Mon Amour

Chapter 31: Nettlesome Nik

It has been a while since I updated. I suggest reading the last part of the last chapter just to refresh your memory. But for those of you who won't go back, Anna and Maks bit each other and long story short, they are bonded.

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Chapter 31: Nettlesome Nik

Anna yawned as her eyes fluttered open.

She desperately wanted to stretch her cramped up limbs, but she soon realized she was restrained.

Maksim lay in bed, wide eyed and bushy tailed, with his other half in his arms. 

On this morning, he woke up before the sun, feeling better than he ever had. The alpha didn't know if he should contribute his joy to the fact that he nearly escaped death or if the pretty little lady next to him was responsible.

It was probably due to her. He thought. After all, Maksim had evaded death before, but Anna was the first person he let in his crooked heart. 

He was just hoping he could keep her there.

Being bonded wasn't at all what Maks was expecting.

He thought it would change him. He thought it would make him weak and vulnerable. Ironically, not marking Anna made him that way.

The alpha was also afraid of becoming a slave to his mate. He never wanted to love someone so much that he had to answer their every beckon call. He couldn't give someone that kind of control.

The mate bond was like nothing he thought it would be.

He didn't feel forced to do anything for Anna. He wanted to do things for her, just like before he marked her.

And the bond didn't just magically make him love her. He already had.

"Why didn't you wake me?" He heard Anna whisper.

To this, Maksim smiled. He hadn't woken her up on purpose for he wanted to be alone but also craved companionship. It was a weird concept of a feeling. He needed to let everything sink in and her presence helped him do that.

... But, like we already said, the mate bond helped them be together, but could not change the dynamics of their relationship.

Not even the mate bond could stop Maksim from giving Anna a hard time.

"I didn't wake you because I wanted to keep my house quiet for as long as possible, but now, I guess I can forget about it."

Anna shoved his chest playfully. The mood seemed so relaxed in the room. They had always been so serious. Now they were able to have a more lighthearted conversation.

"You're just upset because I'm stronger than you..." Anna teased, earning a growl in return. 

She loved to rile up her alpha. It was fun and oh so easy to do. 

"Be careful what you say." 

She looked at his face, to see a wide smile. Right now, they were joking, but if she continued down this path he wouldn't be.

In the last 3 days since she was bonded, Anna learned a lot about Maksim and the toll being Alpha has on him.

As alpha, Maks was programmed to be the biggest, strongest, and smartest. Competition was in his blood and a comment like she just made could be seen as a threat to him.

Even though she was his mate, and he would never hurt her, Maksim's natural instinct is to prove himself to be the best.

With all this in mind, It never hurt to have some fun.