The Tensions Rise

The Tensions Rise


My skin felt on fire, crawling along my muscles and bones. Looking at Madilyn as she shared a pizza with Paige, I could tell she was feeling the same way. It was always like this leading up to a full moon, with our animalistic sides taking control, urging us to do as animals do: run, hunt, fuck.

My gaze moved from the she-wolf to Paige, desire igniting the flames building in my body. I was nervous about what would happen. It was the first full moon since bringing her here, and there was still so much animosity around her from the pack. I was worried about what the moon frenzy would do to them and what they would try to do to her.

“You okay?” Paige asked, looking at Madilyn as she shifted from one spot to another at the end of the bed, picking at the cheese on her slice of pizza.

“Huh?” she asked, looking up at Paige with confusion.

“She’s okay,” I answered for her, reaching over and pulling Paige to me, smiling at the little yip she made from the surprise.

“I’m not sure if you have much room to talk.” Paige looked up at me, pressing her hand to my forehead with a frown. “You look about as far away as she does, and your skin feels like an oven!”

“I’m fine,” I promised. I leaned down and smelled her, the blood instantly rushing to my cock. Without thinking, I nipped playfully at her ear before she shoved her hand to my chest and glared at me.

“Cool it,” she growled. “Madi is right there. Are you out of your mind?”

I looked over at Madilyn, her eyes locked on the window, her mind somewhere far from this room. She had no idea what was going on around her. Something outside held her attention. I followed her gaze, finding a bobcat perched outside in a tree. My eyes narrowed at the creature, barely able to hold back a growl as my instincts to protect my territory took hold.

“What are you both staring at?” Paige demanded, shaking me from the trance of the animal in me.

I smiled down at her, licking my lips as my eyes danced over every curve of her body. She looked amazing—more than she usually did. Every sense of my being honed in on her and her alone. I leaned into her, pressing my nose to the crook of her neck where I had marked her, taking a deep breath at the scent of our bond. She pushed back at me again, cursing me under her breath as she struggled to shove me back. As I groaned at the effort it took to obey her demand to let her be, a sharp knock at the door diverted my attention.

The moon was increasing the strength of the bond pull. I could smell every pheromone on her body calling to me. As much as I knew I could never hurt her, I became increasingly nervous around her. She wouldn’t understand what was happening to me. Not fully.

“Who is it?” I growled through the door, refusing to open it and risk someone bold enough to try and attack Paige in our room. With how the moon was affecting me, I wouldn’t put it past some freshly turned wolf to try and remove the obstacle they saw in Paige.

“It’s Chase.”

I let out a warning growl through the door. “What the hell do you want?”

“Calm down, Nyte. I’m not coming after your mate. I volunteered as a messenger. Alpha Alexander needs Madilyn to see him.”

Madilyn got up from the bed, suddenly aware of the sound of the order. “I’ll see you later, Paige,” she said, waving as she approached the bedroom door.

“Step back,” I growled to Chase, my teeth grinding at the sound of his chuckle as he moved away from the door.

When I was sure he was far enough from my door, I opened it just enough for Madilyn to leave, slamming it closed behind her.

“Seriously, what is wrong with you today?” Paige demanded behind me.

I looked over my shoulder, groaning at the mere sight of her. She stood beside the bed, hands on her hips and a single brow raised. The rings in her nose caught the light of the lamps, giving her an ethereal look, like a statue of a goddess come to life.

Taking a deep breath, I looked away, gathering myself before I pounced on her and scared her to death. “It’s the full moon,” I grunted.

“What?” I could hear her walking around the bed, picking up her phone from the bedside table. “The full moon isn’t for another two days, though.”

I shook my head, pressing my forehead to the bedroom door. “The moon’s effects start taking hold days before and last several days after.” I swallowed a hard lump that had formed in my throat, trying to keep my mind clear as I explained this to her. “It’s more important than ever for you to stay away from the pack. The moon weakens our impulse control. We become more animal than human. The pack is more dangerous to you, especially if they are new to the effects.”

“What about you?” she asked, startling me.

“What about me?”

“Am I safe from you in this state?”

I turned away from the door, slowly walking to the side of the bed she occupied. I cupped her cheek when I reached her, stroking my thumb over her high cheekbone. 

“I would never hurt you, Paige. I would sooner throw myself off the lighthouse than hurt you in any way.”

She leaned into my touch, closing her eyes. “I believe that, but I had to hear you say it. You’ve been acting so weird with me today.”

I tilted her head up to look into my eyes. “That’s because, on top of my impulse control weakening, my libido is growing. Every time I look at you, all I can think of is bending you over this bed and sinking into you. It gets harder and harder to resist.”

“Would you hurt me if you gave in?” she asked curiously, lifting her hand to my chest.

I smirked, knowing full well I wouldn’t. Not in any way she wouldn’t enjoy. What worried me wasn’t hurting her; it was pushing her too far before she was ready. For werewolves, mating under the full moon had more consequences than she would be prepared for. I had to resist as much as possible.

“No, I wouldn’t hurt you any more than I already have.”

“Then why are you resisting?”

Another knock interrupted us, our eyes moving to the door.

“Who the hell is it now?” I demanded with a growl.

“Alpha needs to see you now,” Beta Jose called from the other side.

The hairs on my neck stood on end, my arms instinctively wrapping around Paige at the sound of the beta’s voice. He wasn’t a fan of most witches.

“Why?” I growled, suspicion filling my voice.

“You know why,” he growled back. “I’ll step back from your door. Your mate is safe; you have my word as pack beta. We need you immediately.”

Reluctantly, I stepped away from Paige, forcing my instincts back as I understood why Beta Jose had been sent to fetch me. There could be only one thing the beta would come to me for.

I paused at the door just before turning the knob, looking back at Paige. “Do not leave this room for any reason. I’ll be back as soon as possible.”

I left before she had time to answer. She would listen; she respected me too much not to. She would do as I demanded for her own protection.

“I’ll have a guard outside the room for your mate,” Beta Jose assured me, turning back to the Alpha’s office. “I’ve chosen one of those who wouldn’t mind a witch as their Luna. We don’t need you distracted during this meeting.”

There was truth in his words. As much as I wouldn’t trust him around Paige, especially during the full moon, I trusted his word when it came to the business of the pack. He was loyal to his Alpha, which earned him my respect in the same way Alpha Alexander had earned mine.

“Which pack was it this time?” I asked.

“I’ll let Alpha Alexander and the others tell you. It’s not my place to disclose pack business outside of my Alpha’s office.”

I nodded, respecting his honesty. When we entered the office, I found Alpha Markus and his beta with the others, although my uncle was nowhere in sight.

“It’s about time,” Markus growled, raising my hackles. He usually kept his composure with me, recognizing my strength over his, but the full moon had a way of showing a werewolf’s true feelings. I turned my attention to Alpha Alexander, wanting to hear what was happening.

“We received word from the Los Angeles pack and the Academy pack’s Alphas. The academy has had several werewolf students go missing, and the L.A. packs are reporting similar numbers of missing packs across the cities. We are also checking with the Portland packs now, but all the Pacific coast packs are likely being affected,” Alpha Alexander explained.

A voice over the conference phone on the desk spoke, adding to the information I was just given. “On top of the werewolf students going missing, I’ve had some strange occurrences with the vampire students at the school.” I recognized the voice of the new headmaster, Professor Rome, the Alpha of the newly formed Academy pack. “They have been reprimanded, and a few even expelled for claiming superiority over the other students, primarily the werewolves. They have even disregarded my authority as headmaster before their expulsion, stating that I was a worthless mutt who needed to learn my place.” A deep growl came over the phone.

“Do you believe there is a connection there?” Alexander asked, looking down at the phone.

“I do my best not to let my past affect my judgment. The first few students, I disregarded the possible connections. However, every missing werewolf student can be connected to one or all of these vampire students, fighting just before going missing in the middle of the night. Grace and I have discussed it, and we can’t shake the feeling it’s them.” He paused, the sound of muffled conversation in the background reaching my ear. I could hear Paige’s name mentioned, my brow creasing with suspicion.

I was aware that she knew Professor Rome and his mate. She had been at school when they met. She was even his mate’s roommate, becoming close friends during their time at the school. However, hearing her name mentioned during this meeting left me unnerved. I wanted Paige as far from pack politics as possible for her safety.

“You have Paige Ramirez in your pack now, do you not?” Rome asked, aiming his question at Alexander.

My alpha looked at me; his brow raised as he answered. “That is the name of the mate former Alpha elect Nyte has taken, yes.”

“You should use her to get answers on the missing wolves,” Rome continued. “Her powers of premonition are unmatched. She very well could be the answer to all our problems.”

The room fell silent, his eyes filled with a mixture of emotions turning to me: disgust, curiosity, temptation.

“The pack hasn’t accepted her,” I stated, narrowing my eyes at Alpha Alexander. “So why should I ask her to help those who don’t want anything to do with her?”

Rome joined the silence of the others. Madilyn tilted her head at me from behind Beta Jose; her eyebrow raised with a look that said she disagreed.

“We don’t need a witch to help us with pack business,” Markus said, breaking the silence. “If vampires are targeting us, we know how to fight them. It’s only a matter of time before the bloodsuckers slip up in their plans.”

I wanted to remind him of the possibility of them working with a witch—one powerful enough to hide the scent trail of an entire pack and those who took them. However, I didn’t want them to bring up the idea of using Paige again. I wouldn’t put that kind of pressure on her. As great of a seer as she was, she didn’t control the visions she saw. There was no guarantee she could even help; if she failed, it would only drive the pack to hate her more. All for something she had no absolute control over.

“If that’s how you all feel,” Rome said, hanging up and ending the call. 

“How he managed to build his own pack, I’ll never understand,” Markus growled, sitting back in his chair. “I heard his witch mate was also a late bloomer with her magic. Not exactly the most impressive couple if you ask me.”

I wanted to remind him that he was not the one to question my relationship with Paige. But as I turned to leave, I felt the tension in the room shift. 

“Be careful, Nyte,” Alexander said, his voice low. “We need to protect our own.”

I nodded, knowing that my focus had to be on Paige. I had left her with Madilyn in my room. The two of them had settled on my bed with a bowl of popcorn and a reality show on TV. I hated leaving her again for another meeting, but I was glad to know she was forming a friendship with Madilyn.

“Anything else I should know?” I asked, wanting to get back to her.

“That’s all,” Alexander sighed, allowing me to leave.

I left without another word, all but running back to my bedroom. As I reached for the door, I caught the faint scent of Chase lingering in the air, a reminder of his earlier visit. 

I opened the door to find Paige and Madilyn sitting on the bed, the atmosphere lightening at my arrival. A part of me relaxed as I took in the sight of Paige, her hair cascading around her shoulders and her eyes bright with laughter.

“Hey, how did the meeting go?” she asked, her smile widening.

“Just the usual pack politics,” I replied, stepping inside and closing the door behind me. “Nothing I can’t handle. Just a lot of talk about the upcoming full moon and the recent disappearances.”

Madilyn raised an eyebrow. “You’re not bringing any of that stress back here, are you?”

I shook my head, brushing it off. “I’m here now. Let’s just enjoy the time we have together.”

Paige nodded, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “We were just talking about how Madilyn is going to show me some of her training techniques. She’s so strong!”

Madilyn shot her a teasing grin. “You’ll be surprised what I can teach you. Just remember, it’s not all about brute strength; it’s about strategy too.”

“Sounds like a plan,” I said, moving to sit beside Paige on the bed, my hand resting on her thigh. My instincts flared to life at the contact, the bond between us pulling tighter as the moon approached.

“You know,” I said, glancing at Madilyn, “it’s probably best we keep a low profile tonight. With the full moon coming, I want to make sure Paige is safe.”

Madilyn nodded in agreement. “Of course. We can keep it light and fun.”

As the evening wore on, we laughed and shared stories. I felt the tension of the day fade away, replaced by the warmth of companionship. Yet, the closer we got to the full moon, the more my instincts urged me to claim Paige fully. I fought to keep my composure, knowing that now was not the time. 

After a few hours, however, the playful atmosphere turned electric. I could feel the heat radiating off Paige as she leaned into me, her body brushing against mine. My wolf growled in response, urging me to take what was mine.

“Let’s take a break,” I suggested, my voice husky. “I think I need some fresh air.”

Paige looked up at me, her expression curious. “Are you okay?”

I nodded, but my mind was already racing with thoughts of what I wanted to do. “Yeah, just need to get out for a minute.”

I stood and offered my hand, helping her to her feet. The moment she was upright, the air between us shifted. I could feel the bond pulsing, a deep, primal urge to claim what was mine. 

“Stay close,” I warned, leading her out of the room and down the stairs. I could sense the pack’s energy shifting, the heightened emotions of the full moon radiating through the house.

As we stepped outside, the cool night air enveloped us, but the tension still hung thick in the air. I pulled Paige closer, wrapping my arm around her shoulders. 

“Do you feel that?” I asked, looking down at her. 

She nodded, her eyes wide as she took in the night sky. “It feels… charged.”

“It is. The full moon is approaching, and things might get a little wild,” I said, keeping my voice low. “Just stay near me.”

We walked toward the bonfire, where laughter and music mixed with the sounds of the waves crashing against the shore. I could feel the pack’s energy building, and I sensed the excitement in the air. 

As we reached the fire, I felt eyes on us, the pack members taking notice. Some glared, while others whispered among themselves. I kept Paige close, determined to shield her from any negative energy.

“Nyte!” called one of the pack members, a familiar face among the crowd. “Come join us!”

I hesitated, glancing down at Paige as I felt the pull of the pack. But the instinct to protect her surged stronger. “Let’s stay back for now,” I suggested, guiding her away from the fire’s glow.

As we found a quieter spot, the sounds of the party faded slightly, but the energy was still palpable. I turned to Paige, my heart racing as I looked into her eyes. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, just a little overwhelmed,” she admitted, her voice soft.

I pulled her closer, wanting to shield her from the chaos around us. “I won’t let anything happen to you, I promise.”

She smiled, but there was a flicker of uncertainty in her gaze. “I know you won’t. It’s just… everything feels so intense right now.”

I nodded, understanding the weight of the moment. “The full moon brings out a lot of feelings, good and bad. Just remember, you’re safe with me.”

Before I could say more, I felt a shift in the air, a tension rising as another wolf approached. I could sense the challenge in his stance, the way he eyed Paige as if she were prey.

“Nyte,” he sneered, his gaze flicking from me to her. “You really think you can keep that witch safe in our pack?”

I stepped forward, my body tensing. “Back off, Weston. You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, I think I do,” he replied, a smirk playing on his lips. “Witches don’t belong here, and neither does she.”

I felt my wolf clawing to the surface, the urge to protect Paige overwhelming me. “You need to learn your place, Weston. I won’t let anyone hurt her.”

His expression hardened, and I could feel the pack’s energy shift, tension crackling in the air. I stood my ground, ready to defend what was mine.

“Don’t test me,” I warned, my voice low and dangerous.

Paige stepped slightly in front of me, her hand gently touching my arm. “Nyte, it’s okay. I can handle myself.”

I looked down at her, feeling the strength in her words, but the protective instinct surged within me. “No, it’s not okay. You belong to me, and I’ll be damned if I let anyone threaten you.”

Weston scoffed, but I could see the uncertainty in his eyes. He knew better than to push too far, especially with the full moon drawing near.

“Just remember, Nyte,” he said, backing away slightly. “You’re playing a dangerous game with a witch.”

As he turned to leave, I held Paige close, my heart racing. “You okay?” I asked, concern etched on my face.

“Yeah,” she said, her voice steady. “I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.”

I couldn’t help but smile at her confidence. “Just promise me you won’t take any unnecessary risks, okay?”

She nodded, her gaze unwavering. “I promise.”

With that, we returned to the bonfire, hand in hand, ready to face whatever the night had in store for us. I could feel the tension in the air, but with Paige by my side, I felt ready to take on the world.