Chapter 79

Krey was sitting crossed legged on the floor in his dad's office, staring blankly at his handwriting on some boring documents about the building structure. Krey traced his fingers over the blue ink. I would give anything to see you again, he thought sadly.

Makena had left to get dinner and didn't return. Krey knew she was done with the sorrow for now. Krey, however, couldn't bring himself to leave. He wanted to sit and simply replay the memories in his mind of his father sitting at his desk, or standing by the window with a content smile, or staring quizzically at the bookshelf when Krey snuck in to disorganise their order.

I took it all for granted. Krey felt the grief bubbling in his throat. So did you, dad. His father spent a lot of time on his own in his office, obsessed with work, keeping allies, fighting strategies, and contingency plans in case the pack was attacked.

Krey wished his parents did what Pip's parents used to do. Krey would have liked to spend more time with them alone on days out. His father was very pack orientated, sometimes a bit too much.

Krey then smelt the sweet scent of his mate drifting down the corridor. He looked up as Pip hovered by the doorway, wearing blue ripped jeans and an oversized yellow hoodie. Someone had embroidered a black wolf's head into the left side of his chest. Brown hair curled over the rim of his burgundy bobble hat. Pip complimented the way it shaped his round face with a smile.

Pip rolled cutely on the souls of his feet with his hands awkwardly clasped behind his back. "Hello," he said in a quiet voice. "You missed dinner."

"I was distracted," Krey mumbled, looking back to the papers in his hands. I wish he got to meet my mate. He would have been so happy for me.

Pip glanced curiously around the office. "Books," he said, pointing to the rows of shelves. "C-Can I look?"

Krey nodded, watching him step silently into the room.

Pip ran a finger along one book that caught his interest. "It's about the history of werewolves." Pip pulled the book from the shelf, feeling the textured pine green leather.

"Take it to read, if you want. Dad liked it when people borrowed his books. He liked sharing knowledge."

"I just want to know everything about your world." Pip would have smiled, but he clocked Krey's sadness in his down-turned lips and distant brown eyes. Pip clutched the book to his chest and tilted his head. "This has been a tough day for you."

"Yeah." Krey swallowed thickly. "A step closer to not feeling so fucking miserable though."

Pip shuffled closer. "Debra once told me that we have to move miles and miles to feel better. Each day we only take a little step, but the further we move, the better we'll feel. She said after a hard loss, we'll never have a destination where we'll feel back to normal, but as long as we keep going, we don't run the risk of breaking down for good."

Krey looked into Pip's eyes, like opal skies of their own. "And that's what you've been doing? Always moving away from your parent's death?"

"Some days I'm running, some days I'm barely taking a step. We all have those, um, not so good days." Pip crouched by his werewolf and rested a reassuring hand on his warm shoulder. "Move at the pace you need, even if you're crawling from day to day."

"What if I do stop?"

"Then I'll put you back on your feet." Pip smiled. "I didn't have anyone when I lost my parents, but you have me now. I'll be here for you whenever you need me. That's what this mate thing is all about, yes?"

Krey felt himself falling deeper in love. He nodded and took Pip's hand when he offered it.

"Are you hungry?" Pip asked as Krey towered over him.

"No, but I am feeling better. Thank you."

Pip beamed brightly when Krey crouched and kissed his forehead.

Krey finally left his father's office and shut the door, but didn't lock it. He had no reason to conceal all the pain, not now that he had been through the worst of it.

As they wandered the halls, Pip told Krey about what he had been up to. After lunch, Pip helped Francis pull off almost a corridor's worth of wallpaper, then he went with Sid to his bedroom and played on his game console until dinner was ready.

Krey's heart twitched with jealousy. He worked hard on keeping it to himself. "What do you want to do tonight?" he asked, eyeing the cut on Pip's head that was healing well. The scratches across Krey's face were still a bit itchy, but only the one on his nose looked like it would leave a thin scar.

"I don't mind." Pip swung the book in his hand.

Krey knew he missed the library. "I have an idea." He quickly changed directions and guided Pip to the games room. Krey gathered blankets and cushions and set up a seating area for himself and Pip.

Stepping outside took their breath away. Even Krey stopped to stare at the magnificent sunset. The entire sky was a display of bright colours. On the horizon, the lonely sun radiated a deep red that faded to a fierce orange. Pink clouds hung in the indigo sky, and Pip was reminded of summer, until a soft breeze tickled his skin.

Krey was quick to cover the stone floor in cushions. He sat Pip down and wrapped two blankets around his shoulders. Krey sat next to him, sharing the blankets too. They stared in silence at the sunset as the colours faded and stars stared down instead.

Pip rested into Krey's side. He thought about how Krey was like stars on a clear night; the more he looked, the more stars he could see. Distant stars were Krey's kindness, sprinkled around a black sky, subtle and hard to find, waiting to be seen by attentive eyes.

The rest of Krey was like the moon, mysterious, with a side to him nobody ever saw.

Krey unclasped the book about the history of werewolves and gave it to Pip. His father's name was written on the front page. Krey looked towards the woods to count the trees when he felt his sorrow festering in his chest.

Pip quickly turned to the first page. The book sucked him in immediately when the first chapter talked about how werewolves had their own different branch of evolution, until humans discovered them and a lifetime if wars began.

He read aloud for what felt like hours, asking Krey questions, discussing how they could possibly keep their existence a secret, and marvelling on the fact that Pip was a part of their world when the human world continued their lives around them, completely oblivious.

"Is there anything else out there?" Pip asked. "Like vampires?"

Krey shrugged. "If there are, then they're not known to us."

Pip's head exploded with all the possibilities. "I don't know why fate chose me to be your mate, but I'm glad it did."

Krey loved watching his dimples as he spoke. "I think I know why." Pip connected his gaze. "You're fucking adorable and I can't handle it."

Pip's eyes moved to his mouth as Krey closed the gap between them, kissing him in the moonlight. Pip wrapped arms around his torso, falling deep into the kiss almost instantly.

One kiss sparked more, feeding their addiction to one another.

Krey wanted to shower his mate in deep passionate kisses, but he was mildly aware of pack members playing games and watching TV in the games room next to them.

He pulled back when the kissing was making him hot. Pip's pupils were large when he next looked into his eyes. They both felt rising affection. Hugging wasn't enough, neither was a simple kiss.

Silently, the boys collected the cushions and blankets. They put the cushions back on the couch and folded the blankets over the chair. Krey then held Pip's hand. His skin felt exciting against his own.

They weaved through the wolves and hurried all the way to the bedroom. Krey locked the door behind them, and slowly turned to Pip with hungry eyes. Pip gasped as Krey lunged forwards and grabbed him. Pip was lifted off his feet and plopped on top of the duvet.

He laughed as Krey climbed on top of him. Krey's lips curled cheekily; his eyes darkened playfully. His black hair with his grey streak tickled Pip's forehead as Krey stared over him.

Pip's hands smoothed up Krey's muscular arms, over his round shoulders, and down his back as their lips skimmed, trying to tempt each other.

Krey then lowered himself on top of Pip and kissed him roughly. Pip's legs wrapped around him as Krey's hands explored his body. Pip was willing for Krey to touch him and guided his hands to a place that made Krey lift his head.

"Is that okay?" Krey asked, staring intensely.

"Yes." Pip tugged on his shoulders, eager for more.

Their lips clashed again, the heat rose between them, and their hearts thumped with pleasure.

Krey sat suddenly and pulled his t-shirt off because Pip kept slotting hands under the material. He then tugged suggestively at Pip's hoodie and then his t-shirt underneath. His mate lifted his arms, and Krey removed them in one rapid motion. He eyed Pip's bare chest, running hands over it, just to see Pip's eyes shine with affection.

Krey had knees on either side of him, trapping Pip to the bed. He wanted Pip more than he had ever wanted anything. If tonight was the night he could have him, Krey wanted to take his time, to savour each touch and each feeling.

Most of all, Krey wanted to make sure Pip felt loved and safe.