The Time I Tripped into a Curse and got two Mates

Chapter 29

Ivan POV

As I watched Evelette move around the room to collect her clothes, I couldn’t help but marvel at her. How was this woman so intoxicating? Every movement she made was hypnotic, her strength and her sensuality effortlessly intertwined. It had to be more than just the mating bond. After all, I hadn’t marked her yet, so it wasn’t official. But f*ck, there was something about this incredibly sexy woman. She seemed shy as she dressed, even though she had just been on top of me riding my…I shook myself to clear my head as I felt the familiar stir in my loins. We don’t have time for another round. I thought to myself.

I watched as she slipped into her pants and shoved the remnants of her undergarments into her pocket with an adorable huff. I bit back a smile at the memory of how those had gotten torn. Then she picked up her shirt, well, what was left of it, and stared at the two pieces with exasperation before glancing over at me.

“I guess I’ll be staying in this room the rest of my life.” She muttered sarcastically as she held up the ruined fabric.

“Oh?” I leaned against the wall, smirking, “And why is that?”

She held up the pieces of her shirt and looked at me expectantly.

“I see,” I said with a quiet chuckle. “I guess you’re right. You’ll be staying here the rest of your life. It was nice knowing ya.”

With a dramatic roll of her eyes, she tossed the shirt at me, and I caught it mid-air, still grinning.

“I’d ask you to let me have your shirt, but…” she said as she crossed her arms, “You don’t have one either.”

I laughed at her and shook my head. “Hold one, I’ll get you one.”

Her expression shifted to one of confusion. I raised a finger silently to ask for a moment and then reached out to Malcolm through a mind link.

“Malcolm, I need a quick favor from you.” I said as soon as the connection opened.

His voice was quick and teasing. “This better be good. What do you need?” He answered immediately.

“Just get me a shirt,” I replied, feeling slightly awkward. “A small one.”

There was a pause, and then I felt Malcolm’s laughter ring through the link. “A small shirt, huh? There’s a story behind this and I’d love to hear it.”

“Just bring me one, please.” I snapped impatiently. “I’m in a conference room in the pack house down the hall. I'll wait for you outside the door.”

“Give me a couple of minutes and I’ll be there.” He said and cut off the mind link.

I glanced back at Evelette, who was now sitting on the edge of the table, her cheeks flushed an adorable shade of red. She bit her lip nervously, and the sight of it sent a rush of heat through me. Goddess, I need to stop thinking like this.

“Malcolm’s bringing a shirt for you,” I said, my tone hesitant. I could sense there was something on her mind.

She bit her lip in a worried way. It looked like she wanted to say something, but wasn’t able to. I was pretty sure I knew what she was thinking. Her teeth sank deeper into her lips, and she opened her lips. I waited patiently for her comment, but it never came.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my neck. “You don’t have to feel embarrassed or guilty about what just happened.” I said, trying to sound casual, “We’re mates. This is what mates do.”

Evelette’s eyes looked at me with disbelief. “I only just met you last night,” she shot back, her voice rising slightly.

I walked toward the door and gripped the handle. “So?” I countered over my shoulder. “I’ve slept with women I’ve only known for an hour. Sometimes I didn’t even know their names.”

I didn’t realize how terrible it sounded until the words left my mouth. I winced internally as I wished them away and her arms crossed over her chest, her gaze hardening.

“And that’s supposed to make me feel better?” She asked, voice firm and challenging. “So, what am I, Ivan? Just another notch on your belt? Just another woman you got your way with?”

Sh*t. I screwed up. “What? No. That’s not what I meant.” I quickly corrected as I stepped toward her, but stopped myself before I got too close. “I’m just saying…you didn’t need to feel bad about how quickly this happened.” I said, my voice a bit louder now. My frustration was rising, not with her, but with myself for handling this so poorly.

I pinched the bridge of my nose and took a deep breath to regain control. “Look. I need to wait for Malcolm. I’ll be right back,” I muttered as I twisted the door knob before this conversation spiraled even further out of control.

Evelette POV

I growled my frustration as the door clicked shut behind him. What the h*ll is wrong with me? One minute we were sparring in the ring, the next I was jumping his bones like a woman possessed. The flush of embarrassment mixed with the strange satisfaction I felt, left me feeling both foolish and oddly pleased. Really. What came over me?

“You know what came over you.” Selene’s smug voice rang in my mind, her tone laced with amusement. “And I know what came all over him…”

I groaned inwardly as I tried to suppress the blush creeping up my neck. “Oh stop that, Selene, or I swear I’ll never let you out.” I threatened, though it lacked any real force.

“Don’t pretend that you didn’t like it.” She purred, her voice smooth and full of mischief.

“I’m not pretending anything.” I retorted as I paced around the room in frustration. “I’m just…ugh…just feeling frustrated.” My mind was a jumble of emotions again: pleasure, guilt, confusion, and a strange desire to do it all over again.

Before I could spiral further, the door creaked open again. Both Ivan and Malcolm stepped into the room, and instantly, an overwhelming vulnerability washed over me. I wasn’t ready for this, wasn't ready for them to see me like this. So I wrapped my arms around myself, a feeble attempt to shield my exposed body, as Ivan walked over to me with the shirt.

I reached for it as I tried to avoid his intense gaze, then turned my back to them as I clutched the fabric to my chest. “Can you give me some privacy please?” I asked, my voice trembling slightly as I glanced over my shoulder.

“Seriously?” Ivan replied. “We’ve jus–”

“Please!” I said louder, cutting him off before he could finish. My heart raced in my chest as I begged for the moment to collect myself.

Malcolm, sensing the tension, stepped in. “Of course, Evelette,” he said gently, his eyes kind. He shot Ivan a look before gesturing toward the door. “Come on, let’s go.”

Ivan hesitated, but after a second, he turned and followed Malcolm out of the room. As the door clicked, I released a shaky breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. My entire body sagged with relief.

Quickly, I pulled the new shirt over my head, the fabric soft and cool against my heated skin. I ran my finger through my hair as I tried to smooth it down, but there was no undoing the wildness of it. I glanced at my reflection in the glass window and grimaced. My cheeks were flushed, my lips were swollen, and my hair, well, I definitely looked like I had just lost my virginity in a mad tumble of passion.

Oh my Goddess, I just lost my virginity. A rush of panic hit me. How am I going to look my parents in the face?

“Be real, Evelette,” Selene chided. “You’re a full-grown woman who has just met her mates. I’m sure your parents will understand.”

She was right. It was ridiculous to feel ashamed of something so natural, so…inevitable. Still, that didn’t make the thought any less nerve-wracking. In any case, I couldn’t actually just stay in this room forever, so I stood up straighter, put my shoulders back, and walked towards the door. Many things had changed, but I wasn’t going to let that stop me from walking out the door with my head held high.