Unveiling Truths

Addy

An hour of running later, the back door swings open, inviting us back inside.

“Addy, you go ahead and change first,” Diego suggests.

I step into the room, my body shifting back to its human form. My bones crackle as they rearrange themselves, and I catch my reflection in the mirror. My body is completely healed, not a single bruise or scratch in sight. I slip into the worn-out dress I’d left here, making sure it’s straight before stepping out of the dressing room.

Diego enters next, just as the door swings open.

“Where on earth have you been? I’ve been worried sick!” Myra’s voice rings out, filled with concern.

Emerging fully dressed, Drake responds, “She’s been with me, Myra. No need to scold her for disappearing.”

Myra whirls around to face her brother. “I know that, but why couldn’t I join you two for the run? I’ve never seen her wolf form.”

Drake chuckles lightly. “She’s not going anywhere, Myra. You’ll have plenty of opportunities to see her wolf. Right now, we’re going shopping for clothes.”

My eyes widen in surprise. “Why? I don’t want to be a gold digger, spending your money.”

He crosses the room and pulls me into his arms. “You’re my mate, Addy. What’s mine is yours. I know your parents haven’t given you much, so it’s my responsibility to make sure you have everything you need.”

“Plus,” Myra interjects, “I did promise we’d get a dress for my party. He told me at school that we’d go shopping after the last class, so I’m coming along as your fashion advisor. You can get anything you want, Addy.”

Tears well up in my eyes at their kindness. Myra has always been supportive, but having a man who respects me the way I’ve always wanted is a wonderful addition.

“Fine, I’ll let you buy me a few things,” I say, narrowing my eyes at them both.

Drake pulls me against his warm chest, his head dipping down to my ear. “Not a chance. We’re going to fill my closet with everything you need.”

I stiffen at his words. He must sense my discomfort because his arms tighten around me.

“Why do I have to move into your room? What do you expect from me?”

His lips brush my ear gently. “I know you’re not ready for anything yet. When you are, we’ll complete the mating process. But before that, there are other things to be done. First, we need to officially introduce you to the pack, which is long overdue. And we need to find out why your dad didn’t allow it when you came of age.”

I sag in his arms. “You don’t need to ask him. His answer will be the same as it’s always been. The ~reject~ doesn’t deserve it. He’ll probably belittle me about it, but the records will likely show I was of age.”

A low growl rumbles in his chest. “This needs to be fixed. Now.”

He grabs my wrist and leads me out of the office to his car. He looks at Myra and snaps his fingers. “I’m driving,” he declares.

Myra pulls the car keys from her pocket. We move to get into the back of her small SUV, but he shakes his head, pointing to the seat next to him. She giggles and climbs into the back seat. I try to follow, but she slams the door in my face and points to the front seat.

“Not happening, Addy. Get in the front before he loses it. He won’t let you sit back here with me.”

I let out a frustrated sigh and cross my arms, sticking my tongue out at her. Suddenly, a pair of arms circle my waist, making me jump. The front door is now open, and I’m gently lifted off the ground and set down in the front seat.

“My sister’s right; your place is beside me.”

His eyes are as clear as the ocean, and I find myself lost in them. His scent is stronger now, and I wonder why I didn’t notice it earlier.

‘You didn’t have me to help with that part,’ she smirks.

His scent envelops me like a warm blanket. I take a deep breath and let out a small whimper. He smiles slowly, leaning in to inhale my scent.

“What do I smell like to you?” he asks, his eyes meeting mine.

I take another deep breath. “Leather and pine trees. Like you’ve been running through the forest with your pack after a rain shower. So clean and crisp. I could pick out this scent from miles away.”

He brings his face closer to mine. “You smell amazing too. I’ve always loved the scent of honeysuckle. I guess the moon goddess was preparing me for the scent of my mate. When I smelled it this morning, I was so glad it was the same scent I’ve always loved.”

I lean back into the seat, trying to put some distance between us. “I’ve always liked your scent too. I haven’t smelled much leather, except when you’d walk by in the winter wearing that brown bomber jacket. I’d always take a whiff after you were gone.”

He fastens my seatbelt before closing my door and moving to the driver’s side. He slides into the seat, starts the car, and tosses the keys back to Myra. As he drives off, my eyes widen when I see where we’re headed.

“No, we can’t go to my house. My parents will be furious,” I protest, tugging on his arm.

He tightens his grip on the wheel, a smirk playing on his lips. “Aren’t they the ones who wanted you to move out today with your mate? If there’s anything you want to take to the house, we’ll get it now before we go shopping.”

I turn to look out the window. “They’ll hate me for being the new Luna of the pack. I don’t know if they’ll accept it or not.”

I feel his hand gently touch my leg, sending a jolt of electricity up my body. He chuckles as his hand lands on my hip.

“You need to stop being so jumpy. I feel this need to touch you all the time now,” he says, his large hand resting on me.

“Sorry,” I whisper. “Your touch sends a current through me, and it makes me jump.”

He nods, his hand moving slightly. “I feel the same. It’s a nice feeling, and it lessens the more I touch you.”

As he says this, the jolt fades to a tingle, warming my body. I feel his hand tremble slightly before it stops. Myra watches us closely from the back seat.

“If this is what the mate bond does, I can’t wait to find mine. When are you planning the marking ceremony with her, brother?” she asks, her eyes sparkling.

My cheeks flush at the mention of the marking ceremony. It will officially seal us as a couple. The party will go on until the early hours of the morning, and then he’ll take me to the marking room, if they have one. If not, we’ll be in his room, where we’ll mate for the first time, and he’ll mark me as his.

He coughs into his hand, which has moved from my hip. “Sis, that will happen this summer. We won’t rush it; she’ll let me know when she’s ready for that step.”

I hear a tsk from the back seat. “If I find my mate this weekend, we’ll have the ceremony the next day.”

Her brother growls. “That’s if I approve of your match first. He has to be a future Beta or Alpha, and I hope he’s not from the pack we don’t get along with.”

She giggles. “The moon goddess might pair me with him. It could bring peace between the two packs that don’t like each other.”

He groans. “I hope not. I don’t like the future Alpha of that pack. We’ll have to work together, but having him around for family gatherings won’t be pleasant.”

She huffs in frustration. “If he becomes my mate, you won’t have a choice. He might change once he settles down. A lot of young Alphas are like you, brother. They play around with women until they find the right one.”

The growl from his chest is so loud it rattles the windows. I think they might break. I lay my hand on his arm, and the growling stops immediately. His eyes snap to mine, changing from his wolf eyes to blue ones, showing me he’s back in control.

“Easy there, big boy. I can take care of myself. You don’t need to be an overprotective brother. Let’s see if I catch a scent at the party. Let’s get this visit with these idiotic parents who don’t give a damn about their only child over with,” she leans back into her seat.

His gaze flickers, a clear sign of his discomfort with my previous statement. As we pull into my driveway, he inhales deeply, shutting his eyes for a moment before reopening them.

He turns to me, his hand finding mine. “I’ll do my best to keep my cool while we’re here. If you see me losing it, touch my arm or my chest or back. It’ll help me regain control, Diego. Your touch has a calming effect on us, as you saw earlier. How much stuff do you need to get from your room?”

I shake my head slowly. “Not much. Most of the stuff here doesn’t mean much to me. Just some photos and school stuff I want to bring along.”

He nods, understanding. “We’ll need to go shopping soon so I’m not late for my meeting with my dad. We’d like you to join us. It’ll give you a good sense of how my dad runs the pack and how we’ll need to manage things once we take over.”

I drop my gaze to the floor. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I have a lot to learn from your mom about what’s expected of me in this new role. Are you sure my being there won’t distract you from what you need to do?”

He throws his head back, laughing. When he looks at me again, I see the laugh lines crinkling at the corners of his eyes. “No, Addy. We’ll be making a lot of decisions together from now on, so it’ll be good for us. My parents are stepping down in just two months. I’ve sat through countless meetings with my dad, learning how to handle the issues that come up. Trust me, this meeting with Macie and her family is just the beginning.”

The front door swings open and my dad appears in the doorway, peering into the car. His face slowly morphs into a scowl as he spots Drake in the front seat and Myra sliding out of the back.

“What the hell have you done now, ~reject~? It must be pretty bad if the future Alpha has to drive you home,” he starts down the steps.

Drake’s door swings open and his feet hit the ground with a thud. His muscles tense as he grips the inside handle, struggling to contain his anger. This is the first time he’s heard my dad talk to me like this. I can see his body trembling at the malicious look in my dad’s eyes.

“Get your ass in the house now. You’re in deep shit and might be denied food once I find out what the hell you did,” my dad says, stepping onto the dirt but halting abruptly.

Drake lets out a growl so fierce that the ground trembles, stirring up a cloud of dust. My dad’s expression shifts from hatred to panic in an instant.