Felix was wrong. That 'important' thing was actually good. Amazing even!
They were sitting in the hotel's dining area - Kade was able to convince the manager to let them borrow the space. A lot can be done with the right amount of money, really! - when Kade broke the news.
"I will have to leave soon," he said, in between the bites of boar meat stew. "You… Hey, is that really necessary?!"
"What do you mean?" Felix blinked innocently.
"That face! Do you really need to smile so much at my departure? You're breaking my heart!"
Unmoved, Felix shrugged his shoulders, not even trying to suppress his grin. "Well, you're always so open with your 'emotions', so I thought I might do so as well!"
"Ah, really…" Kade shook his head, wiping non-existent tears. "Nevermind. I know you don't really mean it."
The expression on Felix's face stated clearly that YES, he did really mean it. However, it quickly changed, as Kade added,
"Don't worry too much though. I'll be back right after the New Year. I just need to attend the party back at the pack, as the future leader. I would invite you to join me, but…" Kade paused, sizing Felix up. "We'd have to give you a solid grooming first, and there's just not enough time. We can't have the future Luna of the pack to make his first appearance in such a sorry state, can we?"
"Cough!" A piece of meat Felix's was chewing on went down the wrong pipe, and he reached for his glass coughing and choking. "…What Luna?" he muttered once he finally got his voice back, although hoarse.
"Well, you, of course! Since I'll be the leader one day, you, as my mate, will naturally become our Luna!"
Felix lifted his brows, looking at Kade as if he was the most incredulous thing to ever appear in front of his eyes.
A rogue 'hybrid'? As a Luna? Of the Bloodmoon Pack, of all things?
Surely, Kade was now making fun of him! Yes, they were fated mates - even though Felix would never admit it out loud - but so what? There was that thing called 'rejection'. And even if Kade wanted to bed Felix - which he definitely did, it was an instinctual reaction to the mate bond - there was a difference between bedding him and making him a Luna. Felix's mother was also the fated mate of the former leader of their pack, and she never…
"Let me mark you before I leave then."
"…What?" Felix's eyes widened, and he unconsciously tightened his grip on his knife and fork.
"Mark you. I am leaving some guards in Silverfall to watch over you, but it'd still be better for me to give you a mark before I go. At least a temporary…"
"No way!" Felix jolted up from his seat, slamming his hands on the table. "Don't you fucking dare!"
Kade paused, taken aback by the intense reaction. "I said it can be a temporary mark. As an Omega living on your own, it's dangerous for you to-"
"No! Fucking! Way!" Felix rushed to the door…
But he was swiftly caught before he was able to get out.
"Why do you have to be so difficult?" Kade's normally velvety voice turned into something much more resembling a growl, as his fingers tightened around Felix's arm. His smile was also gone, replaced by a much darker expression.
'Hah!' Felix almost scowled out loud, looking up into those purple-black eyes. He knew the man wasn't the harmless, cheery idiot he was portraying himself to be!
Before he could comment on that and throw some accusations though, Kade's expression eased.
"Look, I understand why you're opposed to the idea, and normally I also wouldn't suggest it at such an early stage," he slowly explained in a much softer and calmer voice, "But it's for your own good. You're my mate, I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
Felix just scoffed in response, averting his gaze. Even though his stupid wolf was pacing around and whining, wanting him to snuggle into Kade's warm, muscular chest. Unlike his naive wolf, Felix couldn't be softened by just a few sweet words!
Marks were extremely important to werewolves. They were considered the most intimate act, far more intimate than sex. Many pairs didn't mark each other until past their wedding…
And even the temporary marks. They were less binding, in theory, but the process was the same, so they were typically only made in special circumstances. And they lasted for at least a few months, some even as long as ten years… At which point it was hard to still call them 'temporary'.
If Felix agreed to be marked by Kade, for whatever reason, it would only make things more difficult for him.
They stood like that, by the door, Kade holding onto Felix's arm, Felix staring defiantly at the floor, counting all the lines and cracks in the wooden floorboards, just to focus his mind on anything other than Kade's scent drifting to his nose. The Alpha smelled like sandalwood, deep, creamy, and woody… Was it his pheromones? It was so relaxing and sensual…
'No! Stop it!' Felix mentally slapped himself, as he found himself slowly leaning closer and closer toward Kade, lured in by the scent and the warmth emanating from the man. He quickly pinched his nose in disgust, and snapped, "Go take a shower! You stink!"
"Pfft!" Felix's insult only made Kade laugh, once again. "Your delighted expression a moment ago suggested otherwise!" he joked.
Earning himself an angry glare.
At least the tension from a moment ago was finally gone.
"Alright, alright," Kade sighed, lessening his grip on Felix's arm. "I won't bring up marking… for now. But let's finish the meal, okay? We need to fatten you up a bit. You'll look much better once you're not so gaunt!"
"That's none of your business!" Felix tore his arm from Kade's hand. "Maybe I want to look gaunt!"
But he still returned to the table, plopped down on his seat, and resumed eating. Kade was annoying, yes, but Felix couldn't afford to say no to a good free meal!