Bound by Moon & Blood (Book 1)

The both of them stood frozen as they looked at each other. Liv’s mouth watered as she took him in with his feast garb. That guy was too good looking for his own good. His black breeches and leather shirt did nothing to hide his powerful body. He had tied the top half of his hair in a bun as the rest hung loose, making her want to run her fingers through it. If they were in a different reality where they actually liked each other, she would have been devouring his mouth already, but they were not and she really needed to remind herself that she hated this wolf’s guts.

His eyes slowly tracked down her body and his amber eyes almost lit on fire. A shiver ran down her spine as his eyes met hers again and she could see the rage burning. He walked into the house and slammed the door shut behind him. Liv jumped a little as she was startled. Her eyes tracked Caden as he stalked towards her. “Where did you get that dress?” His voice was animalistic, the wolf inside of him closer to control than his human side was. Okay, this was really bad. Liv released the skirt and held up the palms of her hands. “I was on my way to get out of it.” She said as he still stalked to get closer. “I didn’t know it meant anything to you when... when it was given to me to put on.” There was no way that she was going to pull Nessa down with her. She took a few steps back as Caden kept advancing. The last step she took was one that didn’t agree with her. Liv stepped on the train and yelped as she fell backward and was met with the wall. She wanted to push herself off it, when two arms caged her in. Caden looked down on her, the wolf inside of him still more in control than his human. “I’m sorry.” She whispered as it was the only thing she could think about to show that she truly didn’t mean anything by putting on this dress.

Eyes that screamed dominance and rage slid from her own to her cleavage which was on display. A low rumble came from him which had her stomach clenching and her hands holding on to the wall behind her.

Quick footsteps sounded in the kitchen and soon Rev and Ben entered the living room. Yet, she didn’t look at them. She had a feeling that the moment she would let go of his eyes he will tear her throat out. He stepped even closer to her and she felt his bulge against her stomach. He would tear out her throat one way or another apparently...

She felt her stomach clench at the thought and cursed her body for reacting.

“Alpha.” A dangerous growl came from Caden, which ran through her body and left goosebumps on her flesh, but he didn’t look at Rev, he only held her eyes.

“Alpha Caden.” Ben said next and she could feel the Alpha dominance bleed through his words. It made her and Rev gasp as Caden did nothing more than blink. He only blinked! Well, now she knows that he’s ranked higher than Ben.

“Your presence is requested.” Ben added with his dominance.

Caden didn’t react, until he finally, finally, turned his head and acknowledged the other two in the room. Yet, she still held her breath as he didn’t move away from her.

“Come back to us, buddy.” Ben said a little gentler. That seemed to do the trick as Caden took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them, silver eyes met hers. He pushed himself off the wall and took a few steps back. Liv finally released her breath and slid down the wall until she was sitting on the ground. She took a few deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

“Care to explain why Nessa gave her that dress?” Caden asked as he looked at Rev.

“I don’t know, Nessa disappeared with her before I could follow and then I was held up because some pack members needed my help. When they came back, she was wearing the dress.” Caden nodded and looked back at her.

“I was on my way to get out of it when I realized that it means something to you. I didn’t want to get Nessa in trouble.” She said truthfully. There was something in his eyes, some emotion she couldn’t quite decipher. Something in between, struggle, anger, longing and sadness. What she did know, was that the woman who had owned this dress was someone important to him.

Liv moved to get up. “Don’t.” She stopped moving as she looked back at Caden. He took a step towards her and held out his hand to help her up. She took it and allowed him to pull her up. “Don’t take it off.” She gave him a surprised look and she knew that she wasn’t the only one. “Wear it tonight as it was meant to be worn.” He released her hand and walked away, leaving her, Rev and Ben stunned into silence. Her body was going hot and cold and she didn’t really know what to do with herself. First, he freaks out and stalks like he was going to either kill her or devour her and then he suddenly shifts and walks away.

“What did just happen?” Rev was literally voicing her thoughts.

Ben smiled as he placed his hands in his pockets. “Her beauty reminded him of who that dress was meant for and what she would have wanted.” He said as he met Liv’s gaze, before he turned and walked back to the garden as well. Rev and Liv looked at each other in silence again.

“I need a drink.”

Rev nodded. “Me too.”

The both of them walked out of the house and walked up to Nessa, Devon and Ben. The first two giving them a surprised look. “Are you okay?” Devon asked as he saw her pale face. She didn’t react, all she did was grabbing the horn from his hand and kicking back the mead until the horn was empty.

“Well, alright then.” Devon said as he looked at the horn she pushed back in his hands. The sweet aftertaste made her mouth water. Damn, that stuff was tasty.

“Need another one?” Devon asked as he met her gaze again. “What do you think?” She asked with a look that told him that it was a stupid question.

“Maybe you should eat something first.” Nessa interjected as she came to stand next to Liv. As she looked at the female beta her sight wobbled a little. “I think you are right.” She said as she blinked a few times to get her sight straight. She either had become a light drunk or that stuff was really strong, but she had never been this woozy after downing just one drink. She shouldn’t be thanks to the fact that she’s a wolf. Becoming drunk isn’t impossible, but it should take a whole lot more than one drink to make her tipsy.

Slowly, the laughter and talking died down and it became quiet in the enormous garden. Liv looked around her and saw the pack gathering in a circle. Nessa quietly grabbed her hand and pulled her to the front. Liv gave a few wolves an apologetic look as she bumped into some of them thanks to Nessa, until they stopped at the front. Caden stood in the middle with a large horn in his hand. His eyes found hers before they slid on over the pack. What was going on?

Her answer came quickly as Caden’s voice boomed over the crowd, speaking in a language she didn’t know or understand. It was their mother language. Liv looked around the pack who were all intently listening to Caden and found the bright faces of the four kids. Every one of them gathered here was happy and there was no ill intent to be detected. Every face she saw was content and bright. Tonight, was a night where no one had a hidden agenda and no one thought about the hardships they have to go through every day. She gulped as she looked around. They all looked at Caden and she could tell that they respected him and loved him as their Alpha. Their gazes said it all. Liv slowly looked back at Caden who was still holding his speech in his mother language and she wondered what he truly was like. Today she got the first clear and raw reaction from him and it was only because of a dress. Who had been the female who had meant so much to him that he would get upset over a dress?

Liv’s gaze slid to the large house.

The house is a reminder that he will torture himself with from time to time.

If she hadn’t been inside when he walked in, would that have been what he was going to do in there?

Torture himself with the memories or ghosts of the house?

She wondered about the scars that she didn’t see and the things that haunt him, before she realized what kind of trap it was to think about it. It wasn’t her problem. She couldn’t start wondering about him. If she did, she will forget that this wolf was one of the villains in her story and not someone for her to start caring about or to safe. She hated him and he hated her, that is what she needed to focus on.

“Skål!”

Liv jumped a little as she was pulled out of her thoughts by the pack all yelling that one word and raising their horns or wooden cups, before taking a drink. Music started to play again and the crowd dispersed, getting on with the feast once more.

“Come on.” Nessa said as she grabbed Liv’s hand again and pulled her towards one of the large tables. “Sit, I’ll bring you a plate.” Nessa said before she disappeared.

Liv did as she said and sat down at the table. Devon and Rev sitting across from her and Ben at her left. Soon Nessa came back with a wooden plate full of dried meat, bread and fruit. The female beta placed it in front of Liv, whose stomach reacted immediately and painfully. Ben chuckled as he reached over and took a grape off her plate. Well, at least he tried, before his hand was slapped away by Nessa. Ben gave her a surprised expression. “There are three whole tables full of food, grab some from there and not from a plate of a starving girl!”

“Did you just seriously slap my hand away?” Liv snorted and rolled her eyes, before she picked up a grape and held it out for Ben. “She did and this is a peace offering. I really am hungry so if you two want to go at each other’s throats, do it away from me.” Ben snorted as well before he bended and took the grape in his mouth. “Sure thing, píka.” Liv rolled her eyes again before she started to eat.

After a while she was done and was looking out over the crowd as the others were in conversation. Some were dancing, others were playing some game, others were having a fun conversation and some had a different kind of fun which happened more frequently as the night progressed. Caden was a breeze through the garden as he talked with many wolves and laughed with some as well. He hadn’t stopped to talk with them yet, and she was conflicted about how she was supposed to feel as her mind said one thing but her entire being said something else. She really needed to get a grip on herself.

“May I have this dance?” Her head snapped to the left and looked at Ben who was standing now and held out his hand. “What?”

“Dance with me.”

“That seriously went from a question to a demand in no time.” A slightly drunk Devon commented. “Be a little nice to the fair lady!” Devon demanded.

“Fair lady?” She asked surprised. “How drunk are you to think I am a fair lady?” Devon burped, before he looked at his empty horn. “Not drunk enough, I’ll be right back.” He got up and Rev had to stop him from tumbling over the bench, before he wobbled to get another drink. She snorted and shook her head before she looked back at the outstretched hand of Ben. “I can’t dance.” It wasn’t a lie. She was a terrible dancer and she had no interest to make a fool of herself right now.

“Don’t worry, píka, I’ll lead.” He said as he bent, grabbed her hand and pulled her off the bench.

“What does that mean?” She asked as he led her to the dancing group. “What does what mean?” He turned and one of his hands on her waist. “That word you call me.” Ben chuckled as they started to saw on the music. They danced to the foreign music that somehow invaded her bones and worked its way to earn a place in her heart as it had this whole night already. Ben took one of her hands and lifted it to make her turn with it. A chuckle came from her as she faced him again and he placed his hands on her waist again. “It means girl in Caden’s language.” Ben said close to her ear, before he pushed himself off her and made her stretch her arms, before coming back to her side and turn with her. “Why call me something in another language?” She asked as they returned to their original position. “Because I have always been fascinated with languages and it fits you.” He said as he turned her and pulled her back against his chest. His hands landed on her waist once more as her back rested against his chest. “What is your own language?” She asked, before he took her hand and made her spin again. Her hands landed on his shoulders. “I’m Danish.” Surprise washed over her. He winked at her as he moved in, lifted her in the air and turned her around. A gasp left her mouth before she laughed and begged him to stop. He put her back on the ground as her head spun and a smile was still plastered on her face. The song stopped and Ben bended in the waist as a curtesy. “You’re a better dancer than you give yourself credit for.”

“That’s only because this wasn’t really dancing, but more swaying to music and getting me dizzy.” She said as she laid a hand on her stomach and braved a look at him. Getting spun around after drinking is not a good combination. Ben chuckled as he saw the look she gave him.

“Everything okay?” She took a large breath and nodded. “I’ll be fine, just a bit dizzy.” Ben chuckled a little. “Well, you can at least say that you got dizzy at a secret party.” So, she was right about the fact that no one else, including King, didn’t know about what’s happening here tonight. Which was something she had already guessed as King would never allow anything like this. No matter if they didn’t have the feast to honor the wrong gods, King would have killed them all for disrespecting the Greek gods. Funny thing, he hated Lycaon, but was a big supporter of the gods. Why was something that was still a mystery to her.

“Ehm... go, me?” Ben snorted as he placed a hand on her lower back and started to guide her back to the others, including Caden.