Chapter 22 - Sage

Waking up naked wasn’t exactly new for me. Waking up naked with someone else? Yeah, that was new. Initially, I’d been able to freak out till I smelled Auðr’s scent of black currant wine, patchouli, and soothing vanilla. I’d stayed in bed smiling like a fool, just enjoying being in his arms and realizing that this would be my life no matter our path. I could wake up in hotels around the world, traveling with him and his band, by whatever name they called themselves. Or I could be waking up in our bed in Steelcrest face each day as Alpha and Aleph together.

After a while, I got out of bed, threw on my underwear, and went into the rest of the room. I checked my messages and smiled when I realized Auðr had notified my family that I was staying with him. There wasn’t anything to eat in the kitchen, so I ordered room service. I’ll offer to pay for it when Auðr wakes up. They automatically charged it to the room, and I didn’t want to get in trouble with his label just because I got hungry.

The only person, other than room service, to knock at the door during the day was Léonel, and that was to drop off a bag of clothes and my charger that my mom told him to bring me. I appreciated that Mom thought to send me an overnight bag, though I was most happy she sent the charger. My phone was almost dead by the time Léonel dropped my bag off. Léonel didn’t stick around to try to make small talk.

I appreciated that because if he had, I’d probably tell him about walking into the room last night to find the band with some groupies, including a guy with his hand under Rhapsody’s skirt. I didn’t want to be the person who blows up their relationship or who made a mountain out of a molehill. I didn’t know shit about their relationship. For all I knew, it was an open relationship, and they could fuck around with whoever they wanted. If that was the case, she did nothing wrong, and I’d look like an idiot.

So I spent the day in Auðr’s hotel room, loving the killer view of Mount Hood, the mountain not my quiet werewolf town, watching TV and playing on my phone. Could I have gotten an Uber, asked Léonel for a ride, or called someone from my family to get me? Sure, but then Auðr would wake up to me gone, and I didn’t want that. Plus, hanging around his hotel room meant enjoying the use of the spalike bathroom and, of course, poking my head into the bedroom now and then to look at him sleeping naked on top of the covers.

I’m not weird. You’re weird. Watching my mate sleep naked isn’t strange. He’s fucking gorgeous, and if you had someone half as hot sleeping naked in the other room, you’d look too. Don’t deny it. You’re all pervs. You’re reading this, after all.

“You stayed all day?” Auðr’s sleepy voice was almost as sexy as the voice he used last night when he was telling me what to do.

I dropped my phone and smiled, looking at him. He’d thrown on a pair of black boxers, but that’s all. Damn, he’s fine. Would it sound too eager to ask him to go back to bed for more sex? He probably wants to eat, not fuck. I mean, we could do both. He could feed on me while we fuck.

“I’d ask why you’re looking at me like I’m your dinner, but I think I can figure it out.” Auðr winked as he strolled over and sat on the sofa next to me.

“Does that mean you’re up for my idea? And, of course, I stayed. I didn’t want you to wake up and find me gone. Plus, I didn’t want to go home where I’d be asked a million questions about us, our night together, and what we’ll do about Steelcrest.” I sighed.

“I can’t blame you. Besides, we still needed to devise a plan for dealing with Steelcrest and my band. And just let me get some blood in me, and I’ll be ready for another ground.” Auðr winked, putting his arm across the back of the sofa behind me.

“You could always feed on me.” I offered, biting my bottom lip, nervous at making the offer after he rejected it previously.

“Sage…” Auðr sighed.

“You don’t have to.” I quickly said. “I remember what you said last time.”

“It’s not that. I’m just really hungry and wouldn’t want to risk drinking that much from you.” Auðr assured me, rubbing at my shoulder through my tee.

“So what you’re saying is I’m a snack, not a meal?” I asked.

“Something like that.” Auðr chuckled, turning my face towards his for a kiss. “A very tasty snack.”

I chuckled, wishing it had been more than a quick kiss. I won’t complain because I got to watch Auðr’s boxer-clad ass walk to the fridge that was only stocked with liquor and blood. It should be weird and not a turn-on watching him wink his fangs into a blood bag and suck it like a vampiric caprice sun. It should be, but it’s not. It’s a total turn-on for me. Mostly because it makes me remember how Auðr sucked my cock last night.

“Ahh… better.” Auðr sighed after his second blood bag.

“Now then. Before we deal with the tent pole in your pants.” He nodded to my crotch, where I was very obviously sporting wood.

“We should focus and come up with a plan. I know the idea of business before pleasure is a generally uncommon thing to me, but in this case, it’s necessary.” Auðr sighed as he returned to the sofa.

“But I like the idea of pleasure and just ignoring business.” I pouted. “Fine. What do you want to start with? Your band or the geezers from Steelcrest?”

“In defense of calling them geezers, I’m older than them.” Auðr pointed out.

“Yeah, but they look it.” I scoffed.

“Fine. Let’s start with them since how we handle that will influence how I handle the band.” Auðr said.

“Okay. I… I don’t know what to do with them. Part of me wants to take it. Eclipse is so certain we were made for this and that we can do it with you. The idea of taking over and making changes to a pack that kicked my pregnant grandma out sounds like a fun retribution.” I started.

“And the other part?” Auðr asked.

“Is terrified as fuck. I have no idea how to be a leader. I wouldn’t even know where to start, and these guys want us to start like yesterday or, I guess, at the next blood moon.” I frowned.

“If the timeline was further out. Say December when there’s another blood moon. Would that change anything?” Auðr asked.

“Maybe. But what would I do in the meantime? It’s not like there are college classes on how to be a pack leader, and humans totally have a different idea of what an Alpha is.” I said.

“While I’m sure plenty of political courses focus on leadership. I was thinking more of a crash course shadowing Logan. I mean, if he’d be down for it. If you shadowed Logan and his people for the next six months, would you feel more confident in handling things?” Auðr asked.

“If I learned about leading a pack from Alpha Logan, Beta John, Gamma Charles, and Delta Silvercloud?” I blinked, not having considered that.

“Yeah. I think I would.” I nodded.

“If I’m gonna be an Alpha, I want to be one like Alpha Logan. While I’m doing that, what would you be doing?” I asked.

“For starters I’d finish this tour and work on doing all the publicity needed to retire Immortal Eclipse. And maybe I’d see if I could shadow Dani.” He shrugged.

“Shadow Dani? Why her and not Luna Aurelia?” I blinked since the first part all made sense.

“Because Dani is the only vampire with experience being part of a werewolf pack as a ranked member,” Auðr explained. “Aurelia could teach me on supporting you, I guess, though I’ve got over a century of experience running shit. Dani’s experience living and working among werewolves as a vampire would be more valuable.”

“So if Steelcrest and Alpha Logan agree to these terms, will we do this? You’ll settle down with me on the east coast in Canada?” I asked.

“We’re mates. I’ve accepted that. Canada, Oregon, it doesn’t matter where we are, Sage, as long as we’re there together. And if they don’t like our terms, we walk. The band and I will still take time off to let the dust settle from Immortal Eclipse before forming something new.” Auðr assured me, squeezing my hand.

“Sounds like we have a plan. Business handled. Sooo does that mean pleasure is an option?” I asked, smiling as I climbed onto his lap.

I got my answer in action instead of words. I love it when Auðr talks, but even more when he doesn’t use words. I could deal with business as long as it always ended in the kind of pleasure Auðr gave me. We went from making out and getting handsy on the sofa to the bed, where we went two rounds. I tried being top in the first round. It was fun. I won’t deny that. It felt damn good to fuck him, but I prefer to be fucked by him.