Before I Rise
The Former Beta

Marcus’s POV

The fingers tracing random patterns across my chest was causing tingles to shoot down my abdomen. It didn’t tickle, it was comforting. So was the head laying on my right arm. I looked down at her, brushing some of her blond hair away from her face to grab her attention.

It worked, she looked up at me with a shy smile on her face. It was the most amazing sight to wake up to.

“Did I wake you?” She asked me.

“No, I was already sort of awake. How did you sleep?”

I had officially moved Em’s things to my room the day after the ceremony. After sharing a bed with her for one night, I was addicted. Talking to your favorite person until you fall asleep cuddling up with them, then waking up next to them in the morning was the best feeling in the world. No way was I going to go back to sleeping alone.

“I slept pretty well, I always sleep good next to you.” She leaned her head up and rubbed her nose against my own. Before she returned to her previous position, I grabbed the back of her head and smacked my lips against her own.

She immediately responded to the kiss and ran her tongue against my bottom lip. I rolled us over until I was on top of her. I pulled away from the kiss to let us catch our breath and to let the heat die down. I was still adament that we would not have sex until the Luna ceremony, I didn’t want to risk the chance that I would mark her. It was getting harder and harder to keep my urges in check, especially since she shares a bed with me now. We almost always have a heated make out session in the morning and at night. It also doesn’t help that Xavier gives his opinions on the matter.

Em sighed and frowned. “It was just getting good.”

I chuckled and set a kiss on her forehead. “I know, that’s why I had to stop. Plus, don’t you have a meeting with Alicia and Jules in an hour to discuss details about your ceremony?” I asked her.

She sighed again and her frown deepened. Em rolled away from me and got up and headed for the bathroom to start getting ready for the day.

“Yes I do but if Alicia asks me one more time what kind of fabric I want the napkins to be, I am going to rip my hair out. I mean it nearly took us a full week just to figure out what the color scheme was going to be. She vetoes every idea I have. I told her yesterday that she could just plan it without me and just tell me when and where to show up. But, she wasn’t having that.”

“Yeah that sounds like Alicia.” I said as I walked behind Em and wrapped my arms around her waist as she started to brush her teeth. “I promise that after the Luna ceremony is done, you’ll never have to plan another party again. You can just make Jules and Alicia do it, since you’ll officially be the Luna.”

Em bent down and rinsed her mouth, before turning around and throwing her arms around my neck. “That sounds like a marvelous idea, Alpha.”

“Yeah, I get those sometimes.” She chuckled in response and stretched up to kiss my cheek.

“What’s your plans for today?” She asked me.

I thought for a minute. There was a couple of piles of paperwork sitting on my desk that I’ve been avoiding for the past week. I swear, the paperwork is never ending. I’m sure once I get through one pile, three more will magically appear.

You could just not do the paperwork today and instead mate and mark our mate! Xavier desperately said.

For the last time, I will not complete the bond until the Luna Ceremony. The pack will be more accepting and see it as a sign of respect if we wait until the ceremony,

The pack already respects her! I don’t think us completing the bond would change their opinion of her.

I am not taking any chances, not with her. Her safety is not up for discussion, so drop it.

Xavier huffed and blocked me from talking to him any further. I let out a grunt of annoyance, which gained Em’s attention.

“What’s wrong?” She asked me.

I shook my head, “Nothing, Just Xavier being Xavier. Anyways, I plan on just working in my office all day and doing paperwork. Want to have lunch later today?”

Em let out a loud exasperated groan. “I would, but I’m sure I won’t be done with planning until later this evening. Especially, since I am not leaving until we have figured out a set date for the ceremony. What about dinner?”

“Dinner works, but if you need to be rescued from those two just yell for me and I’ll be there.”

Em smiled and chuckled. “Oh, I might have to try that!” She gave me one long kiss before pulling away and walking to the bathroom door, “I’ll see you tonight handsome!” She blew me a kiss and shut the bathroom door,

After showering and scarfing some breakfast down, I retreated to my office and started on the piles of paperwork. A lot of them were letters from other Alphas about a possible alliance between us. Ever since I struck an alliance with Jensen, I have been getting requests from Alpha’s that are hoping for the same. Not all the requests were even worth looking at, the rest had a genuine interest in striking up a working relationship.

A few hours go by, when a knock interrupts me in my process of organizing all the requests. “Come in!” I yelled in response.

The door opens and in walks one of the biggest influences in my life.

“Hey kid!” Uncle Dave said, with an infectious smile spread across his tan face.

I got up from my desk and walked around it to give Uncle Dave a welcome home hug. We embraced for a few seconds, before separating and sitting on the couches in my office across from each other. I took a few seconds to get a good look at my uncle. He still looks like he did in his early twenties, with the exception of a few wrinkles on the corner of his mouth. His brown hair was pulled back into a man bun and his brown eyes held the same mischievous look that they always carry.

My uncle Dave was my father’s beta and really stepped up in not only leading the pack, but also raising me. His mate and him always took me in when my father would go off for long periods of time. He will go down in the pack’s history as one of the greatest Beta’s this pack has ever had. It was easy to choose Jacoby as my Beta, not only was he Dave’s son and had Beta blood running in his veins, he also has Dave’s personality.

“Are you and Lilly officially home or are you guys leaving again soon?” I asked him.

Uncle Dave smirked at me. “Well initially, we had planned to just stay for a week here before going off on another adventure. However, I was just visiting Jenson’s pack when he informed me that a certain young Alpha has met his mate and has decided to accept her as Luna. Is this true?’

I felt warmness dance across my face. “Yes, I found her and she is currently with Alicia and Julia planning the Luna Ceremony.”

Uncle Dave was quiet for a few seconds, then he jumped to his feet and pulled me up into a fatherly hug. “Congratulations Marcus!” My heart grew warm from Dave’s actions. Moments like this, I often wonder if my father would react the same way as Dave. Would he be as happy for me as Dave is?

He pulled away from the hug and patted me on my shoulder. We sat back down again in our original spots. Dave cleared his throat. “So, give me the details. How did you guys meet?”

“It’s kind of an interesting story, how about I have her come meet you?”

Dave’s face lit up like a child on Christmas morning. “I would love that!”

I took a deep breath and reached out to Alicia through our mindlink.

Alicia? I asked.

What do you need, cousin? I am in the middle of trying to convince your mate that she can not wear flip flops to the ceremony and needs to wear high heels.

Why can’t she wear flip flops? I asked her, knowing it was going to set her off.

Are you serious?! You know what? You two obviously are meant to be because you both don’t understand fashion at all!

Looks like I was right. Yeah yeah yeah. Anyways, Dave is home and he is in my office. Will you tell Em that he wants to meet her and to come to my office if she is ok with it?

If “she’s” ok with it? What if I’m not ok with it? We are BUSY!

I knew she wouldn’t let her go without a fight.

Alicia please? It’s really important for me to have Dave and Em meet. I will send her right back to you afterwards. It should only take a few minutes. Please?

Alicia sighed. Fine, I’ll tell her.

“She should be here any minute now. How was visiting Jensen?” I asked him.

“Oh it was great! It was the spur of the moment decision. Lilly and I were in the area and I heard he had returned home from here so just decided to stop in. We haven’t seen each other in years. It was good to catch up with the old man.” He said, chuckling.

I suddenly remembered the conversation between Jensen and I when he first got here. I needed to speak with Dave about it soon and get some answers about this mysterious “friend” of theirs.

Before I could bring it up, the office door opened and in walked my Love. Dave and I both stood up and watched her walk towards us. She seemed shy when she first saw Dave, but relaxed by the time she got to us.

I grabbed her right hand with mine and placed a light kiss on her cheek, “Em, this is my Uncle Dave. Also known as my dad’s Beta and Jacoby’s father.”

Em let go of my hand and stuck it out for Dave to shake. Instead of taking it, Dave just stared at Em as his eyes began to grow misty. He reached for her hand and pulled her into a hug.

Who told him he could hug our mate?

Well, look who finally decided to stop pouting and reappear.

Xavier let out a snort. I wasn’t pouting first of all, I was taking a nap.

Uh huh sure you were. I mentally rolled my eyes.

Dave finally let go of Em and rubbed his eyes. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to get so emotional,” he chuckled. “But, it’s been so long since the pack has had a Luna. I know without a doubt the whole pack, including me feel so blessed that our Alpha found his mate,”

Em walked back over to me and grabbed my hand. She spoke while looking into my eyes. “No, I’m the one that’s been blessed.” My heart began to beat erratically. It amazed me just how much this woman affected me, physically and emotionally.

Dave cleared his throat, gaining Em’s and I’s attention. “Well, Lilly and I are having Julie and Jacoby over for dinner tonight. If you guys don’t already have plans, we would love it if you could join us. I know Lilly is dying to meet you, Em.``

I looked at Em. “I’m down if you want to go.”

“I would love to!” She said as she flashed a smile in Dave’s direction.

“Perfect! I’ll let Lilly know that two more will be joining us for dinner. I’ll leave you guys alone for now. It was lovely meeting you Luna.”

“Please, just call me Em. The whole Luna thing feels too formal.” She said.

Dave let out a loud laugh. “No problem, Em.” He gave us one last smile before exiting the room.

I turned to Em and pulled her into my arms. “I guess I have to send you back now to my erratic cousin.”

She let out a deep groan. “Do you have to? We’ve been arguing for the past hour about what kind of shoes I’m going to wear to the ceremony.”

I rubbed a hand over her back to relax her. “Yes, I heard about that. If you want to wear flip flops then you can. I wont judge you too hard for it.”

Em leaned back to look at me with a sly smile on her face. “Oh I’m not wearing flip flops, I only told her that because I knew she would have a heart attack if she really knew what I was planning on doing.”

I cocked up my eyebrow in curiosity. “Oh, then what are you planning on doing?” I asked her.

She let out a mischievous chuckle. “I plan on going barefoot.”

“Yeah she is definitely going to have a heart attack over that.” I shook my head and brushed some hair behind her ear.

“Do I really have to go back to planning with them?” She asked me, with a slight pout on her face.

“Yes. Alicia is probably already on her way here to steal you back.”

Em suddenly smirked, “Well, why don’t we do something while we wait for her to come get me?”

“What did you have in mind for my love?” I asked, already having a pretty good idea on what she wanted to do.

She leaned in closer, “Wanna make out?”

“I thought you would never ask.”

I leaned into her connecting our lips together, igniting the sparks between us.