“Why sleep on the little couch?” I jump and spin at Bennet’s voice.
I rub my chest to try and steady my heart as he lowers himself casually to the sofa. “I don’t know how many times Jer and Rayna have had s*x on that one.” He jumps straight up looking more irritated that I didn’t say anything before he sat down than when I was insulting him about saving my life. “I caught them once… and now I just can’t sit there.”
“Good to know.” He lets out an uneasy cough and just stands there with his hands in the pockets of his joggers.
“Bennet.” I sigh. “I’m not going anywhere, I don’t have the energy. Go to bed. I feel like I have been a big enough pain in your ass for a lifetime and I’m too tired. You don’t deserve that or what I said earlier. I do appreciate you being there for me. You seem to be the only one who caught on that today was hard for me and I was blindsided by several things. Thank you.” I hope he can hear the sincerity this time.
“It was my pleasure Lu…”
“Nope!” I held my hand up. “Still don’t get to use the word.”
“You know when we get back to Dark Moon, you won’t have a choice right?” He laughs low. “Ryker won’t let us not use your title out in public.”
“Perfect! Since I will be locked up like a bird for display only, you will probably use it twice a year.”
“Come on. It won’t be that bad.”
“Would you put money on it being much different?” I raise an eyebrow at him and he doesn’t immediately answer. “That’s what I thought.”
“You have to understand…”
“I’ll take the first shift, Bennet. She’s right, go to bed.” Ryker and Bennet share a look and I let my annoyance at them mindlinking in front of me known, with a growl of my own, my fists balled at my sides. Ryker holds his hands up in surrender. “Don’t worry, he wasn’t saying anything bad, just warning me not to make you more angry. Apparently you have had a long day.” Ryker looked between me and Bennet.
“Whatever. Bennet, sleep. I promise not to suffocate your alpha while he’s left alone with me.”
“That is something I would take bets on Lu…” He coughs. “Sorry, Kennedy. Goodnight.”
Ryker
At least she is talking to Bennet. They seem to have come to some kind of understanding. That will be helpful in gaining some insight in getting her to cooperate. But, watching her look at the pack brands on Rayna and Jeremiah’s hand longingly and heartbroken did something to my insides. I felt my stomach drop with her expression. Their mate marks she completely ignored. She just wants to be a part of the pack. And watching Jeremiah’s reaction to her rejection of him. I don’t know what I would do if that was Rayna and I. She has been my everything since the day she was born and I know Jeremiah feels the same about Kennedy. But, there has to be a reason they never made her pack. She’s been physically a part of it her whole life and permanently here for the last three years. I never got a full explanation of why they left her out and the events here so far haven’t left much room for that discussion. Jeremiah said it was her story to tell.
There’s no way I can ask her about it now, she’s so worked up and irrational. She berated Bennet for everything he did for her since he got here. She can’t let her emotions run away with her like that. No Luna behaves this way. Just another reason, in the long list, why I don’t understand the Moon Goddess’ reason for making her my mate.
“Are you just going to stand there staring at the wall all night?” At least her general attitude toward me is predictable.
“Well, I’m not sleeping on the couch after what you told Bennet.”
“You were eavesdropping?”
“Alpha, remember? I was still upstairs, but you don’t exactly whisper.” I can’t help but smile.
“Well, I’m not moving or sharing so you are SOL, there, Alpha.”
I should not like the way she says that at all. It should piss me off, not make my skin tingle. I grit my teeth. “What would you suggest, little lamb?”
“You know how stupid that nickname is, right? It implies that I’m prey and afraid of you. I am neither of those things.”
“And yet, it’s exactly how my wolf and I see you. We can discuss that more tomorrow, it’s a long drive back to Dark Moon. Any suggestions on the sleeping arrangements or did you change your mind and decide to share?” I shouldn’t flirt, but watching her cheeks go red in either embarrassment or anger is too much fun to pass up. I deserve to have a little fun after all the bullsh*t she has caused tonight. And I am enjoying finding all the ways she responds to me.
“Actually, yeah. Shift.” That pulls me from my day dream.
“Excuse me?”
“Shift. Sleep on the floor like the mongrel you are. A bonus will be that it shuts you up since your wolf can’t talk to me, insult me or piss me off in any way. It will actually be a pleasant silence.” She gives me a sugary sweet smile and my wolf, the traitor that he is, thinks it’s a great idea.
Then another thought crosses my mind. It’s a challenge. She’s trying to make me uncomfortable. Oh, little?lamb, you are going to have to work a lot harder. I pull my t-shirt over my head and toss it on the s*x couch. I may have to say something to Jeremiah about that, a brother-in-law heart to heart about treating my sister respectfully. When I go for my pants, Kennedy finally speaks up and I look at her, keeping my face? blank.
New Book: Back Home to Marry Off Myself
Loredana’s father left the family for his mistress, leaving them to fend for themselves abroad. When life was at its toughest, her father showed up with “good news” after 8 years of absence: To marry off Loredana to a paralyzed son of the wealthy Mendelsohn family.