Free Web NovelChapter 89: The Aftermath
SAMANTHA
Darlington’s eyes drifted away from me. He grabbed the blanket lying next to him on the sofa and he tossed it over in my direction. "Cover yourself with this," he said, his voice thick with something I could not name. "I could also reduce the temperature of the AC is you’re not okay with it."
My mind was still a fog. The mix of lingering desire and fear held me captive in a haze that made it difficult to think clearly. His words broke through the haze and I quickly pulled the blanket around my shoulders, hiding my bare skin from his view.
"Did I frighten you?" Darlington’s voice was thick with guilt and his eyes were filled with regret. "My wolf. He sometimes can be very feral and when he’s at his peak, it’s very hard to control him. The curse... when it gets closer to someone it is familiar with, it has a tendency to take over. Please forgive me."
Tears slipped down my cheeks and I fearfully clung to the blanket, my body trembling with the memory of what had just happened. Words failed me completely and I could not find my voice to respond.
Darlington sighed heavily and he rubbed his temples with his fingers. The flush of desire was still very visible in his eyes and he had not fully regained his composure. His breathing was still uneven and his hands were still shaking slightly.
The villa was silent enough to hear a pin drop and the stillness was broken only by my stifled sobs that I could not seem to control.
Why I had suddenly burst into tears, I could not fathom. I guess I was just overwhelmed with everything that had happened to me. I felt like I deserved better and this was not how I intended to lose my virginity. I wanted to be a bride, going home with my groom and after the wedding, we would consummate the marriage in our matrimonial bed.
But now...I was a slave that had no choice. A sex slave at that. I was subjected to breeding. So sad....
Darlington inhaled deeply, clearly wrestling to rein in his urges. His jaw was tight and his eyes were closed and he looked like a man fighting a battle that he was not sure he could win.
Watching him, I shrank back into the sofa and I pulled my knees up to my chest. Fear still gripped me and I wanted to put as much distance between us as possible.
"Go back to your place," Darlington finally said. "I will not force you to do anything you do not want to do. I will explain to my father. You have nothing to be worried about."
Darlington’s voice softened as if he was walking on eggshells, afraid of scaring me any further. The wild man from moments ago had vanished completely and he was now replaced by someone that was trying to be gentle, someone that was trying to make amends.
His words and tone slowly calmed my pounding heart and the tears finally stopped. Had he really decided not to harm me? Was it truly over?
I bit my lips awkwardly as I pulled the blanket towards me and I stood up on shaky legs. "I... I am sorry," I said. "Did I mess everything up?"
I was brought here as a slave for the night and I should have known what was expected of me. I should have resisted. I should have stopped him. No matter what Darlington tried to do, I should have fought harder.
Darlington had returned to his composed self and he offered me a reassuring smile that did not quite reach his eyes. "No," he said. "I should be the one apologizing. I never intended for things to go this far. But... I am sorry."
The awkwardness between us grew and I did not know how to respond. My mind was still reeling from everything that had happened and I could not find the right words to say.
Darlington seemed to find some amusement in my discomfort and he shook his head slightly. His voice was gentle and patient. "Do not dwell on that," he said. "Go back to your house. Rest. Everything will be fine."
I nodded slowly and I bit my bottom lip as I tried to make sense of my tangled thoughts. Nothing made sense anymore. One moment he was a gentle man feeding me chocolates and the next he was a hungry stranger who could not control himself.
I turned to leave the villa and my bare feet made soft sounds on the cold floor.
But after a few steps, I glanced back over my shoulder. I felt guilty. I did not know why. I had done nothing wrong. He was the one who had lost control. He was the one who had terrified me.
But still, I felt guilty.
"Darlington," I said softly.
He looked up. His eyes met mine.
"Are you going to be okay?" I asked.
He blinked in surprise. "You are asking if I am going to be okay?"
"I know it sounds strange," I said. "But you looked... you looked like you were struggling. Like you were fighting something."
He was silent for a long moment.
"I am always fighting something," he finally said. "Every day. Every night. Every moment. The curse is always there, waiting for me to slip." fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
"But you did not slip tonight."
"I almost did."
"But you stopped."
He looked at me and his expression was unreadable. "Yes," he said. "I stopped. Because of you."
I did not know what to say to that.
"Go," he said gently. "Before I change my mind."
I nodded and I turned and I walked out of the villa.
The door closed behind me.
I stood in the corridor, wrapped in the blanket, still trembling.
And I did not know if I had just escaped or if I had just made everything worse.
