9. The Next Morning

Max

I hated leaving Demi.

The gorgeous beta was still sound asleep when I snuck out of her cottage only a few hours ago. I wanted to wake her, and kiss her sweet lips, but she needed her rest. I had tested the limits of her body, forcing all of me inside her. She seemed to love every inch, but I was still worried. It wasn't natural for a beta to take an alpha so easily.

Would she take my knot as well?

I scowled at myself, forcing the question from my head.

Thoughts like that were dangerous.

Demi didn't want a serious relationship with me. She made that clear. She wanted to have fun. Afriend. I had never hated a word so much in my life. But now it was a mocking reminder of what I would never have—Demi's heart.

She didn't want me. At least not in the way I wanted her.

But I'd take what I could get. I'd gladly swallow up every ounce of her precious attention and cherish every moment until she grew bored of me and moved on.

My wolf whimpered at my defeated thought. Then he roared, baring his teeth. He was so angry with me. The beast had urged me all damn night to shove my fangs into Demi's pretty neck. He only cared about taking what was his. Not respecting a young beta's right to choose. After all, Demi wasn't an omega—they needed the guidance of a firm mate—but betas were more similar to alphas, in that they could choose their lovers, and they could choose when to leave them.

But that didn't stop me from fantasizing.

Wistful images flooded my mind. I thought of all the things I'd never have—making love to Demi's sweet body with my bite deep in her neck and my babe in her belly.

It was such a lovely dream.

"Good morning, alpha," Demi's beautiful voice swirled around me, quickly followed by her heavenly scent. The beta wore a long black dress today. She frequently wore the color, and I understood why. It complimented her creamy complexion and pale green eyes.

"Demi," I bowed low, making the beta giggle. "How did you sleep?"

"Awful." she pouted, pretending to be upset. But her scent was as bright and fresh as always.

"Awful?" I repeated, eager to hear the joke poised on her tongue.

"Yes." Demi huffed loudly. "The most savage alpha crawled into my bed last night."

"Really?" I played her game, crossing my arms. Trying to look concerned. "I hope he didn't hurt you."

"It was worse than that." She placed her hand on my forearm, leaning in and whispered, "He fucked me senseless. Forced all thought and reason from my head." She shook her head as if it was too cruel to be true. "I didn't think I'd survive, but I somehow made it through."

I smiled. I couldn't help it. She was so silly and flirty at the same time. "I'm happy you lived to fight another day."

"What is this?" Kade marched toward us, staring right at me. My smile fell. "It's too late, Maxwell." He narrowed his dark eyes at my face. "I saw that smile. What has you so happy this morning?"

"Maxwell?" Demi's mouth fell open with exaggerated shock. "I had no idea your formal name was Maxwell."

"It was my father's name," I said simply, loving the way her eyes sparkled as she smiled at me.

"Max's father and I were friends," Kade spoke with a cheerful lift in his voice, but I could see it in his eyes—he was exhausted.

Kade wasn't the kind of alpha to stay up all hours of the night, chasing pretty betas and drinking till dawn. He only burned the midnight oil when something bad was on the horizon.

"I didn't realize you knew Max so well, Kade." Demi turned her body to fully face the alpha.

It made my wolf bristle, but I kept my expression blank. Controlled. She doesn't belong to you, I reminded my beast over and over again. She doesn't belong to you.

"I might have to buy you a drink at the tavern one night," Demi continued. "Tempt you to tell me some of your best stories about our favorite guard here." She winked at me. I forced a smile, but my wolf snarled. He hated the idea of Demi sitting in that dark tavern, bursting with young horny alphas. And I had to agree.

"Good morning, all," Florence strolled down the hall. The older beta wore green today. Sage green slacks, a white pressed shirt, and a forest green tie. The tip dangled above his shiny silver belt buckle. "I'm glad to see you took our little chat to heart." He smiled at Demi.

The maiden's posture went tight, before giving him a jerky nod. "It was all I could think about this morning." Her eyes flickered to me.

Florence pulled in a happy breath, then turned his attention to me. "Has the Pack Alpha awoken yet?"

"Not yet." I listened carefully, not hearing any sounds of Davon or Calia on the other side of the door.

"He'll probably need a wake-up call." Kade patted Florence's back. "It was a late night."

I tucked my hands behind my back, hoping the tension in my shoulders wasn't too noticeable. Something did happen.

"Of course." Florence nodded, then he opened the bedroom door. Demi quickly followed the older beta into the dark room.

Kade and I stayed put.

"What happened?" I whispered, not wanting either beta to overhear.

"Nothing yet." Kade let out a heavy sigh. There was clearly a lot weighing on his mind. "I'm sure Davon will want to fill you in this evening."

"Anything I need to know now?" I asked, praying something hadn't happened to Calia or the pup. I wasn't confident I could handle an omega in mourning.

"It has nothing to do with the Luna," Kade said, understanding the meaning behind my question.

I nodded in thanks, trying not to let my mind wonder.

Casin had a lot of dangers in the mountains around us. For the most part, I was used to living on the edge of danger, but my wolf felt a bit panicked now that he had tasted Demi's gorgeous mouth.

"Max," Davon beckoned me, and I quickly entered the room.

"Yes, sir?"

"The Luna's fever broke last night, but I don't want her to exert herself." Davon glanced at his mate.

"I don't plan on rushing into battle any time soon." Calia slipped off her bed, then turned so Florence could help her put on her robe. "I do have a meeting with the?—"

Davon growled, making Calia's dark eyes narrow. "Meetings are stressful."

"And so is an ill prepared Spring Festival." The omega planted her hands on her hips. "Do you want to anger the Moon with a pathetic offering during the Equinox?"

"I don't want you to overextend yourself," Davon said firmly. "Festivals are secondary to your health and the wellbeing of our child."

Not sure what to do, I turned my head, trying to at least pretend to give the pair some privacy. Demi stood next to the closet with one of Calia's dresses draped over her arms. The second our eyes met, she smiled wide, flashing her pretty white teeth.

"Fine," Davon said, his tone told me their argument was over. Calia was headstrong and stubborn. She was good for our tiny village, even if she did like to test Davon's patience from time to time. "The elders can come to you, but you are not leaving the packhouse."

Calia nodded in agreement. "We're simply making plans. Nothing to oversee yet." The omega smiled at her mate, before disappearing into the washroom.

Davon waited for the door to shut behind her, before turning on me. "The Luna is to rest today. She is allowed to attend the one meeting and that"s it." His words came out low and punctuated, clearly agitated. "No hiking or swimming or throwing daggers at targets."

"Yes, sir." I said, tucking my hands behind my back and standing at attention. "I'll have the staff set up some blankets and pillows in the gazebo. The Luna enjoys sitting out there when the weather is nice. I'm sure it will encourage her to nap."

Davon paused, thinking about my suggestion. Then a relaxed smile crossed his face. "I'm sure she'll love that. Thank you, Max."

And that's exactly how the day went.

Calia ate breakfast with Demi and Florence, then she had her meeting. After being a gracious host to the pack elders, Calia had lunch, then headed for the garden. It was a rather uneventful day, giving me lots of opportunities to catch Demi's eye. The beta had an impressive ability to shift from having a bubbly conversation with Calia to giving me the most heated look in seconds. She had my wolf spun all damn day.

"Max?" Calia sat in the center of her makeshift nest, snuggled next to Demi. "Would you like a cookie?" She motioned to the silver serving tray. "The chocolate ones are divine."

"Max doesn't like chocolate," Demi said, smoothing her hands through Calia's hair.

"How do you know that?" I asked, a little surprised.

Demi gave me an exasperated look, acting as if she couldn't help but notice. "You always skip dessert when chocolate is served. No cake or cookies, or even chocolate coffee." She leaned into Calia, mumbling, "Personally, I think anyone that doesn't like chocolate is a bit suspect." Her green eyes narrowed at me. She was filled with mischief today. "They can't be trusted."

"Maybe." I laughed at her playful teasing.

Calia leaned forward as if to get a better look at my face. "Max," she said as if in awe. "I don't think I've ever seen you smile so much in one day."

"He's clearly got a secret." Demi popped a bite of cookie into her mouth, giving me a knowing look. "You'll have to pull it out of him while I get us more tea."

"I'll do my best," Calia giggled as the beta stood, taking the porcelain teapot with her.

"Commander," Karis called out, saving me from the Luna's curious gaze.

"Yes?"

"Alpha Davon has a request for you." She held out a bit of parchment with the Pack Alpha's wax seal in the middle. It was a bit odd. Davon didn't normally secure messages delivered on the packhouse grounds.

"My Lady." I turned to Calia. "I need to respond to this. Karis will watch over you."

Calia yawned, waving me off.

I stepped into the packhouse, then broke the seal. The message from Davon wasn't urgent—just a request to come to his office when I got off work tonight. The fact that he didn't want to immediately see me made me feel a bit better. Whatever the problem was, it wasn't urgent.

"You are very kind," Demi's voice drifted from the nearest sitting room.

I cut a quick glance back at the gazebo—making sure Karis was watching over the Luna—then I crept toward the beta's voice.

Demi leaned against a long powder blue sofa, talking to Kade. The older alpha was a respectable distance, but my wolf still didn't care for the fact that they were alone.

"You should seriously consider it, Demi." Kade pushed his hands into his pockets. "I know you don't normally run with the pack during the full Moon, but I think your wolf would love it."

Demi's smile grew, but it didn't look right. Too stiff. "Thank you for the invitation." She clasped her hands in front of her. "I'll consider it."

My beast clawed at the inside of my chest, begging me to burst into the room and beat Kade senseless. The fucker had no right to talk to my beta, let alone invite her on a midnight run during the full Moon. But I stayed put, going against every instinct flowing in my veins.

She's not yours,I chanted over and over in my head. We're just friends. But it was all bullshit.

I wasn't built for this kind of arrangement.

Not with Demi.

"Thank you again, Kade," Demi said with a cheery lilt. She bowed, then she made her way toward the door.

Not wanting to frighten the beta, I took a few steps back, waiting for her to appear.

"Max!" she gasped, flinging her hands up to keep from colliding with me. "You scared me." She let out a nervous giggle. "What are you doing out here?"

"Come." I grabbed her wrist, pulling her into the nearest doorway. It was a servant station, meant for preparing food or storing drinks when guests visited. Except guests didn't visit Casin, so the station was filled with a few empty crates and some worn baskets used to pick berries in the fall.

"What's wrong?" she asked, looking all around the tight space.

"I overheard you talking to Kade." I didn't want to lie or play games. "Are you planning on running with him?" I didn"t know what I would do if she said yes, but I couldn't sit back and watch her wolf frolic with another alpha…no matter what arrangement I agreed to.

"No." Demi snorted as she leaned into me. She melted against my chest, molding every inch of her small frame against me. She fit so perfectly in my arms. "Kade was simply inviting me to run with a group of betas. Apparently, they always race around the valley during the full Moon." Her fingertips circled the buttons along the front of my shirt. "Why?" Her voice shifted, more girly. Flirty. "Are you jealous?"

I brushed a long strand of hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. "Yes," I said a little too forcefully, making Demi flinch.

"What?" Her eyes went wide, her mouth hanging open. "You're…jealous?"

"Yes." I smirked, loving the way her big eyes sparkled. "My wolf is very jealous of the idea of you running with someone else." It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't the whole truth. Because while my wolf was jealous, I was downright enraged at the thought. "Run with me," I whispered roughly. "Make my beast happy."

"What?" Demi giggled, smoothing her hands over my shoulders and around my neck.

"The full Moon is next week." I slipped my hands around her back, holding her close. "Run with me. My beast wants to play with yours."

The shift in Demi's expression was very slight. Almost imperceivable. It was a twitch in her smile and slight tension in her shoulders. "You are very kind, alpha." Her smile widened, but it didn"t quite reach her eyes. "But I'm not the kind of beta that likes to run around in the dirt." She pushed up onto her tiptoes, brushing her lips gently over mine. Her breath was so warm as it fanned over my face. "I prefer secret kisses in dark rooms."

Then she leaned in, touching her mouth to mine. She hummed deep in her chest, pressing her palms to my chest.

I coaxed her lips apart, deepening the kiss. My tongue swept across hers, tasting and feeling every inch of her hot mouth. So sweet. Even sweeter than I remembered.

"Max," Demi moaned, curling her hands around the back of my neck. "You drive me crazy."

I growled softly, cupping her ass and squeezing hard. Her black dress was thin, allowing me to feel the heat radiating from between her legs. My cock sprang to life, pressing hard against the front of my slacks.

"Fuck, you're gorgeous." My words were a low rumble, making Demi shiver. I loved how responsive she was. The pretty little thing loved to be complimented, and I loved to give them to her. "I can't wait to fuck this perfect body into your mattress tonight."

"Yeah?" Demi's hands skimmed down my body, settling on my bulge. "I hope you don't make me wait too long." She squeezed the tip of my cock through my slacks, so I growled. "I'm a very impatient girl."

Davon's request slipped into the front of my mind. It would be a late night. I just didn't know how late.

"I have a meeting after my shift," I said as she slipped her hand into my waistband, gripping my shaft.

"Meeting?" Demi bit her bottom lip, squeezing me over and over again.

"Yes," I grunted. "But once I get my hands on you, I'm going to make you beg for what you want."

"Beg?" Demi's eyes flashed with excitement, and her hand moved lower, cupping my balls. My cock jerked, leaking pre-cum all over the inside of my slacks. "I'll get on my knees for you, alpha." She pumped me in a slow, steady movement. "I'll beg you for this glorious cock. Then I"ll open my mouth wide and swallow every inch you'll give me."

Fuck me. The things this beta said were wild.

"You are dangerous," I panted, then hissed as she worked me over. But before I could let go and release into her hand, heavy footsteps stomped down the hall and Demi pushed away from me.

Her hands flew to her hair, smoothing the golden tresses. Fierce disappointment cut through me and my fangs punched forward. I wanted to fucking kill whoever was trudging around the fucking packhouse.

"Tonight?" Demi asked, her pulse fluttering wildly right beneath her ear. My wolf zeroed in on it, and my canines tingled. I wanted to bite her so fucking badly.

"Tonight."