But Mona turns and lifts one eyebrow, and, fuck it, in for a penny.
"Grayson is being an asshole and going about this all wrong. But weareconcerned. We don't think there's anything wrong with you. You're perfect." And I love you and want you to have my babies. "But there are so many things that aren't adding up, it might be a good idea if we start examining them. Startingwithhowyou converse with your wolf. Because it might have something to do with her stamina."
"How?" She falters, but doesn't sit back down.
"Well, if she's expending a lot of energy because she's acting on her own and notwithyou, for one."
Mona and Grayson both contemplate that for a second. Her eyes move quickly and her expression changes. She's having a conversation with her wolf again. So fucking strange.
"Okay, Beep thinks that's a good theory. She's always complaining that I'm not trusting her or whatever, that we aren't in sync, even though that's literally all we work on."
"Then that's what we need to do."
"How?"
"I've got an idea," Grayson says with a crooked smile. It's creepy. Man never smiles, and it looks all wrong on him. Kinda manic. His teeth look sharper than ever.
Mona glances at me nervously.
"You'll train with me tomorrow." And with that, Grayson gets up and walks away.
But not without pausing every few feet to look back at his mate.
Mona turns to me. "Is he always like that?"
"Yes. He's Lune for a reason. He might be a little overbearing, but his methods are sound. We're not at war, but he trains the enforcers to be ready for it. We're not poor or weak, but he prepares the entire clan as if we could be at any moment. Maybe it gets a little tiring for everyone to be on guard, but it pays off. It's also why we celebrate holidays as a group and have plenty of off days—so we can appreciate what we've built here."
"You make him sound like such a good guy."
"He is, Mona."
"And you? Are you a good guy?"
She furrows her brow, but a blush crawls up her cheeks, coloring her pale skin beneath the various shades of freckles a soft pink. That look on any other wolf might meantake me to bed and fuck the life out of me, but on her, it's tentative. Questioning.
God, I've always been the good guy. The quiet guy. I'm not a fucking saint, but I'm nothing like Silas, or Grayson for that matter, who've slept their way through half the single wolves in our clan. In their defense, we live a very long time, and wolves are sexual beasts.
But I've always been more reserved. Until this red-headed vixen showed up and imploded my entire world.
I wouldn't have it any other way. But it makes me want to take it out on her. To show her what she's done to me, made me lose all fucking sense.
I'm the calm one. The rational one.
I don't feel so rational right now.
She's all I think about, and not all of those thoughts are pure. In fact, very few of them are.
I turn in the seat, reach out, grip the backs of her knees since she's still standing, and tug her closer. She falls into my lap and I nuzzle that small space behind her ear. It's my new favorite spot. Her omega scent pulses out of her.
"I'm a good guy, Mona. I'm thebestguy. I'm your guy."
Jesus, I feel like a fucking teenager. She squeals in my lap and shoves my chest playfully. "You're kind of a dork, Orion."
I sigh, tucking her into my body, resting my chin on her shoulder, breathing in her scent. "I know, Mona. I know."
Then, in one swoop, I lift her and throw her over my shoulder. She shrieks and laughs, slapping my back. "Put me down, alpha!"
"If training with your Lune begins tomorrow, then I want you for the rest of the day today. Let me show you around Silent Peak. Let me show you what it means to be one of us."
