The Liekos Pack Series

TPDM: Chapter 4

The Pack Doctors Mate

Warren's POV

Having her in my home last night was fantastic. Being able to finally eat dinner with my mate, even if it was just a simple pizza, was great. Then cuddling on the couch, one word, euphoric. Simple and sweet. I wanted nothing more than for her to spend the night and sleep next to me but first I know she is human and things are different for them. They move at a slower pace with a romantic partner. Second I don't know every detail but from the brief description of Paul, her ex, he did a number on her. She seems hesitant to speak her mind freely with me amongst other things and I know I'm going to need to be patient with my mate. It's been a long eight years without here but I would wait another 8 just for her.

I know it seems silly but seeing her in my T-shirt was intoxicating. I felt this weird sense of pride with her in my clothes. It was small acceptance of me that I appreciate. The fact that she understands the mate bond to an extent and gave me her own shirt to help ease my wolf for the night is amazing. I'm sure growing up in a pack and learning all about the mate bond but never being able to actually experience or feel all the things that come with it can be frustrating. I won't deny or pretend to be too manly to have slept with her shirt. I placed it right on my pillow next to my face and it calmed me enough to allow me to get a little sleep.

That is until somewhere around two in the morning when I woke up to the other side of our bond tugging me from my sleep. My mate was distressed but not to the extent of being in danger so I assumed she was just having a bad dream. I waited a few minutes and the feeling of dread went away but Franklin was pushing to go to her feeling her sadness more than me. I told him we needed to wait until morning because she wants time and space but he pushed forward taking control over me. Shifting into his true form, a grey wolf, he ran the short distance from our house to the pack house and up the stairs to her room.

He paced outside her room for several more minutes as he debated my words about giving her space but his mate was hurting and that took precedence over everything. Thankfully Thaddeus and Harley put her in one of our special guest rooms. A small peddle on the bottom of the door allows our wolves to enter, a few rooms in the pack house, for times like this when our wolves refuse to relinquish control but need a place to stay. Unless they lock the door anyone can come in which should make me upset because as he pushed the door open we both realize she didn't lock it but then again it must mean she feels some sense of safety here.

Her breathing has evened out and although she is curled up in a ball with my shirt up over her nose, she seems to have fallen back asleep. Franklin goes over and pushes his snout against her lightly to make sure she's sound asleep, she doesn't budge. Seeing she is ok I urge him to go back home but he still refuses to leave our mate, laying down beside the bed, and rests his head on his paws. Realizing he isn't going to leave her and probably needs this time with her since who knows how long until she's ready to meet him on her own I stop fighting with him. Letting him rest with her until an hour before her alarm is set. Then I take over again as Franklin sleeps and exit her room quietly.

I make my way back to our house to get ready for the day. I shower quickly, fighting the urge to take care of the built up tension inside me from finally having my mate and wanting to mate but having to wait. That short and sweet make out session in the kitchen the night prior was enough to make me feel like a horny teenager again. All I can think about is s*x again and it's maddening. Her well being is more important to me though and that's why instead of taking care of myself I'm going to go get her some flowers along with a cup of coffee to start her day right. Hopefully me surprising her at her door will start her morning right especially after last night.

I grab a vase from my hallway closet. I keep a few in there for when my parent's visit. I like fresh flowers for my mom. Then I go over to our packs garden and pick some flowers for her. After getting to the packs kitchen I put some water in the vase to keep the flowers hydrated for the day at least. I go over to one of our coffee machine and make her plain latte. I'll have to learn exactly what kind of coffee she likes in the morning later. For now I'll just go with what I normally drink before work. I don't necessarily need caffeine but it helps gives me an extra boost in the morning. I wait outside her door for a few minutes until I hear her alarm finally go off then I proceed to knock.

She opens the door sleepily in my shirt, with what seems like nothing underneath, and it takes everything in me not to drop the items in my hand lift her up, carry her over to the bed, and loose myself in her. When she tells me to come in I try to protest because being alone with her right now could be dangerous. I didn't realize it was going to be this hard resisting the urge to mate with her. My self control is already hanging by a thread. When she mentions being more comfortable going down with me than alone I cave and step inside. She goes into the closet and grabs some clothes before disappearing in the bathroom. I notice bags still packed in the corner of the closet and only one picture out on the nightstand of what I'm assuming is her mom with her stepdad.

She's only been here a day though so I'm sure eventually she'll make this more personal to her. I sit on the bed and examine the picture a little closer seeing the clear resemblance between her and her mother. I try to place her stepfather but can't recall ever meeting him specifically. I never did get the name of the pack she came from. Perhaps if I had visited it sooner I could have saved her from the drama with this Paul character. I need to talk to Thaddeus and see if he knows anything about a Gamma named Paul. There's a small chance he could show up and challenge me for her. Since she doesn't have a wolf of her own it would be my word against his that she is my mate and not his.

I don't train as hard as most wolves, I won't deny that, and I probably shouldn't have focused more on studying than combat. I will definitely also ask Thaddeus for some one on one training just in case. I take a seat on her bed and my foot hits something right underneath the side she sleeps on. I pull out a backpack and hesitate knowing if I open it I would be invading her privacy. I place it back under but can't help but wonder why she would keep a small backpack beneath her bed unless it's for an emergency. My thoughts are cut short as the bathroom door opens and my beautiful mate steps out in a set of her new scrubs. She looks stunning even in simple blue work clothes. Her hair is up back in a clip and I can't help stare at her slender neck, Franklin pushing for me to mark her soon.

"You look amazing and ready for your first day," I say going over and pulling her to me for a small sweet kiss.

"Thank you. I'm excited. A little nervous."

"Well I'll be with you most of the day so there's that and at any point if it's too much we can come home," I explain and hate to admit I secretly hope she just wants to come home, then we can talk about her just working at the pack's hospital.

"You... you don't want me to work there do you," she asks apparently picking up on my apprehension.

"I mean... I don't want you to feel uncomfortable or overwhelmed and..."

"Tell me. If I'm going to be open and honest with you I want the same in return."

"Franklin and I don't like the thought of you being away from us, unmarked, working with a bunch of different males who could try to pursue you," I spit out quickly feeling like I sound childish and don't want anyone else seeing my favorite toy.

"So you want me to quit?"

"I want you to be happy and safe. I can always have you work full time at the pack's hospital," I suggest.

"I suppose I would be safer on pack lands than in a human hospital if god forbid Paul is looking and does find me. What if I work there part time like you," she asks and I love that she is considering compromising for me.

"I don't want you too feel like I'm being controlling," I admit not wanting to remind her of him at all.

"Warren," she says sweetly, wrapping her arms around my midsection, and looking up at me with a nice smile. "I don't feel like your trying to control me. I understand your concerns and you didn't really try to command me like... like he would have. You made a suggestion and I listened. If it will put you and Franklin at ease to have me here instead of there I don't mind. As long as I am doing something that matters and helping the pack... I'd be ok with that. I want this... I want you but I'm just scared. I talked to Fran last night though and she told me to trust my instincts and live a little so that's what I'm going to do for us.

"Thank you," I whisper pulling her into a tight hug as I realize I already love her.

It seems so fast and crazy but she is absolutely perfect for me. She actually listens to what I'm saying and is willing to work together to find what works best for us. She could be closed off and hesitant about all this but she's open to all of it. I will definitely have to thank Fran for whatever she said because I'm sure it helped her not be fearful of me even after whatever terrible dream she had last night. I move my hand up and cup her cheek gently before leaning down to kiss my amazing mate. Short sweet kisses, not wanting to get to heated before breakfast and work I pull away and rest my forehead against hers.

"You are so perfect for me," I whisper. "I appreciate you trying and being open with me more than you'll ever know."

"I'm far from perfect," she responds with a laugh. "I like that you think so though," she adds and I feel her lips on mine again only for a moment.

"Can we try dinner again tomorrow night. I'll talk to Cami about you working with her at our hospital tomorrow.I can leave a little early and have everything ready when you get off. That way I don't get distracted and possibly burn dinner again," I say pulling back just enough to look into her green eyes.

"I would love that but why not tonight?"

"I think after stealing you away last night you should have dinner with the pack tonight. I want to keep you all to myself but we're a family here and they need to know you as well."

"I like that a lot. Everyone does seems very close and no one seems stuck up about pack rank and such. Paul was very snooty about being the pack's gamma and thought almost everyone was beneath him."

"Can I ask why you stayed with him for so long," I ask grabbing her hand and start walking down to breakfast with her.

"I was young and naive. I can't deny liking the attention he gave me at first but like I said over time I started to see him as only a friend. I didn't want anything romantically with him but then he claimed me as his mate. My stepdad Eric used to go on and on about mates after he and my mother got together. How loving they are, the goddess hand picks them for us, and how special the bond truly is. I felt wrong denying their goddess after living amongst their kind for so long. Between work and school I just didn't have the energy to fight him. I went along with everything because it was easier and for the most part he was tolerable. He was attractive and again I was young... but we never went all the way," she explains. "I just want you to know that. I always wondered if maybe Paul was lying and I had an actual mate out there somewhere that's why I never actually let him mate and mark me."

"I'm glad for that. I honestly don't know what would have happened to our bond had he... but I hate the thought that I could have lost you before even having you."

"Well eventually I opened up to my parents and told them everything how I didn't feel anything for him and he was getting more pushy to mark me. He and my stepdad actually got into really bad one day at training. I pulled Paul off my stepdad and told him if he didn't stop I would leave right then and there. He became very apologetic not only to me but my family. He blamed his wolf for taking over because my dad was trying to negate our bond and that angered his wolf, Lexus."

"The more you talk about this guy my hate for him grows."

"Then let's talk about something else please," she says squeezing my hand. "My best friend Fran said you need to prepare... she insists on coming to see me and meeting you sooner than later. She said she'll be here in a week."

"Should I be worried," I ask jokingly.

"Yes. Her interrogation tactics include tickling and noogies. All the boys were scared of her at my old pack," she jokes back with a sweet laugh at the end and I can see in her eyes she really misses her best friend.

As we enter the dinning hall and make our way over to the breakfast bar where we all serve ourselves I link Thaddeus asking to talk to him later about offering her friend a place in our pack. Thaddeus took over as Alpha fairly young after his father passed in a rogue attack. There are two other pack's near us and a large group of rogues attacked one several years. We all vowed to help each other if ever the need arose so thats precisely what we did. I was still in training and went with my father to help the injured. His father went after three wolves on the attack of a small woman and her child. Although his father was a great warrior and amazing Alpha the three rogues bested him.

My father and I tried to save him but we couldn't. The whole pack mourned his loss. It didn't help that his mother died in childbirth. Thaddeus was a lot larger than most Alpha born and it caused complications. We all tried to comfort him but it was his best friend and Beta Harley who really got him through it. He stepped into his father's position effortlessly and has lead this pack with power and grace ever since. Even while mourning he remained strong and stoic. I think his heart closed off that day though, which is why he raves about never wanting to find his mate, and acts like a man w***e. I'll have to make sure he keeps away from Fran, we don't need that drama while she's here.

He confirms we can talk about it more later on when she arrives. He'll want to meet with her and make sure she will fit in with us. I hope so because I'm sure having her best friend here will make my mate happier and more willing to stay here. I can't get rid of this doubt in the back of my mind after finding that backpack stuffed under the bed. If she intends to run and disappear... I don't know if I can handle that. I would have to follow her. I would go with her to the end of the earth even if its just in the shadows to make sure she is safe. Once I convince her to move in with me I just hope she throws it out and doesn't feel the need to keep it anymore.

We grab our food and sit down with Cami and her siblings. A lot of pack members stop by to introduce themselves to my mate and I love how open everyone is with the fact she is a human. We have only a handful of wolves who aren't too fond of humans but Thaddeus made it crystal clear they are a part of our pack and any hostility towards them would cause the parties involved to be banished from the pack. Even Harley stops by with her mate, a warlock name John, to introduce them. Although I get an odd vibe from him.... everyone else seems to like him. After we finish eating I drop our plates off in the bins near the kitchen and we make our way to her car.

"If you want we can park in the garage on the way back and you can ride on my back up the mountains," I offer hoping she says yes because Franklin is beyond eager to meet his mate since she wasn't conscious during last night's encounter.

"I get to meet Franklin," she says beaming with excitement and that alone fills my heart with joy.

"Yes he's dying to meet you too and go for a run with you."

"I would love that," she responds giving me a kiss on the cheek once we settle in her car.