Magnus

I barely slept last night. I stayed up with the images of her. She hates Thane and yet she was unwilling to see him hurt. Behind that hard exterior, she hides a kind soul. Would she ever find it in her to forgive me?

I shake my head and bury it in my hands. I can't be forgiven. The Goddess herself does not cast her eyes on me. What I have done is unforgivable. She may be a kind heart deep down but deep down I am a monster. A monster that has fallen for her. That is my last, ultimate punishment.

After the fights, Thane was carried away by his fellow warriors and all the pack paraded in front of us, showing their respect to the Alpha couple. In their eyes I saw acceptance. And even more than that I saw hope. They approve of the new Luna.

That last look on those eyes was the one that floored me. All of the pack looked at her with the same expectancy that it was more than waiting to pop out a pup. The look they laid on her was that of love and respect.

The sun has just rose above the lake and this view from my bed is one I will never get tired of. I get up and step outside to look upon the view. I lean against the rail and I look at the sun. I close my eyes and let the newborn rays warm me.

That's why I hear the sliding door of her room open. She is still half asleep as she looks upon the lake mesmerized. She may not love me, but I think she has begun to love my land. The look on her face is soft and has a sweet smile on her lips as she looks upon the scenery.

"God morgon," my voice reaches her.

I make it a point to talk to her in Swedish. She tries to hide it but I see her reaction each time I do. And I relish on those low moans and her lip-biting. Her thought tortured me all day. I can torture her a little too.

She turns slowly and sees me, bare-chested and barefoot as is my morning attire. I burn hotter than the sun as her look takes in my body and she swallows hard. She hates my guts but it seems that she is not opposed to my body on display. First time in my life that I enjoy being looked at like that.

"Good morning," she coughs.

I am not staying at my side of the balcony, but instead, I cross over to her in confident strides.

I can't keep away from her, Especially when I know she is wearing nothing but her underwear under that warm shawl she has wrapped herself with.

"You are up early," I stand before her.

"You too."

"I always sleep only for a few hours."

"Ah! The troubles of leadership, right?"

My face melts into a miserable expression and my eyes stray to the dark room between us. She is quick to notice that. She frowns but says nothing. She probably doesn't give a shit about what keeps me up at night.

"Well, now I can share the burden," I look deep into her eyes.

"Don't be so sure, Magnus," she narrows them. "I don't plan on staying here long."

"Is that so, little girl?" I move even closer, her body almost touching mine.

She swallows again and her look drifts over my chest. She is struggling and I am high on her confusion. Many women have wanted to be this close to me. And the one I want close is fighting me.

"That is exactly so," she replies. "I will be gone soon after I-"

Gone? She is not going anywhere. A wild, possessive side unearths inside me and a passion I have never felt before drowns me.

I push her to the rail, her body flush against mine. When she is this close, I cannot think straight. Scratch that. I can barely breathe, let alone think.

"I have told you, Antiope, I am not losing you," I growl.

"In... in order to lose something, you must have it in the first place," she mumbles.

Her heavy musk is flooding my senses. She is wet for me, ready, open, ripe for the taking. If I were to slip a finger in her, I would find her sleek with want. What sounds would she make if I were to place her on that rail and take her under the rising sun?

"But I do have you, Antiope," I lean and sniff her neck.

She hates that but she is also enjoying it. Her nipples pebble, her breaths come in short. Half of it it's Max controlling her instincts. The other half...

"Yes," I growl deep in my chest. "I have you. I smell it on you."

There is no denying her body's reaction to me. And there is no use trying to hide mine so I come closer, letting her know how much she affects me.

"I am pretty sure," she leans back and slips away, "that it's not the first time a female looks at you like a fine piece of meat."

"No," I admit and cage her in by putting both hands on the rail. "But it's been a while since I enjoyed it."

Again that blush that is going to kill me worst than silver can. Seeing her so flustered and confused is waking the dominant male in me.

"If we are to have breakfast at 7′ you need to hurry," she pushes me half-heartily.

I don't move away. Instead, I lean impossibly close with a smile on my face that makes her gasp inaudibly. I need to taste her. I have to know what her skin tastes like. Now.

As my mouth moves to her neck, every hair on her body stands in attention. But when my lips trail her skin, she lets out a soft moan. This urges me on and I make contact, leaving an open-mouthed kiss on her neck. Still not enough!

Her skin is so soft. I would gladly stay like this all day and let my logic take a dive in the lake below us. I want to keep this female for good, for real.

"B... breakfast," she stutters.

"I know. I am hungry," my breath brands her skin.

"Magnus!" She panics once more.

"Antiope," I trap her chin in my fingers, "I do not take by force that which is not willing offered to me," I promise.

"Except people's sisters," she fires back. "And forcibly blackmailing a female to come here with you."

"Your sister trespassed," I am still holding her in place. "As for you, little girl, you needed me and I gave you what you needed."

"Asshole!"

This time her shove is more forceful and I back away long enough for her to escape the dangerous radius of our attraction.

"I didn't need you and I still don't, you overbearing tyrant! "

All I do is throw my look down her chest, onto her erect nipples, evidence that she is lying to me. I lick my lips. I will have her. Soon.

"You do, little girl. You want to lead. I will let you lead with me. Did you think your father would ever let you become Beta? He sent you to the Hunt hoping you'd be knocked up by the time it was finished."

She looks at me but says nothing. She knows I am right.

"I am offering you the chance to lead one of the strongest packs in the world."

"I want to lead my people," she utters.

"Do they want you to lead them? My people do. The neighboring pack has a female Alpha. You will be accepted here."

She is thinking. She is always thinking.

"Let's say it is truly what I need. What about you? What do you need?"

My clever clever mate. I may call her little girl to spite her but she is anything but. I decide to open my cards. And while that decision settles, so does my soul. I shake that fatal attraction I feel for her. I remember why Antiope is really here for.

The sooner we settle this, the sooner we will have a routine and all this pent-up anger will give its place to a partnership and nothing more. Less anger, less passion. More effectiveness.

"Sounds boring," Henrar whines.

"Boring but safe."

I take one step back to relieve the air of the sexual tension. This is purely business.

"I need a Luna."

"Find your mate," she hisses.

Sadness takes over me momentarily. I don't let it dominate me. I have to live with the Goddess's punishment. That doesn't mean that my pack has to suffer.

"I have enemies. Enemies that see me as weak for not having a mate."

"Again. Find your mate."

"I don't have to. I got you."

"Again. You don't."

"Again. I do."

"Why me?"

"You are strong."

"I bet that you have other females just as strong coveting you."

"I need to convince others that my Luna is my true mate. That makes me stronger. It needed to be someone new."

"Find your mate."

"DO NOT-" I lose it.

I inhale deeply. If I tell her, she will run. She will despise me more than she does now.

"You will pretend to be my true mate and Luna."

"Are you serious?"

"Deadly."

"And why would I do that?"

She crosses her arms under her breasts. The motion sends the shawl over her shoulder and reveals the top of her breasts. My eyes drift to the exposed flesh and I forget what we were talking about. If she did that on purpose to distract me while she is getting ready to negotiate, it worked. My mind shuts and my body is on fire.

But she realizes what has happened and she covers herself quickly. I look up to her face and she is almost as red as the sky behind her. Tough as she may be, she is innocent in the ways of seduction.

"She will be only ours," Henrar roars in delight.

Taken by his desire I lean forward, closer to her lips. She swallows hard and I hear her heartbeat thundering in her chest.

"Uhm," she tries, "Why would I help you?"

"Don't you want to be my mate?"

I can't resist driving a finger over her cheek, down her neck, to the junction with her shoulder.

"N... no."

"Are you sure, little girl?" I whisper in her ear before I let my lips caress the skin on her neck again.

She shivers and I groan when I see her rub her thighs together. She can say what she wants but her body craves for my touch.

But her will is strong, her spirit that of a warrior. She finds herself and pushes me back.

"Don't touch me."

"Very well," I smirk and take a step back. "I thought you might want to add certain perks to our deal."

"I will not be your pretend mate, Ulfisson."

"But you will have to smell like me," I say pensively.

"I don't want to be your mate!" She acts out.

"And we need to do something about the mark."

"I am not doing this, you asshole!"

I grip her by the wrist and pull her to me. She is feisty and I like that but she needs to learn respect.

"You will do this! You will be a nice little Luna that thanks the Goddesses that her mate is me."

"I will kill you in your sleep!"

"Good idea. I will be sleeping with you from now on. To rub off my scent on you."

"Forget it! I will hit you, cut off your dick, I will-"

I pull her again, harder this time.

"You will do everything I ask of you, little girl."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah."

I lick my lips as I feel her so close. All I have to do is pull that shawl and I will be able to taste her skin. But that will drive her further away. She may cave for a while but she will hate me more after. No, I will stick to my plan.

"You will, little girl," I nest my mouth on her neck and dart my tongue to get the slightest of tastes.

I am tempted once more as her skin prickles and her breaths come in shallow. But if I go there, I might get weak. No. She needs to fear me.

"Or else..." I let the open threat linger in the air.

"Bastard!" She says but with little conviction.

"Breakfast at 7," I throw at her before going into my room for a cold shower.