Chapter 27

[POV: Hayley 3ff3b0c4-7a2a-44ac-905a-848f6327c07b]

Jax saunters back in, looking like a dream. He’s swapped his clothes for a pair of straight-leg pants and a white button-up shirt, hinting at his sun-kissed chest.

He seems a bit more on edge than when he left, but that fades as soon as he spots me.

“Ready to head out, sweetheart?” he asks.

“Almost,” I answer, standing up and walking over to him. I tiptoe to plant a kiss on his lips, savoring the moment.

Pulling back, I see Jax grinning from ear to ear. “Now I'm ready,” I tell him.

Jax guides me to the front of the packhouse where a Jeep is waiting. If we're going far, I can’t shift, so a car is the next best thing.

Jax opens the passenger door for me. “After you.” I thank him with a quick kiss and climb into the Jeep. Jax leans over me to fasten my seatbelt.

After shutting my door, Jax jogs around to the driver's side.

As we drive to our mystery destination, I reflect on how much my life has improved.

I've gone from being silent and alone to having a mate I can talk to freely.

After sharing my past with Jax, we agreed it was best to pause my counseling sessions. I wasn't opening up because I wasn't ready for others to know. But I promised Jax I'd resume when I'm ready to confront my nightmares.

Jax reaches over, intertwining our hands on my lap. This is what I've always wanted. Someone to love me, and I've finally found that someone.

***

After about thirty minutes, we pull up to a diner named “Whimpy’s.”

“I thought we could grab lunch before the next part of our date.

“I know it's simple and not special...” I cut off Jax's rambling with a kiss, silencing his self-doubt.

“It's perfect.” Seeing my sincerity, Jax smiles and visibly relaxes. He gets out of the Jeep, comes to my side, and opens my door.

He leads me into the diner, and we're shown to a booth on the left.

Jax sits down facing the entrance. I start to move to sit across from him, but Jax gently pulls me by my waist to sit next to him instead.

The waiter, a platinum blonde with green eyes, hands us menus and tells us he'll be back when we're ready to order.

His gaze lingers on me a bit too long, causing Jax to growl softly. Is he flirting with me?

We must be in human territory because no male would dare flirt with me unless they were human and didn't know Jax was an Alpha who would rip them apart.

I lean into Jax, signaling that I'm taken, and the waiter walks away.

“Jerk,” Jax mutters. I laugh at his jealousy. I don't mind his possessiveness; it makes me feel safe and wanted.

After a few minutes, Jax calls over a different waiter, an older man this time.

Jax orders a burger with fries and a vanilla milkshake, then orders the same for me but with a strawberry milkshake.

Jax knows I'm still nervous around strangers, so being the understanding mate he is, he orders for me.

Once we’re alone, Jax says, “I used to come here with my Dad when I was a kid. He used to say that when I grew up and found a mate, we could double date with him and my Mom.

“But that can’t happen now. My Dad would have loved you, not as much as I do, of course,” he jokes, a hint of sadness in his voice.

I place my hand on Jax's knee, hoping he can feel my sympathy through our bond.

Our food arrives quickly, and we dig in. “Mom told me she's envious of your youth.

“If I remember correctly, she said, ‘That sweetheart of yours is so beautiful and radiant, she's like a little ball of sunshine', which means your new nickname, my adorable mate, is now Sunshine.” We both laugh at the nickname, but I suspect Jax likes it more than he lets on and will keep using it.

“I hope my Mom finds her second chance mate. She deserves happiness.”

“She does. She's such a sweet lady,” I reply.

Jax sips his milkshake, then turns to me with a serious look. I push my half-eaten burger aside, feeling full, and munch on some fries instead.

“I was trying to figure out the best time to tell you this, but when Samantha happened, I noticed your eyes flickered and your wolf started showing through.

“I think it happened because your wolf felt threatened that her mate was being hit on and wanted to claim her territory.

“Maybe strong emotions might trigger your wolf to come back.”

I ponder what I’ve just heard. It's been so long since I've heard from my wolf, I'm used to the silence. But I'd prefer if she returned and chatted my ear off.

“Do you think she'll come back soon?” I ask.

“I hope so, Sunshine.” I laugh as Jax uses the nickname Sunshine again.

“But even if she doesn't, I want you to know that I'll love you no matter what. Wolf or human.

“And to prove that, I want to give you my family's mate ring.” Jax pulls a small black box from his pocket. Inside is a stunning gold ring, with a sapphire jewel sparkling brightly.

“Jax, it's beautiful! Thank you so much,” I say, tears welling up in my eyes.

“My mom wore this ring ever since my dad passed away. But when she found out I’d found my mate, she said it was time for the new woman of the family to have it. That’s you.” I can feel the tears streaming down my face, gathering under my chin.

I look at the ring, awestruck. I’ve never been given something like this before. Once again, my mate is my first.

“I also have the mate ring for the male. I’ve had mine since I officially became the Alpha of the Midnight Rose Pack.” Jax shows me a simple gold ring on his left ring finger.

I intertwine my fingers with his, looking at our joined hands. I wouldn’t want it any other way. I look up at Jax and start to lean in. Our lips meet, fitting together like they were made for each other.

I don’t want to ever pull away. But after a few intense seconds, I pull back to catch my breath and to prevent things from going any further.

I stare into my empty glass, hoping the blush on my face will fade.

After our plates are cleared and Jax pays the bill—which I thank him for—he tells me, “For the second part of our date, we’re going shopping. You can get anything you want. Absolutely anything.” I squeal with delight and jump into Jax’s arms, planting a sweet kiss on his neck. The way he says ours, it sounds so perfect.

“Thank you!”

***

When we get to the shopping center, we go into several stores. We mostly just look around, but we do pick up a few things.

We get some clothes for both of us, and Jax insists on matching pajamas. I pick out a few children’s books to keep me occupied while Jax is working.

I keep looking at the ring Jax gave me. I can’t believe he really wants me and sees me as his family. Jax truly loves me... and I think I love him too.

Today was everything I ever wanted.

Jax

I glance at my watch. It’s 7:37. It’s time to head back.

Hayley looks tired, and Dimitri and I need to discuss the lead he found on the rogues who attacked us a few days ago.

That’s what Dimitri and I were talking about in my office. He told me we had a lead, but I thought it would be best to discuss it after my date with Hayley. I wanted to be fully present with her and not distracted.

As we pull up to the packhouse, I mindlink Dimitri to meet me at the front in five minutes. I also mindlink Axton to come and watch Hayley for a few hours while I’m gone.

I get out of the Jeep and quickly jog to the other side to open Hayley’s door. I like taking care of her.

The huge smile on Hayley’s face throughout the date is something I want to see more of. She deserves it.

I notice she keeps looking at her mate ring. She accepted it, which must mean we’re heading in the right direction.

I must be doing something right if Hayley still wants to be with me. I hope she’ll stay with me forever. She’s the love of my life and I’m not going to lose her.

I would move heaven and earth for Hayley.

I grab all the bags and take them up to our bedroom, with Hayley following close behind. When we enter the bedroom, I notice the faint scent of Samantha from her earlier visit.

She won’t come between my mate and me. I’ll punish her if she tries again.

I put the bags on the floor at the foot of the bed and turn to face Hayley. I wrap my arms around her waist and pull her close. I take a deep breath, inhaling Hayley’s scent.

The scent I love.

I cup her cheek with my hand and bend down slightly so I’m looking down at Hayley. My hand slides down to her neck where it rests before I lower my head to brush my lips against hers.

Her small hands grip my shirt, holding me in place. I give her a gentle kiss before pulling away. “Thank you for the date, Hayley. It was truly one of the best days of my life,” I say.

As I look into Hayley’s shining eyes, I have no doubt that I’m completely in love with the woman standing in front of me. Every part of her.

“Dimitri and I have to go take care of some business, but I’ll be back before you go to sleep. Axton is on his way to stay with you until I return.”

“Is everything okay?” she asks, worry in her eyes.

“Everything’s fine, baby. Just usual pack stuff. Nothing to worry about, it’s all under control.”

Hayley nods and I give her another kiss, this one a little longer than planned. What can I say? She’s my weakness.

I pull away when a loud knock comes from the door, quickly followed by, “Hayley! Open up, I know you’re in there!” Of course, Axton is here to ruin our moment.

“Go downstairs, Axton. We’ll be down shortly,” I reply.

“Fine, but make sure to put some clothes on before you do. I don’t need to see anything I shouldn’t,” he jokes.

If he wasn’t such good friends with Hayley, I would have ripped him a new one for his comments about his Luna, even if he was just joking.

As I hear his footsteps fade, I bend down once more to give Hayley a quick kiss before saying, “I won’t be gone long. If you need me at all, just tell Axton and he’ll let me know, okay?”

“I’ll be fine,” she says, snuggling into my chest.

We stay like this for a few moments, until Dimitri mindlinks me to say he’s here. After a few more seconds of bliss, I pull away and whisper, “Let’s go downstairs, Sunshine.”

I lead her downstairs to the kitchen, where Axton is helping himself to some cheese sandwiches.

Axton catches sight of us and gives Hayley a friendly wave, while he nods respectfully in my direction. He knows Hayley isn’t one for formalities, but as the Alpha, I need those signs of respect to feel secure in my leadership.

I spot something on Axton’s neck that at first glance looks like a bruise. But on closer inspection, I realize it’s a hickey. So, Axton’s either found his mate or he’s had a casual fling.

Either way, it’s a relief to know he won’t be making any moves on Hayley.

“Make sure she’s taken care of, Axton. I won’t be long. Looks like you’ve got someone waiting for you,” I tease, nodding at the telltale mark on his neck.

Axton’s face turns a deep shade of red and he quickly averts his gaze. To save him from further embarrassment, I turn my attention to Hayley.

“I’ll be back before you know it, sweetheart. Behave yourself,” I say, planting a soft kiss on her lips and giving her a playful wink. Then, I head off to follow up on any leads we have on the bastards who dared to attack Hayley’s and my pack...