The Alpha Wants Everything Book 1 The King's Queen
Chapter 12: Meetings Adjourned!

Friday rolled around and Kane was looking forward to it. It had been a long week of meetings, pack meetings, town meetings, conversing back and forth with Alpha Thomas about the eventual merge with his pack. Aside from the visit with her on Monday he hasn’t seen Dax since. They had been texting back and forth throughout the week but it wasn’t the same, he found himself growing antsy the longer the week took to get to Friday. She had some sketches she had done over the week with the ideas he had given her and he was looking forward to seeing them, he was looking forward to seeing her, just being in the same room with her. This meeting he considered the most important one of his week, he was going to try for dinner. Anything that involved Dax was important to him, he called her once just to hear her voice and she said she was busy playing in mud, dirty thoughts ran rampant in his head of her and him playing in the mud it would be fun, but he kept them to himself….for the most part, he did offer assistance in helping her get cleaned up, she laughed, called him a perv and hung up she sounded like she was having a good day that day. He missed her, he missed her smell, her voice, her face, her completely unpredictable emotions, they kept him on his toes. It was like walking into a tiny adorable minefield. Of course he would never say that to her, he wasn’t suicidal but, hodie suus ’bonus cotidie mori. He looked at his phone at noon, only five hours to go before he could see her. Until then he sits in another boring meeting, to punish Johnny for teasing him all week, he’s making him sit through the meeting today as well. He checked his phone at ten after twelve. Fuck!

“Keep looking at your phone and the day will drag” Johnny was in his head

“The day was already dragging when my eyes opened this morning”

“What is this stupid meeting about anyway?” Johnny asked, the file was right in front of him he could easily look.

“Airing out issues among members of different packs working together in the town”

Kane bought the town anonymously 7 years ago, built it up for his pack and allowed humans to continue living there; he sat on the town council board under the guise of being a concerned and heavily invested citizen of the town. He also granted permission to packs in the surrounding areas to access and work in the town, some even owned a few of the buildings. Granted, compensation needed to be made, and the humans could never know about them, unless they were mates. It became a tourist destination bringing in people from other states. They had clear lake waters, great rivers for fishing and some of the best camping and hiking trails. People flocked here, some areas of the woods were off limits to people, a heavy bear population was cited as the reasoning for this. Couldn’t have townsfolk or tourists being eaten by werewolves. That being said every month, the six other Alphas from the surrounding packs wanted a meeting to air any grievances they may have. Small price to pay for the most part, but that meeting was held today of all days.

“Goddess, could these wind bags drone on any more” Johnny uttered, Kane barely contained his laugh.

“Something funny Alpha Kane?” One of them addressed him. Kane gave a slight head shake and waved his hand for them to carry on. He glared at Johnny who was grinning from ear to ear. He checked his phone at 1:30. Shoot me now! He thought. Around two his phone screen lit up alerting him to a message. It was from Dax, a smile crossed his lips.

D: “You’re still coming right?”

K: “Yes, it’ll be the highlight of my week”

D: “Then your week really sucks, if coming to see me is the highlight”

K: “How about I bring dinner?”

D: “I recommend brownies and ice cream”

K: “What no pie?”

D: “Had that for breakfast”

K: “Why am I not surprised”

D: “Don’t judge! If you’re not eating pie for breakfast then you’re adulting all wrong”

K: “See you at 5”

He hid a laugh behind his hand. This girl will be the death of him, and now he was craving brownies and ice cream.

Around three they took a quick thirty minute break. After they had reconvened, Kane announced that this meeting needed to be done in the next hour. He had an engagement at 5 and he would be unhappy if he missed it. 4:30 things started to get heated between a few of the packs. Kane was getting antsy and things weren’t winding down the way he would have liked. 4:55 an argument broke out between the Blue Moon and the Red Moon packs. 5:30 A fight broke out between the Beta’s from the Black Water Pack and the Hillcrest Pack. Then it became a free for all, shouting and flying fists. Deep growls and snapping teeth. Alpha Thomas was trying his best to pull his Beta from the thick of things. Johnny jumped in to help landing a few hits on some of the other Betas and taking a few himself. Kane sat calmly, watching what was going on around him. It wasn’t until he looked at his phone that his peace shattered. It was 6:30. Fuck! A rumbling started low in his gut and grew louder and louder. Johnny looked up at Kane, this wasn’t going to end well. Grabbing Beta Jackson and ushering Alpha Thomas from the room quickly as Kane erupted. The roar that emanated from the meeting room was terrifying. Alpha Thomas looked at Johnny, who just shrugged. Bones cracked and whimpers were heard behind the closed door. When the door was thrown open, Kane crossed the threshold. He had a cut across his cheek that was in the process of healing, his clothes were ripped and bloody. And he was mad as hell it was now 7:15. He was two hours and fifteen minutes late for his meeting with Dax.

“Meetings adjourned!” He stated, walking past Alpha Thomas and Johnny. They looked at eachother, they looked at Kane, and then they looked in the meeting room. The room was destroyed and there was blood everywhere but they all seemed to be living.

“At least he didn’t kill anybody!” Johnny said on the bright side. They would have to call in a medical team.

“Johnny is Alpha Kane….unbalanced” Alpha Thomas looked concerned and was beginning to have doubts about merging his pack with Kane’s. Johnny laughed

“Probably….he’ll calm down though. The meeting he missed at five was very important to him. He doesn’t like being late” Alpha Thomas nodded his head, but he still had his doubts.

Kane didn’t need an army, he was blessed by the Moon Goddess with the strength of 10 Alphas, his mate would only make him stronger. The others in the meeting room were of no match for him, especially when he got angry. And he was angry, he missed his meeting with Dax and they were being idiots, he was already on shaky ground with her, he was angry that this would set him back. He was angry, because he missed her, he wanted to see her. So let’s go see her! Ky said. It’s too late! How do you know? She won’t be happy I stood her up! But we will get to see her, and we can deal with that when we get there! Kane stood in his room debating what to do, he really did want to see her, he needed too. He was upset, and seeing her would make him feel better. He looked around his room, the room he created for his mate, for her, and his eyes fell on the red glass piece he purchased from the art show, the one that fueled his anger and then he remembered what she said. Change the way you look at it, he walked over to it and carefully flipped it over and stood back. He no longer saw a lava flow of anger, but flames, what once fueled his anger, now set his body ablaze with desire. His mind was made up, he grabbed a quick shower and a fresh set of clothes. He would go see her and hope for the best. Don’t forget the brownies and ice cream! Ky reminded him and a smile spread across his lips.

After a trip to the store he was sitting in the parking lot of Custom Creations. She’s right there, and she’ll make us feel better! He took a deep breath and exited the truck, making his way to the front door. He pulled the handle and when it opened he silently cursed, his anger growing again. The empty headed receptionist was putting his mate’s life in danger. It was dark and bad things could happen in the dark. He might have to do something about this. Though the building did not belong to him, maybe he could position a few warriors around it. He did not like his mate being unprotected, the thought of something happening to her chilled him. He entered the office and made his familiar way to the warehouse. His anger still coursing through him, he would feel better once he saw her, once he knew she was all right. Her touch would most certainly calm him down, but he would have to settle for just seeing her.

As he exited the office, there she was, a warm sensation filled him. Peace, calm flooded through him, tingles spread across his skin, and Ky purred in his head. Yes, seeing her was just what he needed, most of his anger subsided. He didn’t feel guilty about standing there watching her, she was his and he was allowed to look at her, allowed to linger, letting his eyes roam over her body. She stood on a desk on her tippy toes trying to reach something on a high shelf. Her legs strained to give her that extra boost in height. He smiled as he saw she wasn’t wearing any pants again and her perfect little bottom was on display for him to enjoy. BITE ME scrawled across it just above the exposed part of her cheeks, if she allowed him, he would bite her, she would enjoy it, he knew he would. His eyes darkened as the dirty little image played in his mind. Bad things could indeed happen in the dark. I am a bad thing! He thought.

She was trying to reach a package of paper, placed high up on the shelf. Standing on the desk she thought she would be tall enough, but no. Using her tippy toes the tips of her fingers barely grazed the bottom of the shelf, Fuck! She stepped up onto one of the shelves to give herself a bigger boost, her mind was lost in thought, but what else was new, her mind was always deep in thought. This one in particular had to do with a mountain. She was looking forward to seeing him, she didn’t understand why but she wanted to see him. Cause you like him! The rest of the week took forever to get here, she felt like something was missing all week. Someone has been missing all week! She hadn’t slept much, her demons kept her awake most of the time, but the day had finally arrived, and though she was tired she couldn’t wait to see him. She sent Georgie home at four, she didn’t want her here when Kane showed up, she wanted Kane to herself, she knew it was selfish and the thought of being alone with him terrified her but he still made her feel safe and safe is something she never felt. She waited till six and when he didn’t show she was disappointed and a tinge of something pained her heart when she didn’t hear from him either. She wasn’t good enough for him she wasn’t stupid, and nothing was going to happen between them even though he made it clear he wanted her, she stirred something in him he said. He stirs something in you too! Most likely he said it to make her stop being mad at him, and to his credit it worked. But Gods like Kane deserve Goddesses, not sideshow attractions like her. But she would settle for a friend, everybody else has friends, why can’t she? Cause you’re a loser! A voice from the past rang out in her mind. Your own mother didn’t even want you! Tears stung her eyes as she remembered the day she came face to face with the woman who birthed her, her incubator. She lost her footing and her grip on the shelf. She crashed into a wall of warmth and strong arms wrapped around her as they both hit the floor.

He saw her body tense and as she lost her footing and her grip on the shelf he was there to catch her. He would always be there to catch her, however he was not prepared for the force of the fall and as he wrapped his arms around her, securing her to his chest tightly they both collided with the floor. He took the brunt of it securing her on top of him, but she still moaned out in pain. He felt her on top of him, straddling his hips, she was pressed against him, her hands touching his face shaking his arms, her voice was sounding a bit panicked, but he enjoyed the feeling of her moving on top of him, just a little longer he thought.

“Kane, Kane, open your eyes” she spoke as she shook his shoulders.

“Please be ok, what are you even doing here? Wake up!” She was smacking his cheeks, trying to get him to open his eyes. “Come on mountain man, you have to be ok, open your eyes damn it!” She hit him in the chest

“Aww, little mouse I didn’t know you cared” he said huskily slowly opening his eyes. A flood of relief filled her, he was ok her stupidness didn’t bring down the mountain.

“Are you ok? Can you sit up?” She said, still moving over top of him, as much as he was enjoying the feeling of her, if she did not stop things were going to get awkward real fast. Sitting up, he grabbed a hold of her hips and planted them firmly on him. Confusion crossed her face at this movement and she furrowed her brows

“If you don’t stop wiggling little mouse, something will bite you” he gave her a look telling her what he meant by that. The crease in her forehead deepened, then realization hit her, her eyes widened and her mouth fell open in a gasp. She looked down between them and saw how she was straddling his lap pushing into him. Her face beat red, she scrambled off of him and wrapped a sweater around herself hoping it covered her pant less bottom.

“What are you doing here?” She asked breathlessly, he chuckled at her appearance.

“We had a meeting” he exclaimed, rubbing the back of his head.

“That was at five when I was open for business, it’s now close to 8:30” she stated firmly.

“We could reschedule” he looked up at her,

“We could have, if you bothered to call, text, send a letter, telegram, Morse code, smoke signals, anything to let me know you weren’t coming” she looked hurt, and that look pained his heart. He didn’t want to be the reason she was hurting.

“True, I could have done any of those, but I am here now” he tried to get up but a wave of dizziness hit him. She was mad, but not heartless; helping him to his feet trying to ignore the tingles and shocks that moved through her body.

“Well you need to leave now, I am closed and I have….plans” making sure he was steady, before she let go and moved away from him

“What plans? You aren’t even wearing pants” he asked laughing,

“Maybe my plans don’t involve the need to wear pants” she stuck her chin out and crossed her arms over her chest. The thought of her waiting on someone else did not sit well with him, anger flashed in his eyes and he fought to control it. No he did not like the thought of someone else touching what is his.

“Do you?” He asked teeth clenched,

“I don’t see how that is any of your business” a growl spread through his chest, her eyes went wide, then anger settled on her face as she pointed a finger at him.

“Don’t you growl at me mister. You’re the one that didn’t bother showing up, or letting me know you were going to be late. What? Am I supposed to just sit around and wait for you? I have a life too you know, and it is a completely ridiculous assumption on your part if that is what you think I am supposed to do.” It was then that she turned her back on him. He was taken aback, his mouth dropped open but he closed it, he didn’t know what to say no one ever spoke to him that way and no one ever dared to turn their back on him.

He stared at her back for a bit, before he sighed.

“I’m sorry, you’re right I should have called letting you know I was running late” he apologized.

“You know if you would have started with that you could have saved yourself some trouble” she looked at him over her shoulder. He grinned and nodded in agreement.

“Safe to assume you have already eaten dinner, but what about dessert?” He asked, holding up the bag he brought. This piqued her interest, she actually missed dinner she realized and she was a bit hungry, she turned to face him.

“This feels like a bribe! What is it?” She said looking at the bag questioningly.

“Maybe I am buying my forgiveness, but I found myself craving brownies and ice cream and I have my own rule, dinner must always come with dessert” he said his grin broadened.

“Good thing I can be bought then” her eyes lit up and she smiled up at him, causing him to laugh out loud. He’d have to remember that, never in his life has he seen someone enjoy desserts so much. They walked into the break room to grab plates and spoons. She showed him the sketches she made and he chose the one he liked the best. The background was cliffs on both sides with the full moon rising in the middle, the mated pair started in separate corners and met in the middle, heads raised crossing at the necks as they sang their song.

“How come your piece is bigger?” She complained.

“Cause I’m bigger than you” he said matter of factly.

“That’s bullshit!” She huffed at him causing him to laugh some more.

“What am I going to do with you?” He said, shaking his head.

“Give me the bigger brownie,” she replied, her eyes pleading with him.

“That is cheating, how am I supposed to say no to that face??” He gave her his piece of brownie and she squealed with delight.

“What?” She said with her mouth full of brownie.

“I have never met anyone that enjoys dessert as much as you” he said smiling, he was sitting in one of the chairs as she was sitting on the desk.

“Never had any growing up, making up for lost time” she shrugged. His brows furrowed.

“Never?” she just shook her head.

“Nope, never” and she ate another bite.

“Not for your birthday, Christmas, nothing?” He asked, she laughed.

“Truthfully up till three years ago I didn’t even know when my birthday was, and I have never celebrated Christmas, was never important enough.” The words tumbled from her mouth before she even had a chance to think about them. When she realized what she said, she looked at him, then looked away quickly and suddenly felt stupid. Good job, big mouth, why don’t you tell him all your secrets! Her subconscious scolded her.. It was an accident!! Why don’t you accidentally tell him your adoptive daddy beat you as well and he’s the one that gave you the scars, let’s see if we can get that vein to pop!

Upon hearing those words, Kane didn’t know what he felt as a flurry of emotions whirled through him. He sat straighter, looking at her, she kept her head down, her eyes fixed on one spot on the floor, but he knew she was watching him as well.

“What do you mean not important enough?” He asked, he could see it right there at the surface, she was fighting it, struggling to contain it, she looked away from him shaking her head. Her eyes started to burn, it was an accident, she didn’t mean to say anything. She could feel him starting to get angry and her fear was starting to spike.

“Dax, what do you mean? Do you mean….you were not important enough?” He pushed her to tell him, but she shook her head again. She had already said too much and didn’t want to risk saying anything else.

“Just forget it, forget I said anything” her voice was laced with pain.

“No, I will not forget it. I want you to tell me what you meant” he pushed her again, and she shrank back at the hint of anger she heard in his voice.

“I’m sorry, I….I….I didn’t mean to say it, I didn’t mean to upset you. It’s not important” she said, sucking in a shaky breath still refusing to look at him.

“DAX!” He raised his voice, causing her to jump and the plate to fall off her lap and shatter against the floor. Standing up, the chair scraped across the ground, the eerie sound sent shiver after shiver down her spine and caused her fear to spike even more. Her body started to tremble as she slowly started to get down from the desk she was sitting on. Not wanting to make any sudden movements in fear he might strike her. She looked like a scared animal backed into a corner and was looking for an exit strategy. Her stance was defensive and she started backing away from him. He could see the rapid rise and fall of her chest as her breathing increased, and he heard the erratic beating of her heart.

“Uh….I think it’s time for you to go” her voice was quiet and shaky and he saw her bottom lip quiver. He moved quickly, she’d bolt if he didn’t. His arms wrapped around her and he pulled her into him, the movement caused a small scream to escape past her lips. She tried pushing him away but he held her there, her body tensed and rigid as her breathing increased more, he could hear her heart hammering against her chest, why would raising his voice cause that much fear? He could smell it coming off of her.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry I raised my voice, what you said caught me by surprise, it upset me hearing that someone thought you were not important enough to spend Christmas with” he heard her sniffle, her body still rigid, trembling more under his hands.

“Please! I’m sorry I upset you, please!” She struggled to get out of his arms, her body shaking more. Did she think he was going to hurt her? She couldn’t possibly think that, could she?

“I’m not going to hurt you, I would never hurt you” he whispered, he held her to him, using the feel of her in his arms to keep him calm. She continued to fight against his hold, continued to try and get away from him and he would repeat that he was not going to hurt her. When she stopped fighting, stopped struggling, he thought maybe she accepted what he was saying as truth, but when he moved his arms to cradle her head she flinched and tried to move away from his touch, her fear spiking once more. Her body never stopped shaking, she was terrified. What the fuck happened to you little mouse? He thought. Ky whimpered in his head, he didn’t understand her fear towards him either, all he knew was he didn’t like it.

Once again he waited for her, he let her take her time, let her come to the realization that he wasn’t going to do anything to harm her. He wanted her to feel safe in his arms, protected, he could feel her beginning to calm down, she stopped trying to push away from him, she let him hold her close, she found herself moving closer to him, but still her body never stopped shaking.

“You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to or are not ready to tell me, but I will be here.” She nodded into his chest, he took a deep breath, his little mate has some deep dark secrets and he’s just starting to scratch the surface. Things are beginning to make sense to him now.

“Dax, is there someone I can call? Your parents maybe?” She tensed and shook her head “No, no you don’t want to tell me? Or no you don’t have any?” She clutched his shirt at the second question and just shook her head again. He could feel her body trembling more against him and his shirt was starting to dampen with her tears. She has to have had someone in her life, someone had to love her, no one goes through life alone.

“What about other family or friends?”

“There’s nobody!” She shook her head no again. Her voice was so small, almost inaudible, if he wasn’t a werewolf he never would have heard it. She has been living with this for so long she just keeps building wall after wall trying to contain these secrets. The problem with secrets is they want out.

“So….so you’ve been alone your whole life?” She just nodded. He didn’t like that, it wasn’t right. He was trying hard to remain calm, Ky was on the surface, thankful her head was buried in his chest and she couldn’t see him fighting not to give into his rage.

“Well you’re not alone anymore, ok? I am here, I will always be here” he held her tighter. He breathed in her scent, using it to calm himself down.

“I’m staying here tonight, you are tired and I am upset and this is an argument you are not going to win. Friends do not leave when they know they are needed and I could use a friend right now” it killed him to say the word, friend. It was not what he wanted to say, but he knew she needed one. She hesitated struggling with letting him in, but he said they were friends and she could use a friend right now as well, she nodded her head.

Not wanting to risk her cutting her feet on the shattered plate, he picked her up bridal style and carried her upstairs to her loft, and told her to get ready for bed. She did as she was told, while he made his way back downstairs, after checking that all the doors were locked, he cleaned up the broken plate and put away the rest of the brownies and ice cream. He took the stairs back up again once he was satisfied with everything and closed and locked the door to the loft. He didn’t like the lock on the loft door, one of those push button locks that a swift kick could pop, but it was what was there, he would put a better one on it. Maybe he would replace out who owns this building and make them an offer. It was in a good location, right on his pack border, might not be a bad idea. He owned the town and most of the surrounding area, if he owned this building he could modify it to his liking and he wouldn’t have to worry about the safety of his mate.

He took the opportunity to look around her loft while she was getting ready for bed, it was sparse and almost empty. For an artist she had no art on her walls, no trinkets adorned the empty surfaces he saw, nothing, it was bare. Her couch was old and small and no way in hell he was fitting on that. There were no throw pillows and no homey touches, it didn’t feel like a home, just a place for her to rest her head at the end of the day. A place for her to hide from the world, she could disappear and no one would even know she was missing. She doesn’t even own a tv, how does she entertain herself when she is not working? Maybe she never stops working! Ky offered, he didn’t like that thought either, she worked too hard. Her kitchen table was scratched and chipped and there were only two chairs and both had seen better days. But it was clean, it was immaculate in fact almost like no one lived here at all. He wondered if it looked like this because of some other secret in her past. The thought made him shudder. It was bad enough she grew up alone, the thought of someone causing her physical harm would devastate him. He would most likely go on a killing spree, and that would end badly for everyone.

When Dax exited the bathroom she saw him standing there in her small living room. He was a presence for sure and seemed to take up the whole room. He looked out of place in the small area, but didn’t look uncomfortable, she wasn’t sure if Kane would be uncomfortable anywhere. Pretty sure he would walk into Victoria’s Secret and be all right with it. He was a man who made himself quite comfortable no matter where he was.

“There’s a spare toothbrush under the sink, it’s pink though” she bawled her fist and smacked it against her bare thigh. He was making her nervous, she doesn’t have people up here, no ones ever been up here.

“Thank you, the colour doesn’t matter to me though. It could have rainbows on it, I’d still brush my teeth with it.” He smiled at her. A weak smile crept up the side of her face at that.

He went to walk past her when she reached out and grabbed his hand.

“Thank you!” She said looking at her feet

“For what?” He asked

“For staying with me” she swallowed the sob that threatened to take her, he cupped her chin and lifted her to face him, her eyes were closed but he could see fresh tears threatening to fall.

“Look at me” he said, when she opened her eyes it took his breath away. They were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen staring back at him. Cerulean blue with an amethyst starburst around the pupil. They were mesmerizing, why on earth would she ever hide them was beyond him, but it stopped now. In fact she was not allowed to hide herself anymore. She was beautiful and the world was missing out on one of nature’s most exquisite creatures.

“I meant what I said, I will always be here, I am not going anywhere.” He brushed her tears away and kissed her forehead. “I like you….and now you’re stuck with me” he whispered in her ear earning him a small giggle. He walked into the bathroom but not before looking back at her, she had a small smile on her beautiful lips, and it made him burst with pride that he did that.

He finished quickly in the bathroom, it was small and he felt crowded, he preferred more space than what was offered. After he stepped out he looked at the couch she had placed a blanket and a pillow on it for him. Aww that’s sweet! Ky gushed. Ya that’s not happening!! What are you doing? I am not sleeping on that! Kane grabbed the pillow off the couch. So where are we sleeping then? A lopsided smirk crossed his face.. Why with our mate!! Excellent! Glad to see you finally found your big boy pants! Shut up mutt! He walked to the closed bedroom door and took a deep breath. You may have found your big boy pants, but you don’t seem to be wearing them! Enough out of you! He opened her bedroom door, her head snapping up and she was looking at him, her eyes big and quite alarmed. She sat in the middle of the bed, her white hair hung in waves below her shoulder blades. Her bedside light was on and he looked around her room, much like the rest of the loft it was sparse.

A beat up six drawer dresser to one side that held up a mirror missing the top half of it and a crack along the bottom, a queen size bed in the middle with two mismatched end tables on either side and a wardrobe on the other side, that was it.

“I will not fit on that couch. I’m too big. It will not be comfortable and I will not get a good night’s sleep. Angry Dax is one thing, but the world does not need a grumpy Kane.” He stated and a smile played on her lips.

“So where would you be comfortable sleeping?” She asked, Kane smiled and strode to the bed and put his pillow down. Her eyes widened and her mouth fell open.

“Y-you w-want to sl-sleep here” she stuttered.

“It is where I will be comfortable, friends share beds all the time” she swallowed hard and looked around.

“You’re too big, this bed won’t fit us both” she was very alarmed now

“We will manage” a lazy lopsided grin spread on his face, she moved from the middle of the bed to one side, she turned her back for one second when she turned back around he was removing his shirt. Her eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat as they wandered across his broad chest, she tried to look away, but she couldn’t seem to pull her eyes from him, committing all the hills and valleys of his well-defined sculpted muscles to memory. Her gaze travelled lower down his smooth chest to his eight pack abs. She wondered what it would be like to run her fingers over them. They looked rock hard, mouth watering rock hard and lower still to the top of his jeans. When he moved his hands to his jeans she covered her eyes.

“What are you doing?” She squeaked and a blush spread across her face.

“I don’t sleep in my clothes” he replied with a wry smile and a deep chuckle. He liked the way she looked at him, he didn’t want to embarrass her or make her feel ashamed about looking at him, he was her mate she was allowed to look at him, so he said nothing when he noticed her watching. He just let her look, he’s looked at her numerous times and has not once felt ashamed. She felt the covers shift and the bed dip, but still kept her hands over her eyes.

“You can look now,” he said chuckling, she slowly peeked through her fingers, then removed her hands from covering her eyes when she saw him lying under the covers. His left arm was thrown behind his head and he just stared at her. Her face was flushed, and she was unsure of what to do now. As if sensing her growing anxiety at this situation Kane held up the covers

“Lie down” he instructed, she hesitated but eventually crawled under. She was right they both were not going to fit in this bed comfortably. He took up the whole damn thing, maybe she should sleep on the couch. Before she could move he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder he tucked her into his side. She fit so perfectly snuggled up next to him. Ky purring in contentment. He reached up and shut the light off. So much for no touching! Even her subconscious was laughing at her.

“It has been a long day, little mouse. Sleep now you need it. Tomorrow take the day off from work, we will do something fun”

“Bu-“ he cut her off,

“No buts, as your friend it is a must” though he was using the friend card a lot he did not plan on staying in the friend zone for long. She just nodded, and he smiled into the darkness.

“Good night little mouse”

“Good night...mountain man” his chuckle, filling the silence of the room and he felt her smile.