His mate's secrets

Chapter 16 - New Luna celebration

As Damon said, the Luna Ceremony was small with only the council and upper ranks present. Most of them knew the arrangement was fake, though it didn’t stop them from scrutinising her the entire time. It felt like a show they didn’t put on, but Flic still bared it to honour her agreement. She placated herself knowing it would’ve been worse to put this performance on in front of the whole pack, but nerves twisted in her stomach knowing she would have to face them all as their Luna later on for the evening celebration. She got herself so wound up by the thought that her hand clenched tight around Damon’s when it was time to mark each other.

It was an outdated tradition for the Alpha and Luna to bite each other during the ceremony to lay their claim, and it had been watered down to a show of affection. Usually, the marking had already been done so couples would simply kiss their marks to reaffirm their love. Though neither of them wore a mark, she never had a mate and Damon had lost his, this affection was still a requirement. She had tensed, lost in her worry, when the Alpha’s lips approached her, so he had refrained from actually touching her.

Only a whisper of his breath had brushed against her neck, but she could still feel it on her skin. Flic clamped her hand down over the feeling as she shut the door to her room. She had a couple of hours to herself before the charade continued but this time for the pack. She breathed a sigh of relief, the hard part was done, and headed into her room.

When she saw the large sleek black box on her bed, she hesitated for a moment and frowned before approaching cautiously. She reassured herself that the packhouse was secure and gave the air a tentative sniff. Catching the Alpha’s scent relaxed her immediately and her suspicion turned to curiosity in a heartbeat. Flic collected the note on top, turning it over twice when she saw only a single letter was present.

-

~D

-

With a smile playing on her lips, she lifted the lid, letting out a small gasp at the beautiful material inside. Her eyes sparkled and she lifted the gown from its confines. It was the same dress she had seen in the shop window, the one that reminded her of the Alpha’s heated gaze. Its satin felt luxurious between her fingertips and she shivered at the thought of it dancing over her curves. A warmth curled in her lower abdomen at the gift. It was undoubtedly sexy, and she pulled her bottom lip between her teeth, her thoughts toying with the intention behind it.

Flic let that thought sit with her as she put the dress down and headed into the bathroom to get ready, her footsteps lighter than usual. Though the ceremony had been small, the party was set to be massive with all the Red Valley wolves being invited and it planned to last well into the night. Neighbouring allies had also been invited so she’d have many faces looking at her that evening. Alpha Neil had reassured her that their allies were trustworthy curbing some of her fears but the whole party sounded terrifying. Flic understood the need for it though. Events like this, where the pack came together to celebrate, strengthened bonds and boosted moral. It was the epitome of the reason behind her arrangement with Damon.

With a couple of hours before she was needed, Flic took her time to relax in the bath before she primped herself with flattering make up and battled her waves into submission. She had just slipped into her new dress when there was a knock at the door. With a hand holding the fabric to her chest, she glided to the door and welcomed Damon into her room.

“Alpha Damon.” She smirked and exaggerated a head dip to greet him.

“Luna Felicity.” He returned with an eye roll. Though his voice was teasing, a shiver raced up her spine at the new title falling from his lips. “Are you ready?”

“Almost. I just need you to zip me up.”

She turned her back on the Alpha, feeling a prickle over her nape as he stepped up to assist her. Flic reached around and gathered her hair, sweeping it over one shoulder to expose the back of the dress. When he didn’t touch her immediately, she frowned. She could feel his hesitance swirling in the air around them, but she waited. Finally, with the barest brush of his fingertips and a gentle tug at the small of her spine, she heard the purr of the zipper inch up her back. Its movement was slow and deliberate collecting the material of the dress and coaxing the satin fabric to slip perfectly into place. Flic wasn’t small, she was a woman with curves, but she liked them and felt like the dress was made just for her.

She let her hair tumble back down her back, finally ready for the party ahead. When she noticed Damon hadn’t moved from his position behind her, she felt a tension riddle through her body. A large hand moved to rest on the dip of her waist, and she sucked in a breath. The Alpha moved a step closer now and Flic knew if she leaned back just a fraction she’d be resting against his chest.

“You look beautiful.” His voice was thick, and he tightened his hold on her slightly.

“Thank you.” She whispered. Flic felt equally powerful and weak in the Alpha’s hold, his grip just firm enough to be possessive.

That hand didn’t leave her waist as he led her from her room and to the party. The pair swept down the stairs and were greeted in the packhouse hall to a chorus of cheers and congratulations as the Red Valley wolves greeted their Alpha and new Luna for the first time. The room was overflowing with wolves, so much so that they leaked out into the main entrance way of the packhouse and out into the open air. It was a far cry from the empty hall she had been left in just over a week ago. If only she had known back then, when she was kneeling and blindfolded before the Alpha, what would become of her. Would she have refused to go? Flic glanced up at Damon, stood proud at her side, the warmth of his hand on her waist a comfort that steadied her, and knew she would’ve made the same choice.

Though she knew many of the wolves in the hall, it was still etiquette to make the rounds and talk to as many people as possible. Everyone had kind words to share, and Flic was the perfect picture of bashful happiness as she accepted each one. Damon guided her around the hall with ease, whispering information when they were approached by allies, and giving soft words of encouragement as they walked away. His small words of praise stoked the heat inside her that had stirred the moment he laid his hand at her waist and brought a flush to her cheeks.

It was a relief when he finally guided her to the table at the head of the room so they could have a moment to rest. Her feet were aching, and she regretted wearing the heels, but they complemented the dress so well that she couldn’t resist them. As Flic took a seat, she felt an intense glare of eyes burn into her cheek. She turned and quickly spotted the blond bombshell hovering at the side of the room. The stare wasn’t malicious, but it felt too heavy to be friendly. Flic grinned and gave her a small wave, unsurprised when Beth turned away instead of reciprocating. Still, only one person out of a pack not being happy for their union wasn’t too bad. Though perhaps it was two. During the ceremony, Julien had been stone faced and she hadn’t seen him or caught his scent in the hall. She knew he wasn’t overly happy with the arrangement, but she hadn’t seen him for days and couldn’t understand why he was avoiding her. Flic missed her friend and hoped he’d come to realise her agreement with Damon was harmless. She really could have used his support that evening.

The weight of many gazes was on her shoulders, and she had to resist the urge to slump in her chair. It had only been a couple of hours and already the fatigue of smiling and putting on her new Luna facade was getting to her. She cast her eyes over the room, a sea of friendly faces looking back, but she knew they were also watching her, waiting for an imperfection to expose. That was the way of people when looking at those with power. Whether they meant to or not, a pack tested the strength of their leaders. They needed confidence they had the correct wolves in place.

“You’re doing well.” Damon was at her side like he had been throughout the party, sat and looking over his wolves with the air of authority she could only try to imitate.

“I didn’t know it would feel like...” Flic tried to name the feeling crawling down her spine.

“Intimidating? Like being a deer surrounded by starving wolves?” The Alpha supplied, a smirk on his lips.

“Yeah.” She turned to him, shifting her body so she was angled towards him.

He did the same, letting their legs press against each other, the soft material of his suit trousers skimming across her skin. “It’s not as bad when the allied packs aren’t here.”

“Do people always look at you like this?” She cast her gaze out again, wondering how anyone could feel at home in this environment. It was quickly becoming clear why Damon valued his private space.

“No.” The Alpha’s voice dropped low, and she snapped her eyes to him, hearing the amusement in his tone. His hand rested next to hers on the table but moved to close the space between them. His fingertips trailed a line over her wrist before he coaxed her hand closer to him. Flic put up no resistance, captured by his every move and the singing of her skin beneath his touch. “Sometimes there was someone who looked at me with only desire, like she craved my presence and needed me to show her what it felt like to be devoured.”

Damon began tracing a finger up and down her forearm, his eyes locked to hers with heat that took her breath away. Flic swallowed, her response evading her as her mind was filled with only one thought. Him. Fortunately, another wolf approached the table, stealing the Alpha’s attention and she sucked in the breath she didn’t know she was gasping for. When the stranger’s eyes dropped to his touch on her arm, Damon pulled it away and dropped his hand to her leg. Without missing a beat in the conversation, he slipped it between the slit of her dress and rested it on her thigh.

Immediately, a heat pooled between her legs and Flic clamped them closed. A flush crept up her neck and into her cheeks, steadily getting deeper as the Alpha made small movements on her thigh that sent skittering tingles directly to her core. Occasionally, he squeezed his grip, making her squirm in her seat to relieve some of the pressure building beneath her. All the while, Damon held the conversation but Flic couldn’t concentrate through the fog of lust in her mind. Her body felt on fire, each nerve ending begging for attention that only the Alpha could give.

The moment the stranger walked away; his name was on her lips. “Damon.” Her voice cracked, unadulterated need bleeding into the tone.

Crimson eyes snapped to her, darkening the second he took in her flustered state. As if she could actually hear the crack of his last restraint breaking, Damon pushed to his feet and pulled her tight to his side. Without a word, he slipped his hand back around her waist and led her from the room. The Alpha’s grip on her became strained the closer they got to the door, keeping her locked in his arms as his hand splayed over her stomach. Knowing glances were cast their way but Flic didn’t care. Her eyes were glued to Damon, trusting him to weave her safely through the crowd, the ache for him growing unbearable.