, continues, "your necklace has been glowing."
I observed the heart-shaped pendant my parents gave me. It feels warm in my hands. But I can't see a difference. "Glow?"
"Yes, it's been shining," he answers.
For unknown reasons, something like disappointment shows on my face. He pokes at me. "Why, Helena, is there something else you wish for me to keep my attention on?" His faze settles on my breast this time.
I clear my throat. "No, I was simply confused."
"Mhmm," he mutters.
I found it oddly satisfying bantering with him.
"Anyway, what does it do?" He eyes the necklace.
I toy with it. "Nothing much. My parents gave it to me when I was a toddler. I think I had it even before then. They said it protects me from evil."
"Like?" He is intrigued.
I never dove into the matter. I took their word. It's also the last thing I have of them. Their motives are unclear but it was nice having a piece of them with me.
I shrug. "To be honest, I don't know. I've always worn it. It keeps them close to me. My brother has one almost identical but his is shaped in a circle."
"You should stay away from me then," he says.
I raise an eyebrow. He clarifies. "The minute we are near, it shines. Does it mean it's warning you of me?"
I step back a little. Not because I agreed he was evil, but because it is odd. I study it, but I do not see it glow.
"It's probably the light reflecting on the stone or something. It's normal now. But tell me, should I worry about you?"
He seems contemplative, studying the necklace intently. But, he lets go of the matter. "You are safe with me. You'll see. I'll take care of you. You are my responsibility now."
Something like awe struck me. Nobody takes care of me. I'm responsible for Marisa and my coven. Even Amara, the witch who raised my brother and me, fed and educated us for our sole role.
Without words, I opted for my favorite strategy with him thus far—silence.
He gratefully does not press the matter. We resume our walk around Zain's lands. No words were exchanged through the rest of the walk, but we stole glances at each other.
It is hard not to be drawn to him. He radiates power. Along the way, his members saluted him. There is apprehension. To them, I am a vampire sympathizer.
I made sure to never let my shoulders slump. I held my head high. Marisa and Maddox had as much control as I did over the positions we were born into. They are vampires. Born that. They've done their best with the role given, and I am not ashamed to be in their company.
Zain's pack will not make me feel embarrassed. With time, they will see the Malfattos are different. It's my top priority. Especially, if it means that it will grant Marissa and Maddox a stable life. A tranquil one with no worries of bloodshed.
We get back to the compound, and Marisa sits on the stairs. Her head is sustained by one of her hands. She had a look of disapproval and disinterest. She greets, "two hours."
"Excuse me," I ask.
Zain closes the front door behind him.
"I've been waiting for you to see me for two hours and nothing. You've been out with him." She zeroes her focus on Zain.
"I never received a message you were looking for me," I reply sharply.
Her tone is jarring. She rises from the stairs and zooms to me. Her breathing remains steady. Her delicate white brows raise. "Now, I need to schedule my time with you?"
"No, but I can't read minds. Can I?"
"It does not take a genius to know we have a conversation pending," she snaps.
I snap back. "It also does not take a genius to figure out when their company is not currently wanted."
We both lock eyes. Zain intervenes. "This is my fault, Lady Marisa. I wanted to show Helena around." He plays the referee.
She moves her hateful gaze to him. "It is your fault. Had you not accepted my brother's ridiculous offer, Helena and I would not be having an issue."
A spark ignites inside. Our problem had nothing to do with Zain. It's her doing.
"No! This is your fault and your constant need to manipulate me. You knew what you were planning on the way here. At any given time during our travel, you could have told me your scheme. We could have worked something out. I would support you, but you put me on the spot like you often do," I yell.
"Are you seriously taking his side? You just met him!"
"And yet you have done the most damage to me. You sold me like sheep for slaughter. You gave me the role without consulting me."
"I did not make you accept it," she yells back.
She tenses. Her grey eyes partially transitioned. Zain stiffens at my side. We are going to throw down right here and now since she wants a dam conversation so bad.
"You put me in the spot. Did you honestly expect me to ruin all our hard work, all our parent's hard work? You wanted out, so I gave you a way out without dooming us. Yet, again, saving your ass." I shove her, "looking out for you." I shove her again. "It's always about the Malfattos."
She does not move an inch. It is infuriating. It simmers my blood further.
Her tone is condescending. "That's the real issue, isn't it? I put a damper on yours and Maddox's unrealistic love dream."
She rolls her eyes and I almost scream. But I hold it down.
"Grow up, Helena. Him and you will never happen, EVER. Like me, he is precious. You talk about me jeopardizing our parents' dreams, but it did not seem like you were concerned earlier today or was it not Maddox sneaking out of your room?"
I stilled, utterly aware of who was witnessing our whole exchange. But I needed payback. She senses it too. Her eyes completely transitioned into a blood red.
I debate whether to cross the line but she gets in my face. She won't let me back down. She grabs my wrist forcefully and shoves me to the wall. The action is too quick to prevent my back from hitting the wall hard. I heard a growl from Zain, but I gave him no time.
I grab onto her arms. She screeches. I spell my hands to warm, more like burn. Although my palms are touching her arms, it is an inferno she is feeling. My hands blaze with the heat, glowing orange.
She snarls falling to the ground. I hear running from upstairs then a shout. "Sis, stop," Jason yells as he makes his way down.
Marisa got up at my distraction and slaps me with a force that knocks me down on my ass. We are about to lunge at each other again when strong hands grab me.
For a moment, I delude myself into thinking that it is Maddox. That he was stopping me from further doing something I regret.
No. He is at Marisa's side, restraining her. She thrashes.
While I pant, firm hands surround me. There is a steady front at my back. "I got you," Zain leans into me.
His weight is a heavy blanket. I allow him to help stabilize me. But Zain reflects me. As I heave for air, his chest moves like mine. He fights to restrain himself.
I calm myself before things get more out of hand. Tears welled in my eyes. I shake them off. Marisa and I stare and her tears fall.
Jason is at my side, studying for injuries. Seeing my brother, Zain loosens his grip. Jason observes my face intently while Maddox gives Marisa's burned arms the same scrutiny.
Jason voices, "what the hell, guys."
The consequences of my actions catch up. My arms burn. I curse as I fall to the ground, cradling them.
Marisa and I are bonded. There are certain things we share, injuries being one of the joyous perks. What happens to her, happens to me and vice versa. It's not invariably simultaneous. Sometimes it's delayed but sooner or later the injuries mimic each other.
I glance at Marisa. Her face is as red as I presume mine is. I hope she feels that sting. I look back down at my arm and see the handprints my own burning hands caused. It hurts. To make it worse, I will deal with the consequences longer.
Marisa heals quicker. I have a human body. It will take me time to fully recover. I can speed up the process with Jason's help, but it will still hurt me longer.
The same strong hands from before helped me up to my feet. He avoids my arms. His brows scrunch and his eyes intensify when he studies the injury he saw Marisa get, not me.
Maddox speaks, "upstairs, now."
He orders Marisa and me. He has not even attempted to get close to me, to check on my injury. I reluctantly walk.
A hand reaches my shoulder. "No, she will not." Zain stops me.
I look at him, then at Maddox's scrunched face. "These are family affairs and will be dealt with privately," Maddox responds.
"Helena no longer belongs to your family. That was the deal we all agreed. I will do with my wife as I see fit," Zain grits.
"She is not your wife." Maddox's eyes burn with rage. His affected posture gives him away.
"Yet," Zain booms. He stalks closer to my back. "She is not my wife yet, but she will be. I would remember that Maddox next time you enter my fiancé's room. I will not stop at a few blows," Zain promises.
A shiver went down my spine and not in a good way. Abruptly, I'm lifted off the ground by firm arms. Jason tries to trail behind, but Maddox gives him a warning stare. I plead with my brother to let it be and he complies.
As we walk past the Malfattos, I catch Marisa's pained eyes as she stares down at my arms. Her arms already showed nothing but a faint mark, practically all healed while mine appeared freshly scorched.
She is sorry. I am sorry too. It should have never gotten that far.
I remained silent and gestured my head at her, a silent apology. In return, I get a weak smile. One that does not meet her eyes. She was returning the apology.
I will talk later with her.
My eyes move to Maddox. There is a distressed expression in them, an inability to do something without ruining things. A grunt snaps my attention up.
Zain's disapproving gaze makes me feel the shame I deserve. I kept my head down, cradled in his chest. We enter his study, and he places me on the desk. He makes his way around the desk looking for first aid.
I track his every movement. He has not said one word to me. There is a suffocating silence between the two. I must get out. I'm drowning.
I attempt to hop off. "Don't. The pack doctor will be in shortly."
"I can handle my injury. Jason can help."
"Not an option."
"Not your choice," I retort hoping off.
It is plain stubbornness. I don't like being told what to do. Zain walks right in front of me. I gaze up as I cradle my arms into me.
He moves forward. I move back. Then, again, until I am at the edge of the desk. He grips my waist, lifts and plops me down.
I stare at him with hatred but it's not toward him. It's toward myself for letting things get out of hand. For disrespecting this man, who has been nice to me.
I look away. He grips my chin leading it back up. He gets closer to me, leaning. "I am trying to be nice. Stop making this hard."
"Zain, I am sorry. I did not mean to disrespect you."
"You do not owe me anything. It was my mistake for trusting you." With that, the pack doctor walks in. Zain walks out, creating a hole in my shallow heart at the realization that I am a stupid, stupid female.