Chapter 112


    22. 22. My Refusal


    HUNTER


    It had been a few days since the wedding, and I knew more than ever that my decision had been


    absolutely correct. Charlene was the perfect Luna, wife, and mate.


    Not only was her heart beautiful, but so was she. A perfect bonus, because I craved her. One night was


    not enough for me. That first night, I had made love to her twice before forcing myself to stop, it was her


    first time and i knew she would be in pain.


    The very next day, I had awoken to her having run me a bath and had my clothes out ready for me. I told


    her she didn‘t need to do that stuff for me, I had Omegas for such tasks, but she made it clear she


    wanted to be the only one taking care of me.


    I nearly smirked, it was almost as if she meant something else... but I wasn‘t suré... I nned to tease


    her a little and see if my innocent princess would indeed get jealous. I wanted her to be possessive of


    me, to show me that she wanted me all for herself. Ah, it was pleasant to have someone by my side, and


    although I wanted to simply bed her day and night, duty called. As promised, the following day we had


    nned and mapped our journey. Some of my scouts had returned, and we had managed to assess


    what was going on. There was something odd at work, Theoden had invited most Packs for a special


    event in a few weeks, to show what he had to offer as their new king.


    The invitation, which of course I didn‘t get, looked fairly simple, but I didn‘t trust it, nor did I trust


    Theoden. There was never anything straightforward with him, and as much as my mother imed to fall


    in love with him, I believed it was just the bond that had pulled her to him. The mate bond blinded you to


    logic, it‘s why I always knew I‘d choose my own mate, to love her without the bond. That was true love.


    Not a bond that makes you feel something for someone no matter how dark or twisted they were. 1


    We had leftst night, splitting into five armies. Each was assigned a different job, the only problem was I


    didn‘t want Theoden to catch whiff of what was going on. I myself was part of the smallest group, and we


    were going to head to Alpha Romeo‘s Pack. He was one of Andres‘s closest and I intended to get him


    on–board for the take–back. He didn‘t know we wereing, but he had expressed his concern in his


    letter since his pack was heavily watched, we just needed to make sure no one saw us meeting him.


    We had travelled all morning and had now set up camp for the night. I had thirty men with me, along with


    those from the Silver Storm Pack. It had been difficult for Raiden but he had left his brother at my pack, I


    assured him he would remain safe. Charlene was of course with us, although I didn‘t want her anywhere


    near the battle, but she had pleaded toe with me. There would be a battle and it would inevitably


    take ce no matter how much we didn‘t want war, because it was already upon us... For the sake of my


    mother, I avoided Theoden, but I despised him. If it hadn‘t been for his selfishness, she might still be


    alive today. For Theon as well… just how I had promised her. I needed to get him to see the truth before


    it was toote. I knew there was good in him, because he was her son. I would hold onto that and take


    the role I needed to as his elder brother. If he‘s in the wrong, then I will show him the right way, one way,


    or another.


    I came out of my reverie, watching Ryan prodding at the rabbits we were cooking, and I


    nced over at the Gamma. Charlene‘s father and brother… She had told me about it on the second


    day of our marriage, although she said he didn‘t know she didn‘t want to keep anything from me. I loved


    how she trusted me, but I also worried about her trusting others far too quickly. 1 Well, she had nothing


    to worry about, I was here to make sure she was safe and around those who could be trusted as much


    as possible. She was currently inside our tent whilst Raiden was with the horses, checking some of the


    supplies. We were travelling mostly on foot or in wolf–form, but we had some horses for luggage, and for


    some of the men when they needed a break.


    “So why haven‘t you marked her?” Ryan asked, raising an eyebrow.


    I guess it was true, half–siblings were definitely not alike...


    This man was nothing like his sister. “That‘s not really your business now, is it Sanchez?” I raised my


    eyebrow.


    He rolled his eyes.


    “Na, it isn‘t, but it is weird. She isn‘t your fated mate, so you marking her has nothing to do with you going


    to war and maybe getting killed.” “I like how you don‘t really care if I do die... but me not marking her is


    something I personally do not wish to do, until after the war.” “Why?”


    He sure didn‘t take a hint.


    He looked at me pointedly, and the urge to knock him over the head appealed greatly to me. “She‘s


    young. If I do end up fucking dead, I don‘t want her to be held back by my goddamn mark” I growled


    lowly, trying to control my anger. I saw Raiden and Grayson turn to look at


    1. me.


    There, I fucking said it.


    Ryan looked at me in surprise, before he realised what I meant.


    Charlene was young and if I died, unless her fated mate showed up, no one could remove the mark I


    leave on her neck. I didn‘t want her life to end there, she had the right to choose a new mate if anything


    happened to me, no matter how much the thought irked me.


    I stood up, I was done with this conversation and was about to storm off for a walk, when I saw her


    standing there holding her clothes, unshed tears clear in her eyes. Fuck, now she had heard that.


    I red back at the bastard sitting there poking the fucking rabbits, entirely unbothered, before I turned


    back to Charlene who had backed away, turning and hurrying towards the river.


    “Charlene.” I called after her. “Charlene!”


    She stopped only when she reached the riverbed, her heart thumping as she clutched her clothes to her


    chest. I closed the gap between us and wrapped my arms around her from behind tightly, burying my


    head into her neck, inhaling the scent that I loved.


    Her heart pounded as I caressed her waist, trying to calm her anger. Ah she was so damn cute when


    angry.


    “I did not mean it like that.” I said quietly.


    “I already told you I don‘t like you talking about dying. This war is scary enough, without me having to


    fear losing you.”


    She pulled free from my hold and turned to look up at me.


    “Hunter... I dislike how you keep making out as if this – we–are temporary... You said that if my fated


    mate came, you would not let him take me... but why do I think deep down… that if he did show up, you


    would let me choose.” She whispered, tears in her gorgeous green eyes.


    My face betrayed nothing; a shback of vague memories filled my mind. Me screaming for my mother


    as she walked away...


    Charlene knew me... but if ever that time came and she chose to walk away from me and we had a


    child... I would make sure she took that child with her… because no child deserved to be without their


    mother. I wouldn‘t do what my father did and refuse to let me go... and I wouldn‘t want Charlene to


    choose between her fated mate and our child...


    The pain returned with vengeance, apanied by the fact that she had left me. A question, I refused to


    dwell on. I pushed it away, I couldn‘t deal with this right now.


    I turned away from her my own emotions overwhelming me, and she grabbed hold of my arms.


    “Hunter. Mark me.” She whispered.


    Do I deserve to do so? If she is ever marked over mine... the pain that came with it... almost like a


    punishment from the goddess for refusing your fated mate... I didn‘t want to put her through that.


    She said she wasn‘t ready when I first proposed to her, how can she suddenly be ready in a mere few


    days?


    I pulled her into my arms, weaving my hand into her gorgeous locks, tugging her head upwards.


    “Are you sure?” I asked quietly.


    “Yes, when I promised myself to you, I meant it.”


    Our eyes met, before I pulled her firmly against me and kissed her deeply. I don‘t know what the future


    held but imagining a life with Charlene... it sounded like a goddamn dream.


    “On one condition.” I whispered, pulling away from those plump lips of hers.


    “Which condition?” She asked innocently.


    I smirked as I jerked my head toward the water.


    “Bathe with me, and I will mark you on the seventh day of our marriage.”


    Her eyes widened as she looked through the trees back towards the faint fire that could be seen.


    “H–here?” She whispered, her face changing to a pretty hue of red. My smirk only grew as I let go of her


    and pulled my top off.


    “Here. What‘s wrong? I‘m sure no one can see any wrong in it, even if they realised you bathed with your


    husband. Unless of course, you are unable to keep those moans down.”


    Her eyes widened, and I chuckled as she stared at me.


    “Wh–what moans, you said a bath!” She yelped, her heart thudding.


    “Do you expect me to bathe with you and not fuck you?” 1


    I tilted my head as she dropped her clothes in rm, running her fingers through her hair, her other hand


    clutched to her chest.


    Teasing her was indeed incredibly fun...


    ‘I want no one toe anywhere near the water for the next half an hour‘ Imanded my men through


    the link.


    ‘Yes, Alpha.’ The replies came from all of them, but I didn‘t miss the amusement in a few of their replies.


    Well, I was newly mated.


    “It‘s up to you, I don‘t need to mark you, I guess.” I winked at her, removing my pants and making her


    blush as she looked at the ground. I closed the gap between us, hearing her heart pounding loudly as


    she quickly looked away from my crotch. cing two fingers under her chin, I tilted it up. “Now tell me,


    how much do you want me to mark you? Enough to get down and dirty with me... or...shall we wait?”


    A frown crossed her face, and I smirked as she stepped back.


    She really was too innocent. It was a shame since I actually wanted to fuck her right now...


    I was about to speak, when she suddenly went down on her knees, pulling my boxers down.


    Property ? of N?velDrama.Org.


    “I truly want you to mark me, and I n to show you exactly how much.” She whispered; her heart was


    thumping as she wrapped her hand around my cock, that hardened in her hold, sending a dangerous


    wave of pleasure through me.


    I frowned, all amusement vanishing.


    “Hey, you don‘t need to do that. Come, let‘s bathe.” I said, leaning down to get a hold of her elbows.


    She was my Luna, not a whore. I didn‘t need her to do anything of the sort, the only one who needed to


    be worshipped was her. 1)


    She pouted, refusing to stand up, and looked away from my intense gaze.


    “I... want to do this.” She whispered, taking me by surprise.


    So my Luna wasn‘t exactly as innocent as I presumed. Reaching down, I tilted her chin up and looked


    into her vibrant eyes for any sign of hesitation, as she ran her hand along my shaft making me throb.


    Fuck, she was making this harder for me, the moment her tongue ran over her lips and she flicked the tip


    of my cock with it, my eyes shed and any hesitation I had vanished. “Fuck, Princess.”


    A soft smile crossed her lips as her gaze dipped to my hardened cock. She tilted her head, running her


    tongue from the base of the shaft all the way to the tip, making a burst of pleasure rush through me and


    a low groan escape my lips.


    Oh, fuck... Now this was fucking good...


    “That’s it.”


    “I think I can make you lose enough control that you end up marking me tonight.” She whispered with


    confidence I never knew she had, her fingers fondling my balls as she looked up at me deviously.


    I throbbed hard as I looked down at her challengingly.


    Now, this was a different side to her.


    “So you n to challenge me?” I growled, wanting her mouth back on my cock.


    “Of course, and I‘m certain I will win.” She replied seductively, wrapping her lips around my cock and


    began sucking on it, sending a rush of explosive desire through me...


    I had excellent self–control, but something told me she may just win... 2