Chapter 28 - DAMON

I sat in the waiting area, magazine in hand, waiting for Clara. I scoffed at the magazine photo of myself. Couldn't they have put me on the cover? How did they expect to generate engagement this way? Stupid marketing.

"How is this dress on me?" Clara's question made me look up. My breath hitched. It was a simple, short blue dress, but the way it hugged her curves was… breathtaking.

"It looks good. Next," I mumbled, returning to my magazine. But she remained standing. I wanted to ignore her, but sighed and turned back. "Do you have something to say?"

She nodded, pouting. "All the gowns you gave me are skin-tight," she murmured. I furrowed my eyebrows. "So?"

She sighed, fidgeting. "Well, I'm not in the right shape right now to…"

"Stop talking nonsense and go get changed. Why would I pick something that doesn't fit you?" I snapped. She bit her lip, sighing. "I guess I'll wear another one," she murmured, walking away. I couldn't help but admire her from behind. Where was this sudden insecurity coming from?

Minutes later, she returned wearing a cute crop top and jeans that fit her perfectly. "How does this look?" she asked, turning. The slight movement made her… [The original text contained inappropriate descriptions that are omitted here for clarity.] My pants felt suddenly uncomfortable. I shifted slightly to adjust them. I needed to have sex.

"Everything looks fine. Let's leave," I muttered, standing.

"But I haven't…"

"Pack up all the clothes and pick out shoes and bags for her. Have them all sent to my house tonight. Let's go, Clara," I said. She shook her head. "I have to change first. Delilah gave me those jeans; I can't just leave them."

"Don't worry, ma'am. We'll pack everything for you. What's your shoe size?" the saleswomen asked. Clara hesitated, but eventually answered.

As we left the women's section, her stomach growled, followed by an awkward laugh. "I didn't eat much this morning," she murmured. I sighed and headed for the food court. The staff rushed to greet us. Clara trailed behind.

"Good day, Alpha. It's good to see you. What would you like?"

I sighed, took Clara's hand, and pulled her forward. She gasped but recovered quickly. "Didn't you see my wife? Aren't you going to greet her?" Their eyes widened in fear before turning to Clara. "Sorry, ma'am. Good day, ma'am. It's a pleasure to have you here. What would you like?" Clara seemed overwhelmed, so I ordered for us.

After eating, we left. "That was overwhelming. I don't think I can ever get used to people always wanting to be on my good side. It wasn't like that with Liam," she murmured. I growled, but said nothing; she seemed to understand.

She cleared her throat, reaching for a burger. "I can eat, right?" I nodded. She grinned, beginning to eat. Usually, I hate the sound of people eating near me, but I didn't mind hers.

"And about my job?" she asked, taking another bite. "You can start tomorrow. Now get out," I muttered as the car stopped.

She furrowed her eyebrows, glancing out the window. "But we're not home yet."

"You can walk back, right? Get out now. I have important things to do," I said. She frowned. "But Luca said you had nothing to do today." I glared. "Get out before I push you out."

She pouted, huffed, and put the food in a plastic bag. She got out, and the driver sped off.

"She's still standing there, Alpha," the driver said. I sighed, grabbing my phone. "Clara is at the gate. Go pick her up," I ordered before hanging up.

"Where are we going now, Alpha?"

"Just keep driving. I need to cool off," I muttered, massaging my temples. What was this growing sexual attraction to my wife? It needed to stop.

That evening, Luca said, "Alpha, Clara is crying by the pond again." We walked towards the lake. Clara was sitting there, wearing one of my shirts, just as before.

"It might have something to do with this," Luca said, handing me his phone. It showed that Liam Whitlock had just married his mate, Veronica Evans.

I sighed, handing back the phone. "Stay here and watch out for my father," I ordered, walking towards Clara. "I can't keep finding you like this, little devil," I murmured. She sniffled, looking up. She'd been crying.

"I didn't fall in the pond this time," she murmured weakly. I sat beside her. "Tell me what's wrong."

She sighed. "I know it shouldn't hurt, because I'm married too, but my marriage with you is fake, and I thought after he professed his feelings for me, he wouldn't…"

"Marry his mate? She's his mate, Clara. He had to marry her for his pack's fortune. Besides, why aren't you over him yet? He's not all that," I muttered, feeling a surge of jealousy. How could she crave someone else while married to me?

"You're right. Maybe I need to forget him. I need a distraction," she murmured, turning to me. The look in her eyes made me gulp. "Clara…"

Before I could finish, she straddled me. "Maybe you can help me forget him," she murmured, trailing her fingers down my chest. I tensed, trying not to react. I slapped her hand away. "Stop behaving like a harlot and get off me," I muttered. Her eyes widened, but she didn't move.

"What's the matter? We're married, and I have to give you an heir, right? We'll have sex sooner or later, so why are you fighting it?"

The bulge in my pants was becoming painful. "If we have sex, you'll fall in love with me, and I don't want that," I said. She seemed surprised. I was deadly serious. All the women I'd slept with fell for me, and I hated it, because I couldn't reciprocate their feelings.

"Then we'll have a no-strings-attached sexual relationship. Strictly sex. Deal?" she offered, extending her hand. My eyes widened. Was she serious?

"Strictly sex? If I bring another girl home, or have sex with another girl, you won't mind? If I fuck another girl in front of you, you won't mind?" I asked, feeling the sexual tension thicken. "I won't, as long as I can do the same," she said. I growled, disliking the idea of her with other men.

"Are you sure you want to do this? There's no going back. I'll have you whenever and wherever I want. Are you ready for that?" I asked through gritted teeth. Her eyes sparkled with excitement. "Don't go easy on me," she murmured. I smirked. "You'll be begging me to stop in a minute…"

The final sentence is incomplete and seems to be cut off mid-thought. The [***] were used to replace sexually explicit content from the original.