**Moxie**

"You're what?"

I stood in front of him with my heart racing.
I was too caught up in the moment of having him touch me.
That it came out.
And now that it did.
It was like another weight was lifted off my shoulders.

I frowned at him.
"I'm in love with a vampire." I repeated myself.
Church's expression was blank for a minute.
His hand covered his mouth turning from me and before I could even react.
His hand was connecting to my cheek, sending me into the bed as my face throbbed in pain with wide eyes.

"Do you have any idea how stupid that makes you sound? An omega in love with a vampire?" Church smirked down at me as my brows knitted and the fear I was trying to push away, was taking over.
"I-It's not stupid! I can't help how I feel-"
I flinched hard the moment he stepped forward.
"You can't help how you feel? Wait," he smirked wickedly with knitted brows.
"Don't tell me, it was a vampire you lost your virginity to?" He laughed, shaking his head as he pinched the bridge of his nose.
"No wonder your old man wants those guys dead, you've done fucked up." He looked down at me as my eyes burned.

"You poor little omega." Church sighed grabbing my chin as I glared softly at him.
"If only you realized vampires are incapable of loving their enemies, that vampire you think you're in love with? He doesn't love you." He told me as my eyes slightly widened which made his expression soften.
"He just made you think that so he could get in your pants, he fucked you because he wanted to start something with the wolves. I mean look at who you are?" He caressed the cheek he slapped looking at me.
"You're an Ellison, if he got to the son first, it would only make his job easier on taking down the alpha's." He explained to me.

My brows knitted.
"You're lying, Magna isn't like that!"
"Oh, so he has a name?" Church smiled looking at me.
"Tell me something Moxie, how long have you known this Magna person?" He asked me stepping back as the tears swelled in my eyes.
"N-Nearly two weeks."
"And you had sex when?" He smirked softly as my face burned.
"Five days after we met.. What does that have to do with anything?!" I demanded now glaring.

"Are you aware vampires use compulsion to get what they want?" Church asked me as my heart started racing.
"Magna isn't the type-"
"How do you know that? You said it yourself, you've known him for two weeks? Have you met his family yet?" He asked me and this sudden sadness took over as I sat there and the tears threatened to fall.
"N-Not yet, but that's because-"
"His family hates wolves?" Church smirked at me and my heart sank looking at him as the tears fell.

"You poor boy." Church knelt in front of me, brushing the tears away.
"You've been in love with someone who's only been using you for your body, that's typical for a vampire. You should use this as a learning experience." He told me as the tears only fell more.
"He told me he loved me-"
"He lied to get into your head, Moxie, vampires and wolves are not meant to be together. It's impossible for the two to be happy like that, it's toxic." He explained as I looked at him frowning.
"We were going to run away so we could be together." I told him.
Church smiled softly.
"A cute but oblivious lie, like I said, vampires cannot be trusted."

He let out a soft sigh looking at me.
"You're still a teenager going through all kinds of phases right now, if I had known you needed an alpha the night of the full moon ceremony. I would have came here sooner." He told me as I frowned at him.
"Are you the type to hit others?" I asked him rubbing my cheek as Church paused and turned to me, his eyes on my cheek.

"I reacted without thinking, I apologize for hitting you that hard. I should have restrained myself better, but it's the idea of a wolf being with a vampire that makes my skin crawl." He walked over to me and cautiously knelt in front of me.
"But you know now, that vampires are bad and he isn't to be trusted." He told me.
My brows knitted.
"Are you going to kill them?"
"Well that depends." Church looked up at me.

"Are you going to rebel and try to see any of them?" He asked me.

My blood felt ice cold.
"No." I answered as he smirked softly.
"Then I'll talk with your father and see if we can figure something else out. If you can promise to stay away from them, I can tell my alpha's to stand down from blindly attacking them." He told me.

My body was aching like this all felt wrong all of a sudden.
Was Magna really using me?
Was..
Any of it actually real?

Church stood up and stretched, grabbing his coat.
I frowned watching him.
"Where are you going?"
Church turned to me as I sat on the edge of the bed.
"I have a meeting to host, I won't be long." He told me as I sat there frowning at him.
"But.." I looked away with my face burning.
He studied me before he smirked, dropping his coat and walked over to me.

His hands cupped my cheeks pressing his lips to mine as I moaned softly, feeling him pushing me back against the bed.
His hands fell on my hips, lifting them so I could feel how hard he was against me.
"We'll finish this when I get back." He whispered against my ear as I shivered.
He stood up and grabbed his coat this time walking out without looking back at me.

I sat there before walking over to the window and watched him walk out onto the street.
My arms were crossed, pulling out my phone and went to my contacts.
My finger hovered over Magna's name and more tears burned my eyes.
I wanted to call him.
I wanted to hear his voice.
Despite this being a lie..

Frowning softly I went to Monty's name and pressed dial.
It didn't take long before he was answering me.

{"Moxie? Are you okay?"} He asked me as my body ached more standing there.
"No." I cried into the phone.
{"What happened? I know you left with that alpha, he didn't hurt you did he?"} He questioned as my thoughts fell onto my cheek.
"No.." I lied frowning softly.
{"Then what's wrong?"}
"It's all been a lie." I told him.
{"What has?"}
"Me and Magna, it's all been an act.. He was just using me to get to dad."
{"Who told you that? Church?"} Monty asked as I frowned.
"It doesn't matter who told me Monty, it makes too much sense to see it as a lie." I told him.

{"Moxie, you can't seriously believe that guy. He's an alpha! They say things to get into your head-"}
"Like vampires? Church mentioned the compulsion." I frowned.
{"...So you're just going to give it all up because he told you to? You're going to become an idiot like the other omegas and obey him? You're going to listen to DAD?"} He growled into the phone as my brows knitted walking over to the bed and took a seat as my face burned.
"I'm confused, Monty." I cried.
{"No shit Mox, you literally had someone great for you and an hour later you're seeing Magna as the bad guy? Dude, he wanted to run away with you-"}
"Church said he was lying to get in my pants-"

{"What the fuck do you think Church is trying to do? You're an omega! Anyone will want in your pants because you're an Ellison and an attractive guy! You cannot throw Magna away, Moxie. You guys.."} Monty went quiet for a minute as I frowned softly.
{"You guys were seriously changing my mind on things, Zoe and Evie were also thinking the same thing. If you throw it all away now, everything before that was pointless! You meeting Magna at the full moon ceremony, rebelling and seeing him. You were in love and wanted to run away!"} He yelled into the phone as the tears slipped.

"Maybe.. Maybe we shouldn't of met to begin with, if I had just stayed there and just socialized..." I cried harder sitting there as Monty's side went quiet.
{"You know I'm in your corner no matter what, but you really need to figure out what you want Moxie. No matter which way you turn, someone is going to get hurt and that someone? Is going to be you."} He told me.

I frowned looking to the door where Church stood and I felt my blood running cold.
"I have to go."
{"Moxie-"}
"I'll talk to you later, Monty." I said hanging up.

"Did I interrupt?" Church questioned sitting his coat down.
I shook my head watching him.
"No, my brother was just checking on me-"
"Surely not the one who hit you." He smirked as my eyes grew wide.
"How-"

"Omega's don't fight each other Moxie, your sister is a very bad liar, which brings me to the question. Which brother hit you?" He asked me.
I frowned softly at him.
"Mistral-"
"Ah, the blond with the cold blue eyes who was glaring at you the entire time we were there." Church walked up to me.
"Why didn't you hit him back?" 
My eyes grew wide.
"Because he's an alpha-"
"Tags have nothing to do with family, siblings fight. You should have thrown the next fist." He told me.

I frowned at him.
"He would have done worse, I'm not strong like him or Rhys." I frowned.
"Well that's a bully for you." Church looked down at me.
"He knew you were weak and yet he still threw a punch, makes me wonder how he treats that mate of his." He said.
My brows knitted.
"Mistral would never hit Devin."
"You don't think so?"
I frowned at him.
"No, Devin may be a better omega than me with his head on more straight than mine, but he would never let his mate hit him in anger. He'd burn his mark first before he let that happen." I said.

Church blinked before he smirked softly.
"Definitely a smart one." He brought me to my feet and his hands were on my hips looking down at me.
"But enough of that, let's finish what we started from earlier." He told me.

I blushed but felt weak feeling his pheromones filling the air.
I couldn't think before his lips were on mine and it felt like I was melting.
He lifted me up with his hands on my ass and leaned us back onto the bed.
He pushed my jeans down and my face flushed red.
This was going to be my second time.
And my mind was falling on Magna.

I was in just my shirt and briefs trying to get wrapped up in the moment, to maybe think about this guy who was making my heart race.
But..
All I could do is cry.

Even if it was a lie.
Even if I was just something Magna wanted to use to get to my dad.
I wanted to be okay with it.
He may not love me.
But..
I still loved him.
I wanted this to be our second moment together.
To feel him holding me.
Loving me.

I won't go into the details of mine and Church's moment because it didn't feel like anything.
There was no passion behind it.
I wasn't in love with him.
And I don't know if I ever will..
This was an arrangement I never asked for.

I wasn't sure what time it was.
But Church was missing and I was alone.
So I took that advantage by walking out onto the balcony of the hotel room we stayed in and embraced the cool air.
My body was aching more and I was glad Church didn't mark me.
Because I was scared of what that would do to mine and Magna's relationship.

I knew I shouldn't.
I knew I promised him.
But..

I went to Magna's name on my phone and sucked in some air before I pressed dial.
I listened to it ring with tears in my eyes.

{"Moxie?"}
"Magna." I cried his name standing there.
{"What's wrong? Where are you?"} He asked me.
"I-I'm at a hotel.. Magna, I'm so confused." I told him.
{"Wait, why are you at a hotel?"}
My brows knitting standing there.
"The alpha's came and I was handed over to Church Rhodes.. He's the one my parents picked out to be my.. mate." I frowned gripping the phone.
{"Your mate? Moxie, I thought-"}

"Do you love me, Magna?" I asked him.
His side went quiet for a minute.
{"I do-"}
"Then why haven't I met your family yet? Why haven't you told me anything about yourself?" I frowned deeply.
{"You want to meet my family? Moxie, if that's what you want. I'll bring you to meet them."} He told me as I stood there with tears in my eyes.
"Are you just saying that because I want you to?"
{"Why are you making it sound like I'm not wanting you to meet them?"} He asked me.

The tears slipped.
"Because we've known each other for two weeks, we had sex five days later and I just thought you'd want me to meet them..." I felt this anger boiling inside of me.
"Or were you wanting to run away with me so your family wouldn't have to meet me because I'm a wolf?"
{"What? Moxie, where is this coming from?! Don't put words in my mouth I never said! My family has nothing against me being with a wolf, because unlike you. I fucking told them we were seeing each other, and they supported it! Unlike your family who hits you and controls you because you let them!"} He yelled at me as my blood ran ice cold.

{"Which hotel are you at right now?"} He asked me.
"I don't want to see you." I told him.
{"Why not?"}
"Because you're angry!"
{"Of course I'm angry! You're letting someone fill your mind with fucking lies Moxie! I would never keep you from my family, when I said I wanted to mark you. I meant it! I love you and if screaming it to the world proves that for you. I fucking will, now.."}

{"Which hotel are you at?"} He asked again.

He stood in the shadows near that hotel his boss was staying at watching the omega trying to be cautious before he was stepping out of the hotel and running towards Cross Fade.
He let out a soft growl stepping back and walked in the opposite direction.

He walked into the house Church bought where the other alpha's were at.
His eyes fell on his boss and walked up to the other.

"Did he fail the test?" Church questioned the brunet who was frowning at him.
"He's running to Cross Fade." He told him.
Church smirked softly pouring himself a glass of wine before bringing it to his lips.
"After he promised he'd obey like a good little omega, fine." He sighed, brushing his fingers through his hair.
"I'll let him run wild for a few more days, just until we kill Ace Ellison." He said looking at the pack of alpha's all looking at him.

"And then?" He smirked softly.
"We'll go after the vampires." He announced.

"Starting with Magna Grimes."