Alpha Paxton

25 |

Please vote, and let me know what you think about the chapter in the comments!

"No," he shakes his head. He leans down to kiss me, slightly panting while he does so. "Not here — The Marking is much too intimate."

"But this wasn't?" I ask incredulously, teasing him as I lightly laugh. He smirks at me and rolls his eyes with a fondness that has worked its way into my heart ever so slowly.

"As amazing as this was, it is not the same as a mate marking. Although, I would definitely like to do this again, and again, and again..." Paxton still has me wrapped in his arms, and he slightly nips at my ear as he speaks.

It makes me giggle and squirm in his warmth, shifting myself ever so slightly in his touch. I look up to him, bashfully, through my hooded eyelashes. His body, ever so slightly covered in sweat, felt so warm and perfect against my own.

"Can you tell me about it? What it's like?" My voice is soft as I ask. It's an important conversation that we needed to have, as mates. Everything is different now. Everything is new.

"Packs around the world have different traditions. It just so happens that you will be the Luna of the greatest one," he winks. I roll my eyes at his teasing, and he continues. "Essentially, within my pack, we like to have a feast to start. Mind you, this is vastly different than a normal marking, because you will be Luna."

"Different as in...?" I ask, slightly anxious about what else he has to say.

"It's a much bigger crowd," Paxton twists his face as if he is trying to figure out his next words. "Not everyone needs to attend, but the entire pack is invited."

He stops and looks at me, a worry line making itself known on his forehead.

"Is that all then?" I prompt, wrapping my arms around his neck. He leans down and sniffs my scent, a content growl reverberating in his chest.

"No," he says a little gruffly. "After the feast, which includes a few vows, we will go up to our chambers and consummate what we like to call 'The Bonding' in my pack. That's when The Marking happens,"

"Vows? The Bonding?" I bring my arms down from around his neck, my eyebrows drawing in together in mild confusion. "That sounds like... a wedding?"

I don't have to look at his face to know it has turned slightly rosé in colour. "It's like a human wedding, I guess. They both hold similar components but we wouldn't be married in a traditional or legal human way."

"Wow," I say with light surprise. "Sorry, it's just taken me by shock."

"It's okay. This is why I couldn't exactly mark you just now..." He looks down at me with a half-smile.

"No, I completely understand!" I tell him while shaking my head. "It's a lot to process. I hadn't realized all these traditions varied from pack-to-pack."

"Yes, we are all very different. Each pack takes pride in their traditions, and I hope you come to embrace ours as well." He gently interlocks his fingers through my own, giving my hand a squeeze. It was very endearing and made my heart soar within my chest.

"So..." I start. "If everyone in the pack is at this feast, or dinner, and they know what it is for, then they know what's about to happen? As in... s-e-x?" I spell the word out while whispering, slightly horrified at the thought. Paxton looks at the expression on my face and bursts out laughing before I quickly shush him up.