Page 17 of Matched in Mayhem

“I’m not against it. I didn’t refrain from going to the temples for moral reasons. I guess we just figured we had enough of our own people who needed help plus we always get newcomers for short term stays.”

“That makes sense,” I nodded. “I’m not what Slyvin is. I’m not an official – priest, warrior, or whatever you call them out there. I would say I am a member of the temple but not a worker. I like my alone time too much for that. By the way, you’re not excluded from my alone time.”

“Good to know,” Alby laughed.

“What? You like to nap! We’re a perfect match,” I said, leaning back in my chair.

We talked for a few more minutes before sticking the remaining cheesecake bites back in the fridge and moving to the living room.

“I’m going to get something to drink, and I’ll be out in a minute,” Alby said and I went ahead without him.

Chapter 8

Alby

The Hemlock Wolf Pack, Star’s Territory

I hadn’t asked Bennie his preference for alcohol which meant the liquor cabinets I spotted in weird places probably belonged to Raziel. I wasn’t sure what sort of drink I was in the mood for, but I tried the handle on the one next to the pantry door and it opened up to show that Raziel might not have been much of a drinker either. It had a single bottle of dragon whiskey (mostly full) and piled around it was more snacks. Expensive chips, cookies, and candies. I wasn’t in the mood to get dragon whiskey drunk so I turned my attention back to the fridge and grabbed a few bottled ice teas for us.

Then I stripped off my shirt. I almost took off my pants too but thought better of it until after I locked the back door.

“We can’t trust that Daisy won’t manage to get back over here,” my wolf laughed inside his inner sanctum.

With the door locked I took off my pants and folded up my clothes. I didn’t want Bennie to think I was messy. Then I walked into the living room with the ice teas wearing only my underwear. I had got myself off in the shower in a vain attempt to not appear wanton. Plus, I was trying to stay as clear headed as I could even if a big part of me wanted to give in to the insistent pull behind my navel toward Bennie. It was as if I was at odds with everything because I wanted him inside me, but I also wanted inside his heart and soul. Sure, the claiming vows would take care of some of that, but I always thought it was sad that courting phases didn’t last longer with true-mates. I’d say I was old fashion, but we all knew back in the day claiming vows happened pretty quick after true-mates met.

“Thanks,” Bennie said as I handed him a bottle of iced tea and plopped down on the other end of the sofa. I put my feet in his lap and without my asking he started to massage one. I had only wanted to be in contact with him without crawling half naked into his lap, but who was I to pass up a massage?

“Mmm.. That feels good. I’ve always been one of those people who wondered how others go to massage parlors. I don’t know if my wolf would let a stranger touch me all over.”

“I go a couple times a week if I’m hitting the gym a lot,” he said. “Helps me stay on my plan.”

“You’re not one of those ‘I don’t eat because I’m working on my body’ people are you?”

“Uh, you need calories to maintain and grow muscles,” he laughed. “I’m more of the sort who does the gym hard for a few months and eats everything in sight while I’m doing it. I only do that once a year usually. Sort of cycling in and out of it and only when I’m not working on bigger projects but before you ask, no, I won’t ever expect you to get up and workout with me. Not everyone finds joy in being covered in sweat while every muscle screams for mercy before the sun’s properly up. I do. I need the stimulation sometimes and if I’m going to keep up with the life I’ve chosen, I need to stay fit. I also don’t expect you to feed me whether I’m in a training cycle or not.”

“Good to know, but I didn’t take you for a cave-alpha,” I shrugged. “Though, you can bring me a deer anytime.”

“I’ll remember that,” he winked at me and I spent a few seconds trying to figure out the dirty meaning behind it. I don’t think there actually was one, but my mind was desperate to be in dirty places with Bennie.

“I don’t mind cooking or stuff sometimes either. I’m a decent hunter too. Used to working in a group, of course,” I said. “Actually, I don’t know what I’ll do out here. Back home everything is sort of just there to do.”

“Do whatever you want,” Bennie shrugged. “Seriously, don’t worry about the money part of life if you don’t want to.”

“I think Raziel has me set up for a while unless I start buying houses or planes or something,” I laughed.

“With a carrier like Zeke and a grandcarrier like Rune Night Star, he definitely understands the omega drive for independence and autonomy,” Bennie said.

“So he didn’t want me to have to rely on you?” I arched a brow.

“He didn’t want you to feel like you had to,” Bennie countered. “Raziel has this whole big theory about why people do bad things. He says it all comes from lack of access or choices. If you give someone the room, time, and means to make choices for themselves, you get less people doing bad things. You’re less vulnerable to people getting you to do their dirty work or forcing your hand. If people have what they need, they’re less likely to take from others. Not that he thinks you’re bad. He just thinks everyone should have equity in choices.”

“You gotta give it to him,” I said as Bennie moved to massaging my other foot. “It makes sense.”

“I didn’t say I disagreed with him. He just goes overboard sometimes. As much as I’d love to, I don’t think it’s possible to give everyone everything.”

“Well, it is impossible for one person to do that,” I said. “That’s why it’s a community effort. Like if I sew up the hole in your winter coat so that you can shovel out my car so that the neighbor can give me gas money to take the elderly wolf down the street to their doctor appointment, we’ve all given something to help the wolf who might’ve missed it without our help and we’ve helped each other too. That’s how the Sanctuary works, anyway, more or less.”

“I’m starting to wonder if Raziel lied on his application,” Bennie laughed.