Chapter 12 — Waiting

When we got back to the house, I walked over to my car and pulled my suitcase out from the trunk.

“Now Charity, since you have been gone, we made some changes to the house and to your room.” She says the last part quietly.

I nod my head, “It’s ok Mom, I understand.”

She gives me a smile and I follow her into the house and up the stairs. The rest of the house seemed to look the same but when I opened the door to what used to be my room I sucked in my breath.

Everything that was on the walls had been taken down, the walls painted in a more neutral tone, my bed was still there but the bedding had been changed to blend with the walls. It looked like a boring old room. My childhood was gone, and this was a sad reality to it.

I went into the room and lifted the suitcase onto the bed, opened it up and started pulling out my clothes and places them in the drawers or hanging them in the closet. I checked my phone again to see if there was anything, again nothing.

Sasha: He will call or text when he is able to.

I let out a sigh as I sat down on the bed. I didn’t feel comfortable being here, this was no longer my home. But at the same time my place back in Crescent Valley didn’t feel like home either.

There was only one place I knew that always made me feel better. I just hoped that nothing had changed from that as well.

Walking down the stairs I head into the kitchen where my mom was in the works of baking something delicious as always.

“Hey mom what time are we heading up to the pack house for dinner?” I ask seeing that it was already close to seven o’clock.

She turns to look at me before pulling out the salivating dessert.

“We should be leaving pretty soon to head up there. Did you need to do something before we left?”

I shook my head and said, “No, I was just wondering. I was thinking about checking out the bridge where I used to hang out at before, but I can go there after or tomorrow.”

I let out a huff and plop on the chair that was at the island in the kitchen.

My mother gave me a soft smile, “He will call you. Did you at least send him a message telling him you were home?”

I shook my head and answered, “No, he said he was going to call me. I don’t want to pester him.”

She smiled and laughed a little. “My sweet daughter, you are his mate. You will not be pestering him. It might even help alleviate some of the stress that he is dealing with if he has any.”

“Okay,” I say and pull my phone out and send him a text.

Me: Hey, I hope you made it to your meeting in time. I just wanted to let you know that I am back over in my pack town. I hope everything is okay and I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. : )

I felt a little better sending that. At the very least I have let him know that I am back home in my pack town, and I was thinking about him. See I didn’t run away this time.

I flip my phone over so that I am not anxiously looking at the screen to see if a text comes through.

Taking a deep breath and trying to calm my nerves, “Do you need help with anything Mom?” I ask.

She shakes her head as she puts her dessert in a carrying container. “Nope we are good to go. Are you ready?” She asks me.

I look down at the clothes I was currently wearing, they seemed fine, so I shrugged and said, “Yep, good to go.”

I picked up my phone and checked the screen before putting it in my pocket. Still nothing. I closed the screen and put the phone in my back pocket and followed my mom out of the kitchen.

“Jonathon! Are you ready?” Mom called out.

“Yep, all ready. Let’s go and have a family meal all together.”

When we walked into the pack house everyone was starting to dish up their plates for entering the dining hall to sit and eat. I got a little choked up as I saw my brother tending to his mate and family. I don’t think I have ever seen him this happy before. I glanced over at Sam and Hayley, they look like they have been together forever and completely connected. I laughed as I watched Silas juggling plates for him and his mate as she continued to place more food on her plate than his plate.

Everyone seemed so happy. It made me almost green with envy to see them all so happy. Here I thought I was getting the better life, living the way I wanted to live it. But seeing all this and finding my mate. Maybe I was wrong.

Sasha: I told you it would be amazing, but Charity you have to learn things for yourself. You do not like to take advice from anyone until you are ready to take it and learn from it.

I rolled my eyes because I knew she was right, but I refused to admit it. Stubborn? Hell Yes! Not changing that anytime soon.

I grabbed my food and headed to the table that all of my family was sitting at. I even got to see Luna Silvia and Alpha Spencer.

My dad stands up from his chair, “I would just like to say how happy I am to have Charity home, even if it is only for a few days, but to see my whole family together brings such joy to mine and their mother’s hearts. We hope that there are plenty more dinners like this in the near future.”

“Here, Here!” We all call out with cheer.

We clinked our cups, and I spent the rest of the time hearing all the stories and catching up on all the time I have missed from my family and my pack.

After dinner I helped Rosie give the pups baths and get them ready for bed. I even read them a bedtime story and tucked them in. Kissing them on their foreheads and wishing them sweet dreams before closing their door.

Sasha: (Crying) I want this so much! I wish we had pups that we were putting to bed and teaching them life lessons and watching them grow.

I sighed as I continued to listen to my wolf cry and o’ woe is me herself to death.

Which with her doing that, reminded me that I had not checked my phone at all since before dinner.

I pulled out my phone and clicked the notifications screen, still blank.

I dropped my shoulders and slid my phone back into my back pocket of my jeans and continued to head down the stairs. It seemed the adults were hanging out in the study as they enjoy the peace and quiet of the house.

I walked in and my brother handed me a glass of wine.

“Yes! I will take that thank you,” I say and take a sip. Ahh, hello my friend please help me calm my nerves.

“So, Char how does it feel to be back?” Silas asked as he rubbed his wife’s feet.

“To be honest, weird. As much as it is great to be here and meet my niece and nephew and get acquainted with all your mates. I still almost feel left out. Like I am no longer apart of the gang.”

Sam comes over and gives me a nudge, “Ah Squirt, you will always be a part of the gang. But you also need to keep in mind that you will now be a part of Dom’s pack and no longer apart of ours.”

That made me get choked up for a moment. I will no longer be a part of the Crimson Moon pack. I will be the Luna of Moon River. That is, if Dom still picks me. What if he realizes this is too much for him and decides to reject me? My heart started to palpitate and the butterflies in my stomach were doing tricks. I just wish I could hear from him.

“Charity?”

We turn to see one of the younger wolves at the door to the study.

“Yes?” I answer.

“There is someone at the door for you?” She says and then turns and walks away.

I take a sip of my wine and am afraid to move to find out who it is. I start to take bigger sips and then feel the glass taken away from me and I turn to see that it is Sam.

“Hey, that is my liquid courage you are taking away from me,” I say with anger in my tone.

“Silas told me too,” he says as he points to his brother who looks at me like a deer in the headlights. “And besides you need to get your butt out there and see if it’s who we all know it is.”

I take a deep breath and slowly walk out of the study and make my way to the front door. I open the door and there is Dom in all his handsomeness just standing there with his hands shoved into his pockets.

“Hi” I whisper.

“Hey” He says with a half-smile. “Can we go for a walk?”

I nod before saying, “Sure, let’s take a walk in the courtyard.”

He nodded his head and followed me in the direction of the courtyard where they had the ceremony a few years back.

The twinkling lights came on as we walked into the courtyard, and I looked to see Hayley and Rosie giving us some light. I smiled at them and continued to walk until I was over at the pond where he kissed me all those years ago. Not really that long but it seemed to fit how I feel.

“Is everything ok?” I ask softly still keeping my distance cause, I don’t know what mood he is in at the moment.

He runs his hands over his face and then through his hair leaving his hands on the nape of his neck. “I honestly don’t know.”

“Sounds like the meeting didn’t go to well.” I continue.

“I don’t want to talk about the meeting.” He lets out.

“What do you want to talk about?” I ask him as I sit down on a bench.

Sasha: Something’s wrong.

Me: What do you mean?

Sasha: His wolf is in a complete uproar. They are not agreeing about stuff right now.

“Can we just sit here and just enjoy the night air?” he asks as he sits down on the other side of the bench keeping his distance.

“Okay,” I say as I pull my knees up to my chest and sit sideways on the bench making sure I don’t touch him until he is ready.

We sit there for a while in an uncomfortable silence. Him with his head tilted back with his eyes closed and me slightly rocking back and forth trying to keep my anxiety from going crazy.

I finally get the nerve to break the silence, “Dom?”

He takes a minute to answer me, “Yeah?”

“Are you going to reject me?” I ask as the tears burn my eyes.

He pops his head back up and immediately says “What?”

“Please don’t make me say it again? Are you?” Not being able to look at him, not wanting to see the answer in those icy blue eyes.

He moves closer to me and pulls me into his lap as he wraps his arms around me and takes a whiff of my scent. I could tell that he was calming down as I was doing the same just from being in his arms.

“No, of course I am not going to reject you. Why would you ask me that?” He rubbed his nose into my neck and continued to take deep breaths to calm him and his wolf down.

“Sam had given some details about possibly bringing your pack and the pack north of you together and I may have ruined it.”

“Mmhmm” He said as he kept his mouth tight lipped and nodded his head realizing what the real reason of what was going on. “I see.”

I peeked up to see his expression and I saw the serious tone of those icy blue eyes.

He takes a moment before he answers brushing a piece of my hair that had fallen down back behind my ear.

“There was talk about bringing the two packs together and I was given the choice to make Ofelia my mate and wife to make the transition easier on both packs.”

“But?” I say with a bit of hope in my tone.

He gives me a crooked smile and says, “But since I have found you, we will have to figure something else out.”

“Phew” I say softly.

I could feel his chest rumble as he lets out a chuckle from my relief. He pulls my chin up and looks me in the eye before saying, “Now explain to me where all this uneasiness is coming from? This is not the girl I know.”

He’s right. When have I ever acted like this? This is so out of the norm and all I can think about is him.

I shrugged and said, “I never heard from you today and you left in such a rush especially right after we…”

He pulls back from me with a confused look, “What you do mean you didn’t hear from me? I have been texting you.”

I pull out my phone from my back pocket and click on the home screen and show him that there are no new messages.

“Open your phone up,” he says to me.

I open the open and there is a number four sitting on the top of my text message icon.

Giving my phone a very confused look. I open my messages and see that there were messages sent from Dom.

Text messages:

Me: Hey, I hope you made it to your meeting in time. I just wanted to let you know that I am back over in my pack town. I hope everything is okay and I just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you. : )

Dom: I did make it in time. I am glad to hear that you made it home. I will text you once the meeting is over. I am thinking about you too ; )

Dom: Meeting just got over sorry that it ran so late. Can I come see you?

Dom: TM? Is everything ok? I haven’t heard from you : (

Dom: Charity?

I noticed that next to Dom’s name the silent signal was turned on. Closing my eyes. I am so stupid.

“You are right, you did. I bet you were thinking I ran again,” I say as I turn the mode off and close my phone.

He ran his hand over his face before brushing it back through his hair, “I’m not sure what I was thinking exactly. I just needed to see you.”

I laid my head on his shoulder, “Dom?”

“Yeah?”

“Sam told me your father passed away, I am sorry for your loss.”

He froze in place when I mentioned his father. I lifted my head to look at his face. He had his eyes closed and taking deep breaths. I press my hand to his cheek, and he leans into my touch.

“That is why you have been in hell for the last few years. You had to take your father’s Alpha position and no Luna to help you through it.” I lean my head into his neck breathing in his scent and whisper, “I’m sorry.” Placing a kiss on his neck. He let out a growl from his chest and I giggled.

He looks down at me and says, “Don’t start something you can’t finish.” Narrowing his eyes at me.

I give him a coy smile, “That’s sounds like something your little troublemaker would do.”

He shakes his head and lets out a laugh.

“So now you are claiming your well-earned nickname?”

“Only with you” I say and give him a kiss on the corner of his mouth.

He grabs my hair and gently pulls my head back, “You are teasing the hell out of me, and I can’t do anything since I am on your pack territory.” He growls out.

“Then take me somewhere so that we can,” I say to him as I nip at his chin.

His eyes roll into the back of his head and his breathing starts to increase. When he opens his eyes the rim of his eyes is gold, and I can tell his wolf is skirting on the surface.

Sasha: Yeah baby, come to mama.

Me: Uh-uh, he and you do not get time alone with each other. I know your games you will have him mark us while we are shifted.

Sasha: Actually, I wouldn’t. I believe the experience will be far greater when his human marks you with his fangs right when you are skirting on the edge of climaxing.

Me: What?!

“I think I know of a place that you might like.” He answers.

I give him a curious look but shrug, “Alright I’m game if you are?”

“Oh, I am definitely,” he says as he pulls me close and kisses my lips gently. The tingles that run through me are so tantalizing.

Sasha: Damn, that feels so good. Not to be a mood killer, but I am curious to what he and his wolf are disagreeing on.

Me: You are right, don’t be a mood killer.

Sasha: I am just saying.

I groan.

Dom pulls back and looks at me, “What’s wrong?”

“Damn my wolf.”

He still looks at me with a confused look on his face.

“Sorry, my wolf said earlier that she could sense that you and your wolf were disagreeing on something, and it raised concern in her.”

“Ahh, I see. Yes, we are not seeing eye to eye on things at the moment. But it has more to do about when we mark each other and the pack, then something bad.”

“Oh, ok.”

Me: There? Happy?

Sasha: I think there could be something else, but I will leave it alone for now.

Me: Ok then.

I got up from Dom’s lap and he stood up from the bench.

“I am going to let them know I am leaving now, if it’s okay, I would like to get a bag from my parents’ house before we head to your destination.”

He nods his head.

I walk over to a window where I knew the girls would still be. I tap the window and they open the curtain. I wave to them and tell them I am going to leave. They both let out screeches and wave good night to me.

I laugh as I shake my head. These girls, they don’t even really know me but have already accepted me and made me a part of their life. Maybe it won’t be so bad being close to home and having girls to talk to about stuff. I didn’t have any girlfriends growing up, I always preferred to hanging with the guys.

I turn and head back over to Dom and take his hand as I lead him out of the courtyard and make our way to my parents’ house.

I open the door and call out, “Mom? Dad?”

“In the kitchen, dear.” My mom yells out.

I grab Dom’s hand and tug him into the house and make our way into the kitchen. My dad was sitting at the table and my mom was cleaning up when she sensed there was someone else in the house and turned with a smile.

“Mom, Dad I’m sure you remember Dom from the Moon River pack.”

My dad stands up to shake Dom’s hand.

“Mr. Meadows it’s nice to see you again,” Dom says politely.

“Alpha Dominic, it’s been a little while. How are things on your side of the river?” My dad asks making small talk.

“Good, sir, thank you.”

My mom walks over and gives Dom a hug.

“Alpha Dominic, it’s nice to see you.”

“Thank you, Mrs. Meadows, you too. Please you can call me Dominic or Dom.”

I could sense Dom feeling a bit nervous, so I started drawing circles into the skin with my thumb to help calm him.

“I just wanted to come and grab a couple of things, Dom asked if I could stay the night over in his pack tonight,” I say to them.

My mom smiles at me, “That’s what we figured dear. Go ahead, we will keep him company while you grab your things,” she says as she grabs Dom by the arm and steers him towards a seat at the table.

“Dominic, have you eaten? I can warm up some dessert if you like?” I hear my mom say as I start heading to my room to grab things.

Sasha: This is so exciting!! A night with our mate. MATE! I’m giddy like a little schoolgirl with her first boyfriend.

I let out a giggle. Shaking my head while I continue to listen to her spouting off about how happy and excited she is about all this.

Me though? This has me all anxious, I have kept people at a distance so that I could never experience: pain, loss, heart break, and now? Now I am exposed to all that. This man can break me in a moment with just saying a sentence. Now I will be constantly wondering, am I good enough? Am I what he needs? Does he find me irresistible or is it just the bond? I take a deep breath while I continue to fold some clothes and place them in an overnight bag.

Sasha: I know you have been running away from this for as long as you could. Remember when you talked about being just human and falling for someone in your own time and that sounded so much better than the bond?

Me: Yes.

Sasha: Being fully human they have to constantly worry about that when they are insecure about their relationship and are allowing the fear and doubts sink in until they come true. Charity, the bond helps take all that away. When you fully mate and accept each other there will be no doubt, no questions, no concerns. There will be respect, friendship, and love. More love than you could ever imagine.

Me: How are you so sure?

I ask with a quiver in my tone.

She laughs.

Sasha: Wolves have been reincarnated over the centuries, sent out to connect with our human but always on the search for our mate, our true soul mate. We know that it is a short time that we have together, but we always know that we will be reunited again when the time is right.

Me: Why have you never talked about this before? This is amazing. I have yet to come across this in any of my studies.

Sasha: You were not ready to listen.

Me: I’m sorry.

Sasha: I have a lot to teach you, but I will only teach you when I think you are ready to listen.

Me: I understand.

I hear a knock on my door.

“Come in?”

My mom opens the door and walks in. “Are you almost ready?”

I let out a big sigh before nodding my head.

My mom comes and wraps her arms around me. I inhale a large whiff of her scent; it is calming and reassuring.

She pulls me back and lays her hand on my cheek, “I am so proud of you, everything will be okay.”

I smile at her, “Thanks Mom.”

“Come, we should probably head back down and rescue Dominic from your father’s deadly stare,” she says as she makes her way out the door.

I let out a giggle and follow her with my bag on my shoulder.

It was quiet when we walked into the kitchen. Dom was still eating the dessert that my mom had offered him, and my father was staring at him with measure.

Oh Dad.

When my father sees me, he gets up and pulls me into a hug and whispers, “We are always here for you. I’m just a phone call away if you need me.”

Always the protector.

“I know, Dad. Thank you,” I whisper and place a kiss on his cheek.

He nods as he releases me.

My mom gives me a hug, “Have a good time, enjoy this time.” She whispers. She pulls back and gives me a wink. “Now hopefully we will see you sometime tomorrow?”

I nod, “Yes mom I will let you know when I am heading back.”

She smiled.

She turns to Dom, “Dominic, it was good to see you. Take care of my little girl.”

He nods and says, “I will protect her with my life.”

She stares into his eyes for a moment taking in what he said and finally nods, “Yes, I believe you will.”

Dom turns to my Dad, “Sir, thank you.” And puts out his hand to shake.

My dad takes his hand and shakes it with a strong shake.

I roll my eyes and gently lay my hand on Dom’s arm sending him positive reassurance over this manly drama.

“Dad?”

He lets go and we make our way out the door.

Once outside Dom shakes his hand out a little.

“Your father has a death grip for a handshake.” He let out.

I nod in agreement before saying, “To be fair you are the first boy I brought home to meet him. He was just being protective.”

“So, I can see.”

He takes my bag and puts it in the trunk of his car and opens the car door for me. I get in and make sure his side is unlocked for him.

He gets into the driver seat and starts the car. He turns to look at me before asking, “Are you ready?”

I let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding before answering, “Ready.”