Lunar Temptations

Ch 17

For a moment there, I wished I could turn back time and prevent him from killing Elio that night, changing the course of events. But it wasn't possible. Everything had happened, and there was no turning back. Yet, his words could still drive me terrifyingly insane, as they were doing now.

That's never going to happen. I will never forget his betrayal, let alone trust him - I reminded myself, to no avail. What bothered me was the fact that this man was willing to wait for it, even though it might never happen and he knew it just as well as I did. I had even told him a week ago that whatever he was thinking wasn't going to happen, and I thought he didn't want to see my face while he stood so close to me that not an inch remained between us.

What was happening? He wasn't supposed to be this way, so gentle and close, when I had made sure to hurt him with my words and had pushed him away... for a week at least. No matter how badly I wanted to do the same to him now, I couldn't. My words were stolen, my breath trembling with the feel of his mixing with mine, my skin touching his. I couldn't hurt him like this, or even bring myself to think of it.

Because above all, he had saved my life.

"As much as I'd love to shatter your delusions, I would like to offer a truce," I spoke, earning an intrigued look from him. "You know, for saving my life."

"Is that so?" An amused look crossed his face. "Are you rewarding me, Ray?" he asked, smirking.

That i***t was teasing me now.

"I am just showing gratitude, Alpha Zayden," I teased back, which I immediately regretted when I saw his eyes darken. "You have my attention." He backed away a few steps and took a solid stance with his hands folded. If this was his "attention," what had he been doing for the past few minutes?

I cleared my throat. I bet I looked like a nervous student giving a presentation to her professor, except Zayden was checking me out with a wild look on his face like he couldn't wait to undress me and take me right then. Like he was my predator and I, his prey. The thought alone made me nervous, but watching him stand like some god was another thing.

"Since we are stuck with each other, we might as well accept it and make something good out of it."

"Like what?" he asked, with an arched brow. I gulped nervously.

"Like not speaking ill of each other and acting like a couple in public while remaining platonic in private," he raised a hand and I paused.

"What?"

"Are you making this truce with me or yourself?" his question made my brows furrow until I realized my words. Okay, he might be right, but I was at least trying. I deserved some appreciation.

"How about I propose the terms, and you accept or deny?" he proposed, and I agreed, nodding. I couldn't focus with him around and was doing pretty bad at it. It was better to let him do this.

"You don't try to push me away anymore and accept me as your mate," he said.

"But I have already accepted you," I shrugged.

"From within, or this truce would likely fail," he shrugged, mimicking me. Well, technically he was right. I hadn't stopped considering him my mate yet, and it was something I couldn't change. I might as well accept this. Also, there was no use pushing him away, and I didn't want to anymore.

"I am waiting."

"Accepted," I nodded.

"We will attend our pack duties as we are expected to, as a couple."

I nodded again. "Accepted."

"You will move in with me." I was about to accept it when I realized what he had said.

"What? Why?"

It was fine to perform duties together, but moving in with him? That was a whole different thing.

"Because we are engaged, and..." He began to explain.

"Do we have to?" My face transformed into a miserable expression, like that of a child being told they had school on Sunday.

"Your parents are already doubtful. Why else do you think I was sending the flowers with those notes?" His lips pursed into a thin line. "Your mother called to ask why we were both distant."

My mouth fell open. How could she? That was embarrassing as hell, and she didn't even bother consulting me first.

"Did she? f**k, I had no idea," I mumbled, running a hand through my head.

A chuckle echoed, and I found him smiling at me, amused. "You're turning red."

If I wasn't red before, I certainly was now. But this time, getting caught turning red was the reason, and sometimes I hate how nature worked. I could have turned back to normal instead of turning into a tomato. I instinctively ran a hand over my cheeks, trying to undo it.

I didn't want to move in with him, but living with my parents would mean having Zayden over now and then, with a dozen servants keeping an eye on us to see if we had mated. Not only that, I would need to see him more and be more intimate with him, while I could easily avoid him in his house where my parents wouldn't be watching over us.

"Fine, I will move in with you," I said, and I raised a hand before he could speak. "But only because that way we won't have to do PDA that often."

"Tell yourself whatever you want, Red," he smirked, and something about that nickname made me want to go red all over again.

He was delusional if he thought this truce meant anything intimate happening between us, even if I was about to shift to his place. It wasn't happening.

"The wedding will take place exactly how your father wishes," he continued, and I snapped my head at him, almost hurting my neck.

The wedding... I had almost forgotten about it. What was going to come out of it? I still hadn't decided. "Before you say anything," Zayden raised both of his hands in submission. "Your parents and mine, your pack and mine, and all the other packs that were present that day expect this to happen soon. I had to agree with your father that day because it would have aroused suspicion." He said, and just like every other time, he was right, this time too.

His eyes skimmed over my face as I got lost in thought.