Chapter 7 Surprised

Third person's POV

"Argh," Becca winced, clutching her stomach with both hands as a wave of soreness rippled through her. Her entire body ached in places she hadn't felt in a long time. The man was a beast in bed. That much was certain. There had been no gentleness in him, no restraint-just raw, primal passion that left her feeling like she had been consumed whole. Even now, with the morning sun leaking through the curtains and his presence long gone, she could still feel the echo of him deep inside her.

Slowly, she pushed herself out of the enormous bed, taking a shaky breath. Her thoughts were clear now. She had only one goal: to get pregnant, give him an heir, and be done with it. That was the deal. That was the plan. And once it was fulfilled, she'd finally be free to enact the true purpose behind her agreement-revenge.

But first, she needed a bath.

She brought her hand to her nose and inhaled. His scent was all over her-clinging to her skin like a second layer, embedding itself in her pores, as if marking her without a mark. The memories of the previous night rushed back, vivid and unrelenting. The way he had laid her down without hesitation, ignoring the deep scars across her chest. He hadn't kissed her-not once-but he had suckled on her breasts, drawing shivers from her that she hadn't expected.

His touch had been experienced, almost maddeningly so. Every movement, every graze of his fingers, had felt calculated, as if he had studied her body in advance and was now claiming every inch of it with expert precision. In those moments, she had almost forgotten everything-her pain, her betrayal, her thirst for vengeance. And that, she realized, was dangerous.

Her eyes flicked toward the bathroom, but then to the wardrobe. She hadn't brought any clothes with her when she arrived. Just a scarf and her glasses. Nothing more. Moving toward the large wardrobe, she opened the doors and scanned the contents, quickly locating one of Dean's shirts. It looked massive against her frame-he made her seem small, even though she wasn't petite by any means. The man was simply built like a giant, just like his... Her hand flew to her mouth, and she whispered to herself, "What am I even thinking right now? I must be losing it."

She hurried to the bathroom with the oversized shirt in hand, trying to shake the heat that had returned to her cheeks.

The bathroom floor was dry, which told her he had left early, maybe even before dawn. Typical. But she was used to it-Mark had done the same in their marriage, disappearing like smoke the moment dawn broke. Still, Dean was nothing like Mark in bed. He had already outperformed him in every way, not that it mattered. It was just... an observation.

She grabbed the soap and whatever else she could find to scrub her skin. She needed to wash him off. She needed to reclaim her body. But no matter how hard she scrubbed, the scent remained-subtle but persistent. It was as if he had stamped himself into her soul.

Then she heard it. A voice she hadn't heard in a very long time. One that made her heart leap.

"He really was a beast last night, wasn't he?"

Her eyes widened. She clutched her mouth as tears filled her eyes. "Malia... you're back!" Her voice trembled as emotion surged through her chest. "I missed you so much."

"I know," the voice said softly. "I missed you too, Becca. It took me some time to adjust to your sister's core after ours was taken, but I'm here now. And I promise-we will get that revenge."

Becca's lips quivered, but she nodded quickly. "Yes. But for now, we're in a contract with Dean. Our priority must be to give him an heir, as quickly as possible. That's the fastest route to power. Once that's done, we use everything he gives us to destroy those who ruined us."

Malia agreed without hesitation. "Yes. The faster we deliver his heir, the closer we get to what we really want."

Becca stepped out of the bath feeling renewed. Not just because her body was clean, but because she could finally speak to her wolf again-the only one who had truly understood her, who had been with her since the beginning. Oh, how she had missed her.

Yet, despite everything, Dean's scent still lingered on her like a stubborn ghost. She glanced at her neck, half-expecting to see a mating mark. There was none. He hadn't marked her. But something else caught her attention-the old mark, the one left by Mark, had vanished entirely. She touched the spot slowly, realization dawning. That meant she was no longer bound to him. He had marked someone else. Bianca.

A cold calm settled in her chest. "Good," she whispered. "Let it be gone. Let there be nothing left tying us together."

She slipped into Dean's oversized shirt, tossed her worn clothes into the washer, and even borrowed a pair of his boxers. They were far too big, but she didn't care. "Let's find something to eat," she said aloud, speaking to Malia.

"Yes, please. I could eat an entire cow," Malia replied, and they both shared a laugh. It felt strange-laughter. It had been so long.

Becca left the room and wandered through the halls, her bare feet silent against the floors. She hadn't seen a single soul until she pushed open a grand set of double doors. The moment she entered, a hush fell over the room. Heads turned. All conversation ceased. It felt like a silent contest of stares until Becca broke it.

"I'd like something to eat," she announced calmly.

Suddenly, the entire place moved into action, as if she had given a royal command. A woman hurried over to her with a wide smile.

"Come this way, Luna. We've prepared a delicious feast just for you."

Becca followed, slightly stunned, to a long dining table where a spread of food awaited her. Her eyes widened at the sight-there was enough to feed ten people. She glanced around the room and was met with nothing but warm smiles and eager faces. The butlers positioned themselves attentively behind her.

"I'm Katarina," the woman who approached said. "I'll be your personal maid. We weren't sure how to approach you this morning... given, well..." She trailed off, her cheeks turning pink.

Becca flushed too, recalling last night. "Yes... thank you," she mumbled, noticing a few girls stifling giggles nearby.

Just then, her stomach growled loudly.

"You should eat now," Katarina said with urgency.

Food of all kinds was placed in front of her, and Malia practically leapt for joy within her. It was a meal fit for royalty. Becca hadn't expected this kind of treatment, especially after the cold welcome from Taya. Speaking of which... she hadn't seen that woman all morning.

-

Elsewhere, in a quiet, dimly lit room...

A shriek pierced the silence, followed by the crashing sound of books hitting the floor. A woman stood in the center of the room, disheveled and trembling. Her hair was tangled, her eyes red and puffy from hours of crying. She was a shadow of her former self.

"Calm down," Taya urged gently, but her words were met with rage.

"Calm down?" the girl spat, her voice raw with heartbreak. "You want me to calm down? After everything?"

She paced like a storm in motion, fury radiating from every limb. "He was supposed to be mine! The Moon Goddess paired us. I was destined to give him love, an heir, everything he ever wanted. But no-he rejected me! Said the bond was too strong. That he didn't want to become like his father." Her hands trembled violently. "Now look what he's done-he brought in another woman and mated her. Meanwhile, I was forced to settle for someone else... someone who didn't even live long enough to matter!"

She dropped to her knees, sobbing. "He was supposed to mark me. He was supposed to choose me. But he didn't. He never did."

Taya crouched beside her, voice low and coaxing. "Tessa... my daughter. Please, calm yourself. You will have him. Mommy promises."

A glint of something dark flashed in Taya's eyes. A smirk formed on her lips. It was the beginning of something wicked.