Chapter 8 - The ritual

Adelina's pov:

After this unpleasant meeting with Maximus and his mistress in the afternoon, I decided to take my dinner in my room. I am sick and tired of watching them being always in a playful mood and not keeping their hands to themselves. If I hadn't seen them so many times I wouldn't believe that Maximus is so effusive! With all the others he is so strict, so composed, so severe and serious. He never laughs or jokes about anything. Most of the times he even doesn't look happy. Never the less, he must be very much in love with her to act so differently. I think the game is lost for me. The most smart move is to accept that eventually Maximus will end up with her despite the bond between us. I think that Goddess this time made a very serious mistake.

Anyway I cannot always cry over split milk. I have to go on with my life. To set new goals in both my personal and professional life. Tomorrow is another day as Scarlett O'Hara said in the "Gone with the Wind". So let's leave all the bad thoughts behind and get some sleep! But a knock in my door had different plans. The time was 23:45. Who on earth wants me so late at night? I got up, wore my robe and headed to the door. I always sleep in a t- shirt and my underwear. I cannot wear pjs in my sleep cause always I get very hot and end up very sweaty. So in order to avoid that I prefer nestling up with an extra blanket.

I opened the door and a guard was waiting for me. I believe his name is George or John, for that I am not very sure about it. I have a thing with remembering names. Anyway, he told me to follow him. "Alpha wants to see you" as he mentioned in a firm way. I told him that I wanted a few minutes to change but he insisted that it was urgent. "Alpha Maximus wants to see you immediately. You can't make him wait for you" he insisted. So I went to his office, dressed in my robe. I wonder what he is up to this time.

The guard opened the door and let me get inside. When I got in, he closed the door and left us alone. His office was dark and full of smoke. Τhe only light, was coming from the small green office lamp that was on his desk. Maximus sat on his chair smoking and drinking some whisky staring at nowhere specific. He looked lost in his thoughts. He didn't even realize my presence in the room.

To gain his attention I cleared my throat and said.

- "Alpha you asked for me. What' the emergency?"

He suddenly raised his grey eyes and looked at me. He seemed sad and concerned. He abruptly got up and told me to follow him. We got out of his office, descended the stairs and exited the pack house. Then, as he began taking off his clothes he ordered me to shift. Before I tried to take off my robe he had already shifted. His wolf was magnificent. His fur was dark blue and he was enormous. His grey eyes were gleaming in the dark. He came closer to me and licked my hand with his muzzle and I caressed his head. He made a low purr. I think his wolf likes me more than Maximus himself and I begin to like him too more.

Then he made a low growl that indicated to me to shift and follow him. I told him to turn away and he obeyed like a good wolf that he is.....I shifted in my white wolf. I wasn't very big but surely I was the most quick when it came to running. I took my robe in my mouth and I followed him. I do not want him to see me naked if he ordered me to shift again. Then he started running deep into the woods. I can't figure out what we are going to do and as long as I do not have any bad premonitions about this I will follow him.

Although he was speeding I managed to follow up with him. We were running for a while until we came out on a clearing. It was magnificent! Tall trees were scattered left and right where in the middle a large stone with some carvings on it had been placed. It looked like an old sanctuary. Maximus shifted back to his human form. I tried not to stare but I couldn't take away my eyes of him. He is so f.cking hot. Ηis body was strong and very fit, full of muscles and with perfect abs. He quickly put his pants on and ordered me to shift. I went behind some trees, shifted and returned dressed only in my robe. On second thoughts, taking only a short robe wasn't one of my greatest ideas that night. The night was chilly and my robe left little in imagination. Maximus was literally eating me alive with his stare. Although I am not very tall I am fit and I have a slim body with little curves. Some say that my body is sexy others think not. But I like my body as it is and this is the most important thing for me.

He looked at me from bottom to top with lust. Suddenly, I began feeling very uncomfortable and exposed. He signaled me to follow him. We approached the stone. Then he went behind the stone and returned with a silver knife with carvings on the handle. I noticed that the carvings on the knife were the same with the carvings on the stone. Not that makes any difference to me but... Anyway he took the knife and made a cut on his hand. Then he took mine and did the same. I felt a slight pain but I didn't show it. He subsequently extended his severed hand and ordered me to put mine on his. Goosebumps covered up all over my body and a sweet feeling of flying butterflies sat in my stomach. As our hands were stucked together, he began chanting some incomprehensible verses for a while. During the chants I felt a weird aura surrounding us and I think for a second I saw a flash appear between us. As soon as he was over, he released my hand, looked at me with a smirk and without moving his lips, I heard his voice in my head.

-"Now your initiation ceremony is completed. You are officially a member of my pack. Welcome home Adelina" and he gave me a wide toothy smile.

The first smile I ever got from him and I did nothing to provoke it. But it was a wonderful smile and made my heart fly.

-"But... but what was that? This isn't the traditional initiation ceremony that usually takes place in the packs. And please if there will be next time I would appreciate if you first informed me about where are we going and what we are going to do" I scolded him .

He looked at me with those playful grey eyes. He made a complacent smirk like he knew more than he was revealing and continued.

-"I do not need to inform you. You are my mate and my pack member and you must obey my orders without second questions. Also I informed you that I did the initiation ceremony so what are you complaining about?".

- "Oh I suppose I must thank you for that. But next time I would appreciate if I was informed before the event occurs not after. And let me say again that this wasn't a typical initiation ceremony".

- "I am not going to explain anything to you. It is what I said it is. So stop asking questions you know they won't be answered".

The old bad Maximus came back. It was good as long as it lasted.

-"What? What's your problem pal?" I talked back in a sassy way.

- "Pal? Watch your mouth kid. You don't wanna see me pissed" he told me in a menacing way.

- "Really? Kid? I am not a kid Maximus. I am a grown woman. Can't you see? You think it is ok to behave to me like this?" I answered totally pissed off.

-" I don't see what the fuss is all about. I welcomed you to my pack. Now you are officially a pack member".

- "You are an a..s!"

-"Watch your tongue kiddo".

-"Or else what? " I controverted.

He took some more steps closer to me and stopped when we were inches apart from each other. Then he approached me, grabbed me tightly from the waist managing to bring me closer to his body, bent down and gave me a passionate kiss. In the beginning I didn't react, I felt completely numb. But as the kiss deepened I surrendered to him, hugged him, put my hands around his neck and responded to his kiss. I kissed him back with all the intensity I felt inside. And as we were kissing he held my waist with his one hand while with the other he started stroking my thigh and lifting my robe upwards. When his hand reached my most sensitive part our kiss became more dominant, more savage. Our bodies were on fire. Our repressed and deepest emotions seemed to come to the surface. It was amazing! And then out of the sudden he stopped, released me, and while I was catching my breath, without any word he shifted to his wolf and left.

I was left alone in the clearing. The moon was high in the sky lightning the place, lightning my soul. Ιs there any possibility that he feels something for me? Should I hope for something more deep more profound between us or it was just another act of supremacy by him to show me his dominance.