a/n- warning- there's a little bit of mature content in this chapter-

MERIBELLA

Something cold and wet snuffled her cheek. She pushed it away, but it returned, even more insistent than before. Sitting up, she rubbed gritty eyes and glared down at the wiggling fluff ball in her lap. Aurora yapped and spun in a circle, tripping over paws that were too big for her body, the clumsy act dragging a smile to Meribella's lips.

"How can I be grumpy waking up to you in the morning?" she said, picking up the wolf and snuggling her close, which earned her several warm licks to her chin. "We'll just forget that I only fell asleep about an hour ago."

The bedroom door swung open and a dark head of hair poked through. "Did the plan work?"

The puppy became a writhing mass at the site of Raff entering the room. As soon as she was free, she bounded to the edge of the bed, her tail wagging above her raised bottom as she dropped into a playful bow. "Well, I see your powers extend to females of all species."

She flopped back onto her pillow, letting her eyes travel up the golden expanse of Raff's exposed abs, his pajama pants hanging low on his hips as he scooped the pup into his arms. She took her time, savoring every toned piece of him, tracing his strong jaw and full lips before meeting his gaze. The intensity in those arctic blues made her swallow hard, and she wondered how long they could play this game before a mistake was made. One she wasn't sure she would regret, but she knew he'd never forgive her.

"If I'd known I would get this kind of greeting, I would've skipped the cute puppy routine." He set Aurora on the floor and crawled across the bed, trapping her between his forearms. He tugged at the sheet she had tucked under her armpits, grinning wickedly when the swells of her breasts were exposed to his view.

Wagging finger at him, she pulled the sheet up to her neck. "I only reward bravery good sir, and sending a puppy in for a wake up call is the lowest form of cowardice."

Raff pouted. "But you're scary when you're grumpy."

"The big, bad werewolf is afraid of little ole me? Hmmm, maybe I need to check out the rest of the pack. Find someone made of tougher stuff."

A low growl, full of warning, rumbled in the back of his throat. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them above her head. "I don't share-ever."

She arched beneath him, watching his eyes darken as the covers fell away. Before he could take advantage of the situation, she pressed her lips against his, whispering, "neither do I," before running her tongue along the seam of his mouth.

The kiss deepened and he dropped to his elbows, closing the space between their bodies. Her nipples scraped against his chest, the sensation making her gasp and drop her knees to the side in invitation. His hips jerked in response, only the thin sheet a barrier between her opening and his hard length.

"Meribella," he pleaded, moving from her mouth to her neck, his kisses a brand against her skin.

All traces of the exhaustion plaguing her body vanished as she came alive beneath his hands. Grabbing his hair as he worked his way lower, her eyes shot to the door in panic, half expecting Lincoln to start knocking, but as Raff pulled the rest of the covers away, the cool air doing nothing to soothe her heated center, she decided he could come in and watch for all she cared. She just needed him to not stop.

A thundering crash in the room had Raff leaping from the bed, his body dropping into a fighting stance as he searched for the source of attack. She just flipped to her stomach and screamed into her pillow. She'd spent most of her life not caring about what went on between two people, and now she was certain she was doomed to spend the rest of it sexually frustrated. If that was the case, she hoped whatever had caused the crash killed her quick.

Booming laughter echoed around the room. "What the hell?" she demanded, snatching up the comforter and wrapping it around herself before crawling off the bed. Books were scattered about the floor and covered in what appeared to be potting soil.

Raff settled a bookshelf against the wall before bending down to pick up a large plant that had been turned on its side. Aurora nipped at his toes every step he took, her snout covered in soil. He used his foot to roll her on her back, rubbing it up and down her tummy until her tongue lolled out in bliss.

"How on earth did she manage to do that?" Meribella gathered a few books from the floor and put them back on the shelves. She grabbed another, intending to do the same, but the title drew her attention. "Cursed by the gods- A History of the Werewolf. You're into mythology?"

"Well, as it pertains to my people," he responded, picking up the last of the mess before joining her on the bed again. He flipped to a page and read, "When Alfric saved the wolf, he found favor with the sisters of the heavens- Astra and Celene, for the wolf was their creature. Celene, in particular, was so grateful that she granted a bond between the man and beast. They would find strength in one another, protecting each other as brothers.

"For a time, all was well, but the world was in turmoil. The gods had banished the disobedient Fae, their first creation, beneath the hills, and the angels, the second creation of the gods, grew jealous of the humans- who the gods cherished as their greatest accomplishment. Alfric and his Brotherhood banned together to fight in the war called the Uprising; however, Alfric and his wolf were aging, but Celene wanted to bless them for their loyalty."

Meribella watched as he read, telling her the same story Mac had told her. His voice remained even as he spoke, the words nothing more than a story he'd been told over and over again as a child, but he couldn't hide the tension in his jaw and the tightness around his eyes. She tuned back in when he said something she hadn't yet heard.

"Astra, goddess of the stars, begged Celene to remove the curse she placed on the Brotherhood, but the moon goddess was not to be swayed. They had desecrated her gift, and from that day forward, she declared that the Moon Blessed would be Moon Cursed."

"Moon Blessed?" Meribella questioned, her words wavering as she recalled the echoing voices in her head. There had been two distinct female voices- could they have been the sisters?

"Once. Now we are simply cursed." He snapped the book closed and placed it back on the bookshelf. "It's why we could have never worked out if you were human. Being with me would be a death sentence."

"But," she began, working carefully to put her thoughts together. They were treading on dangerous ground, and this would be the test that let her know if she could finally be honest. "You pursued me when you thought I was human."

The prickly scent of guilt filled her nostrils, and he wouldn't look at her. "I wouldn't have ever let it get this far. Not just because of the risks to you, but because I issued a decree that-"

She didn't get to hear the rest of his statement. Loud knocking drowned them out, and she arched an eyebrow. "Lincoln is getting a little rusty on his timing."

"Oh, I wouldn't say that," Raff said, winking at her before tossing a shirt and pants at her. "We were just about to pick up where we left off." Blushing she dressed quickly, his appreciative gaze making her almost uncomfortable after the conversation they were having. When she was appropriately covered, he called out, "Enter."

A tall man, with ebony skin, stepped into the room. He didn't look much older than herself, but she knew that looks were deceiving amongst people who lived for centuries. "Alpha."

"Nichols," Raff greeted, the warmth leaching from his tone as he assessed the seriousness of his packmate. "Have I missed a meeting?"

"No sir. I was asked by the rest of the pack to speak with you- about- about the women Sir."

"And what about the women?"

"Are you referring to Thorne and myself?" Meribella protested.

"Meribella." Raff's voice was stern but not insulting so she stopped speaking. He turned back to Nichols. "Tell me, what are they saying?"

"They want to know if the decree has been ended. Since you and Beta Lincoln are sleeping with human women."

"Meribella is pure Fae Nichols," Raff responded, surprising her. She would've told the man it was none of his damn business. "As for Lincoln, I'm not aware of any human women he's been caught sleeping with."

Nichols dropped his eyes to the ground. "The nymphs found him in bed with the witch this morning sir."

Thorne and Lincoln. What were they both thinking? "Raff," she jumped up, panicked. "Thorne-she can't-Raff!" Her words tumbled out, but they fell on deaf ears. The Alpha's face had gone feral, claws sprouting from his fingertips as he stalked out of the room with Nichols hot on his heels.