More packs arrived over the course of the day, six of them, to be exact, all of which she knew were coming, even knew she had to be in that stupid ballroom when the full moon set the next night. Did not want to be at all, but had to be, bloody council had requested it of her Alpha. They were still trying to Mate her off, it seems.
She now wondered if they thought that the Goddess would once again gift her to Hudson. Well, even if she did, she was not going to accept him. Would reject him on the spot, nil hesitation, didn’t give a damn about their rules and regulations. They could not force her to accept him again and she was not going to.
Mala was sitting up in her room, having elected to stay there for the afternoon. Bella and Ben had left long ago to go hang out as a family, or with the way Ben had been looking at his Mate, put their son down for a nap and spend quality time in their own bed, when her phone chimed with a message.
It was nearly 3pm. It was Netty “Hey girl, where the hell are you? I’m standing down in the foyer with Peta.”
Mala grinned and shot to her feet. It had been nearly a year since she’d seen either of them, left her room for the first time all afternoon and raced down the hall. Looked over the second floor landing and saw them both down there, yelled out “Netty, Peta.”
They were both looking up at her grinning and waving at her, and she was off down the stairs at a run to see her friends, the very first friends she’d made here inside this pack. They were both standing there with their Mates. Alpha Chase and Leonard.
Mala laughed as she hit the foyer, and ran right over to them, hugged them both at the same time, squeezed them tightly to her as she always did, they hugged her back just as tight. This was a great surprise to her. She’d known Netty’s Mate, Alpha Chase would be here with some of his unmated wolves, but not Netty herself, and Peta was a lovely surprise too. Just what she needed after her day.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” She pulled back to look at them.
“Alpha Aston called and made a special request just before lunch time.” Chase smiled at her “and how could I deny my lovely Mate, or Peta for that matter, the chance to come home and see you.” He smiled right at her.
“Thank you, Chase.” She smiled right back at him, he was a bit like Aston. He was always friendly and concerned about his pack. Netty really liked that about him, even took good care of all the omega’s in their pack. Protecting those that were weaker as an Alpha should, they too had wolf-less in their pack. His pack accepted them like Aston's had.
She’d heard that most packs did actually accept having wolf-less, that her old pack had been one of the few that despised them, just her luck, she supposed.
“Look at your hair.” Netty smiled “My goodness, don’t you match your wolf now.”
“I know.” She grinned at them; Bella had done an amazing job. Even Suki liked it. “Come, you’ve had a long drive.”
“Mala!” it was Aston. She had registered him standing there with Chase but was too excited about having Netty and Peta right in front of her to even have thought to acknowledge him. Look right at him now. “Yes Aston?”
“I like the new look.” He smiled right at her, and then reached out a hand towards her, a finger flicked through her hair “It’s very pretty.” He winked at her.
“Thank you.” She smiled.
Saw Netty and Peta’s eyes widen and then move from her to their old Alpha and back to her again, she damn near blushed. Both girls rushed her out of the foyer to the dining room and they could all hear Aston chuckling behind them.
“Do tell, Mala?” Netty hissed at her.
“Are you and Aston?...well, you know?” Peta was clutching at her arm.
Mala didn’t exactly know how to answer that, it would be much easier if they were still members of the pack and she could mind link to them, to have a private conversation.
Mala found Alpha Chase and Leonard, along with Aston, seating themselves at the table. They had all likely heard both the women’s comments as well. Aston dropped right into the chair next to her. “Why don’t we all have a drink.” He smiled at Mala, then mind-linked to her ‘looks like you could use one.’ Heard the amusement in his voice.
A round of drinks was brought to their table and although she knew Netty and Peta were more than curious, and wanted to ask a million questions of her, they did not. Halted that line of questioning with Aston sitting right there at the table.
The conversation turned to how pack life was treating them. Chase and Netty’s children and Peta’s as well. They were all back in The Candescent Moon Pack, all the children were being looked after by their grandparents, it seemed. Saw Chase smile right at Netty after she told Mala where they were, heard him say all deep and sexy like “She’s all mine, for three gloriously uninterrupted days and nights.”
Saw Netty actually blush and then swat him “Enough of that.”
“Never enough.” Mala heard both he and his wolf growl right at her. They still loved her after all these years, had a good strong Mate Bond, still so happy. It made Mala happy to see it, Netty deserved to be happy and was finally granted it when Chase had come along to claim her.
She was still sitting with all of them sipping a glass of wine when she heard him “Mala, may I speak with you please?”
Turned her head and looked up at the voice addressing her, sounded much older, more mature she guessed, came with age she supposed. Hudson stood there looking down at her, still dressed as he had been before. Grit her teeth, did not want to.
It would not be lost on those at the table that he was Alpha blooded, “I have nothing to say to you.” She replied and turned away from him.
Watched as both Netty and Peta looked up at him themselves, though she’d never spoken of him personally, it seemed from the slight frowns on their faces they knew who he was or suspected as much, she had been outed by the council and they’d both been here for that.
Heard him sigh “Mala, please.”
“No.” she stated flatly, without looking at him. She knew it was disrespectful to address an Alpha this way, they would expect full eye contact even if it was pure courtesy.
“Mala, the council recognises my request.”
Her jaw tightened “Do they now?” she finally moved her eyes to look at him. “I don’t care. They cannot make me accept you.” She stood up, didn’t want to be here or anywhere near him for that matter. “I won’t be, so go away, back to your shitty pack and leave me alone.” Stalked from the dining room away from him. Didn’t care that she had just insulted him or his pack in front of the entire room filled with the other packs that were here. Had done so before to an even bigger room filled with other packs, hell that was caught on video for all to see.
“You have to talk to me, Mala. I’m not leaving.” He called after her right away.
Her jaw tightened, it was nearly dinner time and she was supposed to be down there, with her friends having a good time. Why did he have to come along and ruin that? Hadn’t he ruined her life enough? Banged into her room on the second floor and nearly screamed in frustration.
Heard her door open and spun around, ready to beat the living hell out of him if he so dares to follow her into her room. Found Alpha Aston walking across the room towards her, “Do you trust me, Mala?” He asked her when the tension left her body, knowing it wasn’t Hudson.
She nodded her head. “Yes.” Mala answered him.
“Good,” Found his whole body pressed up against hers, his mouth on hers, kissing her deeply, almost hungrily as his hands roamed up her back and into her hair, pulled on her hair, making her head tilt back and exposing her neck to him. Found his mouth moving slowly down it, gasped as his tongue slid across her mark spot, she hadn’t been touched in years, felt heat bloom between her legs “Alpha?” she moaned questioningly, as she could feel desire building in her for him at his touch.
“Go with it, Mala.” He groaned softly “I’m going to help you, put my scent all over you.” He told her softly and nipped softly at her mark spot.
Moaned even more as his hand gripped her backside and pulled her hard against him. “He’s not your Mate anymore, and you don’t want him.”
“I don’t,” she agreed.
“Then let’s show him, who he’ll have to challenge to get to you.”
Mala snorted with amusement and found those dark blue eyes of his right on hers. He smiled right at her “I’ll let you be my proxy, Mala.”
Oh, he knew her so well, stared right up at him “Really?” she would take him up on that without hesitation. Was turning her on even more just thinking about it.
She saw him smirk right at her, would be able to smell her himself. “Yes.” He nodded “Now kiss the hell out of me.” He practically demanded of her.
Mala smiled up at him, not only kissed the hell out of him, wound her arms right around his neck and ground her whole body against his, wanted him even more right this minute. Likely more than she’d wanted anyone ever. Clearly, he knew just what to say to her.
Found herself picked right up and by him and then he was on top of her on her bed, wrapped her arms and legs around him and gasped his name as she felt him so hard against her core. Grinding himself damned hard against her, he groaned himself with pleasure as he did so, wanted her as much as she did him, it seemed.
His mouth devoured hers as hers did his, and then he was pulling at her clothes, practically ripped his own off a minute later, and then was with her looked right down at her
“Aston?” she asked, wanting to make sure he was really wanting this.
Saw him smile “Oh this is going to happen Mala.” He told her, crashed his mouth down on to hers, gripped her hips and took her in one hard firm thrust. Then they were both thrusting hard and fast, all wanton need for each other taking over, till she was crying out underneath him, her nails digging into him, felt him slam home and nearly screamed in pleasure, heard him groan as she felt heat spread through her body, knew he’d cum could feel it so hot inside of her.
Stared up at him as he pulled away from her a few minutes later, slipped from her body and looked down at her with a smile on his face. “Well, damn Mala.” He chuckled softly “Kind of made me lose control there you did.”
Bit her lip “Sorry.”
“Don’t ever be sorry, but I had wanted it to be a bit more on the nicer, gentler side of things. Our first time together. But you smell damn good to me, Mala.”
Blinked up at him a little surprised by his words. “It’s alright, was more than good.” She smiled finally.
Saw him get up and she was yanked up onto her feet by him, out of the bed, looked right at her naked body “Now, I want you to get dressed and come back downstairs. Don’t wash up.” Leaned down and kissed her softly, “I won’t either.” He smiled. Pulled his pants on and walked out of the room still smiling. Barefoot and bare chested.
Mala stood there naked staring after him, it had been all hot and heavy in this room, she’d just had sex with her Alpha, and damned near screamed his name in pleasure, bit her lip. It had been more than good, and it had just been sex, rough, hard sex and he’d hit all the right spots to make her come quickly. Not even Ben had gotten her there that quickly.
Could she go downstairs smelling like him? Did she dare to, stood chewing on her lip, the whole pack would know she’d been with him. Thought about Aston himself, he didn’t seem concerned at all. Had left this room smiling and happy. He was handsome with those dark blue eyes and his curly brown hair slicked back with gel, that neatly trimmed beard he still wore.
All those muscles, she trained with him all the time, he was a good and strong man, always had been, he was a good Alpha and right now he was willing to help her in the most intimate way to get rid of Hudson.
‘Pull it together.’ She snapped at herself, she’d been turned on by him and easily so, had felt how damned hot and hard he was for her too, smiled to herself and closed her eyes. Yes, she could do this, they were both unmated, free and clear to do as they wanted. There was nothing wrong with sleeping with Aston if that was what he wanted, or she wanted.
She knew she would be able to step back and still be happy for him if he found another Goddess Gifted Mate out there. She had done that with Ben, and they still had a good relationship.
She loved her life here, belonged here, and if her Alpha opted to sleep with her on the odd occasion, it was fine, as long as they both wanted it. Pulled her clothes on and did as he asked, went right back downstairs, without having a shower first.
She took her seat at the table with Netty, Peta and their mates once more. Aston was not here at the table, but that did not mean he wouldn’t come back, had said he wouldn’t wash up either, and was going to walk around smelling like her.
Found Ben and Bella now sitting at the table saw them both stare at her, and then Ben just smirked right at her “It’s on, I see.” He commented softly, sounded fully amused to her “About bloody time.” He grinned.
The whole Alpha Unit strolled into the dining room behind Aston about ten minutes later and all of them sat at the table. All their eyes had been on her as they’d walked behind him. They all knew. Would be able to smell her on their Alpha. She could still smell herself on him as he sank down next to her.
Saw him smile right at her and she bloody blushed under his direct gaze, dropped her eyes from him, had never in her life blushed for anyone. Heard him chuckle softly, heard Ben burst out laughing. Felt Astons lips touch her ear softly, and right in front of everyone state “That is adorable to see.” His voice was deep and husky in her ear.
Realised she was more than hot for her Alpha, looked at him and knew she was attracted to him, had just never really looked at him like someone she wanted before. Aston smiled right at her, almost as if he knew what she was thinking. She needed to pull herself together, he was not her Mate, she had been in this pack for 14 years of full moons.
But right this minute, she could see herself naked with him again, needed to stop thinking about it, or everyone here was going to know she wanted him again. She took a deep breath and forced herself to calm the hell down, to think about anything else bar what had just happened up in her room.
Joined in the normal conversation, and went back to talking to Netty and Peta, and chatted about pack life over dinner. Netty told her she should come for a visit, spend a few weeks there, they could go shopping and swimming and hang out like they used to.
It was a really nice idea, and even Aston said she could go if she wanted to, he’d approve the leave. They were now allied to Chase and Netty’s pack, so they knew she would be safe there.
She hung out with Netty and Peta all evening, only saw Hudson once and he’d glared right at her. After smelling her, she’d seen him do it. Then his eyes had moved right to Aston and glared at the man himself. Aston had draped an arm along the back of her chair as he’d looked right at Hudson, allowed his fingers to caress her arm even.
Hudson looked ropable to her, before he had turned and stalked off out the pack dining room. She saw his Beta Jet frown right at her and she’d simply raised an eyebrow at him in return. Then he’d turned and followed his Alpha out of the dining room.
Why Jet was always frowning at her, like she was a disappointment to him, she had no idea. She was not part of that pack, hadn’t been for a long time, he’d never cared about her, none of them had. So why did he always look at her like everything was her fault, like his Alpha was a saint, Hudson was not a saint that was for sure, neither was Jet for that matter.
All she had ever done was take the abuse and then leave. Which was what they had always wanted her to do anyway, so why that bloody look every time his Alpha got annoyed or ticked off. It was not her fault. They’d been over for a very long time.