It took every ounce of my control to pull away from that kiss and not just ravage Carnet right there, his whimper of submission definitely didn't help, but I knew all of this must be a lot for him. I'd seen a glimpse of his wolf's nature earlier, and I knew if I didn't stop, then he might feel the need to submit fully again, and then I'd never be able to stop myself.

I didn't fail to hear the wild fluttering of his little heart or how desperately he clung to the fabric of my robe. His lips had been pliant, welcoming, and so... so soft and sweet, I could imagine kissing his breath away over and over, slowly, maddeningly to my heart's content, but I could also imagine ravaging them, not stopping until his lips were red and swollen, perfectly sore and bitten, leaving him panting for breath and in a whimpering mess.

Those honey-coloured eyes of his were hazed, the pupils blown wide, my fingers grazing a silken cheek and my voice calling his name did nothing to wake him from the state of shock he was in.

I slowly and gently led him around the table and sat in my chair, lifting him onto my lap instead of into the empty chair beside me, I didn't want to let him go.

He looked so gorgeous, he'd been dressed well, his clothes clung to certain parts of his body but were loose elsewhere, they flowed, being revealing without bearing skin, I was looking forward to removing them tonight and seeing what lay beneath. The colour made him look even paler, or that might be the shock, he looked so delicate on my lap, a comfortable, warm weight I found I liked, I had a feeling I'd set him on my lap again, rather than have him seated beside me.

My fingers gently tangled in his hair, remembering he'd liked it before, the curls were glossy and bounced as I let them go, they made him even more endearing to me for some reason, they just added this cuteness and gave him a wilder look I found I loved.

Us mountain wolves tended to live a little more rugged than most packs, of course, we'd smartened up for our guests but we'd turn back to our usual slob-ish selves when they're gone. His wild hair, no matter how tamed it was made me feel he was already a part of my pack, he wouldn't truly be until tonight, after the final part of the Luna Choosing, and when I take him to my bed afterwards.

He slowly came back, his body practically melting against mine at my proximity, I loved that about him, his deep need to submit to me.

"Are you ready to eat my Luna?" I asked him gently and secretly cooed at his blushing cheeks, my fingers brushing the heated flesh.

"Yes Alpha," he replied in his usual soft yet carrying voice and I reluctantly set him down on the chair beside me, worried I'd drop food into his hair as I ate or something, and I doubt he'd be able to stop himself from sinking to the floor and fully submitting to me if I held him any longer.

I started taking food from the offered platters around me, particularly hungry from my long run with Jan, and I'd need some energy for the... activities planned for tonight. I smirked slightly at the thought and leaned down to whisper in Carnet's ear. "Make sure you eat well my Luna, you're going to need the energy."

He stiffened and his milky skin turned a bright pink all the way down to his shoulders that were barely hidden by the wide neck of his silk white shirt, the pale colour only highlighting his blushing even more and I chuckled softly. He was the perfect amount of innocent for me, innocent enough to get so flustered from my teasing but understanding enough to get what I was insinuating, it was honestly adorable.

I had promised Jan, but more importantly myself to try and be gentle with Carnet tonight, but that didn't mean I'd go easy on him, I planned on ravishing him over and over until the sun kissed the sky good morning, he'd be so branded with my scent no one could deny he was my Luna. He'd be filled with my pups by morning, for sure, one round was simply not enough, I'd fill him until my seed dripped down his legs, I'd empty my balls inside him until I came dry.

I could feel my wolf getting agitated by my thoughts so I diverted my attention to something else, food, as in I started stuffing my face.

After my first mouthful, Carnet made a move to start dishing up his own food and I was pleased to notice he had taken my advice, adding a little more of everything to his plate, the tops of his cheeks still stained pink. He looked gorgeous when he blushed, it brought some life to his porcelain complexion, which I'm sure will change after a few months of living here. The air was thin in the mountains, the sun also closer, the rays were unforgiving up here, and because of the wind and cooler air from the altitude you often didn't notice, until you came in after a few hours outside, either deeply tanned or burned.

I didn't want Carnet to burn, but I also didn't want him locked inside the castle, I'd have to ask Jan to get some sun cream brought to my room. There were so many places on my territory I wanted to show Carnet, both in human and wolf form, it pained me to think of him in discomfort from burns, something that was easily preventable.

With impeccable manners Carnet began to eat, delicately placing a morsel of steak past his lips, the juices of the rare meat smearing on his bottom lip and before it could dribble down his chin the tip of his tongue flicked out and collected it, leaving me enraptured, my ravenous munching coming to a halt, swallowing down the food in my mouth with a thick gulp and regretting it as a large chunk of meat slid down my gullet painfully, making me reach for the glass of water.

Cool and delicate fingers touched my lifting hand and I paused, my eyes watering a little, desperate for a drink but I wondered why Carnet had stopped me. With his free hand, he offered his glass and I didn't question it, setting mine down and taking his offered one, gulping it down in moments and sighing in relief as the water dislodged the chunk of meat.

Only after did I wonder about the strangeness of his actions, my hand going to my discarded glass and looking at it confusingly.

"May I Alpha?" he inquired softly, his hand brushing mine and I let him take the glass, watching as he gently swirled the contents with a flick of his wrist, the clear water turning a little translucent at the bottom and a sour scent wafted up to my nose, making me growl in fury.

My eyes flicked briefly to Jan, who paused wolfing down food, remembering to chew, unlike me, before swallowing. "What's up Satish, you look fucking pissed?"

"Who set the table today?" I grunted out.

"Uhh... the usual people, why?" my pack would never try and poison me, so it had to be a guest, how had they snuck in before dinner? There were always pack members going in and out of the dining room, when did someone have time to spike only my water? Carnet's had been perfectly fine.

Carnet.

He'd probably just saved my life.

My head lowered to look between Jan and me, seeing Carnet still holding the glass, tilting his head with his lips pursed and brows lowered, appearing in deep thought whilst staring at still clearing water, watching the undissolved powder settling at the bottom of the glass.

I gently took it from his fingers and wordlessly passed it to Jan, scooping up my amazing Luna who let out a cute squeak of surprise as I deposited him on my lap, his knees slipping either side of my thighs and his hands bracing himself on my chest as he fell forward, unprepared for the sudden movement.

He stared up at me with wide eyes, the kohl around them already accentuating the largeness of them, making his expression almost comical.

I leaned down and brushed my lips against his before gently nosing and nuzzling a silken cheek, expressing my gratitude.

I heard his gasp, his body subtly trembling at my touch and I found it difficult to reign in my wolf, who wanted nothing more than to carry Carnet to our room and have our way with him now, Luna ritual be damned.

"Who's glass was this?" Jan growled sounding both angry and concerned.

"Mine," I answered, my voice not far from a grunt because of my wolf's wants.

I buried my face in Carnet's neck and breathed in deeply, a low growl rumbling in my chest. It was obvious someone wasn't happy I'd chosen this sweet little wolf, probably a disgruntled parent.

Wait...

Maybe it had something to do with that impure mutt from breakfast?

Someone had helped him try and mask his soured scent, which wasn't an easy feat, his help had been informed and skilled to fool me for so long, but not quite skilled enough. Compared to Carnet's incredibly sweet scent that sourness could never go unnoticed, but why was only my drink poisoned? Surely...

My arms tightened around Carnet's lithe frame protectively, knowing whomever the culprit was they had probably intended to dose Carnet's water as well, so something must have interrupted them. I doubt they would have known exactly who I was going to pick, but then again I wasn't certain that they didn't. They could have overheard me and my parents, or Jan and I after our run, the fact was that Carnet was in potential danger, and that didn't sit well with me at all, nor my wolf, the both of us were beyond furious.

I wasn't that bothered about the attempt on my life, it was something I'd faced before and will surely face again, it was just part of being an alpha. If you were at the top then someone was bound to try and knock you off.

I'd known Carnet would be a target, but so soon?

It was clear the culprit didn't want the Luna ritual to be completed, but to what end?

Carnet wasn't officially my Luna yet until I consummated our bond... and I fully intended to fill him with pups.

Challenging an alpha for their title wasn't as simple as you'd think, if someone challenged me they were also challenging my blood, every alpha in my bloodline had to be defeated before the title could be passed over. If Carnet was pregnant with our pups then pack law says that the challenger will have to wait until my pups are of age to fight them for the alpha title, that's if I lose, which will never happen.

It was clear what the culprit's intention was; poison me before I'd mated Carnet, preventing me from having any offspring to worry about, they'd have to kill my dad as well, as he'd take back the alpha title in the event of my death if I had no successors.

Jan had stiffened, the carefree and funny cousin I knew was gone, he was in full bodyguard mode now, dark eyes flitting around the room, calculating risks, looking for anything amiss or suspicious.

"Thank you, Carnet," I murmured against the skin of his neck, placing a kiss on the delicate arch of his throat and nosing the silken skin soused with his mouth-watering sweet scent.

The longer I spent with him the surer I was that I'd made the right decision choosing him as my Luna.