Chapter 5

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Evelyn released Maxwell and stepped back in shock at the action driven by her wolf. Her wolf in turn was smug and extremely happy. Her wolf had not trusted Evelyn to do the right thing and took matters in to her own hands and completed the mate bond. Now that it was done, she settled back leaving Evelyn to pick up the pieces.

Evelyn stepped back from him in shock.

He was looking at her with a wary expression barely registering the blood that had trickled down and spread upon the white shirt he was wearing.

She looked at him, her eyes big and wide, her lips parted and bloody from the bite she inflicted on him, Still reeling from her actions "I....She..." She started. But he quickly put a finger on her lips and stopped her.

He came a little closer to her and put one hand on her arm and rubbed gently in a comforting gesture.

"Shhh..." he said silencing her.

"What's done is done" he said in a calm tone "It cannot be undone, so let's not go there as there is no point" he paused and added with a small smile "And I did not mind it...not one bit."

She narrowed her eyes, she knew he had egged her wolf by bending his neck in invitation after reading her thoughts, he could have stopped her if he wanted to and he simply chose not to and instead encouraged it.

But he was also right, what was done was done.

"Don't you think for a moment that I don't know what you did here" she said referring to him encouraging her wolf to take the bite.

His smile expanded and raised his hands in surrender "She wanted, I obliged."

"By the way, good to see you Evelyn" He added still smiling.

She sighed, giving up "I never thought I would say this but good to see you too" she said grudgingly and she was glad to see him. She looked at him, he looked so impeccably dressed in a white shirt and a blue trousers. Her mate looked good she agreed to herself, more than good. Then she suddenly realized he was checking her out too.

His eyes traveled over her drinking in her sight but suddenly they turned serious and narrowed "I am glad to know that, but what happened to you?" he asked referring to her disheveled state.

"Training" She deadpanned and blushed, how horrible she must look to him. This was not how she had planned to present herself to her mate after all this time.

"Who did this to you?!" he demanded.

"Jeff" She responded "Will you avenge what he did to your mate? See, the state he reduced me to?!" she said dramatically.

As if someone switched off a button all the tension in his body left him "Don't you think he is a little too overzealous?" he asked, while he understood the need from training a newly turned wolf, her state indicated a rigorous exercise meant for a warrior.

"You don't know the half of it" She signed out in frustration.

"Why don't you fill me up on the rest during dinner?" he asked.

"Dinner?" she parroted confused.

"Yes, dinner you know the activity of consuming food post sundown."

"I know what dinner is!" She said exasperated "What I want to know is how are you involved in this activity of mine?"

"Simple, I want to have dinner with you, tonight" He responded.

"You mean, like a date?" she asked.

He looked at her intently "Yes, a date, not like one, but one."

She gulped nervously, it was going too fast for her taste.

"I hardly know anything about my mate except she has a fine pair of canines" he said rubbing his neck where the puncher marks of her bite rested.

"Don't you think it's time I changed that?" he asked rhetorically.

"Today?" she asked "I mean you just came in today, you must be tired and all..." She wasn't ready she needed more time to gather her thoughts and all, but she was cut off.

"I will survive....shall I pick you up around eight?" He said looking at his watch "that will give you some time." He was not taking no for an answer.

She sighed resigned, he did have a point, they hardly knew anything about each other and wasn't that one of the reasons she wanted him back, to get to know him better?

"All right, eight sounds fine." She agreed.

"Cool, eight it is then" he confirmed.

"Sure" She said.

"OK" he said.

"OK" she confirmed back.

There was an awkward silence both not knowing what to say and Maxwell finally broke the silence.

"See you at eight then, will pick you up from your home" He added.

"OK" she agreed.

He turned to leave but paused and turned back and came closer.

"And one more thing Evy" he whispered leaning in.

"What?" she whispered back confused.

He closed the distance in a flash and planted his lips on her and quickly gave her a deep kiss and before she could even react he ended it and leaned out "I wanted to do that for a long time, see you at eight Evy!" and with that he turned and walked back in to the pack house.

She stood their rooted shocked and gaping at his retreating figure, still reeling from the kiss and the havoc it wreaked on her.

She finally looked around and realized that they had attracted quite an audience most of them grinning like fools.

That son of a...!

Well, this would sure spice up the gossip mill, she touched her lips gently still tingling from his contact. He sure knew how to kiss. But she would set some ground rules, they would get to know each other but she was not sure they were on the same page of what "Getting to know each other" meant.

She shook her head and started walking back to her house. She needed to collect her thoughts, she had a feeling she needed to keep her wits together for the date tonight.

While her wolf was prancing like a pony in her head.

***

"Welcome back" Nick invited Maxwell in to his office.

"Glad to be back" Maxwell said. He had cleaned up his neck and one of his guards had given him a coat he could wear that would cover the bloody collar of his shirt.

"You know my beta, Jeff" Nick introduced Jeff to him.

"Jeff" Maxwell nodded in acknowledgement.

"Maxwell" Jeff nodded back.

Maxwell sat down making himself comfortable.

"So alpha, I see you have started to rebuild the pack" Maxwell said referring to some of the construction activity he saw when he entered the pack grounds.

"Yes, thanks to you for the loan that was extended to us" Nick acknowledged.

"You are one of our own now alpha Nick and we take care of our own" Maxwell declared.

Nick simply nodded in acknowledgement and asked "How is Roma?"

"She is doing well, thanks for asking. She sends her regards of course" Maxwell added and proposed "Why don't I settle down in that hotel of yours and we can sit down and talk in detail tomorrow."

"Sure" Nick agreed "Sounds good."

Maxwell got up and asked "By the way, do you know a good restaurant in town?"

"Looking for anything particular?" Nick asked curious.

"Yes, for a first date" Maxwell said.

"Oh!" Nick exclaimed "I know a place, why don't you let me take care of the details, when do you need the reservation?"

"Around 8:30" Maxwell said.

"Sure, why don't you go to the hotel and freshen up and leave the rest to me."

"Ok" Max said getting up "Thanks, Nick appreciate it." Maxwell thanked.

"You are welcome" Nick said and as Maxwell turned to leave "Oh! And Maxwell" Nick said making him turn around "congratulations!"

"On?" Maxwell asked.

"On the mate bond." Nick declared.

Unconsciously Maxwell's eyes darted to Jeff who was sitting transfixed.

"Thanks!" Maxwell said and beat a hasty retreat, closing the door behind him. Leaving Jeff and Nick alone.

Jeff was frozen, he had not uttered a word since Maxwell came in.

Nick looked at his unnerved beta and grinned "Well, I must admit Jeff, I like your son-in-law"

"Fuck!" his beta muttered "What did you mean by congratulating him on his mate bond?"

"Did you not smell it?" Nick asked "I could smell Evelyn's scent all over him, which means she finished what he started. Congratulations on your brand new son-in-law Jeff" Nick was now having fun at Jeff's expense. The look on Jeff's face alone was worth it.

"Fuck!" Jeff muttered "you mean she completed the bond?"

Nick grinned "Yep"

"Fuck!" Jeff said again "I swear to you prince or not, if I find him anywhere near her room, I am going to..."

The rest was drowned by Nick's loud guffaws.

***

Where the hours went she had no idea, most of it went to the long hot bath that she took and now she had a crises at hand.

She had nothing to wear, she did not want to make it obvious that she took time to dress up for him, but at the same time she did want to make an impression. So finally she decided to go with a casual look. She took her favorite blue denim and a red top, a combo that she loved but had not worn since her wolf came out afraid she would destroy them. She had managed to save a few of her clothes by simply stopping to wear them since she turned, but now was a good time to get them off the shelf she decided.

Luckily for her, Jeff was not home, her mom was busy and she had informed her mother that she was going out but didn't tell who with. She didn't want to do an awkward introduction now, things were awkward as they were.

Just as she was putting the finishing touches of her make up the doorbell rang "It's for me" She yelled and rushed down before her mother could get anywhere near the door. She stood in front of her door and took a deep breath "Bye Mom" she hollered back in to the house.

"Bye Dear" her mom said from somewhere within the house.

She paused for a moment, smoothened her dress and hair and nervously opened the door.

There he stood, in a suit. A fucking suit! Making her feel under dressed.

"Hey" he smiled "These are for you." He had a dozen red roses.

She smiled, they were beautiful and she took them in to her hand "Thanks, they are beautiful"

He looked at her up and down "Not as beautiful as you" Cheesy bastard! She thought but melted nevertheless.

"And on how many girls did you use this line on? Does it even work?" She asked.

"I don't know, you tell me. Because this is the first time I used it" Awwwww! She thought but simply gave him a smile.

"Shall we?" she asked, she wanted to get out of here before she encountered Jeff or her mom.

"Sure" he said stepping aside to let her pass through her door which she quickly did and closed it behind her.

They walked down from the porch and to a waiting SUV, he opened the back door for her and once she was seated he quickly got round and entered the SUV form the other side. One of his guards was in the driver seat and as they were seated he put the car in to motion.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"Nick suggested a restaurant" He responded

She rose an eyebrow at that "My alpha suggested a place to you?" she asked skeptical.

"Yep. Me being new and all" he shrugged "He didn't want me to get lost or something I guess, makes a bad impression on my date and all" He grinned.

She rolled her eyes at him.

"Do you know I am extremely partial to red" he said after a heartbeat, looking her over, his eyes dark and he leaned over a little.

She blushed at his intense gaze "is it, since when?" she responded and squirmed in her seat.

"Since a while but reinforced today, you look good in red" his gaze still on her.

"Thanks" she stuttered, uncomfortable in his intense gaze.

He realized she was feeling uncomfortable "So, how is school?" and just like that he moved in to neutral topics.

"It's good" she started... and the rest of their journey was filled with small talk.

***

They were seated in the restaurant having a Greek salad they had ordered, they had run out of small talk and now were in the awkward silence zone.

"By the way Jeff knows" Maxwell said breaking the silence.

"Knows what?" Evelyn asked confused.

Max turned his head exposing his neck which sported an angry red bite mark.

She winced at that mark.

"I am sorry" She offered.

"Don't be" he assured her "I am not and let's call it even" he smiled at her. "Ok?"

"Ok" she agreed.

"I am sorry too, for claiming you against your will" He started "But I think it's time we move forward and stop apologizing to each other."

"I agree" She said, there was no use rehashing the past, she wanted to move forward too.

"So, let's start fresh" he proposed.

"Fresh it is" She agreed and on impulse she transferred the fork she was holding in to her left hand and she put her right hand out for him "Hi, I am Evelyn. Evelyn Parker."

He stared at her hand for a minute, understanding what she was doing. Smiling, he shook her hand and responded.

"Hi I am Maxwell. Maxwell Roma"

The fork she dropped clanged noisily on the floor.