~ Helena ~

I gasped. The ache was no more. What happened to me? Realizing that Ethan was waiting for me to answer his question, I said, "Strange, when you touch it, the ache is gone."

Ethan removed his finger. "Thank goodness. Maybe you should rest more. Go to sleep. After dinner, I will bring you home."

The relief lived shortly. I screamed since the pain came again, "Ethan, argh! It hurts!"

Ethan grabbed my body and held me in his arms. He kissed the mark. "Does it still hurt?"

"No …."

"How about this?" He touched my cleavage with his finger again.

"The ache is gone." I glanced at Ethan. It was the first time a man touched me intimately. My face was hot. "What happened to me?"

Ethan sighed. "I think I know what happened." He opened my bra and panties and started touching me.

"E-Ethan?" What was he doing to me? But I didn't want him to stop. It was amazing. I felt burning inside, and his touches torched the flame bigger.

"Trust me, mate. I won't hurt you."

"I-I trust you." However, I trembled since it was my first time with a man. Would it hurt, like a lot of people said?

Then Ethan kissed my lips again. I moaned, and the fire rose within my chest and spread to my body, especially my lower private part. I closed my thighs to ease the burning, but it worsened. "Ethan …."

"Yes, darling, hold on. I will help you." He caressed my neck, right on the bite mark, then kissed and licked it. "Do you like it?"

It was ticklish, but it was also burning my desire higher. "Uh-huh. It's good."

"How about this?" Ethan grabbed my mound and massaged it.

"Oh! It's…." I was sure my face was crimson right now.

"Do you like it?"

"Yes …." It felt good.

Ethan smiled. "Then I think you will love this." He sucked the top, and I screamed.

"Ethan!

He didn't stop and kept sucking it. I was panting. It was like a rush of fire invading my body. So I grabbed Ethan's shoulders and scratched them with my nails.

Ethan stopped and looked into my eyes. "Do you want me to stop?"

I said nothing; I couldn't! But then I grabbed Ethan's head and directed it to my other mound. I wanted him to do the same as before.

Ethan lifted his head and then grinned. "Yes, madam. I know you will love it." Next, he gave the same sensual torture to my left peak. He sucked it hard and toyed with it using his tongue.

I grabbed Ethan's head and stroked his hair. "Ethan … don't stop …."

"I won't." He caressed the first mound while he kept sucking the second. Then, the fire spread to my other orb and my lower body.

I squealed. It was so good but tortured me too. I wanted Ethan to end the torture, but I moved restlessly when he stopped.

"Calm down. I won't leave you unsatisfied, my lady."

He kept teasing me with his tongue and fingers. Then somehow, my body tensed. I was afraid that something terrible would happen to me. But then, after a while, I came to my release. It was amazing! My body was exhausted, but I wanted to hum joyfully.

He smiled. "How are your feelings right now?"

"I'm good, more than good …." My voice was hoarse because of too much screaming. "I feel sleepy." I closed my eyes, too tired to even open them.

"Good. Sleep then, my mate."

He picked a blanket, covered my nakedness, and kissed my forehead.

Feeling Ethan go away from me, there was a pang of loss I couldn't explain. It was cold and lonely. So, I called him, "Ethan?"

"Yes, darling?"

"Can you stay here with me?"

Ethan sighed. He sat beside me, then grabbed my hand and held it. "Yes. Sleep now. I'll accompany you."

It was the reassurance I needed. Having Ethan's warm hand hold mine, I drifted to sleep only after a few minutes.

***

~ Ethan ~

Helena's breath was calm. Finally, she was asleep. I went to the bathroom, showered with icy water, and let out a long sigh. Helena's state of burning was because I had marked her. In the werewolves' world, usually, the ritual must follow the sequence: marking, then mating. However, with my situation, I couldn't ultimately mate Helena. What we could do was only outercourse. It satisfied the demand after the marking but did not genuinely satisfy the mating process.

I cursed silently under the heavy, cold shower. My lack of control caused suffering for Helena. Typically, it was only she-wolves who would experience things like Helena did. However, Helena was a human. So why did she experience stuff like that too?

I shook my head again. "Yeah, I know I screwed up! But I couldn't undo what had happened. I have marked her. So, I will care for her for the rest of my life, even without mating her."

After a few minutes in the cold shower, it helped release the tension in my body. The wolf inside me kept urging me to take Helena and mate her ultimately, but I knew I couldn't do it. I didn't want to regret it for the rest of my life, just like what happened to Lynnette.

I sighed and shook my head. "No more! I won't be responsible for more guilt because of my foolishness!"

Then I turned off the shower, dried my body, and wore my clothes again. I walked back to my room, but Helena was still asleep. She was smiling in her sleep, and I couldn't stop myself. I approached her and kissed her lips tenderly.

"You are my lovely mate. I will protect you with all my strength, even from myself." I caressed Helena's hair.

I let out a long sigh since her fragrance filled my nose as if calling me to claim her. Next, I picked Helena's scattered underwear and dress on the floor, folded and placed them on the table next to the bed. Then I left the room with long steps.

~ Helena ~

I awoke after maybe a few hours of sleeping. I blinked my eyes and then sat on the bed. When the blanket dropped, I just realized of my nakedness. So, I gasped, and my face blushed immediately. I wrapped my body with the blanket while patting my hot cheeks.

"Oh, that's what having sex is. Now I know. No wonder everyone was telling me how incredible the experiences were," I mumbled. But then I frowned. It felt like something was wrong. Why didn't Ethan undress? Why was it only me? Since I didn't have any experience before, it confused me greatly.

Before I could think further, the door was knocked. I gasped and tightened my grip on the blanket that wrapped my body. Then, a young woman came with a lovely smile on her face.

"Luna Helena, our Alpha King told me you may need my help. I'm Ernie Wright. You can call me Ernie. I'm your maid."

"M-my maid?"

"Yes, Luna. Please don't hesitate to tell me whenever you need me." Then Ernie stared at my clothes on the table. "Do you need me to help you dress up?"

I gasped. My face was hot now. Oh, it was so embarrassing! "No, no need. I can do it myself."

"Oh! But I'm your maid, Luna. Oh, I know! You must be hungry. How about I prepare warm water for you to take a bath? Then I'll take your meals." Ernie stared at me with a hopeful look.

I almost shook my head but later changed my mind. "Alright. Thank you."

"No, thank you, Luna. It's truly a great honor for me to be your maid."

I immediately wore my dress again when Ernie prepared my bathwater. But when she returned to the room, my face was still hot, and I didn't want to look at Ernie.

"Luna, don't be ashamed. Mating is natural for us, especially after Alpha Ethan marked you."

"Marked? What do you mean? Also, why do you call me ‘Luna'?"

Ernie gaped, then she closed her mouth. She smiled a little though it looked like she forced it. "Uh, well, you see, Luna is a term for our leader's spouse. Marked is a term in our community when we are very attracted to our mate, uh, spouse."

I nodded. "Oh, I see."

Ernie exhaled and chatted quickly. "Yes, Luna. Since our Alpha King allows me to be your maid, please don't hesitate to ask me anything. It's truly an honor for me to serve you."

"But I don't get used to being served by others."

Ernie looked at the floor. "I know I'm still too young, but eighteen is an adult already in our community. I'm strong too, Luna. Please, give me a chance."

I approached Ernie and shook my head. "I don't look down on you, Ernie. It's strange to be served for things I can do by myself." I smiled reassuringly and placed my hand on Ernie's sagged shoulders because Ernie squeezed both her hands and bit her lower lip. "Yet I thank you for being so nice to me."

Ernie raised her head and stared at me with a hopeful look again. "So, you will let me serve you, right?"

I nodded. "Yes."

"Oh, thank you! Thank you, Luna! You won't regret it! I'll be the best maid ever!" She grinned. Her eyes shone.

"I believe you."

"Let me help you to undress. After that, I'll take your meals."

I sighed, but then I nodded again. "Okay."

We walked to the bathroom. Later, Ernie removed my dress, then my underwear. When I remembered what had happened before, I felt hot again. I was sure that my face was crimson right now.

Ernie giggled. "Luna, don't be shy. It's normal for our Alpha to mate with you." When she looked at my neck, Ernie grinned. "See? Our Alpha King has marked you too."

Feeling so exposed, I immediately went inside the bathtub. But since my curiosity won, I finally asked, "Uh, I wonder how you know that Ethan has marked me?"

Ernie knelt beside me and touched the bite mark. "Our Alpha King has marked you here."

"Oh, biting my neck is his way to mark me?"

"Yes, Luna." Then Ernie giggled again. "Luna, if you have already had p—" She coughed "—baby, would you let me help you take care of them too? I always love babies."

I blushed again because of such a straightforward question. "Uh, yes, Ernie." I placed my hand on my stomach and wondered if I was pregnant already. It scared and excited me at the same time. Was I ready to be a mother?

"Do you want me to rinse your hair, Luna?"

"Alright."

Ernie immediately poured shampoo and rubbed my hair and head with the shampoo. It was rose shampoo too. She giggled again. "Our Alpha seems different today, Luna."

"Oh? Why?" I closed her eyes, enjoying Ernie's massages on my head.

"He looks calmer than before. Also, when he mentioned you, his eyes were shining. I wonder if our Alpha King is in love with you."

I sighed. "No, we just met. I don't think Ethan will have feelings for me so fast."

"No, Luna. It's possible, especially since he has already marked you."

"What do you mean?"

"You know, Luna, marking for our people is special. In a way, it can be seen as mating too. But, while mating is more to the physical joining of your bodies together, marking is like soul joining between you two."

"Oh!" Then I remembered the pain in my chest after the marking. "So, the pain I felt after the marking, is it because of that?"

"Yes, Luna. Usually, marking is immediately followed by mating. However, if the couple postpones the mating, the pain will arise until he mates with her."

I blushed when I heard that. Yet I wanted to know more, so I asked again, "Uh, Ernie, I still don't understand something."

"Ask me, Luna. I'll answer if I know about it."

"When we did it … uh, I mean when Ethan and I were mating, why was it only me undressed? Is it normal?"

Ernie gasped. She coughed again. "Uh, it's … well, uh …."

"Please, tell me the truth, Ernie," I said.

"Well, usually both will be undressed for a complete mating, Luna. Maybe our Alpha didn't want to startle you."

I nodded. "I see. Ethan was so considerate and gentle with me." I smiled as I touched the bite mark. "I guess I'm lucky to have him as my mate."

"Oh, yes, Luna. Our Alpha King is the best!" Ernie rinsed my hair. "I'm glad that you are our Luna. You are nice and warm."

Suddenly, someone asked, "So, what are both of you talking about me?"

"Ethan!" I gasped. "How do you come so suddenly?"

Ethan grinned while his eyes stared at my naked body. Those eyes were shining. "Well, you call me."

"No, I didn't."

"Yes, you are, my beloved one. Didn't you touch the mark?"

"Oh, how do you know?"

Ethan smiled. Then he said to Ernie, "Please leave us alone, Ernie."

"Yes, Alpha King." Then Ernie left the bathroom.

I covered my breasts with both hands and turned my body so Ethan could only see my back. "I'm taking a bath. Please leave."

"Not so fast, my darling. You are mine, so it's my right if I want to see you all day long."

"Yours? But how?"

"Haven't you asked Ernie about marking and mating just now?"

I blushed immediately. "How much did you hear?"

"Well, enough to know what I need to know." Ethan then whispered, "Close your eyes. I'll rinse your hair first. After that, I'll help you bathe."

I sighed but followed what Ethan said. He had already touched my whole body. So allowed him to touch me more would make no difference. The warm water immediately rinsed my hair and head. I moaned when he soaped my neck, shoulders, and back. It was so good!

"Do you like it, darling?"

"Y-yes."

Ethan grinned. "Then you will like this more." He soaped my front body, taking longer to soap my breasts.

"E-Ethan?" My voice was strangled.

He said nothing and soaped the rest of my body fast, showered my body with warm water, then brought me in a fast movement. Ethan carried me back to his room and laid me on the bed.

"Ethan?"

He started to undress and looked at me. "Now, both of us are undressed."

I gulped as I could see the evidence of how Ethan wanted me through his prominent body part. Then Ethan started the dance of passion with me in the bed until I finally found my release again. He didn't join his body with me, but he hugged me from behind when I calmed myself and my breath.

"You are mine, Helena. My mate, my Luna."

"Yes, Ethan. I'm yours." Then I fell asleep.

An hour later, I heard Ernie's voice call me, "Luna, it's time for dinner. Luna?" Ernie touched my upper arm and shook it a little.

I moaned in my sleep, refusing to wake up.

"Luna, your meals are ready. Let me help you get dressed."

I sighed, blinked my eyes, and saw Ernie. "Oh, you're here." My voice was hoarse.

"Do you want to drink orange juice first, Luna?"

I sat and nodded. "Yes, please."

Ernie took the glass and gave it to me. Then I drank a little and handed it over to Ernie.

"What time is it?"

"It's six p.m, Luna."

"Oh, no! I must go home now!" I stood, and the blanket fell to the bed. That was when I realized that I wore nothing. I gasped and reached the blanket back to cover my body.

Ernie grinned. "Luna, don't be shy. Our Alpha King truly cherishes you. In our—" She stopped for a second, then continued, "—community, it is a joy when our mate loves us by bedding us frequently. So you don't need to be shy about it."

"B-but …."

"I know you haven't got used to our custom. But sooner or later, you will enjoy being our Alpha's mate." Ernie took a new dress and underwear. "Our Alpha even bought you a new dress and underwear, Luna. All she—" She covered her mouth with her hand and giggled a bit "—women here are so jealous to know that."

I blushed. "How can all women here know Ethan bought me a dress and underwear?"

Ernie shrugged. "Well, there is no secret here, Luna. But having our mates care for us so much is truly a blessing. Oh, Alpha King asked me to ensure you have your dinner. Please eat first. He'll wait for you later."

"Where is he?"

"Our Alpha is taking care of a business. He will come soon and take you home, Luna. That's what he said to me."

I nodded. "I see. Thank you, Ernie."

"My pleasure, Luna. Let me help you with the dress."

I sighed, then removed the blanket from my body. Ernie put on the underwear on my body, then the dress. All fit in my body perfectly.

"See, Luna? Our Alpha even knows your size well. He truly cares for you."

I blushed. "Uh, I have never experienced this before. I mean, a man bought me a dress, even underwear." My face was hot since I remembered how intimate Ethan held, touched, and caressed all parts of my body.

Ernie giggled. "Well, Alpha King is not any man, but he's your mate, Luna. So, it's normal for a mate to fulfill your needs. Especially since you tend to his needs too."

I wrinkled my forehead. "His needs? I haven't taken care of his needs."

"In bed, I mean."

"Oh!" I covered my face with my hands since I remembered Ethan's naked and robust body. His body was perfect!

"Luna? Are you alright?"

"Uh, yes." When we were in bed, Ethan finally undressed too. A smile covered my lips since I remembered how magnificent everything was. The intimacy of our skin touched each other. I shook my head and smiled again dreamily.

"Do you feel ache, Luna?"

"No." I shook my head. "Should it be painful?"

Ernie stared at me for a few seconds. "Uh, I hope it isn't impolite for me to ask. But have you been with another man, Luna?"