19. Max

" J esus I was wondering when—" Sasha pauses, gawking at the man behind me, her jaw slowly becoming wider by the second. Raising my hand, I pull my lips between my teeth to stop my laughter.

"Little drool there, Sash," I joke, closing her jaw with two fingers.

Smacking my hand away she narrows her eyes. "You're clearly still alive," she's talking to me, but looking back at him. When it comes to me, Sasha is extremely protective. She's the only one that knows everything about my past, never telling a soul. We spoke about it once, she cried, I didn't.

I think, in life, you're only allotted a certain amount of tears before you run out and seven years ago, that's when my tank emptied.

"Grim, right?" She asks, offering him her hand. Not saying a single word, his hand engulfs hers completely. Dropping her hand, she turns her attention back to me, crossing her arms in front of me, the same way a mother would when their child has been caught doing something they shouldn't. "Nice pet."

"I wouldn't class a wolf as a pet I—"

"I was talking about him ." She nods in his direction, the sound of his groan reaching my ears and we both stifle a laugh.

Turning back to face him I shrug, not really knowing what to do, or say... or... act. We fucked, he fed me, cut me and I stayed the night, this is new territory for me as I'm sure it is for him.

Rather than make a fool of myself, I crouch down and run my hands over Shades soft, wiry fur. "See you later boy." I scratch under his chin, and he raises it, closing his eyes, groaning, and whimpering softly with every scratch. "My gosh you're so cute aren't you, yes, yes, yes you are." I croon in a baby voice. Knowing Draven will probably berate him on the walk back. Rising, I crane my neck, looking up at him.

"I'll uh, see you later, I guess." I shrug, but before I get the chance to turn away from him, I'm immediately tugged back against his chest. Draven takes me into a bruising kiss, which brings a smile to my mouth. I'm unable to hold in a whimper as the memories of last night and this morning come flooding back into my mind.

"Bye, Max." He releases me. Moving me back to the door. Sasha nods to him once, closing it behind me.

"What the fuck?" She leans back against it, her grin running from ear to ear. "Girl he is fucking HOT!" She screeches and I can't help my face turning a bright shade of pink at the statement, because he really fucking is.

Draven's body is unlike anything I've ever seen before. His left arm covered in a blackout tattoo, a wolf on the other hand which I'm assuming is for Shade, with the rest scattered throughout his torso and what a fucking torso it is. His muscular body is reminiscent of someone who makes a habit of really taking care of himself, a Greek statue if you will. Let's not mention the fucking dick piercings he has too, like my own personal ribbed cock.

Except he's not mine is he? Well, until one minute past midnight, Monday morning, I belong to him so, I guess it's the same thing. The scars and bullet marks that are mapped over his skin, make me feel a lot less conscious of mine.

Sasha walks over to me, enveloping me into a giant hug. "Don't do that again, at least without me there." She bursts out laughing and I follow suit.

"Also," she leans back, "why are your scars freshly cut?"

Pulling her back to me, I close my eyes because I know she's not going to like the answer. "I'll tell you later just cuddle—"

"Max!" Rolling my eyes in Sasha's hold, I groan when Ben's voice reverberates from the hallway as he walks in, and I pull away from Sasha. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!?"

"Ok Ben, calm down I—"

"I won't fucking calming down!" He shouts louder this time, grabbing me by the elbow and yanking me toward his chest.

"Oh my God, Ben!" Sasha calls out in panic. "What the fuck are you doing!? "

Her voice rising an octave, shoving him back but he doesn't even move an inch. Instead, he holds me tighter, his nails making small crescent moons in the skin of my upper arm.

"Ben, get the fuck off of me!" I shout in his face, yanking my arm from him and stepping back. The moment he lunges for me, the front door crashes open, the sound of it hitting the wall and booming out in the room. Before I know it, Draven has Ben's throwing arm twisted at an ungodly angle behind his back, throwing him to the carpet below, pressing his black boot to his throat.

Watching Ben struggle like a petrified bug under Draven's boot shouldn't be turning me on, but it is. Sasha is holding onto me, and we both watch as the giant who can barely stand to his full height in the room, stares down at Ben like he might kill him.

"M-Max," he stutters, choking through the words.

"No!" Draven bellows snapping Ben to look at him immediately. "Quiet." Draven's voice now very calm. Ben lays there completely rigid, desperately trying to breath but failing, due to the amount of pressure Draven is applying to his throat.

"D-Draven," I whisper, Sasha holding me, but I shrug from her hold and step toward him. Sliding my hand up to his shoulder, his head snaps to me, snatching my wrist in his free hand and my mouth immediately goes dry.

He's furious. His once grey eyes are now dilated so much, they're black, void of any feeling or emotion except rage.

"You have to let go," I whisper again, "not of me but… of Ben. Please." His heavy breathing doesn't let up, his eyes narrowing slightly where he holds my wrist. Closing his eyes, he takes a deep breath, cocking his head from side to side, the bones in his neck crack in unison.

Looking down, he slowly lifts his boot from Ben's throat and as soon as he does, Ben begins hysterically coughing. Bending down further, he grabs Ben by his hoodie, dragging him to the front door. The unusual whistle blowing from his mouth, and I watch as Shade walks up the steps with primal instinct.

Head low to the ground, snarling, and baring his incredibly sharp teeth, his heckles standing on edge and drool falling from the side of his mouth the closer he gets. Ben yelps, screwing his eyes shut.

"Touch what's mine again and I'll remove those fucking hands," Draven growls merely an inch from his face. "Do you understand, boy?"

Ben begins nodding furiously. "Yes, yes ok, I won't, I swear." Sasha and I standing there in complete silence. Throwing him to the floor, Draven steps over his body and out the front door.

Jogging down the steps, he whistles the way he taught me earlier and Shade's demeanor instantly changes back to the playful wolf I recognize. Turning on his hind legs and making his way to Draven's side, sniffing his hand. Shade stops for a split second, looking back at me.

"Shade," he calls, walking through the tree line and away from me.

What the fuck just happened?