Braiden
I drop my shirt to the ground, followed shortly by my jeans, the effect the little minx is having on me now clear as I
stand in just my briefs.
Ava's gaze caresses my body, and I wait until she is done, and her eyes fly up to meet mine before I get in the pool.
“What are you doing?” She doesn’t move as I swim towards her, suspicion in her tone.
“Coming to fetch you, seeing as you don’t want to come to me for your punishment willingly.” I reach her and
stand in front of her, the ripple of the water lapping her skin. She has goosebumps, but not from the water, as the
pool is heated to a comfortable ninety degrees.
“You can’t just go around slapping women's asses when they do something you don’t like.” Her voice quivers at
the end as I circle her, inching my way closer and closer to her.
“I don’t slap women’s asses. Only my woman.” Another shiver and another intake of breath.
“And how many women’s asses have you slapped?” I smirk at her question as I circle back around to face her.
“Is my little minx jealous?” I goad, her lips pulling taut as she glares at me.
“I’m not jealous. Curious perhaps. But absolutely not jealous,” she finally says, the scent of jealousy tainting the air
around me, contradicting her
words.
“Your scent tells me otherwise, and it’s never wrong.” I lean forward, my nose grazing her cheek before pulling
slowly away.
Her beautiful green eyes are wide as saucers, as her cheeks flame red.
“I can tell a lot about how you are feeling right now. Jealous, curious.
Turned on,” I drawl out, her breath hitching as my gaze caresses her face.
“As for your question. None. I have smacked zero asses in my life. This will be a first for me and you. No one has
dared defy me like you do.”
Relief momentarily crosses her features before she schools her expression.
“I don’t care. And who says I haven’t had my ass smacked on several occasions before. Perhaps I have guys
punishing my rear regularly.” Her words come out flippantly, and even though I know she is talking nonsense, my
wolf doesn’t like the visual she is portraying, the loud warning growl it gives her, finally shutting her mouth.
“Don’t play, Ava. I don’t want to hear about the men you have been with.” Something crosses her features, but she
chooses to say nothing, which is probably better at this very moment.
“So, what happened after I left?” Ava’s question reminds me of the events that transpired less than an hour ago,
immediately souring my mood.
“It has been handled. I don’t want you to worry about anything. You belong here. No matter what anyone says.” I
turn around, the atmosphere from moments ago tarnished by these thoughts. I hated that Ava had been right about
my parents. That they wouldn’t acc ept her.
“So I will meet your parents some other time, then?” Ava prompts, following a few meters behind me as I get out
of the pool and put on my clothes.
Ava grabs a towel, hastily wrapping it around herself.
“Not soon. No.” The news would spread around the pack about what had happened and how my parents had been
moved to the outskirts of the pack and stripped of their royal privileges. Though the reaction might not be great, it
had to be done. I continue walking, making my way upstairs to my bedroom.
“What aren’t you telling me, Braiden?” Ava asks, following me into my room.
“It’s nothing. They disrespected you, and as my mate and future Queen, that is unacc eptable. I have dealt with the
situation.” I don’t want to get into
the details now, though Ava would find out soon enough.
“How was it dealt with? What did you do?” Ava sounds panicked, her voice directly behind me now.
Sighing, I turn around to face her.
“Their privileges have been stripped, and they have been moved to a house closer to the border. It’s better this
way.” Her face morphs from shock to anger.
“Why would you do that? How is it better this way? If the pack didn’t hate me before, they will certainly hate me
now. Not only am I an outsider, but in less than a week, I have taken their Alpha from a woman they probably see
as better suited to be their Queen and got the royal pack elders demoted to nothing. Sure. That’s going to win me
the affection of the pack.”
Her words are angry and sarcastic. But valid. I knew going this route might cause animosity, but the pack also
needed an example of what could happen if they didn’t acc ept Ava like I had.
“It will serve as an example,” is all I say, trying to justify my actions.
“Great. So now everyone will pretend to like me for fear of being cast out. Good job, Braiden. I swear to god, this
is exactly why we shouldn’t be together. You should reject me and save us both the hassle.”
She spins on her heel, about to storm out of my room. I get to the door before her, blocking her exit.
“Get out of my way,” she hisses, her eyes glued to my chest.
“No. And stop using our mate bond as ammunition. I’m not going to reject you or acc ept your rejection. So stop
flinging that around as a solution. You may not be able to see it yet, but I can. You are the perfect mate for me in
every way. The Moon Goddess didn’t put us together as an accident. And you weren’t rejected by Alpha fucking
Alexander as punishment for something you did. It was for something he did. It was meant to be. He was never the
right person for you. I am.”
“How can you say that? You don’t even know me. I barely know me.”
Her eyes finally meet mine, and in them is sadness. “And I don’t know you.”
“Then give me a chance. Let’s get to know each other.”
I grab a key from the table beside my door and lightly grasp her hand.
“While I might not know everything about you, I am trying,” I say to her, leading her down the corridor to a door
on the left at the end. After seeing
her in the pack library, I arranged this room for her.
I slip the key in the lock and turn it before pulling it out and handing it to her.
“This is for you.” I open the door and st ep inside.
She follows, and the gasp leaving her sweet mouth is priceless.
This room boasts the best view, overlooking the entire forest. With windows on two sides, the moonlight and
starlight flood in, so we don’t even need to turn on a light. Along one wall is a large table filled with drawing paper,
pencils, paint—everything an artist could need. Against the wall are large blank canvas pieces, ready for Ava to
create whatever she wants. She had a talent for drawing. I hoped this area could be a space where she explored that.
Ava, who has been quiet and standing still next to me, finally moves towards a corner furnished with a chair and a
table, somewhere she can take a break and read a book. I know she loves reading. I already downloaded some of
her favorite books on the new Kindle I bought her, which she picks up gingerly. I was surprised at her book choices
when Nick told me, but then again, Ava was anything but predictable.
She puts it back where it was and moves towards the large table next to the window, her hand grazing different
objects as she walks the length of the room before circling back to me.
She hasn’t said a word. I’m starting to wonder if I got this wrong. Maybe she doesn’t like it.
She stops in front of me, her green eyes finally meeting mine.
“You did this just for me?” Her head tilts to the side as she waits for a response, her eyes locked with mine.
“Yes.” I want to ask her to stay. To try. To give this a chance. But I don’t.
The words don’t come out.
She stares at me for a long time. And just when I think she won't respond, she raises herself on her tippy toes and
brushes her lips against mine—her non-verbal answer to my question sweeter than any words.