The Alpha's Reluctant Mate (wattpadprize14)

Chapter THIRTEEN

BEAU

I walked through the kitchen entrance to my house and found Madge and my mother cleaning a pantry that didn't need cleaning. I knew they were hanging around most days just to keep Devon company, trying to imagine ways to bring her around. Hoping to convince her I wasn't the monster and the jailor she thought me to be. Today I hoped all of that would end, or at least take a turn in a more positive direction. When Madge spotted me she elbowed my mother and frantically motioned for her to hand her a piece of paper and a pen.

"Wha-" Madge waved silently at me and put a finger to her lips. Then she scribbled a quick note and slid it to me across the kitchen counter:

Just watch this.

She nodded at me and then, at just above a whisper she stated "Devon, would you mind giving me a hand in the kitchen?" I cocked my head sideways at her, trying to demonstrate my confusion. She pointed at the ceiling. Suddenly I heard a door upstairs open and then Devon bounding down the stairs. She had heard her. From two floors away behind a closed door when Madge was whispering to me. She heard her. I wouldn't have heard her from that distance and I had excellent hearing. No one I knew would've been able to hear her. Michael had told me that Devon's hearing was good, but it was like she had wolf-like hearing while in human form.

Devon rushed into the room, wearing an easy grin as she scanned the room for Madge. Her face immediately fell when our eyes met. Something in my chest tightened, knowing that nothing could chase the smile from her face faster than seeing me. But in the next instant I picked up subtle changes in her. As Madge discussed a new organization system while she and my mother worked inside the cupboard, Devon shifted from one foot to the other and I could feel that her heart beat a little faster. I could see her inhale and exhale deeply, her chest rising and falling as she fought to control her reaction to seeing me. I could even see her eyes shift over my whole body once, so quickly I might have missed it. I returned her gaze with one of my own. She wore track pants and a faded NAU t-shirt. The outfit hugged her curves perfectly, my eyes didn't know where to go. A hint of lace peaked out of the lowest point on her v-neck collar and I could see her pulse against her caramel skin - like a hummingbird. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail and I felt like a wuss for thinking that it looked perfect no matter how she wore it. And then there it was - that unmistakable vibration sent straight from her wolf to mine. Hers was anxious and mine was impatient. I decided to test her resolve. I moved closer to her and stood directly in front of her, so close she had to crane her neck to look up at me. I took in one long, deep breath and let her scent fill my lungs. My wolf spoke straight to hers. You belong to me, he told her. Everything about you belongs to me. Even your scent belongs to me. This is mine. Devon closed her eyes and pressed her lips together, but not enough to keep a small sound from escaping. It was close to a whine, like the sound pups make when they are hungry or want comfort. That's it, I thought. I'm just going to sweep her up in my arms and carry her upstairs-

I was startled by the sound of something hitting the counter. Madge had dropped a glass. It arced up slightly when it contacted the counter and picked up speed and was hurtling toward the ground and would in just a few moments be shattered into a hundred pieces. I could catch it, but Devon was between me and the glass. Before I had a chance to react, Devon spun at the waist and used her left hand to grab the glass a quarter of a second before it hit the ground.

"That's impressive." I said. She shrugged, taking one step back to put more space between us.

"I've always had good reflexes." Devon turned away and returned the glass to the cupboard, an excuse to put even more space between us. While her back was turned, I saw Madge watching me. She arched an eyebrow at me and smiled. I knew what she was trying to do. Phasing or no phasing - Devon is more wolf than she realizes.

"Madge, Mom, I need a few minutes to talk to Devon alone." As they left Devon busied herself wiping off glasses that were already clean to avoid looking at me.

"You don't have to do that, you know. Beth takes care of the cleaning." She didn't look up.

"I might as well. It gives me something to do. I'm getting really good at folding fitted sheets while I'm literally on house arrest." Clearly she wasn't going to make any part of this easy.

"I wanted to talk to you about that." I said. "I've been thinking lately. Maybe it would be okay for you to move around a bit more. Under some conditions." This got a reaction. She paused momentarily and searched my face, trying to read me.

"What conditions?" She doesn't want to get her hopes up because she doesn't trust me, I thought.

"Well, the issue that brought you here hasn't gone away. This Angela woman that your family believes is searching for you - I asked Michael to do some digging. He's going to check to see if there is an Angela around the right age registered with the Madrean Sky pack."

"Madrean Sky?"

"That was your father's pack, Devon." I watched as several emotions chased their way across her face in an instant. Her eyebrows pulled together and I could feel her grief. She was mourning a father she never met who at that moment I knew more about than she did. I wished that I could be the person who could take that sadness away from her.

"Devon." She shook her head forcefully, silently forbidding me to go where she knew I wanted to go.

"What are the conditions I have to agree to in order to win myself more freedom?" Fine. I continued.

"Until we know that there is no threat from the outside you can not leave pack property. You must keep me aware of your location at all times. And you must travel with two men from the pack who will help to keep you safe."

"Keep tabs on me you mean." She spat back bitterly.

"It's for your own protection Devon."

"No it's not. Protection is more security at entrances and more frequent patrols. My jailors Joe and Jacob told me you've already done that. You want someone following me to make sure I don't escape. Well I've already promised I won't try to run away again so can you please just let me have some freedom?"

"I know you want more freedom. I'm trying to give it to you."

"Then get rid of the guards Beau! I feel like you are trying to keep me on a leash!" She slammed a glass into the cupboard. "I didn't ask for any of this." She whispered. She wrapped her arms around herself and leaned against the counter. What could I say? What could I offer her that would make her happy? I knew what I would have to do, even though I might not be willing to live with the consequences.

"Okay."

"Okay?" She asked.

"Okay Devon. No guards. No one following you. I want you to be happy here. And if being able to go where you want when you want without anyone watching you is going to help you to be happy here then that's what will happen." I saw a light in her eyes. Hers searched mine to see if I meant what I said.

"Are you serious?" She asked. I nodded.

"I can go where I want when I want?"

"You still need to stay on pack property. That condition really is for your safety. And I still want to know where you are at all times. If you decide to go shopping, go visit my mother, go for a run - I don't care. I want to know where you are at all times. That's a non negotiable." I reached into my back pocket and pulled out her cell phone.

"So here. I've programmed my cell, my office, my parents and Michael into your phone. I need to know that you'll call me to let me know where you are." I extended the phone to her but she hesitated.

"You trust me to have my phone back?"

"I trust you."