DAMINI’S POV

Elias froze after this question like he was debating the best answer until I touched him and asked again. “Have you slept with her before?”

“Miss Love, I…” He tried to open the door then stopped and faced me, green eyes blazing like chemical reaction. “What happens if I do?”

“I need an answer” My heart thumping madly, praying it would be negative. “That night at school the mate bond appeared between us. You couldn’t deny the pull, you claimed me... What does it all mean to you?”

Silence again, tears burned my eyelids for the first time today.

God Please…

“Yes. I love her and I’d slept with her. Now, do away with any fantasy about me, I apologize for what had happened in the past”

He left the room, not addressing my question about the mate bond and the night we shared.

But my heart sank like the Titanic. He loved mum? Despite the mate bond?

My cruel mother was loved by the same man I wanted? “Why?”

My knees gave way, and I was on the floor before I could realize it. “Why!!!”

Why was it so painful to accept? We definitely saw each other before the mate bond and nothing happened until he touched me, so why?

Why do I feel like my heart was ripped away?

But then that word from our first night suddenly struck my brain—

“You’re the architect of your own life, Miss Love” he’d said in between our sin. “Don’t let anyone design it for you, not even your parents or me...”

A devilish idea gently leapt to my mind after this recollection.

He’d skipped all responses relating to our mate bond...

“Elias Marshmallow you’re a terrible actor” I laughed out at the final answer to my mind maths. “Watch me design the plan. You said I was an architect anyway”

Jumping to my feet, I wiped my face and pulled the door.

I’m done crying.

Elias came to my life at the lowest point, motivated me and groomed me...

I’m not letting him go easily, at least not to my mother.

•••√

Dinner was hell.

My butt burned on the chair like I was in a courtroom.

Mum was on a whole new level of something I don’t want to call madness.

Picking a chunk of meat, she faced him.

“Now say Aaaa”

Elias grudgingly took it with a smile, but still avoiding me.

Mum picked another piece, tried to feed him again but i wasn’t going to be foolish anymore.

“Mum!”

“Oh my, you scared me!” The meat dropped from her grips. “What did you need?”

Elias looked at me this time with confusion, and it was my turn to avoid him.

I picked the meat with my chopsticks. “He’s your husband you can do all these privately, let me feed him now hun?”

“What!?” They both chorused.

Mum was flustered. “D... Damini what are you talking about? He doesn’t want...”

I was already beside him before she’d land, offering it to him, my hand on his shoulder. “Daddy, have a bite”

“Em...” His body tensed up, but he sat strong. “I’ve had enough, thanks”

I scoffed. “Are you not accepting me as your daughter? You said you loved my mum”

Mum gasped, he also looked at me shockingly.

“He...He told you he loved me?” Mum was over the moon. “Elias never confessed...”

“Yes, I love your mum!” He affirmed, snatching the meat from my chopstick. Then faced mum. “I’m sorry. I didn’t confess to you earlier”

“Daddy...” I interrupted him again. “You never confessed your love to her? But you told me about the nice times you guys had together, her gentle caring, cuddles and everything”

Mum’s cheek was red, blushing over and over as she pulled his shirt. “You... You told her all that? I think we only hugged just once..”

Elias was in a tight spot, I could see through his hard gaze and frustrated grit at me.

But he couldn’t stand up to refuse he didn’t say that. “Really, Daddy?”

“I...” He gulped a mouthful of water before facing mum. “Yes I told her all that when she asked... I mean just to answer her, you know”

Elias’s green eye turned smoky with anger and frustration which was exactly what I wanted to see.

‘Get angry until you can deny me no more’ I went back to my seat, purposely shaking my heavy ass as I move.

•••••

I was ready to go to bed since I had early morning class tomorrow.

“Dami…” Mum called before I’d disappear to the stairs. “Could you please go with Elias to the supermarket? We need more groceries and many other….”

Elias jumped up with panic. “Why are you not coming with me?”

“Darling” Mum cooed, hugging his shocked frame. “I have an online dance class tonight, and if we didn’t get the groceries we might end up starving tomorrow, you don’t have food at home”

He was cornered. “But…. But I was living alone all these while!”

“We’re living together now. Take outs and restaurant made food is bad for my health, so please….”

He looked at me, hand shaking but I was happy already.

Jumping down with joy and haste, I grabbed his hand. “Don’t worry Mum. Daddy and I will go together, where’s the shopping list?”

In the next five minutes, we’re out of the house, silently driving toward the supermarket, the tension palpable.

All the ego I had earlier suddenly died down, his breathe and mine going in sync.

I didn’t know how to start the conversation. Mum’s shopping list getting wet with the heat oozing from my palm.

Looking outside, the half-moon was up, shining brightly and the 8 pm night air was relaxing since I wound the window down.

Unable to contain it anymore, I cleared my throat. “Did you….”

“I didn’t mean that” He suddenly cut into my words, slamming on the brake.

It took a second to recover from the shock. “What do you mean?”

“I mean….” Elias stopped, looked away from me. “I mean you can say whatever it is. This is very awkward”

A slow smile crept to my face, as if he knew I’d been waiting for him to say this.

“So you never confessed to mum or even kiss her before?”

“Miss Love, stop….”

I took his hand. “We’re not in school, stop calling me Miss Love. You can call me something more….”

Heat flushed to his face like a caged beast. Placing his hand on the steering, he tried to ignore the car but I stopped him. “Did you want to call me mummy?”

“Miss… I mean Damini, this is outrageous!” He finally broke loose to talk, the frustration evident. “Let’s respect each other now and stop this!”

I laughed. “Then reject the mate bond between us. We both know you’re lying, you need me. Your wolf is calling me, not my mother”

“I….”

“Mum was pretty!” I reminded him. “At just forty, you see how busty she looks and I know many men she’d slept with…”

His hand suddenly caught mine mid-action. The frustrated look slowly melted to something else…. “Are you threatening me right now?”

The ego died down again. But I had to continue. “I mean… despite all that, why haven’t you slept with her? But with me?”

“Because you’re not her” His wolf had taken over, I could tell by his voice, how gruffy it was. “You’re mine… But she wasn’t”

“Professor Elias…..”

“Eli”

“But, Professor…”

“Call me Eli, Love”

My heart snapped. Love was my surname but why does it sound like he was calling me his love rather than my surname…

“What are you doing right now?” I was beginning to get intimidated. “You said we shouldn’t…”

He’d reached out for my button, slowly rubbing on it, as a verification ritual to access my throbbing nipples.

I wanted to convince myself that this wasn’t Elias. It was his wolf in action but my body betrayed me.

“We both want this, Miss Love. But we’d both regret this”

Subconsciously, my lips slipped. “I don’t care”

Before I know it, we’re at the backseat, thankfully, it was a deserted corner of the street.

Hands in Hands, lips on lips, He devoured me and when they pyjamas button wouldn’t open, he ripped it off.

The backseat was tight, our legs are almost out, but we don’t care. His hand found my breasts, like he’d found a hidden treasure.

“Urgh!” That growl was expensive. Then his sexy hot voice in my ears, sending chills down my spine. “She’s pretty. But to me, you’re more prettier”

He bent his head, my hand running through his long hair, and gently let him savour the moment.

“Fawwk!” it escaped my lips. “More….please”

He didn’t stop, slowly sucking on it, gently, igniting something wetter and crazier… but the loud blast of our phones at the same time killed it all instantly.

“Urghh! Mum,” He snarled, wolf retreating. Both phones flashing exactly what we used to save her contact. ‘Cece’

“Why is the best fruit always forbidden, just Why!”

I chuckled at his classic language. “Forbidden? Who cares?”

ELIAS'S POV

Cece snored as I laid her down, Damini’s cedar scent still clawing my throat.

‘That was exhilarating’ My wolf said in my head. ‘You didn’t hold me back, yet you told her you don’t want to do anything again’

Frustration gnawed at my ego. I ran my hand through my hair instinctively, then stepped to the balcony for fresh air. “I don’t know, Owen. I really don’t know. She’s slowly dominating my mind. I might mark her accidentally if care is not taken”

This was true. The day I came back from New York to settle down here, I’d glimpsed Damini in traffic, reading in the cab and for the moment she wound the window down to see what was happening, I was captured and mesmerized.

Then when I got a job at the college to teach what I study, it was shocking she was the top student and yet, always bullied and keeping her head down.

I’d saved her from such of those bullying by appearing to scare others away, watching her from afar as she read, but I never got the chance to talk to her privately.

I couldn’t tell anyone including my mother. If it gets out that I have any romantic interest towards my student as a teacher, then, I’d be done for.

Until prom night…. “Help me professor” her eyes cried out when they made her dance shamefully before the whole school.

That was when I lost my mind and my bearing.

Only if I hadn’t acted rashly, perhaps i would be over her now that she was my stepdaughter.

‘Enjoy the moment while it lasts’ My wolf advised. ‘Remember everyday for the thief, One day for the owner’

I said nothing, but my heart was in flames until mum’s call interrupted.

“Hi Mrs Marsh. Still awake?” I chuckled. Seeing her call was another calm aesthetic that always seemed to bring hope to my problems.

“How’s the wedding night going?”

I heaved a sigh. How do I even tell my own mother that I didn’t have a drop of feeling for the wife she chose for me but for her daughter.

“Eli?” Mum called again. “How is it going! You okay?”

“Humm… Yes mum. I’m fine. Did you take your medicine? Eaten? Showered?”

Mum’s laughter was everything to calm my soul.

Since dad’s death when I was twenty, and I had to leave her alone as the only child to study, she was very lonely that she would make sure to video call me every night.

She was part of the reason why I resigned at New York university to come back. Who knows she was pushing me into a marriage as soon as I came back.

“How is Cece? Are you two getting along?”

I looked at her, already turned the bed to her sleepwalking field.

“She’s fine. But Mum, you never told me her daughter was this old”

Mum cleared her throat. “Em… I think I have to hang up now and…”

“Mrs Marsh! Don’t run away, answer me”

She had this habit of excusing questions like this. Same as when she didn’t tell me about the ‘coincidence’ meeting with Cece at the mall, until I made her talk.

“It’s your fault” Mum blamed me at last, as expected. “Look at how old her daughter was at just forty! You’re thirty eight, and you still need me to find a wife for you”

“Mum, she’s older. You can’t compare us”

She didn’t answer, my mind racing madly again. What if mum knows. What if she…

“Why do you sound so hollow anything troubling you?”

Now it was my turn to space out.

‘Tell her now’ My wolf advised. ‘She might have a solution… She might call the marriage off’

“Eli?”

“Mum, I…”

“Yes dear, tell me?”

“I think…”

“Mum! Mum are you asleep?” Damini’s voice interrupted, my heart snapped. “Professor are you there?”

Why would she suddenly need her mother?

“Mum let’s talk later” I moved to the door. “I need to attend to something.”

Mum didn’t hang up. “Hey, before you leave… come back home when you’re free. The pack elders sent an emissary, and they…”

My hand froze on the doorknob upon hearing this.

Pack emissary since when?

“Why did they show up now? It’s been so many years and I’d almost forgotten we had a pack”

She sighed. “Eli, we can’t run forever. You belong to the Clawshade, and you should be there. In the future, your children and grandchildren would want to know your real origin. We can’t…”

“Goodnight, mum”

I opened the door as I put the phone down.

“Why did it take you so long” She hissed and barged inside angrily. “What if it’s an emergency”

I closed the door, followed after her to the balcony.

“What happened?”

She dropped her phone with annoyance. “My grandma was on the phone earlier. She must have heard about the marriage”

Another problem?

I reached out and took her shaky hands. “She’d eventually learn about it. Why are you shaking”

“Eli, my grandma is a seer!” She cried. “Dad said his family was exiled from the pack when grandma saw a vision that the alpha wouldn’t live to see his grandchildren. If she sees us, she’d know everything between us, and… even on call, she was able to guess I found my mate”

How should I react to this. So she wasn’t from this pack too?

“Where’s your father from?”

“I don’t know, I think its some… claw whatever, but it doesn’t matter. Let’s..”

“Clawshade?”

Damini’s eyes widened. “Exactly! How’d you…?”

My blood iced. She was from Clawshade pack too? The same pack I swore never to touch? Same pack that broke my mother?

‘Things are getting complicated, Eli’ My wolf whispered. ‘Tell her who you really are. Tell her you’re the heir apparent to the throne, the son whose father didn’t live to see grow” My heart crashed. No. Not again. No Clawshade in my life again…

DAMINI’S POV

“Damn that old woman!” Mum cursed as she made breakfast. “Why was she even awake at 11!”

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my heart pounding. “I should have switched my phone off. It’s my fault”

“So what did she want?”

“Nothing much” I sipped the coffee. “Asked about school, you and…” My breath hitched.

I can’t tell her about the mate bond!

“What else?”

“Em….The house, She’s asking if we still lived there”

Mum hissed, serving the food as she scoffed. “Her son took after I think. Always asking unnecessary questions. Anyway, call Eli, food is ready”

I throttled upstairs absentmindedly, Grandma’s call and the mate bond replacing my usual early morning thoughts on how to escape bullying at school.

“Come down, breakfast’s ready” I knocked lazily, ready to turn to leave, but the door opened itself.

“Are you there?” I ventured inside. “Mum said, breakfast….”

“Breakfast?” His magnetic voice rang from the bathroom, turning my head, he was naked- stark naked, like an Adam.

I was breathtaking for what I couldn’t count to be minutes or seconds. Green eyes blazing beautifully like an hollywood actor, and the hair….

“Hey” He snapped me out of my trance. “You okay?”

I shook my head and straighten my back. “You.. You shouldn’t be walking around this house like this….”

His brow furrowed. “Miss Love are you okay? You came into my room”

“Oh…”

Fuck it! I’d spaced out too much. “I… I’m fine. I’m just thinking about last night. My grandma…”

He’d drapped a towel around his groin, the furrow dissolved into something I couldn’t call confusion or reluctance.

He advanced towards me. “What about last night? Do you want to do it again?”

“Eli, that’s not what I’m saying, I…”

He grabbed my jaw, cutting me off. His expression now properly decoded- he was trying to skip my question, distracting me from talking about the call by sounding sexual.

I wanted to push him off, that this wasn’t the time f0r this but heavens know I loved this. Perhaps this would wake me up from this new delusion.

“Your wife is downstairs, Dad”

His playful smirk contradicted the same man that shut me off yesterday. “Your mum sent you to me…..for breakfast”

His hand was already on his favorite spot—my chest. The neck top i had on making things easier than last night and because of how loose the dress was, I had just a tube on, with no bra.

Electric gushed to my blood veins as his hand touched my nipple. “I prefer this breakfast to your mum’s”

“Remember she made me?”

“I don’t care”

Within a blink of an eye, we were on each other by the wall. His fresh showered body heat warming me up and corrupting my thought.

Last night didn’t end well, and even the goodnight kiss felt bland. But this….. I caught his already bulging member through the threathning towel, my second hand on his chest, playing with his nipple as he kissed me wildly, madly, and hungrily.

The towel was almost slipping off his groins, my hands off it, he stopped. “Would you love to suck on Eli, Love?”

“What do it get for that?” My voice surprisingly turned seductive, back sliding down, ready to devour.

“Anything Love wants, Love gets” He slowly let loose of the towel, and dancing before me was his eight inch cock, with invitingly pink cap.

“You… You’re so big” I couldn’t help but confess.

He pulled my hand on it. “Get to work, or get caught by Cece”

I set to work, rubbing it slowly… abut to dip it in….

”Darling!”

Mum!

I was on my feet in the next minute, both of us frozen in shock.

I wasn’t ready to get caught, even though my desperate wish right now is to end this shitty marriage, but definitely not this way.

“What are you doing!” I snapped, pulling the towel to cover him, “She’s coming!”

Just as I was about dropping my hand from his groin after tying the towel, Mum came in.

“Surprise….” Another voice said beside her.

Elias turned at the sight of that. “Mrs Marsh?”

••••

The breakfast table was cold. The old lady’s glare was like an hawk, eyeing a chick it would soon devour.

Elias was on a hot seat, I could guess. Grinding his teeth and trying to get his mother’s attention.

“Mrs Marsh, you didn’t tell you were coming, and last night….”

She shot him a deadly glance. “Last night what!? So it’s a crime to come to my son’s place unannounced?”

My mum emerged from the kitchen with an additional dish. “No, aunt. It’s good that you came”

“You’re such a good woman” The woman smiled at mum. “I’m happy I choose you”

I almost laughed at that. Lucky to chose my mum?

“Then I’d go get ready for classes. Eat without me” Elias said, getting up like he was pressed.

His mother’s glare was commanding, showing off the badass Alpha lady energy as she commanded him. “Sit down! I came to have breakfast with you and your new family”

Elias sat back without complain, but his actions and expression showing that he wasn’t ready to receive his mother yet.

I used this as my cue to jump to my feet. “I’m still a student and the class monitor, I shouldn’t arrive late.”

Before anyone could stop me, I was at the stairs, bolting to my room like thunder.

Sitting before his mother could drain my energy, if not my sense with those hawk eyes.

“That was close” I breathed when I got to my room at last.

A few minutes later….

I’d dressed up, ready for school when Mum came in, her expression different from the ‘good woman’ earlier.

“go and have your meal, the woman has gone out with her son” she said, sitting on the bed.

I said nothing. Resumed my arrangements.

She scoffed when she got no response. “Damini, can we talk about us?”

“What about us, Mum?”

Mum jumped to my side, almost angrily. “What were you really doing with Elias earlier! Why are you two that close!?”

My heart sank. She still hasn’t forgotten even though Elias and I lied perfectly?

“Mum, what are you talking about. I told you he was helping me check my eyes”

She grabbed my hand with an evil smirk. “Were you going to tell him anything about my wolf or my past?”

“What!?” I had to yell for a second. “Mum! What do you take me for?”

“Stop your tomfoolery now and tell me what the fuck is going on!” She snapped at me. “Did you think I didn’t notice? Daddy this. Daddy that!”

I became perturbed looking directly into her eyes. She noticed something…. Finally… is this the end?

“I… I can explain” I began with gated breath. “I didn’t know….”

Dropped my hand, now scoffing. “You didn’t know what!? You wanted to ruin my happiness so bad that you have to do this to me, Damini?”

Tears choked my throat. Perhaps this was the best time to tell her what I had and shared with Elias.

The least she could do was to disown me — which is exactly what I seemed to need right now.

But… why does it feel so hard to just say.

“Mum, I will explain!”

“Yes! Explain how he knew I was forty years old and not the thirty-five that I lied about, and explain what you’re telling him about me yesterday when you guys went to the mall alone!”

I blinked. “Wait, What!?”

“Who else knows my real age except you!”

Her shriek would have scare the hell out of me but dawg! I felt relieved. She was still on and about her vanity!

“Mum, I’m late for class”

I rushed out before another outburst from her.