“Of course not…”
“Then what is there to worry about?”
He looked up at me at last, his eyes bloodshot from exhaustion. Most mornings recently, he was out of bed before I woke up and not there again until I was already asleep. He’d been working himself nearly to death, and it was starting to show.
“Talk to me,” I said, cupping the side of his face. I ran my thumb over the ginger stubble on his cheek. “I promise I’ll listen with an open mind.”
He sighed again. “Have… Have you ever been around an Alpha during a conjunction like this?”
“Nope. I wasn’t important in my old pack, and I didn’t go to pack functions unless I was forced to.” I shrugged. “It can’t be that bad, though. Cooper and Leo didn’t seem worried.”
“That’s because they aren’t Alphas. Although they’re going to learn when Adrian and Jake both change tomorrow night. We’ve already planned for their containment for the night.”
“Containment?” I furrowed my brows as I gazed into those beautiful green eyes. “Is it reallythatbad?”
He nodded. “I’ve been through it once before when I was a teenager. It… It was pretty bad.”
“What happened?”
“I… I tried to kill my dad.”
My heart nearly stopped. “W-What? But you love your dad! Hell, evenIlove your dad, and that’s saying something!”
“That’s the thing about this kind of full moon,” he replied, pulling his face from my hand. “It brings out the monster in all of us, but Alphas most of all. The only reason I didn’t hurt anyone last time was because I was so young and my dad could subdue me. But now I’m the leader of the pack and the strongest one here.” He ran his fingers through his hair. “I… I might actually kill someone if I’m not locked up.” He glanced up at me, his eyes filling with tears. “What… What if I killed…you?”
I stared at him silently for a long moment, taking in his words. It was clear from his reaction that whatever had happened all those years ago was still painful and now fresh in his mind. He was right, though. I had no idea what to expect during tomorrow’s full moon, and hearing his story definitely put me on edge. I knew I wasn’t strong enough to hold him back.After all, I was just an Omega until he took me as his mate. Still, my strength and power didn’t come from a genetic heritage, so I was clearly at a disadvantage. Not to mention my skinny stature and lack of rippling muscles like he had.
“You wouldn’t hurt me, though,” I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. “It’s never mattered how upset you were or what was going on. You never raised a hand in my direction. I seriously doubt you’d hurt me just because of a full moon.”
“I don’t know that for sure,” he replied. “And I don’t want to take the risk.”
“I understand.” I took his face in both my hands and turned him to face me once more. “And we’ll do whatever you feel you need in order to be safe.However, I will be at your side for the entire night just to make sure you’re okay.”
“I’ll have security do it. I don’t want you there–”
“Chance,” I said, giving him a small kiss on the nose. “I don’t care. I’m not going to abandon my mate when he’s scared and all alone during a crazy transformation. I’ll be safe. You have my word, but I’m not going to leave your side. I’d do anything for you, but leaving you behind is not an option.”
“I… I’m scared.”
I pulled him into a tight hug, his head resting against my chest. “I know, baby. But try not to worry too much. Everyone is going to make sure that you and I are both safe tomorrow.” I chuckled to myself, running my fingers through his hair. “Besides, what’s Halloween without a littleexcitement, huh?”
Chapter 2
Halloween
“Feeling alright still?” I asked Chance as we stood in the foyer of our farmhouse.
Outside, the preserve was already hopping with cars and families that had come to the preserve to shift. Food was being served early, and the potluck was held under the light of the sun this time instead of the full moon. Several pups ran around in their Halloween costumes, consuming candy at an alarming rate while their parents chased after them. There was an air of excitement as the sunset drew near. However, inside the house, it felt like we were going to a funeral.
“I… I’m okay,” Chance said, shaking his head. “Just worried.”
“We’ll head out to the safe house whenever you’re ready,” I replied, patting him on the shoulder. “If you want to be there well before dark, we can go. It’s all up to you. Worst-case scenario, I eat leftovers tomorrow instead of getting my fix tonight.” I glanced down at him. “I hope you understand how much that sentence conveys that I love you.”
He smiled. “I do.” His gaze lifted to mine as those sad puppy eyes came out once more.
"You wanna go right now, don't you?" I asked with a sigh.
"Y-yeah…"
