Twenty-Six

I woke up and my stomach was growling and I rolled over thinking I would curl up into Caden but the bed was empty.

Did he regret this? Was him telling me that he would miss me like a goodbye? Kind of a screwed up goodbye, but was that the intention? Was I right to think this was all a dream? I mean he obviously didn't want me as Luna of his pack! Even my father didn't.

"Blake I hope you don't believe any of those thoughts." Caden said hurt. His voice was hollow and pained.

Before I could reply he was kissing me passionately after he climbed on the bed and pinned me down. I wrapped my arms around his neck as I tugged his hair and he moaned before looking into my eyes. "I will never regret this." I went to reply but he put a finger over my lips. "I will never regret this. I will never regret you. I will never regret anything about this except being an ass that first week."

Again I went to speak but he put his lips to mine gently and the kiss was so tender. It was as if he was telling me how much he loved me in the kiss alone. He pulled away and the gaze in his eyes was full of love and he spoke quietly but surly, "I love you. Nothing could ever change that Blake. I don't know how to make you believe that."

"Where were you when I woke up?"

"I made breakfast," he said with a grin as he climbed off after one more peck to my lips.

"I'm sorry Caden, for jumping to conclusions."

"Don't be. I just know that I need to tell you more, until those thoughts aren't even there."

He had his back to me but I smiled at the sincerity in his words. "I love you."

He turned around with the tray of food and grinned and I couldn't help but smile back. "I love that you love me." He said with a grin before he had an amusing smile as he sat beside me, "Are you saying that so that I will give you food?"

I laughed, "No, but I will love you more if you share."

He smirked, "And what if I don't?"

I raised an eyebrow and smirked back, "I will go visit my family."

He narrowed his eyes at me, "For how long?"

"Indefinitely."

"You wouldn't. You need to be with me as much as I need to be with you."

"I don't know. How about we test it?"

He had me pinned before I could blink and he hovered an inch away from my face as he studied every inch of my face. His smirk slowly fell, "I really hope you were kidding. Bee could you spend that much time away from me?"

I rolled my eyes, "Caden I would have to sneak back in at night just to sleep."

"You know I wouldn't let you leave again if I had you in my arms again."

"My point."

"So you were just kidding?"

"Of course."

He smiled before kissing my forehead and sat us both up. My stomach growled and he looked pained, "I'm really terrible at this hospitality thing."

"Why? I'm always hungry when I get up in the morning."

"But we didn't even eat dinner last night. When was the last time you ate?"

When I didn't answer he cursed and I could see him already scolding himself mentally. I grabbed his hand and slowly ran my fingers up his arm stopping when I got to his chin. He looked me in the eye and I smiled, "Please don't beat yourself up. I know it's because you care, but please don't. I didn't want to leave the bed yesterday since you had spent the day before thinking I was leaving."

"But-"

"And you brought food up."

"A day late."

"Better late than never."

He smiled and I leaned over and pecked him on the lips. When I leaned back his eyes were black and full of lust, "I wish we didn't have to leave the bed."

"Caden,  you're still Alpha." He looked down and I saw him stiffen before taking a few calming breaths. "What's wrong?"

"Bee, I have to tell you something."

"Caden my brain is already having so many terrible thoughts. Just say it."

"I'm leaving tomorrow."

I couldn't look at him.

He hadn't looked up yet and I jumped off the bed and ran to the closet. I locked the door and I was sliding down the doors with my face in my hands.

He just told me that he was leaving.

Right after he said he would never regret me.

I didn't hear anything. It was completely silent. At least to me. I had too many thoughts in my head to hear anything except my choked sobs that I wouldn't let escape.

My wolf finally woke me up to reality and I heard Caden saying my name so desperately you would think I had died.

"Blake, please. Please open up. I can't stand you being hurt."

Is he serious? Can't stand me being hurt, yet he's leaving.

"Please Blake. I don't want to go. But like you said, I'm alpha. It was decided at the meeting when the council cut in. I didn't tell you since I thought you would leave. They never told us which day, just that it was happening."

Wait, council?

I stood up and turned around opening the door, throwing my arms around Caden and wrapping my legs around him as I tucked my face in his neck. He was frozen in shock before he held me tightly to him and slowly his body relaxed.

"I'm so sorry Caden. I blanked out after you said you were leaving. I thought-"

"I was regretting everything. You thought that I wanted to rip my heart out by walking away from you." He said to ease the mood and I smiled.

"Something like that."

He walked over to the bed and sat down with me still straddling his lap. "This is not helping me think straight." He mumbled before holding me still as I went to get off his lap.

"Caden will you tell me what happened at the meeting?"

"Yes." I went to climb off of him but he held me still giving me a look not to move away again and he fell back on the bed. I felt awkward as I straddled his waist as he laid there. It felt intimate and sexual. Not things I thought I would feel as we talked about pack business.

"Caden it might be easier for you if I moved."

"I am not letting you be even an inch away from me after that. That's why I laid back. This is as far as you're getting."

I chuckled a bit but nodded. "I'm definitely not complaining."

He smirked as he moved his hips a little and I felt a blush on my cheeks, "God that's adorable that you blush."

I smacked his abdomen lightly, "Don't laugh at me."

"Maybe I just need to-"

"Get your mind out of the gutter and tell me about the meeting."

"This is definitely not over."

"But it is for now."

"You already know that you're free now to do who you wish."

"What I wish, pervert."

He smiled, "Well you could do who you wish."

"I don't think you would like that." I said and acted nervous.

He sat up in a panic and I couldn't fake it anymore, I laughed, "Calm down Caden. I'm just kidding."

"You're going to give me a heart attack one of these days."

"Maybe I will do just that, but because it is beating so fast that you can't even think straight. You will be so completely consumed in me-"

"Blake if you keep talking in that sultry tone I can't be held responsible for my actions," he said and I laughed before sitting silent.

"Okay anyways, besides the alliance being broken-"

"Wait Caden, when we mate do the packs still ally?"

"Yes. A mating allies packs for alphas and their children. Whether intentional or not."

I opened my mouth but then closed it.

"Bee what are you thinking now?"

"Wha- oh nothing. I guess I just didn't think about it."

"Are you sure?" I nodded and apologized for interrupting, although he told me not to apologize, before he continued, "The council decided that the best fighters from each pack in this area will go. More from your old pack and our pack, but quite a few from the surrounding areas. We will have a huge army Blake, there is no need for you to worry. But council never told us when we would have to leave. They said we would attack the rogues when they started to make a move towards our pack. This morning I found out that we have to leave tomorrow morning." When I remained silent he slowly laid me down on him and pulled the elastic out and ran his fingers through my hair.

"You know I really don't want to go right? I would rather just have you in my arms all day every day for the next few days. But I don't have a choice babe."

"A few days?"

"I don't know how long it will be. It will be a day to get there and a day back. The fight itself probably one maybe two. That's three days minimum."

I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat. He would be gone for three days and I would have no idea if he was okay or not. What if he got hurt? Like really hurt?

"No no no. Don't please. Don't think of every little thing that could go wrong. In three, four days tops, I will be walking up to the front door and you will run up to me and kiss me until you have to break away before passing out. Then I'm going to kiss you again and again before we lay down and fall asleep in each others' arms. Okay Blake? Maximum of four days."

"What if-"

"I come back early? Then I will hold you longer. Don't think of anything else Blake. No what ifs, no buts. I have survived many fights against very strong wolves and I will survive again. Do you doubt me?"

"No Caden. But if you're wrong I'm going to bring you back just to smack you."

He laughed and kissed me, "Deal."

I snuggled closer as he stood up with me in his arms, "Wait were you saying that I was just going to be sticking around by the window waiting for you to come back?"

"What else were you planning on doing?"

"Maybe meeting some girls from the pack and learning all the dirty little secrets about you. Find out all the rumours about my sexy badass alpha mate."

He almost dropped me when we got to the stairs before he stopped and looked down at me, "You need to say that more often."

I laughed before shrugging, "Nah, it might go to your head."

"What? That you have a sexy alpha mate who is so badass there are rumours about him."

"Too late. I knew I shouldn't have said anything."

"But why keep those thoughts to yourself when your sexy mate would love to hear what you think about him."

I rolled my eyes and he laughed as he walked into the kitchen.

"Ah! And the cupcake is welcomed to the world outside of the bedroom!" Daniel playfully cheered and Caden smirked.

"She's lucky I let her out." I smacked Caden's shoulder and he pulled me closer with his arm around my waist. "We could go back..." He whispered in my ear and I whispered back, "You're right. We could go have a really good time while you moan my name for a change. Then I could rake my nails down your back and leave fire in their wake before I gently run my tongue down your chest and stomach before-"

"Blake don't move." I was standing in front of him and felt him against my stomach and laughed. "This is really not funny." He said.

"You don't know what I was going to say next."

"Blake-"

"Before I climbed off and left you there wanting me."

"And why do I deserve that?"

"For making comments about us to your brother and my friend."

"It's a guy thing."

"It's a privacy thing."

"Point taken."

"Good."

I turned around but he held me against him and I laughed a bit before he bent down, "Do you want me to tell you just what I would do if I took you back upstairs right now? Because after your little speech there are so many things I want to do to that delectable body." He paused before kissing his mark on my neck, "And the pink in your cheeks makes me want to know just how badly I can make you blush. And where." He said in a low husky whisper.

I smacked his arm and Daniel looked back to us. "Sorry Daniel, your brother is-"

"I don't want to know."

"I was going to say annoying, but okay."

"Oh, okay. I just don't want to hear anything about- that." He pointed to his hand on my waist and I laughed.

"Well we've decided that it's private anyways."

Daniel laughed and made a whipping motion to Caden, sound effects included.

Caden didn't even argue he just turned and kissed me, "When you have the perfect mate, who wouldn't be?"

Daniel laughed, "And I'm the soft one!"