So, Now You are Ready!

MAX

I’d been up all night, working on the final batch of antidotes.

They’d been inching closer for over a year, wiping out packs as they advanced.

We still didn’t know who was behind it all.

Patrick had been slowly strengthening our borders and ramping up training.

We’d even swapped warriors with Rohan, his best for our best, to learn different fighting techniques from each other.

It was a good distraction. Well, from one thing in particular.

Estella.

She was always on my mind, but I guess that’s not news to anyone. I know it’s not news to me.

Her studies were officially over. I wasn’t invited to her graduation, but I did send a text to congratulate her. She replied, which I took as a good sign.

From what I heard, she’d be back in a few days. She’d stay for the summer before moving to France for good.

I’d been told she’d already landed an internship. I can’t say I was surprised.

Of course, I was happy and proud of her, but the question remained: ~What am I going to do?~

I have an idea, but I need to plan it out carefully. Until then, my lips are sealed.

ESTELLA

Having such a big place to myself again? It’s awful, believe me. I can’t get used to it, and Gaby’s room is still empty.

Before she left, she suggested I use it as an extra guestroom, but I don’t know. It still feels like her space, and I’m not ready for another roommate yet.

A few days after the announcement about finding them, she introduced me to her mates. It was an experience, to say the least.

I have to admit, they’re both stunning, but what supernatural creature isn’t? Still, I couldn’t see any resemblance between Sabrine and me.

Other than us both being brunettes with brown eyes, there was nothing. She was tall and slim, with legs for days and a killer body, while I’m more on the petite, cute side.

“We were told that you had to approve of us before we could mark our mate,” Tristan said, offering his hand for a handshake.

“Really?” I laughed, glancing at Gabrielle, who was standing next to me.

“Mais bien sure! T’es ma meuillure amie, Estelle!” (But of course! You are my best friend!) she replied.

“Gabrielle told us you were a great kisser too,” Sabrine added, smiling and stepping closer to me.

“That’s an exaggeration,” I said, blushing a bit.

I wasn’t surprised she’d told them. She’d warned me she would because she didn’t want to keep secrets from them.

I just didn’t expect it to come up right after we said ‘hello’ and before we even had a chance to sit down on my comfy couch.

“There’s only one way to find out.” She smirked, and then she kissed me.

It was brief, but my shocked expression afterwards was enough to make everyone laugh.

“My turn now,” Tristan said, and before I could protest, he kissed me too.

If you’ve ever experienced something more surreal than that… No, never mind.

I don’t think there’s anything more surreal than your best (girl)friend and her two mates French kissing you.

Tristan took a bit longer than Sabrine, and when he pulled away, he let out a soft moan and winked at me.

“Hey!” I narrowed my eyes at them, wiping my lips with the back of my hand. “Are you guys nuts? What was that all about?”

Gabrielle rushed over to me (she’d stepped back while her mates kissed me) and hugged me.

“Don’t be mad, Estelle, please,” she begged.

“Are you kidding? You let them do that?”

“Technically, you let us do it,” Tristan pointed out gently, and I glared at him.

“Besides, it was just a kiss, cherie,” Sabrine said calmly. “And it’s not like we didn’t enjoy it, but it was for our mate’s sake.”

“How so?” I crossed my arms, raising an eyebrow.

“When Gaby told us she’d kissed you, we were jealous,” she shrugged.

“Actually, we were jealous before that,” Tristan added.

“Our little omega couldn’t stop talking about you. How great a friend you are, how amazing you are as a person and an artist, and she even said she was attracted to you. When she told us about the kiss…”

“I was angry and jealous that my mate gave her first girl kiss to someone else, even though she’d already met me,” Sabrine continued. “Of course, there are other firsts for her to have with me, but…”

“But you werewolves are possessive. Yeah, yeah, I get it.” I snickered. “That still doesn’t explain why you both had to shove your tongues in my mouth.”

“You’re Gabrielle’s friend, someone she loves very much. The only way for us not to be jealous of you was to share that kind of intimacy with you.

“That way, we’d all have something in common with you, and there wouldn’t be any jealousy about you.

“No, let me correct myself: there won’t be any jealousy about you from now on,” Tristan explained.

“Exactly!” Sabrine exclaimed, grinning and winking at me. “And Gabrielle, you were right. She tastes sweet.”

“I agree.” Tristan nodded. “Very sweet.”

“Almost addictive,” Sabrine purred.

“Okay, but no more smooching my best friend, you two,” Gaby teased. “From now on, you only get to kiss me.”

Her mates had no choice but to agree, and after the slightly awkward scene just described, everything else went pretty smoothly.

We had a blast, and they came over every day until Gaby was ready to move out.

That’s when I started feeling lonely. Not that Gabrielle didn’t try to visit me as often as she could, but it’s clear that with two mates, she was pretty busy.

I was almost relieved when it was time to head back home for the holidays, mostly because I wouldn’t be alone in a ridiculously big house.

Plus, I would get to see everyone again. My aunt and uncle had already spread the word that I was planning to settle permanently in France and everyone was curious about it.

I promised to fill them in when I saw them. Not that Sarah would let me off the hook easily. She hinted that they were expecting trouble.

She didn’t go into details, but it was clear that something big was happening or about to happen.

However, we managed to arrange for Cal to pick me up from the airport. It had become our little tradition, and I was eager to see them and little Ava.

No, that’s not true. The perfect scenario would be to see all my favorite people at once, but I knew that was hard to pull off.

When I landed, I looked around for Caleb. It shouldn’t be hard to spot him among the other humans, but he was nowhere in sight.

I called Sarah right away.

“Where the hell is your mate and my best friend?” I asked instead of saying hello. “Did he forget?”

“No. It’s my fault. I forgot to tell you that Cal couldn’t make it. But we sent someone else to pick you up.

“He should be there right now, holding a sign or something with your name on it,” Sarah explained quickly.

As she spoke, I scanned the crowd, and sure enough, there was a very tall man holding a sign with my name on it. Probably someone from their packs.

“Got him. See you soon,” I said and ended the call.

As I walked toward the man, I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something familiar about him. It wasn’t until I was almost in front of him that I realized it was his scent.

He smelled like Max.

I shook off the ridiculous thought and cleared my throat.

“I think you’re here for me,” I said politely.

“Indeed, darling,” the man replied, lowering the sign.

So, it was Max. A grinning Max, who grabbed my luggage and headed for the exit, leaving me standing there, staring after him.

Not that I stood there for long. I hurried after him and made him stop by tugging on his T-shirt.

“What are you doing here?” I demanded.

“I’m picking you up, apparently,” he smiled.

“Caleb was supposed to pick me up.”

“Yes, he was. But I called him and asked if I could do it instead.”

“And he agreed?” I snorted, not buying it.

“It took a little persuading from Sarah, but surprisingly, he did.”

“Why?”

“Because I wanted to. I’ve missed too many important events in your life, darling. I wanted to spend some time with you before you move back to France for good.”

“Bullshit, Max.”

Instead of answering, he started walking again, unlocking the car when we were close enough and loading my suitcase in the trunk.

“It’s the truth, though. It used to be so easy to hang out and have fun before…,” he began.

“You started messing things up for us?” I snickered.

“I was going to say before you started growing up so fast, but your version is accurate too. Now get in.”

He opened the door, and I climbed in. That didn’t mean I had forgiven him to the point where I felt as comfortable as I used to around him, but I figured I could give him a second chance.

After this summer, it seems we’ll be parting ways for good.

That’s still a sad thought for me, but there was no other way for us to be, and I’ve started to accept that.

“Did you have a good flight?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.

“It was fine. A bit long, as always.”

“Are you planning to stay here the whole summer?”

“I haven’t made any plans yet,” I admitted. “I’m thinking of just going with the flow.”

“I like the sound of that.”

“Because you’ve never done it.”

“True. I’ve always dreamed of doing it.” He sighed.

“You?” I laughed, not believing him. “In all the years I’ve known you, you’ve never expressed such a desire.”

“That was before I met you.”

“So, this is my fault?”

“No, definitely not. It’s just that after we met, you became my top priority, and nothing else mattered more to me.”

“Because I was a small, vulnerable orphan?” I scoffed.

“At first, yes, I won’t lie. But then, very quickly, I started to care about you.

“You might not like what I’m about to say, darling, but you taught me what it feels like to put someone else first. Before you, I only cared about myself.”

I was a bit too overwhelmed to respond, so I kept quiet and waited for him to continue.

“I was the typical teenage boy who only cared about having fun with no thought for the future.

“That didn’t apply to my love for medicine, but as a person, I never wanted to settle down.”

“Is that why you pushed me away?” I finally asked. “Because you didn’t want to settle down?”

“No, I pushed you away because I remember what it’s like to be so young. I didn’t want to tie you down when you had your own dreams to chase.”

I remember he had said something like that the night in Greece, and it had made me furious back then.

Even though I didn’t fully agree, I could see his reasoning and had to grudgingly admit that it was a considerate gesture.

“Max, my dreams can be pursued anywhere, with anyone I choose by my side.

“You had no right to make choices for me, regardless of your intentions. I’m an adult.”

“I understand that.” He nodded, his gaze fixed on the road. “I never intended to make decisions for you. I just wanted you to keep your options open.”

“You’re not my father, and besides, you didn’t react well when I followed your advice.”

“We’ve already agreed that my past actions were wrong, sweetheart,” he murmured, a hint of embarrassment in his voice as we entered pack territory.

To my surprise, he didn’t drive towards his house or the hospital.

“Max, where are we headed?” I asked, glancing around in confusion.

“Home.”

“Your home is to the right.” I pointed out the window.

“My parents’ home is to the right,” he corrected me. “Mine is on the left.”

“I don’t understand,” I admitted.

“I decided to get my own place,” he revealed as he pulled up in front of a sizable two-story house.

I vaguely remembered the building. As far as I knew, it had been vacant for years. I never knew why, and I never cared to ask.

But now, seeing it freshly painted with a small, well-kept garden surrounding it, it looked quite charming—a place one could easily call home.

“Your parents are away most of the time,” I reminded him. “You practically have the whole house to yourself.”

We got out of the car, and he unloaded my luggage from the trunk, a smirk playing on his lips.

“Believe me,” he said. “Having your own place is different. I should have moved out a decade ago, especially since my grandparents’ house was just sitting there, deteriorating.”

“You seem to forget that I have my own place in Paris,” I reminded him. “I’ve had it for several years.”

“Yes, but you had a roommate.”

“Not anymore. Gabrielle found her mates and moved out. But that’s beside the point. Why didn’t you ever tell me about this place?” I gestured towards the house.

“My grandparents were killed in an attack many years ago. The house has been locked up ever since, and I pushed it out of my mind until I decided to do something with it. Shall we go in?”

I nodded, and we began to ascend the front steps, Max still carrying my luggage.

Max was carrying my luggage inside…

What the hell?

MAX

I noticed her freeze mid-step as we were about to enter the house, her eyes wide as she stared at my hands holding her luggage.

I had to suppress a laugh. I had expected her to notice sooner. My girl is pretty sharp, after all.

“Why are you bringing my stuff inside?” she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

“Oh, I apologize. I forgot to mention.”

“Forgot to mention what?”

“Well, I have two rooms available for you, and I thought you might stay a few days. You’ll be closer to Eva and the kids.

“I know I should have asked first, but I’m really excited about this place, and I want to share it with you.”

“Max, you’re acting strange. What’s going on?” she demanded.

“Nothing, sweetheart. I just want to mend our relationship. Being apart from you for so long has been hard,” I replied honestly.

Well, at least partially honestly.

“Yes, but I need to remind you…”

“That it’s my fault? No, you don’t. But suddenly developing feelings for someone you’ve known since childhood isn’t as easy to handle as you might think. Now, let me show you around.”

She sighed and followed me as I showed her the house. It was larger than my parents’ house and perfect for a big family.

Estella gradually relaxed around me and fell in love with the kitchen and the backyard garden, just as I had anticipated.

She even started suggesting how to better organize the kitchen utensils and what additional items I needed to buy.

Before we moved to the upper floor, I led her to the basement.

“Should I be worried that you’re taking me down there?” she joked.

“No, you know me too well to be scared. Actually, I’ve turned the basement into a shelter in case of an attack.”

“But there’s already a shelter in the pack house, isn’t there?” She frowned.

“Yes, but everyone knows that pack houses have safe places. Only you, Patrick, and Eva know about this one.

“If we’re attacked, Eva will lead the women and children who can’t fight here.”

“You said when?” She frowned.

“Yes. Do you remember the attack years ago?” I asked.

“How could I forget? I saw your wolf tear a rogue apart. Literally.”

“Well, the attacks have started again, but they’re more targeted. We had to prepare and have a backup plan. So, I decided to make the best use of this space.”

“I see.” She nodded solemnly. “And you’ve stocked it too.”

“Yes. Just in case. Blankets, canned food, and small weapons that could come in handy.”

“That’s very thoughtful of you, Max,” she said, approvingly.

“Sweetheart, if something happens, I want you to come here.”

“No. I will fight.”

“When was the last time you trained, Estella?” I asked sternly.

“I can start training again,” she retorted stubbornly, avoiding my question.

That could only mean one thing: she hadn’t trained in years, just as I suspected.

“You can, after this is over. For now, I’d rather you were safe.”

“You’re making decisions for me again,” she growled.

“Yeah, I get it. I know how serious this is. Do you think I don’t know how many packs have been hit? How many lives have been lost? Because I do.

“I’ve been getting ready. I’ve been making antidotes and training until I drop, just like every other warrior in this pack. You, on the other hand, are just a human who’s out of practice. A risk.

“Don’t look at me like that, sweetheart. I’m not trying to hurt your feelings. I’m just telling it like it is.

“You’ve got spirit, no doubt about it. But right now, that’s not enough. We’re up against something big.”

“I get that, Max. Sarah hinted that something was coming before you even told me.”

“I’m sure she did, and I know you want to help.”

“Then why won’t you let me?” she yelled, frustration clear in her voice.

“Because I can’t afford to lose you. Plus, there are other ways you can help, like keeping the pups safe here when the time comes.

“And giving them the antidotes I’ll leave with you if things go south,” I added, starting to climb the stairs.

She followed me as I moved, climbing another set of stairs that led to the upper floor.

I’d been waiting for this moment since I picked her up from the airport, and even before that. Actually, I’d been looking forward to it since I started fixing up this place.

First, I showed her the three guest rooms and the bathroom at the end of the hall. She had some ideas on how to make them cozier, more like home.

Then, I showed her the bedroom I told her she could make her own and decorate however she wanted.

I even suggested she could use it as her studio if she ended up staying here long term. She gave me a funny look but didn’t say anything.

As we stood outside the door of the master bedroom, my heart started doing flips in my chest. I mean, this could go all kinds of wrong, like it often did between us.

But I opened the door anyway. I wasn’t about to back out. I was going to see this through, because it was only fair.

“Wow!” She whistled. “This is one big bed!”

“Do you like it?” I asked, smirking.

“Who wouldn’t? But even if I didn’t, it’s your room. You can do whatever you want.”

“It could be ours,” I said, taking a cautious step closer.

“What could be ours?” she asked, looking confused.

“This room. I mean, it’s big enough.”

“Max, you haven’t let me share a bed with you since I was a kid. Hell, not even then,” she reminded me, laughing and looking away.

Either she didn’t get what I was saying, or she did and she was messing with me.

“Estella, we both know you’re not a kid anymore,” I said, moving closer.

“What are you saying then? Are you messing with me?”

“I…I…”

I started stuttering like a teenage boy. I’m not proud of it, but in my thirty-three years and the seventeen that I’ve been sexually active, I’ve never asked a woman to be with me.

“I’m not messing with you,” I finally managed to say. “I want us to be together, if you still want that like you used to.”

For a moment, she just stared at me. Then she was all over me, kicking and punching.

“So, now you’re ready!” she yelled, furious. “Now that I finally have a life that doesn’t revolve around you, you’re ready for me!”

I grabbed her hands to stop her from hitting me, but she kept kicking, and honestly, it was starting to hurt.

“Sweetheart…,” I tried, but she cut me off.

“No, don’t sweetheart me. You told me to live my life. You rejec…”

I pulled her to me by her wrists, and bending down, I kissed her hard.

She’s my mate, so I figured this should make her dizzy enough for me to be able to talk to her properly. If not… Well, I missed kissing her, anyway.