Chapter 16

ETHAN KENNEDY

Words cannot describe how happy I am to know that my parents are still alive. When I saw them again, I thought I was hallucinating. I thought I was being tricked, being lured so that they could kill me. But when I heard my dad calling my name and my mom wrapping her small arms around me, I knew it was all real. And then there's my mate, who has been so supportive of me. Leon has always been by my side. What more could I ask for?

There was a time that I already conditioned myself of not ever seeing him again because I believed that we were just in the wrong timeline. I used to believe there was a plane of another reality where there were no complications for us, where he wasn't questioning why his mate was a guy, where I didn't get my powers and wasn't special.

It would be so much easier for us.

But now, tables have completely turned. My mate wants me. Leon has been so regretful of his thoughts and actions before, and has been vocal about it. He has accepted his flaws. And now, thinking of him, I pray that no one will try to stop our love anymore. Goddess how much I've already suffered and sacrificed, and for once, I'd like to put myself first.

The celebration goes all night. I'm introduced to almost everyone, and while I don't like the attention, I realize that this is going to be my life from now on. I'm a soon-to-be Luna, and people will be looking up at me for guidance and leadership.

A lot of people are talking to me all at once. I can't almost understand what they are saying, though I just continue to nod and smile but don't reply back. Leon has already been snatched by my side after the conversation we've had about mating. Remembering the conversation, a smile graces my lips. Leon said to me that he's 100% sure about me, and the fact that he's willing to mate with me makes me feel like a lovesick teenager.

I picture his strong and calloused hands roaming around my body, touching me in the most intimate way, and a blush creeps up my cheeks. I gulp, suddenly aware of my surroundings. I'm in public, and werewolves can smell arousal. If I continue that daydream, sooner or later, people would be whipping their head my way and I'd be so embarrassed if that happens.

The night just keeps getting colder. Wind brushes past me as I watch a couple of kids play with a soccer ball. The ball lands on my feet when one of the kids throws the ball way too hard. One kid, who is just about 5 years old with a black mop hair, wearing a cute white t-shirt that has a cartoonish wolf imprinted on it, shyly moves to retrieve the ball. The whole time, he has his head hung low as he approaches me, his little hands tuck neatly by his side. I crouch, meeting him eye to eye before smiling at him, pushing the ball gently towards him. The kid grabs the ball slowly, and when his eyes meet mine, his cheeks blush.

A small "hi" in a squeaky voice comes out of his mouth. I hear one of his friends say that I'm the mate of their Alpha, which makes me their Luna, and the kid in front of me turns even redder. His friends watch him.

"Hi, Luna..."

"What's your name?" I ask the little boy.

"Edward."

"Nice to meet you, Edward. You can call me Ethan." Edward nods before looking back at his friends who remain frozen as they watch us. "Mind if I play with you guys next time? I'm not good at throwing, but maybe you guys could teach me."

Edward nods again. "Sure, Ethan. I'll tell my friends about it. Dante is the one who's really good at throwing."

"All right. You can introduce me to Dante soon."

"Okay! I go back to them now. Thank you, Ethan." Edward goes back to his friends and they resume playing.

I watch them play again with the ball. Edward reminds me of the younger me. Skittish, shy, but full of curiosity. But unlike Edward, I was already aware of my responsibilities and the fact that I already knew who my mate is. Edward has a lot of things to figure out for himself. Before, I wished I could have had that; that innocence that only belongs to kids like Edward.

My parents dance in the middle with people watching them happily. They look like the perfect couple. When I look at them, they don't look like they have sacrificed enough. My mom's smile mirrors my dad's. My heart swells again at the sight of them finally having peace and fun.

After all this time, they've been protecting me and our lineage despite the unknown. With no uncertainty of what would happen to them, they still did the right thing and were forced to leave me behind so they could do their duty. I did not grow with them, but their love has always wrapped me and guided me. I want a love like they have for each other. A love that gives them strength to overcome their fear, and a love that gives them courage to face the future. With Leon finally accepting me as his mate, we're now trudging into the unknown, and we will have a lot of things to figure out.

Dad twirls mom around and they share a good laugh before sharing a passionate kiss in front of everyone, declaring their love for each other and to the people. The people cheer for them, and even the Alpha, Leon's dad, is clapping along with others. Leon is nowhere to be found. I'm guessing he got dragged somewhere by his friends and his soon-to-be Beta. They need to catch up, after all, I took Leon out with me for adventures.

When the celebration finally stops, which is super late and it's already 2 in the morning, Leon finally shows up. He has a toothy grin, his eyes smiling as they meet mine, as he approaches me near the huge tree that has always stood strong since I was a kid. Leon wraps his arms around my waist, gently pulling me, once I'm within reach. He rests his head in the crook of my neck. I sigh, wrapping my arms around him just as tight, finally soaking in his scent.

"I'm sorry I got dragged by my friends," he murmurs.

Letting out a small chuckle, I tell him, "That's all right. I was enjoying the night, too."

And that's completely true. My parents are alive. My mate is here with me. There's a celebration for us and for the warriors who stepped into the fight to save and protect us. It's one of those moments that I'm really going to cherish. Not that I've had so many, but still, it's a fun night.

"What did you do?" Leon asks me as he lifts his head up, eyes meeting mine.

"A lot of people were talking to me, and I got congratulated a lot," I tell him, which makes him chuckle. "I'm not really sure why a lot of people are congratulating me. Because I'm your mate? Or the fact that I survived. Maybe both?"

"Forgive them; they are imbecile." He jokes, now laughing. "I missed you."

"You missed me?" He nods like a kid, scrunching up his nose in the cutest way possible. He leans in closer, the tip of his nose touching mine, before battering his eyes. We both laugh. "Why are you being so cheesy? At 2 in the morning?"

"Am I not allowed to be sweet with my mate?"

"I didn't say that," I snort.

"It's just that a lot has happened, and there was never a time for us to, you know, sort our feelings." Leon cups my cheeks, running his thumb along my nose. "And this is the only time we get to have a moment. Without us worrying about each other."

"Yeah,"

"Care to join me in my room?"

His question catches me off guard, and a blush paints my cheeks again. Alone. In his room. Just the two of us. Leon chuckles, grabbing my hand. He leads me to the main house and I oblige. My head remains empty throughout the whole journey. When we reach his room, Leon has to practically carry me to his bed because I look like a freaking stick.

Leon's fingers gently caress my cheek, then he tips my head upward, slowly, using his index finger and our eyes meet. He pulls his hand then runs his thumb across my lips, which part suddenly. Then he pulls himself up and hovers on top of me.

The intense breathing, our bodies pressed together, our eyes never leaving each other, the quietness of the room and us, it's all making me hot. My heartbeat rings in my ears, and all I can see is how beautiful my mate is. I stretch out my arms and my hands rest on his hips. Leon presses himself a bit harder on me, and I let out a small moan. Then he leans down slowly, his lips hovering mine but never fully touching. His hot breath fans my face, and I can smell the mint candies he probably chewed earlier.

"How many candies you took?" I ask in a whisper.

Leon chuckles. "Three. Maybe four. I don't remember."

"Hmm." I hum. "May I know the reason why?"

"Well, I gotta be prepared, right?"

"For what?"

"Maybe for this?" he tips his head down, then his lips finally land on mine. I let out another moan, my arms wrapping around his waist completely. "I want you, Ethan. I want you. I want you. Just you."

A bit of kissing has made us a bit breathless. The intensity in his eyes grows, and his pupils are already dilated. His skin is burning hot against mine, and the moment he tugs on my shirt, that's where he finally loses it when I take my shirt off. He slams his lips hard against mine, and his hands roam around my chest and stomach. I start to pant when he lets go of my lips then starts kissing my jaw, then his lips make its way to my neck down to my collarbone where he begins to suck.

My fingers fumble with his shirt, which he takes off immediately, then he removes his pants, leaving him in his black underwear. But even in the dark, I can see the outline of his growing member. I gasp when he begins to suck on my neck, his canines gradually extending to the part where he's going to mark me. Mark me. A wolf howls, me, in delight as he connects with my mate's wolf.

His wolf has been pretty quiet as he's got complete control over him. His wolf doesn't rage unless he lets him be. I don't know if my mate has already noticed, but his wolf has been pretty tamed.

I remove my pants as well, throwing it somewhere around the room. I can feel Leon restraining himself, not wanting to completely lose himself in the pleasure, but when he tips his head back and his eyes meet mine again, I know that his attempt is going to be futile. His eyes turn a darker shade, and he finally grabs the raging boner I have.

Leon teases me by gently touching the tip, playing with the band of my underwear before finally dipping his hand in, finally grabbing hold of my member. He leans down again and kisses me full on the lips with less hunger as he begins to jerk me slowly, leaving me in a panting mess. Leon, without taking his hold on my member, takes off his underwear by pulling it down a bit, then he uses his foot to completely remove it from himself. I grab his cock, pumping it slowly, and he groans, which has me going.

After a minute of kissing and fondling, Leon grabs both my arms and pins it atop my head, then he rests his lower body on mine, grinding his hardened member against mine. We moan together, with me arching my back from the pleasure. I jerk my hips forward, wanting more of that friction between our two pressed members. My hands rest on his chest, feeling the erratic beat of his heart. Our eyes meet again.

"Nervous?" I whisper.

"Yeah..." he breathes out. "It's my first time. I'm... I'm not entirely sure how to do this, do you?"

I shake my head. "No idea, but let's take it slow, all right? Let's just go with the flow."

Nodding his head, he kisses me back again. His teeth clash with mine accidentally, and we share a laugh before continuing to kiss again. My skin burns against his, and every time he jerks his pelvis forward sends me into euphoric state. My eyes roll at the back of my head, and when I start to feel his fingers around my bum, that's when I look at him longingly. I breathe the word please, and Leon doesn't take much time before he spits on his finger then slides one in me.

I flinch when his finger invades me, discomfort settling in. I take a deep breath and just watch my mate, who is looking at me with worried in his eyes. I give him a small smile and urge him to continue, then he inserts another finger, making me gasp. He mouths sorry to me. I shake my head. Then he hits something in me that makes me see stars, and I let out a loud moan. There's still discomfort, but the more his fingers stay there, the less discomfort I feel.

Leon's fingers continue to go in and out of me, which has me wanting for more. When he deems that I'm ready, he reaches out to his nightstand to grab lube. I raise my eyes questioningly, and he only shrugs before lathering his 8-inch member. I take another deep breath then just focus on him. That dick is probably enough to tear me apart.

The tip is quite pinkish, and he's quite thick. There are veins visible on his shaft, running smoothly until the base. The hair around it is slightly trimmed. When the lube makes contact with the skin of his shaft, it glistens, and I momentarily stop breathing when he nods his head and begins to position himself.

As he enters, I shut my eyes before breathing an exhaling. Leon's hand rests on my hip while his other hand cups my face. My legs are slightly tipped upwards, resting on his hips. My mate kisses me gently as he continues to enter me slowly. I groan as he rests inside me for a full minute, my arms wrapping around him as I dig my fingers into his skin.

Leon cups my cheeks before smiling at me, resting his forehead against mine. I let out a small breath before nodding my head. He thrusts forward slowly and gently before kissing me again for Goddess knows how many already. The pain eventually subsides, replaced by a sweet pleasure that rocks me to my core. Leon growls when I bite his lower lip, and he does the same thing afterwards, biting and nipping on mine before thrusting hard.

My body is practically burning, as well as his. The room keeps getting hotter and hotter, and beads of sweat run across our faces and bodies, our scent finally mixing in with each other. His touch, his kisses, everything about him is enough to make my heart burst from happiness. My heart goes into rhythm with his. The groans, the pants, and the small moans we let out fill up the room along with the gentle thud of the bedhead hitting the wall.

My mate grabs my pulsing member once again, pumping it gently, matching it with our rhythm and I can already feel the climax building. There's a warm, tingling sensation building in my lower abdomen. His eyes glow yellow, and probably mine, too. Leon continuous to thrust in and out of me, gentler, with passion. His lips land on my forehead, the tip of my nose, my cheeks, and my lips. I moan again, louder this time, when he hits that spot in me that sends shiver down my spine. I bury my fingers deep in his back, which makes him groan. In pleasure, hopefully. His canines finally extend further, and that hot sensation in my stomach continues to build until I cannot hold it any longer.

At the same time, my mate groans as he sinks his canines on my neck, finally marking me as his. My canines elongate slowly before I sink it in his neck. He spills inside me, hot streaks filling me.

Leon slumps down on top of me but with his arms stretched out to the bed, supporting himself. His eyes, returning back to its original colors, meet mine and he kisses me once again. We share a smile.

"That was amazing," he breathes out, his chest heaving up and down.

"It was," I agree, nodding my head.

Leon brushes my bangs smothered with sweat. "You do realize that you're finally mine now, like, completely mine, right?" I chuckle then nod. "It means you're not allowed to run away again from now on. You're stuck with me throughout my entire life."

"Leon, I've always been yours just as you've always been mine." I tell him, gently touching his cheeks. "And no more running, that I promise you. I'm going to stay by your side throughout our lifetime. We will always be there for each other, and I'm ready to lead alongside you. Leon, I've always wanted you since I learned that you're my mate."

"You're making me love you," he teases, chuckling.

"I think you already do," I tell him. "We've always loved each other, I think."

"Yeah, I think so, too."