Chapter 31: Chapter 31

ADDISON

The meeting was about to start, and everyone was taking their seats in the large ballroom due to the threat of rain outside.

I was standing by the door welcoming everyone in with warm smiles and the occasional hug. I looked around the room, almost everyone was here. Weirdly enough, I was nervous.

Slade walked in, taking my hand as he walked through the door and headed toward the front.

There were three chairs in the front of the room facing the rest of the seats filled with the members of the pack. One obviously for the alpha, the luna to his right, and the beta to his left.

Sam joined us as we reached the front, and we all took a seat waiting for pack members to find their seats. Slade then stood, his alpha presence radiating off him.

“Welcome! I don’t want to make this too long, I know you have your families and evening to get back to. As you have seen in the last few weeks, we have made some changes within the pack.

“As of now, Luna Addison is officially in charge of all pack events, parties, meetings, and ceremonies.

“She will also be in charge of and working with the school to make sure our young ones are getting the education they deserve. Luna will also be assisting with member transfers.

“Does anyone have any questions about these changes?”

A few pack members spoke up, asking questions about various functions and events coming up, and I did my best to answer them.

I tried to let the pack know that they could come to me with anything and that Slade and I would try our hardest to help.

Slade continued. “All right, the second order of business. Once a month, we will be having a Luna Breakfast. Attendance is not mandatory, but all are welcome to join us.

“Luna Addison will be making breakfast in the pack house for everyone to enjoy. Hopefully, I’ll be able to convince her to make some of her magical blueberry muffins.” He turned to me and winked.

I blushed and then added, “Please feel welcome to join us. The more the merrier. I would really like to be able to get to know each of you.”

After a few more items of pack business, the meeting ended. I turned to Sam and thanked him for his help and then turned to Slade. I smiled up at him, and I took his hand as we left the meeting hall.

Neither of us saw Vanessa standing in the back of the room, arms crossed, with the biggest glare on her face.

***

It had been a long day, and I was exhausted. I pulled on some comfortable shorts and a T-shirt. Grabbing my phone charger and a book, I headed across the hall to Slade’s room.

When I entered, he was in the bathroom with the door closed. I walked over to the bed and plugged in my phone before crawling into the bed and closing my eyes.

My eyes shot open when I felt Slade plop himself down onto the bed and lean toward me. “What do you think you’re doing?” he said quietly.

I rolled over and looked at him. “I told you I was staying in here from now on. As long as she’s here, I’ll be here. So get used to it, babe.”

I rolled back over, proud of the sass I had managed to get out, and closed my eyes again. Not even a minute later, I felt Slade slide his arms around me.

“If you stay in here, I can’t promise I’ll behave myself,” he whispered. I wiggled into him.

“You seem to be the only one here that has a problem with that.” A sly grin slid across my face, and I squealed when he rolled over and lay above me.

Slade kissed me, gently at first and then with more passion, moving his kisses down my neck, nipping at the spot above my collarbone where his mark would be.

I knew he wasn’t going to mark me, but I was sure going to enjoy torturing him until he did. I gave him an innocent kiss with a “Good night.”

He rolled over with a groan. I rolled over and went to sleep.

***

“Good morning,” Slade breathed as he wrapped himself around me.

“Hmm…morning,” I said with a sleepy smile. Slade kissed the back of my neck and nuzzled himself into my hair, inhaling my scent. “Shower with me?”

I laughed. “Slade Black, are you going to ask every day? Because every day it’s going to be a no.” Slade gave me his best pouty face, and I whacked him with my pillow.

I liked that I could have fun with him, that we were comfortable together. I sat up in the bed, pushing the hair out of my face. “What do you have going on today?”

He lay back, putting his arms behind his head. “Nothing really. I’ll check out the training grounds this morning and maybe work up a sweat. Meet me at the pool after? Around noon?”

“Sure,” I said with a smile, “I’ll bring lunch.” I kissed him before hopping out of bed and heading to my room to shower.

I didn’t have any actual luna business today, so I opted to just throw on my favorite one-piece underneath some shorts and a loose top.

I sat on the couch after breakfast and read my book. I ended up dozing off after a while.

I jolted awake as a couple of pack members walked through the house laughing. I moaned as I tried to stretch the stiffness from my body after falling asleep in a weird position.

Looking at my phone, it was just after twelve. “CRAP!” I jumped up and ran out the back door.

I heard Slade speaking, so I knew he was there. Pulling my shirt off, I said, “I’m sorry! I dozed off and just now realized what time it was!” After getting my shirt off, I saw Slade looking up at me.

He was sitting on the edge of the pool, legs in the water. And between his thighs with her arms wrapped around his waist was Vanessa.

She had a “what a shame you caught us” look on her face, which just made me even angrier, my wolf threatening to straight-up kill this girl.

I straightened myself, and with my full luna voice, I boomed at Vanessa, “Get the hell away from my mate and get the hell out of my house.”

Vanessa looked up at Slade who just shrugged at her with a smirk. “She’s the luna.” Vanessa crossed her arms and climbed out of the pool. She grabbed her things and left in a huff.

Now my full anger was directed at Slade. “What are you doing?”

“It’s not my fault you keep walking in at the wrong time! I was literally about to push her off me when you walked out.”

My eyes widened. “I shouldn’t have to walk in on anything at all! What, am I not enough? You need ~two~ mates?”

“I know you’re mad, just come sit by me for a minute,” Slade pleaded.

I turned to leave, but he caught my hand. He pulled me down to his lap and whispered, “You are more than enough. Will you just trust me already?”

I huffed, not quite ready to forgive him. All of a sudden, I felt myself fall, splashing into the water. I popped up, wiping the water from my face.

I gave him a shocked look before he jumped in and swam over to me. He pulled me close, his hands touching the bare skin of my back, sending shocks through me.

“If you think that will get you out of trouble, you’re mistaken,” I mumbled. He pulled my chin up so my eyes met his.

“Just trust me, Addison, I’ve already fallen for you. You don’t need to worry about her.” He kissed me gently and then threw me again.

We splashed and flirted and sat together in the sun.

“You know…,” Slade said thoughtfully, “I could just banish her.”

I looked up at him and crinkled my nose. “This is just now coming to mind?!”

Slade laughed. “I can’t really banish her. Not unless she does something illegal. So far she’s just annoyed us.” I rolled my eyes at him, wishing it were that easy.

~“If only…,” ~my wolf mumbled.

After a while, we went in to clean up. It had become late in the day, and it was about time for the dinner bell to ring.

When we parted ways again in the hall, Slade kissed me, pressing me against him and making me heated.

~Cold shower it is, then~, I thought to myself.