Chapter 11

CHAPTER 11

EMMELINE

Sorrow and regret clog my throat as I try to make him understand. I can see the hurt in his eyes, the sadness that his new bride doesn't find this small enclosure fitting. If only I can make him understand, but my words seem to have no effect.

"I rather like it."

"I'm sure," he murmurs, rubbing his beard. "As you said, it's the size of just your room and bathroom. How could you possibly love such a space?"

I shrug as I do my best to find the words I need. "Because you're in it? I'm not alone? Even with all that space, it was just me to fill it. Yeah, I had servants flitting in and out, but no one there who was just for me."

My heart breaks as Branson strides over to me, gathering me into his arms. "I'm not going anywhere, Princess. I'm here for the long haul. That is, unless we just can't make it work. But I'm certainly willing to try. Are you?"

The rapid thud of my pulse in my ears is the only thing I can hear. It drowns out everything else until it's just the recriminating beat. I can't give it my all. I can't give him what he wants, what I want. Even though we were paired together by the Governing Body, there's no guarantee this will be forever.

If this doesn't work, if he decides he doesn't actually want me, then I'll have nowhere to go but home. Mother won't take me back if she even thinks I gave myself to him. Squeezing my eyes shut, I burrow into his midsection, taking in deep breaths of his intoxicating scent to calm me.

"I will try."

"That's all I ask. Now what you say we go take care of your little punishment for sassing me before we go look at other houses to live in?"

I yank back. "I thought you were joking!"

"About living here? No. This isn't a joke. This is really where I live. It was fine when it was just me, but now that there are two of us..."

"No," I wave away his response. "Not that. I meant about the punishment. You're really going to punish me?"

His eyes darken as he smiles down at me, sending a shiver of longing down my spine. "Oh, I intend to punish every naughty little hole in you before too long. But why don't we start with that pretty little mouth of yours?"

On impulse, I slap my hand across my lips, denying him access. I don't know what he plans to do, but I don't like the sound of my mouth being punished.

"Oh? Will I have to tie you up first?" I'm not sure what my face does, but it makes him laugh even harder. "All in good time. I promise you'll like this punishment if you just relax for me."

"How can a punishment feel good? I've never heard of such a thing."

"Well, I'm sure there are many things you know nothing about, but I'm willing to be your teacher. On your knees."

He reaches behind him and pulls the pillow off of the chair and tosses it to the floor. Curiosity and fear thrum through me, intermingling until I don't know which is which. In slow increments, I lower myself to the floor and stare up at him. Though I'm not sure how, his eyes darken even more, making my pulse race and my stomach flip.

"I- This isn't going to... That is, I'm not sure I'm ready for anything-"

"Shhhh, Princess," he murmurs, sliding his finger over my lips. "I'm not going to defile you yet. Just give you a small taste."

"No one will know. Right? Just like... Just like touching myself?"

"No one will know unless you tell them."

Relief spreads through my muscles, making me weak and shaky. Perhaps if we can just stick to things like that, I'll be okay. Doing the bare minimum won't make me unworthy of marriage if he decides to cast me aside, or worse, Mother finds a way to end the marriage herself. Right?

I part my lips a touch as I watch him lower his hand and reach for his zipper. "God," he groans, reaching out to stroke my cheek. "You're going to be the death of me. I just know it."

"But how? I'm just a simple omega."

"Just a simple, innocent omega," he murmurs, unbuckling his pants and shoving them down. "You know nothing of the power you wield, of the fact that you can bring a grown Alpha to his knees with just one heated glance from your beautiful eyes."

Unable to watch the unabashed esteem in his eyes, I lower my gaze to the floor. "You're wrong. I have no power."

"Allow me to show you just how wrong you are. Open your mouth. Allow my punishment to be your first lesson of many."

My lips tremble as I part them even wider, unease and exhilaration flowing through me. Branson's underwear tenses, pulsing in front of me. Though I have a basic knowledge of what's behind the tight fabric, it's all too real knowing I'm about to see it in person and not on a screen.

With slow, agonizing movements, he slides his underwear down, letting the tip of his phallus pop free. Pearlescent fluid beads at the top, drawing my gaze and awakening a hunger I've never experienced before.

"This," he rasps out. "This is what you do to me." With a quick jerk, he pulls his underwear down to meet his pants.

His erection bobs in my face, fascinating me as it jerks and twitches. Again, I glance back up at him, unsure of how to proceed. If only I'd watched more films from Doctor Feel Good. Maybe then I'd not feel so at sea.

With a soft smile, Branson reaches down and grazes my bottom lip with his thumb, sending a shiver of need down my spine. His scent surrounds me, enveloping me as I drown in his gaze.

"This is wrong," I murmur, my voice thick and heavy, as if I'm speaking from underneath a massive gulf of water.

"You're my wife now, Princess. Nothing I do to you is wrong. No matter how depraved you may think my actions are, you're mine now. I won't stop until I consume every bit of you. Open wider, sweet girl. My cock is far bigger than that small opening."

Dawning slams into me as more fluid rises to his tip. "You mean to insert yourself into my mouth?"

"Exactly that. Open for me. Mind your teeth as I slide in."

My stomach clenches as I open even wider. The girls at school didn't talk about this. Perhaps I'm doing something even more depraved than they are?

Anxiety swirls in my gut as I place my hands in my lap so I can twiddle my fingers. Something to take my mind off of the large apparatus in front of me.

"Will it hurt?"

A frown mars his lips as he pulls back. "Why on earth would you think it would hurt?"

"Mother said-"

"Your mother. I should have known. What lies did she tell you about oral?"

"I- I don't know. She never mentioned oral specifically. More like sex was very painful, messy, and dirty. I'm assuming this is part of it."

A low growl flits through the air, sending a hum of fear just under the skin. Before I can pull back, he grabs my arm in a gentle grasp and lifts me from the floor. "I don't want you to be afraid of me. That's the last thing I ever would want. Can some aspects of sex hurt? Maybe. Depending on what we're doing. But I don't plan to bring out the whips and chains just yet."

"You're kidding. Right?"

His lips thin as he kicks off his shoes, pants, and underwear, leaving him in just his shirt. With a slight tug, he takes me to the bedroom. There, inside one of the closets, he shows me a rack with all sorts of things on it. Things I have no name for. Some that I recognize from Doctor Feel Good's office.

"And you're going to hurt me with these?"

"Eventually. But not until I have your complete confidence. Trust me, as an EMT, I've seen it all, and probably done most. But I know how to do it safely. That's one thing you'll never have to worry about with me. I can and will keep you safe."

"Even from my mother?"

"Especially from your mother."

"What if you don't want me after six months?"

A heavy sigh flits through his lips as he lowers his hands. "I don't know the future, Princess. I can't say where we'll be tomorrow, let alone six months from now. But I do know I've craved you since the moment I pulled that plug from your ass."

"But you don't even know me. I'm just some silly, stupid, na?ve, little girl who got herself into trouble in the dumbest way."

He slides a finger under my chin and forces my gaze to him. "Silly, maybe. Na?ve, most definitely. But stupid? I never want to hear that come from your lips again or I really will punish you."

"Then what do you call what you were about to do?"

The way he chuckles sends longing pulsing through my body. "That's more of a funishment. I don't think I could ever truly punish you. This is supposed to be all in good fun. But I'm serious when I say I don't want to hear you talking like that about yourself. How would you know any of this unless you're taught? Granted, I'm very adamant about how unwise it is for someone to shove things into their body when they don't know what they're doing."

He steps away from me and walks over to his wall of horrors. "Any of these can cause damage if not done correctly. It takes time and practice to learn. If you're willing to let me teach you, I can show you just how pleasurable it is to give yourself to someone like me."

"But my mother-"

"Fuck your mother," he growls.

Unbidden, a small smile teases the edges of my lips. "I'd much rather not, if it's all the same to you."

For a moment, his eyes widen. "Did you just make a sexual joke?"

"I do believe I did. Your bad influence is rubbing off on me already."

"I'd rather something else be rubbing off on you instead."

Pushing me backward, he guides me over to the bed. Once my knees hit the baseboard, I freeze up again. "Seriously. I- I can't do this. Not without some sort of guarantee that you're not going to make me go back to her. I can't go home sullied and used."

Frustration drifts off of him, turning his scent acrid. With a grunt, he runs his hands through his hair. "I wish I could tell the future. All I can say to you is that I'm in it for the long haul. You'll just have to figure out if you trust me enough to give it a real chance."

"But I-"

"Don't worry, Princess. Your innocence is safe with me. I'm not taking your virginity until you beg me. Now change out of your wedding dress and into something more comfortable. We have houses to look at."

He yanks some clothes out of a drawer and strides off toward the bathroom, leaving me alone. I don't think he's mad. Not really. Just resolute. Part of me should be grateful he's willing to wait, but another part of me wanted something different.

I guess in my mind I was hoping he'd just take me then and there, leaving me no choice in the matter. That way, when I go back home, my tail tucked between my legs, I can say it wasn't my fault. But then, that's not really fair to him either. I don't want him to be the bad guy just so I can have my conscience clear.

Looking around the room, my heart pounds in my chest. Clothes. All my stuff. I rise off the bed and head toward the front of the house, scouring the space for my things. Even the front porch is bare. That's odd. Shouldn't my things be here already? Or at least on their way?

My fingers shake as I pull out my communicator and dial my mother's number. "Hello, Mother. I'm wondering about my stuff?"

"Oh? You mean your new husband can't provide things for you? Shocking."

"Please, Mother," I beg, tears gathering in my eyes. "Don't be like this. I didn't choose him. I-" Well, that's not exactly true, is it?

All I had to do was think about the Alphas at dinner. But no. I stroked myself to this man, the one my mother despises because of his lack of wealth. It is my fault. All of it.

"Are you even listening to me?" Her shrill voice cuts through my thoughts, bringing me back to the present.

"I'm sorry. I think it cut out. Can you repeat that?"

"Not surprising, seeing as he probably has you living in the slums. As I said before, the answer is no. The things you possess belong to us. We paid for them. They are ours. Until you're with a man we approve of, your things stay here."

"But my school supplies. My homework. Please," I beg. "You can't be so heartless and cruel." The line goes silent for so long I worry she hung up on me.

"A driver will be by tomorrow with all your little sketches and schoolbooks. I assume your pursuits are all confined to the art room as requested?"

"Yes, Mother."

"Then that room will be delivered to your doorstep. I can only hope your new husband can find some way to make room for it all. Or, better yet, talk you out of such foolishness."

"Yes, Mother."

"See you in six months. And mark my words, Doctor Jamie will conduct a thorough examination on you before you may enter. If he even suspects you've messed around with that... that sorry excuse for an Alpha, then you'll have to find somewhere else to live. I don't harbor whores. You know that."

"Yes, Mother."

As she hangs up, I slide down the wall, crumpling onto the floor. All my fault. All of this. Every bit of this is my fault.