Chapter 128: Chapter 22

COLE

I wait until Janine leaves before knocking on Lexi’s door. Her eyes are misty.

“I’m glad you came back. I was starting to worry,” she tells me, standing on her tiptoes with her arms around my shoulders.

“I wanted you to have time with Janine. Are you all right?” I ask as I hug her back.

She shakes her head. “She’s been my best friend since day one of freshman year.”

I scoop Lexi up and carry her to the couch. I rock her gently while she cries on my shoulder.

“You’ll see her again and you can still talk whenever you want,” I try to comfort her.

She nods then looks at me while she wipes her eyes. “With her gone, I have no reason to stay here. I want to go to North Carolina with you.”

I wipe her face with my thumb, trying to hold back my excitement. “Are you sure?”

Lexi nods. “Janine and I talked about it a lot. I would like to have my own place though, near my brother if possible.”

“Of course. I can put you on the same street.” I’m so happy, I kiss her mouth while remaining in control. “When do you want to go?”

“I quit my job earlier today. I can start packing tomorrow.”

I squeeze her tighter. “I’ll get another truck up here and we’ll start moving Thursday.”

She gives me a soft smile. “Are you staying here tonight?”

I rub up her back. “Would you like me to stay?”

She automatically nods her head. I relax. “I’ll stay. I have a few things to take care of tomorrow, but I’ll be back afterward.”

“Okay.” She nibbles her lip as she thinks about something.

I pull her lip from between her teeth. Her cheeks turn pink.

“Sorry.”

“It’s fine, Lexi. What’s on your mind?”

I wait while she finally gets up the nerve to speak. “Are you still my boyfriend? After everything that’s happened…”

I stop her with a soft kiss to her pretty lips. “Lexi. You’re more than that to me. I don’t want to sound possessive, but you’re mine.” At least until I make my choice. I still have no idea what to do. I have two days to figure out how to tell her about our kind.

She leans into my shoulder and sniffs my neck. “I feel the same way about you.”

She kisses my neck, and a soft, content growl rumbles deep in my chest.

She giggles, and the sound is music to my soul. “I like when you do that.”

I grumble again. She pushes me back against the couch, then adjusts so she has her ear to my chest. I continue to make the sound, enjoying the feel of her against me, and watch as her eyes slowly begin to get heavy.

I kiss her head, then roll so I can stand up with her still on the couch. I carry her to her room and lay her in her bed. She’s in jeans and a T-shirt, so I pull her pants off of her, then unhook her bra.

She pulls it out of her sleeve, then scoots over to make room for me. I quickly change into my shorts, then slip in behind her. I pull her to my body and fall asleep with my nose in her hair.

I wake up to Lexi’s kisses down my chest. Her hands follow where her mouth has been. I hum and open my eyes. “Morning, sexy.”

She smiles in response, then kisses lower. The blanket covers my erection, but it’s hard to miss. Her hand goes over the covers, stroking down my shaft. I hiss between my teeth. “What are you doing?” I tease.

She looks up at me through her lashes. “Playing.”

“Mhmm. You tease.” I roll us over so she’s under me, trapped beneath the sheets. I hold her wrists above her head, then caress down her body.

She giggles when I hit her side. I lift her shirt and start nibbling her ticklish skin. She tries to squirm away, but she’s trapped.

“Cole,” she laughs. “Stop, that tickles.”

I release her hands and kiss her mouth, then work my way down over her T-shirt to her belly button. I sniff back up until I’m kissing her between her breasts while her T-shirt hooks under them, keeping her covered. She hums as my hands caress her sides.

“Are you hungry, my magnolia?”

She giggles. “Magnolia?”

“Mhmm. You smell like fresh blooming magnolias. It’s heavenly,” I tell her as I kiss her between her glorious breasts again.

“I think I like that. Are you really thinking about food when I’m trapped under you in only a T-shirt and panties?” She wiggles so her legs escape the sheets.

“What do I smell like?” I ask her, trying to hint at what we are.

Lexi hums then sniffs my neck. “You have the best scent I’ve ever smelled. I remember the first time I smelled you was at the mall.”

I knit my brows. “What?”

“I know it sounds crazy, right? I smelled your scent as soon as I walked through the doors. Then I smelled it again at a men’s clothing store. I went in to try to find the cologne, only they didn’t sell cologne. I’m positive it was you because I’ve never smelled anything so incredible in my life. You make my mouth water.”

“You sound more like a wolf than my gorgeous girlfriend.” I try to make a point.

She giggles. “Don’t tease me.”

“I’m not, I’m serious. Maybe you are a wolf and just don’t know it.” In fact, that’s exactly what you are, my beautiful mate.

She rolls her eyes. “I think I would know something like that. Besides, there’s no such thing as humans that change into wolves.”

“You never know. Maybe you’re part of a whole secret kind of people.”

She pushes my face away. “All right, enough crazy talk. What’s for breakfast since you don’t care that I’m trapped under you in panties and a T-shirt?”

“Oh, I definitely care, but I’m out of coffee,” I joke.

She playfully growls. “I’ve never seen you look so sexy, but I’m not sure I have the power to stop myself from taking you all the way in every way I can.”

Lexi bites her lip nervously. I pull it from between her teeth. “You’re obviously not ready for that. Let’s go get something. We can pick up boxes while we’re out,” I suggest. I really do need coffee and to get out from between her sexy legs.

I call Ethan to get him up here with a truck while Lexi showers.

“Are you sure that’s a good idea? I mean she doesn’t know anything about us.”

“She’s my mate, Ethan,” I finally tell him.

“What! How is that possible?” he asks.

I tell him about Dara so he’s not left in the dark in case something goes wrong. Of course, he growls at me, but I don’t blame him. I would be the same if it were one of my sisters.

“Just make sure you’re here tomorrow and we can load both of our trucks.”

“I’ll be there, Cole, but we have to hurry. Rosalie’s heat should be coming soon.”

Lexi’s shower cuts off. “Oh, shit. We’ll get it all done as fast as we can. Have Emmett come up too. If anything, I’ll get you two a hotel room for a few days. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

Ethan hangs up just as Lexi steps out in her towel.

“Did you forget your clothes again?”

She shakes her head. “Nope. I just figured you would like the view.”

I growl as I get to my feet. Her wet hair is slicked back and her towel covers just enough to let my imagination run wild.

I wrap her in my arms and sniff her neck. She smells incredible and I growl again.

Lexi laughs. “Maybe you’re the one that’s a wolf.”

“Damn straight, my magnolia. The strongest wolf there is.”

She laughs again then kisses my lips. She has no idea how honest I’m being. The only wolf stronger than me is my dad; the alpha king.

“I bet you are. I’m going to get dressed. Hurry up, I’m starving.”

I kiss her again then step into the bathroom for my quick, cold shower.

“Your phone rang while you were in the shower,” Lexi tells me.

“Thanks.” I check it real quick with a towel still wrapped around my waist. I feel Lexi’s eyes on me so I look up at her. “Checking me out?”

Her cheeks color at being caught. “I… no…”

I step up to her. “That’s too bad.” I take her hands and place them on my chest. “Because this is all yours to check out whenever you want.” I give her a quick kiss. “We need to get going. I have to go to New York today.”

She grumbles but drops her hands. I playfully smack her ass then dip into the closet.

“Hey! You’re going to pay for that,” she calls out.

“I can’t wait,” I sing out as I throw on my clothes. Goddess, I have so much fun with Lexi. I smile to myself at how easy life is with her.

Breakfast and boxes are fast since I have to get on the road. I drop Lexi back at her place then kiss her goodbye.

I speak to my mother to find out where to go, then set the GPS on my phone. Just before getting out of town, I’m stopped at a light.

Dara’s light shines in my cab then she buckles up. “Hey. What are you up to, my sky angel?”

I reach out and take her hand. “I just want to run something by you,” she says as she strokes my hand.

“What’s up?”

“I am going to stay at your territory for a while. That way I can not watch you with her.”

“Dara, I’m bringing her back with me. She’s moving to the territory,” I tell her.

Dara closes her eyes and swallows. “To your place?” she asks with a crack in her voice.

“No, Angel. She’ll have her own place near her brother. She’s a wolf, you know it’s where she belongs. I can’t stop you from being there. I plan on telling her all about you. I’m not going to keep her in the dark.”

Dara releases my hand to sandwich her fingers between her thighs. “This is so difficult. The more you are with her the less you are with me.”

I pull the truck over so I can face her. The sunlight plays off of her hair like fire. She’s so beautiful. “I’m so sorry about everything. You know this was not my doing. It’s not fair to either of you. I want to make my choice as quick as possible. The Goddess promised that once I make my choice, the other will be free of me. The bond will be gone and the one I don’t choose will be able to find someone new.”

“I was not aware that you are made to choose between the two of us, Colton. I was scared I would have to share you.”

“Only for a short while, until I make my choice.”

“I will stay in your territory as I planned. I do not wish to watch you with her and I still have work to do.”

“Oh?”

She looks to me. “Of course. I am here for a purpose. I found the water blessed at the pack you were staying at then I found the wind blessed after we put out the fire. I still need to find the earth and fire blessed. They are not in your territory, however.”

“You’re welcome to tag along with me. I’m going to be visiting more packs now that I have a job to do.”

“Are you going to another pack now?”

I shake my head then pull back onto the road. “No, I’m going to New York. There are two half breeds that I need to find. One is with his mother, the other is in foster care. I just spoke to my mother not too long ago and she told me where to find them.”

“I will accompany you,” Dara decides, and I can’t help but smile.