Maxon

"Hi! I'm Noni Novas' best friend and Alex's newfound mate. You must be Maxon," she said extending her hand; I shook it and nodded.

"I've heard so many things about you... both good and bad." She gave me a pointed look. "Hurt her and you die," she threatened. I watched her eyes go from a soft brown to an angry red color.

This girl was a Special.

It was then that Nova had noticed that we were still inches apart, she disentangled herself and put distance between us.

So much for the closeness, I thought angrily.

"I see that you two are getting on perfectly," she said wagging her eyebrows at Nova. Nova giggled slightly and nudged her as if to say shut up, while I gave her a timid blush.

"It's nice to have finally met Alex's mate. He's been complaining about not having one for the longest. Now he can stop begging girls to go out with him," I said, deflecting the spotlight off Nova and I. Alex blushed and gave me a mean stare. I held my hands up in surrender, laughing.

"So where are you girls staying," I asked trying to sound casual.

Smooth Maxon. Real smooth, Alex thought to me. I shrugged. I liked getting to the point.

"Well, I'm staying with my mate. What about you Nova? Are you staying with your mate," Noni asked.

I think I was wrong about this girl, maybe she was secretly on my side. She gave Nova a look, and it was easy to tell that they were talking through their pack link. I felt it when Nova joined another pack. It felt like another part of her was closed off to me and I couldn't figure out how to open it back up. To stay it scared, me was a very big understatement. I wanted nothing more than to go and find her and beg her to come back to me, but I knew she needed her space and I wanted her to have that.

Alex and I watched the silent conversation in, well, silence. I knew Nova was giving her every excuse known to man about why she couldn't and didn't want to stay with me. I was praying that this Noni chick could get her to change her mind. It seemed she was winning the argument because Nova began a series of sighs. Her face had the angry contortion to it, and it wasn't until she threw her hands up in surrender that Nova spoke aloud.

"Fine. I'm staying with you Maxon," she said.

Even though her voice was monotone, I could feel the excitement oozing out of her body and into mine. Or it could've been the other way around. Who cares, because I didn't. My mate would be staying with me in my room for the first time. My wolf was jumping for joy and if I wasn't trying to play the cool guy roll, I would've been too.

You know you don't have to play the cool guy with me Maxon, her voice rang through my mind.

It was like someone had struck a harp and a beautiful melody flowed from it. I heard a laugh pour through my mind.

I didn't know you were a hopeless romantic Maxon. I forgot that we could read each other's minds. Embarrassing...

I'm not. I'm just surprised you said you'd stay with me is all, I said. Struggling to remain cool.

I don't see why not... I am your mate, after all, am I not? I nodded. This girl didn't know what she was doing to me and how dangerous of a game she was playing. Or did she? Did she want me to mark her?

Slow down, cowboy. We have a lot of time for the marking. Tonight, we are just going to talk and cuddle. So be prepared and for Fates sakes clean your room, she said.

How do you know my room is dirty?

You have been trying to figure out how you were going to clean it without me or anyone else noticing. And I think it's sweet that you kept some of my old clothes and my blankets.

Not creepy, but sweet.

Are you going to be reading my mind forever, I asked her, smiling.

Do you want me to stop, she asked seductively.

Yes, she totally knew what she was doing. I shook my head no and tried to move in closer to her. I wanted to pick up where we were interrupted but she was quick, and she moved out of the way before I could grab her. Hell, she was gone before I could even blink. I don't think I even decided if I was going to grab her yet before she moved.

For the first time, I really looked at her and saw that she was a whole new person and so was her wolf, and it really dawned on me for the first time. My Nova was a Special.

Nova

"So," I said dragging it out.

Maxon had been staring at me weirdly ever since I moved out of his reach. I knew I was fast and that I would have to ease him into my life as a Special, but I was hoping we could get passed that. Everyone was staring at me waiting for what I had to say.

"Don't you think it's about that time we headed home?"

"Yeah, I do. Is there anything special you girls wanted to do tonight," Alex asked speaking to me for the first time since we had found them. I laughed and nodded yes.

"Well Noni and I were going to go shopping and then I wanted to go tanning, then maybe I was thinking we could head to one of these infamous grad parties. What do you think," I asked Noni. I knew she would say yes, but I didn't know that my coming second in her life was going to start so soon.

"Yeah, sure we can do that after I get unpacked and settled in with Alex."

I gave her a dumbfounded look and swallowed my response.

This is your chance to get IN good with Maxon. Take your chance honey. Spend some alone time with him, she sent me. I answered her by rolling my eyes and turning to Maxon.

"So that leaves us alone for a while slick. What do you want to do," I asked him.

Nothing sexual. I gave him a knowing look. Yes, I knew how his mind worked. Already...

"Well, we could do the shopping thing. I have to get new clothes, anyway."

"Great! So, it's settled. You guys go do your... 'stuff' and Maxon and I will do ours. I guess we'll meet up at like," I looked at my watch.

It was 4:45 pm right now. Shopping and tanning both plus getting ready will take about a good five hours.

"Let's meet back up at 9:45 pm," Maxon said. I looked at him and smile. So, he had finally decided to take a little peek.

"Okay. Let's go get my stuff out of your truck," Noni said grabbing my arm and pulling me away from Maxon and my brother. When she knew we were out of werewolf earshot, she began her twenty-one questions.

"Was it me or was there a lot of emotional and sexual tension between the two of you," she gushed.

Noni had spent months saying what she would do if she ever met Maxon. She named at least eight horrible and unspeakable things, but now she wanted me to let him mark me. Can we say confused?

"I thought you didn't want me to give him the time of day."

"I didn't until Alex started talking about how cute you guys looked and how sorry he was and how sad he's been. I told him you were being the same way sometimes and that you always talked about taking him back. So, we decided that you two needed to work it out. We want to double date," she explained.

"Can you please explain why you told Alex that stuff about me," I said almost shouting at her. What if he told Maxon that I wanted him back? That would be the end of my play its cool facade. He'd unleash his charm on me and not even bother about apologizing.

"Jeez, you don't have to shout. I made him promise me that he wouldn't say anything to him about it." 

Fates, sometimes she was as thick as a coconut.

"Noni. Maxon is an Alpha. Your crappy pinky promise means nothing compared to an Alpha's command," I shouted. We had finally reached my truck and sat in the back talking. Her face had dropped into a blank abyss and her lips formed a small circle.

"Sorry Nov, I forgot," she whispered.

Just because the Alpha command means nothing to us doesn't mean it applies to everyone, I told her.

I looked over at her near tears and hugged her. I knew what she was doing, but I didn't want Alex coming here and thinking I or someone else did something to his mate, so she won that round. Alex was going to have a tough time with this one.

"You girls ready," Alex said causing us both to jump.

Noni's tears immediately evaporated, and her face lit up. Alex grabbed all her bags with one hand and flexed his muscles.

"Oh... my muscle man," Noni cooed. I shook my head and waved at the happy couple. Now if only Maxon and I could get back on track.

"You driving, or should I?" Maxon asked.

He was now standing in front of me and between my legs, and his hands were on my knees. There was so much tension there you could cut it and smear it on toast like jam. His thumbs began to twirl in little circles as he leaned forward. There was an explosion of sensations that were released into my body and it brought back feelings and thoughts that I had tucked away months ago.

I could hear the low growl that started in his throat inching its way up and out, and as soon as it escaped a low moan came from me. Even the slightest touch caused me to shiver and moan uncontrollably. I wanted this, and I was ready to have it. I knew we were about to kiss, so I readied myself for it. I was sick of fighting the feelings and I was sick of running. I was just ready to be with Maxon.

My heart was pounding in my ears, and I knew if we didn't kiss soon, I was going to explode. I grabbed him by his shirt and roughly pulled him forward.

"I'm ready to kiss you now Maxon," I whispered to him.

He let out a sexy man moan and grabbed my hair and just before our lips were to touch something with a high-pitched voice screamed his name.

What the fuck!

Maxon

What the fuck!

My wolf and I let out a growl at the same time. So close that time. Our lips were seconds away from each other and then I hear Natalie's voice. Nova looked at me and smiled.

We'll get around to it, but who is that, she asked. For a second, I was afraid to tell her, but then I thought and knew I had nothing to hide.

Natalie.

Alex's Natalie? I nodded. She looked away, seeming to be mulling it over for a few seconds. Then she looked back at me and smiled but it was a genuine smile, it was rough and dangerous.

What does she want with you?

I shrugged, Who knows? When you left your brother left her, so she has been trying to become Alpha female.

She gave me a knowing look.

I swear I never touched her!

A hit dog will holler Maxon. I didn't say that you did, she said.

Her look had gone from nice, too sexy, to about to kiss me, too serious all in a matter of seconds.

I just don't want you thinking that I did Nova. I'm trying to make this work, I told her while flicking my finger back and forth between us, trying to make us work. That's all I want.

She nodded and sighed, I know Maxon. Let's just see what she wants.

By the time that internal conversation ended Natalie had made her way over and was eye-raping me. I could see her undressing me with her eyes. Her eyes drifting further down eyeing my rather hard package. She looked as if she was about to reach out and caress it. I quickly and immediately cleared my throat to draw her eyes back up.

When she and Alex broke up, she had set her sights on my butt I was dealing with the loss of Nova leaving and then months later my mother's death. I paid her no attention. Half the time I never wanted to leave my room to eat scared that I'd bump into her in the packhouse kitchen.

"What is it now Natalie," I asked. I wasn't trying to hide the displeasure at seeing her in my voice. I'm sure it was quite evident that I hated her right now.

"Nothing baby, I was just actually surprised that you left your room. What brings you out," she asked totally ignoring my tone. Nova laughed drawing attention to herself for the first time since Natalie called my name.

"She's a thick one," Nova said laughing.

"Do I know you bitch," Natalie asked taking a tone that I didn't like. How dare she talk to my mate that way? I was about to say something when from the corner of my eye I saw Nova shake her head no. I slightly nodded and stood down.

"You don't remember me, Natalie," she asked sweetly, hopping out of her truck's trunk.

"No, but I do remember that you had my man in between your legs. If you'd like to stay the way you are, I suggest you stay away," Natalie threatened.

"I'm not your man Natalie. And don't threaten her."

"So, you're going to reject me to my face Maxon. I am your mate," Natalie whispered roughly. Nova and I looked at each other and laughed. "What's so funny? It's true."

"You're NOT my mate. Nova is, and we think it's funny that my real mate is here and call yourself my mate."

"Nova Summers? That fat cow," Natalie laughed. I had to fight with my wolf to keep from ripping her heart out. I felt Novas' arms go around my waist and I could feel the smile that was forming on her face.

"I'm not so fat anymore Natalie," she said throwing her a wink and then looking back at me.

Natalie's eyes opened wide in realization. She had just disrespected the Luna to her face, but Nova didn't care and to show her she didn't she grabbed my face and roughly pulled me forward and planted her lips onto mine.

It took seconds for my mind to catch up with my body because my lips were already moving in sync with Novas'. She moaned against my lips as I pulled her bottom lip in and gently bit it, asking for entrance. She opened her mouth, and I quickly slipped my tongue in before anyone else could interrupt us. We heard Natalie huff and walk briskly away mumbling to herself.

I didn't want the kiss to end because the feelings and sensations were more than I could ever dream of, but we had to get out of there. My wolf was threatening me, telling me I better not break that kiss. I laughed at him internally.

She's staying with us tonight. There will be more kisses. He seemed content with that answer. Still kissing her I grabbed her keys from the back pocket of her jeans, gripping her butt firmly and then pulled out of the kiss.

She looked at me angrily. "What did you do that for?"

"Get in. I'm driving," I told her.

My voice had completely returned to that husky state. I reached for her and pulled her close and gently bit on the spot where my mark would go. She moaned, and my package became even harder. She ground against me moaning causing me to moan. Then she bit the spot where her mark would be on me. I inhaled deeply, trying to keep my wolf at bay. She quickly pulled apart from me and jiggled her keys in my face.

"No baby. I'm driving."

Damn, was all I could think before I hopped in and let her drive us to wherever.