Chapter 9. Enchanting

*Maddox*

I need air.

I need to think.

I need to get away from… that woman.

It’s a good thing that Poppy came into the room when she did, or else… I’m not sure what might’ve happened, but it might’ve gotten heated very quickly.

I walk down the hallway the short distance to my own rooms, dragging my hand down my face as I go. I know I shouldn’t have even stopped there on my way to my room to get ready for my dinner with the visiting Alpha, but curiosity got the better of me.

The urge to see her for myself overwhelmed me, so I made a stop.

Part of me is very glad that I did, but the other part of me wishes that I had just let it be…

I had no idea she was going to be in the bathtub when I walked in.

Then, she’d scurried out, dripping wet, her pale skin glistening with water droplets, the scent of rosewater enticing me to step closer.

Her hair, golden curls, pulled up on top of her head in the back, were damp and not secured all the way. Ringlets framed her beautiful face as she stood there, wide-eyed, her sapphire eyes staring at me, trying to determine what I was doing there.

Her luscious lips, slightly parted, were so plump and perfect that I could imagine what they must taste like. I wanted to step across the room and take her bottom lip between my teeth. I could have lifted her tiny body up onto the bed, the towel sliding onto the floor as my hands wandered all over her body.

She had no idea that when she went into the bathroom to put on that robe, she’d left the door slightly ajar, and in the mirror, I’d seen her perfect backside reflected in the mirror, the curve of her breast, her erect nipple…

I pulled the door open to my room, my erection straining against my pants, and headed straight for my shower, turning the water to cold. I knew I’d be thinking about the girl, Isla, all through dinner.

If the Alpha’s daughter, whatever the fuck her name was, threw herself at me again, I might have to take her up on the offer only to get rid of the enormous hard-on I’ve got growing in my pants just thinking about her.

I’ve got to get her off my mind.

Undressing, I jump into the shower and let the cold water wash away the stiffness in my groin. I try to think about the work I need to do, the conversations that need to be had with Alpha Jordan and others. If I think about work, maybe I won’t think about the girl.

I should be used to not thinking about women I don’t want to think about.

Flashes of Rebecca’s beautiful face flicker before my eyes, and I push them away as I have been doing for years.

Ever since that fateful night.

Since then, I’ve been with lots of women, mostly to drown the pain of losing her, but none of them have meant a thing to me. I definitely haven’t had any issues with getting them off my mind.

Isla’s bright blue eyes come to mind, and I have to wonder if she just might be different.

I turn the water so that it’s a tad colder and stand beneath it a bit longer before I finally get out and get dressed for dinner.

When I’m dressed in a suit with a jade green tie that’s nearly the color of my eyes, my hair is styled, and I’m ready to go, I take a moment to stand in front of the mirror and wonder why I even have these formal dinners.

“Why can’t we just retire these dinners and make them a thing of the past?” I ask myself aloud. I hate them so much…

But visitors to the castle like them, so we continue to have them.

And we, theoretically, get a lot of work done at them…

A knock at the door alerts me that Seth is there to collect me. I grumble a bit before I say, “Yeah,” and he sticks his head in.

“Ready?” he calls.

“No,” I say.

He looks around my room. “Why don’t you ever turn on a lamp?” he asks.

Rather than answering the question, I reply, “Why don’t you ever mind your own business?” and walk to the door.

We head down the hall together, past Isla’s room, and I take a deep breath as we go.

I smell rosewater, and my pants begin to tighten.

It seems I can’t do anything to escape the allure of the woman, no matter what I do. I will just have to keep my mind on something else.

In the dining room, most of the guests are waiting for us to arrive so that we can be seated. It is my duty to be the last to get there.

Before we take our seats, Alpha Jordan comes over, two women accompanying him.

“Alpha Maddox, you remember my wife, Luna Elaine?”

“Yes, of course.” I force a smile at the older brunette on his left arm. “Good evening,” I say to her.

“Good evening, Your Majesty,” she says to me. “Thank you for inviting us.”

I nod, and since Seth is standing right next to me, I manage to say, “Thank you for coming.”

“And this is our daughter, Zabrina.” He turns and gestures to a young woman on his right.

The blonde who steps forward is tall and thin, with far too much makeup on. Her bright purple dress is very sparkly, and she has on large earrings that match. When she smiles and bats her eyelashes, I feel like I must be looking at the fakest, most spoiled Alpha’s daughter in all the land.

“Hello,” I say as she offers me her hand, but not to shake… to kiss.

“Hello, Your Majesty,” she says as I stare at the back of her fingers.

I do not feel like pressing her hand to my lips, but an image of Isla’s mouth comes to mind. That… I’d like to press to my lips… I take Zabrina’s thin hand and twist it, giving it a good shake before I let it go. Her eyes widen as she is shocked at my behavior, but I am the king, and I’ll do as I wish.

“Shall we be seated?” Seth says, stifling a laugh.

“Yes, let’s do.” I walk to my seat, and everyone else does as well. I wait for everyone else, and we pull our chairs out and sit down.

I am ready to get this dinner over with. Unfortunately, there will just be another one tomorrow.