Everyone was quiet for a long time, no one moved or spoke. Suddenly, all the adrenaline left my body and I could feel the darkness creeping around my vision. I sagged against Max who instantly held me.
"I think you should take Willow back to the infirmary. She needs to rest," I heard Alpha Jesse insist.
---
I awoke a few hours later, though it felt much longer than that. For a brief moment, I panicked and shot up. My heart raced as I scanned the dark room. It took me a moment to figure out where I was. Slowly, my brain began to piece together the events from earlier.
I sighed as I remembered the image of my father being dragged away.
'Was he gone? What's gonna happen to me now?' I thought.
"Are you ok?"
I was startled by the sudden sound. Max was leaning against the wall next to the window. The bright moonlight bathed him in an ethereal glow.
"Willow?" he asked after I'd remained silent. "Talk to me."
"I'm ok," I whispered as I stared down at my hands.
I felt the bed dip and jerked up to see Max sat far too close.
"Tell me the truth," he commanded gently. "I can see you're worried about something."
I bit my lip and the action caught his attention. For some strange reason, I could see desire in his eyes.
'Desire for me?' I wondered and then shook my head. What a stupid idea.
"It happened, didn't it?" I asked eventually, needing it to be confirmed.
"You mean your father and stepmother?"
I nodded and he smiled.
"Yeah, baby. They're gone and they ain't coming back. You're free now."
"Baby?"
Max smirked at me and I blushed.
"You don't like that name?" he teased. "We can think of different ones for me to call you if you want."
I shook my head, this couldn't be real. No way did Max, the future beta of the NightWind pack, want me. This couldn't be happening. Not to me!
"What happens now?" I asked, trying to ignore the mix of confusing feelings he was creating.
"What do you mean?" he asked, furrowing his brow.
"I mean with me. My father is no longer the alpha here so what do I do now?"
"Well," he paused before rubbing his face. "You can stay if you want, your new alpha would be happy to have you but …."
"But," I urged.
Can I only stay if I continue with the Luna duties?
"But I was wondering if you wanted to come with me, and become a member of my pack."
"Your pack? Why would I go there? What would I do? Do you need a maid?"
"What! a maid? No! You wouldn't be a maid. I mean …" Max rubbed his face in frustration. "Willow, I'm asking you to live with me and be my mate."
I blinked as I stared at him wide-eyed. Did he just ask me to … no that can't be right. I'm hearing things.
"Willow?" He looked so unsure. "Do you not want to be my mate?"
"No! I mean it's not that I don't, it's just …" I rushed out as I gripped his hands.
"Just what?" he urged.
"It's just that you could have anyone, I know you lost your true mate but I'm sure there must be a lot of girls who want you. Better ones than me," I whispered the last part.
"Ever since I lost my mate, I've not been interested in anyone until I met you. A few of the other omega's in my pack have tried but I never felt anything for them. I didn't want to lead them on or use them despite their insistence that they wouldn't mind."
My heart raced as I could feel my cheeks reddening. Max smiled and reached for my hand. I watched wide-eyed as he lifted my hand to his lips and gently placed a kiss. My gasp was enough encouragement for him to continue.
Max slowly kissed a path up my arm. I could feel my body reacting to his touch, my skin heated, my heart raced and my core twitched.
Max groaned against my skin as he reached the space where a mark would be. Instinctively, I moved my head aside, exposing my neck to him. He growled at the submissive action and I whimpered.
"Max?"
"It's ok baby," he crooned against my heated skin. "I'm not going to mark you … yet."
He continued up my neck before finally pressing his lips against mine. I moaned loudly as I felt him push me back. Max's body hovered over mine, not fully touching just close enough I could feel his heat. I whined again.
Max released my lips and smirked down at me. I glared up at him which only made him laugh.
"Max!"
He laughed louder and I soon joined in. After a few minutes, Max sighed and raised a hand to cup my face. His eyes suddenly became serious and made my heart stutter.
"I don't know why the Goddess has given me a second chance mate but I'm not going to question it."
"Second chance mate?" I asked.
I'd never heard that term before. I only knew of mates who had chosen to be together despite not yet meeting their fated mate. Who knew what would happen if or when they did?
"Since I lost my mate I've thought I would want anyone else. When I saw you, my wolf stirred within me for the first time. Normally, I would only hear from him when I needed to train or fight. I know you're my second chance mate, and if you let me, I will be yours. What do you say?"
"Well, this looks disgusting!"
We jerked up to see Julie glaring at us. Max sighed in frustration as he moved off me. I glared back at Julie as I sat up.
"What do you want Julie?" I asked.
"The alpha wants to see you," she grunted.
I sighed as I nodded and got up, Max went to follow but Julie stopped him.
"He wants to see her alone," she cooed, flashing a finger across his chest.
I liked how he recoiled and glared at her, leaving her hand in the hair as if she had burnt him. Julie scoffed and huffed out of the room. Max gripped my hand and placed a kiss on my cheek.
"Come see me when you are done."
---
As I made my way to his office I was stopped by Trip. Every way I stepped he blocked my way, smirking at me. I sighed in frustration as I stepped back and glared at him.
"What are you doing?" I demanded.
"Gotten feisty, haven't we," he smirked back, crossing his arms. "You know I like that. If you'd shown that earlier I might have accepted you as my mate."
"Well, I'm glad you didn't. If you'd accepted me I would have killed myself before being tied to you."
His smirk dropped instantly as he dropped his arms. It was my turn to smirk. I moved to go around him but his growl stopped me.
"Where do you think you're going?" he demanded.
"To your father, he's called for me," I insisted, feeling butterflies starting to form in my stomach.
Something felt off but I didn't know what it was. I could feel something faintly fidgeting inside me. Though I couldn't tell what if it was my wolf or just my gut.
"He's not in his office, follow me," he instructed, forcing me to reluctantly follow.
The bad feeling grew stronger.