Lisa squirmed under Maddox's gaze. No one ever looked at her so intently.
With every passing moment, Maddox appeared to be larger, while she shrunk. Was that physically possible or was her imagination playing tricks on her?
Beads of sweat dripped down Lisa's forehead, and those were definitely not from the heat. She was nervous to the point of fainting. Why was he not saying anything?
Maddox was confused. Why was his wolf growling in his head?
Maddox's assessment of Lisa was spot on. He didn't care much about her personality, but he knew that she was coming onto him, which meant she was willing. Definitely not an innocent virgin, which was a bonus. Lisa was not a bombshell, but she was passable. He had worse.
So, what was stopping him from taking her in the back? It's not like they needed a bedroom. Maddox did it in the restroom, hallway, a bush, sitting, standing, lying down, and anything in-between, and the level of alcohol in his system never played a role in it because his body would move on autopilot and the libido of an Alpha enabled him to be hard and ready the moment an eligible female came into the touching distance.
However, just the thought of getting frisky with Lisa made Maddox's wolf growl in protest. It was so bad that Maddox was not even close to being aroused.
Maddox's sight fell on Lisa's neck which was clean. Not marked. Well, if Lisa was marked, she wouldn't be flirty, but still… the lack of mark was confirmation she was available, and he was not taken either, so what was the problem?
His wolf would normally stay quiet, and on a few rare occasions when his wolf was active in casual situations, the beast would amplify the lecherous side of an Alpha, yet now his wolf didn't want to do anything with Lisa.
The wolf side of a werewolf has strong instincts, and that is one thing Maddox never doubted. If his wolf was protesting, Maddox would listen.
Maddox wondered, was she an enemy? He dismissed that idea. If she was shady, she wouldn't be working in the packhouse, so why was his wolf not willing?
Maddox smiled bitterly when he realized what was going on. It was just as Caden and Damon said, once one meets his mate, all other women pale in comparison.
Will he ever be able to not be repulsed by a thought of touching any woman other than Tatiana?
Maddox and Tatiana kissed and fondled a bit over clothes, so Maddox didn't know what pleasures lie beyond that, but he was confident that the experience would be fantastic because her sweet scent alone could stir him into a frenzy.
Maddox didn't want to think about touching other women. He wanted to be with Tatiana, his mate… but she didn't want him, and it didn't seem she will reject him either.
He heard that rejection causes immense pain, like one's soul is being torn apart, and some end up crippled or dead. Will he recover from such a blow?
Maddox wondered if he should reject Tatiana and cut his suffering short. Just sitting and waiting to be rejected was driving him crazy. Everything was better than waiting.
He hoped that he will die from shock, or if that doesn't actually happen, he will pretend to be dead. Once his parents find out that Maddox met his Luna and things didn't work out, he will get a lifetime of scolding no matter who initiated the rejection. Between the nagging and death, Maddox will pick death.
Maddox looked at the liquor in his hand. What the hell was that thing? He never had suicidal thoughts no matter how bad things got.
Surely, one woman rejecting him is not the end of the world. Right?
However, his parents were a real problem. They never meddled into his business, but the matter of Luna being a fated mate was never open for negotiation. His parents were fated mates and they believed that the bond is sacred. Maddox was fifteen years old when he found out that his mother was buying jewelry for her future daughter-in-law, the next Luna of the Blue River pack… Maddox's fated mate. How will he tell his mother that all those preparations were in vain because he blew it?
He could tell Mindy to keep her mouth shut, but even if she obeys him, too many people already knew that he found his mate, and it will be impossible to keep it a secret.
Actually, there was a chance that his parents already knew. Mindy always had a big mouth and Maddox wouldn't be surprised if she made a call home while he and Tatiana were making out in the garden, and maybe she live-streamed the scene also.
While Maddox's mind was randomly drifting from one topic to another, Lisa's anxiety was swelling.
She had an urge to break the intense silence.
"Why are you not with Alpha Damon and others?"
Maddox blinked when he realized that he was in a bar, drinking some funky liquor, and there was a she-wolf sitting next to him.
Who the hell was she? Ah, right… the peeping Omega from the packhouse.
"Alpha Damon treats you well. Too well."
Lisa was confused. "What do you mean?"
"For an Omega to approach an Alpha like this… You are either very brave or spoiled." He inched closer and sniffed. "I will go with the latter because I can smell fear."
Maddox leaned on the bar and muttered, "I didn't know that Damon was spoiling Omegas..."
Lisa was flabbergasted. What the heck was going on?
"I… I…", she stuttered. "I came for a drink. I saw you and I thought it will be rude not to say hi. That's all."
Maddox turned to look at Lisa and his smile sent chills down her spine.
"Do you know what happens to an Omega when she approaches an Alpha without permission?"
The reality was that Omegas look at high-ranking members from the distance, yet Lisa dared to come close to him and act like they were familiar with each other.
Maddox visited Damon many times, and he visited other packs also, but he never encountered such an outgoing Omega. Did she approach him with an ulterior motive?
He could snap her neck with ease and if anyone asks what happened, he will say that she offended him, and it will end at that.
This was a matter of status. How can a lowly servant approach the king like they are equals? Just by releasing his aura he could make her fall on her knees and beg for forgiveness.
The liquor was doing funny things to Maddox's reasoning, and he was in a bad mood already.
The bartender placed a bottle on the bar in front of Lisa and she was grateful for that small interruption. It was her hard lemonade.
Seeing that Maddox didn't show any intention to be a gentleman, Lisa fished out a bill from her pocket to pay for her drink.
She looked at the bottle of hard lemonade and wondered if she should leave.
Her reasoning told her to scram, but her pride told her to stay.
