Rogue. Beta

9. MASON

I killed that date. I couldn’t be happier.

“Let’s take a walk,” I suggested, taking her hands in mine. They were small and soft.

I could feel her restraint from earlier melt away like goo. It made no sense. Her restraint. We were moving fast. It wasn’t a hidden fact. We mated within three hours of meeting each other for Pete’s sake.

A part of me wanted to step on the brakes but it was too late now. You wouldn’t leave your life partner a night after your wedding because you might have rushed into the wedding, do you? No. You remind yourself why you rushed in the first place.

“Daddy, what did it feel like when you met mum?” Little me clung to my dad’s arms.

As a child, I had been fascinated by the idea of mates. The never-ending love that just clicked. A single look and bam! A romance forever. A single touch and a blistering want for eternity.

Not a lot of people were as fascinated by it as I was. Eight year old boys were still thinking girls really had cooties. They didn’t stay up imagining what it would feel like to stare straight into another’s eyes and see your future dance within the orbs.

“You already know this son,” Dad answered, checking his phone. He was late for work. The alpha had called twice already but we had to sit for a full breakfast. Now, I wanted to hear the story one more time.

“Yes, but I want to hear it again. It’s such a beautiful story.” He was never the kind of father that put anything else before his family.

“Alright, Mase.” He said, falling back into a couch.

“It was a cold winter evening. I was coming from dinner with Alpha Vaughn and his Luna when I saw a lady up ahead, waiting for a taxi.” He stroked my hair with a smile playing on his lips.

“You’re late for work, though!” Mum called from the kitchen.

“John can spare me five minutes to recount the most beautiful day of my life,” He called back.

“Where was I – yes. Your mum was waiting for a taxi but the roads were deserted that day so I decided to stop for her,” his smile got wider as he spoke. “I parked right before her and once she got it, I smelled the most wonderful thing. It was the smell of old books. The feeling of hot chocolate and a well worn blanket in a quiet house with the rain pelting outside. It was magical.” Dad’s tone went eerily small and breathy as he retold his tale.

“Then I knew. She was mine from that moment. Everything fit with her. We were perfect together.” He sighed.

“Mum! What did dad first smell like to you?” My little sister asked from father’s laps as she messed with his tie.

“Like cake!”

“Cake?”

“Yes. Freshly baked cake. Warm and soft and enticing. Like the cakes my grandma used to bake me for my birthdays when I was a little thing like you,” Mum answered, stepping out of the kitchen. She wiped her hands on her apron. Then she picked Bella off dad’s laps and shooed him out the house.

“I’m going to be mated to Dylan. I’ll make a fine Luna,” Bella said.

“You have twelve years till that happens, honey. But yes, you’ll make a fine Luna.” She kissed her nose.

 To me, she said; “You’re going to make a lucky girl very happy one day, ” while roughing up my hair.

Fifteen years later and the perfect girl was right beside me. Her bare arms kept brushing up against mine as we walked without a destination. She wore a summer dress with yellow flowers imprinted on it. Everything looked a whole lot better on her small frame.

I should take her to see my family. My dad would be happy to meet her. Maybe mum too.

Communication with my parents had waned when Bella got booted out of the pack. Mum had expected me to take a stand with her as the pack’s Beta but I hadn’t. It wasn’t even that she had tried to kill someone I had been in love with. It wasn’t that she had tried to kill the alpha – our alpha. It was that I couldn’t reconcile the Bella I had known with the Bella that had been revealed. She wasn’t my sweet sister anymore. She was a potential murderer. A traitor. A liar.

The revelation had stunned me into being mute for days. I wasn’t even certain I had completely comprehended it.

Indigo and I found ourselves in the large garden behind the pack house.

The summer heat hadn’t been very nice to some of the plants but it took nothing out of the beauty of the place.

“I love this place,” She said, letting go of my hand. Instant chill.

Like a little girl under the rain, she spread her arms and twirled slowly, inhaling the scents of the various flowers.

I took a seat at the bench. In a flash, I snapped a quick picture of her mid twirl, catching the beauty of her face; eyes closed and lips stretched.

I pocketed my phone as she fell into place beside me on the bench.

“What are you hiding?” She asked, eyes shining. My hands withdrew from my pocket like a little fugitive.

“Nothing.” My voice was a little too high pitched to be believed.

Her eyes narrowed. Then she was holding my phone. My jaw dropped at how swift and deftly she had reached into my pocket. It was almost practised.

“Oh, this is nice,” She swiped opened my phone. Naturally, the first thing she saw was herself.

“Here, I sent the image to myself. I like it.” She wouldn’t look at me as she handed me my phone.

Silence reigned around us for a moment until we both opened our mouth to speak.

“You first,” I said.

“Okay.” She moved closer to me. “We spent all of our first date talking about me. Let’s hear about you.”

“Wellll, I’ve just been thinking of you meeting my folks.” Her body stiffened against mine. “Hey, they’re not so bad. They would adore you.” And they would. She was small and pretty and my mum would try to collect her. She did stuff like that. Collect pretty people.

“I’m their first child and only mated one. I’ve dreamed of being mated since I was a child and it’s because of them. The magic of meeting a person for the first time and loving them instantly has fascinated me since I knew what fascination meant.” I ran my thumb over the knot of her thick braid that rested on her left shoulder.

“I love my family. They’re everything to me. I love my pack too. My word is my bond and I take my oath to this pack very seriously. That’s it. That’s me in a nutshell. A big bundle of lurrvv,” I stressed with a grin.

“Okayyy. What’s the biggest lie you’ve ever told?”

Ah. The twenty questions approach.

“Are you sure you’re ready to hear that?” I asked. Was I stalling? I didn’t want to make her mad.

“Sure, why not?”

“It’s –“ My hands found their way to my hair. “I told Dylan I was over his mate. I told myself too. I told everyone. I wouldn’t admit it for a long time but it was a lie.”

Her reaction was expected.

It sucked that she shifted a little away from me. I could not blame her though. If she admitted to have loved someone so fiercely I would have – my vision reddened and my wolf snarled. Even imagining it made my claws extend.

“So you’re in love with her, ” She said with finality and something else ringing in her voice.

“It’s not possible to love anyone but you,” I replied.

“W – what!? You can’t love me. It’s been two days!” She exclaimed, eyes blown open.

“It’s been two days and we’re mated already. I’m not proclaiming my undying love yet, but I can love you. You were made for me to love.”

I loved the way her cheeks darkened ever so slightly.

“Don’t just – don’t just say stuff like that out of the blue!” The red faced princess said. I laughed.

Say things like what? The truth? I wasn’t raised to be a liar and I wasn’t raised to minimize compliments. I couldn’t see something beautiful and not say it. I wasn’t the most verbal with my feelings but I tried not to hide them. This pixie beside me with her hair in a one sided braid and her cheeks on fire was made for me to love. I was going to love the hell out of her. And I would love every second of it.

“I can’t help speaking the truth.” I shrugged my left shoulder.

She looked at me then. I saw conflict raging in her eyes, a fight that I wanted to know about. Her brows scrunched, her mouth twisted and there was a flash of something suspicious.

“Being mated is weird.”

Her head fell on my shoulder. On reflex, my hands wrapped around her. Our hearts beat in sync because we fit. Her small frame fit into mine. She smelled strongly of strawberries. Her hair smelled better than the garden we were in. Yes, I took a big whiff.

“I think it is awesome. Did you not dream of being mated? You’re nineteen. You should have been freaked out for waiting for a year.” She stiffened in my arms

“I wasn’t... I didn’t really think I would ever be mated.” She sighed.

Alarmed, I grasped her chin and lifted her head to look at her face.

“Why not? All wolves have mates!”

“It’s just – Maybe I thought I wouldn’t be wanted.” Her eyes left mine to stare at her dress. She picked at an invisible thread in her summer dress.

“That’s... Why would you not be wanted? You’re beautiful. You’re kind. You’re smart. You are a blessing.”

“It’s just... My pack didn’t want me. I didn’t shift. I wasn’t sure anyone would want someone like me. Even my dad found an excuse to not be around me. Saddled himself with enough work to make him keel over. Anything to make sure he never got to see his useless daughter. I was a shame. A disgrace. Who wants that?”

“You were not. Never. Not ever. I’m sorry to say but Last Days are a bunch of nincompoops with no brain cells. The only wolf I know who didn’t shift at eighteen is a... She’s quite powerful now. They were assholes and you deserve better. I’m sorry I didn’t get to you sooner.”

“Thank you,” she said with a small voice. A bead of tear dropped down her eyes. I wiped it away with my thumb, letting my hands cup her face.

Slowly, she started to lean in. Her lips brushed against mine. It was the faintest of touches but it sent a spark through me. Again, she brushed her lips against mine, lips still hovering against mine. This – this was making me burn but I would not rush it. Instead, I pressed my palms to her sides, drawing slow circles through her dress.

She pulled back again, pressing her forehead against mine while gasping for air. My hands rubbed circles on her making it hard for her to catch her breath.

Her lips teased mine again and my restrain snapped. I grabbed her head and pulled her face to mine, holding her there as we tried to devour each other. Her arms tightened around my shoulder.

“You’re messing with my head,” She murmured into my mouth, forehead resting on mine. I grinned because she was doing the exact same thing to me. Then I kissed her again and for a full minute afterwards, I rested my eyes. I wanted to savour the feeling of that moment for as long as possible.