Tasting The Enemy

Elaine POV

Azaire’s apartment was a typical bachelor pad. His fridge was stocked with beer and leftover pizza. He had coffee which was good. He had a couple of plates and cups. He had a massive TV screen, a leather couch and a state-of-the-art kitchen he barely used. I didn’t venture into the other rooms but I discovered three closed doors.

He had pictures of his family placed around. He was a family guy which I loved. I didn’t have much of a family maybe Azaire could give me that.

I blinked a few times. Where had that thought come from? We had so much going on. I hadn’t told Azaire I was using wolf enhancers. From the conversation I heard with his brother someone in his pack died from wolf enhancers. He would lose his head when he found out.

If only Dove reappeared, we could talk about it.

A key rattled in the lock and the door swung inwards.

“See, she’s okay,” Azaire said.

“Elaine!” Opal gasped.

She ran and scooped me into her arms and squeezed.

“Why would you run away from home? Everyone is so worried about you.”

I wiggled out of her hold. “You didn’t tell them where I am right?”

Opal shook her head. “No, Azaire made me swear not to. Why did you run? Nik’s losing his head.”

“Of course he is. I’m ruining his perfect plan.”

“He’s your brother, Elaine he cares.”

I shook my head. “You shouldn’t have brought her, Azaire. She’s too close to Nik.”

Heat scattered across Opal’s nose. She looked at Azaire and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

“I’m not that close to him.”

I rolled my eyes. “You care what he says, you always have your eyes on him if I didn’t know any better I’d think you two were involved.”

“Elaine!” She screeched.

“I know you’re not since Nik’s going to marry the daughter of some powerful Alpha. Which is why I have to marry Neel.”

“What?” Opal gasped. Colour drained from her face.

Did I say something wrong?

“Uh… I’m going to grab dinner,” Azaire said as he closed the door behind him.

“Opal?” I squeaked.

“Nik’s engaged?” She asked, lowering herself on the couch.

“No, but he’s the next Alpha. Dad’s always said he’d have an arranged marriage. The best alliance was saved for him.”

Opal nodded. Opal’s in love with Nik? I shook the thoughts out of my head. We were like family, but it was possible they had known each other our whole lives.

“That doesn’t matter. I won’t rat you out. Is it the marriage?”

“It’s more than that but I don’t have the time to explain it all today. What’s going on at home?”

Opal exhaled. Oh boy, I thought.

When Opal was done explaining I was the one out of breath. Dad was furious and if he got his hands on me he would strangle me. Neel believes he’s been disrespected but he still wants me found and married to him by the end of the month. Wolf enhancers are still circulating. I recalled my brother’s bizarre meeting with those suspicious men. They said a woman was in charge. I couldn’t make heads or tails of the statement now.

We had to investigate how the late Luna’s family hotel was connected to all this. The wolf enhancers were all going there.

“Neel’s a pig Elaine… there’s something you should know…uhmm.”

“Spit it out nothing’s worse than what’s going on now.”

She bobbed her head. “You’re right. I saw Neel screwing Quin.”

I grimaced. Can’t they do it in private? “I know… I already know about that. I caught them two.”

“Ugh! They’re gross. They literally traumatized me!”

I laughed. “They can have each other.”

Opal sighed. “We need a bottle of wine and some ice cream.”

I couldn’t agree more.

***

After Opal left I took a shower and snuggled into Azaire’s bed. He still hadn’t returned from food hunting. Minutes later the door opened and shut.

“Babe, how’s Chinese?” He called.

He found me curled into a ball on his bed. He leaned against the frame and smirked.ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

“I thought you were a pizza guy.”

“I thought I’d switch things up. Opal’s going to keep her mouth shut, right?”

He settled next to me and kissed me.

“She’s going to try,” I replied between kisses.

I grabbed his jacket and pulled him close so I could feel his body.

“Where were we before your brother interrupted us?”

He grinned. “You were about to take your shirt off.”

I kissed him, dragging his bottom lip. “And you were about to get out of your pants.”

“If you speak to me like that I’ll do whatever you want.”

Azaire’s hand wrapped around my neck and lowered me on the bed. His body pressed me down as he kissed me passionately. His hunger for my lips ignited a fire inside me. He was wearing too much clothes!

I grabbed his shirt and pulled it over his head. He did the same for me and squeezed my breasts.

“You’re so good, babe. Take this off,” Azaire reached for the waistband of my shorts.

My right arm bones cracked and I cried out.

“What’s wrong?” Azaire demanded.

A fire formed inside me. This wasn’t a fire of passion it was a consuming fire that made me coil and scream.

Azaire pulled me into his arms. He pushed doses of Alpha power into me. It soothed me a little but then the force of something crushing my bones came back ten times harder. My wolf came out of her hiding and cried out a name.

“Avena.”