From Substitute To Queen Chapter 26

My strokes became more urgent, more desperate. I was so close, right on the edge, but something held me back.

Minutes passed. My hand worked frantically, but release remained just out of reach. My cock ached with need, harder than I'd ever been in my life.

*What the hell is wrong with me?*

I leaned harder against the wall, my breathing harsh and labored. Sweat mixed with the shower spray, making my skin slick.

Then I heard it.

A cry from the bedroom – soft but distressed. Sable's voice, caught in the grip of some nightmare.

The sound of my mate in distress shattered the last of my control.

"Sabi..." I groaned, her name torn from my throat as my orgasm finally crashed over me.

My cock pulsed in my hand, cum shooting in thick ropes against the tile wall. The release was so intense it left me shaking, my knees nearly buckling as wave after wave of pleasure tore through me.

I pressed my forehead against the cool tiles, gasping for air as the last tremors subsided.

I stayed there for several minutes, letting the water wash away the evidence of my desperation. When I finally straightened up, I couldn't help but shake my head at myself.

The Lycan King, reduced to jerking off in a shower.

The first time in my adult life I'd needed my own hand to find release.

But even as I mocked myself, I knew it wouldn't be the last time.

***

**Sable's POV**

My eyes snapped open to unfamiliar surroundings. Cream-colored walls. Floor-to-ceiling windows. Egyptian cotton sheets that definitely weren't mine.

*Where am I?*

I shot upright, heart hammering against my ribs. My hands flew to my clothes, checking frantically. My shirt was still buttoned. Jeans still zipped. Underwear intact.

"Thank God," I breathed. "Nothing happened."

Fragments of last night crashed back in waves. The mate bond. That overwhelming shock of recognition when I'd seen Caelan across the hotel lobby. The way his eyes had blazed gold before shifting back to blue. Then... darkness.

I'd fainted. Right there in the middle of the Moonridge Grand's marble lobby like some Victorian maiden.

*Fucking embarrassing.*

Esme stirred lazily in my consciousness. *"Good morning, sunshine. How are we feeling about our mate today?"*

*Don't start.*

*"You can't avoid this forever, Sable. The bond is real. He's real."*

*I said don't start.*

A soft knock interrupted my internal argument.

"Sabi? You awake?" Caelan's voice carried through the door, gentle but cautious. "Can I come in?"

I pulled the comforter up to my chin. "Give me a second."

"Take your time."

I ran my hands through my tangled hair, trying to make myself presentable. There was no way to avoid this conversation.

"Okay," I called out.

The door opened slowly. Caelan stepped inside, carrying a steaming mug. He'd changed from last night's formal clothes into dark jeans and a navy sweater that made his eyes look even bluer. His hair was slightly mussed, like he'd been running his hands through it.

"Morning." He smiled. "Thought you might want some coffee."

"Where are we?"

"My suite at the Moonridge Grand." He set the mug on the nightstand within reach. "You passed out last night. I brought you here."

The rich scent of coffee made my stomach growl. I wrapped my fingers around the warm ceramic, grateful for something to do with my hands.

"What about my luggage?"

"I had someone collect it from your old room." He gestured toward the far corner where my suitcase sat next to several shopping bags. "Also picked up a few things you might need."

I blinked at the bags. Designer logos peeked out from tissue paper.

"You didn't have to—"

"I wanted to." He shoved his hands into his pockets. "There's a full bathroom through that door. Take your time getting ready."

After he left, I investigated the shopping bags. A complete wardrobe spilled out – designer jeans, silk blouses, cashmere sweaters. Even underwear, though I tried not to think too hard about how he'd known my sizes.

*The man thinks of everything.*

I grabbed my own clothes from the suitcase instead. Something felt too intimate about wearing things he'd chosen for me.

I walked into the bathroom and let the hot water wash away the lingering confusion from last night, though it did nothing for the questions multiplying in my head.

When I emerged, towel-dried and dressed in my own jeans and sweater, I noticed details I'd missed before. The suite's closet held men's clothes – not new purchases, but lived-in pieces. Suits, casual wear, workout gear. A leather jacket hung on one hook like it belonged there.

The bathroom counter held a second toothbrush, shaving cream, and a razor with obvious wear marks.

I was confused. Caelan hadn't just booked this suite for our visit. He'd been staying here regularly.

*But why?*

I decided not to ask. Whatever brought him to Moonridge repeatedly was his business, not mine.

I found him in the main living area, seated at a mahogany desk with a laptop open. Wire-rimmed glasses perched on his nose, transforming his usual commanding presence into something more... approachable. Almost scholarly.

*God, why does he have to look so...*

*"So what?"* Esme's voice dripped with amusement. *"Sexy? Intelligent? Mate-worthy?"*

*Shut up.*

The glasses shouldn't have been sexy. They were just practical eyewear. But combined with the way he'd rolled his sleeves up, revealing strong forearms, and the focused concentration on his face...

*I'm losing my mind.*

He looked up when I entered, immediately closing the laptop and removing the glasses. A smile warmed his features – genuine and soft in a way that made my chest tighten.

"Better?"

Heat crept up my neck. "Yeah."

*This is insane.* Before learning about the mate bond, I could talk to Caelan normally. He was just... family. An older brother figure who'd helped me through difficult times.

But now? Now I couldn't look at him without remembering the electric shock of recognition. The way his wolf had surfaced briefly, claiming me with golden eyes.

*How am I supposed to accept someone I've always seen as family as my mate? It's like falling in love with my own brother.*

The mate bond pulsed between us, a constant awareness of his presence. His scent. The way he moved. It was overwhelming and terrifying and I wasn't ready for any of it.

*My heart is already broken. I can't trust love again.*

Caelan stood, closing the distance between us. When he reached for my hand, I let him take it. His palm was large and warm and completely engulfed my fingers.