Chapter 37

Walking was not his thing, especially when the hall was as quiet as this but Charlie had a lot on his head. He decided to walk, the night had turned out in a way that no one expected.

How the Zinns were able to penetrate their favorite spot was still a mystery to him, the Zinns were barely mistaken about something. Ever since Konarh had seen Ina years ago, even with the drift they already had going on, he had told Earl that he wanted Ina for himself. Even though he knew that was impossible, for some reason, he believed Ina was his mate. Earl had bluntly refused to give in and give up his Luna to Konarh which only increased their beef, now that Ina had left Earl and knowing that Ina was never Earl's mate, Charlie was beginning to wonder if there was a possibility that Ina could be Konarh's true mate?

Ancient wolves like Zinns could have as many women as they pleased, but like werewolves and every other creature including the demons, they could only have one true mate. As crazy as it was, a Zinn could wait for ages for his mate to be born and when he finds his mate, if she is human or a pure breed, she would likely die before him. On rare occasions, the Zinn might decide to die with his mate, but the Zinn can only be killed by his true mate.

Some Zinns eventually grow old and die, others live as long as they want but others might die in battle, but it was often difficult to kill a Zinn. Most Zinns who find their true mates in humans or purebreds often hid her from people in fear of her learning that she had the power to kill her mate.

Konarh knew if he was going for Ina or even Nellie he would likely die because the two women would know they could easily kill him. There was no doubt that Konarh wanted to have Nellie just to spite her, but it was still very obvious that he still believed Ina to be his true mate, could there be a possibility?

Charlie shook his head as if in denial, if Ina was indeed Konarh's true mate then Earl might as well inform Konarh that Ina was in Tony's custody. Like the purebreds, Zinns hated the Rogues as much as they hated every other creature on earth, there was a chance that Konarh did not know where Ina was.

When they were much younger, Charlie never understood why there was such a thing as the Rogues, he couldn't understand why a pack of their kind would rather choose the nomadic lifestyle instead of living a civilized life. But now that he was older, Charlie understood that the way they lived was the way they were born to be.

In the human world, wolves were classified as wild cats, the Rogues were the typical wild cats. They preferred moving about in packs and conquering any pack they could defeat to staying confined in one space and growing like the human ways.

The thought of living such a life was always a big No for him, Earl thought. Purebreds like himself would rather live and grow in one place almost like the humans, they protect their kinds and they respect their boundaries. The Rogues were selfish and could be manipulated by anyone in higher authority.

The only reason Tony was very interested in fighting Earl was because his father was a purebred, his father had planted the hate in his heart for purebreds and that, mixed with the fact that his mother was a Rogue. His Rogue blood coupled with his hate for purebreds drove his need for revenge and hate in full gear.

How Ina and Tony had ended up together was still a mystery to them, Ina had barely ever seen Tony throughout her stay in the castle, it would have made more sense if he had absconded with Konarh, but with Tony? One would have thought it was almost impossible, if Earl had not seen them together, Charlie would not have believed him.

That was another reason he could barely trust women, the only woman he trusted was his sister, Lydia and his mother? But it was difficult to tell if she even knew he existed. Charlie ignored the pain that pierced his heart like a sword at the thought of his mother.

He didn't know when he got to his room until he found himself standing outside the chambers. The guards gave him a questioning look because they had not seen him leave the room. He sighed tiredly. He had teleported out of the room when he felt Earl was in danger.

"It's alright, Lance. Let me in" Charlie said calmly when the guard blocked him.

"I am sorry My Lord, I did not see you leave. How do I know it is you?" Lance asked.

It was normal for wolves or other creatures to take the form of another person so Charlie understood Lance's point. With a slight twist of his finger, the guard beside Lance began going up in the air. The guard shrieked in fear and Charlie dropped him immediately, it was a way to show them he was really their Master.

"I am sorry, My Lord" Lance and the guard chorused simultaneously.

"It's alright, I understand" Charlie patted the guard he had lifted on the shoulder to steady him.

Ariel. Was she still in there? She had been reading a book when he left. Had she gotten tired and left already? Charlie hoped she had gone, he wasn't sure he would be able to tame his wolf if she attempted to seduce him tonight.

"Is the lady still here?"

"What lady, My Lord?" Lance asked with a confused look.

"The one that served me, Ariel" He rushed her name out as if it would hurt his lips.

"She never came back after she took the plates away, Master" The other guard spoke.

Charlie only nodded, it was possible that Ariel must have teleported her way in to avoid suspicion but it was rather surprising the things she could do as maid, was bold and could even read his thoughts. She knew what he was thinking and seemed to always be around even if he couldn't always see her, like the way she had known he had been thinking about her and searching for her. Did that also have to do with the mate thing?

"Oh Charlie, you are not buying that cock and bull story now, are you?" Charlie said aloud.

"Did you say something, Lord Charlie?"

"Oh no, no" He was going crazy already!

Lance opened the door and he went into his chambers, the room was dark but the comforting scent of honey and coconut hung in the hair. It was Ariel's scent, on impulse, Charlie inhaled deeply, he did not bother to put on the candles, he just made do with his eyes.

"You stayed out for so long"

For a second, Charlie was startled at the sound of her voice, he had not seen her there, sitting on his bed like she belonged there. Probably because he had not bothered to look, any normal lady would have gone back to her chambers but not Ariel, she was no normal lady.

"What the hell are you still doing here?" He whispered harshly.

"I told you I was going to be with you tonight" she said in a very indifferent tone.

"Be with me how? I am a man, and you are a lady, a maiden! What are you doing in my bedroom by this time of the night?" That would have worked on any other lady, except for Ariel ofcourse, she had no care in the world about what other people thought.

"Come on, Charlie. We already talked about this before you left. I have been waiting for you all night. The least you could do is tell me where you went"

He was going to tell her it was none of her business, to tell her to stop pestering him and stay away from him. But when he opened his mouth, he found himself saying, "I had something urgent to take care of"

"Like going to a wench?" Her voice held a glint of hurt in it.

"That is none of your business!" Charlie retorted.

"Why do you have to be so mean"

He thought he heard her voice crack. Not again! Charlie was not in the mood for this tonight.

He yanked her off the bed with one hand gripping her arm tightly "I am glad you just realized I'm mean, dear girl. Because I am! I don't know what you are doing around me but trust me you are playing with fire, I have been doing my best to stay away, to avoid you but you are really testing my patience- listen carefully because I'll say it this one last time, Ariel. STAY AWAY FROM ME!"

He had hoped that would scare her, and it did, he saw the glassy look in her eyes but it was immediately replaced by a flash of anger that surprised him.

"You think I don't know you are mean? I know you are, Charlie. You have been nothing less than that to me ever since I met you! But do I still want you? Yes. And I can't wait until you realize you do want me too" she paused to look at him, his grip on her hand had loosened by now, she wrapped her hands around the back of his head and pulled him close that his breath was fanning her face now, "Take me Charlie, I can't wait any longer. I want you now… here. I want you feel your hands around me again if that is the last thing I would do"

Charlie was speechless, the feel of her body this close did nothing to sooth his hungry wolf, he tried to look away from her but she turned his face around to face her.

"You don't know what you are doing," he muttered in a voice he could barely recognize.

"Then I don't want to know, all I know is I want you, mate and that is enough, take me now"

He didn't know if it was a command but he found his hands snaking around her back, his wolf was screaming for him to take her, although his mind told him he would regret it later, he found his body yielding to her command.

He wanted him to take her? He was going to take her. After today she would ignore him for life, with that in mind, Charlie pushed her to himself and crushed his lips on hers, the force startled Ariel but she recovered just in time to kiss him back with the same energy.

The kiss was meant to be a punishment, but Ariel was twisting and turning in his arms out of sheer enjoyment, she held onto him tightly and kissed him back like her life depended on it. Charlie groaned as her hands began roaming in his hair.

Ariel's hands went from his hair to his chest, his arms and back to his chest, Charlie was going crazy with pure need. His wolf was screaming in his head, Take her! Claim her!

As much as he wanted to punish her for putting him in this mood, Charlie felt sorry for her. She had no idea what he was going to do to her, the thought almost made him grin, he stopped kissing her and with one hand on her chin, her raised her head to face him,

"Why did you stop?" She had a disappointed look.

"I am giving you a choice, Ariel. Turn around and walk out of that door now and we will forget that this happened, but stay here for one more second and nothing will save you" He held her gaze the whole time, her eyes were steady on his too.

"I want you to take me, Charlie. Now!"

Was she commanding him? Charlie chuckled darkly. He grabbed her hair with one hand and pulled her back to him, this time his mouth landed on her forehead, he trailed hisses on her face, teasing every part with his tongue, her lips, her eyes, her earlobes.

When his tongue found a spot on her neck, she shivered at his touch, Charlie suckled on it gently. He wanted to but he couldn't bring his mouth to leave that spot, suddenly he felt his gum itching, what was that? He ignored that part and went back to her lips.

His fingers found her breast under the silky night dress she wore, Charlie paused and with a snap of his fingers, he ripped the gown in two. He heard Nellie gasp and he met her eyes with a devilish grin plastered on his face. Flinging the ripped gown across the room, he crushed his mouth on her breast and kneaded one in one hand, a moan escaped Ariel's throat at the sudden warmth the contact gave her.

She shuddered and held onto him tightly, when Earl was satisfied, he lifted her up and placed her on the dressing table. He saw her eye the bed but he ignored the confused look on her face, this was a punishment and he would make sure she didn't enjoy it. His hands found her ties and he ripped the last and only piece of clothing preventing him from reaching his target.

"Charlie… please"

"Shhh. You wanted this, right?" He thrusted one finger into her wet opening.

Ariel gasped. Was it in pain or pleasure? He couldn't tell. But he hoped it was the former.

"Be… gentle… please"

Was she begging? He felt like laughing out loud but his mouth was busy, she was about to say something else when he silenced her with a demanding kiss. His finger did another impulsive move down there which had her screaming, Charlie stifled her groan with his mouth.

She was tight, just how he liked them. Ariel was tugging at his shirt by the time he made the third thrust with his finger. He stopped kissing her and looked down to meet her gaze, her eyes held a pleading look, her hands were still tugging on his shirt. She wanted to touch him.

"You can't" He said it in a very cold voice that he regretted using the moment he saw the hurt in her eyes.

Charlie averted her gaze and continued with what he was doing with his fingers, she tried screaming again but he suppressed it with a kiss. His wolf was not helping, even if he wanted to be gentle on her, he couldn't. This had to be a lesson to her to make her stay away and his wolf was almost dying to feel her.

With his hands, he wrapped Ariel's legs around his waist. All this while he was still fully dressed, he bared only the area he would need, with his eyes fully trained on hers, he entered her quickly without warning.

Ariel's scream filled the room, he didn't kiss her to suppress it this time. He was still too shocked by the barrier he had just broken, what had he done? She was a bloody virgin! How had he not known? He had just taken her in the cruelest way possible- on a table and in a…

Ariel's hands in his hair interrupted his thoughts, she pulled him close and kissed him deeply, this time she started the kiss… passionately. He almost withdrew but she hugged him to herself like a child who was afraid.

"Please… don't stop" Her voice was barely audible.

Claim her! Take her!

His wolf was too hungry, he thought. He had to stop but he couldn't, when she kissed him again, the pity he felt for her was immediately replaced by anger, she had known she was a virgin and she led him on. Charlie thrusted in the second time, he felt Ariel stiffen in his hands but he ignored her, she was kissing him to stifle the groan herself.

He stopped kissing her and buried his face in her neck instead, ignoring the itching in his gums. He wanted to hear her scream, to hear her beg him to stop, to hear her promise never to bother him again, but she didn't. It only made him angrier, he kept thrusting, ignoring her whimpers and silent cries until he emptied all his frustration into her, he didn't bother pulling out. He withdrew from her as fast as he had entered her, ignoring her face he left her on the table.

She managed to stand up on her own, but her legs were shaking. With a thud, she fell back on the floor and lay there unmoving- that was when he saw it… the blood was streaming down her legs in a thin line.

What have you done? He asked himself.