Moonlight Ridge

26

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To Leo's relief and disappointment, nothing happened. Mallelis had grabbed her bags and led her out of the Reece pack house without meeting another shifter. She thought is odd because she had been sure that Brandon and his mate would be around.

She was surprised to see that Mallelis didn't lead her very far. In the back of the pack house there was a small cottage that he walked to and opened the door. She followed him in and looked around as she continued to follow him to one of the rooms. He placed her bags down next to a bed and walked out. He glanced at her briefly but didn't speak as he made his way to leave.

"Wait." She said as she followed him to the door.

He turned and looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"I need to get my dog, Rem. The shifters have been taking care of him while I was training." She explained.

"No. I do not like....pets. He will have to stay where he is." He responded with a narrowed gaze.

"Then I will stay with him." Leo retorted in annoyance.

She had turned and was heading to get her bags but felt his warm, calloused hand around her arm. The familiar sparks blossomed under his touch.

"You shall not go anywhere." He growled out.

She glared at him and jerked her arm out of his grasp. It felt like a tidal wave of anger was building up. She opened her mouth to give him a piece of her mind but what happened instead was something strange. She burst into tears. Her mind was swirling in confusion as to what was happening. She watched as Mallelis' expressions bounced around. He went from angry to surprised, then worried. His hand rose as if he wanted to comfort her but he didn't move. Suddenly a wave of longing hit her and all she wanted him to do was put his arms around her. To give her comfort.

She watched as his unsure expression turned to determination. He stepped closer and pulled her into his hard chest. All at once she felt warm and protected. She put her arms around him tentatively. She felt his back muscles flex under her hands. Her tears had stopped but he still did not let her go. She let go and moved to part with him but he began scenting her neck and kissing her mark gently.

She gasped and held in the moan that almost tore its way out. All coherent thoughts left her and she struggled to remember why she was upset in the first place. Just as she was going to give in and pull his face to hers to kiss him, he let her go and moved back. He was breathing heavily and she could see his eyes were gold. His hooded gaze met her wide, surprised eyes.

"If your pet means that much, I will bring him. Do not leave this house." He muttered awkwardly.

Then he was gone and the only sound was the door closing. Leo touched her mark with her fingertips and felt an explosion of pleasurable sparks shoot out and flow through her body. She shivered and went into her room to look at it. She had seen a mirror on the wall and went over to it. Carefully, she pulled her shirt to the side and gaped at the mark. It looked much more brutal than it felt. The punctures from Mallelis' top and lower canines adorned the place where her neck and shoulder met.

She was confused as to how the wound wasn't scabbed over. Based on her previous wounds, it should have been healed at the rate of one or two weeks. She was so engrossed with scrutinizing the mark that she barely heard the door open. The sound of a dog trotting into her room caught her attention and she turned to see Rem coming to her with his tail wagging. Leo immediately went to him and showered him with attention. After greeting her, Rem jumped onto her bed and laid down. Leo shook her head at him and laughed. She went out to thank Mallelis but couldn't find him in the house. She looked in every room, the parlor and dining room, and the kitchen. She had given up and went back to room. In an attempt to bring fresh air in, she opened the window in her room.

Then with a renewed sense of energy, she set to unpacking and was almost done when she heard voices outside. She went to the window and peeked out the blinds. Mallelis stood in the back garden and there in front of him was none other than her. Samara.

Leo's lip curled up at the sight of her so close to Mallelis. Her unbonded mate. Hers. No. He wasn't hers any more than she was his. The way she felt was due to the mark she bore. And he had marked her to protect her. No more, no less. She repeated that over and over again as she watched them. Then she realized that she couldn't feel his emotions or hear his thoughts. Her eyebrows furrowed, but she couldn't figure it out. So, she chose to remain hidden and eavesdrop. She practically thanked the ancient gods that she had supernatural hearing.

"You should not be here. I will not be able to hold a mental block for long." He said in a
stern voice.

Leo understood then that Mallelis had put a block between them.

"You are mated?" Samara asked as she ignored his comment.

"Aye. If that was all you came to know, you may leave now." He ground out.

"Your mate was my mate's intended. And I yours. Do you know that she is half human? Does she know about us?" She asked him a barrage of questions as she stepped closer.

Leo clenched her jaw. She fought to control herself and not hurt Alpha Reece's mate. Besides, why should she care? Mallelis was free to do as he wished. Leo held her breath as Samara reached up to presumably touch his face. Mallelis gripped her wrist before she made contact and flung her arm back. Leo felt a low ache in her heart briefly then it was gone.

"Aye, I do know. And she knows too. Do not touch me, Luna Reece. Only my mate has that right." He snapped out the last part.

Samara stepped back before she spoke again.

"Mal, you used to call me Sam." She said sadly.

A snarl tore out of his throat.

"You do not address me as such any longer. It is Master Shifter or Mallelis and you are the luna of Reece Pack now. Do not come near my mate again or I will kill you." He spoke through growls.

Leo watched as Samara stared at Mallelis with wide eyes then ran away. Leo got away from the window and rushed to the back door. Her heart was pounding. She wasn't sure what she was going to do. As she reached the door, she felt Mallelis' jumbled up thoughts and feelings again. Like a distant drone in her mind. The door opened and Mallelis stepped through. He stopped upon seeing her standing in front of him and frowned.

"What is it? I brought the dog you wan-" His sentence was cut short as Leo jumped on him and kissed him.

Her arms had wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her lips pushed against his urgently. And he did not disappoint this time when he matched her fervor. His tongue dove into her mouth hungrily as his hands grabbed and massaged her bottom. She moaned as his fingers brushed her pulsing core.

"You will be the death of me, Leonna." He groaned as he suddenly let her go.

He pried her arms off of him and all but ran into a room beside hers. Leo stood stunned for a bit before finally making her way to her room and shutting the door.

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A/N: Things getting a little blurred here for poor Mallelis 😅. The pic above was the closest I could find to what I imagine Leo's mate mark looking like but just a little lower of course.