Chapter 26: Confessions

Chapter 26

'Get his scent off,' was the only thought that ran through my mind as I rushed back towards the pack house.

My palm was healing and the bruises on my arms were already disappearing but the blood stain on my t-shirt and Jake's human scent on my arms were still very pungent. While I may not be able to sense Jake's smell on me, I knew for a fact that any wolf would be able to smell another human's scent even if Jake just touched me.

Thane, on the other hand, would be able to sniff someone else's scent on me from a mile away.

Luckily no one returned from helping set up the wedding so I was all clear in the pack house as I practically sprinted up the steps and stripped my clothes from my body and threw them into the washer with a myriad of scented fabric softeners to help cover Jake's scent.

I hopped in the shower and after scrubbing my body with a few different soaps and body wash, I let the warm water wash over me as I closed my eyes and contemplated everything that happened.

I couldn't possibly sedate a werewolf and give him or her over to Jake nor could I allow a full on war between the hunters and the pack. Even if Thane and his pack could take on the hunters, there would be casualties because a silver bullet would instantly kill any wolf.

I can't have anyone being hurt or, god forbid, dying on my hands. Not Thane and not any other wolf.

But the last thing I could do is tell Thane because he would hate me for even saying I would take a wolf to Jake. Heck, I hate myself for saying it despite not meaning a word of it. There was no way around this and I knew I had to tell Thane just in case Jake decided to attack at any moment, but how would I even approach the topic.

I stepped out of the shower and quickly got changed with a heavy heart and the weight of the situation on my shoulders.

If I were to tell Thane about all of this, besides him hating me, I knew he would call off the wedding to prepare for battle or construct some plan and I couldn't have that. Not for my own selfish reasons but because I knew it was important to him and it would crush him to cancel it after he's been patiently waiting for me.

It was then that I decided I would do what I originally planned when I told Jake I would bring him the wolf.

I'd go to the forest alone to meet Jake and then I would mind link Thane before Jake could realize what was happening. That way Jake would be ambushed and no wolves would be harmed. If I tell Thane before, I would risk not only Thane's trust but whoever is spying for Jake could be in the pack and figure out I tattled. Thane would mark me by then so he would be able to mind link me and vice versa. Therefore I could act like I was going to Jake alone when in reality I would mind link Thane before I get to Jake. That way he could attack Jake from behind and surprise him. If Jake do however captures me, my scent would be more powerful to Thane after mating, so he would be able to track me down.

Seemed simple enough, I thought to myself as I tucked the syringe of the sedative in a cabinet in the bathroom where I was sure Thane wouldn't find it.

It was already approaching night by the time I devised my plan and I knew Thane would be back soon and I couldn't face him and knew he would be able to read me like a book. So I laid down to sleep and hoped that the darkness would take me but it was to no avail as I twist and turn with uneasiness.

Long after the sun settled beyond the mountains from the pack house view, Thane quietly walked into the room but I kept my eyes shut and pretended to be asleep. I couldn't lie to him and I couldn't hurt him either.

He walked over to my side of the bed and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead, "Good night sweetheart."

It broke my heart that I couldn't even talk to him but I didn't want to ruin the wedding for him. I heard Thane in the shower and not long after he joined me in the bed and pulled me flush against him and wrapped his arm around me. I couldn't help but snuggle into him despite knowing that I was basically betraying him and the pack.

~~~

The next morning I woke up extremely early to avoid Thane as much as possible even though we were getting married tomorrow. Which both excited and made me nervous.

Luckily I actually had somewhere to be today so it wasn't suspicious of me leaving the house.

However by the time I had a bathe and got changed, Thane was already awake and sitting in bed with a huge grin on his face.

"Good morning sweetheart." He greeted cheerfully.

As I looked at his happy expression, I couldn't help but feel the guilt eating at me for keeping the Jake situation from him.

"Good morning." I tried to give him my best smile but was failing miserably, "I'm going to Caroline's house, I'll be back in a few." I shot at him as I walked towards the door.

"Wait," He called me back but I was already headed towards the door before he got up and sprinted after me, "wait up would you?" He grabbed onto my arms and spun me to face him, "What's the rush?"

"I-I promised her I'll be there soon." I stumbled over my words.

He gave me a curious expression, "And what are going to do? Don't you have to get your dress?"

"Uhh, yes, I do and she's going with me to make sure it fits properly." I nervously laughed out and attempted to turn back towards the steps.

"Wait, where's my goodbye kiss?" He raised an eyebrow at me, "I probably wouldn't see you again until tomorrow night."

"Why not?" I asked in surprise.

He grinned, "I know you're going to miss me sweetheart but according to human tradition, the groom isn't allowed to see his bride the night before the wedding or before she walks down the aisle on the wedding day and I'm sure we're both going to be busy today."

"Right." I mumbled but internally sighed in relief. I quickly went on my tiptoes to reach Thane's height, grabbed his face between my palms and planted a kiss on his lips which I could feel him smile into.

Before I could pull away, Thane pulled my left hand into his view and glanced at the now fading, pink scar that remained after Jake cut me yesterday.

"What's this?" He asked in concern.

"Nothing." I answered quickly and yanked my hand away from his but he gave me a doubtful look, "I just accidentally sliced it open trying to cut up some cold turkey for a sandwich yesterday." I lied between my teeth.

That was believable right? I didn't know my way around the kitchen at all so it wasn't that far fetched.

Thane's eye grew from concern to amusement, he brought my hand back to his face and placed a gentle kiss on the scar, "You should have called me and I would have taken care of you."

"It was just a scratch." I shrugged it off, "Now I got to go."

"See you later sweetheart."

"Bye!" I walked away faster than you could say 'werewolf'.

I rushed into Thane's jeep, which is basically my own now since I drive it around most of the time, and headed towards Caroline and Beau's house.

Just as I pulled up to their house and was walking towards the front door, Beau walked out of the house and was probably on his way to training.

"Well if it isn't the bride herself." Beau greeted with a smile, "Hiding from your groom already?"

I couldn't help but laugh, "Something like that. Bye Beau."

He left in amusement without knowing that he actually hit the nail on the head.

Caroline met me by the front door with a smirk, "Ready to get your man a gift?"

I playfully rolled my eyes at her, "Once you don't poison me."

She closed the door behind me and clutched her chest in fake hurt, "Are you questioning my skills?"

"Never." I mumbled as I eyed the machine that sat on her coffee table.

"Okay just sit down on one of the chair, I'm going to grab some alcohol."

"I don't think-"

"Trust me, you will need it." She called back.

I settled into the chair the chair and put my right hand on the high table so that she would be able to see what she's doing. Caroline came back into the living room with a bottle of some hard liquor and handed it over to me.

"Is it really going to hurt that bad?" I asked warily.

She just gave me an assuring smile, "Don't worry with your healing powers it shouldn't hurt too badly but it only means I'm going to have to go over the image a few times for the ink to really get into your skin."

"Maybe this wasn't such a good idea." I shook my head and proceeded to raise from the chair.

Caroline quickly grabbed my right hand and pulled me back into my chair and wiped my inner wrist with a piece of cotton soaked in alcohol, "It may hurt now, but just think of the look on Thane's face."

And she was right. A few days ago I decided to get a tattoo to represent Thane's importance in my life because what else do you get a guy who had everything he wanted and was a werewolf?

"You have done this before right?" I asked as she sketched out the image on my wrist.

"For the hundredth time, yes. I used to do it on my pack members back before I was a rogue and was surprisingly pretty good at it. I did try to tat Beau once but he totally flipped at the sight of the needle." She giggled, "And you'd think he's the Delta."

"Okay then, let's get this over with." I took a deep breath as we finalized the image she was about to tattoo onto me.

"So are you ready for tomorrow?" She asked as the needle pierced my skin and I just bought the bottle of liquor to my lips and took a swing at it.

Admittedly it did sort of help with both the pain of a tattoo and the guilt of keeping things from Thane. Though the trailing fire that burnt down my throat was horrific.

"I am, though I'm a tad nervous considering I've never experienced this type of ceremony before. Thane mentioned that it was kind of like a ritual with the werewolf part of things but I have no idea what he meant." I sighed.

"Well I wouldn't be able to help enlighten you considering this is the first wedding I'll ever be attending."

"Would you marry Beau?" I asked because it was a rare thing for wolves to do but I belief it was a special occasion to bind two people even if they are half wolf or fully human.

"In a heartbeat." She smiled. "He's my mate, and I would make him buy me a big rock just for the heck of it."

I accidentally laughed and shook my hand in the process and the needle slightly pressed a bit deeper into me, "Holy chicken nuggets!" I howled in pain.

Caroline stopped the needle as I took a big gulp from the bottle of amber liquid.

"Wow, take it easy there Luna. Don't want to have a hangover for your wedding now do you?' She grabbed the bottle from my hand and set it on the coffee table, "Now, are you okay?"

I took a deep breath and tried to get my anguish under control, "Yeah, I'm fine."

"Good, because we have a little while again to go."

"Oh geez." I groaned.

"Now what I truly meant about if you were ready for tomorrow is if you're ready for what happens after the wedding." She gave me a mischievous smile.

"The reception?' I faked bewilderment.

"After that silly."

"Ohh...that." I thought about it for a bit before I answered her, "To be fair, I've been trying to convince Thane to mark me for a while now."

She almost choked on air as she pulled the needle away from my hand and started coughing in a fit, "That was actually the last thing I expected you to say. Honestly I thought you were a virgin."

"I am." I rolled my eyes, "Doesn't mean I don't want to be with my mate."

She continued what she was doing as she nodded. "You're right, I just assumed you were the prudish type," She shrugged but I knew she was kidding.

"If you weren't holding a needle to my hand, I would've pushed you already." I threatened.

"The one with the machine holds the power here Emery, I could draw my face on here if I wanted to." She winked my way.

Disregarding her threat, I wondered aloud what I've been meaning to ask someone, "Does it hurt?"

"Of course it does! Losing your virginity hurts like a bitch." She expressed colorfully.

I covered one of my ear with my unoccupied hand, "Geez not that Caroline! I meant getting marked."

She stopped the needle for about the hundredth time during this conversation and we both laughed at what she said.

"Ohh, no that doesn't hurt at all, it's more pleasure than pain." She explained after our fit of giggles.

"But-"

She placed a hand over my left, "Trust me, when it happens you will know it feels, don't question it, just enjoy the moment because it's the most sacred bond for a werewolf."

I nodded at what she said as she continued on with my tattoo.

And that was how the next hour or so went by with silly conversations about my wedding night and Caroline nearly killing me from pain with her tattoo needle.

By the time we were done, it was already healing pretty quickly but Caroline insisted that I didn't get it wet and to keep it moisturized. It turned out better than I thought it would and I couldn't wait to show Thane but then again, I maybe can wait since I couldn't face him again today.

Since having quite a bit to drink, I wasn't drunk but still I had Caroline drive me over to Nina's shop to pick up my wedding dress. Within no time Nina had me changed into the white number and it fitted perfectly.

Without delay she carefully bagged the dressed in a proper dress bag and helped me store it in the Jeep before Caroline drove me back to the pack house.

Upon arriving I prayed that Thane wasn't here so there wouldn't be anymore strange encounters with him. But not to my luck, as we walked into the house, there he stood in all his six foot four handsome glory.

"Hey beautiful." He walked over to greet me.

But I was carrying the dress so I quickly dodged him and called back, "You can't see the dress!" in an excuse to avoid him.

Much to my dismay he followed me up the flights of stairs and waited for me in our living room while I stored the dress in our room.

When I saw him standing waiting for me I couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you supposed to be gone by now?"

"Trying to get rid of me already are you?" He raised an eyebrow at me.

I just shrugged and walked towards the patio area on our floor that looked out the backyard, just as the one in our room did.

"No, I just thought you had more important things to do." I shrugged and leaned on the railing.

Thane placed his hands on either side of me and trapped me between his body and the railing. Unconsciously, my body tensed at our position and forced myself to relax before I blabbered everything to him.

He turned me around to face his worried expression but placed his hands back on the railing, "What's going on?"

I could see his eyes running on every inch of my face trying to read me and surprisingly it looked like he came up empty handed.

"It's nothing." I tried and shook my head.

He argued back, "No, it's something. Come on Emery, you can tell me what's wrong."

"It's nothing I swear." I tried to give him a little smile to ease his tension but he was having none of it.

"Please?" He begged.

I didn't know what to say to say him beside the truth but I couldn't tell him that and his worried expression broke me. I wrapped my arms around his torso and held him to me as close as humanly possible and he immediately pulled me into his warmth.

We just stood there in silence for what seemed like hours but was in actuality a brief moment and as the late evening sun scattered it's beautiful rays around us Thane whispered comforting words to me.

"Whatever it is, we'll get through it. You just have to trust me and tell me what's wrong so that I can fix it." He promised.

"I can't," I whispered to him.

He breathed me in and asked, "Is it the wedding? Are you getting cold feet?"

I immediately withdrew from him so that I could see his face and I regretted doing that because the only thing I saw was anguish, hurt and sorrow.

And that look broke me into so many pieces that I didn't know how I would recover.

The words got lodged in my throat and I didn't know how to say what I wanted to and he took my silence the wrong way and removed his hands from around me.

"That's it isn't it? You aren't ready?" He went on, "I'm sorry if I rushed you into this Emery, I should've-"

"What?" I asked in bewilderment. "Where would you ever get such a thought Thane? I love you and I couldn't have asked for a better mate. Heck I didn't even ask for one and was given the best one ever. I've also literally been trying to seduce you for the past month and now that we're getting married, cold feet definitely isn't stopping me."

After my short ramble, Thane just stared at me with wide eyes and his mouth slightly open in shock.

I glanced at him curiously, "What?" I didn't say anything wrong did I?

"Y-y-you just said..." He trailed off stumbling but before he could finish his sentence, he pulled me into his arms and crashed his lips against mine in the most passionate kiss we've ever shared.

I wrapped my arms around his neck and melted into his embrace. I opened my mouth and granted him entrance as we both battled for dominance over the kiss. Eventually I gave in and he took over and I just fell into the passionate spiral.

After a few minutes we both pulled away to catch our breath as we rested our foreheads against each other's and stood in absolute bliss.

"What was that for?" I asked when I found my voice.

"I love you." Was his only words as he pecked my lips and gave me a big, toothy grin.

Then it struck me like a bolt of lightning, I told him I love him.

"I said that?" I asked in amazement.

"You did." He couldn't help his enjoyment.

"I-"

"You don't have to say it again if you don't want to but I'm glad you did." He cut me off.

"No, I meant it Thane. All three words and all eight letters. I love you." I declared with a huge smile plastered on my face.

"I could get accustomed to hearing that."

"Well that's good considering you have to live with it."

"And what a happy life that would be." He smirked playfully at me. "But this right here is the best moment of my life."

"Then what would tomorrow be?" I curiously asked him.

He just shrugged, "second best." Then his eyes furrowed in confusion, "That still doesn't explain what you were so worried about."

And my impending doom was brought back into the conversation. "It's nothing to worry about right now."

"If it had you so withdrawn, then it's something to worry about to me."

"Thane-"

"Emery." He countered, "Tell me, what have you so wound up?"

I racked my brain for an excuse until the small black marking on my wrist gave me an answer.

"I got you a gift..." I trailed off as I lifted my hand to his face, "But I wasn't sure if you'd like it and I can't exactly take it back to the store."

"What is-" He was about to ask but I turned my hand around so that he would be able to see the small tattoo on my right wrist.

It was a small tribal tattoo of a wolf's head howling. It wasn't anything major but to me it depicted Thane and all of our pack. It made me feel more connected to them all in a metaphoric way.

Thane's mouth opened and closed a few times and he seemed to be at a lost for words.

"Do you like it? It's kind of your wedding present since I didn't know exactly what else to get you." I bit my lip in nervousness from his lack of a response.

"You got that for me?" He managed to whisper out.

I nodded my head, "It's you."

I swear he was almost brought to tears and I was worried I did something wrong when we covered his face but when he removed his hands from his face, he looked at me with pure love and adoration and I was completely enamored by him.

"It's beautiful, you're beautiful." He gently took hold of my wrist and brought it to his lips and kissed right above where the tattoo sat.

"Do you like it?" I hesitantly asked.

He looked at me with reverence, "I love it and I love you."

A/N

Aww Emery finally confessed her true feelings to Thane <3

But she's still keeping the big secret from him - JAKE!

Song: Amber Run - I Found

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Chapter Update: Tomorrow!

You are cordially invited to attend the wedding of our very own

Alpha Thane & Luna Emery

Read on wolfies, 🐺

-Shania. 🐾