Reuben POV
Usually an alarm clock, a mind-link or my own body clock wakes me up…but I’ve never been woken up by fingers prodding into my eyes and ears. I slowly open my eyes to find Rex and Elspeth giggling in front of me, poking me awake.
I playfully growl which makes them both squeal and run away, back into the bed and under the duvet. Oh am I the big scary wolf from the childhood stories.
I didn’t plan to fall asleep on the balcony, I planned to go back to my own room but I couldn’t deny my wolf needing to be near Evelyn.
With every day passing he was trying to put pressure on me to mark her, to claim her. But she wasn’t ready for that and he would have to wait. It won’t be easy for me, he has a way of getting what he wants, as do I. But she was different, this was different.
I was treading on new territory when it came to Evelyn and the children. Something I hadn’t ever experienced before.
I was in regular contact with the Red Stone pack, everything seemed to be running smoothly. I’d have to go back but I wasn’t ready to leave. Evelyn was only just starting to warm up to me, if I left now all my work will have been for nothing.
“Oh no, I seem to have lost Rex and Elspeth…” I playfully growl out adding some howls for dramatic emphasis. I stretch my neck out, perhaps sleeping on garden furniture wasn’t a good idea. But I was quickly struggling to refuse her.
Had she of pulled away I would have left but she seemed quite content for me to stroke her legs and wrap my arms around her.
“Where could they be? Oh look, a comfortable bed to jump on…” I chuckle as I whip the duvet off, finding them both huddled next to each other. Elspeth with her eyes closed holding on to Rex. Rex springs into action and lunges at me, I only just catch him in my arms.
Elspeth however looks at me with uncertainty, and I wouldn’t want her to ever feel uncomfortable. “Come on let’s go find your Mum.” I decide to cut the game short.
Elspeth was in her pyjamas and Rex was covered in mud and his party clothes still, oh well, Evelyn will have to get them dressed after breakfast.
Rex opens the bedroom door and ushers Elspeth to follow him. She timidly walks past me, making sure she gives herself a wide berth around me. I really do have my work cut out.
I see her instantly, in the arms of Noah. And she had the audacity to get jealous of Vicky and I. Calm down Reuben, he has a mate and they are a family….just remember that. Keep your possessiveness in check, I remind myself.
“No, she is mine!” My wolf growls in my mind and channels forward. I could feel his emotions, he wanted to rip Noah’s arms off, stop him from touching her again.
“She is, just calm the fuck down.” I growl back at him. Fighting back for control, his intense glare at Noah being returned. I proved four years ago that he was no match for me, I’m happy to teach him that lesson again.
It’s Rex that cuts the tension as he notices my scent all over his mother and calls us out on it. Kids just had a way of saying things!
We were having breakfast together along with Cassandra, Pierce, Candice, Milo, Ivo and his Luna. Evelyn wasn’t making eye contact with me at all. Fine, two can play at that game.
She moves to make herself a cup of tea and I follow her. I reach over her purposefully touching her arm, just to remind her of the tingles, that we belonged to one another. That no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t deny it.
She looks at me with wide eyes as she tears open the tea bag packet with her teeth. Fuck, was she doing that on purpose? I had an image of her tearing open a condom packet completely naked on top of my body.
I have to step away to stop myself getting a hard on. Fuck! She really was a temptress. And judging by the smug smirk she was giving me, she knew it.
“You left the party early Reuben, and still wearing last night’s clothes?” Pierce can’t help himself as I sit back down next to him.
His voice is low and in my ear but Evelyn had heard, I can tell by her cheeks turning a cute shade of pink. She turns her pack on us, not wanting to meet our eyes.
She was still wearing her dress from last night which made her look insatiable. I look at Pierce who was also looking at her ass in that dress.
“Back off!” I menacingly growl into his ear, which earns a playful chuckle from him. Doesn’t he know the true ability of my beast?
“Alpha Reuben, I was going to give Alpha Evelyn a tour of the pack. Did you want to join us?” Alpha Ivo offers but having been a member of my alliance for decades I already knew this pack well. But I won’t mention that.
“Thanks but I need to check on some bits, are you okay if I use your office?” “It is at your disposal.” He offers granting me permission. Not that I needed it!
They leave, even Pierce attends the tour. Typical Alpha wanting to get the inside information on packs for future reference. All leave but one.
Her smirk across the dining table has me rolling my eyes at her. How the fuck has she gone from my house staff to the future Luna of the Blue Moon pack… The Moon Goddess certainly had an odd sense of humour.
“Luna?” I quirk an eyebrow at her calling her out on her smirk.
“Alpha…How are things? Noah and Cassandra seem to be getting on well.” She has an interfering grin to the corner of her mouth.
“Is that so…” I don’t let her know by keeping my heart rate and breathing steady, but this is actually good news. “Yes, they spent the night together…as did you two from the sounds of things.”
What was it with everyone wanting to get into our business? I choose to ignore her comment and make my way to Ivo’s office.
I close the door, keen for some privacy as I check on my emails. I had asked some of my trackers to not only find Vicky but now also to keep a watchful eye out for Donnie. But he was good, he kept giving them the slip.
Around thirty minutes into my solitude of reading my emails, the office door knocks. Hoping it was Evelyn, but that would have been a quick tour so very unlikely to be her. More likely Candice wanting to put her nose in my business again.
“I’m not interested Candice.” I call out, hoping she’ll get the hint.
“Oh, apologies Alpha…I didn’t realise it was you in here.” Natascha opens the door and forces her way in, even against my increasing aura, directed at her. What was it with these pushy she- wolves.
Evelyn POV
“If you could spare the time, did you want to extend your stay? Milo and Candice are very fond of your children.” Alpha Ivo kindly offers during his tour of the pack.
We were in their medical centre and I had completely lost Noah’s concentration now. He was in his element competitively affirming that we still held the crown of the best pack in the country for our medical facility.
“That is very kind Alpha Ivo. We wouldn’t want to outsay our welcome
“Impossible dear. Besides, between and I, I think in a few month’s time Candice will be attending your pack herself.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. you
“She will?”
He gives me a knowing look which warms my heart. Wait, was Candice pregnant?
That would explain the handover of the pack to her and Milo. Ivo was future proofing the pack with an heir already growing in Candice’s womb.
“We would take good care of her.” I smile, placing my hand warmly on to his arm. “I have no doubt dear.” He fondly smiles at me.
“This is a great pack, but still not as good as ours.” Noah winks at me as his voice filters out into my mind.
“Alpha Ivo has offered for us to stay for a few more days, what do you think?” I mention to him through the mind-link.
“We could stay an extra day or two, but then we do have to get back. We have a few busy days for births coming up.”
“Of course, whatever you think is best. What about Cassandra?” We are still mind-linking but she was keeping a close eye on us.
“What about her?”
“Did you want her to come back with us or to stay here. This is her home pack…” I cut the mind-link when Milo starts talking to us about the small school that we were now in.
“Noah, she is the rightful female beta of the Silver Moon pack. What do you want to do?” I didn’t want Noah to make mistakes like I had in the past. He had a chance to be truly happy with her.
“She has been assisting me with the births. She does have a talent for midwifery.” He gives a proud tone to his voice.
“Then lets train her Noah, the pack funds will pay for it.”
“Mummy?” My arm is pulled, cutting my mind-link with Noah. I look down to see Elspeth hopping on the spot, she needs a wee.
“I’ll take her back to the alpha house and actually get her dressed!” She was still in her pyjamas!
“Can you keep an eye on Rex?” Who was dressed in last night’s clothing and had mud on his face. Oh goddess, what a state they look. I hope no one is judging me on my parenting skills this weekend.
“Of course.”
In rather a hurry we reach the alpha house. For the entire walk I have been encouraging Elspeth to keep it in until we get to the bathroom. A classic result of too much juice at breakfast!
As we climb the stairs I see in the corner of my eye, Natascha knocking on Ivo’s office door. Doesn’t he know he is on the tour?
She was wearing a low cut black dress, that hugged in all the right places, and red high heels. Her long brown hair tied into a top knot bun and she wore gold dangling earrings, she gave off quite the professional look.
But I thought that’s where Reuben was, why was she going in there? Especially if it was Alpha Ivo she wanted. I halt on the stairs, concentrating on my hearing as I watch her close the door with a flirtatious giggle.
“Mummy, I’m desperate…” Elspeth struggles to say as the pain reaches her face of holding on.
I race up the stairs with her. An increasing unsettling feeling of nausea taking over my stomach, my own heart beat ringing out in my ears. Still trying to listen even though we have now closed the bedroom door behind us.
Did she want Ivo or Reuben? Why would she need a private audience with Reuben? Something wasn’t sitting well with me, especially as she had made a few scornful remarks at the party last night and tried to flirt with Reuben at the bar.
Shall I go down there? No, Evelyn. He is a grown man..he can say no to her. But what if he doesn’t say no?
