Bear Moon

Lunch with Mato

Kayla's POV

Mato wanted to have lunch with me! I all but screamed out loud. This was a dream come true. He was following behind me as I am saying this. My heart is literally doing an insane amount of dancing in my chest. I am still reeling from finding out the crush of my childhood/life was my mate.

I can smell his scent of honey and blueberries. It tries its best to mesmerize me every time I am around him. I fight it to stay sane, otherwise, I would end up in a puddle of bear gel.

Neither one of us said a word as we walked to the dining hall. I was too busy concentrating on not tripping or running into a random wall. I was a clutz of the first order. Even my mom had hoped I would grow out of it. But the older I got the worse it became. Me falling out of the tree way back when was just the start of a bunch of awkwardness that would follow me.

Entering the dining hall, I could see that people were starting to gather and fill their plates. I was over to the hot plates and dishes laid out in a buffet style. Mato closed behind me, as he too grabbed a plate. I dished out some potato salad, and chips while grabbing one of the pulled pork sandwiches that were pre-made. I glanced back at Mato's plate to see a pile of things he had. He grinned at me like a little boy. The corners of his eyes wrinkled up in the cutest display. It made my heart melt a little. Adorable. He grabbed a coffee and I grabbed a pitcher of juice and a couple of glasses. I balanced them and grinned up at Mato.

"I am guessing your ready?" Mato's voice a mix of strong and soft reached my ears.

I didn't have any words. Nerves jumped into my chest like a bunch of rabid wolves. So I nodded back to him

Mato winked at me and then took the lead back out of the dining hall and down toward his office. I followed silently taking in the massive man before me. He was just shy of 7 feet. His dad was a massive mountain of a man. Mato was similar to him in many ways, just slightly smaller. His arms, back, and chest were littered with small and large scars from the fights over his lifetime. I remembered them and their placement from all the years I watched him train.

Back at his office, he set his plate and coffee down. Then turned to take the pitcher with the glasses from me. He adjusted his paperwork and made room for our meal on his desk. "Scoot that chair up here and we can share the desk to eat." There was warmth and gentleness etched in his brown eyes. I even thought I picked up some nervousness too. No, not the Mato I know. He could be afraid of a lunch. Could he?

"Thank you." I heard myself murmur to him as I did what he mentioned. Bringing the chair up to the desk to use as a table for two.

We started eating in that weird awkward silence. Neither of us found a way to break it. I poured some of the juice and continued to clear my plate when Mato's phone rang.

"This is Mato." I heard his rich deep voice announce into the phone. It gave me the shivers.

Mato's brown eyes glanced at me before, going back to his plate as he continued to listen to the voice on the other side of the phone. I started to stand as I was going to leave to give him privacy. His eyes snapped to me, shaking his head he motioned silently for me to stay. I nodded and settled back in my chair.

"I have no problem taking the pup. I will inform Momma Dee that he will be brought here. Thank you, dad." His voice held a solid promise in its tone.

I kept my eyes on my plate, while the voice on the other end continued to speak. I could hear Mato slowly eating as he listened. "I will keep you updated on his progress. Let Athens know we will be expecting him tomorrow morning." He glanced my way to smile. Thank you, dad, please tell my mom I miss her." Then he hung up the phone.

I knew to never ask my dad what went on with the pack. So, I just went on eating my food. "Athens is bringing a rogue wolf pup to us tomorrow. Seems he lost his parent and was experimented on." Mato spoke. I wasn't sure if it was to me as I didn't take my eyes off my plate.

"Kayla." Mato's use of my name snapped my attention directly to him. "The phone call, I was..."

Before he could finish I jumped up grabbing my plate and the juice. The pitcher spilled and clattered to the floor. "I am sorry, I will clean this up and be out of here shortly," I mumbled. My nerves made my hands shake as I grabbed the towel in the drawer near the cleaning supplies. I was just starting to clean up the spilled liquid when Mato's large tanned hand stilled my movements.

"Kayla," Mato's voice soft as his other hand tilted my chin to look up at him. "Did your father not share with you something he did as the Beta?"

"No, No" I stuttered a bit. "He always reminded me it was none of my business and then kicked me out quickly." I knew my tone contained a bit of pain and fear in it. But, my dad could have moments that would terrify me.

"You are to be my Luna, and are my mate. I hide nothing from you." Mato's words soothing and sweet to the ear. There was no mencaing growl or yelling. Just, Mato sharing with me what it would mean to be with him through the years head.

My eyes lifted when I could see that he was sincere. The warmth of his brown eyes and the love there surprised me. "Thank you," I whispered as I felt his arms wrap around me in a hug that seemed more for his comfort then mine. Either way I wasn't going to complain in the least bit.