by Ally Nelson
Maggie had said it was a curse and that they needed to find a match for themselves in other places. Now she knew what she was talking about. It was too much. She needed to leave and fast. There was a knock on the door. She knew that they knew she was in there and pondering what she had seen. She also knew that if she didn’t answer then they would come in to check on her anyway.
“Yes? Come in.”
Jeremiah walked into the small room and smiled at her. He made his way to the chair beside the bed and took her hand with his own. She felt the electricity shoot through her body at the touch. When she looked up into his face she saw that he had a strange look on his face as he looked at her. She realized that he must have felt the surge of power through their contact as well. Although he felt something she was sure, he continued to stroke her hand as he began to talk.
“I wanted to talk to you alone. I know my mother probably told you that I am the most remarkable man in the world and so forth but I wanted to get to know you. I am not asking you to marry me right now. I know there is a lot to take in. I just ask that you allow me to spend time with you so that you can know me and I can get to know you. If you want to leave after that then I will not stop you. I just ask that you give me and the people a try.”
She looked at him and then back down to their twined hands. His hands were large but gentle as they stroked hers. She nodded. She didn’t know what made her answer him. I should be trying to get out of there. He said he would let her leave but there was something that held her back. She couldn’t really describe it. Maybe it was something in his eyes or the way he spoke to her but she felt drawn to him in some sort of way. It was more than an attraction. It was a pull from within and it was one that she couldn’t deny or turn away from. She would stay if at least to find out what had her so drawn. What was this connection between us, this invisible force that makes me want to stay?
“I know it’s a lot to take in right now. I wanted to know if you would go for a walk with me after the celebration tonight.” His words were soft and gentle as he continued to look at their joined hands as he spoke.
“Celebration?” She didn’t know what he was talking about and she could hear the bit of fear in her voice. His eyes slowly raised to hers and he smiled at her.
“Yes. You see every five years the women go out in search of female companions and wives for the men in the camp who do not have one. This is the fifth year and all of the women are here, but one and she will be here within the hour. It is a celebration to welcome the women to our village and to show thanks that we have found these courageous and remarkable women to be in our lives and to make our village a better place to be.”
“Wow. You make it sound like such a privilege and honor to be one of these women. It sounds like you cherish them.”
“Yes, we do. These women give these men the ability to have a family and a woman to be by their side. In our community, the women are looked at as being the most powerful. For they are pure. You will see at the celebration that the men will cherish their wives and put them above all other things and people. You will be one of the women of honor tonight. You will also be the one that most people will be looking at for you could possibly be our next queen. My queen.”
She looked up at his last words and she saw the desire in his eyes. Why me? There were plenty of other women in the world that would have been more suitable for him, she thought. There was, however, a part of her that was overjoyed that Maggie had chosen her.
“I would love to walk with you.”
“Good. I will leave you now then. Tonight will be a big night and my reckless sister and mother will come to help you get ready.”
“Ok.”
Chapter 6
Just as he said, Maggie showed up 15 minutes later with the same young girl she had met earlier. She smiled at the young girl as she looked at her sheepishly from behind her mother.
“Come on Isa. Tell Emily what you have to say.”
She heard the girl take a deep sigh as she slowly came from behind her mother to look at Emily guiltily.
“I want to apologize for my behavior earlier. I was not aware that you did not know about us yet or I would never have come in to see you that way.”
“Actually I think you are a gorgeous bear Isa.”
The young girls face lit up at her compliment. “Yes it’s really Isabella but my other brother Cole has a daughter who couldn’t say my name when she was little so she called me Isa. It just sorta stuck and I have been called Isa by everyone since then." She shrugged.
“Well, that is a very pretty name. So I am told that there is a celebration tonight?” Her eyes were directed at Maggie when she said it, but Isa was the one who answered for her.
“Oh yes. It’s wonderful. Lots of food and dancing and stuff. You will love it.”
The celebration was indeed wonderful and she loved the people that she met. Everyone seemed so nice and wanted to get to know her. It was the first time she felt wanted in a long time. She wore a long white dress that came off her shoulders. Her long hair was kept down and laid down her back in large waves. Her feet had on dainty little ballet slippers that matched the dress. She had taken a long shower and then gotten ready with Isa threading small white roses in her hair and Maggie doting on her.
She sat on a boulder next to the fire and watched the dancers swirl around the fire.
“Will you walk with me, Emily?” She looked up to see Jeremiah standing there. He had on jeans and a T-shirt. His hair was dripping with moisture from the ends like he had just taken a shower and brushed back from his face. His face still wore the small shadow of a beard and had that scruffiness appeal to it. He was gorgeous. Plain and simple and he took her breath away. His dark hair had large curls and one lay across his eye as he looked at her with a sexy grin on his face.
“Yes.” She finally squeaked in a voice that was foreign to her own ears as she placed her hand in his own. They made their way from the fire and the people slowly. He didn’t say anything for a long time as they made their way down to a beautiful lake. The moon shone over top the lake sparkling off the blue depths and she marveled in the beautiful sight. It was amazing and she was in awe with the simple beauty of the night. “It’s beautiful here.” She was glad to see that she had found her voice and she was no longer squeaking.
“Yes, it is. Come. Let us sit for a bit.” He made his way over to a large spot on the grass and sat before patting the ground next to him. She made her way over and sat down next to him.
She watched as he turned to her and she smiled up at him. His head dropped a little until his lips coasted over hers. She felt the jolt go through her again. She couldn’t help the moan that escaped from her as his tongue slipped into her mouth and made her want more.
His hands came down to her waist to pull her closer to him and then she felt him lower her to the ground until she was lying flat and looking up at him. His lips made their way down across her jaw line and then to nibble on her earlobe. She gasped when she felt the tip of his tongue probe the inside of her before he licked the sensitive spot behind her ear and made his way down her neck. He licked at the spot where her shoulder met her neck and then gently bit it causing her to moan loudly followed by his chuckle.
He hooked his fingers into the top of her dress and pulled it down to release her breasts. She didn’t have anything else on because the dress had been made where she didn’t’ need a bra. Her breasts spilled out of the dress with his actions and it was his turn to moan at the sight. The moon was full and gave off the light he needed to see her body. It glistened off her milky skin and he knew that he wanted her. He wanted her bad and his eyes met hers again. He saw there the reflection of what he felt.
Emily hadn’t felt this before. This strong passion and desire. She had felt something for Scott in the beginning, but it had been so long that she had forgotten what desire felt like. She did know however that it was nothing like this. She was now taking deeper breaths and sucked in a breath when his
lips closed over a nipple to gently suck and nibble it in his mouth. She was writhing on the ground with need when he made his way over to the other side of her body to torture that nipple as well. She felt his tongue again as he licked a path in the valley between her breasts and then on the underside of each of them before lifting back up to take her lips again. She felt his hand as it coasted up the inside of her thigh pushing the skirt of her dress up and out of the way at the same time. He traced the edge of her panties with his middle finger before hooking it and pulling it downward. She raised her hips to allow him to pull the panties down her legs and off her body completely.
She felt his hand push her legs apart and she did just that giving him the access he wanted. His hand slid up to her folds and he slowly pushed is thumb against the small bundle of nerves there before moving it in a circular motion causing her to moan even more and push her hips upward. His finger slipped inside her to begin thrusting in and out of her body. She whimpered at the loss when he suddenly pulled his hand away. She was happy, however when she saw that he replaced it with his body.
She felt him slide inside her slowly as if careful not to harm her. He began to move within her slowly and she moaned with the newfound pleasure he was awakening in her. She moaned as she threw her head back against the ground not caring she was grinding it into the dirt underneath her. He began to move faster and faster inside her until they both shuddered with their release. He lay beside her quietly and then leaned up on an elbow to look at her.
“I am sorry. I didn’t mean…” He started.
“I know Jeremiah. I know you didn’t mean for this to happen. It is ok. Actually it is better than that. That was great.”
He nodded before rising and pulling his jeans up and buttoning them. She rose with the help of his outstretched hand and looked around. He held her panties out to her and she quickly slipped into them before turning and smiling at him. He didn't say anything just held his hand out to her. She took his hand and held it on the walk back to the village.
* * * * *
He left her at his house and told her that he had someone to see then kissed her briefly on the lips. She watched him walk away and stood there until the outline of his body was swallowed up in the dark shadows. She didn’t know what she had done tonight. It definitely wasn’t something that she had ever done before. Scott was the only person she had ever been with. She had thought that their sex life had been great in the beginning but she was beginning to see that sex with Scott like everything else was always about him. He hadn’t even cared if she got the release which she didn’t most times. He had told her that women didn’t always orgasm and it was normal for her to not be able to reach her peak. He had put it off as a problem that she had. She was beginning to think that maybe the blame fell more in his lap than hers in that department.
Chapter 7
The next day she couldn’t help the smile that played across her face. A few of the people came to talk to her as she went for her walk. She kept hearing herself being compared to a woman named Desiree. When she had gotten back to the cabin she couldn’t help but wonder what the people had been talking about. She quickly went in search of Maggie. She knew everything and if anyone knew about whoever this Desiree was then she would.
She found her outside in the garden; the older woman smiled when she saw Emily make her way towards her.
“Why hello dear. This is a pleasant surprise!”
“Good morning Maggie. I was wondering if I could ask you a question?”
The older woman laid down the small rake she had been using and wiped her hands on her apron before giving her full attention to Emily.
“Of course honey. What is it you want to know?” The woman’s smile was kind as she stood there and waited for Emily to ask her question.
“I want to know who Desiree is? I mean I’ve heard a lot about her.”
She watched as the other woman took a deep breath.
“Yes. I was wondering when that would come around.” She lifted sad eyes to Emily. “Just remember my child that the past is something that is just that. The past. It does not make us who we are. You of all people should know and understand this. Unfortunately, my dear that is a question for my son. I do not feel it is my place to talk to you about his ex-wife.”
“Ex-wife?” Emily’s eyes grew wide with the other woman’s words.”
“Yes, but I think you should talk to him. Go on now. You will start to worry yourself if you don’t find out for yourself what happened.”
She nodded before making her way to the large house in the middle. She slowly made her way up the steps but before she could knock the door opened and Jeremiah stood there smiling at her. He held the door for her without a word as she walked through. Before she knew it her back was pressed against the door and he was kissing her deeply. She moaned deeply and kissed him back. When she was able to break free from his lips she felt herself searching for breath.
“This is a pleasant surprise this morning.” He kissed along her neck softly.
She knew if he kept going then she wouldn’t be able to ask him. She needed to find a way to make him stop without him thinking that she didn’t want it to.
“Who is Desiree?” The words blurted from her mouth and he stopped immediately. His head lifted back up to gaze into her eyes. When he saw nothing but curiosity there he sighed.
“Come. I think we should sit down for this.” He led her to the couch in the living room and sat down with her. His hands still held hers like he was scared of not having some kind of contact with her.
“I knew this would come around, but I didn’t expect it to be so early on. I wanted to tell you I just wanted to wait until the time was right. Desiree was my wife.”
“Why are people worried I am like her. Who is she?”
“Let me start from the beginning. Before I was alpha I traveled to the human population quite often. On one of these trips, I fell for a woman. Her name was Desiree. I had never told anyone of my secret, but she knew. That should have been my first clue, but I did not think. I asked her to be my wife and come home to my village with me. She agreed. I was the happiest man alive. You see every alpha before me has had to send the women to look for his mate and some have mated within the village. I thought I was special. Here, I had found my wife on my own. Chosen her for me.”
“Ok...” She looked downward.
His hand lifted her chin. “DO not think that I do not want you, Emily. I should have shown it by now. My mother is a very good way of knowing someone’s character and she has chosen well for me. I did not for I found out after Desiree became my wife that she was not what she seemed. She was a sorceress sent here to take over the throne. She wanted something with my father’s blood. The current alpha. She killed him. I found her over his body and about to kill my mother.”
“Oh, my gosh. How horrible!”
He turned sad eyes to her. “You have to understand that family is everything to me. I saw what she was about to do and did the only thing I could. I had to save my mother and stop whatever she was trying to do. There was electricity swirling everywhere around them.”
“What did you do?” Emily’s eyes were wide with fright.
“I threw my father’s spear from the wall. It pierced her heart instantly.”
Emily stared at him for a few minutes before wrapping her arms around him. “You saved your mother. That is what anyone would do.”
“I didn’t mean to kill her. I think I cared about her a lot. I don’t think however that I was in love with her. After her death, I realized that I was in love with the notion of her.”
“And what of now?”
“I think my mother is right. I need to have a real wife. One that wants me for me to make me feel whole again. I need you, Emily.”
“How about we start with a date tonight? Maybe watch movies or something?”
“I would like that. A lot. You have to make your decision before too long and I want you to know me before you do.”
“Yes. And no more hanky panky until the wedding night if there is to be one.”
She laughed at his deep sigh as his gaze wandered down her body appreciatively. For the first time, he made her feel desirable and she could have kissed him for it but knew it would quickly lead to other things so didn’t.
* * * * *
That night was beautiful and she had fun like she had never had before and laughed until her sides hurt. Jeremiah was amazing and doted on her every wish. She worried, though. What would happen after they married? Would he be the same sweet guy that he was now or would he turn like Scott had? She didn’t know and knew she was safer if she guarded her heart against him forever. The problem was over the next few weeks she got to know him and his people. She enjoyed her time in the camp and spent time playing with the kids and planting in the huge garden they all ate from.
Chapter 8
Finally, the day came when she had to make a decision. Her insides turned as she looked at Maggie.
“Come my dear. Let us walk. I would talk to you.”
She followed the woman to a stone bench in the yard. As they sat there Maggie started to talk.
“I want to tell you a story. Once long ago there was this woman. She had been in a tornado in Oklahoma. You see the girl was, but 16 and her father had pushed her into a storm cellar right before the tornado had taken him away. Her mother had died from cancer when she was but 5. The girl was terrified as she heard the soaring of the wind outside and it had taken everything she had to lock the door to the cellar. She sat huddled in the corner of that dark place rocking as the tears of sorrow fell from her eyes. She was now alone. She ended up marrying her boyfriend at the time. He was good to her and they started a life together in her parent’s home. After they were married, however, he changed. He became abusive. In every way possible.”
She looked over at Emily. Both women had tears in their eyes. Emily could relate to the story.
