You Have Always Been Mine

Chapter 4 ~ Target part 1

(Flashback of the first time they met…)

“She’s so beautiful…” Three-year old Max whispers as he peeks over the side of the crib to look at the Alpha and Luna’s newborn baby. “What’s her name?”

“We’re going to call her Imogen, after my grandmother,” the Alpha Timothy murmurs, caressing his daughter’s tiny fist.

Max blinks, testing the name in his mind but when he tries it out loud it comes out “Momogin?”

Luna Grace chuckles. “Close enough. Perhaps it’s easier if we just call her Ginny for now. Do you think you can say that better?” she asks gently.

He nods. “Ginny…”

“Very good,” the Luna praises him, looking pleased.

Max turns to stare at the baby girl again. “Can I have her?”

Both Alpha Timothy and Luna Grace laugh, and the Alpha ruffles his hair fondly.

“It’s a bit too soon to be asking for her hand, boy,” Alpha Timothy says. “Besides, I will only give my blessings to someone who can beat me at arm wrestling!” He makes a show of puffing out his chest and demonstrating his bulging biceps.

Max giggles. “I can do it! I can too! Momma says I’m very strong!” He lifts his arms and shows him his non-existent muscles, making the Alpha burst in amused laughter.

Grace chuckles and nudges her mate. “Now you’ve done it. Go give the boy his chance!”

Timothy pretends to groan before allowing the little boy to pull him towards a table. “No cheating, eh!” He warns him. “You’re allowed to use only one arm!”

“Okay!”

“Ready?”

Max giggles, his eyes bright with excitement. “Yes!”

“On the count of three… one… two… three!”

Max gives it his all, and Timothy lets him work for it, sometimes allowing him the illusion that he has a chance to take the pretty baby home with him, but after struggling for about three minutes, the Alpha brings down Max’s arm on the table, grinning in triumph.

Max struggles with the urge to cry. He’s still too young, after all, and defeat is not something easy for a child that age to understand or accept. Seeing this, the Alpha shakes a finger on his face.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk! A good warrior doesn’t give up and cry just because he fails once or twice. He trains hard, and tries and tries again until he finally succeeds!”

Max thinks about that. He’s not really sure what the Alpha is talking about but what he understands is that he can try again.

“I can try again?” He asks, just to be certain. “Next time, I’ll win!”

Timothy grins. “Of course. But first, you have to train those muscles of yours to be bigger than mine and then come try again!”

Max nods. “I will…”

“All right, go on with you, go! Your mother’s in the kitchen, tell her I asked her to give you an apple and a glass of milk so you will grow up faster and stronger!”

Max blinks several times as he wills his oldest memory away. Ginny has no idea but to this day, he has been trying to beat her father at arm-wrestling in order to prove himself worthy of being her mate. Everyone thinks it’s just an amusing game they play, and perhaps to Alpha Timothy, it sort of is entertaining to see him try, but Max is dead serious.

"I mean, she’s seriously bonkers for saying that. We practically grew up together---"

It takes all his will-power and discipline to keep a steady hand on the wheels so the car won’t sway. He stares ahead, wondering what to say next without giving away his inner thoughts and emotional turmoil.

“Yeah...ridiculous…” he repeats, just to avoid the telling silence.

“Right!? Cassy even suggested that maybe we’re in a secret relationship. Can you imagine!?”

Max winces inwardly. Yes, he can imagine. And he had, so many times. Probably will until the day he finally wins her hand.

“But don’t worry about all that, I’m sure they’ll get over it soon if we just ignore them. They bore easily. I mean, everyone knows my father’s sponsoring your college education. Of course you take your job seriously. It’s so stupid to assume you’re actually in love with me just because you growl at every boy who tries to talk to me, and you look at them with murderous intent. It could just mean that you’re really good at your job. Right, Max?”

He clears his throat, thinking about his annual wrestling match with the alpha. “Of course.”

She pouts. “Although…”

He glances at her. Ginny is looking at him with a quizzical expression.

“...I do wonder why you only growl at the boys. What if I’m interested in girls?”

The car sways a little this time as he turns to look at her sharply. “Are you?”

She giggles. “I’m not saying I am, but what if I were? I mean, really, you could at least try giving everyone the same scary treatment so people won’t think you’re being jealous and possessive because there’s something between us.”

“I will keep that in mind,” he mutters.

The silence that follows stretches on, thick and uncomfortable.

“Max?

“Yes?”

“Are you…interested in me in that way?”

He sighs. “Why do you ask? I thought you already decided it would be…ridiculous?”

She frowns, staring at the blank screen of her phone. “I mean, I just said that, because I didn’t really…I guess I haven’t really considered the possibility…” She turns to look at him. “We grew up together. All my life I’ve remembered you being around. In fact, I don’t think I have a memory of not seeing you around for a long time.”

“We do live in the same territory,” he reminds her. “And it’s not like I can afford to go anywhere else.”

“Yes, but that’s just it. You’re such a fixture in my life that I…I never really noticed you…that way.”

What is he supposed to say to that? Less said is always better in sensitive cases like this. He doesn’t really want to scare her away, but he’s curious to test the waters and see what she thinks about the idea of them as a couple. One day, when he finally beats her father in arm wrestling, he will work hard to court her and try to make her fall for him as well. That has been his goal all his life. He’s studying hard to find a successful career, so he can earn enough to provide for her and be worthy of her hand. Today he realizes he’s been so focused on his plans that he has forgotten to consider how Ginny is going to feel about it. About him.

He can feel her staring at him. It’s a little disconcerting so he tries to ignore her until they finally reach the driveway of the packhouse, and then as he turns off the car engine, Ginny whispers something he can’t pretend not to hear.

“Although… I think it’s an interesting idea… you and me.”