My Second Chance Mate is a Barbarian (Sera and Fenris) novel Chapter 15

Sera

"It’s getting pretty hot in here," Mina said.

The shawl hit the floor before I could catch it. I immediately pulled my arms across my chest, hunched forward to hide the plunge of the neckline. Fenris’s eyes didn't just look at me; they felt like they were stripping away the last of the silk. I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like it was lined with sandpaper.

"What... what was that for?" I stammered, looking at the floor.

Mina didn't apologize. She stepped behind me, her hands heavy and firm on my shoulders. She forced me to straighten up, turning me so I was facing Fenris fully.

"We spent hours getting ready for tonight, didn't we, Sera?" Mina said. She spoke loudly, making sure her voice carried over the table to Fenris.

I looked at her from the corner of my eye, my jaw tight. I wanted to shove her off, but her grip was like iron. For a maid, she was incredibly strong. I tried to pull away, but she leaned in, her breath hot.

"Shut up and stay in position," Mina hissed directly into my ear. "You cannot let that bitch get back in the Alpha’s bed. Look at him."

Fenris blinked, finally breaking the trance. He shifted his gaze from my chest to Mina’s face. "Why did you do that?" he asked. His voice was low, dangerous in a way that made the hair on my neck stand up.

Mina stepped back, releasing me instantly. She picked up the shawl from the floor and held it in front of her with both hands. She let out a nervous, sheepish laugh. "It was getting hot, Alpha. I could see the Princess was starting to sweat. I thought she needed some air."

I wanted to scream. I wanted to tell him she was a liar, but I just forced myself to remain calm, my hands gripped into fists on my lap.

Fenris turned his eyes back to me. His expression was a blank wall again. He sighed, a heavy sound that seemed to vibrate in his chest, and brought a hand up to stroke his beard. I watched his bicep flex under his sleeve—a thick, solid movement that made the fabric strain. I found myself staring at his arm, wondering how much heat that skin held.

He cleared his throat, snapping me back. He looked at Mina. "Give it back. She clearly isn't comfortable."

I was stunned. I’d expected him to tell me to sit up and show off, but he was telling her to cover me. Mina sucked her teeth—a sharp, disrespectful sound—and draped the shawl back over my shoulders.

"Stop hovering," Fenris told Mina. "Go find something to eat or sit down."

Mina didn't argue. She just turned on her heel and walked away. I watched her go, wondering what her problem was. She didn't act like a maid. She acted like someone who had a personal stake in who Fenris was fucking.

I pulled the shawl tight, overlapping the edges until I felt hidden again.

Fenris watched me for a long time. He went back to flicking nuts into his mouth, his movements casual. "Are you okay?" he asked after a minute.

I nodded but looked away. I preferred the grain of the wooden table to the intensity of his grey eyes.

"Eat," Fenris said. "We’ve been on the road for days. You need the strength."

I picked up the silver cutlery and cut into the breast of the bird. The meat was white and dripping with juice. I put a piece in my mouth, and the flavors exploded in my mouth—garlic, sage, and a richness I couldn't name. I closed my eyes, a low moan escaping my throat before I could stop it.

I snapped my eyes open, heat rushing to my face. Fenris was staring at me. A very slight, almost invisible smile touched his lips. Then he reached out, grabbed a thigh of the lamb with his bare hand, and ripped it off the bone with a wet, tearing sound.

I flinched. The meat looked tiny in his massive hand. He didn't use a knife. He just bit into the lamb, tearing away a huge chunk of meat and chewing with a primal focus.

Around the table, the other warriors were doing the same. They were laughing, shouting, and ripping meat apart with their hands like a pack of actual wolves. Fenris grabbed a large iron cup, tilted his head back, and gulped down the contents before slamming the cup back onto the table and going back for more lamb.

In Valdris, this would have been a scandal. Even at an informal hunt, there were rules. Etiquette mattered. Here, it was like being at a trough. Fenris wasn't an Alpha at a table; he was a beast at a kill.

I looked at my neatly sliced turkey. My appetite vanished. I felt like I was sitting next to something that was only pretending to be a man.

I set my fork down, the clink of the metal sounding far too loud in my own ears. I was in hell.

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