Page 13 of The Wolf King's Chosen

Lexi rolled her eyes at him heavily, then jumped onto the bed like she was a teenager. She lay on her back and crossed her legs, her cute feet bouncing up and down in the air.

“So feed me then,” she demanded.

Xander let out a long exhale, which may have sounded irritated, but it was more so done to deter his mounting attraction. He ordered chicken and rice for them, along with chocolate mousse cake, much to Lexi’s delight.

She was filled with glee when the food came in, hot and ready. They sat on either side of the bed as they ate, talking more than they had the day before. Xander’s body had calmed, and he was enjoying learning more about the woman who would be his bride.

“I would like a job around here other than as the future queen,” Lexi said, finishing off her chicken. “The pack needs to see my strengths and know that I won’t take any shit from them.”

Xander grinned, needing to look away from her for a moment to contain the glow. She was such an incredible woman. It was nearly unbearable to regard her without a rain of compliments and touches.

“Is that so?” he said.

She cocked an eyebrow at him, slicing a piece of cake to set on her plate.

“You don’t agree?”

Xander shook his head, staring down at the small mousse cake placed on the bed in the middle of them.

“I do agree, Lexi. I’m just …”

He paused, and Lexi intervened instantly.

“Spit it out,” she said, giving him that sexy smirk again.

“I’m very impressed,” he said firmly, “that you want a position here so early on.”

“What were you expecting? Some dainty tart who wants to be carried around all day?”

Xander laughed a hardy belly laugh, one that was so nourishing to his soul that he had forgotten how long it had been since he’d had that feeling. His happiness made Lexi chuckle, and they shared a beautiful moment of pure joy for the first time in their relationship.

“Well, no,” Xander said, wiping a tear from his eye. “That wasn’t exactly what I was expecting. But I wasn’t expecting you.”

Their eyes locked as Lexi slid the fork into her mouth. It was such a casual gesture, but something about it was so lovely, so captivating. He tried not to stare and instead looked back to his own plate, getting a slice of cake to distract himself.

“Thank you.”

She spoke in a low murmur, and he merely gave her a nod in return. When they finished eating, the kitchen staff took their plates, and they talked a little bit more. Xander respected her boundaries, not reaching for her for the rest of the conversation. Even though it was tough not to spoon his body against hers when they tucked into bed.

“Sleep well, Lexi,” he said in the dark.

“Sleep well, Xander.”

He turned over, staring into the blackness, knowing that he was once again not going to get a wink of sleep. The woman of his dreams lay next to him, and all he wanted to do was remind her of that in any and every way possible.

SEVEN

LEXI

For as long as Lexi could remember, she had not slept well. Sleep as a child always felt like a punishment, so it suddenly got harder once she got older and realized how vital sleep was to her well-being. Beyond the usual changes in puberty and hormonal growth, she noticed it as a teenager and had since gotten used to either not sleeping at all or waking multiple times to the point where she simply got out of bed.

That was what happened the day after she received the tour of the palace from Maureen. The concept of her being unable to shift, along with the rest of her sisters, was a sore subject. One that kids during her school years were never afraid to approach but adults spoke about in hushed whispers. Either way, it was hurtful and frustrating, adding to her inability to get a good night’s rest.

She tossed and turned and ultimately became irritated, so she got up, just as she often did, just before a faint spill of orange light crept over the horizon. She put on her robe and slippers and decided to roam the palace a bit more without the commentary from Maureen, who already seemed to have it in for her.

Before she left the bedroom, she looked at Xander. He was sleeping soundly, curled to the side, facing away from her. His back was massive but soft looking, powerful in its delicacy. The sight of it made her think about the spectacular sex, which clouded her resolve about doubting his intentions.

“Christ,” she muttered to herself.

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