The Arrangement |1|

Chapter Eleven

    That woman!

    She got under his skin like no other had, not even Abigail. At least she had a sense to be careful how she pushed him, though she was teasing half the time.

    Madeline, however, made him want to wring her neck or throw the nearest object in sight. She frustrated him beyond belief.

    What was his father thinking when he set this up? What was he thinking to agree to this?

    He had done this for his pack, so his father wouldn't go running to the council. But, he should have found a loophole. He should have tried harder. Instead, he gave up. He gave into his father. He seemed to be doing that more and more each day. And while he knew he should care, he couldn't bring himself to. He didn't care about anything really, not without Abigail.

   The Alpha came to a skidded stop and howled again. It had been five years, five years since he lost his true mate. Five years and he still hadn't gotten over her death. He doubted he ever really would.

   His wolf took off at a run, falling into patrol. When grief began to consume him, like now, he threw himself into work. He ran the border for hours.

   By the time he had shifted back, the sun was beginning to set.

   Had he really been out that long?

   Apparently, he had.

   Emerson ignored the strange looks he got from his Pack and went straight up to his Wing. Of course they would look at him strangely. Most newly mated locked themselves in a room for at least a week. Alpha's normally even longer, their Beta's taking over during it.

   Madeline wasn't in the Wing when he arrived. Judging about how faded her scent was, she hadn't been there for a few hours. He didn't care where she was but his wolf was going crazy. He wanted to be with her. He wanted to mate with her and cover her body with his scent.

   Emerson stepped into the cold, cold water, hoping that it would help calm his raging hormones.

   It did not.

   If anything, it got worse.

   His wolf was pacing within him. The Alpha wanted his mate. It was driving Emerson insane. He needed to find Madeline, for the sake of his wolf. He would crazy if he couldn't calm down the beast in him.

   Luckily, he didn't have to.

   Madeline walked in through the door just as he was lacing his shoes up in the living room. She stopped in her tracks, gasping softly.

   She stilled as Emerson was up and pulling her into his arms. He buried his face in her neck, breathing in her scent. His wolf settled, but something else woke up and now pressed up against her belly.

   She slowly relaxed in his arms when he did nothing. Nothing but held her. Damn his wolf for making him feel this way, for wanting her.

   But as much as the Alpha wanted to take them back into that bedroom, he reframed from doing so.

   He closed his eyes as Madeline's arms wrapped around his waist loosely.

   They stood in each other's arms for minutes. The clock just kept ticking but neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke, not even of their argument that occurred earlier that morning, after the you know what. Not until his phone.

   A sigh left Emerson's lips and he reluctantly pulled away, his nose brushing along her jaw. He left his mate to grab his phone in his bedroom. He answered the call while walking back to where his mate still stood, blinking.