CHAPTER 12

ABBY POV.

“Not that I’m complaining, but what are you doing here?” I asked as I looked at the man next to me. his closeness was doing strange things to the lower parts of my body and I suddenly wished that we could be alone again. He smirked down at me and my stomach flipped when he reached out and wiped a stray hair from my face to tuck it in behind my ear. “Well, I was on my way to see you actually.” He said and I frowned. “I was on my way to your apartment when I saw your car turn in and thought I would surprise you.” He said and I thought it strange. How did he even know what car I was driving?

“And what a surprise this is!” Audrey said as she looked at Marcus with wide curious eyes. James looked at him in a calculating manner. Sizing him up, no doubt. “Kate can be lucky that you came along, I was about to knock her on her ass.” Audrey said enthusiastically and Marcus laughed. I didn’t know if he was laughing at my friend or because of the situation that we were almost in. “Trust me, that is something I would very much like to see.” Marcus said before looking down at me and I swallowed as his eyes traveled to my lips before his eyes met mine. “So… blueberry waffles with the vanilla ice cream sounds good.” He said and I nodded. “I’ll have one of those if you are?” He said, giving me that same charming smile that had butterflies erupting in my stomach.

I nodded. I suddenly felt like I had nothing to say as he looked at me. The waitress came and took down our orders. I noticed that she looked a little longer at Marcus than I felt was necessary. After the waitress left and got out of earshot, my brother spoke up. “So, you’re the guy that took advantage of my little sister.” James said and my mouth dropped open. “JAMES!” I chastised him whereas Audrey sputtered out a mouth full of water as she had just taken a sip when James spoke up. Audrey laughed as I stared at my brother angrily. He was looking Marcus in the eye. Challenging him. “Oh please, Jamie.” Audrey said as she tried to contain herself. “You wouldn’t be saying that if you heard all the details of what your dear little sister had to say last night.” She said and I groaned in embarrassment.

“Thank you for that, Audrey.” I said as I reached for the glass of water that stood in front of me, wishing the earth would swallow me. I chanced a look at Marcus and he was looking at me with amusement but I could see a tinge of red on his cheeks as well. To my surprise, he looked my brother back in the eye before speaking. “I apologize if I have offended you in some way…” He spoke and looked at me again and my breath hitched at the way he looked at me. “But when I saw Abby down at our property waterfall, with the sun just starting to set with the last of the sun rays casting over her making her look angelic…” He said and I thought I would melt into a hot puddle into my shoes then and there and I was overly aware that my panties were soaked. “I knew then and there that I had to have this woman.” He said, not looking away and I was overly aware of the looks my brother and his girlfriend were giving us at the moment. “I came in after you because I wanted to know if you wanted to join me for dinner?” he asked with a side smirk that only I could see this close up to him. The things he was saying made me want to crawl into his lap but there was a nagging doubt at the back of my mind… was he only saying these things because we were in the company of others?

“OH MY GOD!” Audrey exclaimed, breaking the silence that ensued after he spoke. When I looked at her, very aware that Marcus was still looking at me as I looked away from him, Audrey sat there with stars in her eyes and she suddenly turned a playful glare on her boyfriend, before slapping his arm. He gave her a ‘what the fuck’ look before she spoke again. “Why can’t you be this romantic!? And when was the last time you took me on an actual date?” She demanded and James looked towards Marcus who in turn finally looked away from me to him. “Thanks a lot, man. Now you have just set the bar higher for us poor guys.” He grunted and I burst out laughing and James chuckled as he too slung an arm around Audrey to tuck her in closer.

“Here you guys are.” The voice of the waitress interrupted our chatter. She put down everyone’s order and Marcus was the last person she served and I noticed that she bent a little lower towards him, showing her cleavage, as she put down his plate with the blueberry waffles in front of him. Something stirred inside of me and I felt like chasing the woman away.

“Can I get you anything else?” She asked, but she wasn’t looking at the rest of us, she was speaking to Marcus and I clenched my fist in my lap. “No, thank you. My girlfriend and I are fine, how about you guys?” Marcus said casually and my stomach flipped when he caressed my shoulder. “No, we're good, thanks.” My brother said, not even looking up at the waitress as he had already started to drizzle syrup onto his waffles and so was Audrey. “There you go, you can leave.” He said curtly, not sparing the woman another glance and her face pulled slightly before she marched off. I smirked to myself as I unclenched my hands on my lap. He called me his girlfriend, but wasn’t it a little early to decide that? I thought. Nope, he is perfect for you! Another voice popped up in my head and I looked at Marcus. He had removed his arm from around me and was picking up his knife and fork. “This looks great.” He says and flashes me a smile and I smile back before digging into my own waffles on my plate.

We finished our waffles while chatting about whatever we felt interesting to talk about. Even boring stuff but Marcus didn’t seem to mind at all. “So…” Audrey spoke to Marcus. “You live near this waterfall?” She asked and Marcus nodded. “Yes, I live in a cabin near there.” He answered before lifting his drink to take a sip. “Oh, that must be nice.” She spoke and sighed. “It’s like having your own little getaway at home.” She said and I nodded. “It really is beautiful there.” I commented.

I wish I could get away to something like that.” Audrey said wistfully and suggestively. James rolled his eyes toward me as he caught on to what she was trying to say and I also knew that if my brother could, he would take away for a weekend, but he was busy saving up for an engagement ring for Audrey so money was tight for him at the moment.

“Well, why don’t you guys come over and spend the weekend at the cabin?” Marcus said and all of our heads snapped to him. “What?” I asked and I briefly looked at James and Audrey. “A weekend at my place. I do have that extra bedroom with privacy all around. I’ll just need to stock up for company.” Marcus said and I blinked in awe. I couldn’t help but think that he was doing this for me.

“Are you inviting us to get me to agree to have dinner with you or to be in my brother’s good graces?” I asked and he barked out a laugh. I liked it. “Both.” He said before looking down at his watch. “How about I pick you up at six tonight?” He asked and smiled at me. I could see Audrey nodding enthusiastically at me to accept and I chuckled. “Yes, six would be fine.” I replied and Marcus looked pleased. He looked at his watch again before looking at James. “I’m afraid I have to go. I have a meeting with father in a while.” He said and turned to look at me. “I wish I could stay longer but I’ll leave you guys to it and I’ll see you tonight.” He said and I nodded at him and my stomach flipped when he lowered his head to mine and kissed me. his lips were warm and soft. Not what one would expect but what I have come to know from our last encounter. The kiss lingered for a few seconds before he got up. “It was nice to meet you, James. And you Audrey.” Marcus spoke as he stood in front of the table and held out his hand towards my brother. James stood up and took his hand. “Same here. I have to admit that I feel better now that I have met you.” My brother said and they released hands. “You are not so much the creep I thought you were.” James said and Marcus laughed. “Thank you for that and I appreciate your protectiveness over Abby.” He spoke before turning his eyes on me again. “I’ll see you later.” He said and winked. I felt myself blush as a jolt of excitement ran through my body. He rushed out the door before I could utter anything.

MARCUS POV.

‘What is it, Mac?’ I grumbled through the link as soon as I ran out of the diner and towards my car. ‘Where are you? Alpha and I have been trying to get in touch with you!” Mac grumbled in a rushed voice. ‘I was with my mate! What the hell is going on?’ I asked just as I got into my car and sped off.

‘WE ARE UNDER ATTACK!’