Misfit Mates {the half-wolf and her recessive alpha}

Bad Habits

{ Grayson }

Midnight's mouth hangs open for probably thirty seconds before she blinks again and looks at me like I'm desecrating against her virginity. Which I'm obviously not doing. As far as I remember, at no point did I ask to insert anything into her or even touch her.

I wouldn't object to doing so, but I never offered.

"No," she whispers, unable to believe I said that and steps back to let go, "That's not fair at all."

"Of course it is. You invaded my privacy, now I'll be invading yours. Seems like a very mature arrangement to me, actually, considering I had no choice and just had to put up with someone watching me at my most vulnerable moment. Maybe it's not a very evident thing, but I'm very shy and insecure about my sëxuality. Just like you."

"You're manipulating me," Mid complains making a very slight and adorable pout.

"Manipulating?" I pretend to think about that for a few seconds, "Mmm, yes. You're right, I am manipulating you."

"So..."

"So, we need to plan when it's going to happen. It can be tomorrow. No... I can’t tomorrow, I'll be busy all day and on Saturday it's the fight," I remember, grimacing, "You'll go see me fight, won't you?"

I want her there to see me fight. I want to show her how strong I am. My wolf gets up with delight when she nods.

"Yes," she replies, with a small smile, "Are you ready for the fight?"

"I don't know, Lion keeps telling me I'm useless but that means I'm getting better and he doesn't feel bad about insulting me anymore," I brag, making mer laugh, "I know I'm going to win this time."

"Of course you'll win, you've been training very hard," Mid raises her hand to tap me on the shoulder, but she looks weird because she hasn't stopped smiling yet, "Okay, it's time to get back to the others."

I start walking behind her still not stopping thinking about how weird she's acting when I remember we were talking about something important.

"Hey!" I grab her arm and pull her back, "I haven't forgotten our agreement, you cheater."

"How am I a cheater? You're the one who changes the subject before you finish a conversation."

"That's not true," I complain even though I know she’s right, "Anyway, you know what I want. Sunday night we'll meet up to..."

"I don't want to. And since I'm not giving my consent, if you keep pushing the matter it would be psychological sëxual abuse and I know that the UK has a relatively new law that constitutes psychological sëxual abuse as a crime that is payable in jail for at least two years considering the conditions."

"You're so right, we care so much about human laws," I nod vigorously, Mid doesn’t realize I’m being sarcastic, "I actually know all about psychological sëxual abuse, mostly because it happened to me yesterday when I realized there was a voyeur who broke into my house illegally. Breaking and entering, I think it’s called... I wonder how much time they give for that."

Mid makes a long-suffering face and then stares up at the sky as if she's looking for the answers in it. As if there's any way I'm going to let this go. I consider myself quite capable of getting what I want, so nothing is going to stop me.

And yes, maybe this is manipulation, coercion, and maybe even abuse, but Midnight needs this kind of treatment to get loose and stop being so scared of everything. Besides, I deserve it. I've been so good for so many years, I'm entitled to do a few bad things now and then, like psychologically abusing this beautiful little thing.

"And if..."

"No. No negotiations. I want the same thing you took from me or I'll report you to the UK officials for psychological sëxual abuse and breaking and entering."

Mid laughs, understanding that I’m joking, surprisingly, and then puts a hand on my shoulder.

"I need to negotiate because I'm not ready for that. Maybe... maybe after a while, after I kiss Bax some more," she inquires, with a mischievous grin, "But for now I'm willing to give you... a photo."

"A video."

"A photo."

"No. I want a video at least one minute long and with good audio. And you have to go out of your way to make it sexy, like I did," I demand, because sometimes you have to be aggressive to get what you want. Mid bites her lip as she thinks about it and then nods, "Really? Awesome. Now we can really go back."

For the rest of dinner I don't pay attention to what they're talking about because I'm too anxious. I don't even notice that Elena is actually hanging out and chatting with us, which never happens. She's usually just eating quietly and talking to Lion in a low voice, but I don't really care, the only thing I can concentrate on is Midnight.

On her body, on her skin, on her eyes. On the fact that I'll have a video of her and that's better than just looking at her in person because then I can replay it as many times as I want and I can pretend she’s a beta.

"Gray, stop moving," my brother mutters and kicks me lightly under the table. I go completely still and my face heats up as I realize everyone was watching me. I don't even know how I was moving but I hope it wasn't something silly, like what I used to do.

Once we finish dinner and are walking to Lion’s van to go home, my phone rings with a call. It’s Ike Rivers, my old friend and poker opponent.

"Yeah?" I reply, keeping my voice very low and hoping Bastian doesn't hear me, but there's no way anything gets past Bastian, so he immediately turns to me with doubt in his eyes when I start walking backwards to get away from them.

"Hey, hey, buddy," I'm greeted by a voice way too cheerful and young to be Ike and my eyes narrow as I realize who it is, "Guess who just arrived at Owl's and doesn't have a curfew? Me!"

"That's..." I swallow and run my free hand over my head trying to control myself, "Interesting. I wish you good luck."

"What time are you coming? I'm getting bored here. Winning all the time isn't that much fun, I'm sure you understand me."

No, I don't understand. I like it when it's easy and when it's unfair to others to play with me because that means more money. More savings for my beloved Harley. But if I'm being technical, I guess it does make it more fun to have a little difficulty.

"I won't be able to attend today,” I clear my throat and everything in my body starts itching with anxiety again. I can't stand still like this for long so I start pacing back and forth with five pairs of eyes fixed on me, "But I'd like to know if in a month or two your kind offer will be back on the table."

In a couple of months when I already have my Harley and I'm not tempted to gamble all the money I have. A lot of money I made in an easy and unfair way.

"Okay, you're close to your brother, aren't you?" he sighs, "I really want to play against you today."

"That's because some people, like you, were born swimming in money," I mutter, feeling bitterness burning my stomach, "And other people weren't, so they can't do that kind of thing all the time."

"I'll be nice to you, I promise!"

I bite the inside of my cheek and consider it for a moment. I promise myself right now that I won't make the same mistake as last time, I won't bring all my money, just enough to play for a couple of hours and satisfy the temptation without being poor once again.

"Mmm, well... if you put it that way, maybe," I reply, shaking my leg restlessly. Bastian squints his eyes at me, suspicious. That man is always suspecting something about me, "But I guess you wouldn't mind if I invite a friend, would you? Maybe she's more interested in that exhibition than I am."

"God, you're pathetic. You're getting too old for this kind of thing."

"Yes, thank you very much. See you in a bit," I say, my voice loud now. I smile forcedly and hang up, putting my hands on my hips when I walk back to Bastian, "Can you believe this? Gemma's father just told me that I'm invited to an exhibition of 12th century Renaissance art and it will be nice to be seen at such an event. Sure, I think it's boring, but Mid was telling me earlier how much he enjoys Renaissance art, weren’t you?"

"Mmmm, sure, although Renaissance art is from the 15th century, not the... " I think she understands my look because she closes her mouth immediately, "But yes, I love it. Thank you."

No one believes us, I can see Bastian is planning to ask me the truth as soon as we're alone and Angie folds her arms ready to give me another lecture so I don't lose her niece.

Lion gives me a distrustful look, but Elena says something to him and steals his attention, so I take Mid's slender arm and don't leave her side for a second on the way back to the apartment, so I don't have to deal with anyone.

I take her with me to my room once we arrive and drop to the floor to take out my safe (a shoebox) and take only a third of the money.