When they touch me (Shelagh Milano)

Chapter 72 ARTEMISIA

My plans of accepting the job offer of Mr. Davies get disrupted as I help organise the ball along with Cayden as well as the excursion with the pups.

I hum as Logan's confession keeps me in a good mood, and I actually look forward to going to the ball with Fynn, even if it means that it will be the last night that I will spend with him as my mate.

I only hope that he will make it worth it.

Matthew and Fynn have returned to ignoring me as much as they can, even if I get Matthew to kiss me once in a while when I get him in the pack house alone.

Cayden has returned to being grumpy, and it triggers me as he keeps acting like a five-year-old whose lollipop got stolen.

My heart makes a backflip as I think that the excursion with the pups will be in only two days, and as we will be away only for three days when we will be coming back, there will be less than a week until the big ball.

I have already thought through a lot of scenarios.

From improbable love confessions to me begging him not to leave me.

Which, honestly, I hope will be improbable as well.

I plan to take my rejection with my head held high and concentrate on Logan's promise to want to fight for me.

Standing in front of Cayden's desk silently, I watch him going through the documents that I elaborated with Astrid and Celeste.

"It's the usual route, the usual pension with a little farmyard for the kids to play," I say happily, trying to counter his grumbly demeanour. "On the way, we will have the stops that I have already discussed with the warrior who will be in charge. And I think that Matthew will accompany us, together with five more warriors, to secure our well-being."

He sighs, passing a hand on his face before checking the documents again. "Looks good for me."

"Okay," I say, taking my folder with a small jump. "I'll be going then. Will I see you at dinner?"

"Sure," I'm about to leave as he calls me, making me turn around. "Did you talk with the adorners about the hall?"

Walking back to him, I open my file, to pull out a plan. "Yes, I did. We went through everything just as we have discussed it."

He takes the plan, studying it intently before he hands it back to me. "Great. Thanks."

"Are you sure that you are alright?" I ask, putting my plan back into my folder. "You have been so grumpy for so long. Maybe I can get a smile because I did well?"

Finally looking up at me with a frown, he even gets me to lose my smile. "I'll smile when there will be something to smile about."

"Okay," I whisper, and clear my throat.

"Am I not working well enough? Or is it just that you can't stand me for too long?" I ask, making him groan.

"Didn't we have that conversation already?"

I nod, repeatedly. "Yeah, we kind of had. But it's just uncomfortable to me if all you do is bark at me or look at me disparagingly."

He lifts a brow at me, and I lift my index finger at him. "No, listen. I'm okay with you not liking me. But I just want to do my job right and all I ask for is a bit of feedback if behind all this behaviour is a bit of content for my work, or if I'm just being a burden." "You mean as Beta Female?" he growls, making it feel like an insult.

"Yes, it's my title, isn't it?" I take a little step backward, hugging my folders against my chest.

T

He shakes his head, my heart sinking into my stomach. "Not yet, as far as I am concerned."

Oh, so it's a family thing.

"What is that supposed to mean, Cayden?" I ask, dumbfounded.

He scoffs, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Sorry. That came out wrong."

"Well, how was it supposed to come out then?" My voice reaches a higher-pitched tone as I can't believe what this family is putting me through. "You can't mean that I'm not marked yet because everyone is worried about keeping your little brother entertained, and I have to work my way around quietly because nobody wants to fucking talk to me." "Missy," he says standing up, but I take another step back, gesturing to him to stay where he is.

"No! I'm playing your silly little game, but I can use my title as the Beta himself allowed me to. If you don't like it, bad for you!"

"Missy..." he tries again, but I interrupt him again.

"It's hard to be part of a new pack if

your mates don't accept you as they should. If you are all against me being here, why don't you let me go home?! I could wait for my mating ceremony, if I'll ever have one, surrounded by people I love, and preferably not in pain because one of my mates has something he wants to hide from me as long as he wants to because no one can tell him anything. Not even the fucking Alpha! What is going on, Cayden?"

"He will tell you soon," he tries to calm me, but I laugh.

"Yeah!" I push out. "In two fucking weeks. How many 'episodes' will I have until then where I will have to rely on someone to help me out who treats me poorly regularly? Or how many times do I have to play those little games? It's not fun to be ignored and treated as if everyone still has to decide if they will keep me or not! I'm not a fucking pet! Also, have you ever stopped one single second to think about how difficult it is to lie to my family and my friends who are asking me constantly when my mating ceremony will take place?"

"It's complicated..." he starts, clenching his jaw as I cut his sentence again.

"How is it complicated, Cayden? Just tell me to step out of your way and I'll do so. I can have Lisa bring you all the notes. This way you won't have to deal with me."

"Will you shut up!" he growls, his Alpha command wafting over me, making me sit down into the chair luckily standing right behind me.

don't want Lisa to bring me your

notes. And I don't want you to step out of my way. I hate to see you every day because it is like torture for me. And still, I wouldn't be able to

go one day without seeing your

face."

I open my mouth before closing it again, and he takes a deep breath, "So, I try to keep you at a distance to prevent myself from doing anything stupid! That's why I'm fucking grumpy!"

"What do you mean? Doing something stupid like what?" I ask lowly, my eyes tearing up.

"Like kissing you, when you are nibbling on the nail of your thumb pensively, or pulling you close when you lean into me to show me something and your scent practically screams for me. Or fucking asking you to lead this pack with me!"

I claw on the armrests of my chair as I struggle to breathe. "W- What?"

He straightens back up, unclenching and clenching his jaw as he glares down at me.

"I want you to be my Luna, Missy!"