Not-So-Fated Mates

Chapter 37: Restless

Drake POV

As they pulled into the driveway of their pack house, Drake pulled out his phone, immediately texting Layla. Though he really wanted to watch the screen until she responded, he quickly put it back in his pocket after catching sight of the grin on Jackson’s face. “Shut up,” he grumbled as Jackson opened his mouth.

“What? I just think it is so cute how you’re all excited to hear from your little lady,” Jackson said, wiggling his eyebrows.

Drake rolled his eyes. “You know, I really hoped that, when you met your mate, she’d calm you down so you could actually manage to be serious once in a while. Perhaps make you less of a jackass, too,” he said as an afterthought.

“Now, how would that be any fun?” Jackson retorted playfully.

“Oh, I think it would be quite fun. I wouldn’t have to listen to your stupid, snarky-ass remarks all the time.”

“You know you love me, big guy.” Drake waited until Jackson had put the car in park before punching him in the shoulder. “Ow! Is that any way to treat someone you love?”

“When it’s you, definitely.” Both chuckled as they got out of the car to greet some of the pack members that awaited them.

A wiry young man with a mop of red hair that was swept into a loose ponytail stepped forward with a smile on his face. “Welcome back alpha, Jackson,” he said, an impish look in his bright green eyes as he looked at Jackson, having purposely left out the other man’s title.

“Thanks a lot, Rod,” the beta responded, flipping the man off before his face broke into a huge grin and both men hugged, slapping each other’s backs. Jackson pulled back, still holding their Gamma as he said, “Now how’s about a nice welcome home kiss?”

Rod immediately pulled away, dodging the unwelcome kiss as he laughed. “Well, you definitely haven’t changed. I would’ve thought finding your mate would’ve chilled you out a bit, at least on the unwelcome advances.”

“Nah, you’re a dude, it doesn’t count,” Jackson laughed as Rod rolled his eyes.

“Speaking of which, where is the unlucky lady?” Rod teased.

A flash of pain crossed Jackson’s features so quickly that most people wouldn’t catch it before he’d replaced it with his trademark grin, but Drake and Rod had known him long enough to see the change. “She had to stay behind for now. A friend needed her,” he responded with uncharacteristic stoicism.

“Ah, I’m sorry, bro,” Rod said, running his hand through his hair, accidently releasing a few strands as he did. “Well, I’m sure she’ll be able to come soon enough. Maybe we can even turn that hellhole you call a room into something actually suitable for your mate.”

Drake and Rod laughed hard at that as Jackson grumbled, “It’s not that bad.”

“Dude, it stinks, you have s**t all over the floor, it’s a disaster!”

“Okay, okay, I could possibly stand to clean it up a bit,” Jackson conceded.

“A little lot bit,” Rod laughed before turning to Drake. “So, alpha, how was the trip?”

“It was good,” Drake responded, not sure what else to say, the mere thought of Layla prompting him to dig out his phone to check it, disappointment clouding his features when he found no new messages.

“Pardon him, he’s all sad ‘cause he had to leave his-ow!” Jackson exclaimed, rubbing his shoulder where Drake had punched it again. “Damn, you already punched that one once, can’t you at least go for the other shoulder and even it out a bit.”

“Maybe if you wouldn’t go spouting out other people’s business, it wouldn’t have happened,” Drake responded mildly, the corners of his lips turning up.

“Wow, no simple ‘shut the f**k up’?” Rod asked, raising an eyebrow. “You feeling alright, alpha?”

“I’m fine,” Drake huffed.

“Ah, there’s the grumpy alpha I remember,” Rod laughed before he, too, received a bruised shoulder. “Yep, hurts as much as I remember.”

“Can we move this inside? We kind of have pack members waiting on us, and if you two are going to keep popping off at the mouth and gossiping about me, I’d prefer not to do that in front of everyone,” Drake said, indicating the pack members that had kept back to allow them privacy.

“Yeah, that might be a good idea,” Rod nodded, looking around as if he just remembered the three of them weren’t alone. Jackson and Drake grabbed the luggage they had set down when they’d greeted Rod before making there way towards the waiting pack members.

Hours later, after he and Jackson had greeted everyone, gotten settled back in and joined the pack for dinner, Drake lay in his bed, arm over his face. Next to him lay his phone, still open to the conversation with Layla. It had taken an hour to get a response, but he’d understood when she’d apologized and explained she’d been having dinner with Isaiah. They hadn’t talked much, and it had been awkward. At least, it had for him. Now that what they’d had was officially over, he wasn’t sure what to say to her. So, after a few texts, he’d said he was tired from the drive home and was going to bed.

In fairness, he really had been tired from the trip, and he had legitimately tried to sleep, but his bed suddenly felt empty and cold. He’d gotten so used to having her next to him, her soft snores lulling him to sleep as he’d been curled up around her. Her snores were surprisingly cute, not obnoxious like some of the women he’d slept with. And oh, those little noises she made. Sometimes, they were soft whimpers, other times, she’d murmur softly in her sleep. Once, she’d even said his name just loud enough he could hear her, making him smile as he remembered it. A few times, he’d stayed up a little longer than necessary, just to watch her sleep.

She just looked so peaceful when she slept, he couldn’t help watching her. She had a fire he couldn’t help but admire when she was awake, but when she was asleep, it was easier to see that soft side of her that made him want to hold her, to protect her. He knew very well she could handle herself in almost any given situation, considering how many of her warriors he’d watched her slam to the ground with little effort, yet she still ignited that protective instinct in him. He’d had to keep a tight leash on that for the little time they had together, as he knew she would hate being coddled, and he respected her and thought enough of her not to put his nose in where it didn’t belong. However, when it came to things like the little pissant who dared reject her, his instinct couldn’t be quelled. Which was part of the reason he and Zach had gotten into it those few times.

God, how he wanted to really teach that asshole a lesson. Of course, he was happy that Layla wasn’t mated, as it meant he got to be with her for the little time they were afforded, but he just couldn’t deal with the fact that another male had hurt her so badly. Even if she hadn’t talked about it much, and had been generally happy while he was there, he could almost feel the hurt she still carried on her shoulders. If only he could take it away.

You could take it away, a small voice whispered in his head, if only you gave yourself the chance. Sadly, that was one thing he just couldn’t do. No matter how his heart was twisting being without her.