I wrung my hands nervously as I looked myself over in the mirror. I didn’t know why I was so nervous, but I just was. This felt different than other times that I went out with V. This almost felt like a first date. I smoothed the front of my light pink denim capris down and adjusted the straps of the black flowy tank top I wore. Simple, casual, cute? I rolled my eyes. “This is stupid,” was all I could think, and my wolf laughed in agreement.Content rights belong to .

“Stupid flea-bag,” I grumbled out loud. I could feel her huff before receding in my mind. My wolf was team Maddox all the way.

I looked at the clock and saw that it was already 6:05. I was late now. I grabbed my phone and Chapstick before bolting out of my room. I ran down the steps, feeling guilty. When I got downstairs, Felix and Lacey were standing near the front door. I skidded to a stop seeing their full-blown make-out session in progress. I turned for a second, suddenly feeling like an intruder on their moment. I heard Lacey laugh before she said, “It’s okay. My bad, Missy.”

I turned back around slowly. They were separated now, but her face was flushed, and her lips were swollen.

“If Felix can’t go, I can ask V to reschedule….” I said tentatively. That would be so much fun to explain.

“No, no. Just bring him back in one piece,” Lacey said, stepping away from her mate. His eyes followed her, telling me he wanted very much for me to reschedule.

“Isn’t he supposed to bring me back in one piece?” I joked. Felix’s mouth actually quirked up into a minuscule grin at my joke.

“Have fun on your date,” she said brightly as she left us alone. I looked at Felix as he watched her disappear up the stairs.

“You ready, big guy?” I asked. His eyes came back to me, and immediately his usual bored expression returned; he nodded. I walked over to the front door then stopped with my hand on the handle. “He’s out there already, isn’t he?” I asked. “Don’t answer that,” I immediately rebutted.

Opening the door, V was leaning against his car, waiting in the driveway. He looked up at me hopefully as I walked out. “Felix said you weren’t ready yet, so I just waited…” he said.

“Thanks,” I said. “Sorry.”

“It’s alright,” he said. He reached forward and traced his fingers down my arm until they ended at my hand. “You look beautiful.”

I gave him a shy smile. “Thank you.”

“So, uh, is he riding with us or….” V trailed off. I turned around to Felix, who held up a set of keys. He clearly did not want to sit in the car with two awkward teenagers. “Noted,” V said as I turned back to face him. He pulled the car door open for me, and I climbed inside. He took his time coming over to the driver’s seat, and I watched in the mirror as Felix went to one of the vehicles parked to the side of the driveway.

“Ready?” he said as he buckled his seat belt. I just nodded, and he focused on driving. I wiped my sweaty palms on my thighs as he headed away from the packhouse. When he pulled into the woods, I recognized where we were going.

“Are we going to the clearing?” I asked. He nodded.

“It was our place, and since we have an escort tonight, I figured it would be nice to go back. If that’s okay?”

“Yea, it’s okay,” I said. He pulled over in the usual spot where the dirt road becomes too unmanageable for a car. We both go out, and he went to the trunk, retrieving a large picnic basket.

“What’s inside?” I asked.

“All in good time,” he teased. We set off into the trees, taking the familiar path towards the clearing. Felix parked and joined us as well. I thought about how nice the water probably felt at this time of year, then remembered Felix was watching and knew there wouldn’t be any swimming tonight.

When we reached the clearing, the late summer foliage swirled around me. The smell was relaxing and soothing. V went right over to one of the trees near the water and started spreading a blanket out. I joined him as he started unloading the basket. Felix lingered around the edge of the clearing, giving us space. He pulled out a few board games, some food containers, and finally, a small, wrapped gift box.

He pushed the gift box aside, blushing. “Later,” he said. “Are you hungry?”

“Yea,” I said. He started arranging the containers in between us.

“I cooked. I hope it turned out okay,” he muttered.

“You cooked for me?”

“Yea,” he answered. “It is your birthday soon after all. I know Miss Marci makes sure everyone is fed in the packhouse, but I thought you might be missing your mom’s cooking. I figured with how pregnant she is; she probably can’t really do any of that.”

“What did you make?”

“Those sausage pastry things?”

“Kilted soldiers?” I asked, excitement growing.

“Yea. They probably aren’t as good as hers because I can barely cook, but I know you like them, so…” he trailed off as he popped the lid open on the largest container. I looked inside and had to bite back a laugh. They were a pretty poor excuse for puff pastry, but the gesture was sweet.

I reached in and grabbed one, not hesitating to take a bite. “Mmm,” I said, chewing. “It isn’t pretty, but they are really good!”

“Promise?”

“Yea,” I said with a smile.

–

V and I spent our night playing the games he brought and eating all the food he cooked. It was all delicious, even if it didn’t look very appetizing. I learned a few things over the past few years with Azalea, so I knew where he could improve things, but there was no reason for me to critique him. He went out of his way to cook a beautiful meal for me, and I appreciated the gesture.

“I seriously think you are cheating at this point,” I said after my third straight loss at Aggravation. “There is no way you are this good when there is a dice involved!”

“It’s just strategy,” he laughed. I scowled at him. “Don’t pout,” he teased. “You beat me twice in checkers.”

“True, but this is still making me mad,” I said.

“Would you say it is aggravating?” I looked at him with wide eyes.

“That was awful,” I burst out laughing.

“Made you laugh,” he smiled. I rolled my eyes fondly. He started collecting the marbles back into the box. “I know you are sort of under constant surveillance, so I don’t want to keep you out too long.”

“It’s no big deal,” I said, sneaking a glance at Felix. I still felt guilty that we ate all the kilted soldiers before I thought to offer him some.

“No, I should get you back,” he said, closing the box to the board game. “But first.” He reached over and grabbed the small gift box and held it out to me. Upon closer inspection, I could see the paper was wrapped precisely around the squat, rectangular box. There was even a tiny matching bow on top. I grabbed it, flipping it over so I could open it carefully from the seam.

As I pulled the paper away, I realized it was a jewelry box. I looked up at V with confused eyes. He just nodded at the box to tell me to open it. I carefully pulled the hinged lid up to reveal a charm bracelet with three charms on it. Each one was a wolf with a different color stone on it. My eyes went back up to V. “What….” I started to ask.

“So, I know it bugs you that you don’t have much to remember your birth parents by. I know you love Liam and Azalea but miss your birth parents still. So, I may have asked Azalea for a little help and found out when their birthdays were. Each wolf represents one of you and has your birthstone in it. I thought it sort of looked like a family, and it could help you remember them….” I stared blankly at him for a moment before my eyes began to well with tears.

“V….” I breathed.

“I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said, not worried. I shook my head, and he brought his hand up to my cheek, wiping a tear away with his thumb. “I’m sorry. I just…” he looked a little lost.

“I love it,” I whispered. His eyes softened, and his shoulders relaxed.

“You do?”

“So much,” I said. “Thank you.” I looked down at the beautiful bracelet in my hand. V reached forward and took the box from me. He removed the bracelet and unclasped it so he could put it on me. Once it was secured around my wrist, I turned it around and around, watching the light of the sunset shine on it.

“V, this is so thoughtful. I don’t know what to say,” I said finally.

“You don’t have to say anything. I am just happy you like it,” he said softly. I looked back up into his eyes. He leaned forward and kissed my forehead. I closed my eyes and just relaxed into his touch. “Come on. Let’s take you home.”

–

I sat on my bed, now changed into pajamas and admiring my bracelet. I had some photos from my old house, and of course, it was waiting for me if I ever decided to live in it again. But there wasn’t much else. My parents’ things got packed in boxes before they locked the house up. I am sure Liam would let me go if I asked, but I was nervous about going back.

I felt lighter looking at the bracelet. V was really remorseful about what he did, and this present showed he does care. Not that I needed anything more to complicate the Maddox-Vlad situation, but I felt like this was confirmation that I could trust him. A soft knock on my door interrupted me.

“Hey,” Maddox said, peeking his head in the room.

“Hey,” I said, smiling at him.

“Got a sec?”

“Yea, what’s up?” He stepped into the room, looking a little flustered.

“I wanted to give you your birthday present too,” he said.

“Oh,” I said. He came over to the bed and handed me something wrapped in newspaper.

“Sorry, I didn’t have any wrapping paper,” he said, rubbing his neck. I opened the paper to find a small, iridescent-looking stone with some wire wrapped around it. I picked it up, realizing it was attached to a necklace. “It’s a moonstone,” Maddox explained. “My, uh, sister gave it to me a long time ago. She had an identical one.”

My eyes snapped up. “No, Maddox, I can’t take this!” I pushed the necklace towards him.

“No,” he said, quickly coming over to sit down next to me. His hands clasped around mine, and he pushed the necklace back towards me. “I want you to have it. My sister told me to hold onto it until I met someone so special only the Moon Goddess could have blessed me with them. I know we still won’t know if we are mates for a couple of days, but Missy, that’s you. Whether you are my mate or not.”

“Maddox, you should save this for your mate,” I said softly, not able to meet his eye.

“And I want to give it to you. Meeting you after everything that has happened feels like fate. Can I put it on you?”

I sighed but nodded. He took the necklace from my fingers and wrapped it around me, quickly fixing the clasp in the back.

“It looks perfect,” he said, smiling sweetly. My fingers came up to graze the cool, smooth stone.

“Thank you,” I said. He leaned forward and placed a k**s on my cheek.

“I’ll see you in the morning,” he said before he got up and left me alone with his present around my neck.

Robert

“I’m telling you, son; this is what is best!” I growled into the phone.

“Dad, I am Alpha. If I say that my pups are protected here, then they are protected here. I have people watching Azalea and the kids at all times!” my son argued. He could never do as he was told.

“The kids and Azalea need to be hidden until this is taken care of,” I reiterated.

“If you think my pregnant mate is going anywhere that I am not, you are out of your mind,” he growled at me.

“This isn’t about your bond. This is about the safety of this pack!”

“I am not sending them away. Azalea can’t travel as she is right now! They are far better protected here, under my watch.”

“You’re a fool if you think he can’t get to them. Especially with that puppy you assigned to my granddaughter! He hardly qualifies as protection.”

“It is my call who protects Missy. Not yours. I have been Alpha for over eight years now, Dad. You need to stop questioning me.”

“I will stop questioning you when you act accordingly!”

“What have I done to put this pack in jeopardy, exactly? And do not even start with choosing a weak mate!”

I fumed silently for a moment. How I raised such an insolent and disrespectful heir, I do not know. Azalea made him soft, and Alphas can’t afford to be soft. “Call Greyback. And consider relocating your children and mate before it’s too late.”

“Yea,” he replied before cutting the line. I let out a forceful breath. I looked up to see Lyssa standing in the doorway.

“You can’t tell him what to do, Robert. He is a grown man and has been for a long time. We couldn’t pick his mate, and we can’t make his decisions.” Those grandpups made her soft, far softer than she ever was with our son.

“He needs to see reason soon, or Warwick will get exactly what he wants.”