Chapter Seven

Sun stole through the blinds, illuminating their room. Marrok rolled over in bed, reaching for Tala only to find her side empty, the mattress still warm under his fingertips, her wildflower scent all over him.

With a frown, he propped himself up on one elbow. “Tala?”

His answer was the click of the bathroom door lock followed by the hiss of the shower. Nothing about that should have tipped him off, but Marrok’s wolf went on alert. Not pacing, but ears pricked and focused entirely on that door and the woman behind it.

Unable to just lie in bed, Marrok got up and dressed quickly, all the while his mind churning over what had happened yesterday and last night. Another click had him turning to face the bathroom. Tala emerged dressed, her usual elegant self in black slacks and a frilly white blouse, a different pair of stilettos on her feet, and hair pulled back in a knot at the base of her skull. Not a weapon in sight, except that gold belt again. It appeared so innocuous in its present form around her waist.

He knew different.

Without a word or glance his way, his mate moved to the wardrobe, where she pulled out her large suitcase and hefted it onto the bed, which squeaked its protest. Still ignoring him, Tala pulled a hunk of clothes out of her closet and started carefully and meticulously packing.

Marrok…was not entirely sure how to deal with this.

She didn’t pause as he stood there like a useless ass and watched. “I think we’re going about this wrong,” she said. “Pushing too fast. I will send half my people to live in your territory for the next six months. The weaker half. You send me yours.”

His wolf paced in his head as Marrok crossed his arms. Somehow, he knew a kicker was coming. “Sounds like a plan. Mix everyone up in both territories.”

She didn’t look his way, simply continued with her task.

“And where will we stay? Part time at your place and part time at mine?” he asked.

“I’ll stay at my place.” Now she stopped packing and looked him directly in the eye. “If you want a place in my bed, you’ll have to earn it.”

If he didn’t know better, he’d swear the pit in his stomach was panic. Tala meant what she said. He didn’t need instinct or the still flimsy mating bond connecting them to realize that on his own.

Dammit. He’d hoped maybe the connection developing between them in the bedroom—just last night, she’d allowed him to hold her through the night after sex that had stolen his reason and will—might have helped outside the bedroom. Not fixed things, exactly, but soothed their issues.

His wolf raised his hackles. So did Marrok. The urge to cross the room and get in her space battled with common sense. The anger pouring off his mate in waves kept him where he was.

He’d witnessed firsthand what she could do in a fight. He knew better than to piss her off more. Instead he crossed his arms and planted his feet wide. She’d have to get around him to leave. “Is this about the alpha thing?”

Her hands paused in her task. “The alpha thing,” she muttered, more to herself. Then straightened to shoot him an unimpressed glare. “Yeah. It’s about the alpha thing.”

Anger bubbled up over his panic. “Have you disagreed with any of my decisions?”

Emotion darkened her eyes to emerald, and her shoulders fell before she turned back to her packing. “That’s not the point,” she said quietly.

The disappointment lacing her voice was like a spike to the heart. This was on him. He knew that. But none of his actions, not one, were intended to cause problems. They came from who he was as alpha and as a mate. He tried to be respectful, take her into account, make sure his decisions were fair. Any time he thought she might disagree, he discussed it with her. They couldn’t discuss every fucking little thing. They’d get nowhere that way. Was that really what she wanted?

“I thought… Maybe after last night…” He ran a hand through his hair.

A flash of regret disappeared behind a wall of steel in her eyes. “Great sex doesn’t fix everything. Sometimes, it’s just sex.”

Just sex? That was it for her? What the fuck was he supposed to do now? No one had ever found him lacking his entire life. Marrok opened and shut his mouth, unable to process his reaction. He was a proven alpha. He’d made decisions, and he wouldn’t apologize for that. What’s more, he’d protected his mate. Or tried to.

Before he could form a response, Tala’s cell phone rang. Her expression showed zero surprise as she picked it up.

His extra-sensitive hearing picked up Astra’s voice on the other end. “I got your text.”

“And you’re ready to go?”

“The car will be here in twenty.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

She was leaving now? Before they had a chance to talk about it? No. Just hell no.

Tala moved away, though she kept her gaze trained on him warily. Hurt and disappointment joined shock and fury. His mate didn’t trust him. Maybe didn’t want him. Marrok’s wolf, who’d been silently watching, now raised his head and howled. The empty sound was a pure reflection of Marrok’s own reaction.

He had done this.

Fix, his wolf insisted.

Marrok agreed, determination wrapped around all the other emotions bombarding him. He had to fix this.

At the same time, he had no doubt he couldn’t make her stay. Marrok turned away and closed his eyes, reaching for a calm so elusive, it felt as though he was trying to hold sand in a sieve. But he had to do something.

Think, dammit. How could he find some way to connect with his mate? Get them on the same side? Them against both their respective packs?

The world around him stilled with the thought.

When did it turn into me against my pack?

The question hit square in the chest, robbing him of the ability to breathe right for a few long seconds. Because he knew exactly when. Love hadn’t been a part of the bargain for them, but suddenly, he couldn’t imagine his life without her in it.

I love her.

He didn’t know when Tala had captured his heart. The strong, independent, fierce woman who hid beneath a façade of icy control and couture clothing had won him, heart and soul. All the signs had been there—his wolf’s approval of her, his need to claim, to protect, to care for a woman who pushed him away at every turn. Despite their obvious physical connection, which couldn’t be all pheromones, he had no idea if love even made her radar. Worse, if the troubles she had with her pack were any evidence, “worthy” was not a word he’d apply to himself.

That changed now. Though he wasn’t sure how.

Especially not when both sides were watching with such suspicion, especially her people.

Marrok sucked in a breath, straightening. “I’ll meet you at the car. Don’t go before I get there.”

He turned to find her watching him with a posture that screamed wariness. “You’re not going to fight me on this?” she asked.

Of course he was, but he needed more than just words right now.

“Promise me?”

After a brief hesitation, she nodded. “You have my word.”

Thank the gods for small mercies. Marrok turned and left the room. Determination straightened his spine as he hurried to put his plan into action. He would fix this.

He’d make sure they could lead together…or he’d give up his position as alpha.

…

I’m doing the right thing.

Her new mantra. Maybe if she repeated it enough times in her head, she’d believe it. He hadn’t been wrong about their physical connection growing, not that she’d tell him that. But her intense attraction to Marrok was dangerous so long as the imbalance in their alpha roles remained. They needed to stay apart until they figured that out.

Tala exited the foyer already knowing her mate stood outside waiting beside her sister. His scent reached her in the elevator.

Tala did her best not to twitch uncomfortably at the light in his eyes. The truth was, she was still pissed at him. She’d been pissed last night, too, but the second they touched, her body had taken over. Hell, even right now, if he touched her, she’d probably melt into a puddle at the damn man’s feet. This need for him was a complication she hadn’t counted on.

Her wolf tried to ignore how incredible he smelled—woodsy, earthy. Alpha. He gave off such an air of confidence, she couldn’t help but respond to it. At the same time, Tala’s heart twisted inside her, as though he’d reached into her chest and crushed it in those big hands that had been instruments of pleasure since the moment of their mating.

He was letting her go.

Irritation followed on the disappointment, like sandpaper to her skin. This was what she wanted. Hadn’t she been telling him to listen to her? She couldn’t get upset about him finally doing just that.

Or was this what he’d wanted all along? Her out of the way.

With a huff, her wolf turned away and lay down in her head. Her animal was still angry, too, apparently.

No that wasn’t it.

Tala had observed her wolf’s reactions closely since trying to take a hunk out of Marrok—her animal side was attracted to their mate, respected him, but resented him, too. Enough that she couldn’t be trusted around him. Why? Because he was too alpha for her?

No. As far as Tala could tell, her wolf viewed Marrok, in both his forms, as her equal. Perhaps that was it? No other alpha could claim equal status until now, and her wolf took that as a threat? That didn’t feel like it, either. Whatever drove her animal, a dark emotion swirled inside her.

One more fucking complication.

Before Tala could pinpoint the issue, another car pulled up behind Astra’s. The driver, one of Marrok’s men, got out and handed him the car keys before leaving.

Slowly, she made her way down the wide steps to both of them. A quick glance at her sister showed her watching with quiet interest. Unusual for her. Did she sense the same determination from Marrok that Tala was feeling?

Ignoring Astra for the moment, Tala stopped before her mate.

“Can I run an idea past you before you decide to leave?” he asked. Softly.

He was asking, not telling. That alone had her wolf pricking her ears. Curiosity piqued despite her determination to remain distant. She crossed her arms against the pull he had for her. “What is it?”

His mouth tightened almost imperceptibly. “I propose you and I go somewhere. Alone.”

She drew her brows down, even as her heart gave an extra thump. “What for?”

He searched her eyes, but she gave him nothing.

“You’ve said I have to share being alpha, and I have to earn you…”

Her heart rate wanted to speed up, but with effort she forced it to remain steady and gave a small nod for him to continue.

“I want to do that. I want to make this work. For our packs…and for us.”

Did he really mean this? She remained silent, waiting.

“It seems to me,” he continued, “the best way is to spend time alone, without our packs watching and the pressures of leading. If we got to know each other better—” He waved a hand.

Tala tried not to find the fact endearing that he was floundering with what had to be a new situation. “You want to take a honeymoon?”

His amazing blue eyes flared with desire, only to be banked to smoldering. Tala swallowed.

“No sex,” Marrok said.

Okay… Her wolf cocked her head. “No sex,” Tala said slowly.

“Correct. In addition to getting to know each other better, we’d spend time hammering out details for our packs and how we want to lead. Together. Then, when we return to our packs, we’ll be on the same page.”

She had to admit his plan had merit. More important, he wasn’t issuing a demand. That alone was a step in the right direction. Can we keep our hands off each other, though? Even now her body strained toward him; she wanted his hands on her body, him inside her, over her, around her…

Marrok interrupted her contemplation. “I think we can, if we both agree. Alphas have more willpower than most.”

Tala blinked, and her face flared hot. Had she said that aloud? Or had he sensed it through their link? What she got from him was minimal. A flash here and there. “How long are you thinking?” she asked.

“A week to start. More or less depending on the progress we make.”

Now he was making this sound like a business deal only. Irritation lanced through her. At herself. Their marriage was a business deal only. She had no right or reason to wish for…more.

“Where?”

“The cabin.”

Her cabin?

They hadn’t talked about it since the days right after their mating and her bid to help the nymph who’d risked so much for them. Marrok wanted to go there?

“There’s only one bed in there.” She chanced a glance at Astra who, thankfully, continued to watch all this in silence.

“I’ll sleep on the couch,” Marrok said.

She would not be disappointed. She’d told him he had to earn his way back into her bed, and she meant it. Tala pursed her lips. “Okay.”

“Okay?” Again, he searched her expression, eyes intent. “As in yes?”

“I agree with your plan.”

When it came down to it, deciding to leave him was the hardest damn thing she’d ever had to do. That, in and of itself, was a shock to her system. Jarring. Like walking into a glass door when you thought nothing was there.

Usually a master at hiding her emotions, she honestly had no idea what she was feeling, and, therefore, what he was seeing. Or what he felt about her agreement. He was equally proficient at concealing his emotions. She focused on that elusive connection, more faint today than it had been the night they mated. An echo reached to her, like her own footsteps inside a tunnel. Satisfaction seemed to be a big part of his reaction. Satisfaction and…relief. Relief? That emotion would indicate an emotional investment in this working.

Of course, he’s invested, dummy. His pack needs the peace as much as yours.

Marrok touched her hand softly. “I want this to work for us as much as for our people.”

Seriously. Was the man a mind reader?

Abruptly he turned away and started moving her luggage from Astra’s car to his own, which already had his own suitcase in the trunk.

Tala moved to give her sister a hug. “You’re still in charge while I’m gone.”

“I figured. Good luck,” Astra whispered in her ear, then got in her car and drove away.

Marrok stood at the driver’s side door waiting, and Tala moved around to the passenger side slowly, running her mind over his actions and words and what she’d just agreed to.

A small beacon of hope sparked inside her. Maybe this mating could work after all. The cautious voice in her head—not that of her wolf, who was anything but cautious and still wary—but her own self, warned her to reserve judgment.

She’d give Marrok a week. Then they’d see.