Fallen Alpha

-08- 🥀 Take It Slow

"I've never opened up to anyone. So hard to hold back when I'm holding you in my arms. We don't need to rush this, let's just take it slow."
~Lady Antebellum, 'Just a Kiss'

~~~

*Easton's POV*

Sweat drenches my body as my claws dig into the floor. I'm wracked with shudders as I try to restrain myself from rushing to my mate.

You would think that after three months of dealing with the heat, I would learn how to handle this better.

Well, you'd be wrong.

Snarls rip from my throat. It seems with each passing heat, the desire to mark Landon gets more and more uncontrollable. We found an herb to help quell my heat, but like the dumbass I am, I didn't realize I had run out.

A scent that doesn't belong to my mate hits my nostrils, making me growl lowly. My bedroom door creaks open, and Mateo sticks his head in.

"It's just me," he says cautiously. "Don't attack me, or you know, hump me. I brought the herbs."

"Praise the fucking Moon," I groan with relief. For the past few months, I've been taking an herbal remedy to keep my heat under control. An Elder from a neighboring pack came up with this solution, and it's fucking brilliant.

Not having enough patience to wait for the herbs to be made into tea, I snatch the bag out of Mateo's hand and stuff the dry herbs in my mouth. They're extremely bitter, but it's far preferable to the heat. The effect is almost immediate as I feel my body heat beginning to cool down. I sigh, sitting on the floor and leaning back against my bed.

Mateo whistles lowly, looking around at the destruction I wrought to my room. "Damn, how are you going to survive two years of this?"

I chuckle humorlessly. "Hopefully these herbs don't get less effective over time. Otherwise, I'm fucked."

"And so is Landon," Mateo laughs, and I chuck a pillow at his face.

"Hilarious. Seriously though, thank you for getting these herbs."

"Don't mention it. I'm your Beta, it's what I'm here for."

"To be my errand boy?" I grin, and Mateo wrinkles his nose in distaste.

"Call me that again, and next time you can get your own damn herbs."

"Kidding, kidding!" I raise my hands defensively. "I am grateful. Tomorrow is a big deal, and being in heat would've fucked everything up."

"What's happening tomorrow?"

"Landon's finally introducing me to his family," I say with a smile. "As his mate."

Mateo's jaw drops before he smiles widely. "Dude! That's huge! What brought this on?"

"We've been spending more time together lately. So far, we've told his family that it's just the Alpha getting to know his pack, but since I spend more time with Landon than anyone else, that excuse isn't working anymore. It was Landon's idea to go ahead and tell them the truth."

"I'm happy for you, man. You seem... happier these days."

My smile widens and I nod. "I am. Landon makes me happy."

"Goddess, I can't wait to find my mate," Mateo sighs. "I wonder what they'll be like."

"I'm sure you'll find them soon," I assure him, although that's unfair of me to say. Some wolves wait years before finding their mates, but I don't say that to him.