Chapter seven

Davina

The sun was still up by the time we returned and I pondered continually on Keith’s unusual behaviour earlier. Around the pup, he had been gentle and softspoken, making her feel safe. That was a side to him I had never seen. Another reason it bothered me was seeing him act so homely around pups also meant he might want some of his own. Coincidentally, I would be expected to have this pups with a man I was not fond of.

 Keith was facially a more-than-okay male, good looking and had a dangerous edge to his grin that endeared females to him for some reason. I could not deny the fact that I found him attractive too to some extent but it didn’t mean I would be comfortable mating with it. That was a nightmare, just thinking about it. While his back was turned to me, I took it as my cue to leave and change into something less constricting.

 “Luna, wait. I would like a word with you.”

 His sudden interruption to my much desired exit was unexpected and unwanted. I halted in my tracks and spoke to him over my shoulders. “Do we have to? You know this afternoon changes nothing, right?”

 He sighed heavily and shifted on his feet. “I don’t know what you mean by that but what I want to discuss has nothing to do with today’s outing. So would you please sit?”

 I searched for the order in his words. If I had found any, I would have defied him and gone up to my room. There was none, just a mild demand and a tired resolve. I stiffened my jaw and walked past him onto my place on the throne, a smaller seat in relation to him. “Fine but make it quick. I would like to take care of a few things before the sun sets.”

 Keith nodded absently and came to where I was seated. But instead of sitting on his throne as I expected, he perched on the armrest, wearing an expressionless mien. How many shades of Keith were there? It was no wonder they called him Lucifer. He took whatever form suited the situation to favour his mission. His golden eyes bore into mine and held, waiting for me to break or whatever he intended. I strengthened my resolve to say nothing until he did but I had never been a patient person. 

 “For Goddess’ sake, Lucifer, what is it? Do you even have anything you want to talk about or is it some ploy to annoy me? Say whatever is on your mind or I am leaving now!”

 To add to my fury, I noticed a faint smile tug on his lips. I was amusing to him and he was keeping me for his entertainment. Fuming, I rose to my feet, no longer interested in hearing him out. 

 “I think it is past time we completed our mating rites.”

 Keith’s unwelcome suggestion resounded in my head. It was just as I had feared. One look at an adorable pup and he suddenly wanted one. Well, he was going to want for a very long time.

 “I knew it!” I accused, pointing my index finger at him. He lifted an innocent brow but I wasn’t a fool to be deceived easily. “You acted all nice and sweet to that pup to win me over knowing fully well that you wished to bring up this topic later.”

 “You are saying nonsense, Luna. I had no secret motive for being nice to Libby; what do you take me for, an ogre?”

 An awkward silence descended upon us and a strange sort of guilt pricked me in the gut. I was used to thinking the worse of him and it was nothing different once again. He couldn’t be interested in me for natural reasons, could he? 

 “Correct me if I’m wrong then. Why else do we need to force intimacy into a relationship that is already choking me?”

 He palmed his forehead, drawing a big hand over his face. “As part of the mating rites, we have to actually mate in order to renew our strengths. Without completing the rites, there is no telling what could happen to us. Once should be enough, I guess. We won’t need to repeat it and I will never bother you again.”

 Maybe to himself, he might be making sense but to him, he was just making noise. It was a trick obviously. He was horny and wanted to satisfy his lust, using our mating rites as an excuse. I was well aware of werewolf culture and still, it was not enough to convince me to go along with his idea.

 A short laugh later, I took a firm pose directly before him to make sure he heard every word I had to say. He leaned back on the armrest that it seemed like we were lying down while standing. A little nudge forward and the gap between us would be closed for good. I crooked my finger at him and he leaned off his support, meeting my body with only our clothes as a barrier. 

 “I just want this to be clear so that we would never need to talk about this again. I will never and I mean never, share a bed with you. This is my vow and I will live it out no matter what happens. You will never touch this body of mine, now in this life or the next. I forbid you from discussing this with me.”

  Keith’s eyes hardened and narrowed with disapproval. “Then get ready to go rabid because without me, you are nothing. Your wolf would slowly recede and you will fade away from heartache. I might experience the same but I am content with my fate.”

 “Me too,” I fired back although the way with which he said those words caused fear to creep up my spine. They were cold and full of the truth I was already aware of. He scoffed at my lame attempt to sound brave and pushed past me.

 “If Jason gets here, tell him I went running.”

 “I am not your handmaid! I do not deliver messages to your odd friends.”

 He didn’t respond to my taunt. Rather, he swung his shirt off his head and with one last glare at me, he ran out of the Alpha House, did a somersault in the air and landed on his hind feet, a dark grey wolf standing in his place. If Keith was handsome as a male, he was breathtaking as a werewolf. Fine veins protruded from his leg muscles and my hands shook from the temptation to trail my fingers on the twisted of veins.

 What are you thinking about? I chided myself, shaking the thoughts of my head. I stamped out of the throne room, headed for my chambers when I heard the ominous creak of a door. My curiosity had me backpedaling and it was the late Luna’s room. Was someone trespassing in it?