Chapter 26: Chapter 26

NOAH

Evie was bustling around her apartment, gathering her belongings to make the pack house feel more like home. She was stuffing photo albums and pictures into a bag. Next, she filled her backpack with her school supplies and books.

I couldn’t help but chuckle as she meticulously filled a pencil bag with her collection of colorful pens, sticky notes, and highlighters. She shot me a look, accusing me of making fun of her color-coding system.

“Look, if I’m going to be living with you and commuting to school from the pack house, I need all my study materials. That’s non-negotiable,” she stated, her tone serious.

I raised my hands in surrender.

Every time Evie mentioned staying with me long-term, I could barely contain my excitement. I knew she was still grappling with her feelings, torn between succumbing to the mate bond or following her human instincts. But I could also see that our time apart over the last few days had convinced her to give it a shot.

Despite her reservations, she was making sure she’d be comfortable at the pack house, and that was enough for me. She grabbed a blanket from her bedroom and stuffed it into the bag with the photos. She also took some books from her bookshelf.

“You know we have a huge library, right?” I teased her.

“But it doesn’t have ~my books~,” she retorted, rolling her eyes at me.

She walked into the kitchen and picked up her favorite coffee mug.

“Do you guys have coffee?” she asked, suddenly looking worried.

I burst out laughing.

“Yes, love, we have coffee,” I said.

She pouted.

“But do you have ~this kind of~ coffee?” she asked, pointing to her blue Keurig.

“We have a Keurig. You can bring your pods. I’ll add them to the grocery list,” I assured her.

She seemed satisfied with that answer and hugged the glass jar filled with coffee pods protectively.

“I guess that’s it for now.” She shrugged, glancing around her townhouse.

“You can come back anytime to get more stuff,” I told her, picking up her bags and carrying them to my car.

“Do you want to follow me?” I asked, opening the driver’s side door of her SUV.

“Yeah, I’ll get lost,” she admitted.

“I’m guessing your sense of direction isn’t the best,” I teased.

She pinched the underside of my arm.

“Don’t make fun of me!”

“Never, love,” I promised, kissing her before shutting the car door. I climbed into my truck and led the way back to the pack house.

Evie parked her car next to mine in the garage. I carried her bags in one hand and held her hand with the other.

When we reached the alpha and luna floor, I stopped in the middle of the hallway and pulled Evie in front of me.

“What’s wrong?” she asked, her beautiful blue eyes filled with concern.

“Well, we need to talk about where you want to stay,” I said, gesturing toward the two master bedroom doors. “You can stay in your own room if you want, or with me.”

Evie sighed, twisting her hands together nervously as she considered her options.

“Everleigh, do what will make you most comfortable. But if you’re worried about what I think, I’m just thrilled that you’re moving in at all, no matter where you decide to sleep,” I reassured her, looking into her eyes.

“First off, I’m not calling it ~moving in~. I’m just spending more time here than at my place,” Evie retorted, her tone stubborn.

I laughed at her adorable pout.

“I’ll take whatever you’re willing to give me, love,” I said, cupping her face in my hand.

She gave me a beautiful grin.

“Secondly, I think I want to keep my things in there,” she said, pointing to the empty room. She looked at me suspiciously, as if waiting for my reaction.

But I didn’t disappoint her.

“Okay, love.” I shrugged, giving her a quick kiss. “I figured you’d be most comfortable with that.”

I picked up her bags again and kicked open her bedroom door, dropping the bags on the floor. She started exploring the room, slowly moving away from me. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and I could tell she had something on her mind.

“Evie, sweetheart, what’s bothering you?” I asked, observing her from the entrance.

She seemed on edge.

“I keep expecting you to pick a fight with me,” she confessed, her voice shaky.

I glanced down at my petite partner.

“Fight with you about what, darling?” I questioned, genuinely puzzled.

“About anything. Like me bringing my stuff here without officially moving in, or wanting my car here so I can leave whenever I want, or about me still attending school. I keep thinking you’ll want to…I don’t know, dominate me,” she confessed.

I drew her close to me once more.

“Do you believe I want to dominate you?” I asked, stung by her insinuation.

She hastily shook her head.

“Not exactly,” she said, fiddling with a ring on her right hand and nervously biting her lower lip.

“Evie, I have no desire to control you. We’ve discussed this. Honestly, I’m just trying to hide how thrilled I am,” I confessed.

“Thrilled about what?” she asked, looking into my eyes.

“About you wanting to stay here at all. I didn’t think I’d get this lucky so quickly, especially after you pushed me away these past few days. I thought it would take forever to persuade you to stay. I want you close to me always, but I don’t want to confine you, nor do I believe I can control you. I want you to live your life, attend school, hang out with your friends. I just want to ensure you’re safe and have you with me when you wake up and go to sleep,” I explained.

Her face lit up with a smile, the tension leaving her as she wrapped her small arms around me.

“Thank you,” she murmured into my chest.

I chuckled at her, lifting her face to mine for a kiss.

“I can’t get enough of you, little mate,” I whispered, prolonging our kiss for dramatic effect.

“I’ve noticed.” She giggled against my lips.

She blushed, but I knew she wasn’t upset or put off by my attention; she secretly relished it, though she wouldn’t admit that to me.

“I’m just incredibly fortunate that you’re being so patient and understanding with me. I behaved foolishly the past few days. I wish I would’ve just surrendered to my feelings from the start. I’ve made this so much harder,” Evie sighed.

I laughed at her. “Nothing worthwhile is ever easy, love. You wouldn’t be you if you didn’t scrutinize everything and take your time making decisions, and I love you just the way you are. I never want you to change,” I reassured her.

“Can I ask you a favor, little mate?”

“It depends on what the favor is.” She smirked.

“The pack hasn’t stopped talking about you since we arrived at the Den together. They’ve figured out that you’re my mate, and the gossip is rampant, especially after the incident with Russell. It would simplify things if I could formally introduce you to the entire pack as my mate,” I explained. Her eyes widened in terror.

I quickly added, “I would only be announcing you as my mate. It’s nothing official in terms of becoming the luna. It would just be an opportunity for the pack to meet you and to dispel any confusion. It’s okay if you’re not comfortable with it.”

She began chewing on her lower lip again, and I had to maintain my composure.

Finally, she nodded. “Okay,” she mumbled.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Yes.” Her voice was timid and shaky.

I knew she was anxious, but I was so proud of my little mate for agreeing despite her fears.

“Are you ready now?” I asked.

Her eyes flashed with fear for a moment before it was replaced with feigned confidence. “I guess,” she muttered.

I smiled and enveloped her in a bear hug, pressing her to me and hoping she could feel all the confidence and pride I had in her.

I mind-linked the pack and asked them all to assemble in the lobby. I was very clear with my instructions: they would be calm, patient, and they would not overwhelm my mate or there would be hell to pay.

I escorted Evie back down to the lobby. In the center was a large, brick fireplace with a huge hearth. It served as a good impromptu stage for Evie and me to stand on and oversee the pack.

“Blood Moon Pack, I’ve gathered you all here today to address the whispers that I’ve found my mate. I’m thrilled to introduce you to Evie Bellamy, my stunning, destined mate!”

I looped my arm around Evie’s waist, drawing her close. She offered a shy smile to the pack, who responded with a cheer. I raised my hand, quieting them.

“Many of you have heard that Evie is human. This doesn’t matter to me, and it shouldn’t matter to any of you. She’s intelligent, kind-hearted, resilient, and beautiful. She’s my ideal mate, and she’ll make an exceptional luna. However, she needs time to adapt to our lifestyle before she’s ready to officially become our luna. I expect you all to treat her with respect and kindness.”

I addressed my pack with a stern tone, leaving no room for debate or questions.

The pack nodded in submission. I scanned the room, seeing genuine smiles and happiness on my pack members’ faces. That was all the confirmation I needed.

“Welcome, Luna!” The room echoed with the pack’s greetings and applause.

I glanced at my petite mate with pride as she beamed at our pack. I held her close, and she looked up at me. I could tell she was feeling joyful but also a bit overwhelmed. It was time for my little mate to have some peace and quiet.

“That’s all for now. Thank you.” I dismissed the pack and led Evie back upstairs.

“That’s it?” Evie asked as she followed me into her bedroom.

“That’s it.” I chuckled at her.

“That wasn’t so bad.” She shrugged.

“Do you want to unpack?” I asked her.

She glanced around at the room filled with her bags and sighed, a tired look on her face.

“Or I can order dinner to your room, and we can just relax tonight,” I suggested.

She brightened at that idea and nodded eagerly. I quickly mind-linked the kitchen staff and had them prepare a small dinner for us.

“How about we settle in and watch a movie this evening?” I proposed.

Evie agreed, confessing that she was looking forward to some quiet time with me after a hectic couple of days.

We nestled into Evie’s bed. I assured her I would leave when the movie was over. We ended up watching two Disney movies since neither one of us could sleep after the first one. By the end of the second movie, I felt Evie drifting off against me. I tucked her in gently and gave her a good-night kiss before leaving her alone for the night.

It wasn’t exactly what I wanted to do. The thought of sleeping just a few rooms away from Evie and not being with her was agonizing, but I was just so incredibly grateful that she was here at all. I was ready to make any sacrifice necessary to make her happy.