Chapter 24 - Clara

Why was I so warm yet confined? I wondered, snuggling deeper into the warmth. It felt so nice. "Damn, Clara, just get into my skin," Damon murmured in his husky morning voice, and I froze. I was in his arms; I'd snuggled up to him? Why was I in his arms in the first place? Why was I even on the bed?

I immediately pulled away, letting out a shriek as I fell to the floor, hitting my backside hard. "Damn it!" I muttered, turning back to Damon. He was still asleep, as if nothing had happened. Jerk! "Why was I on the bed, and why were you holding me?" I asked, hurriedly glancing down and sighing with relief at being fully clothed.

"If I remember correctly, you were the one snuggling me," he murmured without opening his eyes. I frowned. "But how did I get on the bed?" I asked, standing up. "Maybe you sleepwalked? Now let me sleep. Someone was hugging me all night, so I couldn't sleep properly," he mumbled, gasping as my face flushed with embarrassment.

"I did not hug you! And I do not sleepwalk!" I yelled. He turned his head away. "Keep telling yourself that," he murmured. I wanted to argue but decided against it, simply standing there.

"If you want to get back in bed to snuggle with me, you can, little devil," he muttered. I gasped. "If I'd known it was you, I would never have snuggled you. I'd rather snuggle a goat!" I muttered. He chuckled, turning to face me.

"Well, last night I vividly remember you saying the opposite," he murmured. I felt the color drain from my face. "What?"

He recounted my words from the previous night: "Oh, Damon, hold me tight. You feel so warm. I love being in your arms. Can we snuggle all night?" He added, "You even forced your arm around my waist." I stared at him in horror. "That's a lie! I would never say such things. What do you mean, 'force'?" I shrieked. He chuckled. "I have no reason to lie to you, Clara."

Before I could reply, a knock sounded at the door. "Alpha," Luca's voice called from the other side.

"Let me out immediately," Damon muttered, climbing out of bed and walking to the door.

"Have you two patched things up? I don't want you to be awkward with each other anymore," Luca said.

"You planned this, didn't you? I'm going to kill you as soon as I get out of here," Damon threatened through clenched teeth.

"Now hold on, I did you a favor. You know how miserable you've been since you and Clara started fighting. You always talked about her and—"

"Shut up immediately!" Damon cut him off. I watched his back with an amused smile.

"Sorry, Alpha. I'm going to let you both out, but the Alpha King is in the dining room with Queen Luna and your sister. He wants to see you and make sure you've patched things up," Luca said. I groaned. After Damon's revelation, I didn't want to be near him. Truthfully, I had enjoyed snuggling with him.

"Okay, open the door first," Damon muttered. Luca hesitated, sighing before opening the door. Immediately, Damon punched him square in the face. Luca fell to the floor with a groan, his nose bleeding. "Ow!" he winced. Damon rolled his eyes, turning to me. "Change your clothes," he muttered.

I frowned, placing a hand on my hip. "Into what? You refused to get me new clothes, and all your clothes are in here," I retorted. He rolled his eyes, walking towards me and taking off his shirt.

"Wh—What are you doing?" I asked, my eyes widening. I shrieked as his shirt came off. I wanted to close my eyes, but damn, Damon was ripped! His body was perfectly sculpted. I almost reached out to touch him, but he threw his shirt at me. "Put that on," he muttered.

I hurriedly closed my eyes, clutching the shirt. "Why are you still standing there, and why are your eyes closed?" Damon asked. "You're shirtless," I murmured. "So?" "So I don't want to stare at your chest. Go so I can change," I mumbled.

Damon grabbed me, pulling me to his chest. I stared into his eyes, acutely aware of my chest pressed against his bare one. Even clothed, I felt the hardness of his abs. "We're married, Clara. Get used to seeing me shirtless," he murmured. I scoffed, trying to get free. "I don't have to get used to anything. It's a fake marriage," I muttered.

He placed his fingers under my chin, tilting my face up. "Fake or not, we will have to create an heir, so you'll have to get used to seeing every inch of me, and I'll do the same. Now go dress before I strip you and dress you myself," he muttered, releasing me. I ran away without looking back, locking myself in the closet and breathing heavily.

I hated that I was aroused by what he said. Was it wrong that I wanted him to carry out his threat? Any woman in her right mind would feel the same, especially with Damon. He was right; we would have to create an heir, meaning Damon and I would have sex. Why did that thought excite me? I was losing my mind!

(Note: I removed the "NôvelD(ram)a.ôrg owns this content" as it's irrelevant to the text cleanup.)