8. Isabelle

8

ISABELLE

I 'm not sure what I feel as I watch my father's ashes mix with my mothers.

It's not sadness, that is certain, but I don't find any joy in it either.

What truly surprises me, however, is when Luka reaches for my hand. His touch is tentative, at first, just a brush of the back of his hand against mine. When I don't pull away, he slides his hand around so our palms touch, and then he threads our fingers together. It's all light touches until he squeezes.

And I squeeze back.

It's a small thing, but my heart swells when I do it.

My little spark of happiness is short lived when Samael comes up to us. He's my father's younger brother and next in line to become Alpha, according to my coven's customs. Samael looks nothing like my father, and I've often wondered if he perhaps a changeling, switched at birth. Where my father was fair haired with pale blue eyes, Samael is dark, although his eyes are the same golden shade as mine. My father was tall and regal, while Samael is shorter with a stockier build. Their personalities also couldn't be more opposite, groomed to be the much less important second son, rather than a snobish alpha.

He bows deeply to Luka and then turns and gives me the same treatment, which surprises me. I'm used to being invisible, unless I'm needed to play a part in my parent's desire for power and greed. His acknowledgement and reverence stun me for a moment before I remember myself and drop into a clumsy curtsy.

"You have done us all a favor this night," Samael admits. "Alaric was a plague to this coven. He and his mate's thirst for power affected everyone. Our cousin was also caught up in a scheme to kidnap the Alpha's mate and paid for his fealty with his young life.

"As the next in line, I will step into the role of faction alpha and head of our coven." He turns from Luka to me and bows his head, "I am sorry, niece, that we did not protect you like we should have. I will live forever with that shame on my shoulders and hope that someday you may find it in your heart to forgive me."

Turning back to Luka he supplicates himself to him as well, "We were all threatened in much the same way Isabelle was. That doesn't excuse our shameful lack of action, but at the time none of us knew how to help her without risking our own necks."

Luka's beast growls and I quickly step in front of him. "I know better than anyone how they are—" Were . The fact that they are gone now hasn't sunk in yet. I wonder if I'll ever feel anything for them, because right now I feel absolutely nothing. "Their threats were not idle; you had every right to be afraid of them." I lick my lips. Since we're being honest, I add, "I'm not sure if I can find it in me to forgive you completely, though. Not yet anyway."

Samael bows deeply and reaches out to take hold of my hand. His skin is cool and smooth as he presses the backs of my knuckles to his forehead. "We will make it up to you. I will make this up to you," he promises.

Luka's hand, that is still threaded with mine, tightens to quietly offer me his support.

Somehow the small motion doesn't escape Samael's notice. As he straightens, his lips quirk up, "As coven Alpha, let me officially announce my approval and congratulations of your mating. The Fates have chosen well."

I stand up straighter, bolstered by words that I've longed to hear ever since finding my fated mate in Luka.

Samael lets go of my hand and turns to face Luka. "When things have settled down and you feel ready, I would like to invite you both to our manor. This invitation also extends to your brother and mate, to discuss the changes that will be made immediately in our faction."

"Thank you, I will talk to Jarik about it when I see him next," Luka replies with a nod.

Samael turns back to me and bows deeply once more. "I look forward to seeing you," he glances at Luka, including him, before turning back to me, "under much better circumstances."

I thank him softly and watch as he turns and takes what's left of the coven with him. One by one they vanish from the ballroom and the eerie silence left behind is slowly filled with soft whispers of conversation as the rest of the guests begin making their way out of the Den.

Party's over.

When I try to step away from Luka, his hand holding mine tightens.

"Where do you think you are going, Isabelle?" he asks.

I wrinkle my nose at the use of my full name, regretting ever saying anything when he called me Izzy.

"This has been fun," I say tartly. "But I have things to do." Things to think on and process. Alone.

"Oh, I don't think so, mate," he smirks. "We still have things to discuss."

"They can wait," I huff. "I'm—" I don't have a chance to finish before Luka puts his shoulder to my stomach and flips me over his shoulder.

"No, wait!" I shriek. "What do you think you're doing?"

What's left of the crowd parts and Luka strides through with me kicking and screaming at him over his shoulder. I don't miss the sniggers as we pass, which rile me even more. When we get to his car, he buckles me into the passenger seat before jogging around to climb in beside me.

"You will take me home, right now!" I order him, crossing my arms with a huff.

The sports car purrs to life and Luka turns to me with a sultry grin. "As you wish, Isabelle."

"Stop calling me that!" I snap before I can stop myself.

He cants his head to the side, "But you said?—"

"I know what I said," I huff and then drop my eyes to where my fingers are tangled in my lap. "I lied."

I can feel him staring at me for what feels like an eternity, before he finally puts the car in gear and turns to face the road. As Luka drives, I know that I could simply trace away to my little house, but I don't. Not when he starts driving in the opposite direction of the coven's manor. Not even when he pulls off the main road and onto a narrow dirt lane that heads up into the mountains. Not even when we pull up to the cabin where he kept me captive.

Because, as my heart pounds in my chest and my pussy grows slick, I don't want to. I never want to be separated from Luka ever again. But I don't want him to know that. I've got a reputation, and all that.

I sit petulantly as Luka turns off the car and jogs around to my side to open the door for me.

"This is not my home," I sass.

"It is until you decide where you'd like us to live," he says.

I snort, "Luka, there is no us ." Then I squeal when he reaches into the car and lifts me out. "Put me down! I'm not staying here!"

"Hush, princeza ," he says against my temple before placing a soft kiss there.

The cabin is dark as we walk through the main living space. For the first time I'm able to take in the tasteful decorations and comfortable furniture as we pass through. The kitchen is equally cozy with the smell of coffee lingering in the air. At the back of the kitchen is the staircase that leads to the basement. When he reaches for the light switch, I start to struggle for real.

"Luka, no," I twist in his arms. "I don't want to go back down there."

"Trust me, Izzy," he says quietly.

My heart warms at the use of his name for me. This time, when he leads me down into the basement where I was once his captive, I don't fight him.

It no longer smells like old food and sweat, but like soap and fabric softener. The bed is mostly as I remember, but the chains are gone and a canopy with gossamer fabric woven with fairy lights has been added. It's… beautiful.

At the bottom of the stairs, he sets me on my feet where a plush rug now covers the wood floor. I want to kick off my heels and dig my toes into the thick knapp, but then I remember I'm supposed to be angry at being kidnapped. Again .

Luka circles so that he's standing in front of me and takes hold of my hands. Slowly, he backs up, pulling me after him, until his legs hit the edge of the bed and he sits down.

"Why am I here again, Luka?" I ask him.

"Because this is where it started, so this is where it's going to end," he tells me as he pulls me to stand to the side of his legs. "Now, bend over my lap, princeza . It's time for your punishment."

I try to stagger back, but his hands tighten around mine gripping me hard enough that I can't pull away. Not that I try very hard.

"If you think I'm going to let you— hey !" With a sharp tug, I fall across his lap and he pins me down with one arm while the other rucks my dress up around my hips. "You sonofabitch !" I scream at him when he pulls my thong to my knees. "Get your hands off me!"

"No. In fact, my hands are going to be all over you before tonight is done," Luka purrs as he strokes his hand up the back of one leg and across my ass.

I bite down on my bottom lip to keep from moaning at his touch as gooseflesh prickles across my skin.

"Mmm. You like this, don't you, princeza ?" he rasps as his hand slides across my cheeks and then down the back of my other leg. Over and over, up one leg, across my sensitive flesh and down the other. Until I'm squirming and my pussy is pulsing and weeping with need.

"Luka," I breathe as I drag my cheek against his knee and arch up into his touch.

"That's what I want to hear from you," Luka groans and squeezes one cheek hard enough to make me jump. His hand disappears and then returns with a sharp crack followed by stinging pain.

"OW!" I cry out. I try to push myself off him, but his other hand is holding me tight as he peppers my ass with sharp spanks. "Ow, ow! Luka, stop !" I whine with each sting. When my ass is burning, he thrusts his fingers between my legs, sliding them through my slick folds.

"You sure you want me to stop?" he asks as my pussy quivers around his teasing touch. "Your cunt seems to like this."

My face is probably as red as my ass as I press my forehead against his leg. "Yes, I'm sure, you asshole!"

Luka chuckles darkly as he pulls his hand free of my soaked pussy and slides it up to my pucker, where he circles it with slick drenched fingers. "Asshole, huh?"

"No!" I scream as he presses a finger against my darkest hole. Then I moan when it slips inside easily.

"Do you like your ass being played with?" He leans over me to groan into my ear. "Do you like to be fucked here?"

I hiss at the burn when he adds a second finger and then slowly pulses them in and out.

"No. Yes." I let out a guttural sound as his other hand slides under me to play with my clit. "I—I don't know? I've never— oh, God! "

"No one has fucked this virgin ass?" he asks me as he drives his fingers deep, then spreads them to stretch my tight ring as he pulls them back out. "Are you going to let me be the first?"

I'm panting and my body is coated in a thin sheen of sweat. Between the burning pleasure in my ass and the sharp desire from where he's circling my clit, I'm about to come.

"Tell me to fuck your virgin ass, Izzy," he moans, pressing his forehead between my shoulder blades. "Let me slide between your freshly spanked cheeks until we both come."

"Yes," I gasp, arching up to meet the next plunge of his fingers. "Yes. Please, yes."

"Yes what , princeza ."

"Yes, I want you to—" I press my face into his leg again, knowing that he's going to make me say it. "—to fuck my ass."

The sound of Luka groaning sends a wave of pleasure shivering across my skin. " Please . Please fuck me, Luka!" I beg him, "I'm so close. I need to feel you inside of me."

His fingers, that are filling me so deliciously, suddenly disappear. Before I can complain at their loss, I'm lifted and then land on my back in the center of the bed. Blinking down my body, my breath catches. Luka's shirt has already disappeared, showing off golden skin rippling with cut muscles. His eyes are locked with mine as he works his pants down over his sizable erection.

I lick my lips.

He groans and then… pounces.