THIRST

Chapter Twenty-Six: Morning Workout (Bane)

I watched the morning sun come up over the tops of the forest as I looked out the window, wrapped in the bed sheet I stole from Setekh's bed, who didn't seem to mind since he was nowhere to be found. And after I cracked my neck, I felt the weight of the ring resting on my finger as I held up my hand and truly looked at it. Who would've thought that a person like me would end up getting married to the future Alpha of a pack of werewolves?

As I wrapped the sheet tighter around my shoulders, I glanced back over at the bed and noticed that there was a note lying on Setekh's pillow. I walked over and picked it up and was amazed to see that the note was written in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics. The six carefully chosen words pulled at my heart-strings as I read the note over and over again: I CAN'T WAIT TO MARRY YOU. My body was over filled with joy as I fell back on the bed and freaked out like a kid who just got a new toy for Christmas.

Afterward, I left the bedroom in search of Setekh who I remembered was supposed to go out on patrol with his father and other members of the pack. I made it halfway down the hall when I heard the soft metal clank, clank, clank of weights hitting together in the next room off to my right. I crept toward the door to find it partially opened as I took a peek inside and was in awe at what I saw.

Sitting on a piece of gym equipment with his back to me, Setekh firmly pulled down the metal bar that was attached to a steel cable that lifted and lowered the weights. I could hear the grunts coming from him as he breathed in and out and looked at his biceps as they bulged with the veins pressed against his skin. Just then, a ray of sunlight hit the window as it landed on him. Showing off the hard work it took to maintain a body such as his.

I entered the room slowly, praying like hell that he wouldn't turn around and catch me in the act! When he finished, he flexed his muscles and then stretched with a loud groan. I didn't know it then, but after seeing him workout, it was starting to turn me on. Maybe it was the erotic display of his muscles. Or the fine gloss of sweat that covered his chest. But when Setekh stood up from the bench and turned around, his eyes locking firmly on mine, I knew I had been busted big time.

Instantly, I lowered my eyes to the floor as I couldn't help but smile just a little bit at getting caught in the act. Setekh's voice was thick, heavy with a certain authority that I found myself being forced to obey. And that I couldn't resist, no matter how hard I tried.

"Come to me my little one," he said, as I still kept my eyes on the floor. "Look at me."

Like a robot, I raised my eyes, but not my head as they locked solely on his massive chest and well-to-do arms. Reaching out with his hand, he took his thumb and forefinger and personally lifted my head up so that I was forced to look at him. Followed by giving me this long, smoldering look that made me want to drop dead right on the spot as he leaned down to kiss me softly as if to say, "Good morning".

But when his lips grazed mine that is when I finally noticed the stench coming off of him. I pushed myself away as I brought my hand up to cover my nose and mouth as I tried like hell not to breathe it in.

"Oh, my God! Setekh, you stink like crazy!"

"What?" he chuckled. "This," he gestured to his hot sweaty body, "this is supposed to be sexy."

I shook my head. "Whoever said that to you was lying. Go take a shower, please."

"Only if you'll join me and be the one to hold the towel at the end, he replied with a sly smirk.

When I finally was able to breathe again, I couldn't help myself but stare at the beads of sweat that clung to his body. I watched as it trickled down his chiseled abs before reaching his belly button and the sexy v-shaped lines that went straight below the waistband of his black Nike shorts. It was then that I didn't even realize he was calling to me until I found myself walking up to him and pushing him back down on the bench.