Page 34 of Tamed for Her Pleasure

Chapter Twelve

Alfred

Iam tired. It has been a long fucking day, and yesterday was not so easy either. I want only to take my mate to a bed and fuck her again.

It is not to be, for a bunch of nosy fucking nobles want to gawk at me.

Well, one in particular, for all the rest have been dismissed, but this is the important one, also known as the king.

For all Penelope acts tough, I can see that her energy is waning. It has been a big day for her, too, and last night was eventful.

But this is not my home, although I hope to make it so, and I do not know this man who is her father, save he wears an overly bright breastplate to negotiations and can be decisive when he needs to.

“It has been a long day,” I say bluntly, stopping the king amid a long, rambling speech. We have been ushered into a drawing room where servants linger fucking everywhere under the pretense of providing refreshments. It is a fancy cream andgold room with no less than three candelabras and two blazing fires. There is more light here than in the midst of a summer’s day.

“Of course,” Louie says magnanimously. “I have had the green room prepared.”

“Thank you,” I say, not quite sure what to expect by the green room, but I don’t care much about the specifics so long as it has a bed, and I can be alone with my mate.

“I don’t think that will work out, Papa.” Penelope casts a concerned glance my way.

Her father frowns. “Why not?”

“They, ah, do things a little differently in the clans. In Alfred’s eyes, we are already wedded.”

Her father’s face flushes a deep crimson.

Getting an inkling as to where this is going, my nostrils flare.

“I did mention we were together unchaperoned, did I not?” Penelope continues, probably sensing I am about to wade in.

Her father shakes his head emphatically. “You cannot share the same room. That would cause a scandal.”

I raise both brows. His daughter is marrying a barbarian. Sharing a room cannot make matters any worse. Also… “I am sleeping with my mate.”

“You could put him in the lilac room,” Penelope continues like I have not spoken. “At least we would be in the same wing of the castle.

Same fucking wing? Where was he trying to put me?

“No,” her father says, lifting his imperious nose. “We need to maintain an air of decorum. Also, it will take time to prepare for the wedding, what with the weather at this time of year. It will be weeks before the roads clear of snow and guests can arrive.”

“Well, you might need to hasten the wedding,” she says.

The sudden flush on her cheeks brings an unwitting smile to my lips.

I understand that my woman is spirited and can very much hold her own. But it is also cute that she thinks she might be with child. It will be my pleasure to demonstrate how a barbarian alpha gets his woman with child… soon… after much training and preparation… And now I need to think of something else.

“Two rooms,” her father says in a decisive way that pisses me the fuck off. “Alfred will stay in the guest wing until the wedding, when you may choose a suite to your preference for when you visit the capital.”

Penelope huffs out a breath. But before I can set the kingly bastard to rights, she takes my hand.

The feel of her small hand against mine arrests all my attention.

“I’ll take him there,” she says, smiling sweetly at her father.

Even I am not falling for her nonsense and fully believe she has a plan.

Her father narrows his eyes and, perhaps sensing the nosy servant bastards listening in, relents on the point.

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