Maeve and the Alpha NonHuman

Author’s note: This is a followup to the “Camping with Wolves,” which I previously wrote for the Summer Lovin’ Contest as a one off. However, I really enjoyed writing that and thought there was more to explore with Caius and Maeve, so I wrote “Maeve and the Alpha.” I try my best to sum up the events of “Camping with Wolves” through conversations in this , but for the full picture I recommend reading that one first. Otherwise, I hope you enjoy it!

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“I’ve got a matcha latte and a soy double shot latte!” The pair of yoga moms took their drinks and thanked Maeve, who bid them a nice day before turning away. She sighed as she picked up her cup of water and took a sip, looking around the mostly empty coffee shop. She was a bit bummed that it wasn’t busy, though since it was a Saturday night and they’d be closing in about half an hour, she wasn’t surprised. Still though, a busy shop meant that she could focus, and she would spend less time thinking about what happened two weeks ago.

Since the camping trip, Maeve had thrown herself into her job at The Jive. She picked up any extra shift she could and found it was the only thing that really kept her distracted from other stuff. She couldn’t help it. If she wasn’t working, she was thinking about the trip. About the wolves. About the sight of her friends in the dirt, covered in blood. About… him… she shook her head again and picked up a cloth, then went to the counter and started frantically wiping the surface.

“Hey, Red. If you wipe that counter anymore you’re gonna eat away at the vinyl.” Maeve blinked then looked over at Tiffany. Tiffany was a rather pretty girl who was a couple of years older than Maeve. She had pale skin, raven black hair, and dark eyes. “You good?”

“Yyeah,” Maeve said unconvincingly as she set the cloth down. “Just tired.”

“Well, don’t go falling asleep on me,” Tiffany snipped. “We gotta start closing soon.” Almost as soon as the words came out her mouth, the bell that signaled the door opening chimed. Tiffany was about to scowl, but then her jaw dropped. “Although, if we get more customers looking like that, we might have to stay open all night.” Maeve turned around and her eyes grew to the size of saucepans, though for a very different reason from her coworker.

The man was about 6′ 6, with milk chocolate skin, curly black hair, and light brown eyes that were full of warmth. His broad shoulders made his white shirt stretch a bit, and it was pretty clear he was wellbuilt. He also had on a pair of silver rimmed glasses, faded blue jeans, and black converses.

Maeve couldn’t believe what she was looking at, but as the panic started to bubble up in her chest, there was no mistaking it. He looked so normal, but she recognized those mischievous brown eyes that were running up and down her body. That crooked grin, with that very familiar tongue that ran slowly over his lips. And those hands… God she could practically feel those hands grabbing and holding her.

“Hello, little one,” he said in that low, heavy voice that made her knees buckle every time.

Caius

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“You’re dumping me?”

“John, please try to understand?”

“Understand what?!” John’s face had grown bright red in a mix of anger and despair. They were standing in his living room, and while he towered over her, Maeve kept her arms crossed as she stood her ground. “Understand that you just want to throw away the past 7 years?”

“Oh come on now,” Maeve said, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. “Let’s be honest for a minute. We’ve been growing apart for forever now. I’m constantly catching you checking out other women, we barely have , and when we do have you don’t even seem to enjoy it.” She felt tears start to form in her eyes but fought them back. “You treat me like I’m one of your bros. Hell, I’m pretty sure you’re more into Warren than me.”

“Look, I’ll admit things haven’t been perfect. But I’ve always been loyal to you. I’ve always loved you,” he seethed. “Maybe if I was a dog”

“DON’T bring Caius into this,” she snarled. “I did what I did to keep you alive!”

“Bullshit!” He spat back. “I heard you. I SAW you! When he turned into that… that thing,” he shuddered, the memory fleeting through his mind. “I thought he was going to kill you and then the rest of us. Then I saw your face. You loved it!” He was breathing hard, trying and failing to calm down.

“You’re alive because of me,” she said coldly. “You want me to admit that I liked it? Fine! I LOVED it! He fucked me in ways you could never. Made me feel things you could never. But do you want the actual truth John? The truth is that I was going to do this anyway!” She saw his jaw drop in shock, but she was in her feelings now and pressed forward. “I was planning on dumping you when we got back from the trip. I took some extra time because of what happened, but nothing has changed. I still feel the same about us as I did before that night.”

They both stood there, holding each others’ gazes. Maeve wouldn’t back down. Part of her felt like she should have waited a little longer, but she also knew that if she didn’t do this now she probably never would, and she didn’t want to be tethered to John like this any longer. Finally, John dropped to his knees, his eyes full of tears.

“Maeve,” he croaked. “Please.” At this point, tears started rolling down both of their faces. She sighed and turned away from him.

“I’m sorry,” was all she said before she walked through the door.

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“LITTLE ONE?” Tiffany exclaimed incredulously, looking from a bright red Maeve to an unphased Caius, who was now reading the menu above the counter. “Wait, are you two…?”

“No!” Maeve cried out quickly. “Yes we know each other but we aren’t”

“Little one,” Caius said calmly, cutting her off. “Is what I called her when I was the soul out of her.” He said this all so nonchalantly, without looking away from the menu. He then shifted his eyes to the two girls. “May I get a large white chocolate mocha coffee with an extra shot of espresso?” He smiled at the girls, whom both were blushing furiously. “Had a long drive and could use the extra kick.”

“Rright on it!” Tiffany quickly turned and ran to the espresso machine behind them, leaving Maeve alone with Caius. His gaze was locked on hers, his brown eyes staring into her green ones. Try as she might, she couldn’t look away from him, not even as he took out his wallet.

“How much do I owe you, little one?” He asked, his voice snapping Maeve out of her daze.

“Um, six dollars please.” Caius pulled out a black credit card from his wallet and swiped it. Seconds later, the payment cleared. He then took out a twenty and dropped it in the tip jar. “Oh, you don’t have to do”

“Are you getting off work soon?” Caius asked as he stuffed his wallet back in his pocket. Maeve blinked, clearly expecting him to say a lot of things, but not that.

“We close in ten minutes, and then I have to stay to finish cleaning, so around 6.” Maeve crossed her arms. “Why do you care?”

“Because if I’m going to take you out to dinner, it would be nice to know when to come back for you.”

“II’m not going out to dinner with you!” Maeve exclaimed. Where did he get the nerve?

“If she won’t, I will!” Tiffany popped up next to Maeve, handing Caius his coffee with a smile. “I hope you like it,” she added with a wink, making Maeve’s eyes roll. Caius chuckled.

“Thank you, and I appreciate the offer. However, Maeve and I already have plans.” He turned to Maeve and shot her a grin. “See you at 6.” Before she could protest further, he walked away and through the door, leaving the two girls there alone. Tiffany whirled on Maeve, her hands on her hips.

“What’s the matter with you?” Tiffany hissed at her coworker, making Maeve step back in surprise. “That guy is smoking hot!”

“Oh please.” Maeve stared out the door. Caius was walking across the parking lot toward what looked to be a pretty expensive looking car. “Caius is an arrogant, pretentious, asshole who”

“Who’s totally hot, clearly loaded, and was undressing you with his eyes from the moment he stepped foot in here,” Tiffany finished with a smirk. Maeve turned back to her in surprise.

“Hhe was not… I don’t know…”

“Please! If I wasn’t here, he probably would’ve jumped over the counter and mounted you right here.” TIffany giggled at the sight of Maeve’s face, which was now almost as red as her hair. “Look, I don’t know what went down with you two, but you should at least humor the guy. He’s clearly got a thing for you, and a free meal is still a free meal.”

Maeve laughed a little at this, then nodded. “Fine. I’ll make him take me somewhere expensive,” she added as she went around to lock the door. Tiffany laughed.

“Tell me one thing though. Was the at least good?” Tiffany asked as she dumped out the tip jar. Maeve glanced outside. She could see Caius sitting on the hood of his car, his lovely face lit up by his phone and his coffee sitting next to him. As if he could sense her, he suddenly looked up and the two locked eyes. Maeve couldn’t help the smile that formed on her lips.

“It was the best I’d ever had.”

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An hour later, Maeve was sitting comfortably in the passenger seat of Caius’s SUV. The brown leather felt like she was sitting on a cloud, and the cool air of the AC on her face only added to the sleepiness she was feeling. The long week of working pretty much every day was starting to catch up to her. She was about to doze off when the sudden feeling of a hand on her thigh jerked her awake. Caius still had his eyes on the road, but he gave her leg a gentle squeeze.

“We’re just about there,” he said. She looked and saw the familiar sign of Al’s Steakhouse. She’d only ever been there a few times, the menu’s high prices being a deterrent for her family outside of special occasions. Still though, the food was delicious, and the general ambiance would provide them enough privacy that hopefully no one would recognize them and potentially tell her parents.

They pulled into the parking lot and Caius brought the car to a halt. He climbed out first, then came around and held open the door for Maeve, offering her a hand. She raised an eyebrow then took it, accepting the help. He’d done the same for her when they left the coffee shop, so she decided to just go with it this time. They made their way to the front door, but before they went in Maeve stopped suddenly.

“Hang on,” she said, crossing her arms defiantly. Caius just tilted his head. “Before we go in, I want you to promise me something.”

Caius chuckled and shrugged. “Very well. What can I do for you?” His voice was so smooth and easy, as if nothing she said could bother him. It unnerved her a little bit. She’d played his game before, and lost. Or won, depending on how you looked at it she supposed. Either way, she needed to be careful.

“First of all, I have no intention of sleeping with you tonight.” Caius smirked at this. Bastard. Maeve took a steadying breath and continued. “I want you to promise me that you will answer any and all questions I have for you, and I want you to answer them truthfully. Then, at the end of the night, you will drop me back off at the coffee shop so I can get my car and we’ll go our separate ways. Deal?” She stared the Alpha down, her eyes hardened with resolve. He studied her for a minute, contemplating her words. Then, he stepped forward and placed a hand on her cheek. She immediately felt her resolve melt away, and without meaning to she turned her face into his palm.

“Counteroffer,” he said quietly. “I will answer all of your questions truthfully. By the end of the night, if you’re certain you never want to see me again, then I will bring you back to get your car and you will never see me again. But if you decide your intentions have changed and you do want to sleep with me again, I’ll bring you back to my hotel room and fuck you until your legs stop working.” He grinned at her, his wolfish features shining through. “Deal?”

She looked up at him, his face inches from hers. She could feel his warm breath on her skin, his palm on her cheek sending tingles through her body. It would be so easy to climb up on her tiptoes and kiss him. To let him lead her back to his hotel and do whatever he wanted to her. She clamped her thighs together, trying to ignore the sudden warmth that was gathering between her legs. She noticed his nostrils flared, and for a fleeting moment wondered if he could somehow smell her arousal.

“Deal,” she muttered. Caius smiled and pulled his hand away, holding the door open for her. She stepped inside and he followed right behind her. The hostess welcomed them in and asked if they needed a table for two. Caius nodded and asked if they could get a corner booth.

“First date,” he said with that charming smile of his. “We just want enough privacy where we can get to know each other. I’m sure you understand, love.” Maeve felt a flash of jealousy watching Caius so easily flirt with the hostess, a flash that turned into a full on flame when the hostess giggled and nodded her head. She led the pair to a booth situated in a corner. Maeve looked around. The steakhouse was fairly busy, but they managed to get the one spot that had no one else around.

When they slipped into the booth, the hostess asked them if they’d like anything to drink. Caius requested whatever was on tap that night, while Maeve just asked for club soda with lemon. When the hostess walked away, Caius raised an eyebrow at his companion.

“What?” She asked as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I think the last thing I need right now is a drink.”

“Don’t trust what you might do after a few cocktails?” He teased her.

“No, I don’t trust you not to take advantage of me,” she said with a scowl. The grin immediately vanished from his face.

“I would never make you do anything you didn’t want to do,” he said with a growl. When Maeve narrowed her eyes at him, he pressed on. “Need I remind you that what happened that night was your idea, not mine.”

“I was trying to save my friends! You threatened to kill them!” Caius visibly flinched at Maeve’s words, and for the first time since meeting him, she thought he saw what appeared to be shame flash over his face. She felt for the first time she actually had an edge over him, so she kept pressing. “Seriously, why are we even here? What did you expect to gain from coming here? Did you think I’d let you fuck me again? Are you here to threaten us again?”

“No!” He snarled. Maeve’s eyes widened in shock. His brown eyes were replaced with the bright golden one of his wolf. As if realizing how close he was to snapping, he took a moment to recollect himself, and just as quickly as they changed, his eyes returned to their normal color. “I don’t want to hurt you. I don’t want to hurt any of you. I’m here because… because I missed you.”

Maeve’s jaw dropped at the revelation, staring at the werewolf sitting before her who seemed determined not to look at her. For the first time, he seemed… vulnerable. “You… missed me?” She asked. Before he could say anything, a waiter appeared with their drinks.

“Good evening folks. I’m Alan and I’ll be serving you tonight. Have you two had a chance to look at the menu yet?” He looked at the two, and after a second Caius composed himself enough to smile up at him.

“Not yet. We should be ready in about five minutes, if that’s alright?” Alan nodded and walked off to tend to another table. As soon as he was gone, the smile on Caius’s face dropped and he sighed. “We should order. I’m starving,” he said as he picked up his menu.

“W hey don’t change the subject,” Maeve hissed at him. “You just said”

“I will happily answer your questions after we’ve ordered. But I drove three hours to get here and have been too nervous to eat all day, so if we could please order food first I would greatly appreciate it.” He said this all without looking up from the menu. Maeve watched him for a moment. Watched the ways his eyes shifted along the page in front of him. The way his tongue flicked out over his lips. God she wanted to just lean forward and press her lips against his, but she fought back the urge as she picked up her menu.

“If you’re looking for recommendations, their stuffed mushrooms are amazing,” Maeve said, her mouth watering as she read through the options.

“Crabmeat? Damn that does sound amazing.” Caius picked up his glass and took a sip. “The calamari also sounds great. Ooooh or the barbecued shrimp… I might just have to order all of these.”

Maeve looked up at him, her mouth open a little. “Yyou’re not serious, are you?” Caius shrugged and she just shook her head. “Have you seen these prices?”

“No, I was more focused on those lovely green eyes of yours,” he responded. She did her best to fight the giggle that nearly slipped from her lips, but then he flashed that now familiar smirk of his and she couldn’t help but grin. “You can get whatever you want. Don’t worry about the cost.”

Maeve nodded and returned to study the menu, tucking a stray hair behind her ear. “Think I’ll stick to the stuffed mushrooms. Mmm and I really want a filet with some mashed potatoes. God I haven’t eaten all day either, this was a bad idea.” Caius just laughed as Alan returned.

“Ready to order?” He asked as he took out a notepad. Maeve was about to say hers, but Caius cut her off.

“For appetizers she’ll have the stuffed mushrooms and I’ll have the calamari. For entrees she’ll have the filet with the garlic mashed potatoes and I’ll have the ribeye with the lobster mac and cheese.” Alan nodded as he wrote all of his down.

“What about desserts?” Alan asked when he finished writing. Caius looked at Maeve, who was too stunned to answer. He just grinned then told Alan that they would pass on dessert. Alan nodded and took their menus before going to put in their order.

“You didn’t have to do that you know,” Maeve finally said after a moment, watching Caius’s throat bob as he drank his beer.

“I’m aware,” he said when he set his glass down. “I wanted to. Do you have a problem with it?” He leaned forward, his arms crossed on the table. Maeve shook her head.

“I just… I don’t get you,” she said as she crossed her arms and leaned back in the booth. “First there’s the incident in the woods. Then there’s the whole tracking me down and cornering me at work. Then you take me out, acting like a gentleman with the doors and the offering to pay and the ordering for me and I just… I don’t know if you’re some psycho or something, but this isn’t normal.”

Caius just stared at her. Watching her. Studying her. Maeve held his gaze, not backing down. She could see the gears turning in his head, trying to figure out what to say next. How to respond to all of this.

“You’re right,” he finally said after what felt like an eternity. “I’m sorry for ambushing you like that. I spent all day trying to figure out what to do or say when I saw you. I couldn’t think of anything good to say. I decided that there probably wasn’t a right thing to say. So I would just stop by, be content with seeing your face again, and leave. But then I did see you, and I had to speak to you. I had to hear your voice, even if you just told me to fuck off. I had to smell you.” His eyes were practically glowing at this point, and Maeve couldn’t look away from him. “I walked into that coffee shop, and when your scent hit me, I knew immediately what to say and what to do.”

“And what was that?” She whispered as she uncrossed her arms.

ero