Chapter 144 Out Of His Control
Calhoun's POV
"Are you nervous?" Bruce nears my side that evening when the fifth hall is getting set up for Kristen's Luna rite.
"Don't ask me that, I'm not a preteen set to confront his first shift on a full moon," I hiss, clenching the glass of white wine.
Bruce waits until the servants at our side finish hanging the wooden sticks of fire on our side before he continues.
"But this has to do with Kristen," he points out.
"Let's not talk about this," my voice is firm, leaving him enough hints to drop it. But it seems as though he's out to get on my last nerves tonight.
"Are you scared this will set you two apart?" Bruce pops this question as he covers my front with his body.
"I told you I don't want to talk about this," I am one step away from pinning him against a nearby wall.
"I've been your beta for six years, Calhoun and I've never seen you look this way. Not even when you compete in the Game Of Alphas," Bruce has an innocent look of concern on his face. Something I want to wipe off, with a punch.
And I let out an exasperated breath as I turn away from my beta because he's right. He already knows me too well.
Gulping the last of the wine, I push the glass into the hands of a butler. And then I walk away from Bruce.
"Kristen seems determined to carry out the Luna's rite. I mean, I feel for her already. Just five days after Aiden's birth, she has to undergo such horrifying things for a young mother." Bruce is already following right behind, not willing to leave me alone to my thoughts. There are times when he side-steps his boundaries and doesn't even know it. But that's because I've made him too comfortable around
me.
"Oh dear Alpha, you're in such a tight position. Sweating profusely even when your clothes aren't tight-fitted," he mutters more to himself than me.
I harden my jaw instead, not wanting Bruce to know more than he already has.
"What will you do," Bruce puts his hand on my arm.
"What do you mean?" I glare at him.
"If Kristen fails the test," he nudges his head aside.
"Nothing or no one can separate us from each other." I grit out before swatting his hand away.
I am in one of my moods tonight, and I hate it when someone talks too much around me.
"It's written all over your face, that you won't let the Greyhound's custom come in between your relationship, but on the contrary, it's deadly for us all. No one would want to be struck with a curse from the Moon goddess," Bruce puts his hands on his chest and shudders as if he's caught a cold.
"I don't want you talking to me anymore," I snap so loudly that a few of the servants flinch from this.
"If only you learned how to use a condom, none of this would have happened," Bruce mutters to himself and shakes his head, upon thinking I didn't hear him.
"Shut up," I don't know how mad I can get at this point. It's infuriating. The walls are closing in. I couldn't sleep a wink last night because of how frightened I am. That I will lose Kristen and our son, all in the name of that damned Luna's rite.
"Alpha Calhoun should toughen up like he used to and pray Kristen passes this trial, or the two of them will be apart forever." I overhear one of the servants talking in a hushed tone to another.
I can feel my blood boiling.
There's a large table with a variety of fruits, and it's being wheeled by four butlers.
Who the fuck wants to eat on a night like this? Will this be a game for them? To have Kristen risk all we have tonight, and they'll sit back to watch.
"Fucking hell!" I groan, kicking the table.
And the table of fruits and wine is sent crashing to the floor, along with the butlers. Because of my anger. I used all the strength in me, and no one could save them from fall.
There's a huge mess here, with collective gasps going around. Hands covering mouths with wide eyes, and jaws dropping to the floor.
"Alpha Calhoun!?" Bruce runs to my side.
"Enough!" I roar, and Bruce takes a gulp before nodding and
stepping backward.
He's super annoying this evening. All over the place and makes me have awful images of Kristen and Aiden. And then the servants
gossip, the table of fruits.
Just fuck!
I can't be apart from my mate and my son. Not now, not ever.
People around are staring at me like I have gone insane.
It's not a new thing.
I tend to smash things up when the situation at hand is out of my
control.
I could go nuts just from thinking about Kristen and I's separation.
We've already been through so much to be apart from each other because of one silly custom from my pack. Something I want to even
put an end to.
Damnit!
"Do not disgrace yourself, Calhoun. People are watching," Nana
Joyce hisses as she hurries to my side.
"I don't want to speak with anyone right now," I roar, turning away
from her.
"Keep your temper in check, this isn't you," she slams her aid stick
on my shoulder.
"Leave me alone." My voice is laced with so much frustration
because my paranoia is increasing.
"Calhoun?" The calm, quiet, and familiar voice of Kristen makes me
stop. But my chest is still rising and falling violently.
A maid moves out of the way so I can see her.
My breath immediately gets caught up in my throat, upon seeing my
mate. Looking flawless, with her hair styled in a fish braid and
pinned on top of her head.
She's dressed like an Amazonian woman, exactly the way the Greyhound women dressed five centuries ago when they wanted to partake in the Luna's rite. Leather corset, a skirt made of belts. A waist-length silver-blonde wig. And her feet are bare.
Silence returns as Kristen and I stare at each other.
Slowly, she descends the stairs until she's standing right in front of
me.
Her fragrance, rich, sweet, sensual, and vanilla makes me yearn for
her.
It's been three months since I last touched her.
And in spite of my rage and frustration, all I can think about at this
point is sex.
Maybe it could help me relax, if I bury myself in her warmth and fuck her until her eyes grow red with tears. And her moans are breathy of
pain and pleasure.
Except that's impossible because I need to wait for two months before I can get intimate with her.
Damn this custom. That dress and scent are supposed to make me
twice as upset as I am because it's what she'd be wearing if she fails and we're separated.
But I am getting turned on at this point.
My emotions are wild. Untamed. My hands are itching to touch her. Instead, I just ball them and leave them at my side.
Kristen releases a low sigh which sounds sweet to my ears, and then
she pulls my hand in hers.
"Come," She orders in a quiet manner, her hazel eyes never tearing
away from mine.
And I let her lead me out of the hall and into her dressing room. Three maids are already inside, waiting to finish up the dressing.
"Leave," Kristen orders them.
And when they oblige, she turns to me.
"Calhoun.." she breathes out my name.
She's so fucking enticing and breathtaking at this point, that I want
to get lost in her slightly parted lips. Who would think she's smelling this nice just to carry out something so disgusting? Eating the heart
and testicles of a bull.
"I don't have a good feeling about this, let's call it off." I harden my jaw as I tear my eyes away from her for a few seconds, because the more I keep staring at her, the less my frustration becomes.
"No, Calhoun. We already agree to this," Kristen reminds me.
And in a rush, I cup her cheeks.
"Can't you see how much you mean to me? I don't want to fucking
lose you."