Chapter 23

NADIA

I didn’t know how long I stayed wrapped up in Riley’s arms as we hugged each other under the tree. I
couldn’t stop sobbing. My heart was so full of love for him, and I wanted to tell him that, but I didn’t
have the courage. Not yet.

But one day, I will. One step at a time.

For now, it was enough that he said he wanted me here with him. Because there’s nothing in the world
I want more right now than to be with him.

I felt his hand brush against my hair as he pressed our bodies closer, his warmth mixing with mine and
his musky scent swirling around me. I could get used to this.

“Hey, stop crying… I hate it when I make you cry.” His voice was so soothing and calming. Too far from
the Riley I was talking to in the car earlier.

“It’s not a bad cry. I’m just happy.”

“Yeah?” He asked as he let go of his arms around me.

I slowly pulled away from him, wiping my tears with the back of my hand as I nodded my head.

“Am I making you happy? I’m only good at giving shit to people…” He smiled sheepishly like he wanted
to hide his face, and it didn’t slip my eyes the way his cheeks started to be tinted with red.

Was my Alpha blushing?I giggled as I moved my hands to his cheeks, pressing my fingers together
against his skin to pinch him.

“I didn’t know a moody Alpha like you knew how to blush.”



“Blush?” He asked, his forehead creased.

“Yes, it makes your cheeks tum red”

“I know what blush is, but I definitely don’t blush.”

“You just did.”

“Something is wrong with your eyes. Let me check.” He chuckled as he put his hand on my chin and
began raising my eyelids with his finger as if he was checking something.

I laughed heartily as I swatted his hand away.

“What are you doing?”

“Just making sure you don’t have an eye problem or something.”

“I don’t have a problem. Maybe you have…”

“I do. Look here.” He pointed at his bottom lip.

“I think it needs some kisses or something… It’s fucking painful.”

I rolled my eyes at him, crossing my arms against my chest while faking a scoff.

“Smooth move, Alpha.”

His lips tugged in a wide grin, but before he could utter a word, I slammed my lips against him and
kissed him again.

His hand immediately cupped the back of my head as he kissed me back, bruisingly hard before he
pulled away in a sudden movement.



“We need to get back to the pack house or I will end up fucking you here. And this place is a route for
patrollers and those who just want to let their wolves out.”

My eyes widened at his words as I scrambled on my feet to get off of him, embarrassed at my action,
only to be more embarrassed when I saw his dick. He was having a hard-on, and it was pointing up in
my direction.

“How are we going back to the pack house? Are we too far from the car?” I asked him, my eyes
diverting elsewhere, avoiding his manhood

“I think the car was already picked up by someone, if not Dominic. So we need to run on our wolves
back to the house. It’s probably thirty to forty minutes of running. If Arrow gets too tired, you can hop on
Hunter’s back.” He said it too fast like he was giving instructions to his warriors.

“Okay, that sounds good.”

“Shift now.”

“What? So bossy! And you?”

“I’ll shift later. It’s my time with Arrow. And tell her to behave, I’m the Alpha here.”

I rolled my eyes at him playfully before standing on tiptoe, tilting my head up to meet his eyes.

“An Alpha bows down to her Luna, don’t forget that.”

A smug grin tugged at his mouth before he offered me a salute.

“Yes, my Luna. Not just bow down, I will only go down on you too!” And then he winked at me, a
teasing grin playing on his lips as he licked them.

I had to clamp my legs together to stop my core from throbbing and getting wet.



Goddess, this man knew how to drive me wild.

He crouched down, one knee touching the ground as he looked at me. “Take off your shirt before you
shift.”

I nodded my head as I walked around the tree.I heard Riley calling after me and telling me not to hide
from him, but I was ignoring him. He looked too perfect naked and I didn’t think I could match up to
that, so here I was hiding behind the big tree before getting naked and shifting into my wolf.

In seconds, Arrow came out, carrying the folded shirt in her mouth, and was greeted by a smiling Riley.

“Fuck that! Just wow!” he motioned with his hand, urging Aarow to approach him.

“Come here!”

My wolf whimpered as she walked towards our mate, swaying her tail, too eager to get his attention.

“Just too fucking beautiful!” Riley cupped her neck and started rubbing it gently while Arrow started
licking his face.

And I was enjoying what I was seeing.

Riley looked so carefree as he laughed and pampered my wolf with rubs and kisses. I wished he would
laugh more often instead of the scowl on his face.

After a while of them playing and flirting with each other, Riley connected with my mind.

‘‘Are you ready to run home?”

Home?



I’m already home. I couldn’t help but smile internally at my own thoughts. I have never felt more at
home than I did at this moment.

Riley felt like home.

‘‘Yes.’’ I answered him, and he gave Arrow a nod before he shifted.

Hunter then reached for the folded shirt on the ground, trapping it in between his fangs before nudging
his snout into Aarow’s ass, eaming a snarl from my wolf.

‘‘Run, little mate. Don’t let me catch you.’’ Riley teased, and Arrow didn’t need more heeding as she
immediately sprung forward and i n the direction Hunter pointed with his snout.

Not long after we were already treading the forest line, Hunter was leading the way, but he was running
beside me, not letting me out of his sight and proximity.

The forest was beautiful. The smell of fresh air and the rustling of leaves as our paws thudded the earth
gave me a peaceful heart. Although the run was making me and my wolf breathless, it was my mate
who was taking my breath away.

He was wonderful, and he overwhelmed me with his kindness.

This run was connecting our wolves together, but his constant checking to see if I was still okay was
making me feel special.

For the first time, someone cared enough to ask me if I was tired and I needed to be carried. He might
be just asking about today, but it held a new meaning for me.

All my life, I carried myself alone. I learned to stand on my own and not be dependent on anyone. And
Riley was making me feel like he was ready to carry and take care of me, all I needed to do was to ask.



And I hoped my intuition was right.

RILEY

We were about to exit the forest line just behind the pack house, and Nadia was clinging to my wolf’s
back.

Arrow gave up and didn’t want to run any further, so I let Nadia hop on Hunter, and my wolf couldn’t be
more excited.

I had to keep reminding him to behave, but my wolf has his own fucking mind and started licking
Nadia’s thigh and higher the

moment she shifted back to her human form. I had to beg Nadia to stop my wolf because the fucker
wouldn’t listen to me

And Nadia needed to tell him just once.I didn’t know why I was given a hard-headed wolf. He was a
fucking pain in the ass.

But let’s face it: I needed Hunter the same way he needed me. So I didn’t really have a choice.

‘’Are you at the pack house? I need shorts and a blanket. Meet me at the back entrance.’’ I sent my
Beta a mindlink before we crossed the line separating the forest line and the packhouse ground.

Baby, we’re here. Can you sit up straight so if there’s anyone around, nobody can see your ass. I sent
the message to Nadia as I slowed down so she could move freely behind me. She had my shirt on, but
it wasn’t enough to cover her bottom.

She didn’t answer, but I felt her move her chest away from my back to sit nicely, at that exact moment
the door to the backside opened, revealing my beta with shorts and a blanket in his hands.



He approached us, a smug grin playing on his lips as he wrapped the blanket around Nadia before my
mate hopped off of my back. I shifted at once and grabbed the shorts in his hand and put them on.

“So… the Alpha was really marked this morning?”

I chuckled as I wrapped an arm around Nadia, pulling her to my side. She scooted her body closer with
her hands clutching the sheets covering her.

Dominic was not around this morning when Nadia decided she wanted to mark me while joining my
pack, and only Sebastian and Jenny were here and were able to see the mark after we went out of the
office.

“Some little bird told you?” I asked him as we walked all together inside the pack house.

“Yep, a little bird named Sebastian. Plus, an open pack line for a split second let me hear my Alpha
grunt and groan in pleasure.”

“What?” Nadia asked, confusion written on his face as I glared at my Beta. We both ignored Nadia’s
question. I would tell her about it later.

Beta Dominic then stopped on his track, and placed a hand on my shoulder, making me halt in my
steps.

“Show me?”

“What do you want to see?”

“Your mark.”

I chuckled as I tilted my neck while pulling Nadia into my chest. She looked tired, and I should put her
in bed.



“Atta boy! Finally, huh?” He teased as he patted my shoulder again.

“Congratulations, man.”

He was smiling, but I saw the pain crossing his eyes. I almost forgot that he was the only one now
without a mate. And the female h e desired lived thirteen hours away from here.

Maybe I needed to let him visit Jacob’s sister.

He was hoping she would turn out to be his mate. But I wasn’t sure if she had turned eighteen already
or not, because the last time Dominic visited her, she was still seventeen. And, based on what he told
me, she didn’t seem interested in him.

I hoped the wind had changed, and my Beta could find his mate too, either his fated or chosen.

“So, should we plan a Luna Ceremony soon?” My Beta snapped me from my own thoughts as we
continued walking.

I chuckled, remembering that months ago, he and Gamma Sebastian were doing their best to delay the
Luna ceremony I planned for Andrea as much as they could. And now, he was too excited to have one.

I was about to answer him and tell him that Nadia and I needed to talk about the date first when my
mate beat me from talking.

“No! No Luna Ceremony, please.” She said in a firm voice, her forehead creasing.

I couldn’t stop the pain that hit my chest as a low rumbling growl vibrated in my chest. I tilted my head
down to look at the female i n my arms.

A scowl formed on my face as her rejection sunk in.

“Why?”






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