Dear Enemy, You're My Mate

Chapter 52 **

Alice

"Quit being such a baby!" I exclaim, highly frustrated by the stubborn, cream-colored wolf taking up my entire bed.

William refuses to change back into a human, determined to make this a hundred times more complicated. His paws are dangling from the king-sized bed, and the poor mattress creaks underneath his monstrous weight, telling me I need to visit IKEA if I ever want to sleep comfortably again.

I growl in frustration. "You have to let me clean your wounds no matter how much it stings!"

Wiliam growls right back at me, causing me to sigh. I squeeze the saline solution in my hand, and the wolf observes me with vivid suspicion, showing me his white teeth.

"Actually, why am I even afraid of you?" I question and throw caution to the wind as I near the angry wolf. "You will not hurt me since you seem willing to throw yourself at monsters for my sake!"

William's expression turns grumpy, even for a wolf. A low growl starts in his throat, but I slap his head, making him fold his ears. His head is large, covered in silken fur, as I glare down into his intense eyes.

"You might be the size of a bear, but deep inside, you're only a huggable golden retriever, aren't you?"

I seize William's fluffy cheeks between my palms, startling him. He goes entirely still, watching me in silence as my lips part.

"You will," my voice is authoritative, stubborn too. "Let me." I narrow my eyes and take a deep breath. "Clean your wounds."

William seems to consider it. His tail throws back and forth, and then he gets that dangerous glint in his eye. Every hair rises to stand on the edge of my body as if recognizing I'm in trouble now.

My lips twitch in a what-have-I-done fashion, and the wolf tilts its head to stretch on my bed and change into a kneeling man.

Did I mention naked?

My jaw is somewhere down on the floor, and William reaches out a finger, closing my mouth without smiling. But even my mate, who always tries to act emotionless, can't hide the amusement from his eyes.

"I'm ready for you to clean my body now," William's lips curl into a sadistic grin, one that gives me butterflies, although I suspect he isn't trying to seduce me. "Every. Inch."

Every inch?

The idea of me sinking to my knees to take William's enormous cock into my mouth slips into my mind, but I push the image away. I need to tend to my injured mate, not climb into his lap, no matter how badass he looks with that bruise around his eye.

"You're injured and should lie down." I push on his chiseled chest and smile when the werewolf grimaces in pain.

Usually, I wouldn't be strong enough to steer William and make him do as I please, but he is injured and can't resist lying down. Of course, he makes a scene out of it and pouts at me.

"You're a witch."

I snort and open the saline solution, pouring it over William's wound while he mutters under his breath. "Is that a problem?"

"Damn, woman!" William closes his eyes, chants a prayer, and then rolls around in my bed, digging his fingers into the bedsheets. His following sentence is gritted out. "It hurts!"

"Well then, how about not attacking monsters twice your size to save the mate you so easily threw away then?"

"You know very well why I reject you!"

William snarls at me, but I'm not afraid of him—his bark is worse than his bite! Deep inside, my mate is a lonely soul begging to be hugged, no matter how hostile he is trying to act.

"No, so why don't you enlighten me?!"

"Do I need to say it?!" William cries out in pain. "And fuck me—stop pouring that shit over my wound! I'm an alpha who will heal in no time! Right now, you're only doing that because you gain sick satisfaction seeing me suffer!"

"Yes, actually, it's pretty entertaining seeing you squirm after you tore my fucking heart out!"

William growls, and then he is over me in a heartbeat, pinning me beneath his weight. I drop the saline solution, which falls to the floor, yet no one is interested in picking it up.

"You know why I rejected you!"

William holds my hands locked above my head while his thick, muscular body presses me further down into the mattress. I should be afraid, but instead, I'm aroused.

Wiliam is sexy when he is angry. The veins on his arms seem ready to pop, and the fact that I can't escape from under him sends a twirl of excitement through my body.

"Because you're a coward?" I challenge. "You like me, and by the looks of it, you're also attracted to me."

My confidence sways when I watch William's heated emotions cross his features. I see anger; I see misery. Hatred is evident on every inch of his face, yet I get the feeling it's not aimed at me but at June and his situation. Crap, I wish I could reach out my hand and touch him because I don't want him to suffer.

"Yes, you're right," Describing William as intimidating would be an underestimation of the fierce aura surrounding him. He is pinning me into place, fanning me with his warm breath. "I like you, but we can't be together, or June will have us both killed."

Instead of listening to the facts, I'm drinking the sight of William. Solid and beautiful, with impossibly huge shoulders. His nose is crooked, and my fingertips are itching to explore the rest of his body to see if more places are telling a tale of William's past.

I speak without thinking. "You're gorgeous."

William narrows his eyes. "Are you even listening?"

Somehow, I free my hand and place it on his cheek, feeling the heat coming from his tanned skin. I'm scared William will push me away, but he stays rooted in place, paralyzed by my touch.

His eyes are glowing embers, but no matter how much the darkness in his gaze should mortify me, I don't stop touching him, hoping he can sense how much I want him.

"I want you."

William flicks his gaze from my eyes down to my lips. My heart pangs inside of my chest. I expect him to insult me, tell me I'm mad for holding on to hope of him ever loving me, and instead, he devastates me by claiming my lips.

I lose the ability to breathe—kissing him is everything I've ever wanted, and his soft lips blow my freaking mind. Unable to stop my actions, I roam his bull neck and deepen our kiss once I've found a grip. I love touching him, tasting him, yet I'm also terrified.

William is mated to June and could leave me in a heartbeat. Meanwhile, I'm in his complete possession, a slave to his tongue and touch—I can't get enough of him!

Hasted breaths leave my lips when William pulls back. Without his lips, I feel empty, but I barely get to miss him before he is there again, muffling my whimpers with the force of his mouth.

Never in my entire life has someone kissed me like this. William is talented, massive, and horny. Right now, he is slipping his hands underneath my t-shirt to flick my nipples with his thumbs.

"Harder..." I plead.

His self-control seems to snap like a rope, and he cups my breasts in his massive hands, jiggling them, and I moan, lost to the sensation. I experience flutters, and suddenly, I'm squirming in my bed when he adds a tongue to our game.

William speaks against my skin. "I shouldn't do this, but I can't restrain myself around you, Alice—you're too gorgeous."

Warmth pools around my legs, and it only gets worse when his calloused fingers tease my opening.

"I want you so fucking much," William whispers.

His words and added pressure make me moan again, and I decide William belongs to me. I won't give him up. Inhaling his scent is more intoxicating than anything else I've ever experienced. My heart rate is through the ceiling. I want him; I need him.

"Mark me." My voice is filled with need, and pleasure shoots through me when he clutches my breast. Fuck—I'm shivering. "Please don't stop! Keep going!"

I crack an eye open and glance down at his cock, painfully aware of how great that massive thing would feel inside of me. Holy shit, he is so invitingly close it hurts me physically not to have him!

"Fuck me."

William is above me, smirking down into my face. "Do you want me?"

I lift my chin to peer into his eyes, and he regards me attentively as I knew he would. "Yes."

"Louder."

"I want you."

"Can't hear you."

Violently, I grip around his thick arms and try to circle his biceps with my fingers; he doesn't even twitch at the touch. He is muscular and way more robust than I expected—my attempts to pull him down closer to my pussy prove ineffective and he smirks wider.

"Louder, Alice."

I suck in a deep breath. "I want you, William." Jesus Christ, I can hardly recognize my voice from the pure lust and need in it. "Only you."

Satisfaction flashes over William's face, and thick fingers yank down my pants, and I hold my breath to brace myself, but William doesn't spare a single moment. William doesn't kiss or even tease me—his lips latch themselves onto my clit, and I violently shudder.

Holy shit! William is more talented than I expected—the bastard is trying to ruin me already! The sensation of him sucking me and the sound of his moans, like he is enjoying this, makes me so wet. I'm melting into a puddle, moaning and shivering as he works his tongue.

And William is relentless. He must realize the effect he is having on me, know how amazing he is in bed. The man only adds pressure, and he seems to understand precisely where it's needed until I'm pathetically climbing that ladder leading to an orgasm.

"William, keep going!" There is desperation in my voice, thick and raw, yet I don't care. "Please, don't stop."

William kisses my clit, brushes his lips against my sensitive area, and then he sucks me more demandingly with his skillful mouth.

"Oh-my-god!"

I can't fight the inner war within myself. Pleasure, wet and hot, sweeps through me like a tropical storm, and I push up my hips and rock against his mouth as the orgasm builds up within me.

"Keep going!"

The frenzied pleasure makes me moan louder than I've done in my entire life, and then my whole body turns stiff and shaky until I'm left too exhausted to move a muscle.

William hovers above me, amused. "Already?"

"Shut up!"

William has a growing smile on his lips. He looks very pleased with himself. It confuses me seeing him like this. Seconds ago, he was cold and emotionless, but now it seems like I've gotten a taste of the wonderful man I met at the birthday party.

"I thought you were all for equality, but it looks like you're pretty selfish in bed—who would have thought."

I gasp in alarm and sit up in my bed to convince him that this was a one-time thing—next time, I won't come so fast! With panic flaring and burning in my mind, I somehow manage to crash my nose against his bare chest.

"Clumsy much?"

"Whenever I'm with you, it seems."

Willaim breathes a laugh and places a hand behind my back to help me find my balance. When I'm on my knees before the taller man, I search his eyes for hints of anger, but I only find warmth.

"I like you, Alice," William says. "But you should understand that's also why I rejected you—if I return to June, and she finds out about this, then we are both dead meat."

"So don't return!"

William tilts his head. "What?"

I place my hand on his chest. "Stay here with me."

His eyes flare with emotions, and his lips part. "I'm not sure if your friends would like that—I'm the alpha of the enemy pack."

"Well, screw them then!" I say and throw myself at William, hugging him with a stubborn pout. My arms can't reach around him, yet I'm not about to ever let go. "You can't escape from me."

William chuckles and scoops me up into his arms. Fear immediately makes itself noticed by screaming in my ears. I'm afraid of my mate already leaving me. Pictures of him throwing me onto my bed to then skitter out through the door enter my mind, but the crooked smile delivered by William's lips makes my heart settle down.

"I will stay the night."

** 53 **

Patricia

I open the fridge to take out some milk while my bread is in the toaster. Light is dancing in through the window, and Finn is happily eating a burnt toasted sandwich. It was his first attempt using the toaster, and he insisted he didn't need to try making another one. The bread turned black, but his eyes glittered with happiness the moment he realized he had 'cooked' his first meal.

I observe Finn from the kitchen counter in secret. My heart might belong to a particular alpha, but that doesn't mean that I'm blind—Finn is cute. He is way bigger and taller than the type I usually ogle at the bar, but then again, so is Dior.

"This is so tasty!" Finn licks his fingers before turning to face me, wide-eyed and on the prowl for more toast. I honestly don't understand where the food is disappearing—I've never seen him use the toilet.

I sigh and hand him the plate with my luxurious toast. "Fine! You can have my Patricia special with cheese and tomato. I will make myself another toast, I suppose."

Finn claps his hands in excitement but turns silent when he spots Alice strolling down the staircase. I open my mouth to greet her, only to say nothing when I spot William. He avoids meeting my gaze and pulls at his sleeves with a grimace. Funny—even though the alpha is larger than my friend, he nervously follows her. And are those Dior's clothes?

"Good morning!" Finn beams.

I keep eyeing William.

Typically, it would be weird for an enemy alpha to be on another pack's territory, but William is an odd case. I have speculated for some time that he doesn't want to be on June's side. Alice then told me about the compulsion, which only confirmed my suspicions.

And then there is the added bit of Alice being the mate the moon goddess has chosen for William. Someone seems to have a plan for them, which I find interesting. It will be fun to see where their journey will take them, and I want to see Alice happy. She deserves it.

I lean my back against the kitchen counter again, trying not to smile at the couple. "Good morning!"

I'm trying so hard not to wink at Alice to tell her I know what dirty things happened in the night's darkest hours. But I wouldn't dream of embarrassing her in front of William and Finn. It wouldn't be fair or pleasant of me.

Alice smiles shyly. "Morning!"

William gives me a half-smile. He looks much different from the first time I met him at the mansion. There are dark circles underneath his eyes, probably from a lack of sleep, and June being June—I can't imagine what it's like being brainwashed day in and day out. Would you even know who the fuck you are after such a trauma?

William stops in his tracks. "Uh, Alice said that I could stay here, but you're the alpha..."

"Luna." I correct him. "I'm not taking Dior's spot."

"Oh..."

William grimaces and stares down at his feet. Once again, he seems unwilling to meet my eyes. I also notice bruises on his skin that look much older than when he fought with Dior.

Did June beat him?

I sigh and open the fridge again. "Take a seat, children. Mama Patricia will prepare toast for the lots of you."

"Yay!" Alice is clapping her hands. "You're the best, Patricia!"

My best friend happily searches for a seat and pulls William with her. He seems a bit more reluctant about invading our kitchen space and using my hospitality for his benefit. The guy even gives me an apologetic glance, and I smile at that—at least one guest shows me some respect. It is hard work making toast for everyone.

"So, let me guess, a lot of cheese?" My gaze lands on Alice, who is busy squeezing William's arm.

"Cheese and vinegar!" Alice says. "And ketchup!"

I shudder. "You have weird tastebuds."

"No, vinegar on bread is super-duper tasty!" Alice beams. "And the ketchup is delicious!"

William meets my eyes, and I have to hold back laughter at the silent plead within them. "Can I have a toast without vinegar, please? I also don't like ketchup."

"Sure," I say, biting the inside of my cheek not to laugh. "What would you like to have on it?"

"I don't know, anything normal, I suppose?"

"Hey! Take that back!"

Alice playfully slaps the guy on his thick upper arm, causing William to stare at Alice in confusion, clearly not understanding what is happening.

Poor guy, William must have been kept under a rock for a long time. He wasn't always this cold and humorless; in the past, he laughed, but I guess compulsion does this to a person.

"I'm sorry..." William mumbles. "Please, don't be mad at me."

"Mad? I'm not mad-..." Alice then covers her mouth with a guilt-ridden expression. Even her skin turns pale. "Oh, I'm so, so sorry! I didn't mean to slap your arm—did that remind you of June?"

"Nothing you do can remind me of June," William says, smiling softly before placing a kiss on top of Alice's head, causing her to turn into a deep shade of red.

"Aw," Finn bites his lower lip, leaning his cheek against the palm of his hand with a teasing smile. "You two are so cute—when is the wedding, and am I invited?"

Alice's face burns brighter. She looks ready to crawl into a hole, yet she does everything to conceal her embarrassment by reaching out a hand across the table for Finn to shake.

"I believe we didn't properly introduce ourselves. I'm Alice, and I'm not a werewolf but a witch."

Finn grins and shakes her hand. "My name is Finn, and I'm a fairy."

"Fairy?" Alice blinks. "But I always thought they were tiny?"

Finn smirks in amusement. "Really? Because in my world, fairies can change their size—most are large enough to eat humans. I've savored some unlucky souls myself, but I prefer creatures with fewer bones in them. Humans taste weird."

Alice's face turns pale, and her mouth opens and closes multiple times while she stares at Finn, unsure if the fairy is messing with her. Eventually, William claps her shoulder to calm her down.

"I think Finn is joking with you," William says, but even his eyes are wary and filled with suspicion when he looks at Finn. "Surely a world where humans are prey can't exist."

Finn only smiles. "I guess you won't ever find out."

I stifle a laugh and shake my head. "Alright, enough with the horror stories, Finn—the toast is ready!"

After I finish making breakfast for everyone, I head upstairs to take a shower, but the task proves more challenging than I expected. When I touch the tiles, I see Dior's eyes looking back at me, and my heart pangs with longing and despair.

Where is my mate? I want him here with me. Losing my parents was traumatic enough, but not having anyone to hug when the world seems dark and entirely too evil?

Gosh, I miss Dior so much. We had only started our story, but right now, I suddenly feel empty without him. Life seemed brighter when he smiled, if only for a moment.

Fuck this!

I punch the tiled wall, which I instantly regret after connecting with the hard wall. Why did I do that? God, my knuckles sting, yet it's nothing compared to the pain deep inside of me.

"What is the matter with me?"

I slip down and sit on the floor, hugging my legs while countless tears stream down my face. Steam is piling around me while water is pooling around my arse, yet I don't stand.

I can't; I'm too tired of it all, fucking exhausted.

I have to be strong and step up as luna for my pack's sake, ready to protect them from evil. June will declare war on us as soon as she learns William is staying with us, I'm sure of it, and I understand it's my duty never to show fear.

But when I'm all alone, and the water deafens the sound of my inner turmoil? Then I will let the rain pour. Being happy and strong all the time isn't human, and I'm not only a werewolf. I'm also a girl who lost her parents to someone probably in the same pack.

A storm brews inside my heart, but I discover a resolution in my sorrow. It might feel like the world is going under, but I know things will be better, especially after finding the one responsible for my parent's death. Yes, I have to find them, and while I might not be the devil, I still wish my enemy dead.