T H I R T Y - O N E

I turned to face him, "I can just give them your good whiskey.." Gabriel scowled at me, and reluctantly lowered the tequila. I smiled and reached for it, "thank you," I said but mouthed the word 'master' at him. I had never called him that, but I wanted to see how he'd react. He instantly turned around, running a hand through his hair, trying to focus on something else. It didn't help that my heat was getting stronger every single month, especially as we got closer to another haze. Which would be here in a week or so.

I poured the tequila in some glasses and topped it with orange juice and grenadine, before bringing the drinks out to Bex and Theo in the living room. They both laughed at me but I turned around and went back to the kitchen.

"What if I wanted a beer," Theo shouted from the living room.

"That's too bad then, Bex did you want a beer?" I turned around to look at them both, raising a brow at Bex. He froze, not sure what to say, "fine," I walked into the living room, and grabbed the drinks of the coasters. I downed one of them, and turned around, back to the kitchen. Gabriel eye'd me, slightly unimpressed, but I shrugged.

"I didn't get that down for you to slam it right away, sweetheart."

I smiled at him, "or maybe you did."

Zak was smirking, "sir, I believe she can out drink you."

Gabriel turned to him, disgust on his face, "I have a kingdom to run, a Queen to protect, not parties to attend to."

I raised a finger, "actually, we did get the invite today. We do have a party to attend to."

He growled at me and I reached in the fridge, grabbing the beers, "Bex think fast," I chucked them at him. He snagged both of them out the air and smiled at me, "not as fast as you think you are."

I shrugged, "well I ran into a seer today." With that I returned to the kitchen, not giving them time to ask more questions.

I grabbed more glasses and found Gabriel's whiskey. I poured four glasses, my father and Lucas would need some. I set the glasses down, and Gabriel looked at me, trying to hide any hint of appreciation.

My father and his beta didn't bother to knock on the door. Just barged in, with distraught looks on their faces.

"Where are they," he and Lucas both spoke at the same time.

"We're fine," Theo's voice echoed through the lower level of the house.

I moved out of the way and they walked in, with out a word to Gabriel or I further and into the living room. I didn't mind, I hadn't given a ton of info on the phone. Once they were content, they walked back into the kitchen, "my King," they said in unison, "sorry, Kai here, was not very descriptive with her phone call."

"I'm sorry, I didn't know what to say, if I tell you he's getting stitches or ran into an issue on patrol, you'd drive here like a maniac." I scowled at my father and walked to Gabriel's side at the island.

"Either way, we have business to get to," Gabriel interrupted before anyone could argue. Bex and Theo walked into the room, the healer following behind. She looked at Gabriel and then immediately to the ground, her cheeks becoming slightly rosy from blushing. I raised my eye brow at her, but she was still looking at the ground.

I was going to ask her for her name, but Gabriel interrupted, "first matter of business, Kai and I did announce to the pack that we are mates. However, there is a different headline that will be filing the pages tomorrow." He looked over at me, and sighed in slight defeat, "Kai was touched my a Seer."

Before he could continue my father chimed in, "excuse me? You expect me to trust you, and let her stay here, and you can't even stop a seer from getting her hands on her?"

"Dad," I started but was cut off again.

"What the hell happened," my father was furious now.

"Do not, question me when you were not even present." Gabriel's eyes narrowed and I gulped.

"Stop it! Both of you! I am fine," I inhaled deep, "the Seer was strong, she slowed time and moved at the speed of light. I was frozen, I couldn't move even if I wanted to." My eyes looked over everyone, shock on the Burning Embers wolves' faces.

"By the time it was over she was gone, nobody could stop her, which means boarder security is a priority. Pryor also, has been running through, he is a threat along with his sister. They're working with someone. However, they're protected under Ritual, which means nobody can kill them."

"Until I can," I spoke and they looked at me.

Gabriel smiled, "yes love," the girl again looked away as Gabriel's signs of affection showered on me.

"Mara," Gabriel started and she looked at him, eyes beaming and my blood boiled, "you will be on call at the Pack House. Xander will be stationed at training. Starting this week, training is about to get rough, and patrol is going to increase, we don't need anyone worn out and dehydrated." Gabriel was straight to the point but it still bothered me the way she looked at him.

Mara nodded at him, she looked at me and cowered instantly. I was definitely giving her an authoritative glare and there was no doubt in my mind she knew I knew.

Bex chuckled and I turned my glare to him, "is something funny?"

"Yes actually," he challenged back, "you're here for two days, and he's already upping the healer's work load."

I growled, "watch yourself before I make you also need Mara's assistance."

"Kai..." my father chimed in, "when did you sleep last, you're awfully agitated."

I rolled my eyes, "I'm fine."

Gabriel placed a hand on the small of my back and I leaned into him a little.

You can go upstairs if you wish, he's right, you're very agitated. Gabriel's voice came through my mind.

I wouldn't be agitated if your little love bird over there would keep her gawking eyes to herself. I could hear the snarl in my voice through the link.

"Mara, that is all, you're free to go," to my surprise Gabriel dismissed her immediately. She simply nodded and left the house, getting into her car and pulling out of the drive way. Theo looked at Gabriel and then at me, and then the door, putting two and two together.

"Oh there is no way, she is the reas-" he started, amused.

I snarled at him, "shut your mouth before I shut it for you."

There was a dark anger building in me, and I didn't understand why. The Seer maybe? Mara's presence, possibly? Or the haze coming earlier than expected?

Gabriel wrapped a hand under my chin and tilted my face to him, "open your mouth."

I was confused and at first didn't listen but he stared at me. I felt everyone's eyes on me, reluctantly I did as I was told. He ran his thumb across my bottom lip and wrapped his other arm around the back of my neck, the confusion kept building until I heard the popping sound of a stopper coming out of a glass bottle. He moved his hand away for a split second, only bringing it back carrying the bottle of tequila and pouring it in my mouth.

"Now shut your mouth and swallow that."

I closed my mouth, downing the burning liquid, I was about to give him another snarky remark when he put a finger to my lips, shushing me.

"Keep it shut."

I glared at him and he simply planted the lightest kiss on my lips. I was not amused so instead I mind linked him, "I can still annoy you with my mouth shut." He just ignored me, and looked around at everyone. They all stood there, not saying a word, a slight awkwardness filled the room.

"Now," Gabriel huffed, "Clayton, we'll run patrols on our boarder at the same time, that seems to be his path every time he passes through."

My father nodded, "yes sir."

--

By the time everyone left, it was nine thirty. Out of pettiness I hadn't said another word in the four hours since Gabriel poured the tequila in my mouth. We were alone now, I was sitting on the couch, scrolling through my phone, reading the articles that had my face on them.

Most were about me surviving the Seer, people questioning how I did it, others claiming I was not a true queen and that other forces were at work. Though I was a true queen, other forces were indeed at work. The goddess chose me, to be mates to a king, to be a Moon Queen. Of course I survived the Seer.

Gabriel's shadow towered over me but I kept scrolling, "are you going to sit and read in silence all night?"

I ignored him, and continued scrolling. The next article was about the Ball, no names were mentioned other than mine and Gabriel's. A picture of us leaving the restaurant from our date on the front of it. He had me pushed against the car, hand on my neck, both entranced by each other. It was instantly a favorite picture of mine now. Am eerie feeling came over me, people had eyes everywhere. They were always watching us.

"Look at me," Gabriel clearly didn't appreciate the silent treatment.

I turned my head to him, batting my eyes.

"You should get to sleep, training starts tomorrow."

I rolled my eyes now and went back to the article. He reached for the phone in my hand but I moved away. He huffed in frustration and picked me up, putting me over his shoulder. I didn't make a sound refusing to give in to him. It was a game to me now.

Gabriel waltzed us up the stairs, but instead of our bedroom, he brought me into the spare. He threw me to the bed and turned to the closet, I sat up and moved back towards the headboard and my pillow, keeping my eyes on him. He met my gaze and I smirked, his finger were moving incredibly slow, unbuttoning the white dress shirt he was wearing.

That devilish smile crossed his face the shadows from the moon hiding his eyes, "are you going to keep eye fucking me princess?" I raised an eyebrow at him and watched his fingers continue down, soon his shirt was open and I had to hold myself back from responding. I kept my eyes on his chest, honestly at this point I just wanted to cuddle into the blankets with him and fall asleep.

He unbuckled his belt and then unzipped his pants, pulling them off and throwing the clothes in the hamper. His back was as ripped as his chest and abdomen. I got up off the bed, walking to the closet myself, losing the sweatpants I was wearing. I put on my bikini style underwear, they were higher in rise over my hip bones. I slowly walked to the hamper. I took Gabriel's dress shirt out of it, and slowly removed my top, he ignored me and walked to the bathroom.

I put the long sleeve shirt on, but left it unbuttoned. I sat myself on the end of the bed, my legs crossed and leaning back on my arms. I made sure the shirt was open just enough for him to see the inner sides of my breasts and fully exposed sternum. When he came out of the bathroom his eyes instantly met my exposed skin and he huffed roughly. A small growl escaped him and he walked over to me.

He wrapped a hand under my chin and lifted my face toward him, our eyes met, he was frustrated, not mad, but did not like the games I played with him. It was torment. He moved my head back and observed me, but didn't touch the shirt. Pleased with what he saw he moved his thumb over my lips, his eyes sparked as thoughts crossed his mind. He leaned down to my ear, putting one arm next to mine and pushing himself against me.

"I will get a sound of that mouth," he whispered, and a smirk crossed my face, "you still owe me an apology."

Gabriel's hand on my mouth pushed me back slowly to the bed, his shirt opening and falling off my chest. He brought his face to my belly and inhaled deep, "do our games arouse you sweetheart?" I didn't say a word, and he moved his hand to my waist, "your body will answer if you won't." He started to plant the lightest of kisses from my sternum to the top of my belly button, I held my breath, not allowing a sound to cross my lips. He wrapped his arm under me, around my waist and picked me up, hauling me closer to the headboard now so we were both on the bed.

He kissed the inner sides of my breasts, his hand moving underneath the left side. He started caressing me. He stopped and switched arms, leaning on his right now, he moved his hand to the other breast and paid it the same amount of attention. His kisses turned to small nibbles and he moved his face to the crook of my neck, it was getting harder to keep myself composed. I moved a hand to reach for his face but he pinned it down under his right arm. I held back a whine. Gabriel's kisses got closer to where my mark would go, and slowly they turned to more aggressive nibbles.

My breathing was getting harder to control, just as he said, my body giving me away. I wrapped a leg around him, trying to distract myself but he growled into my neck. The scruff on his face tickled me and shuddered. My body was covered in goosebumps, not because I was cold, but because I wanted him. Our mate bond made this so much harder. We could feel each other, through an emotional connection, even as unmarked wolves. Both of us were enjoying ourselves, and frustrated at the other, but neither wanted to break first. I was even more aroused by the fact that Gabriel wanted me as much as I wanted him.

He pressed his lips against my collar bone, and I felt his canines enlarge the slightest bit. He pushed his mouth in to me and scraped my skin with his teeth. You would think it would hurt, but it was the exact opposite. I felt my fingers curl around his and my free hand immediately pulled his head closer to me. I wanted him to mark me. I needed him to mark me. My breathing wasn't coming from my nose anymore. No, now I was nearly panting. Gabriel sucked on my marking spot and I couldn't control myself a second longer.

I whined and he immediately stopped what he was doing, only pulling himself off my collar bone enough for me to feel him smile in accomplishment. He planted another kiss, "what was that princess?" He spoke in a taunting kind of way that made my blood boil with an urge I hadn't felt before.

"Please..." my own brain had turned against me, making me stutter the word. I mentally kicked myself for breaking first.

"Please what, love," he had the same kind of teasing tone, overly confident in himself.

"Mark..." I was breathing heavier than ever now, something was taking over me, "me, please.." I whined again.

"I can't do that, love.." he kept toying with the overly sensitive area.

"Gabriel.." I whispered his name, and he groaned huskily into me, "please..."

"Control your urges Kai.." his voice was stern, he was now fighting his own demons, triggered by his name.

I shut my eyes, and inhaled, focusing on where his hands were placed, one pinning my own arm down, one at my waist. His fingers toying with the line of my underwear. I moved my hand to his and tangled my fingers in his, he willing obliged.

"That's better sweetheart, you need to control it if you want to keep playing games." He pulled away from me and met my gaze, his eyes were black, Eros was at the forefront. How did he come so close to almost marking me, and still was so calm. I growled and he smiled, so I rolled my eyes. I pushed him off of me.

"What's wrong..." he laid on his side next to me, and I buttoned the shirt I was wearing.

"Nothing," I gave him a kiss and crawled under the blankets, turning my back to him.

"You know I can't mark you," he got under the blankets next to me and wrapped an arm around me, "two more mon-"

"No."

"No," he asked, "you don't want my mark?"

I could hear the confusion in his voice.

"No, I don't want it in two months. I want it now, I want to be the queen, I don't want another haze, I want you."

He sighed into my hair, "you are the queen, love."

"You don't get it, so just... let it go." I sighed again and then closed my eyes, begging sleep to come.

"I'm sorry.." his voice was defeated.

I rolled over to face him, "I love you.." I whispered and kissed his bare chest, "I'm just.. weak. I don't want to have to restrain myself. It's not fun."

"You're anything but weak, my Queen," he pulled my leg over his waist and I used the moment to my advantage, pushing myself onto him. In the months we'd known each other he never let me assert this kind of dominance. He place both hands on my hips and smiled, "you just need a reminder once in a while."

I leaned down and place my lips on his, my arms falling to the sides of his head, fingers twirling in to his hair. Our tongues danced together and he smiled, wrapping his arms around me pulling me into him.