TEMPORARY MATES PERMANENT CRAVINGS novel Chapter 51

Fifty-One

Lisa

I stood in the corner of the ballroom, a glass of white wine I hadn’t touched warming in my hand, and tried to make myself invisible.

The ball was in full swing around me. Hundreds of Lycans in beautiful outfits, music from a live orchestra. Everything was gold and burgundy and opulent in a way that made my navy dress feel suddenly cheap despite the price tag.

I didn’t belong here.

Franklin had disappeared almost immediately after we’d arrived, pulled away by pack duties or maybe just smart enough to put distance between himself and the awkward surrogate. I didn’t blame him.

I kept to the edges of the room, trying to look interested in the architecture, the flower arrangements, anything that would give me an excuse not to make eye contact with anyone.

That’s when I noticed the semi-private spaces with drawn curtains that didn’t quite close all the way.

The people inside were occupied.

Very occupied.

I caught a glimpse through a gap in one curtain and my brain stuttered to a halt.

A woman was on her knees between a man’s legs. Another man had his hand up her dress. She was making sounds that left no doubt about what was happening.

And no one seemed to care.

I jerked my gaze away, heat flooding my face.

But it wasn’t just that one alcove.

Further down, through another gap, I could see what could only be described as an orgy. Multiple bodies tangled together-I counted at least five people-hands and mouths everywhere. A woman riding a man while another woman kissed her. Two women were eating each other while a third woman watched.

Shared pleasure. Almost celebratory.

My mouth fell open.

In Creek Keepers, this would be scandalous. The kind of thing that got you shunned by the pack or worse.

My father had cheated on my mother, yes. But he’d hidden it. Snuck around. Treated it like the dirty secret it was.

Here, sex was just part of the festivities.

I could tell that most of them were mated pairs. Playing with their partners in semi-public spaces. But some were clearly casual partners. Threesomes who showed no shame at all about what they were doing.

Lycans were sexually adventurous in ways that made my conservative werewolf upbringing feel suffocating. I turned away quickly, not wanting to stare like a creep.

My mind immediately went to Cameron’s study this afternoon. Taking him in my mouth with a boldness I didn’t know I possessed.

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What the hell had come over me?

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I’d never done that before. Never even thought about it. And now I couldn’t stop thinking about the weight of him on my tongue, the sounds he’d made, the way he’d come apart.

I was becoming someone I didn’t recognize.

Movement at the main entrance pulled my attention.

Cameron and Evangeline had arrived.

They descended the staircase together, his hand at her lower back, her fingers resting lightly on his arm. Both of them dressed in matching burgundy. His suit was perfectly tailored, bringing out the color in his eyes. Her gown was stunning-off-shoulder, fitted through the bodice, flowing skirt.

They looked like royalty.

Like the perfect mated pair blessed by the Moon Goddess herself. 1

Whispers rippled through the crowd around me.

“Don’t they make a beautiful couple?”

“Look how devoted he is.”

“The Moon Goddess chose well with those two.”

Guilt twisted in my chest. I looked away before anyone could catch me staring at them. Busied myself with the refreshment table, loading a small plate with food I had no intention of eating.

I wouldn’t stay long. An hour, maybe two. Just long enough to fulfill whatever obligation my presence here served.

I didn’t want to be the source of anyone’s discomfort.

Even if I was already uncomfortable enough for everyone.

I glanced back toward Cameron and Evangeline and found Luna Catherine watching me.

Our eyes met across the room.

I looked away immediately, my stomach dropping.

The orchestra shifted to a waltz. Cameron led Evangeline onto the dance floor.

I told myself not to watch.

I watched anyway.

They moved together with practiced ease. Cameron’s hand at her waist. Evangeline smiling. Other couples joined them, but they were clearly the center of attention.

The golden couple.

The Alpha and his dying mate, defying fate with their devotion.

I was going to be sick.

“They really are beautiful together, aren’t they?”

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I was startled.

Luna Catherine appeared beside me, a glass of wine in her hand, her expression pleasant but her eyes sharp.

“Yes, my lady,” I managed.

“I remember when they met. Six years ago at a gathering much like this one.” Catherine’s gaze was fixed on the dance floor.

I said nothing.

“They were made for each other,” Luna Catherine continued. “You can see it in the way they move. The way they anticipate each other’s needs. No other woman could ever compare to what they have.”

The message was clear.

No other woman. Including me.

“Their chemistry is undeniable,” Luna Catherine continued, taking a sip of wine. “The kind that comes from a bond blessed by the Moon Goddess herself.”

I wanted to leave. But Luna Catherine was my Luna, technically, since I was doing this for her daughter. And I’d been raised to respect my elders, even when they were being cruel.

“Your parents’ predicament should teach you a lesson about the dangers of dating above your station.”

The words hit like a slap.

“No one forced my father to marry my mother,” I said quietly, keeping my voice level through sheer force of will.” And just because someone is above another person’s station doesn’t mean they don’t owe them the basic decency of fidelity.”

Luna Catherine paused, swirling her wine. “That’s true. But in such relationships, the one in the higher position always seems to get bored after the honeymoon phase. After the novelty of sex wears off. They realize there’s nothing in common anymore. No shared world. No real connection. Just physical attraction that fades.”

I thought about her husband, Alpha Marcus. About the rumors of his mistresses that everyone in Creek Keepers knew about but never spoke of aloud.

He’d married Luna Catherine, a woman of equal station. High society breeding, political connections, everything” appropriate.”

And he’d still cheated.

So what the hell was the point of station and propriety if it didn’t guarantee fidelity anyway?

But I couldn’t say that. I couldn’t question my Luna’s marriage to her face.

Luna Catherine turned to look at me. “Speaking of which. We need to discuss your fertile window. Why aren’t you pregnant yet?”

My face heated.

“You’ve been here for weeks. Having regular intercourse with my daughter’s mate. The timeline should have been sufficient.”

“Everyone’s body is different,” I said, echoing what the herbalist had told me. “There’s no universal timeline for conception.” 1

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“Hmm.” Luna Catherine didn’t look convinced. “And what measures are you taking to improve your chances? Herbs? Rituals?”

“I’m taking fertility supplements. Maca, red clover, fenugreek. And following the conception protocols for gender

selection.”

“Good.” Catherine nodded. “The sooner you get pregnant, the better. Cameron needs an heir to secure his position as soon as possible. The pack is watching.”

She let that hang in the air.

“Time is not on our side. Evangeline’s illness progresses daily. We need this resolved quickly and cleanly. Do you understand?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“I hope so.” She studied me for a long moment. “Because I’m beginning to wonder if I made the wrong choice in selecting you.”

I gasped.

“You seemed like a sensible girl. Someone who understood boundaries. Who wouldn’t complicate an already complicated situation. But now I’m not so sure.”

“I haven’t done anything-”

“Haven’t you?” Her voice remained pleasant, but her eyes were cold. “The way you look at him. The touching. The kissing. As though you were a real couple instead of a business arrangement.”

My throat went tight. “Luna-”

“Don’t insult my intelligence by denying it.” She took another sip of wine. “I’ve seen the way you watch him. The way he watches you. It’s becoming problematic.”

“Would you rather he rape me?” The words came out before I could stop myself.

Luna Catherine’s expression hardened. “That’s not what I meant.”

“Then what did you mean?” I met her eyes. “You want me to have sex with Alpha Cameron. You want me to conceive his child. But you also want me to feel nothing? To be completely unaffected by the intimacy required? That’s not how bodies work.”

“I expect you to maintain appropriate emotional distance,” she said coldly. “This is a job. A very well- compensated job. Not a love affair.”

“I’m not in love with Cameron. He belongs to your daughter. I know that.”

“Do you? Because from where I’m standing, you seem to be forgetting that rather crucial fact.”

“If you’re not comfortable with how this arrangement is progressing, then find someone else,” I said as calmly as I could manage. “Someone you trust to be wise enough not to cause mixed feelings. Someone who won’t look at your daughter’s mate the wrong way. But until you do, I’m fulfilling the contract I signed.”

Her mouth pressed into a thin line. Before she could respond, a familiar voice interrupted.

“Lisa.”

I turned.

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Kade stood there, looking handsome in a dark suit, and a mischievous smile. For the first time all night, I was relieved to see him.

“Would you like to dance?” he asked.

I opened my mouth to refuse-

“Oh, please do,” Luna Catherine said, her voice warm again. Like our conversation hadn’t just happened. “It’s not a crime to dance with someone you had something with in the past.”

The implication was clear. Go. Dance. Get away from my son-in-law.

I took a deep breath and accepted Kade’s offered hand.

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