My Tamed Alpha Mate (Book 2)

Chapter 2: Sore Loser

I wake up with the dirtiest smile on my face, the memory of last night fresh in my mind. My, my, a month of being celibate really brings out one's inner animal. I roll over to find an empty side of the bed. I try not to be disappointed.

'Our mate is protecting our pack. Pack needs our Alpha.'

I frown at my wolf's words. I understand what she means, but it doesn't hurt any less. The least he could do is be here the morning after.

I set aside my feelings and get out of bed, ready to handle my Luna duties for the day. I've become accustomed to the pack either referring to me as Luna or Alpha. Although, technically I'm the Luna, but being on the same authoritative level as Keaton, I can also respond to 'Alpha.'

After showering and putting on leggings, a tank top, and Nike sneakers, I'm ready for training day. Three days out of the week, Blackwood and now Moonshine, have a mass training. With Blair still a threat, training is more crucial than ever.

I trot down the staircase, finding the packhouse nearly empty. Crap, I'm late. Quickly grabbing a water bottle from the large stainless steel fridge in the kitchen, I adjust my sneakers before opening the front door.

The very first thing I see when I throw open the door is a couple intensely going at it on the porch. Well, not technically going at it, but making out heavily, nearly third base.

I cringe, my nose scrunching up in disgust. "Not being very Beta like, are we?"

They separate and Christina looks at me annoyed. Josh however, doesn't acknowledge me and tries to go back for more, but Christina slaps his shoulder.

"Knock it off!" she growls, clearly embarrassed about being caught.

Josh looks unsatisfied and pouts like a preschool child being told not to do something. Before he can complain more, she hops off his lap and bounces over to my side. He gets up and sulks his way to the training area.

"So what's on the itinerary for today, Alpha?" she mock salutes, chuckling.

"Training," I reply looking ahead. "Lots and lots of training."

She groans, "Never in my life did I imagine being mated to a Beta and co-running the most lethal pack around."

"Try being mated to the Alpha and being Luna," I challenge. "And we were both born to an Alpha and Beta, remember?"

"Yeah but we were children, we never ran Shadowed at all," she points out.

We fall into silence, at the mention of our home pack. Destroyed, slaughtered, and incinerated.

"Do you ever wonder what would've happened if we didn't follow our Dads here? If we stayed home that night and never met Josh or Keaton?" Christina finally breaks the silence.

I pause, looking towards the field speckled with pack members sparing in human and wolf form. My eyes find the person I'd been searching for my entire life, and think for a second what would it have been like if I hadn't stumbled onto Blackwood territory.

My wolf whimpers inside me, pained by the thought of being without our mate.

"Do you think we'd be alive still? If we were still back home when BloodAsh attacked?" Christina continues to ask.

Still not taking my eyes off Keaton, I give her the answer.

"No."

❦❧

Keaton's wolf bucks Josh's over, sending him to the dirt. Josh groans, frustrated in losing yet again.

He grumbles angrily, getting up and shaking the dirt off his fur.

Keaton scoffs and his wolf scrunches his snout. "Take it Beta."

Josh stalks towards Christina's sympathetic form, muttering curses under his breath.

The large black wolf turns towards the crowd of awaiting pack members, "Who's next?"

Nearly everyone looks away, whistling, staring at the ground, even sneaking away into the woods.

Keaton looks more than disapproved at the mix of both packs. I feel a slight burning gaze coming from across the field. I wince when I realize it's the former Alpha, Keaton's father, looking judgmental and furious at what his once strong pack has become. He blames Keaton for not running the pack with the same fury and discipline he ran with.

I feel Keaton's guilt through our mating bond, he's letting his father down. My eyes water and my heart burns, I feel every single sting he does.

Masking his guilt with anger, he asks again, "I said who's next!"

The pack continues to remain silent, I feel a strike of anger, cowards. I see Tucker shake his head, turning down Rose's comforting arms, he begins to walk back into the packhouse. I don't even need to look at my mate to see his hurt and failed expression, I can feel it clear as day.

"I'm next."

The packs turn in surprise, Tucker halts his movements in the corner of my eye, the crowd begins to separate giving Keaton a view of the speaker.

I hold my head up, feeling like a true Luna. Pack members clear a path for Keaton's gaze. I see a ghost of a smirk in his wolf's eyes and relief filling his head. I return a devilish smirk as I begin walking to the awaiting Alpha, purposely swaying my hips.

I hear Keaton groan through our link, 'Stop that.'

My smirk deepens and I'm finally standing face to face with the large black wolf radiating with authoritative power. Any ordinary wolf standing this close and making eye contact with an Alpha would be severely punished for challenging him. Instead, I step closer and bite my lip. His eyes look at my lips greedily and I can tell he's doing everything he can not to pounce me here and now.

"I believe I'm next Alpha," I repeat, c*****g an eyebrow.

Keaton briefly looks past me to the packhouse porch where the former Alpha now looks back sternly. At least he stayed. Rose has her arms on his chest doing her best to soothe him.

I tilt my head to the side, regaining Keaton's attention. I walk to the opposite corner of the sparing court, waiting for him to officially call the start.

'What do I get of I win?' I ask through our private link, crossing my arms.

His eyes focus on my arms now pushing up my cleavage.

'You know what you get,' he replies, in a moan.

'And what if I don't want that?' I challenge, smirking.

'You'll have it any way.'

My mouth drops open before I instantly snap it closed. I clear my throat blushing lightly. I roll my eyes at his laughter in our link.

In a second, I shift into my deep chocolate colored wolf. Keaton's wolf looks back in approval and admiration of his mate.

'So beautiful,' he whispers almost to himself.

'I hope you'll still think that after I've beat you,' I challenge, chuckling.

'You won't.'

'Whatever you say Alpha.'

Taking the opportunity to catch him off guard, I charge him. But an Alpha is always ready, he meets me halfway and dodges my swift attack. My wolf huffs annoyed and decides to set aside the fact we are battling our mate. Using all our strength she goes at him again, this time successfully jumping on his back.

I briefly look up to see Tucker, now slightly intrigued in our fight. I know Keaton needs this win to impress his father but I need it to show the pack I'm not all talk and no action.

Making my decision, I dig my fangs into Keaton's fur firmly but not enough to break the skin. I throw all my weight behind me, hearing the satisfying thump of my mate hit the ground and signaling my victory. The pack members explode into loud claps and howls.

I can feel the bruising of Keaton's ego. I turn away from the crowd and see him pushing off the ground, shaking off the twigs and mud. I trot over to his black wolf ready to brush against his fur and lick his muzzle but he doesn't look my way.

Instead he talks to the whole pack through the link, 'That's enough. Dismissed.'

The packs disperse still chattering about the exercise. As the crowd splits up, I'm serenaded with compliments.

"Great technique Luna." one of my Blackwood wolf's chirp.

"Congrats Alpha," a Moonshine wolf nods.

"Luna, we want to be just like you!" a group of tiny pups yip happily.

I thank them for their compliments, but am more focused on the person behind them. Keaton faces the porch, his head bowed slightly. I can tell he and his father are having words through their personal mind link. From what I can tell, Tucker is chewing him out.

Giving my mate space, I start to head towards the back door of the pack house. I can feel an argument brewing between Keaton and I. Guilt surfaces, I should've let him win then his father wouldn't be having words right now.

❦❧

After a long bath and thinking of how to maneuver the treacherous ground with Keaton, I finally dry off. A chorus of slamming of drawers and banging cabinets drifts from the private office down the hall. I growl lightly under my breath, already knowing who it is.

Then an idea pops into my head and a devious smirk graces my lips. There are two tactics I can use to approach this. Try to talk it out and risk a bigger fight, or take his mind off his father with some of my own personal exercise.

Choosing the more obvious choice, I slip on a pair of stilettos. I know I might come off as a desperate slut, but this is my mate, he doesn't care as long as he gets to blow off steam. He would do the same for me.

I bite my lip smiling while walking to the partially closed office door. He doesn't use the personal office on our floor much, so I know he's trying to cool off there before coming to me.

I reach the door and call out before opening it, "Are you okay?"

I get a grumbled curse in return, followed by more banging. I roll my eyes at his childish behavior.

Shoving the door open, I seductively place my hand on the door frame and cross my legs at the ankles, waiting for him to look at me.

"I'm fine. Go to bed," he grunts, not yet looking up.

I don't reply or move, waiting for him to see me. I feel his frustration spike and he looks up, ready to shoot daggers in my direction.

"Lola, I don-"

His frustrated expression evaporates in seconds. A look of bewilderment takes its place, and all he can do is stare.

"What do you need me to do Alpha?" I smirk, knowing what I'm in for.