Chapter 20: Chapter 20

Unedited

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I wake to find my mate's arms wrapped securely around my waist.

It reminds me of the first time we slept in a bed together, how well I slept and how comforting it was to have him beside me.

I can feel the heat radiating off of his bare skin, warming me against the crisp air of the winter. Our bedroom isn't the most insulated room in the house, possibly to encourage close contact between mates, so I'm very appreciative of his body heat during these cold winter weeks.

His large, callous hands are spread out across the naked skin of my stomach, his fingers playing innocently with the waistband of my underwear, and his long still damp hair is tickling the nape of my neck.

I ache slightly, especially below the waist, as the effects of last night have hit my frame, from the uncomfortable position in the bath, to the way I was picked up and thrown across the room onto various items of furniture. My shoulders and back are especially stiff, and I wince as I roll them to relieve the knots behind my shoulderblades. I run my fingers gingerly over the area where he marked me, feeling a large bumped area of skin that is slightly bruised to the touch.

That and the fact that I slept with Kaden, like slept slept, and the first time is always supposed to hurt during and after.

I open my eyes to see Kaden still sleeping soundly, his steady breathing warm against my face. Another of his gifts to add to the never ending arsenal of his perfection, is that he doesn't seem so get morning breath. His face is relaxed, making the worry lines on his forehead disappear to reveal the carefree twenty two year old he should be, not the one that is stressed and weighed down with the heftiness of his responsibilities as alpha of a pack to be reckoned with.

I allow my eyes to wander to the covers that have bunched up around his lower waist, revealing his toned, muscular chest and V-lines descending below the sheets.

I find myself blushing at the knowing thought of him being naked underneath, vivid images of last night rushing through my head all at once.

We completed the mate bond last night, and I can finally hear, feel, understand what my mate is doing. I could hear the giddy thoughts running around inside his head as he was kissing me last night, I could feel how nervous he was, I knew what I could do to help.

Sometimes it's been so hard to read what he's been thinking. He's a closed book, his face stony in the eyes of everyone but myself. He's poised and aggressive and cold, but I could never read what was going on in the background.

But now I can.

I still find it within myself to smile as I drag my fingers softly over his facial features, admiring the strength of his cheekbones and the fullness of his lips.

I watch as his long, dark eyelashes flutter open slowly to reveal his mesmerising ice blue eyes that look almost white in the early morning sun.

"Good morning." He mumbles, his husky voice thick with sleep. My smile widens as he leans forward and plants a lazy kiss on my lips. "What time is it?"

He buries his nose into my neck as I look at his bedside clock and check the time, the bright red electronic letters staring back at me. I sigh as he kisses the spot where he marked me. "It's half past eight."

I feel him sigh deeply through his nose, the feeling so funny against my skin that I find myself squirming underneath him.

This rewards me with a breathy moan from his mouth, the sound exciting to my ears. I feel his grip tighten on my hips as his dark eyes lock gazes with mine. "Lola, the fact that you're naked under these sheets, brushing your fûcking addictive skin against mine is not a good plan. I have to get up for work, and you have to get up to plan this Luna ceremony, and is staying in bed isn't an option."

Kaden has officially put a day on the ceremony introducing me to the pack, which will take place this coming Saturday. I reckon now that we've mated, and the fact his scent is finally mine he feels more comfortable with me being around the unmated makes of the pack. We're hosting it in our back garden which opens out onto the park so we have plenty of space. But I only have five days to find a caterer, sort out music, send out invites.

I fear I won't have enough time to do everything, but despite that, staying in bed with Kaden all day sounds like time well spent in my book.

"But why?" I pout, letting my hands wander playfully below the sheets. I watch his eyes darken considerably, and I can hear his heart hammering inside his chest. "Can't we just enjoy today?"

In one quick movement Kaden has flipped his body on top of mine, propped up by his forearms. He leans down and leaves gentle kisses around my mouth, before leaving a soft peck on my nose. "I want nothing more than to spend the day messing underneath the sheets with you, but responsibilities are responsibilities, and we both have them."

Just thinking about what we did last night has me frowning, because now that the childish amazement has been and gone, I start to feel a little bit worried. "Kaden, you don't think we rushed last night do you?"

I watch nervously as his eyes drag themselves across my face, a sudden seriousness to them. "No we didn't."

I feel like a weight has been lifted from my shoulders somewhat, because I was nervous he thought we went too fast. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because I've restrained myself from doing that the past four months, Lola. That heat was a godsend, because we've had feelings for each other for four damn months, and it's been torture waiting for both of us to fully understand them. Most wolves mate within the first three days, the mate bond too strong for them to ignore. We're alphas, we have stronger resolve, we held out, but goddess I wouldn't take last night back even for a second."

I loop my arms around his neck and kiss him softly, allowing my fingers to roam the back of his neck. I try to put how I'm feeling into the kiss, even though he can read my thoughts.

"Right, we definitely need to stop." He chuckles as he breaks away, his eyes creased with laugh lines.

I reluctantly slide out from underneath him and wrap the sheet around my body, leaving him stark naked on the bed. "In that case I'm off to have a shower."

I turn away and start heading towards the ensuite, when Kaden speaks up from behind me."Fancy some company?"

I hear the teasing tone of his voice, and I turn around to see him grinning like a Cheshire Cat, his eyebrows wiggling manically. I try to keep my eyes on his face, but it's hard not to when he looks like a Greek god laid out on a platter for me.

So I turn and quickly waddle away, desperate to get away from his boyish laughter and towards a cold shower.

Which I absolutely don't need him joining me for, because it would simply lose its relevance.

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"You don't think we rushed into last night do you?"

I watch Olivia carefully as I take slow sips through my straw, waiting with bated breath to hear her answer. Not long after Kaden left to the pack house, I rang Jasper. Because I'm not linked to the pack yet, he bought a cheap phone for me to use if I ever needed to call him. I asked if he could get Olivia to meet me at the same tea house we went to a couple of weeks ago, and he said that she'd meet me for lunch. So I got ready, making myself look reasonably nice with makeup and styling my hair, before I set off on the walk across the park.

Most people in the pack have gathered who I am at this point, and bowed respectfully when I passed. They've seen me enough times out with Kaden, and Kaden has told enough people who I am for word to spread.

No more dirty glances my way, or any mention of me being the pack slut. It's refreshing to know I can walk down the street without nasty rumours surrounding the pair of us.

"Not at all, I agree with Kaden." Olivia says between bites of her sandwich. "You two, if you were like normal mates, would probably be fvcking like rabbits at least three times a night by now."

I blush at her blunt terminology, and let my hair fall in front of my face. She has a point, and if I think of how Sophia and Mark were at the very beginning of their bond, they couldn't keep their hands off each other.

"You're right." I say finally, throwing a fry in my mouth. They're the best fries I've ever tasted, and I'm currently on my second portion. "Just feels weird that we kissed for the first time two weeks ago and now this. Just confuses me."

Olivia shrugs, taking a slow sip of her lemonade. "That's werewolves for you, we work on a schedule that's much faster than Humans purely because the feelings involved are that much stronger."

I nod again and we sit in a comfortable silence, enjoying the food in front of us, before I wipe my hands on a napkin and slide a few pieces of paper across the table. "Okay, this is the main reason why I called you, frnakly because I need held arranging this Luna ceremony thing, and you're my only friend in this pack besides Jasper."

"Friend labour." She smirks, finishing off the last bite of her food before wiping her mouth and giving me her attention. "What do you need me to do?"

So we get to work, picking the colours for the banners and calling up local shops in hopes they'll supply the decorations. Olivia rings up the local restaurant and they agree to cater the party. I find a local DJ, a young wolf who's in high school and wanting to break out into music, and we both ring up multiple shops asking if they can supply enough decorations and essentials like cups and plates to provide for the entire pack.

Nearly all of the  shops are more than willing to help out, and insist they provide their services for free. Some won't take no for an answer, but I manage to sweet talk a few into taking tips.

We get everything done relatively quickly, far faster than I could've done it by myself, and the sun hasn't even begun to set yet.

The park across the road is bustling with pups being pushed by their parents on the swings, or chasing each other around the climbing frames. I see a few playing in the sand pits, their clothes covered in dirty brown dust as they build large sandcastles decorated in plastic toys and what looks like pieces of glass and stones. One little girl is being pushed around in a plastic car by who I'm assuming is her father, her squeals of delight sounding perfectly in my ears, like she's stood next to me.

"I want that." Olivia says quietly, almost as if she says it to herself. I tear my gaze away from outside to look at her, and realise she's deep in thought. She's staring out of the window with her bottom lip held between her teeth, her brows creased as she's in the company of her own mind.

I look over her shoulder to see Brett chatting to some customers. He laughing at something they said whilst letting their pup grasp his finger in it's sticky hand. He looks so comfortable with the child, and so mature which is far from my original impression of him.

"If you want it, try for it." I say, catching her by surprse. She looks startled, as if I shouldn't have known, before her eyes flash with sadness. "What? Why do you look sad?"

She sighs, rubbing her hand turedly down her face. "I don't think it's what Brett wants at this moment in time."

"Are you sure?" I ask her seriously, before discreetly pointing in Brett's direction. She turns in her seat and her face lights up, alomst like she didn't realise he had this side to him.

I don't know why, but even though I've known her two weeks, Olivia never struck me as a girl who wanted kids. She seems too immersed in her job in charge of pack security, too dedicated to her responsibilities to even think of wanting a family.

But just looking at her now, makes me realise just how much she wants it.

And looking at Brett when he catches her gaze, the way his face softens when he looks at her, the way he subconsciously tightens his grip on the youngster's hand, makes me realise he wants it too.

Maybe more than she does.

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Beautiful cover below courtesy of sassy_sausage I absolutely love it give her lots of credit!!!!

Hey everyone, thought we'd have a bit of a soft chapter with all the recent excitement.

Can't have everything fast paced all the time can we 😉

Trying to bring Olivia and Brett into it more, and I'm gonna try and have more Sophia moments for you.

Next chapter is a little more girltime between the two she wolves !

Let's hope everything runs smoothly ey 😉😉

Don't forget to hit the star, add this book to reading lists, have a cheeky little gossip about it with your fellow wattpadders, and comment at your favourite moments!!!

Lots of love amigos,

Lauryn xoxo