Chapter 118: Chapter 12

COLE

Lexi’s smile is bright and wide on her beautiful face as she opens the door. “You’re back.”

I hadn’t even been gone an hour.

I step inside her apartment and drop my duffel bag against the wall, out of the way, with a grocery bag on top of it. I pull her body to mine. “Of course. I said I would be.”

I give her a soft, gentle kiss, then pull away. No need to scare her with another erection.

“What’s in the bags?” she asks breathlessly.

I pick up the grocery bag and walk to the fridge. She giggles when I place the iced coffee on the shelf.

I grab my duffel bag. “So I don’t have to wear your brother’s clothes.”

Her smile lights up her face and she bites her lip. I can’t handle it when she does that; it turns me on. The same way it turned me on when Dara did it.

I shake the thought from my head. Why am I thinking of Dara? Stop it, Cole, you have your mate right in front of you.

I reach up and pull Lexi’s lip free from her teeth. I give her a quick peck. “You have no idea what that does to me. Bedroom?” I ask and hold up my bag.

Her face turns bright pink but she leads me to her room. I drop my bag inside her walk-in closet then kick off my shoes and lay down on her bed.

I reach my arm out to her and she lays beside me. “What did you do while I was gone?”

She moves her hair over her ear. Her eyes are bright for being so light, they’re almost translucent silver, but with a dark blue ring along the outer edge.

I’ve never seen eyes like hers and they have me hypnotized. “Just some job searching.”

I run my fingers up and down her arm; her skin is so soft. “What are your plans today?”

She shakes her head. “You’re the one with all the crazy ideas. You make the plans. I’m just along for the ride.”

I roll slightly on top of her. “What if we just make love right now?”

Her eyes go wide and I chuckle at her discomfort. “I’m messing with you. No hookups.”

I tell her and she relaxes. I knew that would unsettle her, but I wouldn’t hesitate if she gave me the go-ahead. I can wait though. I have to, or I’ll mark her and scare the hell out of her.

I roll off the bed and pull her up with me. “Get some shoes on, some comfortable shoes.”

I change into jeans and a polo shirt while at my truck. I slip my shoes back on and take her hand after she locks up.

I lead her to my truck and help her in. She buckles in and looks around my truck. “Your truck is huge, but I doubt you’d fit in anything smaller. It smells like you in here.”

I knit my brows and look at her. I wonder what she smells. Does she have wolf senses? Rosalie said she has heightened hearing. “It smells nice, I mean.”

She twiddles her fingers, so I take one of her hands and drive off.

I have no idea where we’re going. I’m kind of winging it. I see a park and decide to pull in.

We take a stroll hand in hand, just talking about ourselves. Everything she says makes me fall for her even harder.

“So what kind of business are you in?” she asks after stopping at a vendor cart.

How do I describe being the Alpha Prince to a human? “Well, my parents are prominent figures where I’m from, so I mainly deal with public relations whenever or wherever they need me. I guess it’s described as per diem, but it does keep me busy.”

I bite into my churro as we continue to stroll and talk.

“Your parents are prominent? Have I heard of them? What is your last name?”

She’s going to find out eventually, so I tell her. “It’s highly likely. Since your brother is part of our pack, but I can’t tell you that, well not exactly. James,” I tell her.

Her eyes go large and her mouth opens. “You’re kidding me. James? Like the billionaires; James? With a mansion and a private jet and enough land to have your own landing strip?”

“That’s just my parents. I’m not a billionaire.”

Only a millionaire for now. She bites her lip and she gets quiet. I lift her chin to look into her eyes. I softly plead with her. “Lexi. Don’t think about it. I’m just a regular guy. My parents were both orphans. My mom inherited everything from a distant aunt. They raised me to be appreciative. I like simple things and I’m not afraid to work. Most of the money goes to help people. Please don’t get scared away, I really like you and I want to get to know you. If you’re ever uncomfortable you can tell me.”

I hold my breath and her eyes never leave mine until eventually she nods.

“I had no idea that your parents were orphans.”

I’m so relieved that I let out my breath and relax. “My mom and her twin sister lived in a camp from the time they were ten until they were fourteen and they found their uncle. He took them in. My dad and his sister and brother lived in the camp all their lives until he was fifteen. He met a great guy named Declan Redd. He took them all in. I’m named after him. Colton Declan James.”

Explaining my parents’ upbringing seems to relax her.

“My brother is a security guard for your family. Do you know Ethan Richardson?”

“I do know him, he’s actually a great friend of mine. Although, he never mentioned having a sister until recently. I only learned of you last week. It’s a happy coincidence that I have eyes for such an incredibly interesting and beautiful woman. I wish he would’ve introduced us a long time ago,” I tell her.

Although I was looking for her, I honestly didn’t know what she looked like beforehand.

We make it back to my truck and I pull into an older part of town at a strip of shops.

We stop at a small cafe for lunch then tour the little shops. I buy her flowers and an inexpensive necklace with a moonstone charm. (She checked the price).

After goofing around all afternoon and taking a ton of selfies, we find a ceramics store where you can buy the blank pottery and glaze it however you like.

She finds a wolf-shaped piggy bank to paint, which makes me smile. Then I find a cute little heart-shaped jewelry box that I plan to paint for her.

I make sure to include the date on the bottom, kind of like a keepsake. I’ll have to return in a week to pick the pieces up.

We stop for burgers, fries, and shakes to take with us as we lay in the back of my truck. We just watch as the Goddess and the Sisters shine their light upon us. I thank the Goddess for giving me my mate and pray that somehow we can be together.

“I’ve never done anything like this before,” Lexi tells me.

“I haven’t either. I’m having fun with you. So, you plan to study the gray wolf. What’s the fascination?” I ask. Hopefully, I can figure out a way to introduce our world to her.

“I don’t know. I just feel like wolves are my spirit animal. When I was a kid, I used to dream about becoming a wolf. It’s silly, but how cool would that be. My brother and I used to pretend we were wolves, but my mom made us stop. She’s a witch, or so she claims, but she worships the Earth Goddess. I’ve always kind of felt more connected to the Moon Goddess.”

I’m completely taken by surprise. “You believe in the Moon Goddess?”

She looks at me like I might judge her. “Yeah, I do.”

She watches me for a second. “Are you going to call me a tree-hugging hippie?”

I shake my head. “Why would I?”

“I’ve been made fun of for my beliefs before,” she timidly answers.

“Most humans can’t understand the Moon Goddess. They look at her and see a terrestrial rock, nothing more. They don’t feel her warmth and her love. They don’t believe she’s an actual being with a heart and wisdom. How do you feel about her daughters, the Starlight Sisters?”

She looks up to the sky. I look up and see Dara’s beautiful star winking at us. I give my lady a slight bow, picturing her lovely face.

Goddess, I hope she’s not broken watching me with my mate. I still have no regret. I look back to Lexi. “I imagine they would be so lonely. They’re the daughters of the moon and the sky, but where are their partners? I wonder if they are jealous of us mortals or if they find us fascinating? While they may live for eternity, do they ever get bored? We mortals don’t have eternity, but we have companionship.”

Her eyes are still looking to the sky, reflecting their sparkling grandeur. My lips are fixed into a slight smile.

“I bet they’re beautiful,” she says after a moment then finally looks to me.

“I believe they are,” I agree, knowing full well just how enchanting they are. Images of Dara’s pearly white body ignite behind my eyes. I blink away the memory to return to the present and focus on my mate.

“It’s not every day I run into someone that knows of the Starlight Sisters. Rosalie introduced me to them. She’s my other best friend. Now Rosalie is dating my brother. I knew of the Moon Goddess, but that’s only because my mother blamed her for her shitty life. My mom was abused as a child until she ran away at seventeen.”

“I’m sorry to hear of your mother,” I say. I truly am sorry for Danielle’s suffering at the hands of men that should have protected her.

“I am too. It’s made her bitter and resentful. She chased off my brother thinking he would turn into some monster.” She rolls her eyes.

“I’ve heard. Ethan seems happy with us though,” I tell her, hopefully giving her some peace of mind.

Lexi softly smiles and looks back up to the stars. “Do they see everything we do?”

“I imagine so,” I comment, remembering what Dara was about to say about my parents one day. I hold back a chuckle and look to Lexi.

In the soft blue hue of the Goddess, Lexi’s skin glows and her eyes sparkle. Her hair shimmers, reflecting the glow. A soft warm breeze blows, making her hair turn into a river flowing around her. My fingers ache to touch the soft flowing current. I don’t hold back and the silk of each strand glides through my fingers.

Lexi turns her face toward me, her eyes shine as brightly as the stars. She peers into the depths of my soul and I feel our connection, our bond growing stronger. Neither of us speak. Words are not necessary. I feel her lassoing me and pulling me in to twine our spirits together.

My fingers move to the soft skin of her cheek and I lean in to kiss her. She’s accepting of my advances and kisses back with fervor. Her lips coalesce into mine. Our mouths open and our tongues meet in a soft massage.

I lean over her, trapping her under me, but still allowing her room to maneuver. Her hands find my chest then trace up my shoulders and neck. Her dainty fingers curl around the back of my neck and her legs move to trap one of mine. I scent her arousal and my body comes to life in response. A soothing rumble resonates from within my chest. The sound appealing to her wolf.

Her lips part from mine and I look into her skittish doe eyes. “No hook ups,” I remind her in a whisper. “You make me feel alive, Lexi, but I’m not going to push you where you’re not comfortable going. I respect you.”

Her body slightly relaxes under me and she gives me a nod with her delicate smile on her lips. “Thank you, Cole.”

She places a soft peck to the corner of my mouth then minutely nudges me off her. She sits up and takes a moment to ground herself. “I think we should head back. It’s getting late.”

I nod then help her up. I jump from the bed of my truck then help her down and into her seat. We hold hands as we walk to her door.

“I had a great time today, Cole.”

Not wanting to part with her, I ask, “Is it too late for a movie? Your pick this time.”

She softly giggles but agrees. “All right, but I’m going to make you suffer through a romance.”

“I’ll watch anything just to have you fall asleep on my shoulder again.”

She picks out a movie set in England and we relax into her couch, her legs across mine so I can rub them for her. It was a lot of walking, even my legs are tired.

“You have some sexy legs,” I comment as my hands go over her silky calves. She has a sexy everything, actually.

She giggles. “Are you a leg man?”

I shake my head. “Nope. I’m a one-woman man. I love legs.”

I rub higher. “Curves.” My hand climbs higher over the top of her dress.

“Ass.” I take a chance and glide my hands across her luscious booty. “Waist.”

Her hips fit perfectly in my hands. I climb higher to the sides of her beautiful breasts. “Breasts. Especially yours.”

She giggles as I keep tickling her with my not-so-casual touches. I get to her arms. “Shoulders.” I kiss her shoulders then up her neck. My teeth salivate to mark her as I take in her scent.

Her breath gets heavy, and I kiss her ear then make my way to her lips.

“Lips and tongues,” I whisper before kissing her deeply, but I’m not finished.

My fingers run through her thick silky locks. “Hair.” Then I stare deep into her mesmerizing eyes. “Silver eyes.” My voice has left me, leaving my words gruff.

She swallows hard then playfully shoves me away.

“I’m missing my favorite part of the movie.”

I chuckle then turn us over so she’s laying on my chest as she swoons over the romance playing on the screen.