Unedited
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After wandering down the high street for a couple of hours, ducking into the occasional shop and buying a cute dress or a new pair of trainers, Kaden eventually manages to drag me into a backstreet cafe.
He's been whining for the last fifteen minutes about how his arms ache from carrying my bags, but the silly wolf shouldn't have offered to carry them in the first place. He's trying to be a better mate, I know he is, whether that be by offering to pay for me, or sitting down and talking to Jasper when he thought in his head that he shouldn't have to.
It's the alpha inside him that makes him feel the need to dominate, or feel like he's above everyone else. It doesn't help that as Alphas we are taught to think we are superior, the heirarchy in packs is sacred and must be followed. It is considered disrespectful to call an alpha or a luna anything other than their title, and it can easily get to a wolf's head. They are always gifted with the best food, clothes, the most money. It's understandable that most become bratty, or use their power in the wrong ways.
From what I can remember about the story of the Thorne's and the DawnStar pack is almost like reciting a passage from a book about Sparta. The young pups of the Alpha are left to fend for themselves for years, forcing them to become strong and fight well. It has always produced brutes for alphas, and at first look you would stereotype Kaden as the same. He's kinder than he lets on, but he is cold and harsh to many members of his pack. He was cold towards me for quite a while, saying things I know he now regrets.
I know that's the main reason why he's trying to be better, but there are still some things that even he shouldn't sign up for.
Carrying a girls shopping is one of them.
However, watching him carry my bags, the way his muscles in his arms are tense with effort, has been the only reason why I haven't offered to take some of them off him.
"We'll just stop for one drink." He promises me, as he stands for a good five minutes and tries to push my bags underneath one of the small booth tables.
Just letting him do it himself is incredibly amusing, the way his forehead is creased in concentration, and his tongue is sticking out from between his lips. He keeps tensing his jaw, his frustration starting to grow because once they all go under the table, his long muscular legs have no space.
"Kaden." I say, pity finally settling in, and now an urge to put the poor man out of his misery has settled in my stomach. "Give me your car keys and I'll put them away."
"It's fine." He grunts, as he finally slots his legs in. "See I've done i.."
He doesn't even finish his sentence before they spill out from underneath, and he reluctantly fishes in his pocket for his car keys. "Thank you."
I kiss him briefly on the cheek before grabbing the bags and forcing my way through the door.
The back alleys are littered with houses and small shops selling random stuff. It looks almost like a picture my grandfather sent me of the streets of Rome, with merchants selling various items from leather bags to cheap pens and memorabilia.
I walk out into the Main Street which has gotten much busier, and see a few familiar faces. Jasper's mate is in the park with their daughter, pushing her high on the swings. Brett and Olivia are sitting in a window booth of the cafe, laughing at something one of them had said. The place is alive, electric, a buzz being passed between wolves as they chatter amongst themselves.
I near Kaden's car and start to fiddle with the car keys, trying to click the button to open the trunk without dropping my bags in the floor.
"Luna!" I hear a voice call from behind me, and I spin around in alarm. "Let me help you with that!"
A man is jogging clumsily towards me, the coattail of his long coat catching between his legs. He's attractive, in a silver fox kind of way, with short well kept hair sitting neatly atop his tanned head, his cocoa coloured eyes smiling kindly at me. He's well dressed, wearing a smart dress shirt and slacks, a blazer buttoned up around his stomach. A hat is tucked underneath the crook of his arm, one similar to Jasper's with a long brim circulating the entire hat.
I'm instantly on guard because even though Kaden held a widespread pack announcement, the pack still haven't officially met me so don't know what I look like. I know that the stranger can tell what I'm thinking because he chuckles at me and sends me a reassuring smile that reaches his eyes. "My mate was in the last pack meeting, and unfortunately I find myself apologising for his rude behaviour."
I inhale discreetly, my senses being greeted with the scent of a werewolf that smells like a mixture of cinnamon and the forest. I take one more cautious look at him before thinking back to that day in the meeting room, and the only person I can clearly remember disrespecting me, was the army general. "You're mate's with..."
"The grumpy, brutish looking military man?" He laughs again whilst nodding his head. "You'd be right, but I assure you Harry is much kinder when you get to know him."
I decide to believe him, because there's no way he'd know me or what happened I'm that meeting otherwise. "I'll believe you when I experience it myself." I say, before offering him the car keys. "You couldn't open the trunk for me could you?"
He beams at me again, flashing his perfectly straight teeth. They're not completely white like Kaden's, but he looks several years older than my mate, which allows for several more years of weathering. "Of course, Luna."
He presses a button on the key fob and the car springs to life, the brakelights flashing and the trunk automatically opening up.
"Thank you!" I gush, throwing all of the bags in the spacious interior of Kaden's car. I sigh in content at the lack of weight in my arms, the aching instantly subsiding.
"Anytime Luna." The man bows before handing my keys back and placing his hat on his head.
"I didn't catch your name." I say as he starts to walk away. He spins on his heel and smiles again, his smile reassuring and friendly.
"Atticus, my Luna. My name is Atticus." And with that, he disappeared into the crowds of people walking the street.
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I walked back to the tea room, unable to remove the smile from my face. It was nice to meet Atticus, because he reminded me of the respect that I was supposed to recieve. All I can remember over the last few months are the unimpressed stares and nasty whispers that surrounded the mysterious veil Kaden had kept up around me.
It was nice to feel one random act of kindness from a man that had heard the rumours but never met me before, reminded me that people can be nice and kind if they really want to be.
I push open the door to the back alley shop, a bell chiming to tell people of my arrival. I look to my right to see Kaden sat in the booth we attempted to sit under, a bright smile on his face at the sight of me. I slide into the seat next to him, and allow him to wrap his muscular arm around my shoulder and kiss my cheek softly.
"You took a while." He comments, passing the drinks menu across the table towards me. "I've already drank my lemonade and yours so we're going drink-less for the rest of the day."
"No we're not." I chuckle, nudging him gently with my shoulder. "You're gonna buy me a drink or else."
"Or else what?" He asks dauntingly, his lip curling into a mischievous grin, his lips millimetres from my ear. "What are you gonna do, little mate."
His words and proximity have my mind a muddled mess, and it's irritating. He has a hold on me that I can't seem to shake. And all he has to do is move inside my bubble, and my body has to feel its presence. He electrifies me, every nerve ending static and ready to explode. My heart rate increases, and my breathing quickens and I know that he knows it.
Because his lips twitch into his all knowing grin before he leans back into the booth, his fingers tickling my shoulders through his oversized hoodie. I send him the best glare I can muster, unable to come up with a witty comeback or smart ass remark, because my brain is still like mush.
"I'll think of something." I mutter to him, turning away from him slightly and crossing my arms over my chest sulkily. I hear his deep, baritone chuckle from beside me, and his warm lips against my cheek.
"Don't be mad because I'm better than you." He mumbles against my skin, shivers erupting down my spine. "But I'll get you a drink. I can't have you moody when we get home."
Thoughts of what we'd be doing when we got home invaded my thoughts, my head full of vivid images of his lips on my bare skin. I clenched my eyes and jaw shut, trying to block the thoughts out of my head, because I know that he can smell how they're making me feel.
It doesn't help me that Shiva is fuelling it, firing image after image into my brain, because she wants me to rip his clothes off more than I do. Wolves are usually more horny than their human counterpart, and the fact that everything about Shiva is stronger, or heightened, doesn't help me a whole lot, especially when she's feeling like this.
She's rolling over inside my head, displaying her belly as a way of submission to his wolf, the scent of lust erupting from every pore in her body. It fuels my thoughts, as well as my feelings, and it's taking everything in me to keep them at bay.
I can't allow him to hold my arousal over my head until the day we die, it gives him the upper hand and I can't be having that. Then a thought runs through my head that I can't believe I'd forgotten. It's quite a blantant point actually, which makes me feel even more stupid, and I'm sure Kaden will kick himself too.
"Kaden, we don't actually have a home to go back to." I spin around and look at his face to see his charming smile. Not something I expected to see when I remind him that we're technically homeless. His blue eyes are dancing in the afternoon light, holding such a softness I've never seen before. "What're you smiling at?"
He tucks a loose strand of my hair behind my ear, his fingertips then softly dancing across my skin. "Lola, I'm an alpha. The house we had was my parents, you still haven't seen mine."
I raise my eyebrows in surprise. I should've figured that an alpha like Kaden would have many houses under his belt, and I can't help but wonder how many others have seen his houses. Admired his artwork, enjoyed the comfort of his furniture. I can't help but allow my feelings to turn sour at that. I hate the way I can sometimes allow my thoughts to run wild, taking a random straying direction that can sometimes have me thinking the worst.
Like now.
I can tell Kaden can sense what I'm thinking, because the smile slips from his face, only to have his hands cup my cheeks. "Lola, nobody has been here. Nobody has stepped foot in this house, not even myself. I bought it whilst you were putting the bags away. I wouldn't do that, I promise I wouldn't."
I feel a weight lift from my shoulders, and a sigh of relief slip from my parted lips. I know I shouldn't doubt him, but knowing that he's been with countless women has me on edge.
"It's not too extravagant is it?" I question, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm kind of ready for a smaller house that feels more homely."
Kaden's face lightens up, like he won the lottery. His hands slip from my cheeks to lace my fingers with his before bringing one up to his lips and kissing softly.
"Luckily for you, quaint was the word I typed into house hunter before buying the first one I saw."
"You didn't." I gape. The loud, boisterous laughter that erupts from deep within his stomach has my growling playfully and slapping him across the chest. "Don't do that."
"Don't do what." Kaden guwaffs innocently. "Do you want to go and see the new house or what?"
I quickly jump up from the table and pull the car keys out of my pocket. "If I beat you to the car, you're walking."
He narrows his eyes at me. "You wouldn't dare. You don't even know where it is."
I send an impish look over my shoulder as I saunter towards the door. "I bet that you told Jasper. We'll soon find out."
And then I'm running from the shop, Kaden chasing after me, our laughter and childish screams spiralling into the sky above.
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BOOM!
Bit of a filler chapter I'm not going to lie, but I assure you, you will like the next few chapters.
100 FUCKING K READS GUYS WHAT THE HELL!!!! THANK YOU SO SO MUCH YOU DONT UNDERSTAND HOW MUCH IT MEANS!!
It doesn't feel like 10 chapters who I was thanking you for 1K reads, now look at us â¤ï¸â¤ï¸
Hope you all had a good Halloween, yes even you @KrazyAtHeart, and I hope you enjoyed your friend's birthday party
Anyways, what was everyone's opinions on my shitey filler chapter. Hope it wasn't too boring, although there were key events to the story in it.
But no spoilers no spoilers.
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Love you all,
Lauryn xoxo