I Slept With Max

**MAX**
"Do not dare brand that girl until the Alpha has told you to do so!" Cyrus shouts, standing more swiftly than he has in years.
Knowing that I shouldn't look, I speak over my shoulder, "Hold on for a moment, Jack. I'll let you know when you can continue." Then I take a few steps toward Cyrus and take a deep breath. "What exactly is the issue, Cyrus? The branding was the Elders' idea! I'm not the one who told the entire pack that she would be given the brand. You were!"
"Douglas was!" Cyrus spouts. "It was *never* taken to vote. One man does not speak for twelve."
"But he did though," I point out. "And not even one of you challenged him. So now I am forced to follow through with it."
"You are the bloody Alpha! Max, what you say is law! Not what *we* say. What *you* say. Do you remember nothing of your Alpha training? Are you *really* going to play into Douglas' hands *so* easily?"
"Cyrus," I moan, "please. Just spit it out. I have a very long day ahead of me."
Cyrus' chest puffs up in anger and he snarls, "Sometimes I wish you were ten years old again so that I might take to your hide with a rod. Species and Evolution, a class that I know you *took*. Shiftless are *highly* allergic to silver."
"Yes I remember, old man. But need I remind you, Shifters are *also* susceptible to silver."
"Susceptible," Cyrus chuckles. "Oh I'll bet you think you're so smart. What happens when you touch silver, Max?"
Just to get this over with, I roll my eyes and decide to play his game. "It burns."
"Correct," Cyrus says. "Afterward, you might have a little scar, if you hold on too long it might be a bit worse. Or it may blister and peel later. But you heal, correct? The effects of it are gone when the element is no longer present."
"Yes," I confirm.
"Yet, when a Shiftless touches silver, their body reacts to it. Not only will they feel the burn, but traces of the element have been known to linger and seep into the bloodstream. It attaches to them, festering in one way or another, causing them grave illness as their body rots from the inside out. Now *that*"-he points behind me at Jack-"is a damned red hot, silver death sentence for that girl and Douglas damn well knew it! You should have too!"
I blink at him, my mind raging with fury for being duped by an angry old shifter in a robe. It was obvious that my decision to make Blanca my slave had angered more than a few of the council, but Douglas shouting out that she should be branded tells me that not only does he think I'm stupid, but he doesn't respect my authority.
*All the bars inside of the prison are coated with silver. Holy shit. She spent almost half of her life in a veritable death trap.*
Suddenly the need to get Blanca as far away from that branding silver as I can, is a rolling, driving force that has me feeling as if I'm dangling on the edge of a cliff.
"I will deal with him," I say quickly and Cyrus nods. "Today," I promise and I know my eyes are probably glowing with anger.
Spinning around as swiftly as I'm able, I spring forward, my eyes going straight for the fire pit and *needing* to know the brand is still on the coals. When I see it, I relax a bit and slow my steps. Knowing that the sight of Blanca's panty clad derriere is *not* a temptation that I can afford, I keep my head down until I'm practically on top of Jack. But when I reach him, what I see boils my blood.
He is behind her, with his body draped over her ass while he whispers in her ear. Blanca sees me before he does, and the look in her eyes is one of panic and dread. *That does it.* I lash out with my arm and snatch Jack by the back of his neck. Ripping him away from her, I twist him toward the pit, placing Blanca at my back. Jack's eyes are wide with fright as I shove him against the coals and he screams.
"Straighten your dress and meet me outside," I tell her without taking my eyes off of Jack.
"B-but, am I-"
"Just do as I tell you, Blanca. Go. Now."
I hear her scurrying away, but I don't wait any longer than a couple of seconds before I press Jack farther into the firepit and his screams double in volume. "P-please Alpha! I-"
"Shut. Up." My hand is on his throat now and I squeeze ruthlessly, stopping his wailing. I lean over him, forcing him to bend even deeper into the pit and as his back begins to smoke, I rage, "If I find out that you were fondling *my* slave while my back was turned I will call you back here and *you* will brand *yourself*. Is that understood?"
He tries to nod, but I ignore it and push him just a touch further. I'm still fired up from seeing him *angled* over the back of her. As if at any minute he was going to fuck her. His grease stained overalls and long dirty black beard touching the creamy flesh of my... my...
*She's your brother's killer.*
*Fuck.*
Maybe I *should* reject her. I probably need to.
I close my eyes and release Jack, backing away slowly. I need to get out of here. *Now.*

**BLANCA**
As we roll away from my latest near death experience, I find myself in a much better mood than before. This time Max is driving with Jared upfront next to him. The Elder that stood up for me at the Branding House is sitting next to me in the back, apparently he'd dismissed his driver when it became obvious we were going to be late. I can't help but cast a few interested glances at the man, after all, he just saved my life. I was under the impression that every Elder hated me, but this one doesn't appear to. Actually, I thought the entire pack hated me, but that was wrong too. Jared doesn't. He's been the nicest of any of them.
"I am Elder Cyrus my dear. You may call me Cyrus."
*Elder Cyrus!? Reanna mentioned him before. She said of all the elders he was the wisest and kindest.*
A wide grin spreads across my face. "Elder Cyrus! My sister spoke very highly of you."
His chest puffs up, and I could swear a blush heats his cheeks. "That's lovely. I remember her well."
"You do?" Max and I both ask at the same time.
"Of course I do. I'm old, not daft. I am so sorry for what you went through last night, child," the Elder says, leaning closer to me and inspecting my face where I should have had bumps and bruises from the stones. Although his beady brown eyes are sympathetic, they are also a bit suspicious. "How odd. As Shiftless your healing capabilities are little better than a human's. How is it that you healed so quickly after such a brutal attack?"
I shake my head and sigh. "I'm not really sure. All I know is that they were there last night and then gone in the morning."
"Uh-huh. And last night, where did you sleep?" he asks, his eyes narrowing.
"You know I took her to my house to keep her safe from the mob," Max interrupts from the front seat.
The Elder Cyrus' sharp eyes snap in Max's direction. "Excuse me, Maxwell, I know what you told me, but perhaps I'd like to hear *her* version of events. Mind your place boy."
Max snickers, "My place. And what place is that, Cyrus? The one you reminded me of a few minutes ago? Or the one you'd like to see me in?"
Cyrus curses under his breath and turns back to me. "Now. You were about to tell me where you slept last night."
"I-uh-I," I wasn't sure if Max wanted me to tell anyone I had been in his bed, but then again, he *is* the one who put me there. Then, I glance up at the rearview mirror trying to catch his eye, but he doesn't look up.
"It's okay, child," Cyrus whispers. "I won't judge.”
Max snorts from the front seat and says, "Maybe you ought to."
I scowl at the back of Max's head, wondering what exactly he's thinking I should be *judged* for. Killing his brother? Or, is he referring to last night when he accused me of having a lover? Turning to Cyrus, I say, "I slept with Max." Then I cringe, realizing how casual I just sounded. "I-I mean, I-I slept with the Alpha. In his bed I mean. Alpha Max's bed. W-with him next to me. But that's all, we didn't do anything." *Wow. Goddess, kill me now. Or at the very least, take my tongue out.* I keep my eyes trained on Cyrus, because I just know Max is glaring at me.
"I see," says Cyrus quietly. His eyes narrow at the back of Max's head and his lips curl upward as if he's deep in thought. "I'll bet you were shocked when the Alpha chose to spare your life, last night. Weren't you?"
I nod, twisting my fingers together in my lap as is my habit. "Oh yes. I'd been looking forward to that moment for forever and-"
"I'm sorry! Did you say, looking forward to that moment? As in, you *wanted* to be executed?" Cyrus howls incredulously.
Jared glances over his shoulder at me, his eyes filled with concern, but the attention makes me uncomfortable, so I pretend not to see him.
I sigh, "It's not that I *wanted* to be executed. It's just... there wasn't anything good for me in this life so I hoped that maybe there would be in the next one."