Winter's Dawn (23 page)

“I’m not lying, Maxwell,” his father grumbled.

“Me either,” Aunt Emma sniffed. “You picked up that bad habit at school. I knew schooling with humans was a bad idea.”

“You won’t have to lie.” He rolled his eyes. “You’ve just got to be creative.”

“It’s for a good cause,” Adam offered with a grin. “Why didn’t we have breakfast yesterday for you, Maxwell? We used to sit down for both your birthdays, now it’s just Susie’s. That seems wrong.”

Max snorted. “I’m full-grown. It’s just a day for me. Besides, I had lots to do. I really wanted to get everything behind me before the party tonight.”

“I think it’s wrong to invite help to such an important party,” Emma put in, looking irritated. “If you must invite omega wolves, fine, but the help?”

“Carl isn’t help.” Max rubbed at the back of his neck and took a deep breath to calm his temper. “I invited my whole staff because they are invaluable to me. Carl is not my slave. He’s my assistant.”

“That means help,” Emma said.

“No, it doesn’t,” Max argued as he stabbed a raw piece of venison. “He does a job for the government, a valuable one, just like I do. We are both wolves who work for the government and he is my friend. I would like to have a friend at my birthday party.”

“Fine, Carl I agree with,” Emma said grudgingly. “But, Maggie is human. She should not be invited.”

“I happen to care for Maggie. So does Susie,” Max growled as he took a bite of meat and then took another deep breath. “You know what I want for my birthday? I want to sit down with my family on the day my mate turns seventeen and not argue about anything. Can I have that, please?”

“Fine, Maxwell.” His father gave Emma a warning look. “You deserve that much.”

Max smiled at him. “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

“You shouldn’t work so hard,” his father said quietly. “You’ve stopped sleeping.”

“Not all the time,” Max argued before he turned to see Susie walk into the dining room. “Why good morning, Your Highness.”

Susie looked bright and happy, with her long hair hanging loose down her back. A thick headband pushed it away from her face and showed off her stunning features. She wore a short, light blue dress and carried a white pea coat over her arm.

Susie beamed at him as she walked over to where he was sitting and leaned down. Max let his head fall back against the chair and hummed happily when she placed a chaste kiss against his lips. “You all started without me?”

“You took forever getting ready,” he told Susie as she sat down next to him. “And a hungry alpha wolf is a grouchy alpha wolf.”

“No grouchy alpha wolves for my birthday,” she said before she smiled at everyone else. “Good morning.”

“You look lovely today, Susan.” Aunt Emma smiled warmly. “One would think you’re full-grown. This could be your year.”

Max glared at her, but was saved from saying anything when everyone else at the table greeted Susie and commented on how pretty she looked. It was just his father, Aunt Emma, Adam, Danielle, and Max who had gathered for her birthday breakfast. Other friends and family members would start arriving at the palace through the day and many would stay until the running in a few weeks. It really was the most hectic time of year for them.

Others commented on how grown up she looked and mentioned a hope of her going into heat before the winter ended. The only one who refrained was his father. Max actually felt a pulse of something he was unfamiliar with in regards to his father—gratitude.

“Why the coat?” Max asked lightly as he poured Susie some tea. “Were you going somewhere?”

Susie gasped and turned to him. “We’re going to beach. We do it every year.”

“I can’t drive you to the beach,” he said, wincing at her. “I had other plans.”

“You worked all day yesterday!” Susie snapped. “I didn’t say a word about you working on your birthday, even skipping a birthday breakfast, which is wrong.”

“It is wrong,” Adam agreed, looking to Danielle sitting next to him. “Don’t you think that’s wrong? A king deserves breakfast with his family on his birthday.”

“He most certainly does.” Danielle looked across the table. “Douglas and I were just discussing your bad work habits. You never rest.”

Max scowled. “We’re getting off topic.”

“But, they’re right. You never rest,” Susie said. “He goes for days now without sleeping.”

“That is not healthy, Maxwell.” Aunt Emma gave him a look of concern. “You need sleep.”

Max shook his head and took another bite before he looked to his father. “Can you drive Susie to the beach?”

“Um, no.” His father looked down at his plate, his handsome features pained. “I also have plans.”

“Gods Be, Maxwell,” Susie said as she put some cream on her scone. “If you work through my birthday I will be so upset.”

“I work for you,” he reminded her. “It’s all for my queen.”

Susie ate silently for several minutes before she turned to Adam and Danielle. “Would you two like to go to the beach today? The cooks packed a lovely picnic. Of course, you won’t want the raw meat, because only great beasts like the idiot next to me eats raw two weeks before the full moon.”

Max turned to her and arched an eyebrow. “I think that was an insult.”

“Still quick as ever,” Susie snapped before she turned to Adam and Danielle. “What do you say?”

“It’s freezing out.” Adam looked apologetic. “I get no joy out of going to the beach in December.”

“We would go,” Danielle said softly. “But we also have plans. I promised Emma I’d help get everyone settled before the party. We have so many wolves coming from out of town this year. The palace is going to be chaotic at best.”

“You don’t drive, Aunt Emma, or I’d ask you.” Susie turned to look at Max’s father, casting him a mournful glance. “Please take me to the beach, Uncle Doug.”

“Oh, I would.” He cast a long glare at Max. “You know I want you to be happy on your birthday—”

“But, you can’t.” Susie’s shoulders slumped. “I understand.”

“Cheer up, Susie Bee.” Max draped an arm over her shoulders and leaned in to place a kiss on her cheek. “What can I do to cheer you up on your birthday?”

“Driving me to the beach would be a nice start.” Susie pushed him away. “I can’t believe you made plans.”

“You want your birthday gift?” he asked, tilting his head to look at her. “I think you might like it.”

She shook her head. “No, I wanted to go to the beach.”

“I want to see what he got you,” Adam said and then took a long drink of coffee, smiling over the rim of his cup at Max. “It had better be good if he made other plans besides driving his queen to the beach on her birthday.”

“My seventeenth birthday.” Susie turned to glare at Max again. “The last one I may have before I am full-grown and doing dense things like making plans on my mate’s birthday.”

“Gods’ blessings to that.” Aunt Emma raised her teacup. “Not to the dense part, but the rest is worthy of blessings.”

“It is.” Danielle also raised her cup. “I know seventeen will be your year.”

“Why should seventeen be her year when other werewolves make it past twenty before they have to deal with the full moon?” Max growled in a low voice. “I wish everyone would stop blessing away her puppyhood.”

“What’d you get her, Maxwell?” his father asked as he glared at Emma, before he turned back to Max and arched a dark eyebrow. “I’m sure she’s curious.”

“I’m glad you asked, Father.” Max breathed a sigh of relief. “I actually put a lot of thought into her gift this year, but if she doesn’t want to see it—”

Susie huffed in defeat. “Gods, Max, give me the gift. But, there is nothing I really need.”

“Very true.” Max gave a snort of laughter. “But, maybe there is something you want.”

“Like going to the beach?”

“Come with me.” He pushed back from the table and stood. “I don’t have it here.”

Everyone else stood with him. A part of Max wished they wouldn’t, but he knew they wanted to see Susie’s reaction to her birthday gift.

“What is it?” Susie asked, her voice finally curious as Max pulled out her chair. “Why do I smell something funny on you?”

“It’s my charm. It bleeds off me.”

“That is most certainly not it.” Susie followed him when he walked out of the dining room.

Max turned around to frown at her. “You’re hurting my feelings.”

“You’re fine.”

“You’re mad because I won’t drive you to the beach,” Max said knowingly before he turned to his father. “Are you sure you can’t drive the queen on her birthday?”

His father growled. “Maxwell.”

“Oh, right, you have plans.” Max laughed at the expression of pain his father gave him. “Well, the queen wants to go to the beach and I’m not driving her.”

Susie hit his arm. “You’re a wretched wolf.”

“I hear that a lot.” Max gave Susie a look. “I think I’m developing a complex.”

“Sure, you are.” Susie shook her head as they walked into the front entryway of the palace. “Gods Be, Max, where in the world is this gift?”

“I left it outside.” Max opened the doors himself and then leaned back against the white wood. He tilted his head towards the huge, curved driveway and smirked. “Right there.”

Susie peeked her head out the door and gasped. She covered her mouth with both hands and turned wide eyes on Max. “You didn’t.”

“Oh, I did.” His smile grew broader. “My plan was that you’d be doing the driving today.”

Susie screamed as she looked at the brand new Aston Martin convertible Max had bought her. It was similar to his, though newer and sparkling white to his midnight black, which he thought was rather fitting.

“I got a car!” Susie turned around to everyone else. “He bought me a car!”

“He did.” Aunt Emma shook her head. “Queens should not drive.”

“Hush.” Adam smiled broadly. “Our queen is a modern female. She should know how to drive.”

“Happy birthday, Susan.” Max’s father reached out to hug Susie and place a kiss on her cheek. “Forgive us for deceiving you.”

“You’re forgiven.” Susie held her uncle close and stood on her toes to place a kiss against his cheek. “You did well. I didn’t smell a single lie.”

“Now, who’s wretched?” Max asked, raising his eyebrows expectantly.

“Not you!”

Max laughed when Susie jumped on him and wrapped her arms around his neck. She threaded her fingers in his hair and tugged his head back as she kissed him.

“You bought me a car,” she whispered against his lips. “A really beautiful car.”

“I love you.” He smiled when she kissed him again. “And you are really hard to shop for.”

Susie laughed. “We’re going to the beach.”

“Yes, we are.” He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tight enough to make her suck in a breathless gasp. “Shame on you for thinking I would work on your birthday.”

“I’m the wretched wolf.” Susie kissed his forehead.

“You could never be wretched.” He tilted his head back and admired the excitement in her face. Her cheeks glowed a rosy pink. Her lips were flushed red from kissing him. “You’re beautiful and I love you so much.”

“Love you too,” Susie whispered before she kissed him again. Her lips lingered longer than they usually did. Her voice was breathy when she sighed, “So very much.”

“For someone who doesn’t want the queen to go into heat,” Adam started, his voice amused. “You sure seem to be pushing the issue.”

“Okay, clear off.” Max waved everyone away because he realized they had been watching with bated breath. “Give us a moment and then we’ll join you for a real breakfast.”

Max didn’t set Susie down as everyone left to go finish breakfast. He held her to him, enjoying the feel of her pressed against him more than he should.

When they were out of earshot, he whispered, “Kiss me again.”

Susie grinned. “You want me to play dominant wolf?”

“Yeah.” He wrinkled his nose and smiled at the guilty pleasure. “Just a little.”

“For your birthday,” she whispered, lowering her lips to his.

“Whatever works,” he said as he bit lightly at her lower lip. “Gods, I love you.”

Susie kissed him again, more intimately than she had before, parting her lips to his in an invitation that he surprised himself by taking. He groaned as he fell back against the front door, holding Susie to him despite the fact she had aroused him. She tasted like Earl Grey tea and desire washed over him as she moaned against his lips when he slipped his tongue into her mouth. He could probably get drunk on Earl Grey from that point forward far more effectively than whiskey.

He threaded his fingers into her hair and tugged lightly, pulling her away from him as he took a deep breath. “Whew, I know I have to be flashing and the full moon is weeks away.”

“That was sort of nice, Max,” she said in a dreamy voice and then lowered her lips to his. “I don’t think I need to be in heat to enjoy it.”

Max groaned and kissed her again, choking back a moan when Susie bit at his lower lip and then slipped her tongue into his mouth when he gasped in surprise. No other female had done that to him. He was always the instigator in everything and he was surprised at how much he enjoyed letting Susie kiss him like that, with her tongue pushing deeper into his mouth, owning him.