Chapter 46 A Kiss. A Promise
2682 Words
Chapter 46
A Kiss, A Promise
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Louise
I awoke to see Tye’s pale, sleeping face. He was so peaceful and incredibly handsome. I thought back to last night, and as I watched him sleep, that urge deep inside the core of my being stirred. Relax body! There’s no hurry. The way he had looked at my injured and sickly body with affection made my insides crave attention—his attention!
Who would have ever thought? I brushed a tiny strand of dark hair from his eyes. I didn’t see the rough boy who climbed trees and played in the dirt with me, the scabby-kneed kid who fought over the slide or the boy who turned the hose on me and his sisters. No. I saw Tyrone Rathbone—a young man I could live my life with. He could be my future.
His eyes fluttered open. Heat flustered my face. I pulled my hand away.
“Good morning, beautiful.” He whispered as he leaned closer and kissed my forehead. “Sleep all right?”
“Yes,” I smiled at him. “I think we won the battle.”
“We didn’t exactly win, but we drove them away.” Tye sighed. He yawned and then draped his arm over me. “The Celestial Moon didn’t get a chance to do what they wanted, so they’ll return soon.” He tried to hide it, but I could tell it worried him.
Yawning, I sat up and peered around the room. It was still dark, with the first rays of morning light piercing through the curtain. A strange niggling warning niggled at my chest. Did my subconscious know that the battle wasn’t over? Was my true blood connected to that murderous pack? I shivered. I hope not!
“Is everything okay?” Tyrone asked, peering up at me.
I shrugged. “Something feels off. I can’t say what.”
Tye sat up beside me. He ran a hand down my arm, sending tingles across the skin. “You spoke in your sleep last night.”
“I did?” I knitted my brows back at him. “What did I say?”
“I don’t know exactly,” He said, exhaling. He slid to the edge of the bed, grabbed my hand, and pulled me up beside him. “You spoke a different language... It was odd.”
I stared at him dumbfounded. “I only know a little Spanish…”
“It was more like Latin...” He stood and encouraged me to stand in front of him. “But dreams are ways for our subconscious to unload all the information from the day before. You might have heard it in passing.”
“Then I wouldn’t worry about it.” I reached up and wrapped my arm around his neck, pressing our bodies closer. Warmth filled me with comfort I had never known. “Besides, I’ve decided – and we should tell our parents.”
As I said those words, excitement flooded me. After last night, Tyrone proved, without trying, that he was a perfect mate. And if he and his wolf wanted me, I was in safe hands.
“Wait...” Grinning, his green eyes sparkling, he held me tighter. Even Maitea glanced back at me. “Are you saying yes?”
Nodding, I smiled coyly and ran my fingers through the back of his hair. “Yes...”
“Louise…” He reached down to kiss me, but there was a knock at the door before it opened.
We didn’t step apart. There was no need to. Everyone was hoping our relationship would blossom, and now it did.
My mother stood before us, her face etched with fear, tears staining her cheeks. “Louise...” She trailed off when she saw us arm in arm. A smile flashed momentarily before the fear returned. “I didn’t mean to interrupt, but…”
“Mum?” I turned to her. “What’s wrong?”
She swallowed. “It’s Alpha Joseph... He’s in the hospital.”
“What?” I gasped, covering my mouth. I despised Joseph and didn’t expect to feel anything, but my heart dropped. I had to cling to Tye for support. “What happened? Is he okay?”
“He’s alive,” she rubbed her eyes. “But he was poisoned.”
“How?”
“The Celestial Moon Gamma... who is now the Beta,” Tye shook his head in disgust. “I heard the commotion through mind-link last night, but I didn’t want to leave Louise...”
Mum hugged herself. “That foul beast coated himself in poison, and anyone who bit him would ingest it and suffer… if it wasn’t for Kingston and Duane…”
Throughout my stay at the hospital, Joseph had remained by my side. It was only fair that I return the favour and check on him.
Taking a deep breath, I knew what I had to do. “I need to visit Joseph.”
Tye tensed as he took my hands. “Are you sure?”
“It’s out of respect and obligation,” I admitted truthfully. My heart trembled, showing me that it was more than that. I pushed the feeling away.
Mum nodded. “I thought you might. He watched over you when you were in the hospital…”
“Yeah,” I breathed, peering up at Tye. “But I think he only did that out of obligation.”
He smiled back at me, but a hint of jealousy remained. It didn’t suit his face. “I can take you there…”
“Okay,” I nodded. “That would be great.”
“Seeing you two together makes me so happy.” Mum flashed another grin before reaching for the door handle. “I’ve been praying to the Moon Goddess for years.”
“You know, I have to tell my parents…” Tye half-laughed. But he was blushing.
Mum waved her hand. “Already done…”
Of course. I rolled my eyes as I laid my head against Tyrone’s chest. “We’ll be out soon.”
With a nod, Mum closed the door.
“It didn’t take her long,” Tye chuckled. “She was on the mind link network before we woke up.”
“It’s quicker than picking up the phone...”
“True…” He laughed heartily. It sounded amazing against my ear. “That’s one reason we don’t bother with mobiles or social media.”
“Tye…” Swallowing nervously, I ran my hands over the indents of muscle on his chest. My body knew what it wanted more than my head.
“Louise,” he breathed, tilting my head up so he could see my eyes. “I need to admit something before it eats away at me.”
“What?” I frowned and withdrew my hands, sensing that the conversation was off to a rocky start. And that was never a good sign. Was he about to break the news that he had found his mate, and it wasn’t me? Or that this is all a mistake...
“It’s nothing bad,” he grabbed my hands and held them, caressing them with his thumb. “I know that Joseph…” He trailed off.
Goosebumps covered my arms, and a strange heat prickled at the back of my neck. Did he know what Joseph had said—about being his ‘mate’ and the kiss? My first kiss.
I took a step back from him, fighting a sense of uncertainty. “What about Joseph?”
“The night I brought you to the hospital, Joseph admitted to me he was your mate.” His words wavered as he spoke. “It broke my heart, but he is my future Alpha, so I bottled it up. All I’ve wanted since Maitea came of age was to be yours, even before that. Truthfully, part of me wanted to kill Joseph to stop him from claiming you.” He brought my face closer to his. “And then he dropped the bombshell about a chosen mate. Thank the Goddess! That was the best moment of my life. I could finally have you…”
“I never felt the mate pull with Joseph,” I admitted. My heart thudded with fierceness at Tye’s confession. He had laid out the truth before me. Joseph couldn’t even say a single word of truth in my presence. “I don’t even understand how he felt it. My wolf is another year away yet.”
“I know,” His mouth was only an inch from mine. “Unlike Joseph, I will be the mate you deserve. When I claim you, I will give you the world.”
“You’ve already won me over, Tye.” I giggled, and he grinned. “You can stop trying.”
Suddenly, I found myself pressed against the wall with Tyrone standing before me. My heart skipped a beat as he pressed his lips against mine. A rush of warmth spread through my body, making me weak in the knees. He continued to plant tender kisses along my jaw and down to my neck, right above the spot where he would leave his mark.
“I can do it now,” he breathed against my skin, spinning all my senses. “But ….” Smiling coyly, he stood back from me. “I think I’ll wait until the time is right. I want to do it the right way.”
“Really?” I sighed with disappointment.
“Really,” He chuckled again before pulling me into his arms. “Besides, there are too many ears here…”
That was an understatement. There were at least five, if not seven, other sets of ears and no privacy. Shaking my head, I pushed him back. “Then I need a shower…”
“Well,” he ran his hands through his hair and stood aside. His eyes sparkled, and the desire to be with him tingled through my inner thighs. “I’ll be out…” He dropped his eyes, cheeks flushing.
I didn’t need to look to know why. The heat returned to my entire body. He was thoroughly aroused. Giggling nervously, I turned for my cupboard.
He perched on the end of my bed and attempted to cool down. “I can’t help the way you make me feel.”
I decided on a pink singlet top and a pair of dark blue jeans and turned to Tye. “What do you think?”
“Do I really need to answer that?” He cupped his hands over his crutch.
Trying to hide my flustered face, I threw on an old shirt, gathered my clothes, and hurried from the room. I could hear Tye’s laughter following me.
Mum met me at the bathroom door with a set of folded towels. Her damp eyes gleamed. “Madeline and I think we should have your bonding ceremony on your birthday. What do you think?”
Biting my bottom lip, I nodded. “Okay…” I took the towels. “Thanks, Mum.”
“You know,” she placed her hand against my cheek. “You’re still my daughter, Louise. I raised you… I was there for your first words… your first walk… your first day of school… And now your first relationship. You are my daughter, and I would fight tooth and nail for you to realise that.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “If what Agatha said was true, that makes me Alpha blood…”
She smiled before kissing my head. “Alpha blood, Omega blood, vampire or witch… I don’t care. You’re my daughter. And I love you.”
Her words managed to break the hold on my tears. I threw my arms around her and hugged her. She tenderly held me the way she always did. “I needed to hear that.”
“You are, by the way…”
Mum and I turned to see Agatha standing in the hallway. She was dressed in a knee-length black dress. Her midnight hair was braided to one side. And on her feet, she wore a pair of black biker boots.
“Are what?” I asked, wiping a tear from my face.
“Alpha blood…” She held me with a look that confused me. Discontent or uncertainty? “I can sense it. And I don’t lie about these things.”
“Agatha!” Jada groaned as she appeared beside her and grabbed the witch’s arm. “This is not our concern right now…”
“But it is,” Agatha relented, allowing Jada to pull her away. “We need to help–”
“Enough of that!” Now Duane was in view. His bruised and swollen face was covered in angry cuts. He had stitches across his right temple and down the right side of his neck. His right arm was in a sling. He had put up a good fight last night.
“I’m not done!” Agatha huffed.
“You are for now,” Duane insisted.
I turned to Mum again. A sense of dread loomed over me. “What if I become dangerous?”
“You? Dangerous?” Mum nearly laughed. “Sweetheart, the only thing that should be scared of you is anyone who deserves it.” She rubbed my back, spun on her heels, and headed towards the commotion in the lounge room.
In the bathroom, the warning plagued my thoughts as I removed my dressing. The bruising had gone down by half, and the wound had started to seal. Was I healing because of Alpha’s blood or because of Tye? Was I a monster waiting to explode? Once I had dried my hair and left the room, the house had gone silent. Mum, Jo, Raine, Jada, Agatha, and Duane were nowhere in sight. Tyrone met me in the kitchen with a mug.
“Your Mum told me you like Chai,” he handed it to me. “So, I thought I would make you a latte. I’ve been told I’m good at it.”
“Thanks,’ I sipped the cup and grinned. “It’s perfect. Thank you.”
He placed his drink on the bench, stepped behind me and wrapped his arms around me. “Your mum and the others have gone to the packhouse. Joanne and Lorraine were picked up by their parents a few moments ago.”
“Why?” I looked back at him wide-eyed. The worry about Jada’s safety returned. “Are they arresting Jada and the others?”
“No, Duane is being initiated into the pack.” He kissed my forehead. “He stepped up and saved Joseph’s arse last night.”
“Really?”
“Yeah, he’s only going to be a warrior, but if I’m not careful, he might try and take my family’s Gamma position.”
I shook my head. “I highly doubt that. You’re Gamma Blood to the Mist clan. No one can take that away.”
“Joseph can. He has to pick his Gamma once he’s Alpha. And I doubt he will pick me once we’re together.” He exhaled solemnly and then held my chin. “But I don’t care. Maitea doesn’t care. We have you.”
I could see it in his eyes that he honestly meant what he said. But that sense of pack hierarchy was strong. He knew his role, and his wolf knew his role. They were strong and capable. The guilt would be unbearable if Joseph overlooked him because of me.
Before I could speak, Tyrone interrupted me. “That’s enough of that talk. We should get this visit with Joseph out of the way so I can have you all to myself…” he half smiled. “Well, half to myself. Mum and May want us back here later to discuss the ceremony and other things.”
I puffed out a breath. “They waste no time.”
- Writer
