Lina descended the floating staircase, the oversized silk nightie she had borrowed from Nicole's closet grazing her mid-thigh. It smelled of sandalwood and that distinct, icy musk that was uniquely Nicole. As she reached the bottom, she found Nicole in the open-concept kitchen that flowed into the vast living area. The billionaire was standing over a high-end range, staring at a pan with a look of intense, clinical confusion.
"What exactly are you trying to do?" Lina asked, her voice light with amusement.
Nicole looked up, a stray lock of dark hair falling over her golden eyes. "I am attempting to sauté. Or perhaps sear. The instructions were... ambiguous."
Lina walked over, peering at the unseasoned vegetables and the pan that was far too hot. She couldn't help it; she burst out laughing. "Nicole, you can run a global empire, but you don't know how to boil an egg, do you?"
Nicole leaned back against the marble counter, a self-deprecating smirk playing on her lips. "I have lived for hundreds of years, Lina. Usually, I have someone for this. Or," she paused, her gaze darkening slightly, "my diet doesn't typically require a stove."
Lina gently nudged her aside, taking the wooden spoon from her hand. "Move over. I'll save us both from food poisoning."
As Lina moved with practiced ease, chopping, seasoning, and adjusting the heat. Nicole stayed close, leaning against the island to watch her. The domesticity of the moment felt surreal.
"Those people at the school," Lina said quietly, her eyes focused on the pan. "The ones you fought. Who were they?"
"Shapeshifters," Nicole replied, her tone turning serious. "Mercenaries sent by my uncle, Thoros. He wants the throne my father left behind, and he thinks he can get to me through you."
Lina turned, her expression soft. "Is that why you've been so pale? Because you're fighting them off and not... feeding?"
"I don't feed on humans," Nicole said firmly. "I haven't in a very long time. I find the ethics... complicated."
Lina set the spoon down and stepped into Nicole's space. "What about me? If it would make you stronger, you could feed on me."
Nicole's posture went rigid, her pupils dilating until her eyes were almost entirely black. "No," she rasped. "Never. You don't understand what that would do, Lina. The bond is already too high. I won't explain it, but the answer is no."
To change the subject, Nicole gestured to the pan. "Is it ready? I'm starving, though not for what you think."
Lina tasted the sauce, then lifted the spoon to Nicole's lips. "Taste this."
Instead of taking the food, Nicole reached out, her hand cupping the back of Lina's neck, and pulled her into a deep, crushing kiss. The taste of the savory sauce mingled with the sweetness of Lina's mouth. The kiss prolonged, turning hungry and desperate, until Lina felt the heat of the stove radiating against her back.
"Nicole," Lina gasped, pushing back slightly. "The food... it'll burn."
Nicole let out a low groan but stepped back, allowing Lina to plate the meal. They ate in a comfortable silence, the tension from the hallway replaced by a simmering heat. Afterward, Nicole helped clean the kitchen, her movements silent and efficient.
"Are you ready for bed?" Nicole asked, her voice low.
"Yes," Lina said, a playful spark returning to her eyes. "But I want to sleep with the wolf pet. It looks comfortable."
"That is my favorite spot," Nicole challenged, a predatory grin spreading across her face. "I don't share it easily."
"Then whoever gets there first takes it," Lina declared.
Before the sentence was even finished, they both dashed for the stairs. Lina scrambled as fast as her legs could carry her, but in a blur of supernatural speed, Nicole appeared at the top of the landing before Lina had even cleared the fifth step.
"You're a cheat!" Lina laughed, leaning against the railing to catch her breath.
"I am an Alpha," Nicole replied, looking down at her with mock gravity. "We don't lose. But tell you what, you take the wolf-bear, and I will cuddle you instead."
The playfulness vanished as they entered the darkened master suite. The starlight ceiling cast a faint, ethereal glow over the bed. Lina turned to Nicole, her pulse visible in the hollow of her throat.
"Kiss me, Nicole," Lina whispered. "Really kiss me."
Nicole didn't hesitate. She moved forward, her hands sliding down Lina's back as she pressed her down onto the silk sheets. She kissed her slowly at first, tasting her, savoring the way Lina arched into her. As the intensity grew, Lina opened her eyes and saw it, a flicker of a massive white wolf staring back at her from within Nicole's golden irises.
Startled, Lina closed her eyes tight.
"Open them," Nicole commanded, her voice vibrating. "Look at me, Lina. Don't look away from what I am."
"I saw... the wolf," Lina breathed.
Look at us, a voice rumbled. It wasn't Nicole's physical voice; it was the ancient, gravelly resonance of Luna, speaking directly into Lina's mind.
Lina's eyes snapped open. She heard it. She felt the presence of the beast as clearly as she felt the woman. The fear melted into a profound, overwhelming desire to be claimed.
"I want you," Lina pleaded, her voice breaking. "Please. I want you inside me."
Nicole's face was a mask of agonizing restraint. "Show me, Lina. Show me you're ready."
With trembling hands, Lina shifted, opening her legs and guiding Nicole's fingers toward the heat between her thighs. She had never done this, never felt a touch so deliberate. As Nicole's fingers made contact, Lina let out a sharp, high-pitched cry, her body tensing with the shock of the sensation.
Nicole stopped instantly, her breath hitching. She saw the flickers of pain and overwhelming sensation in Lina's eyes. The predator in her wanted to bury herself in the girl, to claim her completely, but the protector won.
"Nicole, don't stop," Lina protested, her voice a strained whisper.
Take her! Luna screamed in Nicole's mind, a roar of rejection at the hesitation.
"No," Nicole said, her voice thick with the effort of pulling back. She withdrew her hand and pulled the covers up, tucking them around Lina's shivering frame. "You're overwhelmed. Your body isn't ready for the hunger I have tonight."
"But I want..."
"Sleep, Lina," Nicole commanded softly, the Alpha's will settling over the room like a heavy blanket. "Just sleep. I'm right here."
Nicole pulled her close, letting Lina bury her face in her chest. As the girl's breathing eventually evened out into sleep, Nicole stared at the ceiling, her eyes glowing red in the dark, knowing that the real battle for the girl's soul and her own heart had only just begun.