My Future Luna

BK2| 8| Dinner

| Dana |

Micah had his own suite on the top floor, the same floor as his Alpha brother. I took a few deep breaths before I knocked.

Aurora had sat at attention while he asked us to dinner- way too excited about be with our mate. I hesitantly accepted, specifying that it would be dinner only. And talking. A meal and a chat. Simple. Aurora had been ecstatic, making me feel terrible. She didn't think my plan would work in any case, but she did spend the whole day telling how much our mate would want us and how I should accept the goddesses gift. She hadn't crowded my mind so much before.

Micah's face when he saw me made my chest clench. Between my legs too. My eyes raked up and down his visage, not lingering on his face but being captivated by the broadness of his shoulders and those narrow hips. He was wearing dark slacks and a deep green collared shirt, open at the neck.

I felt decidedly underdressed in my jeans and T-shirt. Though his eyes scanned over me like I was in something skimpy.

After a few seconds of us just checking each other out, he stood back. “Please. Come in.”

Puffing my cheeks, I pushed my way into the apartment. The feeling of being desired rolled over me, creating a familiar feeling of swagger. There was no denying Micah wanted me physically. He didn't hide it and it wasn't an act. But of course we wanted each other. That was what the matebond was. I just had to make him see there wouldn't be anything more than that. We were not in the same league. I was from another planet.

His smell was everywhere. Gods, it was like it filled the whole space. I fairly swooned in his scent, butterflies flitting about in my stomach.

We took the few steps into the dining nook that sat to the side of the small kitchenette. I could see he had set up a small square dining table, two place settings on it, side by side. I frowned at the unusual, and way too intimate, seating.

“Please, take a seat,” he went to put his hand on my lower back to guide me. I scooted forward, desperate to not let him touch me.

I could see he tried to ignore my avoiding him, his pretty face dropping ever so slightly. He continued on to the stone island that created a sectioning to the room. The fragrance of our meal joined the scent in the space as Micah stirred it.

I felt a warm comfort, freezing me in my tracks for a moment. I stepped to the table, quickly moving one of the settings, as he worked, so they were now across from each other and not side by side. I could feel his eyes on me as I then drew the chair around and took a seat while he served up.

I watched him in my periphery only, looking around the apartment to disguise how much my eyes were being pulled to look at him.

I could tell he was holding himself purposefully- his movements looked deliberate, carrying himself confidently but a little too precise. We both remained silent, neither able to break the tense silence.

Wow, I thought to myself. Think of something to say. Anything. I opened my mouth just as he turned around to get something from the cabinet behind him. My eyeline dropped to his rear, perfectly sculptured in his well tailored slacks.

Wow, I thought again. My tongue rolled in my mouth subconsciously, my body responding to him outside my control. I caught myself, straightening my spine.

“This is ridiculous,” I hissed at Aurora. “I should have met him at a bar or at the training fields. Not here in his apartment.”

Aurora was tutting in her head. “You want our mate as much as I do.”

“He's practically a pup,” I scowled, unable to stop the look from flickering across my face.

“Doesn't look like a pup to me,” she said plainly. My eyes lifted to see him watching me.

He gave me a soft smile. “Your wolf?”

I nodded and cleared my throat. “Aurora.”

His face softened and he looked wistful. “I can't wait to meet her.”

I dropped my gaze. I didn't think that was a good idea. Aurora huffed in my head as a response.

“My wolf is Asher.”

“He’s, uh…” I floundered, tripping over what I was going to say, how majestic he looked- and instead said stupidly, “really big.”

He chuckled, the sound wrapping around me, “Yeah.”

He lifted two large shallow bowls, stepping back to the table. How could someone look so sexy just serving up a meal? He approached me timidly, hesitant, as he set our meals down.

I studied it once it was placed in front of me. “Paella?” It looked and smelt amazing. “Looks good.”

I cursed internally at my awkwardness.

Micah's soft smile remained in place, his eyes flickering as he studied my face. “I can't take credit. I had the kitchen make it.”

I lifted my fork to take a mouthful, my only thought to busy my mouth. Micah suddenly reached forward, his long fingered hand coming towards me. I dropped my fork as I jerked back, freaked out he was about to touch me. A discordant clanging sounded as my cutlery hit the edge of the bowl, clattering to the table and almost falling into my lap.

That smile slid right off his face. “I just wanted to make sure you tried it with the lime.”

He motioned to the wedge of lime on the side of my bowl.

“O-oh,” I stuttered, feeling like an i***t. Aurora created a fuss in my head, annoyed I'd hurt Micah's feelings.

So many emotions rushed through me as we started to eat. I felt so embarrassed. Embarrassed I had such a young mate. Embarrassed that I couldn't relax in his presence. Embarrassed that I wanted to rip that f*****g shirt off his body.

I needed to get moving on this rejection. Get it over and done with. Aurora pushed on my mind, wanting me to take a different path- to remove all the awkwardness between Micah and me. She'd never responded in this way before- testing my control like never before. She couldn't push through me. I'd never had an issue with self control, and I wasn't about to let it happen now. But this- this was hard. She whined and pawed at me- trying to get me to change my mind. It made me feel like a horrible person to put my wolf through this.

My eyes flickered up frequently as I ate, Micah catching me practically every time. I felt self conscious, a stranger in my skin. I couldn't relax. I couldn't be at ease when I had to hold my whole body and mind in check. Use all my faculties to fight what my instincts told me- to take my mate as nature intended.

Our eyes met, his gentle green eyes softened as our gaze connected. He sat up a little straighter, obviously moved by what seemed like a sudden boldness on my side. I jerked my line of sight away.

Trying to distract myself, I grabbed the glass of dark maroon drink that was before me, and took a sip. The intense flavour of sweet spiciness, and a lot of booze, hit my taste buds. I made a sound of pleasant surprise.

“Sangria,” he said softly. His eyes had decidedly darkened with the noise I'd made.

A blush hit my cheeks. His gaze made me feel sexy. “It's delicious. And very alcoholic.’

His soft smile graced his lips again. “I made it. You have to add a lot of tequila and cointreau. Makes it… better…”

He was watching as I took a bigger sip. He bit down on his bottom lip, those hot eyes watching my mouth.

Oh gods, I groaned mentally. Fixating on looking at my meal instead, I scrambled for what to talk about. How does one segway into a rejection conversation?

“Uh… what were you doing before coming here to be Beta?” I looked up to see him shake himself from whatever had distracted him. Likely Asher- if he was behaving anything like Aurora.

“I run one of my brothers- Jonah's- businesses.”

“Oh?” I didn't know anything about business. I'd gone straight into warrior training when I shifted and had done nothing else. “Is that… do you like it?”

He took a very big gulp of his drink. “Yeah… it has its challenges, but I like what I do. And you're…”

“Part of the elite- uh… I also worked with Ada, when she was here…”

His eyebrows raised, “So, you would be working with me?”

“Um…” My uncertainty came across like absolute stupidity. I swear I wasn't usually this fumbling. “I, uh, um don't do that work anymore.”

That was the work I'd asked my Delta to reassign.

The disappointment on his face was crushing. My tongue felt swollen with its want to volunteer to take the work back on. Anything to bring that smile back.

“Oh, okay.” He took a big breath, his warm smile coming back and lighting his features. “Well, if there is anything you can help with, it would be appreciated.”

“Sure.” I hesitated. I both wanted this over with and to run away. But the longer I was here, the harder it was to keep this distance between us. Deciding there was no delicate way to broach the subject, I went for it. “When should we talk about it?”

He tilted his head, acting like he didn't understand, but I could tell he was just playing dumb.

I gestured in between us, at a loss for words.

“We're mates,” Micah offered.

“Yeah, but- like you don't want me as your mate,” I quickly added, as I could see he was about to object. “I mean, of course you do- that's what the matebond does. But you don't. You could, um, talk your wolf into rejecting me.”

Micah's eyes went hard.

I hastily added, “You've got an alpha wolf- you'll likely get a second chance- and you're still so young.” My voice sounded weirdly high to my ears.

A dark and humorless chuckle emitted from Micah. “Right,” he said dryly. “And what about you and Aurora?”

I raised my chin, trying not to falter at his obvious care about our well being. It'd be great if he could start acting an alpha brat right about now. “I had figured I was going to have to take a chosen, so…”

“Sure,” he clipped out, “makes sense.” His tone was twisting to something harsh, an edge to it.

I swallowed, ignoring Aurora's pleas- her concern radiating out at angering our mate. It would be better if he was angry with me. Make this easier. Though his anger didn't feel directed outwards.

Standing abruptly, he walked over to a drinks cart. I watched as he picked out a bottle of whiskey and a glass.

“Can you make that two?”

He paused. I thought for a second he'd say no. He looked pissed off. But he turned back to the drinks trolley.

“So… you'll do it?” I put as much desperate sincerity on my face, so when he turned he could see how serious I was. I had to be firm. He would be better with someone else. I was an omega nothing.

“Do what?” He asked, still doing that infuriating dumb play, as he turned, hooking another glass with his finger, then swinging back to return to the table.

So intent on pleading my case, ready to do my best puppy dog eyes, I observed him fully- for the first time since I had first laid my eyes on him the day before.

My breath was stuck, my heart beating a mile a minute. He'd moved so smoothly. The even keel of his form, the way his shoulder dipped, his hand gracefully flowing to curl a long slender finger over the lip of the glass…

I wanted to suck on his fingers and feel them caress my body. I wanted to ride them. I felt a flash of wetness in the seat of my pants.

He tilted his head at me as he retook his seat across from me, a look of bewilderment crossing his features.

I blushed furiously. Good gods, he could smell my arousal.

He glanced once from my face to my glass as he poured my drink. An almost imperceptible tug at the corner of his mouth. “What is it you want me to do?” He asked as he poured his own drink.

“Reject me,” I rushed out. Because I had wanted to say something very, very different.

From the sudden hint of a smirk on his face, I think he knew that.

My eyes followed as he picked up his glass of whiskey, again drawn to watch his hands as they flexed and moved. I could see just the subtle flow of the muscles of his arms as the sleeve of his shirt shifted and pulled against them. Now that I'd let myself properly see him I was finding it hard to look away.

“Reject you?” He took a long drink. I could see through the glass how his mouth opened, his tongue coming forward to taste the brown liquid.

“Yes…” I practically moaned. Hastily clearing my throat, I sat up straighter, slamming my whole drink back.

“Yes,” I repeated, stronger now.

He poured us both another drink, a long pour.

His tone shifted again, a playful edge slicing through. Its change created a depth, the smirk that had pulled his lip colouring his voice, sending a shiver up my spine.

“I don't think you want that.”

~*~