Seventeen

As Calix pulls into the Highmoon Pack territory, Amira feels as if she has been transported to another world, like a hidden fantasy realm just beyond the dreary and grey city she has always lived in. She never knew there could be such a bountiful and beautiful place as the Highmoon territory, the grass as green as the fake grass on some of the richest places in Morrowfalls, but lush and real. The dense trees seem to help keep the fog of the swamp away but are still scattered enough to let in a rare view of sunlight as the clouds pass by. 

      Pulling up to the pack house her tongue nearly falls out of her mouth as her jaw topples open, looking at the mass structure as if it just stepped out of the Viking era.

      "This is your pack house?" she whispers. 

      Calix chuckles. "A lot better compared to that shabby ex-boyfriends house." He stops and peers at the front. "With the door wide open," he mutters. He removes her off his lap and gets out of the car, exposing the loud sounds coming from inside the house. 

      It sounds like someone is arguing inside while throwing breakable things around, but only one female voice rings out. 

      "Stay here, I have to deal with this real quick," he says and closes the door before she can say anything more. 

      Amira takes out her phone and scrolls through social media while she waits, but curiosity always gets the best of her, and she opens the door to try and hear what is happening inside. The commotion seems to have stopped but she can still hear the girl crying from inside, her words coming out muffled now. 

      He returns minutes later and grabs her hand to bring her inside. There are several people waiting as soon as she steps into the foyer, all of them seeming to be waiting on them like servants. This has never happened at the Greybane Packhouse, and she doesn't know how to feel when seeing so many people waiting, unsure if she should greet them all or wait for Calix to introduce her. 

      Sensing her discomfort, he quickly turns to them. "The issue is resolved; everyone go back to your tasks." 

      Everyone disperses on their word and he continues through the house to the second floor. He leads her into a bedroom and closes the door, the anxiety finally leaving his face. 

      "Whose room is this?" she asks. 

      Calix crosses the room toward his wardrobe. "It's my room," he says and casually strips off his shirt. Amira gets a look at the ripped muscles on his back, his skin accessorized with deep scars but it is enough to make her feel flustered and she turns around. 

      "At least give me a warning if you're going to change right in front of me," she scolds. 

      Calix comes up behind and spins her around, her hands landing on his chest before he presses her against him. She can feel the tense and sculpted muscles under his chest flexing as he moves, his bulging arms wrapped around her tightly making her feel like she is caged in. 

      "We're mates, sweetheart. There will soon come a day where we will see every inch of each other," he teases. 

      She rolls her eyes and tries to lean back to put distance between them so she can at least breath. "In your dreams." 

      "Every night of every day, I dream of it." He leans forward and buries his face in her neck, a spot she has realized he discovered is a weakness to her and lays feather kisses, making her shudder with pleasure. 

      He finally pulls away to give her a break but stops her heart once more by trailing his thumb along her lower lip and grasps her chin. 

      "I plan to make those dreams a reality," he mutters and crashes his lips onto hers. All the air she was trying to gather seconds ago is sucked out of her lungs and her mind flies to the highest cloud, becoming one with them. 

      She feels his hand latch onto her neck and pulls her into him more with such possessiveness, she might pass out. Even during her make-out sessions with Isaac, it never felt this hot and heavy from just merely kissing. 

      As if hearing her thoughts, Calix become more aggressive and skillfully slips his tongue into her mouth, intertwining with hers. She feels her knees give out from under her, but Calix is clinging to her so much he is quick to hold her up, a burning sensation spreading in her stomach, and she fears this is going to go beyond a point she is ready for, but also doesn't feel willing to stop it. 

      Fate has been playing cruel jokes on her today and decides to make the choice for her, sending someone to knock at the door and break through their heated moment. Calix rips away from her with a growl so intense, even she is a little shaken and snaps out of her trance, feeling the pressure against her thigh. It doesn't take her long to realize it is his erection and her face goes up in flames. 

      He rips open the bedroom door. "What?" he snaps. 

      "We have another problem," Malachi speaks. "Myla is willing to go, but she wants to speak with you again." 

      "Dear gods, if it's going to be this much of a fuss then send someone else!" He tries to slam the door, but Malachi stops him. 

      "We can do that, but it won't calm her down." 

      Calix growls once more. "All right, give me a moment. Find someone else in the meantime." 

      "How long did you have Malachi spying on me?" Amira asks once the door is closed. 

      Calix runs a hand down his face. "He wasn't spying on you, he was meant to be a guard who kept an eye on the outside, nothing more. I suspected someone or something would show up sooner or later." The last part is muffled as he throws on another shirt. 

      "How did you suspect that?" 

      "I don't have time right now, I have something else I need to deal with, I'll be right back." 

      Amira blocks the door and glares at him. 

      "You promised you would answer any questions I have as soon as we got here." 

      He pauses and she can see the conflict in his eyes as he contemplates the damage, knowing that if he leaves he is breaking the promise he made and treating her no better than Issac, but at the same time this issue is going to escalate. 

      The sound of glass breaking from down the hall helps make up his mind, and he pulls Amira toward him and away from the door, bringing her in for a surprise kiss to distract her. 

      "I will crawl back here on my knees to beg for your forgiveness, I swear," he mutters against her lips, then walks around her out the door. 

~*~ 

      Calix rushes down the hall toward where he heard the glass breaking and finds a complete mess of spilled water and pastries on the ground, as a kitchen staff member cowers on the ground next to it all. 

      Myla towers above, her usually dark tanned skin a bright red as she yells at the girl for overstepping her position and not knowing her place. 

      "What the hell is this, Myla?" Calix asks, his deep voice echoing off the walls. 

      She stops yelling instantly and flips her attitude to a cheery grin before bounding over to him. "I was hoping you would come." She tries to hug him but Calix pushes her aside and walks over to the girl on the ground. 

      "Are you all right?" He asks and lifts her off the ground. "What happened here?" he adds. 

      The girl nods that she is fine and points to the tray of spilled food on the ground. 

      "I was bringing this to your room, I thought our new guest would like something to eat after the journey here," she pauses and points at Myla. "But she insisted that I shouldn't be carrying out tasks that I haven't been ordered to do and accused me of trying to seduce you in some way." 

      Myla instantly cries out. "That is absurd, I never said such a thing! I merely said you shouldn't disturb the Alpha if he hasn't asked you too." 

      "But sending your brother to fetch me at your every whim isn't disturbing me?" Calix says, grinding his teeth at how irritating he is now finding her clinginess. 

      The smile drops from Myla's face and she starts to understand the situation when she sees how furious Calix is. "I'm just upset that you have me running errands for some random girl. What's so special about her that you have to get me to do it?" 

      He grabs her by the throat and slams her against the wall before anyone can react, the staff member on the ground crying out in surprise. 

      "I've already explained that Amira isn't some random girl I've brought home. She is my mate, and you will show her even more respect than you have ever shown me. Understood?" 

      Myla nods frantically and taps on his hand to put her down. She lets out a huge gasp and falls to the ground when he does, looking up at him with anguish in her eyes, but he isn't looking at her anymore. 

      "You can go back to the kitchen and take the rest of the day off," he says to the girl, who bows gratefully and rushes off before he turns back to Myla. "Clean this mess up. I don't want to hear another sound from you." 

      Calix returns to the room to find Amira on the phone with what sounds like her mother, reassuring her that she is fine and will be staying away from the house for a bit with some friends. He tries to ignore the slight pain he feels in his chest when he listens to her lie to her mother about him, wondering why she has been keeping their relationship from her parents. 

      Although she has made it clear that she isn't interested in being romantic with anyone currently, he is hoping at this stage in their relationship where she no longer pushes him away when he clings to her or kisses her, that she has become more accepting of the idea that they will be mated one day. But with her still keeping him a secret from everyone, that puts a jab in his hope. 

      She gets off the phone and he can tell she knows he is there, but she refuses to look up from her phone and meet his gaze. 

      "Will you ever tell your parents about me?" he asks. 

      She ignores him and gazes at her phone, scrolling through it. 

      "Amira, please talk to me." Still nothing, not even a glance. 

      He falls to his knees next to the bed and gets a slight reaction out of her when she jumps a little in surprise. He reaches for her hand and grasps it between his tightly. 

      "Please, at least look at me," he whispers. The desperation and panic he feels is pouring out through his voice, his grip tightening as if she might disappear any second. 

      "I want to be alone right now, Calix." These words are more stabs to his heart, she isn't willing to hear him out right now and might not ever be. He has never felt such desperation and anxiety of losing someone merely because they won't speak to him, the panic he feels about having possibly screwed up the already fragile relationship between them feels like bile in his throat. 

      He brings her hand to his forehead and coddles it against his face, squeezing it even tigther. "Please don't kick me out. I'll stay here on my knees until you're willing to speak to me, anything but sending me away, I beg you."