The Mates of Monsters
Chapter 36

I crash onto the bed and let my limbs fall limp and helpless, tired of holding the weight of conversation with Alphas and Lunas for far longer than I thought. Yet there's only a short break before we have to get ready for the ultra-fancy dinner tonight-another commencement since one is not enough. I swear the first day is to welcome us, the second is to work, and the third is to say goodbye; two whole days wasted. I'm sure Aurora and Bonny could secure our daughters' place as Alpha in the time spent mingling.

David stands before me and I lift onto my elbows. My lazy smile falters when his face shows concern. "I've been thinking about sending you home early," he says, his words causing me to overlook his questionably dismissive tone. "After today I'm sure you'd rather go back and bother Jeremy than sit through boring meetings and dinners."

"What?" I push up to my knees and scramble closer. "What-no. No, I want to stay."

David shrugs and his lips part, but before he can argue, I say, "Did I do something wrong? I know I did great with the Alphas and Lunas at lunch. They seemed to like me. Why would I want to go home?"

"You aren't bored?" He questions.

My face falls. "I'm not, really."

"Then I should let you stay?"

I cross my arms and drop back, my behind resting on the heels of my feet. "You're just screwing with me," I mutter. David lightheartedly reaches out to soothe me after believing his act, but I crawl to my side of the bed and lay down.

"I'm glad you want to stay so badly."

He climbs onto the bed and brings his hand to my shoulder, tipping me onto my back. I look up at him, not avoiding his sorry eyes. "You know I wouldn't want you to leave," he says, softer.

"Well, you didn't want me to come. How could I be sure?"

"I wanted you to come," he assures me. "I simply didn't want people like Nicodra around you."

I turn my head to the side and stare at the nightstand, feeling his gaze linger on my face. His mouth sinks to my neck and he kisses the sensitive skin there, making me squirm and look back at him. "Stop it," I scold him, less serious and more playful, knowing that if this happened a few weeks ago, I would shove him off.

David hovers over me and tries to bring his lips to mine, but I halt him with a firm hand to his chest. "Do you think you can just do whatever you want whenever you please?" I question.

"Do you think you're little sham is believable after last night?"

"My sham?"

"When you pretend to not want it, Brigette."

I take a shallow breath. "Want it? Your kisses? Your touch? Whatever was going to happen last night that I stopped?"

"Something more was going to happen last night?" He asks, pretending to be oblivious.

I nod. "A lot could have happened last night. You could hardly control yourself."

He laughs under his breath. "Is that right?"

"I let you kiss me once and suddenly you were kissing me all over the place."

"All over the place? I don't think so. If I remember correctly, there are still so many places I have yet to kiss you."

I scoff and try to shimmy out from under him. David holds me, and despite my already rosy face, he asks, "Do you want me to kiss you all over, Brigette?"

"I can't believe you," I breathe, unable to say: Yes! Please! Please give me your all. "Do you like torturing me like this?"

David smiles and glances across the room for a second. When his eyes return to me, he says, "I've been waiting for this day-the day you let me kiss you and touch you and be your mate."

"I know," I murmur.

"I meant it when I said I was yours-for support, for help, for information, comfort, attention, and for pleasure."

I swallow, aware of how flushed my face has become. My chest contorts and squeezes and pulsates as intimate thoughts crowd my mind. My eyes jump from each flawless feature of his face and threaten to drink up his irresistible body as well. My lips part and press together and repeat like a fish out of water.

He continues to look at me with those dreamy eyes, and I know something wrong happened; there was a blimp in the universe that screwed things up, parring us together instead of David with his proper angel. Or maybe it was the moon goddess making a mistake among the stars.

"I-I don't deserve this, not after what I did," I admit, feeling the pressure of tears press into the back of my eyes. "You're too good to me, and I don't deserve it."

"Don't say that," he says, smoothing down my hair.

"It's true. I don't deserve it, not when I still think about the girl I was the girl I probably still am but who I've convinced myself I'm not. I-I still think about leaving from time to time, and it kills me because I don't want to hurt you. But I don't want to leave to be free either. It's not about freedom anymore. I don't even know what true freedom is."

"Why do you think about leaving, then?"