Stray Echo

Confident

POV: Echo

Due to our impromptu nap, I decided to change out of my dress as it was quite wrinkled at that point. Atlas saw me hesitating in front of the door to my closet and asked if I wanted any help to pick something to wear. I thought about it for a moment before replying.

“What kind of outfit does one wear to a lunch like this?” I asked him and he smiled before showing a rack of clothes that were casual but still classy looking.

I smiled gratefully before slowly flipping through the items, determined to choose something myself this time. Stopping at a dress with a pale pink top, with a cream and floral skirt, I stared at it for a moment, mesmerized by how pretty it was, and checked to make sure it would cover what needed covering. The short sleeves were ruffled, but fully covered the shoulder and upper back. The skirt cinched in at the waist ever so slightly and would hit just above my knees.

Quickly changing into the dress, I couldn’t believe I was lucky enough to own something like this now. I peeked at the shoes in my closet and found a cute pair of flats that matched the pink of the dress perfectly. I slipped one on my cast-free foot and quickly took my hair out of its braid. I wasn’t sure if I was going to put it in a ponytail, braid it again, or leave it down in the gentle post-braid waves, and was thinking about it when Atlas peeked into the closet.

His look of complete awe, followed closely by a deep purr as his eyes darkened momentarily as both Atlas and Zev moved towards me, decided for me. Their eyes flickered back and forth as they reached me, and gently but firmly pulled me against them. I felt a sudden surge of confidence, and although it felt completely foreign to me, I decided to run with it.

“I take it I picked well?” I giggled, pulling another rumbling purr from their chest. They answered by gently gripping the back of my neck and tilting my head back before crashing their lips onto mine. This time, I parted my lips as soon as they nibbled on my bottom lip, and the kiss deepened.

Our tongues fought for dominance for a moment before I conceded, and they growled approvingly. By the time they had fully explored my mouth, we were forced to pull away to gasp for breath. In between every breath, they pecked my lips and began running their kisses down my neck before kissing my marking spot. I whimpered tingles shot throughout my body, concentrating on my core. They inhaled my scent deeply, before whispering huskily against my ear.

“Yes, you look amazing! We wish we hadn’t made lunch plans now and could lock you away with us for the rest of the day!” I blushed deeply, feeling even more warmth building. They noticed right away and pulled back to look at me and smirked at how affected I was.

“Don’t worry, Little Mate, we are free to be with you and to help in any way you need for the foreseeable future.” They said, kissing my forehead and groaning before pulling away fully.

“It’s time to head downstairs, they are waiting for us!” He said, his eyes returning fully to Atlas’s enchanting green color as he gave me a small smile. I sighed, knowing that I both wanted to stay here, but wasn’t quite ready to take it any further.

“I am ready to head down if you are, my love,” I said, having remembered their response to being referred to as such in Red Stone. A small shiver ran through him, and he smiled and nodded before he grasped my hand and led me toward the door.

***

I was fidgeting nervously with the hem of my dress and tucking and untucking my hair from behind my ears as we stepped off the lift. My earlier confidence in my outfit was fading fast. As Atlas steered us towards the door outside, I raised my eyebrows at him as I had thought the lunch was just going to be in the dining hall. I am definitely not ready to go out and about right now. He chuckled at me, and stopped walking, turning to look at him.

“We are going to have lunch on the porch. That way, it’s just us and not a bunch of warriors at the tables near us.” I relaxed slightly, feeling a lot more comfortable knowing it would be a bit more private. “You look amazing! Breath, baby girl, breath. You don’t need to adjust anything; your dress and hair are perfect. Do you want your hair tucked or untucked?”

Atlas grabbed my hands and kissed my palms before holding them in front of us, rubbing his thumbs in the soothing circles that always seemed to help calm me down. I squeezed his hands nervously for a second before replying.

“I want it untucked. It’s more comfortable that way. I don’t like how it feels shoved behind my ears!” I say and wrinkle my nose at the sensation of my hair currently tucked behind my ears. He laughs and releases my hands to slowly reach up and untucked my hair. He placed his hands on my cheeks, and his hands could probably wrap around my entire head if he tried.

Kissing my forehead, and caressing my cheeks with his thumbs, he somehow always knows just how to ease my anxiety and make me feel safe and loved. I don’t know if it’s the mate bond, or just him, or maybe both, but I crave it. I lean into his hands as the tension releases from my body and I take some breaths to ground myself. I have met everyone who would be at lunch, and Atlas would never make me stay if I was too uncomfortable.

“Okay, I am ready, my love!” I say quietly, and he brushes his lips against mine lightly before wrapping his arm around my shoulders. We made our way out onto the porch and went around the deck to the back of the house.

I gasp when we turn the corner and see the lunch that has been prepared. Everyone is milling around, waiting for us to arrive before they sit down to eat. They are all smiling and laughing, and I can tell the ranked wolves of Blood Moon are all very close friends. It makes me smile to see that Seth and John have been pulled into their group and are equally included in their socializing as the rest of them.

There is a table big enough to seat everyone around it, with a white tablecloth on top. A beautiful flower arrangement runs down the centre of the table and, with the forest background, it may be the most beautiful lunch setup I’ve ever seen. There is a buffet cart over to the side with fancy-looking trays, plates, and everything else.

Atlas stood beside me, smiling, as I took everything in. I lean into him as my eyes fill with tears and I smile at everyone as they turn to greet us. The sight of so many people smiling back at me takes my breath away, and I squeeze Atlas’s hand tightly.