Chapter 53 You + Me
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I fought against my aching body to climb the staircase of the pack house; every step felt heavier than the last. If it hadn't been for my little mate in my bedroom, I would have just crashed on the couch in the pack house living room. The urgent meeting regarding the rogue attack had taken nearly three hours—it was past four in the morning. A stray rogue had managed to survive but was quickly captured by a guard on a territory run. After hours of torture in the cages, a distinct smell of copper filled the cells. He had finally given up, admitting that someone had paid off the rogues for what he confessed was a suicide mission. His confession blinded me with rage; he claimed he didn't know who the shifter was that had paid off the rogues. Beta Don was far more diplomatic than I was—that was why I appreciated his service to my pack; he always thought before reacting. I didn't have the patience for wasted time; I valued people who were straightforward.
I was ready to end his life when Beta Don asked the rogue if there were any more rogues who had been paid off. The rogue chuckled and said, "There's only one wolf they want." All I saw was red. Thoughts of Adeline eluded my mind—the way I had found her fragile body lying on the cold floor, left to die mercilessly. I threw him against the wall in one quick motion, breaking his neck, then shifted into my wolf, letting him finish off the spineless creature who lay before me.
It was unanimous among my advisors that we had no reason to believe Adeline was their target; after all, our mating hadn't gone public yet. To the public, I still intended to take Beverly as my mate. It still didn't sit right with me—or my wolf—how they had found and attacked Adeline just didn't add up. I had instructed that border patrol be tightened, especially with other Alphas on our territory. I had also decided to pull one of my best warriors to watch over Adeline with his life. The news of our mating would be coming out shortly, and I wasn't going to risk her being attacked again.
My wolf stirred, elated to finally be with our beautiful mate. I had just tasted her, and it seemed to be the only thing on my mind now. She was addictive, like a drug. I entered my bedroom and smiled as she lay asleep so angelically—she must have been exhausted from the day we'd had. I walked to the mini bar in my room and poured myself a drink, hopeless to ease some of the weight on my shoulders. I sat down on the plush chair by the bar and watched my mate sleep, thankful to the Moon Goddess that I had found her and that she existed just for me.
I took a long swig of the amber liquid and noticed that Adeline had begun to panic in her sleep—evidence she was having a bad dream. I rushed to her side, desperate to save her from whatever was haunting her nightmares. She was trembling in cold sweat, yelping, "No, please, don't." It immediately registered that she must have been dreaming about the rogue attack. I blamed myself, realizing how much stress it had caused her. I tried to shake her lightly, not wanting to startle her further, but she remained lost in her dream. I jerked her a little harder until she finally woke up, a look of horror written all over her face. I was lost in her Arctic blue eyes when she pulled the towel that had been wrapped around her stunning body up briskly; I had been so concerned about her well-being that I hadn't even noticed her bare body beneath it.
My heart broke and my airways felt clogged when she whimpered, "I'm marked." I had wanted to tell her but was rushed off by higher-ranking wolves with urgent information regarding the rogue attack. I knew my confession would have to wait until later. I had been reluctant to leave her alone, but my wolf was put at ease when she told me she was going to grab something to eat and then go to bed. I knew she needed the rest.
When she moved toward the bay window, I thought I had lost her forever. Our mating was not yet complete, meaning she could still reject the bond. I wasn't proud of my actions, but it simply had to be done. Losing Adeline to the rogues was a pain I couldn't carry with me; I needed her in the very depths of my soul. I already knew I loved Adeline, but I was shocked when the words slipped from my mouth. I tried to control my emotions, nervous that I would scare her. I had waited this long to find my mate—I was ready to wait as long as she needed me.
My wolf roared inside me when I admitted that I would respect her decision if she rejected me as her mate. I meant every word, even though saying them was killing me. She was my reason for everything I did, and her happiness would come first every day, even if it was without me. Goosebumps prickled over my skin when she said, "I may accept your reasons, but you'll spend a lifetime paying for this." I was washed away with joy, thankful she still wanted to stand by my side. I had no problem paying a lifetime's price for what I had done—as long as I had her with me.
We spent the next half hour passionately kissing under the moonlight, which shined brighter than I had ever witnessed before. I was certain the Moon Goddess was watching over us. Our tongues battled fiercely, leaving us breathless. I picked her up around her bare ass, her skin under my hands driving me like ecstasy, desperate to claim her. She giggled when I lifted her—the perfect melody of her laugh made me smile like a child on Christmas. I threw her onto the bed, a thrill overtaking me to taste that sweet pussy of hers again.
Adeline stood up and let the white towel drop to the floor, exposing her completely nude body to me. My hardness bulged through my gray sweatpants; my eyes danced over her perfectly sculpted breasts and then to her tiny waist. My favorite part about her was her hips and how they felt when I held them in my hands. I shuddered and let out a low growl. A smirk formed on her face as she tousled her long dark locks, "I told you you'd be paying a lifetime for marking me," she said, then turned and walked into the closet, her hips swaying in perfect sync, causing her bubble ass to bounce with each step. A loud growl erupted from my chest—she was determined for revenge.
"I might need to go home soon and get some more clothes," she said as she exited the closet wearing my blue t-shirt. I clenched my jaw and my pupils dilated, struggling to hold back the beast within me. "Why? I much prefer you in my clothes with my scent all over you," I challenged. She smirked and climbed onto my lap on the bed, straddling me. She wasn't going to make this easy, I told my wolf. She playfully hit my arm. "I'm serious, Jaxon! I need to get some clothes from home; I can't keep waiting on Sophia to refill my closet. It's not fair!"
A grave look took over my face, and my eyes darkened. "We'll buy you new clothes then," I said sternly. "Starting tomorrow, one of my best enforcers will stay by your side. We aren't sure the rogue attacks are over yet, and I won't be able to focus on defending my pack if I'm not certain you're safe, Adeline." A look of disappointment covered her face, and a small whimper escaped her lips. Her pleading could get me to submit to even her wildest desires, but this was one I knew I had to be firm on. It was too dangerous if she had indeed been targeted. She stared into my eyes for a moment, then leaned forward to kiss my forehead. "Okay, I'll behave," she uttered in defeat. Adeline plopped onto the bed, placing her arm over my torso and snuggling into my chest.
A faint yet familiar male scent drifted from my mate—I could feel jealousy boiling within me. "I thought you had something to eat and went straight to bed? Why do you have a male scent on you, Adeline?" I demanded, feeling my canines enlarge. I was ready to flip this entire pack house over until I found the shifter who matched the scent tangled with hers. I was certain she could hear my heart pounding like a drum against her ears. She didn't even lift her head, lost in her comfort on my chest. "No one, really. I saw Sophia, and we were in the kitchen, so maybe I just picked up Chef Mark's scent," she said casually, letting out a yawn.
