Torn Between Enemy Alphas

Chapter 7- You're My Mate

"I understand now what he meant." the words hadn't been meant for her ears, but Alice heard them and Alpha Nowak was no longer in a position to deny her anything that she asked of him.

"Who?" she asked as he sat down next to her on the bed, suddenly afraid to let her get too far away from him.

"That Beta. I can't remember his name. Your Beta."

Alice raised her eyebrow at this form of referring to Cole.

"Beta Cole. Why? What did he say?"

"He was the one who escorted Kate here with your things before he was called back by the Alpha. He told my Beta that he believed you were one of few True Lunas in this world, made in the image of the Goddess and destined to rule, and that I had been blessed with you as my mate. After what had happened-" his voice trailed off.

"You were doubtful?" she laughed, the sound like music to his ears and he glanced at her quickly before looking back down at his hands. He suddenly felt nervous.

What if she did reject him?

"Well don't feel bad about that. You aren't the only one. I'm doubtful. That sounds like a load." She laughed again and he felt his heart lift at the sound.

How could he have thought even for a moment about leaving her behind. His hand reached out and covered her smaller one, his eyes closing when he felt the electricity that passed between them. He knew that she felt it too because she immediately fell silent.

"By the Goddess, I'm an idiot." he murmured after a few moments had passed.

"Anyone would have done the same thing." he turned his head to look at her and found that she was staring straight ahead at the wall, her expression blank. "Hell, I imagine half the Alphas on the continent would have rejected me flat out. Maybe killed me in a rage. I mean, we've all heard of it happening. Especially with high ranking wolves. It's why Alpha and Beta daughters are usually more carefully about-" her voice trailed off and she sighed.

"Why don't you get some rest, my Luna." his voice had softened and now his fingers were tracing patterns on the back of her hand. "We have a long day tomorrow." Her eyes were wide as she turned them to him as if she couldn't quite fathom how quickly he had changed from being on the brink of rejecting her to accepting her as his mate.

"Why?" her voice was hardly a whisper and her brow furrowed as she managed to say the word.

"Because," he replied, standing and pulling back the covers. When I touched you and thought of living my life without ever touching you again I couldn't bear it. And you're right. It was hypocritical of me to hold you to a standard I myself haven't met. In the heat of the moment I just hated the idea of anyone else ever having touched you other than me."

"Now, since I was a brute and accidentally hurt that pretty head, will you let me help you into bed? I still want to find out why the doctor hasn't come in yet to check on you." He rolled his eyes at his inadvertent rhyme.

"Yes." she smiled at him as he scooped her up and pulled back the covers.

The problem was, once she was in his arms, she did not want to be out of them. He smelled delicious. She managed to resist the urge to cling to his shirt, reminding herself that although he was her mate, the circumstances were less than idle and they had just met. They needed to get to know each other, preferably once they got back on his pack lands.

She heard him take a deep breath, inhaling her scent which if every story she'd heard from every other mated female wolf she knew was true, was also intoxicating to him, but also very calming, and after holding her against his warm, hard chest for a few moments he lowered her down so that her head was resting on the soft down pillows. His fingers lightly skimmed her tan, smooth legs as he pulled the covers up over her, his eyes traveling up her body as he covered her.