40. Naked

Taos led Sona out of the room that she discovered was a guest room in his own personal residence opposite the inn she had been staying in. It seemed larger than the building front, with grand hallways leading from room to empty room, a full kitchen, and a dining area. Though there were elements of the home attached to the harem, this one was somehow more modest, more intimate, and quiet—no giggling consorts or nosy attendants, not a single Epsilon in sight.
Except for the one lounging in one of the rooms munching on an apple.
“Guard!” Taos barked, startling the poor young male right off his chair, the fruit flying in the air and hitting him on the head. “Mistress Mai needs herbs! Here is a list of what she needs.”
The wincing Epsilon took the piece of paper with Sona’s scrawl. “How’ll I know which is—”
“It’s all labeled,” Sona told him, grateful that she’d taken the time to do so…with Taos’ help. “You don’t need much of each, just throw a little in one of the satchels on the table next to the door.”
He dipped his head to his Alpha and slipped out, his apple unfortunately to be left behind.
Taos guided Sona forward with a hand to her lower back. “One request down, two to go. How big do you want your bath?”
She knitted her brows as he turned a corner to another hallway. Just how extended was this place and *why*? “What do you mean?”
“I have a small bath, a large bath, and a *larger* bath. All may have the same amount of soap if you so desire.”
Sona conjured the ridiculous image of her sitting in a bath with a mountain of bubbles rising above her head and spilling over the edges. She’d entertained Raff with that dozens of times.
She was also utterly exhausted, which made her want to play along with Taos’ mischievousness. “What if I desire a *largest* bath?” she giggled, realizing too late how delirious she was.
Taos boomed a laugh and steadied her when she stumbled over her own feet. “Whoa, sleepy one, you’d think you were drunk. The largest would be the bathhouse. We can certainly revisit that. I don’t mind if we eat at the same time.”
She was lucid enough to pick out the *we*. “Hm, Alpha, you call me presumptuous.”
“My mistake,” he said calmly. “Let’s stick to small for now—”
“No. Big one. Please.”
“As you wish. Turn here.”
He stopped her on the threshold with an arm looped all the way around her waist before she could hurry forward. She didn’t protest when he pulled her flush against his chest and murmured against her ear, “I’ll find food. Don’t drown while I’m gone.”
“How long?” she whispered back. “Until you’ll be back, I mean?”
“As short a time as possible, trinket.”
“Okay.”
Taos released her lingeringly and when she spun around, he was already gone. She didn’t expect her heart to clench at his sudden absence. Then she shook her head—*what are you doing, Sona,* missing *him*?
She closed the door behind her, set the folded clothes on a bench, and blearily took in her surroundings. It was more toned-down than she thought possible. It was all still marble, dressed in red, and adorned with bones…but modest. The tub was more of a circular pool set in the ground, the water dark from the dim light of only a few red-wax candles on the floor, steam and smoke curling together in the warm air. Sona closed her eyes and inhaled the rich mix of scents…including honey. It made her feel the ghost touch of Taos’ hands—
She shook her head again—*gods, Sona, get your shit together*—and padded to the edge of the pool to drop the cloak and slip into the warm water up to her neck. It almost brought tears to her eyes. *Gods, this feels so nice. Warm. Comforting. Healing*. The start of her ability to let the past few hours wash off her and dissolve into the recesses of her mind.
*Don’t drown*, Taos had said. He probably meant *don’t fall asleep and subsequently drown*, because Sona felt herself about to drift hard and fast.
But she wouldn’t allow herself to do that, heather by his word or not. She plunged her head underwater to shock her senses as much as they could be with warm instead ofo cold water. She scrubbed at her face with rough hands to clear the blood and dirt and spittle, wincing at the still-not-healing scratch marks. The herbs she asked for should soothe the skin and speed up the process.
When she resurfaced and heard the door open, it was a fifty-fifty chance of who it could be, and either way, she would be happy with the provisions they brought. She turned, resting her elbows on the edge, blinking water from her eyes that she could finally see clear out of.
Happy? No, she was delighted—both males came in together bearing a meal and herbs. She located Taos first and laughed, “I could get used to this.”
The Epsilon set a bowl of all their herbs she asked for in front of her and left briskly. Taos crouched down with a tray of garnished elk. Her mouth started to water and she almost climbed out of the pool before Taos went,
“Ah, ah, trinket, aren’t you forgetting something?”
Sona sank back under. “Right. Clothes.”
“You’re welcome to remain unclothed, of course.”
“You wish.”
“I do.”
“Too bad.”
Taos’ mouth curved into wickedness. His dark eyes bore into hers, into her weary, wary soul, and said, “Not for long, trinket.”
She swallowed hard. They were to be fucking *married* in less than a month. Marriage entails consummation. Consummation entails naked bodies. Sona would have to see Taos naked, and he would see her. It still did not sit well. there were so many details her brain refused to comb through, but the longer she avoided them, the shorter time she had to come to terms with them.
“We should talk about that,” Sona rasped. Clearing her throat, she tried again, “About…a lot of things.”
“Can we talk naked while I feed you bits of meat?” Taos asked in a purr, one eyebrow raised.
Sona hesitated—*moon goddess fuck me, why did I hesitate?!* “No.”
“Talk naked while you feed yourself?”
She chewed the inside of her cheek. Taos Redbone filled her vision with raw maleness—arrogance, muscle, skin oiled with sweat, his teeth exposed in a cocky smirk, red hair damp. Her fingers suddenly itched to brush it off his forehead.
*What the fuck, Sona?!* she screamed at herself. *I’m too exhausted to think straight. I can’t let him ply me with his charm while I’m in this state*.
Sona didn’t think Taos would take advantage of her, but if she was lucid enough to consent to anything at all, he likely would happily oblige.
“What do you want, Taos?”
“You. Have I not made that clear?”
“Abundantly. I still don’t get why.”
“I thought I made that clear as well.”
*Magnificent*, he called her. “I guess I’m just oblivious,” she said quietly.
“Or in denial,” he suggested. He adjusted himself to sit with his bare feet in the pool, the water coming just below his knees. Sona shifted over to give him space even though he leaned onto his elbow to put mere inches between their faces.
Taos wanted to kiss her.
Desperately, but he would never admit it.
But why would she ever want to kiss him back?
And why was she remaining still as a doe, as if unable to do as she should: back away, push him off, distance herself from him in as many ways as possible.
None of that was possible, though, in many ways.
Run from the future or face it head-on. Don’t be a doe. Be a wolf.
Sona didn’t want to kiss Taos Redbone—not yet. But she did take one hand in both of hers and glide further into the pool. Still clothed, he slid in, letting himself be guided to the center, eyes watching every one of her movements like they hypnotized him.
If he was to see her naked, it would be on her terms—how, when, and where. All she would demonstrate at this moment.
Releasing his hand, gathering the courage that she forced to well inside her, she acted before she could think twice—
Sona stood to expose her body waist up.