SHE'S THE LUNA I WANT

JACE.

My Beta and Gamma were still in the office when I arrived home, so I sent Amara on her own to choose whatever guest room she wanted to take. I saw her hesitate, but she must have seen that I was not to be swayed this time, because she didn't argue and went up the stairs on her own.

I waited until she disappeared from my sight before I headed to my office.

"The Alpha is finally home!" Austin exclaimed the moment I opened the door and stepped inside. "Why are you still here?” I asked. My eyes shifted between him and Tyler as I walked to my chair. They were not doing anything but drinking.

Tyler slid a glass of whisky on my table, and I caught it in time before it hit the edge.

"We want to know what you were up to that you abandoned us for the last seven hours," Tyker said. "Seven hours?" I glanced up at the clock. It was almost ten in the evening.

"You left around three, and you said you'd be back before dinner time."

"Did you fuck Amara?" Austin asked, a coy smile playing on his lips as he sipped his whisky.

I threw the pen that I was playing with my fingers as I chuckled. "Just because I was gone for hours doesn't mean I'm screwing someone."

"Well, you never went away for a long time unless you needed to be somewhere."

"So where did you do it? Forest? Because I'm sure Aunt Luisa would not allow you in her room." "We just watched some movies. If you're doubting that,” I paused and pointed a finger at Austin. "Call the movie house tomorrow and check.”

"So you went on a fucking date!" Austin exclaimed. "Weird, man. We are not made for dates. Well, except for Tyler."

"Tyler?" My brow hiked up. I didn't know my Beta was dating someone.

"Shut up, Austin. It was not a date?”

"Am I missing something? Are you dating someone?" I asked Tyler, but it was Austin who answered. "He took Catherine out to dinner."

"When?" My eyes were staring at my Beta.

"It's not a date, man. She just didn't like the food and wanted to eat somewhere else.”

"When?" I asked the same question.

"Last night."

"Last night. She decided she didn't want the food when I was not home and couldn't come back before midnight.”

"We just ate out.” Tyler raised his palms in the air before he scowled at Austin, and then turned his eyes to me. "I swear, Alpha, I didn't touch even her hair."

"Just her pussy probably.” Austin chuckled.

A growl erupted from my throat, but I was sure the one that came out of Tyler was louder. And in seconds, he already had Austin's shirt in his hand.

"Sorry. Fuck! I overdid it. I didn't mean to say that to Catherine. I was just joking.” Austin’s expression turned serious. He might have seen something in Tyler's eyes that made him change his stance on the topic.

Tyler let him go before brushing his hand over his hair and looking at me. "I'm keeping my word. I'm not taking advantage of your sister. I would never do that. I'm going to bed."

He turned around and was heading for the door when I stopped him.

"Stay," I said in a firm voice.

"I'm sorry, man. That was below the belt. I would never disrespect Catherine, but I took the joke in the wrong direction. I would never joke about it if I knew you were taking advantage of her." Austin explained in one breath.

"I don't mind jokes, Austin. But let's leave the female out of it. You can threaten to castrate my balls and feed them to the wolves. I won't mind, just not Catherine.”

"Got it. I guess, Amara too." He said and sighed.

"All females, Austin. If we're talking about females in general and just joking around it, I think that's fine. But individually, let's not get to that.”

Austin pushed his body up from the couch where he was seated and closed the distance to where Tyler was, offering his hand for a handshake. "Can we move on from that bad remark? I love Catherine with all my heart, so that was really foul.”

Tyler let out a deep breath, before taking his hand and pulling him in for a hug. "You need to apologize to the brother. I was sure a punch could have landed on you if I was not the first one that reached you."

A smirk tugged at my lips as I chuckled. Tyler was right, if I hadn't seen him launch at Austin, I would have done the same.

Austin scratched his head before turning to look at me with apologetic eyes. "I know I'm the shittiest here. No more side comments on your females or any females. Period. Alpha, are we good?”

I nodded my head.

"Am I still allowed to ask questions about you and Amara?"

"She's not my girlfriend, but..." I rubbed my palm against my face. "We are pretending that we are. So those fuckers would back off from her."

Tyler chuckled before leaning his back against the wall and slipping his hands inside his pockets. "Come on, Alpha. Amara can handle herself on her own.”

"I know. I just want to make sure she ends up with her fated mate, not any other male around.” "Does she want that as well? Or she wants you?" Tyler asked.

"Having a chosen is not bad," Austin added.

"Unless you end up meeting your mate while you already have a chosen, and you end up hurting one of them," I told them.

"I get that, but just be careful. Pretending to be her boyfriend is putting your foot across the friendship line, and you might just realize you have dragged the other foot too. You're protecting Amara, but who's protecting you from falling in love with her, Jace?"

"I can protect myself."

"If you say so."

I kept replaying in my head the conversation I had with Tyler and Austin in my office. Although they respected my decision to play along with Amara, they were not sure I could keep my end of the bargain as I never had any females around me in close proximity as I was allowing Amara.

I knew I was taking a big risk, but two months wasn't that far. Then I would know if she was my mate or not. And if not, I would move on, even though the idea terrified me.

A knock on my door snapped me out of my senses, and I immediately smelled Amara’s sweet scent. I stood up from lying down in my bed, grabbed the shirt that I had already taken off, and pulled it on my body. I had no plan on tempting the kitten tonight, as I was sure I would be the one who would have a hard time resisting her.

"Yes?" I asked the moment the door opened, and I leaned my arm against the door frame.

She smiled at me and clutched the bathrobe tightly against her body.

"Do you have clothes under that robe?" I asked, but I knew the answer already. I forgot to take her to the laundry room, where some clean clothes are stored until they are brought up to our rooms by the omegas.

She shook her head.

I retreated to my closet and picked up a shirt before tossing it to her. She caught it with one hand before mouthing her thanks

I wondered why she didn't go and check on Catherine, as I was sure my sister was still awake when we arrived home.

"Anything else you need?" I asked as I stood in front of her.

"Can I sleep here?"

"No," I answered instantly.

"I'm not asking to have sex with you."

"l know. But it's still a no.”

"I'l behave."

"I'm sure you will. But what if I can't?"

"I'll make you behave.” She said, her nose scrunching up, and I was sure she didn't trust her own words.

I chuckled and shook my head. "Go to bed, kitten. It's midnight, and you have school tomorrow." "What are you scared of? I used to sleep in this room, on that bed.” She pointed at my super king- size bed.

"Nah. That bed is new. No one has slept there except me. Besides, everybody slept here when we were pups because we were watching movies."

"I want to hang out too, and watch movies."

"I have work tomorrow."

"You're no fun!" She rolled her eyes at me, and turned her body around, clutching the shirt I gave her.

"Once I'm taken and claimed, we're not allowed to hang out anymore."

"I know." I let out a sigh and watched as she walked down the corridor toward the stairs. "Goodnight, kitten.”

"Goodnight, rockstar.” She replied in a low, defeated voice, and hearing it pained me as well.

I closed my door the moment she was out of my sight and turned off all the lights before pulling my shirt and sweatpants off my body, tossing them on the chair nearby, and sliding inside my blanket. If Amara believed she could run me over and force me to do her bidding, she was mistaken.

Or she was right.

After ten minutes of tossing and turning in my bed, I finally gave up. I stood up from my bed and picked up my clothes, pulling them on before grabbing a pillow from my bed and heading out of my room.

I had no idea what room she took, but I guess I had to rely on my nose to sniff her out.

I stopped by the third floor, but her scent was too faint there, so I went down to the second floor directly and followed her scent. I stopped by the door where her scent was way too strong, and knocked three times.

Silence.

Maybe she was asleep already.

In ten minutes?

Or maybe not in her room? But where the fuck was she?

My eyes darted to the room at the end of the corridor.

Austin’s room was on this floor, Tyler's was on the third floor, and Catherine and I were on the fourth floor.

I shook my head and pushed the idea away that she was in Austin’s room. Austin was not stupid to cross Uncle Aeon. Or me.

"Amara?" I spoke in a low voice, contemplating if I should knock again or just go.

And then I heard little footsteps. She was still awake.

The door to her room opened and revealed Amara, who was looking at me with her eyebrows hiked up. She had my shirt on already.

Her gaze shifted from my face to the pillow in my hand.

I raised the pillow and smiled sheepishly at her. "I can't sleep without this pillow."

"Okay. Thanks for letting me know."

And then we both laughed in a hushed tone before she opened the door widely and I stepped in. "You can't sleep, huh?" She asked as she locked the door.

"I was thinking you were upset with me."

She shrugged her shoulders and turned off the main lights, leaving just the dimmed lamps, but it was enough for me to see her as she went to the right side of the bed while I remained standing in the middle of her room, facing her bed with a pillow in my hand.

She then tapped the space beside her. "Come, let's sleep. My eyes are falling already.”

I chuckled and tossed the pillow on my side of the bed before I pulled my shirt over my head and just left my sweat pants on as I had no boxers on before climbing to the bed beside her.

She slid her body down the bed and clutched the blanket to her neck. "Goodnight, Jace."

I could hear the fast beating of her heart.

And even if I knew I should just sleep and behave, the temptation of pulling her into my arms was too strong.

"Do you want me to move closer?”

"Okay."

"Are you nervous?" I just had to ask.

"No."

She was lying. Her aura was dwindling.

"Come here, so I can hug you."

"We're not having sex, Jace." She blurted out.

"No, we are not. I promise.”

She let out a deep sigh before she inched closer, and my hand slipped under her body before I pulled her into my chest, because she was taking too long to move.

"I just realized I'd never been with a man in a room alone like this."

I was right. She might be bold and reckless at times, but she was still not used to this. But it was refreshing to see this side of her.

"Do you want me to go back to my room?" I asked her.

"No. But will you promise to behave?"

"Are you scared of me?"

"No. I'm scared of myself, Jace."

I smiled as I pulled her head close to my heart. "You're doing a great job, and I'll make sure to remind you if you lose control. And I promise I will behave tonight.”

"Goodnight, Jace."

"Goodnight, Kitten."

I felt her tilt her head up as I lowered my own, which caused her mouth to brush against my lips. She was probably meant to kiss my cheek, but then I tipped my head down to look at her.

We stayed frozen. Just our lips pressed against each other until the kitten in my arms clawed my chest with her fingers, moved her lips against mine, and began kissing me sensually.

My mind told me to withdraw and just peck her lips, but my body wasn't in agreement.

Just five seconds.

My hand went to the back of her head and held her in place while I kissed her back.

The kiss went on for a long time, and while Amara let her hands skim and trail against my naked chest, I restrained my hands from moving anywhere to touch her.

A soft moan escaped her throat, and it snapped me back to my senses.

If I let another minute go by, I know I would lose control. So I parted from her mouth and smiled at her before pecking her lips one more time and hugging her tightly in my arms as I mumbled against her hair. "Let's sleep..."