Page 17 of Mated to the Enemy
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Jessica watched the woman approach, and also at the way Klaue spun and came to a rigid position of attention.
She was too busy trying to keep her misbehaving body under control to take in much more detail than that, however. Jessica wasn’t entirely sure what was coming over her. The instant he’d broken her personal circle, she’d begun to feel warm. Mushy. It was incomprehensible how he could push past her barriers so easily. A trio of emotion warred within her.
First and foremost was undeniable arousal. Klaue was like a prime physical specimen grown in a science lab and tailored to her desires. Smooth, slightly-bronzed skin pulled taut over muscles that gleamed with the faintest sheen of sweat thanks to his fight. The way he’d walked over to her in nothing but his trunks was straight out of a goddamned movie. She couldn’tnotfeel physical attraction to him. To the idea of being under him. On top of him. Next to him. Shit, it didn’t matter, the man was fuckinghot. A dick, yes, but sexy as hell.
The second thing she was feeling was shock. Absolute and utter shock at her reaction to him. This was one of the Ursa. A bear shifter. He was theenemy, and Jessica was too damned strong willed to let herself fall victim to his undeniable physical charm. Or so she’d thought, until moments ago when he’d stepped close and the heat had simply boiled off him and over her, turning her into putty that he could have done whatever he wanted with, if he’d simply reached out and touched her. It was scary to think of how easily he’d waltzed through her defenses.
Third, and perhaps most powerful, however, was the feeling of irritation. Everything about Klaue annoyed her. From the boring cut of his hair down to the way he thought it was acceptable to wear nothing more than skintight trunks in the middle of a crowd. His casual attitude toward his own physical attraction bothered her as well. He seemed to relish in pointing out that she thought he was good-looking. On top of all that, he was just a dick who gave out all sorts of sarcasm.
That you give right back.
Shut up.
“My Queen,” Klaue said formally as the woman approached.
The words snapped Jessica out of her self-imposed reverie and she stared, suddenly realizing the woman was flanked on either side by a pair of bodyguards. Of course. She was the goddamnQueenof High House Ursa. Someone as traitorous and evil as that would need to be protected from her enemies.
“Stuff it,” Kaelyn said after glancing around to ensure they were suitably alone. “I’ve been forced to do all this formal shit all morning. Please, just call me Kaelyn.”
Klaue grinned. “Of course, Kaelyn. Your wish is my command.”
Jessica’s jaw dropped at the casual banter between the two of them. Her head swiveled back and forth at the exchange, trying to understand why this Kaelyn woman wasn’t ripping Klaue’s head from his shoulders for such insolence.
“Are you okay?”
She blinked and nodded. The violent motion of her head served to inform Jessica that her jaw was also hanging open, and she closed it with a snap, staying silent, keeping her eyes lowered, not willing to look the Queen in the face.
“You can look up,” the Queen said softly. “I’m not going to hurt you for looking at my face.”
Jessica couldn’t convince her face to respond. This was so different, not only compared to the rules of House Canis, but also to everything she’d been taught about Ursa. They were supposed to be monsters. Brutes, really, barely above primitive status according to the way Canis looked upon them. The fight she’d just witnessed had seemed to confirm that theory.
So why was the Queen acting this way toward her? There had to be a reason for it, of course. It was all an act. She was pretending to be polite, but why?
She wants the secret you hold, of course.It had to be that. Jessica didn’t possess any other knowledge worth befriending her for.
“Seriously,” the Queen said, speaking again, with just a tinge more iron in her voice. “I’m not Laurien, Jessica. I’m not going to rip your head off simply for looking at me or having a conversation with me.” She snorted. Actually snorted. “Imagine how dull a life that would be if everyone was too terrified to talk with me.”
Jessica tried not to shudder at the name of the Canis King. Laurien was a terrifying figure. Even though her sister was mated to a Title Holder, one of the rulers of House Canis, Jessica could count on one hand the number of times she’d seen the man. Never once had he spoken to her, though once he had growledather. As if she was a peasant to his greatness.
Yet here was the Queen of House Ursa, not only conversing with them, but asking to be called by her name. It was unfathomable.
“Is she deaf? Or mute?” Kaelyn asked, clearly shifting her focus back to Klaue.
“No,” Jessica said, interrupting, trying to find her strength. “I can speak.”
“Oh, good. And the neck thing? Is that a lingering injury from last night? It was a frightful-looking car crash!”
Jessica ground her teeth slightly but forced herself to look up and meet the woman’s eyes. They were a dark jade green, but with soft edges to them. To her surprise, she realized that she was taller than the Queen by a good several inches. This was the bestial Queen of House Ursa she’d been warned about?
“I’m okay,” she said. “Twisted my ankle trying to run from the wreck, but other than a bit of soreness here and there, I somehow got away uninjured. Nothing short of a miracle really.”
The Queen—Kaelyn—smiled gently at her. “That it was. I’m glad to see that you’re okay. Is he taking decent care of you?” she asked, hiking a thumb at Klaue. “Because if he isn’t, I can find someone who isn’t as much of a jerk to look after you.”
The words could be interpreted multiple ways, but the smirk on Kaelyn’s face told her she was making lighthearted fun.
“He’s fine,” she said hurriedly, not wanting to go through the process of dealing with another Ursidae shifter. Klaue was a bit rough around the edges, but she knew him already. “Thank you for taking me in.”
