*Hazel*
“Here, Luna, take my seat, I’ve kept it warm for you,” he says, then starts literally pushing me by my shoulders in the empty passenger seat, and closes the door shut in my face.
Luna? Like, the Alpha’s consort? Whas he talking about me?
He then slides in the back seat and calls out, “Get in, Alpha, before our Luna runs for the hills, after your charming confession. And, I am not afraid of bites, so bring it on, babe.”
I can’t help snorting at the way he’s talking to his Alpha. I wonder who this person is, he must be someone close to him, to allow him such familiarity.
Derek gets in the car with a homicidal glance at his companion, and looking incredibly pissed. For a second, I am worried they will get into a fight, but Derek shuts his door, crosses his arms over his chest and settles down with a huge frown.
Pouting Alpha, he would be cute, if he wasn’t a werewolf.
The driver starts the car and drives out of the parking spot, without anyone giving him any directions about where we are going. Or maybe, they just mind-linked, which is practically telepathy. That’s a pretty awesome power I would want for myself, although I don’t really have anyone to telepath to, apart from my parents. How lame is that! I need to seriously work on improving my social skills.
“I am Damon, by the way, Derek’s Beta,” the guy who pushed me in the car says cheerfully.
He extends his hand for me to shake, and I consider it for a second, then I decide that he looks harmless enough, and shake it softly, without much conviction.
“Wow, Luna, you really need to work on your handshake, it feels like saying hello to a jellyfish.”
“Damon!” Derek admonishes him.
“Hey, I was just providing constructive criticism. Like when I told you not to wear the blue pants, because they are too tight and draw too much attention to your package.”
“Damon! Just shut up!” Derek orders, but Damon seems far from ready to listen.
“That’s an option, or we could try to get to know each other better. Here, let me start first. I am Damon Caufield, Beta of the Crescent Moon pack, I am 26 years old, I am handsome, and I like women, and women like me. That pretty much summarizes everything you need to know about me. Now you, Luna,” he says, looking at me eagerly.
How can I say no to that look? Plus, I am in their car, I’d better play along.
“Aehm, my name is Hazel Channing, I am 23, I work as Interior Designer at Dream Artisans, I am human and thus, not possibly your Luna.”
“Oh, come on, you didn’t tell us anything we didn’t already know! Tell us more, like favorite color, hobbies, sexual orientation.”
“Damon!”
“Yes, I am still here, stop calling me!”
Derek just shakes his head, exasperated by his Beta’s behavior.
“I don’t have a favorite color, but I tend to use a lot of blue in my designs. Hobbies, I like working and reading, dancing too. I am not into women, if that’s what you are asking. And I don’t think any of this is relevant to our project.”
“It’s relevant to my Alpha,” he replies, winking at me. “Now you, Alpha.”
Derek gazes directly at me, his brilliant blue look as intense as ever.
“I am Derek O’Brien, Alpha of the Crescent Moon pack. I am 26, and since when I turned at fifteen, I have been looking for my soulmate, the woman who will complete me, and will make my pack stronger. I’ve finally found her, and now I’ve made it my life mission to bring her by my side, and to never let her go.”
He’s really hell bent on claiming me as his mate. It makes sense when one has been looking for more than ten years, and his consistency is truly admirable, but I really wished I wasn’t the target of his quest. I am human, for the last time!
“Alpha, baby steps, baby steps,” Damon interjects, trying to calm my now hammering heart.
We spend the rest of the drive in awkward silence, and I keep my gaze focused on the road, instead of on the brooding Alpha behind me.
What did he expect? That I’d change my mind and willingly jump into his arms? Not going to happen. No amount of pouting gorgeousness can win me over.
Arrived at destination, Derek gets out first and gallantly opens the door for me. It’s nice to see that chivalry is not dead yet, although, when Damon goes to get off from Derek’s same side, Derek shuts the car door in his face, and probably mind-links something to his Beta to put him in his place, because now he’s the one crossed armed and frowning in the car.
Honestly, they look like kids pranking each other, do men ever grow up? Were-males apparently not, not even the high-ranking ones.
The Alpha and I enter the construction site and start walking around; he diligently shows me the most important buildings, explaining how it would look outside when they are done with construction. I take many pictures and some measurements, and I am happy on how things are going, I have already plenty of ideas for the decoration, and everything is evolving only around work and no mate nonsense, until my heels get stuck in the muddy terrain. I try to pull them out, but they are stuck too deep, and they will break if I use too much force. Getting out of the shoes could be an option, but I am not wearing any socks, and the terrain is just too wet and disgustingly muddy. I am quite in a predicament.
Suddenly, I am lifted from the ground and held by two strong arms. At the beginning, I am just too astonished to protest, then the Alpha crouches down making me yelp in panic, he chuckles and puts me in his lap, then retrieves the traitorous shoes from the ground, and stands up again with me steadily in his arms. How he managed to do all that without making me fall down in the mud, is beyond me; he definitely has strength and good balance. And God, he smells so good.
“Thank you, now you can put me down,” I say quickly, not liking the position I am in now. Too close to his mouth and to him in general.
“So that you can get stuck again in the mud? I don’t think so. It is my duty to help damsels in distress,” he replies, faking gallantry.
I snort, unable to help it.
“What?” he asks, perplexed.
“Nothing, it’s just that usually werewolves are the bad guys in the stories, and not the rescuing heroes.”
Hearing my words, he stops abruptly and looks down at me with one of his now signature frowns.
“So, you think I am bad?”
Agh! What am I supposed to reply to that? Obviously, yes! But I don’t think he will appreciate this answer, and seeing how he’s carrying me, I’d rather not end up on the ground, all mushed up in sluggish mud.