His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 70: Comforting a Slave (1)

I turn on the couch, my leg bending on the surface so I can watch Theo. His fingers still play at the back of my neck and the small tendrils of my hair as he looks off, recalling what happened earlier.

"I didn’t plan it," he says, the smirk fading. "I went out for some fresh air after..." He glances at me, a look I couldn’t quite decipher flashing across those deep blue eyes before they flick to his glass, and he sips from it and continues, "Many people were... interested in me."

I twirl the stem of the wine glass absentmindedly as I watch him.

"I was alone, and when the Countess arrived... I thought she was lost or wanted me to get her a drink... When she touched me..." He trails off with a shrug as if what happened was so simple and normal.

I grimace but remain silent.

"I didn’t push her away, but... I couldn’t..."

I remember her words. "She couldn’t arouse you," I finish quietly.

Theo glances at me. "No, her touch was too... forceful..."

My nose wrinkles.

"Then you arrived like some white knight."

"Me? Pfft. I am no knight." I shake my head.

"Yes, you," Theo turns his attention to me. "No one has tried to help before."

My lips part with a threat and insult on them, but Theo continues first, and I swallow them down. "You were so fierce," he says quietly, staring at me in wonder, his fingers freezing on the back of my neck. "The balcony thrummed with your energy... It was like... An Alpha entered and took command... The Countess was scared, and for good reason."

"If you’re going to tell me I have a wolf, please don’t. I don’t want to hope for something I have come to make peace with," I say before he can say anything more on the matter.

Theo clamps his lips shut and then drinks his wine. I do the same, and he tops us both up. "When I saw her reaction and you..." He stops when I give him a long look. "I realised I wasn’t useless like your Alpha Prince made me believe."

"My... He’s not my... Wait... What?"

He doesn’t answer and continues. "I opened the doors, and everything else fell into place."

I sit up straighter, putting the glass down on the coffee table. "Did Eryx say something to you?" I frown, annoyed, especially after we’d... We’d gotten intimate. Again.

Well, that was my own irrational behaviour, falling victim to my desires. I’d forgotten about a lot of things the Southern Alpha Prince has done.

"He doesn’t have to. His intentions were clear from the start," Theo states flatly, taking another swig of his wine.

"And yet you still wear that." I tip my head in his direction, looking at the golden choker.

"Well... it is prettier than the one I had on," he smirks.

I sigh and lean my head back, forgetting that his hand was on my neck. "Here." Theo slides closer as he lets my head rest on his hand.

"What..." I sigh immediately at the touch of his fingers. The braided bun starts to loosen, releasing tension in my head. Slowly, with controlled fingers, my hair is freed, falling down in waves at the back of the sofa. "Hmmm, that feels better."

Theo continues to massage my head. "You don’t have to..."

"You saved me tonight. It’s the least I can do," he smiles, those dimples surfacing again.

"You shouldn’t have to put up with it," I say, but it comes out more like a hum under his skilled fingers.

"Maybe women won’t be so... aggressive towards me when I am no longer a slave..." He trails off quietly. My eyes snap open after detecting a hint of sadness in his voice.

"You will be free." I cup his cheek. His fingers pause, and his gaze falls down to mine.

His smile is soft. "I know I will be. You’ve already sworn it."

"I have," I smile back, then on some form of liquid courage, I throw my arms around his neck.

Theo is still for a moment before his arms fold around me, and he squeezes me closer to his body. It is almost crushing, but I can still breathe. I comfortingly rub the top part of his back.

"And your looks are blinding, Theo. Women will be too shy and nervous to approach you. Some may gain the courage to approach you, but it won’t be the same as how others have treated you. And someday you will find someone..." 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

"What if I don’t want to find someone," he grumbles into my neck. His breath tickles. When did he drop his head?

I chuckled when I realised what he had said. "You will one day. Maybe not now or when you first are free..."

"I don’t think I will," he says stubbornly. It only makes me rub his back more.

I don’t say anything else, but we remain like that for far longer than we should have. Neither of us part, though, both needing the comfort each other provides.

"You still smell like him," Theo grumbles with a long sigh.

My eyes shoot open as he leans back, watching me expectantly. "I bathed..." I whispered, feeling my cheeks heat.

Theo leans his forehead to mine and sighs some more. "Did you..." He trails off, struggling to find the right words. This was getting more embarrassing, though. "Were you in need of his... assistance?"

"I don’t know what’s wrong with me," I admit quietly. Theo nods slightly; he seems to be the only one who really understands.

"It’s natural, Ida. Don’t sweat it," he brushes it off before his expression grows serious. "If I was there, I could have..." He trails off, then moves away, so he sits beside me and grabs his glass again, finishing it in one gulp.

I’d already finished mine. I reach for the bottle and almost lose balance, but Theo grabs me before I nose dive into the coffee table. "Easy!" He snatches the bottle from me. "I think that’s enough." He peers into it and then stares at me. "Didn’t you drink at the ball as well?"

I roll my eyes. "One glass. Sheesh!" I take the bottle back and swig from the bottle, raising my eyebrows and goading him.

Theo takes it, clicks his tongue, then mirrors me, swigging back some of the wine. He puts the bottle down before leaning over me. "I think it’s time for bed, Princess."

"Spoilsport," I stick my tongue out at him, and he smirks before lifting me up against his chest.

I yelp and wrap my arms around his neck as his movements seem far too quick. Or maybe I am a little drunk. Theo stumbles a little, and then we fall onto the bed. "Ooft."

Maybe we’re both a little drunk. "Will you move your leg, it’s really digging into me," I complain, ignoring the tingling along my stomach and lower body.

"Erm..."

When he doesn’t say anything or move it, I reach down to do exactly that, freezing when I realise it wasn’t his leg. "Eek! I’m sorry!" My gasp is loud, and I cover my mouth, staring back at Theo, who is leaning on his arms on either side of me.

"No, it’s my fault," he frowns and even glares at his manhood prodding into me. "Just give me a moment, and then I can go back to my room."

"I thought..." I don’t mean to, but my gaze flicks down to his taut breeches and where he still prods me. "Well, after the Countess..."

"She’s not you," he mutters, then squeezes his eyes shut and shakes his head.

Heat pulses between my thighs, and I fight against the need to scream my frustration. I was intimate with Eryx! And now my heat is playing up again?!

Swallowing thickly, I try to negotiate with my body and the circumstances. "Do you..."

His eyes open, waiting to see what I’d say next.

"Want to cuddle?"

Theo’s grin is instantaneous as those dimples resurface. "I’d like that." Any tension and awkwardness he felt deflated from his body, and we moved to get comfortable under the covers.