Twenty-Four

Dedicated to all! I have SO much homework, but thought I would do this first and hopefully there will be reads by the time I'm dome and I'll know others aren't stuck at homework with hours of studying! Oh well, it will all be worth it in the end...

Or so they say.

Anyways, here's to you!

******

I felt Caden moving beside me before he moved hair out of my face.

"Babe? I have to get up to go."

"Thanks."

"Are you sure you don't want to just sleep?"

"Maybe after you leave."

"I'll try to be quiet."

He went to move but then stopped when I pulled away, "I hate leaving you."

"Caden you can't be late."

"I'm not late if I don't show."

"That would go over well," I sarcastically said.

"Maybe they won't notice." He said hopefully.

"Caden."

"Ugh," he moaned, "I probably won't be back until after lunch, possibly for dinner, depending on how long the meeting goes. It never goes past that."

"Okay."

He sat up but didn't leave the bed.

"Go."

"Bee," he complained.

"What if they're going to say something really important. Caden go to the meeting."

"Fine," he sighed and slowly got out of the bed. I heard him move around the room as I closed my eyes. I heard the bathroom door a couple times before I felt his lips on my temple, "I hate leaving, but I have a feeling you will kick my ass if I don't."

"You bet."

He chuckled, "Goodbye Blake."

"Bye." I heard him move away, "Caden?"

"Yeah babe?"

"I have a weird feeling about this meeting."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I feel like it's going to have something to do with the future. I have a feeling it's going to change things." A lot of things.

"How?"

"I don't know. Kind of good, but I have a bad feeling too. I don't know Caden, something is going to happen."

"Don't worry Bee, you'll know as soon as I get home. Just focus on the good okay?" I nodded and he groaned, "Now I really don't want to go."

"Focus on the good, remember?"

He laughed a bit before opening the door, "Goodbye Bee."

"Bye Caden."

He walked out but I heard him walk back.

"Caden, you have to go." I mumbled with my eyes closed.

"I forgot something." Before I knew it he was straddling me, one leg on each side as he kissed me. It wasn't gentle but almost like he thought it might be the last time. I kissed him back before pushing him off. "I love you Blake. I always will. Don't ever forget that."

"Why does this sound like a goodbye?"

"I just need to tell you. And I think you need to hear it." He stopped as he looked me over, "God you're beautiful."

I pushed him off and sat up, "Caden-"

"I know, I know. I'm going." He walked to the door but stopped and stared at me, "I love you Blake." He left before I could say anything.

I hadn't fallen asleep after. The weird feeling got bigger as the day went on. I've had weird feelings before with things like this but I always ignored it. Today I couldn't.

I hated that I didn't understand it though. It was good but there was a pretty big bad side to it. And I had a feeling things were going to change. Drastically. I couldn't help thinking that it had to do with the war. Maybe it was going to happen soon. But maybe council was planning on sending our pack to surprise attack the rogues. Who knows? It has happened before.

I had spent the day with Sam swimming, but she had to leave because she had some appointment. That seemed weird but for some reason she seemed excited and nervous. I let it go.

I ended up reading the rest of the day on the back deck and eventually met up with Daniel and we ate dinner together. I figured Caden would be home hours ago, but dinner had come and gone and he still wasn't back.

The bad feeling about this meeting had gotten worse and I was starting to get worried. I was laying in Caden's bed upstairs when I heard a car drive in and my wolf perked up knowing it was him.

The whole pack house felt still and quiet as if something had fallen over it, like a spell. I heard Caden come in and I felt better knowing he was safe. I didn't realize how worried I had been.

My eyes grew heavy and I heard footsteps on the stairs. Usually he took less than two minutes to climb the few flights of stairs but he stopped along the way multiple times and in between he was slow, almost hesitant.

I was pretty tired since I only got a few hours of sleep last night and I yawned as I heard him reach the top of the stairs.

The door was closed and I felt him stop outside the door. He slowly turned the handle but still didn't open the door. The bad feeling in my gut almost doubled as I realized he walked back to the stairs. Why wasn't he coming in?

He seemed to walk back and forth multiple times before I heard him sit down with a sigh, if I wasn't a werewolf I wouldn't have heard it, it was barely audible to my sensitive ears. Then I heard a thud, as if his head hit the wall. Anyone's ears would've picked that up.

I pulled the sheets back and walked as quietly to the door as I could.

I slowly turned the knob and peeked into the hall. When he didn't look up, I went and sat beside him. He didn't even move to get closer as I left about two inches, which was odd. He always did, it was like he had a need to be touching me in any way he could.

We sat in silence for a while as I fought to keep the yawns in.

Finally I couldn't take it any more and slipped my hand over his and turned it so his rested on mine. He made no attempt to intertwine our fingers so I left them how they were. "Caden, what's wrong? How did the meeting go?"

His head sunk down another inch before he looked straight forward across the hall to the other wall. "You were right."

"Right how? Is something bad happening?"

"No. Actually, it was good news- in a way."

"In a way? Caden, you're not making sense."

He looked over at me and his eyes held so much sadness, worry and hurt. "Blake, can we talk about this tomorrow? Please?" He was pleading for me to let it go so I nodded. He stood up and I thought he would drop my hand but he held it firmly, like he needed to make sure I wasn't letting go.

At the door he stopped and looked over at me, "Caden, why didn't you come in the room? Is it about the meeting?"

He looked to the bed and I saw the worry and sadness build in his eyes before he looked back at me trying to hide it all as he nodded solemnly. Seeing him like this killed me. I didn't even know how to make him smile.

"Are you coming to bed?" I asked.

He seemed to stare at me forever before he suddenly brought me to him, "I don't know what I would do without you Bee." He hugged me tight to his chest, as if he couldn't get me close enough. I wrapped my arms around him as he picked me up and I wrapped my legs around him as well. "Do you want to share a bed with me? Don't say yes just because the alternative is downstairs otherwise. Honestly, do you want me beside you when you fall asleep? When you wake up in the morning?"

"Caden where is this coming from? Is it because I didn't say it back?" We both knew I meant love.

"No. Blake you didn't answer me."

"Caden, you're scaring me."

"Blake would you prefer to wake up how it was before? I need you to be honest."

I'm always honest with him. What is happening? "Caden I don't want-"

"I'll go downstairs then." He put me on the floor and took a step away but I turned and pinned him to the wall and took his mouth with mine.

He was shocked but eventually I ended up with my legs around him as he took over the kiss. He turned and had my back to the wall. I was about to tell him I didn't want him to go downstairs but before I could he ran his teeth over his mark and I bit my lip until he sucked on the mark and I couldn't stop myself, "Caden," I moaned.

Suddenly he put me down and backed away, taking a few steps towards the stairs before I pulled him backwards, "Caden! Stop walking away. I was going to say that I didn't want you to go downstairs. I want to see you when I fall asleep, and I want to be curled into your side as I wake up. Dammit!"

He looked at me shocked and slowly lifted his hands and held my face, "You actually want that? Not just the mate pull? Not just because you're forced to be here?" His eyes were staring so intensely at my eyes with way too many emotions. I had no idea what was going through him and his thoughts were so scattered I couldn't get anything.

"Why are you so shocked? Do you think I'm that cold? Do you really think I have no feelings for you at all?"

"I thought you might just be trying to make the best out of a terrible situation." He sounded defeated. What the hell happened at the meeting?

"I won't lie to you. For a while I was, I mean after the time when I hated everything. I was fake smiling and pretending. But lately I've realized how much I like being here. I told you yesterday that I was happy here. I'm happy in your pack, I'm happy with the few friends I've made, and I'm happy with this, with us. I've never loved anyone before Caden. Sure my sister, my friends. But I've never fallen in love with someone before, I don't know what to do with these- these- these feeling I have! These emotions I can't seem to understand! I know I don't talk about it, I never have, and I apologize. But do you really think I'm that heartless that I feel nothing for you?"

He pulled me to his chest, "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry Bee. I'm terrible at putting things into words, I have always just avoided it. I don't think you're cold. I never meant it like that. I'm so sorry Blake, I am so, so sorry. Please forgive me."

"I'm not mad Caden, there's nothing for you to be sorry about. I should be. We both agreed to be open and yet I still wasn't open with you."

"Yes you were. And please stop referring to it as my pack. Please? It's our pack. Even if you leave it will be our pack. I'm your mate, there will never be anyone else for me."

"What do you mean if I leave?" I tried to pull back to look at him but he just held me close. "Caden? What are you talking about?"

I heard him sigh, "Lets sit. We need to talk."

He led us to the bed but after a moment of silence he started pacing the room and would glance at me with worried eyes and nervous habits.

"Caden you're scaring me again."

Suddenly he broke out in a ramble and I struggled to understand what he was saying, "You were right. The future is going to change. The council has decided to help out with the rogue attack and is joining packs to help us win the war because of this we don't need to ally packs and your father called it off because of other issues in the pack. He said that your mother spoke up about cancelling the alliance and the deal is off or something. You're no longer stuck with me, you can leave. I will take you to the council and see what they can do about the mark, you no longer have to be here. You truly have freedom. You can mate with whoever. The council said they might be able to help convince your wolf of the wrongful marking and you will get to choose a mate. You will get to fall in love and mate with whichever guy you want. I can drive you back to your pack tomorrow. Or tonight if you want to leave. Council decided the rogue attack is too big not to help out so they're making an army out of multiple packs, choosing the best fighters. They're taking most from our pack and your fathers pack but there is no need to ally any more. You're free. You don't have to be with me." The last sentence seemed to kill a piece of him and the hurt in his eyes was overwhelming.

I was in total shock. What do I say to that?

I can leave, I can leave this place that I hated for a week. I can leave the place my father made me go. I can find a mate when I'm ready and settle down when I want to.

I no longer have to stay here. I really am free.

I can go back to Dana and Ben and Jess and mom and all the people I spent my life trying to know because I believed that's what a good Luna did. Now I can have everything I dreamed of.

"Blake-"

"Stop."

I saw him turn away and lean against the wall.

"Is this why you didn't come in the room? Is this why you asked me all those questions about what I wanted?"

"Yes. I know it was selfish. But I also know that you thought you had to be here when you answered them, so I know the answers will be different now."

"When I told you I wanted to be with you it was because I had to be. But now I don't have to be, and I don't want to see your face every morning and night." When I saw his shoulders sink with hurt, pain and sadness I put my hands on his shoulders and turned him around. He didn't meet my eye and I knew he was holding his wolf back, "Look at me."

He looked up and I have never seen his eyes so empty.

"Caden, I don't want to see your face and be beside you as I sleep," he looked away but I moved my head to keep his gaze, "I need to see you morning and night. Dammit Caden, I need you."

He snapped his attention to me and his face became blank so I kept going, "I answered those questions how you asked them. And I didn't realize how closed off I was being to you. I'm sorry Caden. You've been apologizing over and over when I should've been. I need to be by your side, I need to have you in my life. You've made me see life way differently. You've changed so many things, but I don't want them to change back."

"Nor do I."

"I know. You told me how long ago, yet only now am I admitting it. I'm sorry."

"Are you saying that I can hold you tonight?"

"No Caden. I'm not saying that." I said with a small smile.

"So you're saying that you're going back to your pack tomorrow?" He said with a voice of hurt.

"Yes." I paused, "I'm saying that you're not holding me tonight. I'm asking you to hold me every night for as long as we both live. And I'm not saying that I'm going back to my old pack tomorrow, but I'm asking you to take me back to officially meet my family as my future mate."

"Blake are you serious? You don't have to be here any more. Are you going to regret this tomorrow? If you wake up and want to leave I won't stop you. I can't do that to you. I can't hold you prisoner. Not any more."

"Caden just say yes and kiss me."

And he did. He kissed me as if I was the air he breathed. He kissed me as if it was the first and last time all summed up into one breathlessly long spell binding kiss. When he pulled back there was only happiness, joy, relief, and love in his eyes and it took my breath away.

"I love you Blake. That will never change."

"I hope not, because I may have fallen for you already."

His eyes sparkled and he kissed his mark, "So you're happy with this?"

"I couldn't think of anyone else's being there. I love you Caden."

The fact that his eyes sparkled with love when I said that made me all warm. "I love you too Blake." His eyes darkened as he scanned my face. "I love you so much."

It was quiet before my knees buckled as his teeth sunk into his mark for the third time. But this time was different, almost like I had finally accepted him with everything in me. "Caden!" I struggled to breath as he held me up with my back to the wall. My entire ody was depending on him to hold me up. I was literally puty in his hands, my whole body gave way to the pleasure.

"I love that I give you that much pleasure with just my mark alone."

I couldn't speak, still reeling in the amount of pleasure he gave me.

"Was it different? Or was it just me?"

"Different. I can't even describe it. That was... unbelievable." I said breathlessly as he took my lips with his.

"You've got to stop biting your lip. It's such a distraction."

I smirked as I bit it again, "Sorry."

"Blake," he warned and I laughed but stopped.

It got serious and he looked at me nervously, "Are you sure you aren't going to regret this tomorrow? You don't want a day to think about it? This is permanent Bee."

"Caden I couldn't possibly regret you. I don't need a day. Unless you're not sure about this, because I know that this isn't even about what I want. I need you in my life, I have no doubt."

"How did I get so lucky?"

"Maybe fate is still there when it comes to mates."

"I told Dan fate did this." He told me before too. I guess it just never clicked as the truth before now.

"I think you're right."

He led me to the bed but stopped when we were standing at the edge, "Will you call this our pack now?"

"But we haven't mated yet."

"You're going to be the death of me."

"How about our room, and it will be our pack when we mate?"

He smiled and looked over my whole face, "When we mate? Not if we mate."

"That's what I said."

"I like the sound of that." He said happy. I smiled and he nodded. "So how about we fall asleep with you in my arms in our bed?"

"I like the sound of that," I mocked him.

He pulled the covers back and picked me up, slowly placing me on th- our bed before climbing in beside me and pulling the covers up.

"We fit perfectly together." He said as he held me flush against him.

"It's fate."

"That it is."

"Bee?" He said slowly, "I didn't come straight home after the meeting. I stopped and went for a run, I let my wolf take over. I couldn't even imagine running this pack alone anymore, but I knew I couldn't force you to stay. I still won't. I couldn't."

"Caden I have always hated my father. But this is the first thing he has done that I've ended up happy about. I didn't think it was possible for me to fall in love with anyone in this amount of time, but I have. I love you."

"I will never get used to hearing those three words from your angel soft lips."

"I'll never get tired of saying them."

He pecked my cheek and pulled me tighter to him, "You feel so right being with me. I love you too."

"Goodnight Caden."

"Goodnight Blake."

I woke up before him, which was unusual, and rolled over to look at him. He looked so peaceful and vulnerable when he slept. There was an innocence about him that you didn't see when he was awake.

I truly did love him, now that I said it I realized just how true it was. I couldn't imagine being without him now. Usually that didn't happen until after the mating, before its like any other two humans in love.

But what if he closes me off? What if he does what my father did? What if I end up standing by and watching? I would die if that happened. I have no doubt that my wolf would go rogue if she had to watch the pack dissolve. She had that her whole childhood, I wouldn't let it happen again.

I didn't realize he had even woken up and before I knew it he was beside the bed pacing, "You regret it. I knew this would happen. Oh God," he rambled on and I sat up shocked into silence.

"Caden what are you talking about? Why would I regret it?"

"You were staring at me as if you were scared for your life."

"Caden, come back to our bed," I emphasized the 'our' and he seemed to calm enough to come back and I sat up beside him, "I don't regret this." I paused and looked to him, "Do you remember when I told you about my mother and how my father changed?"

"Yes. I do."

"And how I told you how I think a pack should be run, and we agreed?"

"Yes."

"Do you still think that way?"

"Yes Blake. That's never going to change. Mating is only going to make us stronger. I don't know how else to say it. And I can't exactly show you because we would have to mate for that to happen."

"I guess my brain was on overdrive again. Caden my wolf will go rogue if you cast me aside."

"Blake I will never hurt you like that. I will never hurt you at all."

Looking into his eyes I believed him. I believed it all, I just hoped that was enough.

"I love you Blake."

"I love you too Caden."

"So you're staying?"

"Yes. I may have been forced to come here, but it's my decision to stay."

He tipped us back until we were laying on the bed and he rolled me over to lay down the front of him, "You're amazing."

I rolled my eyes and laid my head on his chest, "You're not too bad yourself."

He chuckled and I fell back to sleep feeling more loved than ever.