ANA
Ana sunk deep into the bitterness of the gloom that smothered her.
Everything in her life had changed so drastically in the last day and she’d barely had time to think about it, but as soon as Maddoc left and her anger faded, she was alone with her thoughts, and the horror of everything that had happened weighed her down.
Father was dead.
It was unbelievable. He’d had a long reign ahead of him, and of all the things he could have died for, it shouldn’t have been because he was trying to protect his daughter. She couldn’t even imagine how distraught Mother would be. As his fated mate, she would likely never be the same again, and that kind of loss was devastating, not just for them, but for Ana who had watched them all her life. The thought darkened her mood, bringing fresh sobs to her chest and an overwhelming sense of loss, guilt, and shame.
This was her fault. She shouldn’t have left the palace. If she’d stayed with her parents and spent the last night with Maddoc as planned, they would still be alive, and Father may have successfully killed the outlaw on the final morning. Instead, her parents and her fated mate were gone. And she was alone in a strange place with an unreasonable, violent Alpha.
She wasn’t sure what would happen with the royal houses, especially with what she had learned about them recently. She could only hope they would take on the responsibilities the Kingdom of Allandis required of them. The people needed them more than ever—they couldn’t let Maddoc win.
He’d been one step ahead of everyone from the beginning, and if she was going to survive him, she had to be smarter. Even if she never escaped him, she would not give him what he wanted. He seemed to want to keep her as a trophy, an ornament of the kingdom he toppled, the last remnant of the king he murdered. But she wouldn’t allow him to do that.
Granted, she couldn’t do anything about how easily her body reacted to him, how quickly she became aroused, or how eager she sought to have him inside her. He had ensured he’d be the first to fuck her, and he’d somehow tuned her body to his so she would find him intoxicating—his taste, his scent, the feel of him against her. The attraction was intense and addicting, and she was powerless against it. So she tried to push away all guilt and accept that this was her fate; to be his whore the way he’d always intended, after all, he had been right—it wasn’t only three nights. But now she may even escape that duty. It was laughable he thought withholding sex was a punishment that would force her to talk to him. It was actually an incentive to never speak again! He could wait forever as far as she was concerned.
Regardless of being his prisoner, she couldn’t abandon any of her beliefs or values just because she was forced to share his bed or live among criminals. She had to be true to herself and still be Princess Ana, but now, she could be the Ana she wanted to be, the Ana she needed to be to help her people in whatever way she could. And the first thing she needed to do was find out more information. She wouldn’t take anyone’s word for anything. It was time to take her own learning in hand.
Standing up, she took her time examining the different rooms of Maddoc’s pavilion. It was built well; it was similar to one of the small cottages in the kingdom’s villages, complete with its own washroom.
Taking a scalding bath, she scrubbed all traces of the Alpha from her body, and dressed in one of the simple blue tunics with gold stitching that she found in the wardrobe. She then ventured outside.
The pavilion was situated in some kind of village. It didn't look like any of the villages she’d seen in the kingdom, but that’s what it had to be. Firm, hut-like structures, similar to Maddoc’s pavilion scattered around the immediate area, and people milled around, walking between them and talking among themselves. The flat ground wasn’t road or farmland, but solid dirt that had been smoothed over and set with something to prevent it from sticking to her slippers.
Nearby, tall, thick trees ran along the back of the structures, their branches intertwined so thickly that nothing could pass through them.
So it was true—Maddoc did have a base in Oakenshire Forest. Her breath caught as she noticed the dense tree barrier extending far into the distance. The base had to be huge.
She wandered around the immediate area, watching everyone carefully and examining the structures. Some of them were almost as large as Maddoc's, some of them were simple tents, others were shaped differently, but all of them were made securely and with lasting durability.
Strolling in whatever direction that interested her, she suddenly found herself in a busy open space with lots of people, all talking and calling out to each other. It had the bustling energy of a village square, and huts with wide windows offered different goods to trade. She stopped to watch the exchanges, noting that no money exchanged hands—one item was given for another, and in some cases items were just given freely.
Ana’s curiosity grew. What a strange type of base. It didn’t seem like the training ground for a band of hostile criminals who spent years terrorizing the kingdom. Why were these people here? Had Maddoc kidnapped them from their homes? They were clearly Allandis people, all different types and from different districts, but they didn’t seem unhappy. They wore very simple clothes; a variety of tunics, pants, dresses, but it was difficult to tell their status’—farmer, tradesman, merchant, peasant—because they all wore similar clothing, materials, and colors.
As she kept walking, she was shocked to find children playing in one of the clearings. They ran round her to a nearby structure, circling round and zipping past her again trying to catch each other. Two of them jumped on one larger boy, all of them falling to the ground, rolling and laughing. She stared at them in amazement. What the hell were children doing here?
"I’m sorry, Princess Ana, are they disturbing you?"
A woman in a grey dress stood a few feet away, having just exited the nearby hut. A nervous expression dominated her pleasant features, and she leaned forward wringing her hands.
"No… No, of course not," Ana said, glancing at the children. "I was just surprised to see children here.”
The woman relaxed and smiled. She turned her gaze to them. "I wouldn't have the strength to leave them, Your Majesty. I think I would die before giving up my children."
Ana frowned. "What do you mean? Why would you leave them at all?"
The woman shrugged. "For some, shame from peers is to be avoided at all costs, but for others, it’s shame of self." She gave Ana a lopsided smile and turned to enter the hut, leaving Ana confused.
"Wait," Ana raised a hand. "You called me princess, how do you know I'm the princess."
She smiled. "It is obvious who you are." She gestured to Ana's hair. "You are unique in many ways, Your Majesty. We expected to see you here eventually."
Ana stared at her. "You did?"
The woman shot her a puzzled look. "Of course." She turned and made her way into the hut before Ana could think of anything else to say. The children’s yelling caught Ana’s attention, and she watched them as they dashed off again.
Ana continued her journey through the village and was surprised how many people smiled or nodded at her, some outright greeted her warmly. It didn’t feel like when she usually visited a village—the people here didn’t want to talk to her beyond an initial friendly greeting. It was refreshing.
She came across an opening in the edge of the village, where the dense wall of trees were exposed, and she took some time examining the trees and their network of branches. Her first impression had been right—there was no way anyone could physically go through it, at least not without causing themselves severe injury. Yet, there had to be a point where she and Maddoc entered. She couldn’t recall anything about it now—she'd been too distressed to notice. But it was something to think about. If she could find the entrance, then she could escape or find ways to come back with the full force of the crown.
As midday approached, she noticed people gathering by the campfires that were dotted randomly around the base, stoking the fires and roasting or warming food. She passed one of the clearings as a large group were sitting down around the fire. "Princess Ana!” one of the men called. “Would you like to join us?"
Ana paused and raised her palms, shaking her head. "I don't mean to disturb you. Please, enjoy your meal."
"It's truly no problem, Princess," the young man said. "There is a rule ’ere that we all abide by, which is to offer a meal to anyone who chances to be passing by, even if they are heading toward their own camp."
The rest of the people around the fireplace nodded and beckoned her, and their smiles were so warm, she couldn't find any reason not to stay. It wasn't as though she knew her way back, or that she had access to food.
Ana headed to a space on the bench between the young man who had invited her and a young woman. Both looked to be about her age.
They both beamed as she sat down, then grinned at the other people at the camp who also seemed excited by her presence. The chatter began again, this time all of them talking to each other as they passed bowls and plates around the fireplace.
"We’re having a simple stew, Princess," a large Alpha with twinkly blue eyes called from the right of the fire from where she sat, his deep voice soaring over the small din. "But it was made by my Marjorie, and I can guarantee you is one of the best stews you will ever have."
He grinned at the slim brown-skinned woman sitting a few seats along from him, embarrassment and pride shone on her face. "I'm sure it won't compare to the kind of meals you have at the palace," she said hastily. "We make the best of what we have here."
"I'm sure it will be lovely," Ana said warmly.
When the bowls of stew were passed out along with rolls of fresh, crusty bread, everyone bowed their head while the twinkly-eyed Alpha recited a short prayer of gratitude. Ana peeked at them all while their heads were lowered. She would be surprised if any of them were warriors. Women and young children sat among them, and even the men didn't look like any had been training to fight. Maybe Maddoc hadn’t brought her to his base, after all. Maybe this was a village on the outskirts of the Oakenshire? The accent of the man beside her was familiar to a district she knew, but it wasn’t strong. She had to find an appropriate time to ask questions, but didn’t want to offend them when they were being so hospitable. She shook her head at herself—perhaps it’s not so easy to just become a new Ana after all.
As she pondered, she spooned the stew into her mouth and was shocked. An intense explosion of flavor, heat, and aroma burst into her mouth and nose at the same time. "This is amazing," she said to the woman. "I’ve never tasted anything like this before. Are you a chef?"
She beamed. "No, we’re exceptionally lucky to be able to grow such produce to flavor simple vegetables and meats.”
"No," the Alpha said bluntly. "It is because she is a genius with a stove. I told her she should be a chef."
“I might have, if I could’ve gotten out from under you for five minutes,” she muttered back.
Cries of “Oh, Mama!” came from at least three of the children, and Ana had to laugh with the rest of them.
She had to smile at the way the Alpha looked at his woman, and the way she grinned back at him. They were clearly in love. Her thoughts drifted back to her parents, and her mood descended. Lowering her face, she continued eating, keeping her attention on the food.
"How do you like the base so far?" the man next to her asked.
Ana’s head shot up in surprise. So she was at a base. "I’m not sure," she said slowly. “It’s different than what I expected. You all seem so….” She looked again at the people around the campfire, and suddenly began to see some similarities in their faces. "Are you all… family?"
The man nodded. "Yes, some of us are. All of the campfires are shared with other families."
Ana frowned. "What do you mean?"
"This base is organized into… Sort of, campfire circles. Each circle is surrounded by huts. So the families that live near that particular circle will share the campfire, and therefore share meals and the local well and anything that we need to live on."
"That makes sense," she said slowly. "I just didn't realize families would be here."
He nodded. "It's the only way we could have ever been together."
Ana frowned. “What do you mean?”
Before he could answer, one of the children on the other side of him demanded his attention.
Ana focused back on the fragrant stew, savoring each mouthful as she watched the families around the campfire. She began a mental guessing game of who was related to who, but soon she was distracted by their general demeanor. Everyone was grinning and smiling, teasing each other, yelling across the campfire and being told not to, chattering about their morning and their plans for the afternoon. They were… happy. And considering where they were, it was strange to her.
She turned to the young woman on the other side of her. "Do you know where we are?" she asked quietly.
The woman leaned in, her eyebrows rising. "Yes, the Oakenshire."
"And you came here… willingly?" she asked tentatively.
She nodded. "Of course, it wasn't as though we had anywhere else to go."
Ana frowned. "You couldn't live out in the kingdom? In one of the cities or villages?"
The woman shook her head, but her attention was drawn away by someone else as well.
Ana sat in her seat, with an empty bowl, wondering what was happening here. It felt drastically different to what she had read or what she had always heard the court say about Maddoc and his base and his people. These people were not warriors and they obviously weren’t being held captive.
"You clearly enjoyed your stew, Princess." The young man returned his attention back to her and took her bowl. "Would you like some cake and wine?"
She nodded and as he poured, she asked, "What's your name?"
"Joe, Your Majesty."
"And your family name?"
The man's gaze remained on her cup, but his hand trembled slightly. "We are nameless here, Your Majesty. We don't have family names."
"Only according to the kingdom," the large man across the campfire corrected. "We very much have family names here."
Joe handed Ana her cup of wine and a round, fist-sized sponge cake, looking a little sheepish. "Yes, but I didn't want the princess to feel uncomfortable that we, the nameless, were using family names here."
The big man nodded. "Are you uncomfortable by that, Princess?"
At that, the entire campfire quietened. Not everyone turned to look at her, mostly the children did, but they were clearly all waiting for her answer.
The nameless were commoners who'd been stripped of their family names and all property and land by the crown for some reason. Usually it was because they failed to pay a debt or a failure to keep up with one's farmland or crops, or any number of other discrepancies that would cause a man to lose his livelihood. The nameless weren't quite criminals, since they didn't commit any major crimes, but they were also not seen as part of society. As such, while they weren't scorned the way criminals were, they didn't have the same rights, and were shunned and rejected most of the time.
Once a man became nameless, he could never regain his name unless it was re-awarded by the crown or a house representative, who had been awarded that power. Ana wasn't sure how frequently that happened, but she did know that once a man became nameless, it was common for his wife and children to seek another landowner who could provide for them. Being nameless as a family was never wise, and even a woman who loved her husband dearly would find it difficult to stay with him once he found himself in that situation, for the sake of the children. The fact these families were still together, united in their status as nameless, was quite extraordinary.
Ana lifted her shoulders. "I'm new here," she admitted. "I'm not sure exactly how this place works yet. But I am not here to upset the life you have. It makes no difference to me what you call yourselves."
"The nameless don't have any rights," one the children piped up. She had to be about five. "They’re not ’llowed to have family names and have no value," she recited.
Her words tugged Ana's heart. She had taken on the burden of being nameless so young. "Maybe not in the kingdom," Ana said to her. "But you can tell me what you call yourselves."
"Well," Joe said, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. "Maddoc gave us permission to use our names or to choose new ones. Most of the families here have chosen new names, particularly when they have young children who may one day go into the kingdom, so they don’t give names that have been listed as stripped."
Ana nodded in understanding. "That makes sense," she said softly. "I have no interest in reporting anyone. I'm sorry if my presence causes you discomfort."
Everyone around the campfire seem to relax slightly, all except the five-year-old. “We know you’re not mean, Princess,” she said, as if it was the most ridiculous thing. “Doc said you’re nice.”
“Doc?”
“Yes,” she nodded solemnly. “He said you could never be mean. He said you’re our—”
“All right, Trea,” the woman next to her said firmly. “That’s enough. I can see there is cake going to waste, that must mean you’re ill.”
Trea’s eyes opened so wide, and she stuffed her cake into her mouth without any further hesitation. Ana couldn’t help but laugh.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” the woman said, turning to her. “Trea is one of our most outspoken, but she is right. We know you wouldn’t report us willingly, but you are bound by duties, just like we are.”
Ana smiled but before she could say anything the Alpha spoke again. She suspected he was the head of one of the families, possibly this particular camp.
"Indeed. You could never cause us discomfort by your presence. It's just the type of reaction people give us sometimes… It is hard for many of us not to be sensitive to what people say. And as Alice said, we don’t want to cause conflict with your duties or beliefs."
Ana glanced at all of them. “I understand. I do have some questions about this place.” The Alpha nodded at her, and gestured for her to speak, but suddenly she was nervous with them all staring at her.
She sipped her wine, and again was shocked at the fruity delicate flavor. She stared into her cup and then raised her head in astonishment. "What do you do to your food here?"
The entire camp laughed. "We do eat better here than when we were part of the kingdom," one of the men admitted.
Ana shook her head, laughing with them.
The rest of the hour was spent laughing and talking with them, answering questions about the palace and what it was like to be a princess. Trea in particular was fascinated by the knights. Ana, in turn, asked her own questions.
She discovered that the base was called Moonvale, and each family had arrived at different times, and therefore had varying knowledge of the place. Each family said Maddoc had brought them here when they were struggling in the kingdom, but all of them seemed reluctant to talk about their struggles, particularly in front of the children. They didn’t know how many people were at the base, but guessed that there were more than thirty camps that catered to groups of families; attached to this one there were four.
Around the base, sections were cordoned off for growing produce, making and producing weapons, training, and schooling areas for the children. A fresh water stream ran through one part, and there was a river about an hour away if they needed it. Moonvale was full of tradesmen, and the twinkly-eyed Alpha, called Conrad, explained that their knowledge of trade was the base’s biggest strength. They had bakers, builders, carpenters, plumbers, farmers, tailors… all the skills needed to build a successful community, and that it was the philosophy to share and trade freely.
Ana’s mind reeled at all the information. Their answers caused even more questions, but she couldn’t figure out a way to ask them. They were very complimentary of Maddoc, but they had to know all the things he’d done. How could they condone it?
As discussion moved on to other topics, she examined them again, and they were completely at ease. No worry adorned their faces. But she forced herself to be objective. This may not be representative of the entire base.
Soon everyone was ready to continue with their afternoon activities, and Ana rose to bid them farewell.
"I don't mean to be forward, Your Majesty," Joe said, rising with her. "But it would be nice to have you back to visit us. I know you’ll be busy, but you’re welcome for a meal with us anytime, and we’d very much like to see you again." The rest of the families nodded, and little Trea and her brother both yelled in agreement. Ana laughed, grinning at all of them. "Of course, I would love to return."
As everyone got up, Joe pulled her aside to give her directions back to Maddoc’s pavilion and pressed a flask of wine in her hands. “We are camp sixteen,” he said. “If you ask anyone where we are, you’ll be able to get back ’ere.”
“Thank you. I’m very grateful for your company today.”
“You’re the one who is a princess,” Joe remarked. “Trea is bursting to tell everyone when she has her classes in three days. I’m not sure we’ll be able to calm her down.”
She laughed with him. “Who did she mean when she said Doc?”
Joe’s smiled widened. “Maddoc.”
Ana’s mouth dropped open. “She speaks to him? He… speaks to her?”
Joe nodded, chuckling. “She won’t leave him alone when he visits. She insists she wants to be a highcloak, so she follows him around to ‘protect him.’”
“A highcloak?”
“Yes, they are…” Joe thought for a moment. “They are the most visible and recognizable members of Maddoc’s guild. They tend to be the ones in direct conflict in the kingdom. They wear cloaks.”
Ana shook her head in confusion. “Guild?”
Joe nodded. “The ones who support Maddoc. There are active members who do things out in the kingdom, then the passive members like us.”
Help Maddoc? “I’m not sure I—” Suddenly she remembered the wedding. All of Maddoc’s warriors wore black cloaks. She quickly sobered. “You mean the highcloaks are Maddoc’s army. They kill people.”
Joe’s smile faded and he sighed. “Yes, I suppose you could see it that way, but there is more than one side to a story, Your Majesty.”
“So I keep being told,” Ana muttered. She shook her head in disbelief. So not only were these people aware of Maddoc’s behavior and attacks on Allandis, they condoned it and were encouraging their children to aspire to it. The heavy disappointment dampened Ana’s mood.
Joe touched her arm, seeming to sense the change. “Please come back and spend time with us,” he said quietly. “The more you visit, the more you’ll learn.”
Ana gave him a warm smile and said she would, but she knew she’d already learned all she needed to know about this place.
After thanking the camp again for their hospitality, Ana strolled through the village, seeing it in a new light. There were plenty of smiles here, relaxed people who had been cast out of Allandis society, or those who chose to leave, conducting their business as part of a community, and she had to appreciate that. The tight tension of hate toward Maddoc that had kept her hard inside, unraveled slowly the more she watched the happiness around her, but a deep sadness for these people replaced it. Maddoc was manipulating them. He was using them to grow his future warriors and murderers out of the sight and reach of Allandis Law. It was despicable. And every time she thought of little wide-eyed Trea, so eager to became a warrior, so eager to kill, she knew it was wrong.
As the sky grew dusky, a man approached her dressed in layers of clothes similar to Maddoc’s. "Your Majesty," he greeted. "Please follow me to return to your hut."
Ana frowned. "How did you find me? Did Maddoc send you to get me?"
He shook his head. "He will be arriving back to base soon, and he would prefer it if you were in his pavilion when he does."
Ana's eyes widened. "Does he know I'm out here, in the camp?"
"He knew you would probably explore.”
“And you were sent to find me?"
"No, I have been watching all day. But now is the time to return back to the pavilion."
So Maddoc ordered him to watch her all day. Unbelievable. “How did I not see you?"
At that, the guard did not respond and Ana pursed her lips in understanding. She hadn't seen him because he hadn’t wanted to be seen. He had most likely been following the moment she left the tent.
"Please, Your Majesty," he urged. "The skies are darkening rapidly and we need to return. I very much doubt you know the way."
Ana lifted a hand gesturing for him to lead the way, and she followed him back to Maddoc's pavilion.
When she was back inside, exhaustion hit her hard. How far had she walked today? The base was bigger than it looked no matter how far she walked. Out of curiosity, she peeked outside the pavilion to see if the huts here were arranged the same way as the family camps. But there weren’t as many structures for her to discern. She exited the pavilion and walked around the whole structure, but the nearest clearing with a campfire was a little way away, with very few people nearby.
“Good evening, Princess."
She turned to see a man standing a few feet away in the semidarkness, and she stiffened. He wore a cloak.
"Welcome to our guild."
Ana did not return his smile. "I am not willingly visiting."
"I'm sure that you will be happy to stay once you give us a chance," the man said.
Ana peered at him. His voice seemed friendly enough and he wasn’t carrying any weapons. “Is that what you did? Give this place a chance.”
“Sort of. I haven't been here long," he admitted. "I'm still learning how everything works."
"You’re part of the guild?" Ana asked tentatively.
The man nodded.
"So you are a new… highcloak?”
The man hesitated, then gestured to the campfire. They began to stroll toward it. “I am new, yes. I’m still in training.”
“Why did you join?"
The man shrugged. “I thought it might be a good way to get back at the royals.” A grit entered his tone. "I know the guild works against the royal assembly, I wanted to be part of that."
A strange unease worked in Ana. This was the first person she’d met, apart from Maddoc, who had real hostility toward the assembly. Although she assumed that was the point of the guild, and the reason why Maddoc created this base, she suddenly realized that she hadn't experienced any hatred or hostility from anyone in the camp, whether it was toward the assembly, her, or each other. Maybe it was just the highcloaks that held the hostility.
They reached the campfire and settled down on a bench nearby.
"Why do you want to get back at them?" she asked, unsure if she wanted to hear the answer.
When the man looked to her, his eyes held a hardness that didn’t reflect the easy-going nature of his tone. "They are evil, greedy tyrants. I know you probably don't see it," he said, shooting her a dark look, "but the rest of us have to suffer because of them. I want to be able to fight back and make an actual difference."
"But what if someone gets hurt?"
"I hope they do! They have hurt me and my family; it is only right they get what they are due."
Ana kept her eyes on the campfire as it flickered, unsure if she wanted to ask how his family was hurt. She wasn’t sure if she was prepared to hear the supposed cruelty of the royal assembly without any evidence that it was true. There was plenty of evidence of Maddoc’s men and what they did; she’d seen the files and studied them. She wasn’t sure it was worth arguing with a man who was intent on harm, especially when she was a princess.
When she didn't respond, the man sighed. "I suppose this is not a great introduction to the base," he said sheepishly. "Sometimes my manners can get misplaced. I’m sorry if I seem rude to you, Your Majesty. It is very hard to be unemotional about some of this. I will say the base are excited you are here. You have been the talk of every camp."
The hardness had melted from the man’s eyes, and Ana chose to give him a small smile.
"Another day gone," he said on a sigh. "Another day to question our existence here in the middle of this forest. Has it been strange for you?"
Ana shrugged. "A little. But it’s felt more like a village. Everyone is very friendly."
The man nodded. "Almost everyone," he said pointedly gesturing to Maddoc’s pavilion.
Ana laughed, nodding.
A familiar whipping sound flashed across the air, and the man jolted, yelling out. Gasps and muffled murmurs filled the air, and everyone stilled.
Ana leaned toward the man but suddenly saw an arrow stuck out of his thigh, blood creeping along his pants from the wound, eating up the circumference around the arrow.
A violent blend of horror and fear crashed into Ana immediately and she screamed, her body frozen. Heart pounding, Ana’s mind swarmed with memories of the wedding. Squeezing her hands into fists and digging her nails into her hand hard, she forced herself to remember she was not there. The man blinked rapidly, his head straight ahead and his eyes filled with fear. Taking a breath, she followed the man’s line of sight.
Maddoc stormed toward them, a bow in his hand, his face solemn and his eyes dark.
Ana could make no sounds. What was she supposed to do? Maddoc looked furious once again, and this time she didn’t know why. But before she could do or decide anything, Maddoc reached them.
He grabbed the highcloak and dragged him up off the bench. “Were you not given specific instructions regarding the princess?” he bellowed.
The fear on the man’s face made Ana want to look away, but she couldn’t.
“Yes,” he rasped. “But she looked lost so I—”
“If you cannot follow instructions, you will die,” Maddoc shouted over him. “It doesn’t matter whether it’s by my arrow or a royal assembly blade. I would almost prefer it to be my arrow because then you’re not putting other men in danger.” He threw the man down, and he bounced off the bench and onto the floor, the arrow still protruding. “You will be transferred.”
He turned to Ana and swooped her up in his arms before walking away.
Ana clung to the Alpha, her mouth dry at the exchange. Thankfully, the fear that overwhelmed her dulled when she was against him, and she quickly calmed, sinking into the security of his arms. She didn't want to find comfort in him—he was the damn reason she was fearful in the first place—but when he was holding her, when he touched her, he contented her in some way, and she had no choice but to lean into that now.
“Maddoc.”
She lifted her head to see another Alpha approaching. This one was as large as Maddoc, scruffy grey beard and curly grey hair.
“I gave specific instructions, Griff,” Maddoc thundered.
“I know.” The other Alpha held up his arm. “I know, I just want to make sure you are all right.” He struggled to find his next words. In the end he just shrugged. “You have never shot any of the highcloaks outside of training.”
“I have never had my Omega here at the base before and had anyone directly disobey orders,” Maddoc shot back. “This is what will happen to anyone that does. It is your job to make sure they do as they’re told, Griff.” He shot the Alpha a dark look, a warning in his tone. “Do your fucking job.”
As they entered his pavilion, she struggled to be released from his hold, but he carried her straight to the bedroom.
"So you are refusing to talk to me, but you will talk to him!" Maddoc thundered, throwing her down on the bed. “And laugh with him!”
Ana gripped on to the bed and glared at him. So it wasn’t about her safety.
"This silence of yours is unacceptable, Analisa! If you will not speak to me, you will not speak to anyone!"
Ana decided to ignore him. She fixed herself on the bed, tucking her legs underneath her body.
"You think I do not know that you left the pavilion today after I told you not to? That you talked to some of my people and explored the base?" Maddoc's eyes burned. "I allowed you to do that so you can be comfortable here. And what do I get in return? You laughing and talking with someone else while I get silence!"
Ana's mouth tightened. She shifted onto her bottom and then opened her legs, bearing her pussy to him, defiance in her eyes. That was what he'd had in return—her body, multiple times last night.
Maddoc growled, deep, gritty and agitated, clearly understanding the meaning, but unable to stop himself from being aroused, for his scent changed as it flooded the room. "That is mine, I get that anyway."
Except… he didn’t. Not since he made that rule this morning that he wouldn’t fuck her. Ana couldn’t help the smile that spread across her face, but it only incensed Maddoc, who seemed to be able to read her easily.
He grabbed her legs and pulled her down the bed toward him, and then roughly pulled off her tunic and grabbed a rope from a small table nearby. He used it to bind her wrists together and attached them to the head of the bed. Ana winced at the pain that still lingered on her back, but Maddoc didn’t notice. His anger, present in his scent, worked through her body, affecting her the same way that it did in the woodlands. By the time he climbed off the bed, her nipples were pebbling, and the tingling between her legs made her hum.
Maddoc yanked off his clothes and stood at the end of the bed watching her, his cock already bulging.
Ana watched it sway, the urge strong to press her nose against it, to lick and suck its length. She kept her legs apart, ready for when the Alpha decided to descend and thrust into her. But he didn’t.
Maddoc grabbed his shaft and worked his fist up and down, his eyes running over her naked form. A jarring annoyance barreled into Ana and she frowned, lifting her head to see what he was doing. The more he twisted his fist around his cock, the more aroused she became, but he didn’t approach her. Within moments, her need was unbearable. The Alpha’s musky scent filled the room, but none of it saturated her, his growls and lidded look of pleasure were not caused by her body, and she couldn’t even reach him to force him to take action. All she could do was lie there, her slick streaming onto the bed as the Alpha found his release in his hand. Even when he came, he did not mark her, and the sight of his seed dripping from between his fingers, utterly wasted, had her wailing in annoyance.
Maddoc went to the washroom and started filling the bath. Ana lay there as her arousal lingered, infuriated by his offensive actions. But as her mind cleared, she was confused by her anger. There was no doubt she wanted him to touch her. And not just touch her, but hold her down and fuck her as savagely and passionately as he always had, bringing her the twin peak of pleasure and pain until only bliss remained. But she’d always thought that if she had the choice, she wouldn’t want it, even if it was presented to her as an option.
Clearly her attraction to him ran deeper than that, and for the first time she thought back to her time with Ryden. It had been easy to say no to him, to avoid his touch, to push him away. What made Maddoc different? The question made her uneasy, but she couldn’t ignore it anymore.
Even when Maddoc had just carried her to the tent, there was nothing he did that was sexual, and yet she took comfort from being in his arms. Why? As she pondered, Maddoc returned from the washroom.
She watched him get dressed, unable to help admiring his enormous, muscled form. His black hair was slightly wet from the bath and his beard was a little overgrown, but that made him even sexier. The tingle between her legs strengthened again just watching him, and she pulled her eyes away confused. Something had to be causing this attraction between them and she had to figure it out so she could stop it. She could not be attracted to her father’s murderer, to the man who terrorized the kingdom.
Maddoc approached the bed and leaned over to untie her wrists but was careful not to touch her. He loomed over her, his eyes softening as he examined her face. “I will punish you as necessary… but I am still very glad you are here, Analisa.”
She blinked up at him, a warmth blooming in her chest, but she dragged her eyes away from him.
“Good night.” Maddoc leaned up off the bed and headed to the exit of the pavilion.
Ana pushed herself up to her elbows and watched him leave in disbelief. He wasn’t even going to spend the night in here? She cursed and dropped down onto the bed. Good. At least she would be able to sleep in peace.
But as hard as she tried, the torture of the intense arousal he caused took a long time to subside. She yearned for his heat and his scent and the security of his hold, and she was infuriated that he withheld them.