The Crown's Entrapment

With everything that had happened, Gilas couldn't help but quickly wrap up his remaining work in the castle just so he could go home earlier than usual.

[Look at you always being excited about going home,] Ham amusedly remarked. [Isn't it nice? Finally, the evil Nasser had met what he deserved, and you're now a free man that can do anything you'd ever want. I am so happy for you.]

Gilas couldn't agree more. As soon as he was done with work, he immediately shifted into his wolf form and traveled to the manor that he could now call his own… Upon arriving at the Keen Manor, he immediately went inside his bedchamber to get cleaned up. It would seem that he was just in time for dinner, and he didn't want to waste any more time doing something else when he could be there with Clara in a few minutes.

But just as he was about to change, Clara's strong scent stopped him right in his tracks. If his nose was correct, she was currently inside the master bedchamber her mother had prepared for him and Clara in the manor. It was one of the only huge bedchambers available, and since Gilas refused to use the bedchamber that Nasser had used before as the master of the manor, he went with that current room instead.

Turning his gaze to the location of their private privy, Gilas ended up gulping as he subconsciously imagined what Clara was doing inside.

[Oh, yes... She's probably sinking her body under the warm and relaxing waters of our big tub right now,] Ham teased. [How about we join her?]

Gilas quickly shook his head. Closing his eyes, he gritted his teeth as his instinct started to eat him. He started muttering his usual chants inside his head, hoping to control himself instead of following his instincts.

Truly, with each passing day, it was honestly getting harder and harder not to succumb to his desires.

"You're here…"

He froze as heard Clara's sweet gasp, making him open his eyes as he turned to look at her. She looked so startled, and heaven only knew how he looked at that exact moment. His mouth was agape as he unknowingly stared at her from head to toe. Her hair was still wet, and he could only gulp as his imagination ran wild as to what was beneath that small towel wrapped around her body. The flimsy thing only covered half her bosoms and was only barely enough to hide her private parts down below.

Still, he should've expected this. Her wolf had no sense of smell, so it's no wonder then that she didn't see him coming for her. Otherwise, she wouldn't have gone out of the privy like that... Right?

Really, if he didn't know any better, he would've thought of this as her acting to deliberately seduce him.

[You can only hope though!] Ham chuckled.

True, that… He could only hope for that exact day to come sooner before he truly went insane. It was madness, and right now, he just couldn't find it in himself to tear his gaze away from her despite knowing that he already looked stupid while doing so.

"I was in a hurry to help Mother in the kitchen and I forgot to bring a proper towel," she weakly explained, her embarrassment coming to him in the form of her red cheeks. "So I used the ones available inside…"

Gilas blinked as his gaze went to the small towel. Sure enough, he recognized that it was his towel that she had used. It was quite smaller than the ones she was used to having.

His gaze lingered for another beat before he finally pushed himself to immediately turn around. It was a good thing too. Another second later, and he might've ended up pulling her into his arms.

"You're… early?" she awkwardly commented.

"Yes," he awkwardly replied. "D-do… Do you w-want me to go out?"

Gilas felt his own cheeks redden as he inwardly cursed on the way he stuttered. Why did he even ask that of her? Surely, Clara would want some privacy right now since she was currently naked and wanted to get dressed.

"It's alright… It's not like we're not used to seeing naked bodies in this kingdom anyhow," Clara commented with a chuckle.

With his back still turned to her, Gilas could barely feel her moving. She was probably walking towards her wardrobe. Unfortunately for him, she had recently put up a wall against him, and it was frustrating to not know what exactly it was she was feeling. He could tell a bit of it from the awkward chuckle, but he couldn't truly feel her emotions at the moment.

It was annoying… Infuriating even despite knowing that he really shouldn't be.

Having had enough of the tension, he turned around to face her. To his surprise, he had done so suddenly enough that they accidentally bumped into each other.

And to both his delight and horror, the flimsy towel holding back Clara's dignity to him had dropped to the ground.

"E-Excuse me…" he could only utter as his eyes drank in the delightful sight in front of him. "L-Let me-"

"I-I have it!" Clara yelped as she hastily bent down, grabbing the towel before hastily wrapping it back around her body. "I-I'm sorry. I should've been paying attention."

"N-No! I should be-"

Before Gilas could even finish his sentence, Clara had already rushed into the wardrobe, hiding within her clothes as she presumably went to clothe herself. He was then left alone in his thoughts, his mind still glued to the image of his mate's gloriously naked body standing right in front of him looking damp and ready for the taking.

[You should've gone for it!] Ham laughed aloud.

Gilas clenched his fists as he did his best not to follow Clara into the wardrobe. It wouldn't do for him to be this insatiable. Although… Didn't she just say that they should be used to seeing each other's naked bodies? Then why was she burning red just now? Her eyes glowing as if… As if she would've liked for him to jump her all the same?