Emeralds POV-
I didn't have much time to even think about what just happened with August because as soon as I got out of the shower I could hear my phone ringing in my room. I poked my head out of the bathroom to make sure August was gone and then closed my bedroom door and locked it before walking to my dresser in nothing but a towel to answer my phone.
It was Alpha Paul calling me.
Since I wasn't born to his pack he can't mind link to me like he can to the other pack members and I always liked the fact that my mind was closed off to everyone else.
"Hello?"
"Hey Em, I was just calling to check and see how you're doing today." Alpha Paul said on the other end of the phone.
He must be talking about Helen.
"I'm okay, thank you for asking." I said to him as I dug through my closet to find something to wear.
"That's good to hear. What about August? How are you two.. getting along?" He asked and I stopped looking through clothes and stayed silent on the other end.
I forgot that Alpha Paul was under the impression that I'm August's mate.
"Fine I guess. Alpha you know It's not a sure thing right? August just thinks I'm going to be his mate because he found out I'm going to be a Luna. There is still a chance that he's not my mate." I said to him hoping he'd agree with me.
He hummed for a minute before replying.
"Hmmm. Well why don't you just leave that to me? No need to wait for the blue moon, we can find out today if he's your mate or not."
I scrunched my face up in confusion.
"How?" I asked him even though I wasn't even sure that I wanted to know sooner or later.
"Oh you'll see. I'll be stopping by later today okay?" He said and before I could even argue he hung the phone up on me.
I liked Alpha Paul, but he had always been the type of Alpha that left little room for arguing or letting you express your personal opinion.
I slipped on a dark blue skirt and grabbed a white halter top to pair it with. When I went back to the bathroom I applied a few coats of mascara, but left my face bare. Even though my hair was still semi wet now it was still sprinkling drops of water on my white shirt, so I gathered my hair up into a messy wet bun and pulled a few pieces out over my face and neck that was still mark free thankfully.
I brushed my teeth and then I started walking downstairs and found August in the kitchen.
He had changed into some black jeans and a grey v neck that matched his hair and was sipping on a mug that I assumed had coffee in it. I was still a little upset that he had tried to mark me earlier, but I knew I had kinda egged him on a bit and that it wasn't entirely all his fault. I just still wasn't sure and was till trying to hold on to any bit of hope that I wasn't August's Luna.
Don't get me wrong, it's hard resisting him.
I like August I can't deny that anymore. I'm attracted to him and I love his attention, but that doesn't mean I want to be bond to him for the rest of my life. That just seems insane.
I strolled into the kitchen and started to fix my own cup of coffee and as I was about to add some sugar and cream, but I could feel August's presence right behind me.
"Alpha Paul is stopping by later." I said without turning back to look at him.
"Okay, did he mention why?" He asked me and I bit my lip trying to decide if I should lie or be truthful.
If I told August that Alpha Paul was going to try and test to see if we were mates then August would be prepared for it and would do anything to convince Alpha Paul that we were.
"Probably wants to just see how we're doing after the ceremony." I said as I stirred a spoon in my coffee.
I felt August move his hands to my waist and his chest was now up against my back.
"How are you doing?" He asked me softly.
I took in a deep breath and just nodded my head and keeping my back to him.
"I'm fine." I said and picked my mug up to blow some of the steam away.
I felt August's fingers trail up the outside of my thigh until he grabbed the hem of my skirt.
"That you are." He said in that deep tone and my legs were now covered in chills.
I choked a little on the coffee I had just sipped on and sat my mug down before turning around to face August.
"You're very hands on today." I said to him and he smiled at me before letting the bottom of my skirt go.
"You make it impossible not to be."
I rolled my eyes at him and pushed his chest back to put some space between us.
"I didn't even do anything."
I watched his eyes linger down my body and my legs and watched blue darken slightly in his eye.
"You're showing too much skin for me to ignore." He said darkly sending a chill down my spine.
I scoffed and turned around to pick my mug up before taking it with me to sit at the bar counter. August sat next to me but pulled my chair over until it was touching his.
"Okay now you're just being ridiculous." I said through a laugh.
"No, I'm being very reasonable considering the circumstances." He said and dropped his arm over the back of my chair.
"I'd hardly call this reasonable. Any closer and I'd be in your lap." I shot back and he chuckled deeply.
He leaned his head close to me and I could feel his breath fan my neck.
"That can be arranged."
August looped his arm that was on the back of my chair around me and pulled me over into his lap and put both hands on the counter top to cage me between them. I could feel his breath fan the back of my neck and I suddenly became very nervous.
"Don't August." I whispered.
I felt his lips graze my bare skin and could see the whites of his knuckles from gripping the counter too hard.
"Shh just be still." He said back lowly and I could feel him place warm kisses on my neck.
He let go of the counter and wrapped his arms around me tightly and placed his nose on my bare skin to just breathe in my scent while I tried to finish the rest of my coffee.
After a while my stomach growled loudly and I felt August's smile.
"Would you rather starve then eat my cooking?" He asked teasingly.
I smiled where he couldn't see.
"I haven't gone hunting in a while." I admitted to him.
He loosened his hold around me and leaned his face off my neck.
"We can go now if you want." He said nonchalantly.
I turned a little bit in his lap so I could face him.
"It really doesn't bother you that I do that?" I asked him with a raised eyebrow.
It should bother him. It's a disgusting habit.
He gave me a shrug and didn't show any disgust in his face.
"No? Why would it?" He asked and I squinted my eyes at him.
"Uh because it's considered barbaric?"
He laughed and tightened his arms back around me.
"I have no plans in changing your eating habits Emerald. I like the way you are."
I laughed loudly and wiggled out of August's arms and got up from his lap. I grabbed my empty mug and went to rinse it out, still giggling to myself.
"What's so funny?"
I turned around to face him and laughed again and covered my mouth with my hand to try and stop myself.
"Nothing.. you're just really good that's all." I said and grabbed a washcloth to dry my hands off.
"What is that supposed to mean?" He asked dropping his happy tone to serious.
I rolled my eyes and gave him a look.
"You think you can smooth talk your way into marking me and it's a little insulting that you find me that dense."
I could see his jawline tighten and the cold stare he was giving me made me want to look away, but I didn't.
"Is that what you think I'm doing? Telling you things you want to hear to try and what? Trick you? I don't need to trick you Emerald. Most Alpha's wouldn't hesitate and would mark their mate's without a second thought of how their Luna's felt about it."
My throat felt dry and so did my mouth. I clenched my fists together and dug my nails into my palm.
"I could mark you right now if I wanted, but I'm not going to because I already care about you. I don't need a mate bond to know how I feel about you Emerald, so don't try and tell yourself that I don't mean what I say."
I raised an eyebrow at him and I know I should've just nodded my head and dropped it, but I'm too competitive to lose an argument.
"So you mean every single thing that comes out of your mouth to me?" I asked and he nodded his head to me.
I smacked my lips together and placed my hands on my hips.
"Then I guess that means there really is still a chance that I'm not your Luna. I mean.. you did say that to me did you not?" I asked him and I could see the black swallow the blue in his eye.
"Stop." He said through clenched teeth.
"What happens if an Alpha marks a Luna that is not his?" I asked him suddenly feeling curious.
He didn't say anything for a minute, but the blue never resurfaced into his eye.
"He dies."
My eyes went wide and I felt even more nervous about letting August so close to me lately.
"So you're willing to risk your life over a guess?" I asked him shocked.
August jumped up from his seat and it went flying back as he made long strides to me. I backed away from him and he let out a low Alpha growl that forced my feet to still.
He brought his face close to mine and solid white and black orbs stared back at me.
"You are my Luna Emerald and it's not a guess. It's a fact and if you keep pushing me I will prove it."
I took in a shaky breath and pushed his chest lightly and took a step back from him.
"I like to hunt alone." I said to him barley above a whisper.
He grunted and took a step closer to me.
"No."
I furrowed my eyebrows at him and no longer felt small under his Alpha influence.
"No?" I asked him to make sure I heard him right.
"You think I don't know you'll just run off? It's a little insulting that you find me that dense." He said darkly throwing my words back at me again.
I let out sigh and didn't hide just how annoyed I was in my features
"You're impossible." I said to him crossing my arms over my chest.
He moved closer to me and wrapped his arms around me while crushing my crossed arms against his chest.
"You're beautiful."
"I think I just lost my appetite." I mumbled while scrunching my nose up at his compliment.
"Why? Do you not think you're beautiful?" He asked while cocking a dark eyebrow up at me.
I rolled my eyes and groaned.
"I'm not playing twenty questions with you. I'm hangry and you're suffocating me." I said trying to wiggle free of his hold.
"Kiss me and I'll let you free." He said to me.
I scoffed and shook my head no at him.
"That's an oxymoron if I ever did hear one."
"Please?" He asked me and puffed his bottom lip out.
"Oh you're pathetic." I said to him before standing on the tips of my toes and pecking a quick kiss to his puffy bottom lip.
I went to pull back, but August grabbed the back of my head to keep me close to his face and kissed me back more and forced my lips to open so he could greedily taste me.
When he finally pulled back his eyes were back to their normal color and he had on that genuine smile that always makes him look so handsome. It didn't matter how many times we kissed I always felt a surge of anxiety and jitters afterwards.
"Im going to need more of that later." He said to me and grabbed my hand in his and started to guide me to the back of the house to go outside.
I really did prefer to hunt alone.