17. To Demi’s Cottage

Max

I stoodin the tree line, watching as the Luna and Florence walked through the garden. The Luna looked happy, laughing and smiling the whole way back to the packhouse.

Curious, I drilled down my senses, listening in on their conversation. My ears perked as Calia mentioned Demi's name—something about her being hungry. My wolf went wild, hoping that my girl was awake.

Adjusting the basket in my hand, I marched straight toward Demi's cottage.

Not wasting a second, I pushed open the front door, and my lungs were flooded with the most amazing scent of lemon drops. The blossoms were among my favorites even as a pup.

"Max?" Demi's delicate voice drifted down the hall. She sounded happy I was here.

I pushed open her bedroom door, elated to find her sitting in her plush chair, smiling up at me. She was still pale, her nightgown hanging off her slight shoulders, but she was awake.

"I brought food." I held up the wicker basket. It was a sad assortment of crackers, dried meat, and a few pieces of fruit, but I wasn't sure if Demi would still be asleep and I simply wasn't that hungry. I hadn't had much of an appetite since meeting with the healer.

"That's very kind of you," Demi said, hugging a ball of dark green fabric. It was my shirt. She was scenting my shirt. My wolf erupted into a happy howl, the sound echoing around in my head.

"Calia just left." Demi's gaze fell down to my exposed chest, and she bit her bottom lip. "She said you never left my side."

"I didn't." I set the basket down, then knelt next to the chair. I wanted to pick Demi up and carry her to her bed, but omegas were possessive about their nests. I didn't want to touch it without permission and risk upsetting her.

Because she had to be an omega…right? It was the only thing that made sense.

"How do you feel?" I asked, taking in her puffy face and unkempt hair. She looked as if she had slept for a hundred years.

"I feel much better." Demi placed her hands in mine. I wrapped my fingers around her thin wrists, squeezing gently. It was silly, but she seemed so much smaller than before. More delicate. Fragile.

"Are you hungry? Tired?" I asked, eager to tend to her. "What can I do for you?"

"Honestly?" Demi leaned toward me, her nostrils twitching as she inhaled the air around me. "I'd kill for a bath." A small smile took hold and she whispered, "You did promise me one."

I grinned wide, cupping her gorgeous face. "Then that's what you'll get, My Lady."

Demi let out a happy hum, slipping a single finger down the scar on my cheek. "I like it when you smile." She took in every inch of my face with such adoring eyes. It made a warmth bloom across my chest. "You're very handsome."

A quick snort jerked from my throat. "You are clearly still very ill." I scooped her up, carrying her to the washroom down the hall.

"I am sore." Demi nuzzled against my chest. She was warm, but her fever was gone. "Who knew sleeping could make your muscles ache?" Her fingers traced a jagged scar across my chest. "What's this from?"

"A fight," I said simply, setting her on the bathroom counter. The small room was nice enough, with a large mirror and two spacious sinks, but it was dominated by the enormous tub. It could easily fit two grown alphas.

"Just a fight?" Demi tucked her hands under her bottom as I moved to the tub. The water ran cold at first, taking a moment to warm up. "Alphas usually brag about their scars." Demi squinted at my chest. "Why don't you ever talk about the battles you've won?"

"What makes you think I've won?" I helped her stand, hoping she was strong enough to not fall over.

"You're still here, aren't you?" Demi giggled as we stood next to the tub. "Alphas that lose, don't live to show off their scars."

I reached for the hem of her nightgown, pulling it over her head. "Surviving a fight and winning one are two very different things." That was a fact. Even if most alphas didn't want to admit it.

"I didn't think alphas were capable of admitting they lost fights. I thought you were all invincible." Demi's pale green eyes sparkled.

"Stupid alphas don't know when to accept defeat," I said, tossing her nightgown away. "When an enemy rips you open, you don't strangle them with your own innards. You put yourself back together, then plan your next attack."

"So you always win in the end?" Her voice tipped up, curious.

I pressed my lips into a smirk, refusing to answer. There was no honor in bragging, even if what she said was true. I always won in the end.

"Have you survived a lot of fights?" Demi's expression dimmed as she took in the dozens of marks across my face and chest.

"I have won more fights than I've survived," I said honestly. "But the few that almost killed me were enough to urge me to be a better fighter. I take my training very seriously."

"That's really impressive." Demi looked up at me with so much adoration. It wasn't the reaction I was expecting. Most gentle ladies liked to hear of fierce battles and triumphant returns. They didn't want to hear that alphas could be weak or hurt."

"How about you?" I held her chin between my thumb and forefinger. "What battles have you won?"

"Me?" She laughed, pressing her hand to her chest.

"Yes." I lowered onto my knees, sliding my hands down the soft curve of her hips and smooth thighs. "Who did you best in this fight?" I pointed to a small, silver scar on her knee. It was maybe an inch long, with a few smaller scars around it. I traced my fingers over it, feeling the puffy mark.

"I fell on a dirt path when I was a pup," Demi said, resting her hands on my shoulders. Her fingers were cold, and they trembled slightly as I looked up at her lovely face. "I hit the edge of a rather sharp rock. I remember it bleeding a lot."

I hummed, brushing the mark with the pad of my thumb. "And this one?" I traveled up, trailing my fingertips right next to the seam of her sex and to a small mark on her hip.

"It's from a boy in my old village. He jabbed me with a stick, pretending to sword fight. I was maybe eight or nine years old."

"Poor, little Demi." I leaned in, kissing it. Her scent bloomed, and her breath hitched. "And here." I circled her belly button, before leaning in and kissing the small scar at the top.

"Do you really want to know?" She raised her brows, and wild curiosity gripped me.

It probably had to do with a past lover, but I couldn't have cared less. My beautiful beta…omega…maybe…had so many stories and experiences, and I wanted to hear them all. I wanted to know everything about her. The good, the bad, and the naughty.

"Yes," I said as she raked her nails through the short hair around my ears. "Tell me."

"I had a…friend." Demi emphasized the last word, making their relationship a little clearer. "He liked piercings."

"Piercings?" I stared at the tiny scar, trying to picture it. "Like an earring?"

Demi nodded as a blush moved across her cheeks. "Yes."

"I think I might like to see that," I said, smoothing my hand over her flat stomach. While I wasn"t one to really notice women's jewelry, I was sure Demi would look lovely wearing nothing but a dangling bit of silver on her belly button.

"And what about here?" I traced a faint crescent shape along the underside of her breast. I knew what it was, but I wanted to hear it from her.

"A bite mark," Demi said simply, and my beast growled low and long.

"What an offensive little scar," I whispered, pressing my lips to the peak of her flesh. "This mark might have to go." I licked it slowly, slipping my fangs forward. "Maybe covered with my own." I nipped, teasing her flesh with my pointed fangs.

"Yes, please," Demi moaned, but her voice was off. Slurred.

"Would you like that?"

Demi hummed in response, apparently unable to speak.

Looking up at my beautiful girl's face, I took in her blown out irises and parted lips. She wasn't my wild beta with a filthy mouth, but a dazed omega, learning how to deal with a shocking onslaught of hormones. It made me a bit sad. I liked the dirty things Demi said to me in the throes of passion. Perhaps her voice would return when she completed her transition. I hoped.

"Let's get you in the bath," I said, leaning over to turn off the faucet. Steam rose from the surface of the water, making the air hot and sticky.

"Okay," Demi mumbled, her voice dreamy and her eyes unfocused.

Stripping down, I climbed into the tub, then I reached for her. I nestled Demi between my legs, urging her to lay against my chest. Skimming my fingers over her sensitive skin and through her hair, I cleaned every inch of her lovely body.

She hummed, her breath slipping into the air like the steam rising off the water. I washed her hair, then squeezed her thighs and waist, trying to ease the ache in her muscles.

For a moment, I thought she might have fallen asleep, but then she said, "Why haven't you asked me yet?"

"Asked you what?" I moved the ends of her long hair through the water, watching it float and swirl.

"Ask me if I'm an omega." Demi's voice was filled with so much emotion.

"Do you think you're an omega?" It was a bullshit thing to ask, but she was so upset when Johns suggested it a few days ago. I didn't want to make things worse.

"Don't do that." Demi shifted, turning around to face me. She looked so serious and sad at the same time. The dark circles under her eyes seemed more like bruises. "Don't avoid my question."

I pulled in a deep breath, picking my next words carefully. "I think it's an interesting diagnosis, but it doesn"t fully make sense." I paused, recalling every fact I had ever learned about the different dynamics. "Omegas can't shift. It's the most basic characteristic of their kind. But you've been shifting for years. That alone makes me think that you might not be. But I don't know. The slick and the nesting. It's all very unusual." I pressed my lips into a tight line, knowing damn well that I didn't actually answer her question.

But the truth was, I did think she was an omega. My wolf could smell it in the air, and I could feel it in my bones.

"Oh." The corners of Demi's eyes pulled down, and her scent shifted wildly. It was thicker, sharper, filled with distress.

"What just happened?" I cupped her cheeks, scanning every inch of her wet body. "Are you in pain?"

"No," Demi sighed, the sound filled with so much emotion. "I'm not in pain." Her words came out as barely a whisper, struggling to look me in the eye. "And I'm not a beta either."