His Unexpected Mate [MxM]

Mountain of Pillows

Chapter 3 — Present — Ronnie

Like Ronnie was already expecting, the trip back to the town that he got used to calling home over the years was a very quiet one.

Mason barely spoke a word to him, lost in his own thoughts, unless it was to ask about something important, such as where their plane tickets were, or if Ronnie wanted to eat something before their flight.

He kept everything to himself, and all Ronnie could do was go along with him, letting Mason have his own space, as he had already accepted joining him in this most insane and last-minute plan someone could have.

And despite it all, Ronnie didn’t think it was bad, and before they even realized, they were finally at the doorstep of D’Alberto’s family home…

… the house was empty as everyone was at work or in the Pack’s house, and a note in the freezer was all there to welcome them…

“… My bedroom’s downstairs. So, do you want to put your stuff away first, or do you want to eat something?” Taking the lead for once, since the place was unfamiliar to Mason along with the baggage that was in his hand, Ronnie asked him. “I can cook something simple for us, like pasta, as my family usually doesn't have dinner at home on Tuesdays.”

“Whatever you want to do, D’Alberto. It’s your family home, and anything is good enough for me as-” Mason wanted to say that anything was good enough for him as long as he didn’t have to cook it, but he stopped himself, not wanting to sound rude when he was at his friend’s place. “Tell me what you want to do, and I’ll follow your lead.”

Upon hearing that, Ronnie couldn't stop his thoughts from thinking about how uncommon and unlike it was for his friend to say, but even so, he did as Mason told him to. He decided what he would do next to kill until his family arrived…

Ronnie introduced Mason to everyone as soon as possible, from his father to stepmom, brother, sister-in-law, nephew, and nieces before he called it a movie night and took the other man back to his room.

But, this moment alone was quickly crushed when the kids decided to join them downstairs, and Edward was the first to jump on Ronnie among the pile of pillows, completely forgetting he wasn’t a little boy anymore as he did so.

”DAMN, GODDESS! Eddy, you will kill me like that, kid!” The boy was already in his teens and was already taller than his mother. “Leave the pup actions for your sisters, please. I can’t handle you anymore, you’re already too big for that.”

“Pup?” Casually, Ronnie used the words that he would stop himself from using when he was away from home. “I never imagined you were the sort that had cute nicknames for your nephew and nieces, D’Alberto.”

* RONNIE *

“Pup… It’s very cute of you.” … a smile… A SMILE! Mason was smiling after two full weeks of it fully gone from his face, and even the mood was lighter when he told me that with a gentle laugh filling his voice.

“… Mom’s calling us to get the popcorn,” Out of nowhere, Edward suddenly said, confusing me as I hadn't heard Giselle’s voice calling for us, but again, he was the half wolf here, not me. “C’mon with me, Lily. Come with me to help me with the drinks.”

Eddy’s comment was directed to his sister Lilian, the oldest of the girls. Yet the smirk playing on his lips, hands tucked into his back pockets, and the way his gaze traveled between Mason and me left me confused about what he truly meant with his words as he left us with the youngest.

Brianne was tucked in Mason’s arms as if it were the most natural thing to do, while he skipped up and down looking for a good movie or series for us to watch… obviously, thinking about the kids as well as he would sometimes stop at something before he stopped himself from clicking play as he looked down at Bree on his lap.

… My Playboy friend could not look like, but he was quite a family man…

The rest of the night was quite calm. Eventually, we settled down in a comedy recommended by Eddy, which we never finished as we were halfway through it when we noticed that Bree and Lily were already sleeping, and Edward and I took them upstairs to their bedroom.

I waited for him to go back downstairs with me, only for him to tell me that we could finish without him as he needed to get up early tomorrow to go out with his friends.

And as I asked him if he didn't want to know how it would end, he told me that he had already watched it with his friends… words that were the complete opposite of what he told us earlier, making me want to knock his head with his lie.

Nevertheless, letting it go, I just wished him good night, stopping in the kitchen for extra cups of soda before going back to my room, where I met a sleeping and defenseless Mason among the pillows I had on the floor as an improved couch.

… it has been like this for years now, but it was the first time I was pleased that I didn't have an actual couch there…

Mason was sleeping in the most relaxed manner I had seen him in the past few weeks. The movie was playing in the background with the fake laughs and it all, but it didn't seem to bother him as he was fully gone as some sort of sleeping beauty,

I mean, Mason was quite handsome, but something about that whole aesthetic of my room made him seem even more beautiful to me than usual.

His dark hair was beautifully messy over my light pillows and his skin, creating a gorgeous picture that was worthy of a museum while he hugged one pillow close to his chest and face, pressing his cheek against it as if he tried to hide himself from the bare light coming from the TV.

… it was very pretty to see…

I didn't wish to wake him up, but I knew I could let him sleep there the whole night. We were young kids anymore, and our backs, and he would dislike me badly if I didn't make him go to bed.

“Mason… c’mon, man. You shouldn't sleep here,” I tried to call him a couple of times uselessly. “Let’s go to bed, alright? You can sleep there all by yourself. I will give you this luxury tonight.”

My bed was big enough to fit two grown-up adults, and it has been since I got the basement as my bedroom. Yet, I offered it to him, hoping it would make him wake up and go to bed, as it would be quite a struggle if I had to do it by myself, as Mason wasn't a small guy, weighing almost the same as me.

“Come on, Mason. Get up,” it took a few extra times before he was up and moving, finally settling down in bed before I felt a hand pulling me back, making me fall over him as I was trying to leave…

His face was closer to mine, breath brushing against my cheek before he finally said something, “Don't you want me?”