The Alpha King’s Mate (The Alpha Series Book 4)
The Alpha King’s Mate: Chapter 16

Damon tucks my long black hair behind my ear.

‘We should go to my cave,’ I say, and he lifts me and tells me he will carry me home. I have butterflies in my stomach, and Vivian mentioned butterflies. I put my arms around his neck and rest my head against him as he walks.

We sit beside the waterfall to watch the stars and admire the moon. Ember curls up on Damon’s legs and soon falls asleep. With our fingers, we draw pictures in the air by forming lines between one star and the next. Damon asks me to guess what he is drawing.

‘A fish?’ I guess.

‘No. How you got a fish out of that, Maia, I don’t know. It was a fox,’ he says, and we laughed.

The night is warm, so we undress and leave our clothes near the cave while slipping into the pool beside it. Ember sits on a rock, watching us. I flick a heap of water at Damon.

‘You’re in trouble now, Princess,’ he says, laughing.

‘Really?’ I ask him playfully.

He splashes me repeatedly before ducking under the water so I can’t splash him back. I wait for him to resurface. A minute passes, but he hasn’t resurfaced, and I worry. ‘Damon. Where are you?’ I ask, wading through the water, hoping I can at least feel him at leg level. I hold my breath and submerge myself in the water. I swim underwater for about ten seconds before we resurface together. As soon as he does, I plant my mouth over his so quickly that he can’t breathe. We kiss passionately for a few minutes.

He wraps his arms around my waist and pulls me into him. I wrap my legs around his waist.

‘My wolf wants to do several things to you right now, Princess,’ he says, in a tone, I’m unfamiliar with.

He grazes the skin on my neck with his teeth, making me moan. Then, he stops over my pulse and growls desirously.

I push him from me with all my strength, as it feels like he is about to bite down into my skin.

‘What are you doing?’ I ask him, shocked.

He stands there, breathing heavily, with black eyes and fangs bared.

‘I want to mark you and make you mine,’ he says.

‘What do you mean? You can’t bite me like you’re biting into an apple,’ I say. I rescind from him and get out of the water. ‘I don’t even know if I could love a….’ I explain, gaging his reaction, which isn’t a good one. He looks hurt, and his arms are crossed against his chest.

‘A?’ He says.

‘A werewolf,’ I whisper, and my shoulders drop, in self-disappointment, for fear I have offended the only person I have ever felt attached to. He stands in front of me and exhales. His eyes are their deep brown again, and his

teeth have returned to normal.

‘I told you I’d never harm you. You say you don’t think you could love me. What do you think you’ve been feeling this whole afternoon?’ He asks, annoyed.

‘l don’t understand love. I don’t understand lust – this is the first time I have ever felt like this. My body burns for you, but I don’t know how I feel in my heart,’ I say.

‘I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. As for you loving me, I know you will, if not now, but one day.’ He says, smiling.

‘I’m sorry. I don’t know enough about werewolves yet,’ I say.

‘It’s okay,’ he says.

‘I think we should go to sleep.’ He says, and we dress before he scoops me up and takes me inside the cave.

He flings the blanket back, and we lie down on the bed, on our sides. With him lying behind me, he cuddles close to me. His arms are wrapped around me protectively. I feel safe. He falls asleep quickly, and I lie awake, sorting through my inner thoughts. What happens if I don’t fall in love with Damon? What if I don’t want to be his Luna and Queen? I know I have these feelings for him, but is it just lust, or am I genuinely developing feelings for him? Am I even capable of being a Luna and a Queen?

Alpha King Damon

We wake up in each other’s arms and stay there for a while, enjoying each other’s warmth. I rub my nose against hers, making her giggle. I kiss her cheek and make my way up her neck, enjoying her moans before she gently pushes me back.

‘I’m enjoying this, but I need to know about the war. What are you going to do about it? Maybe you could talk to King Fenris and sort it out?’

‘I had a meeting with him many moons ago, and it did not go well. He made it very clear there’d never be peace between our species. Right now, I have my army training close to the forest, in Thistle Well. We’re currently in defence mode, ready to defend our lands from any humans who enter. Unless there is some kind of miracle, war is inevitable, I’m afraid. The human army outnumbers us, and they use weapons of silver which is one of our weaknesses. We normally heal very quickly, but silver-inflicted wounds heal slowly, which means we’re more likely to die from the injuries,’ I explain.

‘What will happen if you lose the war? There has to be another way. Or some way I can help stop the war?’ She says, concerned.

‘There is a way you can make our army stronger and give us a better chance of winning the war,’ I say.

‘How? What?’ She asks.

‘Accept me as your mate, and take your position by my side as my Luna. Having a Luna will make the pack twice as strong. It will aid strength, stamina and agility, and with your elemental powers, we can finish this war,’ I explain.

‘I don’t think I can use my powers to hurt anyone. I have friends in West Wallow who are human. I can’t help you fight this war. I’m not ready to commit to being your Luna, mate, or the Queen just yet.’ she says.

A dull ache shoots through me at her words. If only she knew the pain her words inflicted on me.

‘I don’t know if I can win this war without you by my side. I don’t want to see my pack die or be wiped out. I feel miserable when you’re not near, and I’ve been so happy since we met. I feel a warmth I’ve never felt before. I become lost in your smile and your eyes. I feel so strong with you. Maia. You’re my Luna and the queen of my heart, and you always will be even if you don’t accept me. My heart will always belong to you,’ I say earnestly.

‘I don’t know what to do. I have feelings for you. I do care deeply for you. I’m hoping with time, it will become clearer. Being your mate, the Luna of your pack, and the Queen of Moon Crest Valley, it’s a lot. And I’d have to leave my home and everything I have ever known,’ she says.

‘I need to sit by the waterfall and think about this.

Before I go, let me do one thing,’ she says, and pulls

my face to hers and smashes her mouth on mine. I wrap my arms around her body as tightly as I can without hurting her, and we break apart and stare into each other’s eyes.

I peck her on the lips, making her giggle, so I peck her a few more times until she tells me to stop.

She leaves the cave and sits by the water, dipping her feet in. She has a lot on her mind. I stand away from her, just watching and admiring her. I’d love to hold her, to pull her close to me, but I know she needs her space.

Alpha. Zayden and I have arrived at the forest border, and we are following the river. Where are we meeting? Troy mind-links. No one could replace this cave even with directions.

I know where the river is from here. I’m not far from you. I’m actually with Maia. She isn’t afraid of me anymore. She just needs more time to process everything. It will be great to have you two, to reassure her we aren’t bad like she has been told. I reply.

Zayden and I will wait for you then, Alpha. I can’t believe we’re about to meet our Luna. Troy mind-links. I crouch down beside Maia to speak to her.

‘I have my Beta, Troy waiting by the river with a pup boy. I’m going to get them and bring them back here. They’re very excited to meet you,’ I say excitedly. Maia

smiles.

‘Okay. I look forward to it,’ she says with a beautiful smile.