[Denali’s POV]
After that day, I fell into the rhythm of waiting each night in the bridal chamber for my ‘husband’ to appear, even though he never does. And despite my protests, his butler insisted I stay there so that when he returned, we could consummate our wedding.
When I wasn’t waiting for Rosco to make his appearance, I was busy helping the maids to at least try to make myself useful. At least when I was cleaning something, I didn’t have to be alone with my thoughts.
Despite the embarrassment of looking like a fool who desperately wanted to see their new spouse, things weren’t bad, at least compared to how my life was in Emerald Moon. Even his parents, who visited with me regularly, were nice, and before I knew it, six months had passed with no incidents.
“Please deliver these to the master's room,” Bianca, the head maid, announces, throwing blankets at me. “He has returned.”
Eyes widening, I take in her words in disbelief. Had I heard her correctly? Rosco finally returned after all these months of absence.
“Are you just going to stand there?” She snaps when I don’t move. “Get going!”
“Oh, right,” I gasp, hugging the blankets to myself. “I’m sorry, I was just a bit surprised by what you said.”
“I don’t need excuses,” Bianca huffs. “Get going, NOW!”
Nodding, I don’t say anything further as I scurry out of the laundry room and toward the main portion of the mansion, then upstairs to Rosco’s room while my heart hammers in my chest.
After six months of not meeting my new husband, I began to become complacent and even accepted that maybe this would be how my life went, but now things were going to be different.
Taking the stairs two at a time, I find myself wondering what kind of man Rosco actually is. Even though there were many rumors about him, I couldn’t help but question whether or not they were true, especially given the attitude of those who worked for him.
When I first started helping out, I expected to be met with fear from those who knew him best. However, I soon learned that he was well respected by his maids and servants alike. Because of that, I found myself wondering if maybe everything said wasn’t true.
“Only one way to find out,” I mutter, squaring my shoulders and fixing my gaze on Rosco's room.
Taking a few calming breaths, I begin to move until I’m standing in front of his door. Lifting a hand, I slowly knock despite being told that he wouldn’t be here until the night.
Stepping back, I wait as noise comes from inside, causing my anxiety to grow even more, and when the door opens and I’m met by two dark eyes with thick lashes surrounding them, I find myself getting lost.
Slowly, the door opens, so a handsome face with stubble peppering the jaw and the cheeks appears, followed by a broad, strong chest that is covered in tattoos, and finally a single towel wrapped around the waist, leaving almost nothing for the imagination.
Gulping, I continue to stare until the sound of a throat clearing snaps me out of my daze.
“Oh,” I gasp, my eyes growing wide. “I’m sorry, I just wanted to deliver these.”
Feeling my cheeks flush a ferocious pink, I hold out the blankets that Bianca gave me and wait until the man, who can only be Rosco, takes them from me.
“Are you new?” He asks, taking me in with those fathomless eyes. “I don’t believe I’ve seen you before.”
“I am,” I say quickly, wondering just how he would react if I told him that I was his new wife. “I started here six months ago.”
“Six months,” he murmurs, rubbing his chin with his large fingers. “Have I really been gone that long?”
You have. I respond inwardly while I remain silent on the outside, hoping that this exchange ends quickly. Now that I was seeing Rosco in all his glory, I was feeling strange, and I was sure that it was written all over my face.
“Then welcome,” he finally says, breaking the awkward silence that falls around us. “Do try to do good.”
“Yes, sir.”
Giving a slight bow, I turn and scurry away, but as I move, I can feel Rosco’s eyes locked on me, and I’m sure that he sees right through me.
[Rosco’s POV]
I watch as the pretty maid makes her way toward the stairs and then disappears before turning and heading back into my room. Once inside, I toss the blankets I’m holding and then sit down so I can grab my wallet.
Opening it, I pull out the small photo that I had kept on me since five years ago. Pulling it out, I take in the girl who looks near tears and find myself wondering again why I even took this picture all those years ago. But that wasn’t the most important thing right now. Instead, what really mattered in this moment was the fact that the one in the picture had just been standing in front of me.
Sighing, I look toward the door and find myself wanting to go after that woman and question her further. How was it possible that fate brought her to work at my mansion? Especially after my father forced me to marry the daughter of his friend?
It was almost as though fate was laughing at me with how things turned out, but when you lived in our world, this was how things went. You didn’t get to choose who you were with, and you went along with what you were told to do.
Putting the picture back in my wallet, I get up and head to the closet. Since I was back, I was required to have dinner with my parents and my new wife. I needed to pick out something suitable and then show my face, as I was supposed to.
After grabbing a white button down and pants, I quickly get dressed, then head out of my room and downstairs toward the dining hall, where I was sure my parents were already waiting.
When I arrive, Victor, my father’s butler, is waiting.
“I was just about to go check on you, young master,” he says, giving a bow. “Your father was worried.”
“About what?” I challenge. “Does he expect someone to assassinate me under his roof?”
Although I knew it was possible since it had happened in the past, it was strange for him to be so keen on the idea.
“Please do try to get along with him this evening,” Victor urges. “The master means well; he just doesn’t know how…”
“Got it.”
Lifting a dismissive hand, I clap his shoulder before heading into the dining hall, where my father and mother sit chatting until they spot me.
“Rosco!” My father calls, giving me a broad smile. “It’s about time you arrived, my boy.”
Nodding, I slowly take in the area around me, expecting to find the woman who was supposed to be my wife, but when I come up empty, I frown.
“Don’t worry,” my father says, as if reading my thoughts. “Denali will be here soon.”
“Denali,” I repeat. So that was the name of my wife. It was a pretty name, but it was too bad that it was attached to a woman who was filled with greed. “Wife will be just fine.”
If he thought I wasn’t aware of the fact that our union was for power, he was wrong. And I was sure that the woman who went along with it was just like all the other money-hungry she-wolves.
“Rosco,” my mother hisses, giving me a disapproving look. “Please don’t treat her badly when she shows.”
“I won’t,” I assure her, taking a seat. “But that also doesn’t mean that I’m going to dote on her either.”
At my words, both my parents' faces fall, but before they can say anything more, the door to the dining hall opens. Turning, I watch as Denali nervously makes her way in, and when I realize that she and the maid from earlier are one in the same, I feel like a knife has been stabbed right into my back.
[Rosco’s POV]
I keep my gaze fixed on my new wife as she begins to enter the room, but when her large eyes come to rest on mine, a look of both embarrassment and shock crosses them.
Good; at least she had a sense of shame. Was she playing maid earlier to scope me out, or was she attempting to gain pity from me for having to do such tedious tasks? I didn’t know, but I would find out.
“Welcome!” My father calls, motioning for Denali to come join us. “Please have a seat. Don’t just stand there.”
Nodding, she regains her composure and moves forward until she reaches and takes a seat beside me. However, as she gets comfortable, she doesn’t dare look at me.
“Rosco,” my father huffs once she is settled. “Don’t just sit there. Greet your wife! You left the poor girl waiting for six months to meet you!”
“And whose fault is that?” I huff, not wanting to bother with niceties with a gold digger. “You’re the one that sent me away on business. You were aware of the state of things and should have known it would take longer than a month.”
When my father proposed that I marry the daughter of the alpha of Emerald Moon and his business partner, I didn’t bother arguing. Eventually something like this would end up happening, and I gave up on the thought of ever finding the woman that I fell in love with in the past. However, before I could attend my own wedding, something cropped up overseas. Not like I cared much, but I didn’t expect to be away for so long.
“Could the both of you not discuss business over dinner?” My mother asks, stopping my father before he can argue further. “Tonight is a joyful event where the two newlyweds finally get to meet and be together.”
Happy event? Why would I be happy to be married to a woman like her? Everyone knew that the daughter of Emerald Moon was nothing more than a whore and only interested in money and power. What fool would want to be with a woman like that?
“Denali dear,” my mother continues when neither my father nor I argue. “I hope you can forgive my son for leaving you waiting so long.”
“It’s okay,” Denali says quietly, looking slightly uncomfortable. “I’m sure that his business was important.”
Letting out a huff, I shoot her a look and find that her hands, which are clasped on the table together, are shaking. Was she really that afraid of me, or was she putting on an act?
Frowning, I take her in once more, noting the tense way her jaw ticks and the nervousness that flashes in her eyes. I had to admit that she was a damn good actress. But I wondered if she would keep it up once we were alone.
“It isn’t okay,” my father counters, shooting me a glare. “I’m sure this boy wasted his time playing around while he was there.”
“Believe what you want,” I shrug. “You’re going to do that anyway.”
At my words, a low growl escapes my father, but before he can act, my mother is touching his shoulder and then fixing her narrowed gaze on me.
“Rosco,” she warns. “What kind of impression do you think you’re setting for your new wife?”
Impression? Did she truly think I gave two shits how I looked in front of the woman they chose for me? For all I cared, she could think I was the devil. In the end, she was simply a thing to help me create an heir and then kick to the curb anyway. If she believed that my parents would allow her to stay once her purpose was fulfilled, she had another thing coming.
“Let her think what she likes.”
Growing quiet, I watch as my father’s face starts to turn red and he fights the urge to attack me, but before he can fully snap, dinner arrives and everyone busies themselves eating. Afterwards, I head to my office to finish business while my new wife heads to shower and then make herself presentable for our first night together.
Later, I stand up from my place at my desk, where I had been sitting for at least a couple of hours, and give a stretch before beginning to slowly make my way to Denali’s bridal chamber. Even if I despised her for her purpose in being here, this couldn’t be avoided. If I wanted to get rid of her soon, I needed to impregnate her. Once I had my heir, I would be able to take over not only the pack but also the family business.
Keeping this in mind, I continue to move until I arrive at my destination. Pushing open the door, I take a look inside to find a figure curled up on the bed, fast asleep.
Smirking, I slowly move forward until I’m beside her and can really take her in. Over the years, she hadn’t changed one bit, from her frail form to her long, dark hair and her glowing eyes, which showed all her emotions. However, the image I had created of her back then was now changed forever, and that left me feeling like I had been infatuated with a ghost.
Feeling my anger spike once more, I reach out and grab her shoulder, then shake, startling her awake.
“Oh!” She gasps, her eyes growing wide with shock. “Did I fall asleep?”
“You did,” I confirm, stepping back and crossing my arms. “Is this how little you care for your husband?”
"I..." she begins, but stops as her look of shock slowly disappears and a mask of indifference falls into place. “Apologize.”
“Just an apology?” I snap, growing even more annoyed by how many faces she had. “Do you think an apology will do?”
For a moment, she doesn’t speak as she takes me in with those large eyes, causing my insides to stir as the emotions I felt back when I first laid eyes on her begin to stir.
“What would you like for me to do?” She slowly asks, taking me by surprise.
“So this is how you are?” I ask, unable to hide the disgust I feel. “A man simply tells you what to do, and you do it? If that’s the case, then get on your knees and show me your sincerity.”
“My sincertiy?” She repeats, seeming confused. “I don’t know what you..."
“Don’t try to play innocent,” I warn, reaching out and wrapping a hand around her arm. “I’m sure that you’ve done this plenty of times and are a pro. Now, come here.”
A gasp of shock escapes Denali’s lips as I pull her off the bed and deposit her in front of me, and a look of hurt forms on her features over my being rough. But as quickly as that look appears, it disappears, and in its place comes determination.
“That’s a good girl." I grin as she slowly gets on her knees and looks up at me. “Now go ahead and show me what you can do.”
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