Chapter 19

Lionel’s POV

I looked down at Nan after she had fallen into my arms. I cradled her close to my chest protectively. She was disheveled, her hair was all over the place, her dress slightly torn and stretched around her as if someone had been trying to remove it.

But worse than that, she didn’t look like herself. She was pale, no color reaching her usually rosy cheeks. She was clammy and cool to the touch.

I ran my hands over her arms, trying to warm her while I tried to calm her down. Her chest was rising and falling quickly with her shallow breaths.

I tucked a stray strand of her brown hair behind her ear as I looked down at her in concern. My ears pricked up as I heard two pairs of footsteps coming down the hallway towards us. One pair of the footsteps were heavy footfalls that nearly drowned out the clicking of heels that came along beside it.

I looked up to the sound and was met with the sight of Cora and some strange man who was looking lecherously at Nan. I pieced together what was happening fairly quickly. Cora must have hired a man to take advantage of Nan.

The blood roared through my veins as I felt the rage grow within me. I glared at the two of them, my brow furrowed. My wolf growled within me, wanting nothing more than to break out and tear them to pieces.

“Lionel-“ Cora said desperately with wide eyes as she looked at me innocently. “I caught Nan in an affair with her lover!” She gestured to the man who looked at Nan possessively.

I almost wanted to laugh. I couldn't believe that Cora would think I was so stupid as to believe her. She had always been a terrible actress and this was no different.

“If Nan had been having an affair I would have known.” I responded shortly. I knew about everything going on in my house, she wouldn’t have been able to hide the affair.

I shook my head rapidly, looking back down to Nan, who whimpered softly in my arms. I had been keeping an eye on Nan during the party. I had noticed when one of the maids had took her aside.

I noticed when she was gone for too long and I knew the direction that she had gone. It didn't take long for me to follow.

"She was!" Cora snapped angrily. "You're too blinded by your feelings to notice that she has been taking advantage of you!"

I scowled at her. "I am not an idiot." I responded, emphasizing each word carefully.

Out of my peripheral vision, I saw one of my assistants come up to check on me. It was perfect timing.

I snapped my fingers at him. The assistant rushed towards me, keeping his head lowered. “Send those two to the authorities.” I ordered, gesturing to Cora and the man.

The assistant nodded, quickly, pulling out his phone and dialing for the police. He called security over and with their assistance, led them out of the mansion to wait for the cops to arrive.

I lowered my head again to look at Nan, my eyes searching her face. I could tell she needed care, although I wasn't sure what it was that she needed. I scooped her into my arms, putting one arm under her knees and the other under her back.

She practically melted into my arms. Her face grew pink and she whimpered again as she clung to me. My heart pounded harshly against my ribs, feeling a wave of desire and some sort of longing settle within me.

After a few minutes of carrying her, I arrived in the servant's quarters. I opened the door to Nan's room, reminded of when I carried her to bed a few nights ago when she had fallen asleep in the office. I wished that this was more like that scenario, rather than whatever happened tonight.

I placed Nan carefully on her bed, before I removed the heels that she was wearing so she was a bit more comfortable. I knelt beside her, running my hand through her hair to get it out of her face. “Nan, what happened?” I asked softly.

“Cora... she put something in the wine.” Nan whined out, reaching for me. Her voice was weak and soft.

I sucked in a breath, rubbing my thumb against her flushed cheek. I had always known that Cora could be petty and jealous, but I couldn’t believe that she would stoop as low as to drugging someone.

“A doctor.” I said decisively. “I need to call a doctor-“

I tried to jump up to my feet so I could go make the call, but Nan had a hold of my hand. She gripped onto it with a surprising strength, looking up at me with wide, desperate eyes.

“Don't leave." She begged desperately.

"I... Nan, if you were drugged then you need a doctor. Let me go get one so we can be sure that you're going to be alright." I said quietly, trying to reassure her.

"I'll come back once I've made the call." I promised, trying to pull away from her.

"Stay with me.” She pleaded softly, her pink lips parted slightly as she breathed out the words. She looked aroused, almost as if the drug was... an aphrodisiac.

My mind whirled with the possibility, wondering what Cora's plan had been.

Nan held my hand tightly, before she laid it against her chest, against her bare skin. I felt a lump in my throat.

“Be with me.” She begged in a breathy tone of voice.

“You were drugged.” I said, wanting to agree and take her, but not knowing how she would feel once whatever aphrodisiac she’d been slipped wore off. I shook my head, unsure of how to act in this situation.

“I need you to stay.” She responded in a voice that was desperate and needy and so tempting.

My body was wracked with desire as I looked down at her on the bed. I couldn’t bring myself to say no to her, but I also knew I couldn't give her everything she wanted.

Not now. Not yet.

With a surprising strength and determination, she pulled me onto the bed next to her. “Stay please. Help me, please.”

“Help you with what?” I asked uncertainly. My eyes flickered down to her lips again, but I didn’t dare to kiss her.

She placed my hand against her lower abdomen. “Touch me. Please.”

My heart raced, a low growl going through my chest instinctively. “If you want me to touch you, say my name.” I responded, my voice low.

“Please.” She rolled her hips, my hand moving with the motion. Her eyes were clouded with desire and some sort of fog from the wine.

“My name.” I responded, moving my hand up to rest against her stomach, rather than providing her relief.

“Please-“ She groaned. She looked up at me.

Her eyes seemed to shimmer in the low light of the room. There were a hundred different colors in her eyes and I was intoxicated by all of them.

“Fine.” I lifted the skirt of her dress up slightly, lowering my hand from where it sat on her abdomen to where she wanted it.

She whimpered, rocking into my hand. I wouldn't go any further. Not while she was in this state, but she was desperate and needy and insistent.

She moaned as she pushed her hips against my hand, chasing her own pleasure. I felt myself grow aroused as I watched her move. Her breaths grew shallower as she got closer to her climax.

As she finished, she cried out, "Lionel!"

She fell back onto the bed. I followed her back and kissed her lightly. I couldn't resist it, not after the show she'd made of herself.

As I pressed my lips to hers, I felt more pleasure than I had any right to. I felt my wolf stir within me, growling out a single word.

"Mate..."