The Demon and His Plaything

13| Lines

Samantha sat at Derek's kitchen bench. He lived on the Beta wing in his own suite. It was the furthest from his parents' apartment as he could get on the floor, eager for any semblance of independence when he turned eighteen a couple of years earlier.

Enticing smells bloomed in the kitchen as he cooked them steak with roast vegetables.

Their conversation flowed easily as he worked. He moved well in the kitchen and Samantha commented on it.

He laughed at the praise, bouyed by the uncomplicated energy that was between them. "I wanted to be a chef for a hot minute there. But of course that wasn't going to be okay for the son of a Beta."

She understood. Their station meant limited options. "I wanted to be a flight attendant."

He raised an eyebrow.

"I liked the idea of traveling. I didn't get the customer service angle." She laughed and sipped her wine. "Just that the ones on my father's plane were always so glamourous and knew so much about the world. I'd talk to them on flights." She explained.

She went on to tell him, as the eldest and future Luna, she had traveled to meet a lot of other packs, even a few in Europe. She hadn't gotten to see much of the places they went to though. What she didn't share wasn that as she got older she realised her father took her to those place in case her mate was there and older than her, she didn't let it ruin her fond memories of travelling though.

He smiled at her sharing. He of course knew of her travels but not what they entailed. Their ease with each other settled Derek's nerves. They had gone about this in the wrong direction but he felt in that moment they were coming into sync.

Plating up, he moved them to the dining table. He had set it up nicely, even with a candle.

"This wine is amazing," she commented. She was on her second glass already and he'd poured generously.

"It's dragon wine, from Therien."

"Really?" How'd you get it?"

"Alpha Andrew– he seemed to trip over that, considering it was her father, "had a meeting with a delegation a few months ago in the city. Dad got a few bottles so I... acquired a couple myself."

She couldn't help but smile at his admission of theft.

"I haven't met a dragon–or much of any other species, have you?"

He nodded slowly. "A few. Dragons are really wild. It's like our wolves understand them but..." he shook his head struggling to find the words. "You know there are werecats there too?"

"Yeah. I wonder what it's like there," she mused.

"We might go, one day," he said. "If there is a better alliance between our packs."

She nodded. Their pack was one of many that fled Therien during a civil war–her great grandfather first establishing here. There was still a lot of distrust on the human realm side, still wanting autonomy, but there was some slow alliances starting.

"Have you thought of how you want us to lead this pack?" He asked her.

"The same as it is now?" She asked back. The question confused her. She figured that she would just be doing everything that her parents already do today.

"Well, there are alliances and business decisions that will need to be made. Your father took me through some more of the diplomatic aspects of being an Alpha today and there's a lot to it. As Luna, you will be a big part of those decisions."

Derek had been surprised by the call from his Alpha, taking him away from his usual warrior training. He'd thought it would be a few weeks before he started his Alpha apprenticeship, but Samantha's father seemed keen. Derek had always had a deep respect for his Alpha, and seeing firsthand the amount of work that he oversaw, filled Derek with even more pride at what he and Samantha would be in charge of one day.