Wasted

**BLANCA**
Max's hands delve deeper into my long white tresses until the tips of his thumbs graze the back of my neck. A shiver of pleasure rides over me, causing my back to arch up off the wall and Max's eyes to fall toward my bosom. My skin warms with a blush as his grip on my hair tightens and his head dips even lower.
A jangling racket pierces the air around us and Max clamps his eyes shut, breaking the spell as he releases my hair to step back. Pulling his phone out of his back pocket, he turns away from me to answer it.
"What?" he snaps, giving me his back while he adjusts his pants. "No it's not!" he blares in surprise, pulling back to check something along the wall. When he finds what he's looking for, he shakes his head in my direction then says, "Fuck it then. Let them break for dinner but order them back to the field immediately afterward. We will train until midnight tonight. And Jared," Max says into the phone. "I want Frank and Talbot to join us this evening. Make sure they know that it's not an invitation, it's a requirement." Then he pockets his phone and fixes his eyes on the wall behind my head. Not directly on me, but around me. "It is my duty as Alpha to protect the innocent members of this pack. In this case, the female members," he starts in an emotionless voice, the desperation of moments ago completely forgotten during his phone call. "In order for me to do that I will need to know more about what they did to you in that prison."
My body seizes as I realize he's going to make me talk about it again. Already I know he's going to dissect every little thing I say until I feel like the mud at the bottom of his shoes. I *don't* want to talk about it and I shouldn't be forced to. "Why? You already *know* what they did. If you make me talk about it anymore I'm going to-"
"Enough arguing!" he snaps, throwing enough Alpha power behind his voice to make me weak in the knees. "I am your Alpha and you will do what I say."
"Yes Alpha," I reply meekly.
Once again I'm shocked by the strength of his Alpha energy. As far as I know, there are only a few Alphas in the *world* that have enough dominant genes to push out that kind of influence. It's compelling and I hate it. No one should have the ability to affect you that way. Free will should be for everyone, no matter who they are. Otherwise what is the point of living your own life?
He steps toward me, but not nearly as close as before. "Believe it or not, I've already wasted an entire day here dealing with you. It's already time for dinner."
My heart pinches at that and every little pleasurable thing that just transpired between us gets swept away. Just like dirt under a rug. *His waste is my treasure.* Well, it *was*. Right up until he said that.
"I understand that you'd rather forget what happened and move past it, but I need to know what kind of danger Frank and Talbot represent," he coaxes.**
"You know that already too," I point out quietly. "And if what I've said already isn't enough for you to decide what kind of-"
"I *will* ask you more about it and you *will* tell me. *In grave detail*. Got it?" he lectures plainly.
My chest aches at the bite in his tone. The pain rising like fire in my throat. He's being deliberately cold to me and now I'm almost grateful we were interrupted. A kiss from him surely would have made things much worse for me. Because it would have meant something to *me*, but not to him.
"The welfare of the pack has to come before your personal traumas," he informs me.
*Of course. Everything is about his pack. Nothing is about me.* "Yes Alpha," I reply weakly.
"I've decided to give you the rest of the day to adjust. You won't have to begin your duties until tomorrow."
*What? Really?*
My head jerks up with excitement as I think of all the books on his shelves. Maybe I could read for a while. Or even watch some television! It's been sooo long since I've had the opportunity to do something as simple as read or watch cartoons. "Really?"
He nods and I run toward the long bookshelf, scanning the titles for *anything* that might suit me. A romance perhaps! Or even a comedy would do, it's been *so* long.
His voice sounds at my back and all of my initial joy dissipates. "I didn't mean in *here*," he chuckles. "You have your own room. I don't need you crowding up mine."
*My own room. Of course.*
*Do not let him see how much that hurt you, Blanca. The less you care the better.*
"Oh!" I say with enough false brightness to make me cringe at myself. "I-I'm sorry. I forgot." Turning away from the books I walk back in his direction, careful to keep my eyes cast downward. *I shouldn't be disappointed. It's nobody's fault but my own.*
I can feel him staring at me and that knowledge makes every uncomfortable minute that passes, that much worse.
"I ordered them to replace your bed with a new one. With any luck, it has already been set up. We can head down there and I can have your dinner sent to your room. Then for the remainder of the evening you are free to explore the grounds and the house. Just don't stroll into town because I don't know how safe that would be for you."
Smiling weakly, I raise my eyes to study him. He's frowning again, but not at me. His attention appears to be on the bookshelf. *He's crazy if he thinks this place is any safer for me than the town is.* "Didn't you see the way everyone was looking at me when we first walked in?"
"I did," he says coolly, finally meeting my gaze. "But it's a capital offense for anyone to attack you in the packhouse. It was made that way for a reason and is one of our oldest and most abided laws. It is punishable by public execution. Not to mention there are cameras set up in every common space of the house, including the hallways and stairs. The people that live here *know* how easily they would be caught *and* punished."
"Great," I choke out, not feeling *great* about it at all. "So long as you promise to write that on my tombstone when I'm accidentally shoved to my death."
"On second thought," he says suddenly, his voice thoughtful. "I think you *should* stay here for a little while. I'm going to head down to dinner and have food sent up to you. That way I know where you are when I finish at the training field and I won't have to hunt you down when it's time for our little chat. When I get back tonight, I'll check in on your room to make sure your bed is ready. If it's not, you'll just stay on the couch tonight. Either way I'd have to be here in the morning to arrange your meeting with Corlys so it makes sense to do it this way."
*Don't get excited. Not yet. You still have to avoid getting poisoned.*
"Yes Alpha," I agree, hiding my smile.
"Good," Max replies, heading toward the front door. He glances at me over his shoulder and adds, "Meanwhile, you can read something or watch t.v. I'll see you after midnight."
Then the door closes and I'm left alone, grinning like a fool. "Thank you, Max."
It isn't until after I've eaten that I allow myself to wonder why he wanted Frank and Talbot to join him tonight.
*Join him... join him for what?*