Make Me Beg - BOOK 1 OF THE MATES & MARKS TRILOGY

Chapter 17

Cassie stood stone still.

"I beg your pardon?" Her voice was barely a squeak, her round eyes managed to seem even larger with the look of shock plastered onto her face.

"I know," Sam winced, wringing his hands nervously, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you when I first found out - I was so scared!"

"So-So that dirty stuff - You did with Markus?!"

"That's what you're focusing on?" He groaned, "Cassie! I'm kind-of having a hard time here!" His hands ran through his scraggly hair.

"A hard time? You're going to be alpha female!" She couldn't believe Sam's luck, being the mate of an Alpha got you pretty much anything you wanted - Plus you had one of the strongest mates to protect you! "What's hard about that? You'll be the most powerful bitch in the pack - Literally!" Cassie's voice kept getting louder as she rambled and as the sound rose so did Sam's blood pressure.

"Ssssh!" He tried to cover her mouth with his fingers. "No one can know about this!" He cried.

"Why not?!" Her outcry was muffled slightly by the attempts of two bony hands to hold down her lips.

"Because..." Sam dropped his hands and folded them across his chest defensively, "He's basically..." He shrugged again, his usual defence mechanism, "He's just... Kind of..." Cassie's eyebrows pulled together,

"What's wrong, babe?"

"He's pretty much rejected me..." Sam dropped his head in shame. Being rejected by your mate was rare, and was usually only for a damn good reason, like abuse or adultery. It's a very big deal and only around 80 years ago you weren't allowed to reject your own mate, they could take you to trial in front of a group of elders. Cassie blinked back tears, who did this stupid man think he was - rejecting someone as precious and perfect as her best friend? She sniffed, trying to hold it together in the face of big blue watery eyes - She knew if she caved and cried, there'd be no stopping Sam from bawling right there in the street. She held his hands and pressed their foreheads together. "I mean, he hasn't officially said the words... But I know that he's... Ashamed of me." Sam's voice cracked on the word ashamed and Cassie's heart cracked with it.

"Well, excuse my blasphemy, but he's a fucking idiot." Her voice was surprisingly hard given how close she was to tears. "He will realise he can't live without you, and he'll regret this so much - I promise" She hugged him to her tightly.

"Thanks Cass" He mumbled against her cheek.

"But, I do have one thing I'm curious about..." She smiled cheekily.

"Just one?" He cocked an eyebrow and stepped back, folding his arms across his chest.

"How come you guys have managed to do some... Sexy things if you think he doesn't want you?" Cassie grinned but Sam sighed.

"That's all he's interested in." Sam whined, "He never even talks to me unless it's for sex - And even then it's all about him!" Sam pouted now, "But I can't say no because he's my alpha... And my wolf always goes nuts when he comes near or touches me so even if I was allowed to say no, I couldn't!"

"He's not forcing himself on you, is he?" Cassie grabbed his arms tightly with both hands, her eyes searching his.

"Not really, the moment he touches me my wolf submits and obeys him" He saw Cassie about to butt in with 'Just because your wolf submits, doesn't mean it's consent' and added, "I enjoy the stuff we do in the moment..." He shrugged, "It's just afterwards that I feel... Dirty... And embarrassed about what I've done."

"He's your mate," Cassie reasoned, "You shouldn't feel embarrassed about doing stuff with them!" She winked and Sam became sheepish, awkwardly adding,