9. Adam POV
2057 Words
It was so good to hold her in my arms. Her smell, her skin, her heartbeat. It was incredible, but of course, Agatha had to destroy our moment. I had to use my Alpha voice and look to get rid of her. I did not work the same way on her, but still, it had an effect.
There were so many other things we should talk about...about Niklaus, about the prophecy, about the war...her family. It was so nice to see her smiling. I did not want to ruin her mood and I thought it was enough for one day with the shocking news.
When she asked me if there was any bad news or if she could finish her breakfast, I thought maybe we could talk about the mating bond.
"Maybe I could tell you about the mating bond." I suggested. She had a full mouth, she just nodded. She was adorable.
"Finding a partner in our life means a lot more than in the human world. Without your mate, you can not be complete. Her absence is driving you crazy. You are weak, you are lonely and neither family, power, nor any woman can fill the emptiness. But when you find your mate, that feeling is unbelievable." I remembered the feeling when I first scented her, when I first saw her face. It was far from what I'd imagined. "Your heart starts to beat faster, you become stronger..." I was searching for words to describe the love I felt for my mate. "All you can think of her, you not only want but need to be by her side. And it never ends."
"Do you have a mate?" She asked. "Just because as you described it, it sounded like you were thinking about someone specific." She let go of my hand and stood up from the bed. She walked to the window and looked outside.
"Yes, I have." I replied.
"Then you should go back to her, and not spend time with me. What a man are you? You are holding my hand and talking about true love when your mate is waiting for you?" As she turned around she had tears in her eyes.
She was angry, jealous? She thought I was talking about someone else? Okay, that's not how I imagined this...
"Hear me out." I sighed and went to her. "Yes, I have a mate. I met her a week ago and she is making the best pie ever." I grabbed her hands again. "And now I am holding her hands. That's where I need to be right now."
She seemed to be confused.
"You think I am your mate?" She asked.
"Yes baby. You are my mate, my love, my everything." I wanted to kiss her but when I tried to get closer to her, she let go of my hand and began to back away.
"But you do not know anything about me yet. How can you say that you love me?"
"Because that's a wolf thing. If we ever find our mate, we know it instantly. When I saw you in the restaurant, I knew that you were my fate and I fell in love with you in a moment you smiled at me." I wish she had a wolf right now.
Slowly, I got closer to her and when we were in arm's reach again, I continued.
"I know that a lot has happened since yesterday and that you feel overwhelmed, but I can help you. That's the other thing about mates. Your touch calms me, and my touch calms you." I opened my arms and waited for her to come closer. I wanted to kiss her so badly, but if she was going to hug me, it would be enough for me.
After a few seconds, she stepped forward and hugged me.
"Just breathe. Relax." I said to her. "Do not think, just feel." I was stroking his back with one of my hands, and with the other I held her head. I felt that her heartbeat was getting slower and she calmed down.
"Do not think about yesterday or about what I am. Just try to go with the flow. Everything is going to be alright." I whispered to her ears.
When she raised her head, our lips were just millimeters away. At that moment, I lost control.
God, her lips...they were so soft and warm. She froze for a few minutes, but then she kissed me back. I was the happiest man alive. My mate was in my arms and she was kissing me back. That's what I was waiting for for so long, for so many years. I held her ever tighter.
She was so perfect. Our first kiss and it was so innocent.
When we stopped she was breathing hard. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, she looked like an angel.
"I know you do not feel the same way about me yet...but I know with time you will too." I did not want to tell her about her wolf yet. She had enough for one day.
"I think I do feel something for you." She found her voice. "Maybe it's not the same as you feel, but from the first moment I saw you in the restaurant, I felt that you were a special one. I could not admit it even to myself." She chuckled. "But when I dreamed about you it felt so natural to be in your arms. Just like today when you hugged me...and now kissed me." She blushed.
"So you were dreaming about me?" I teased her. I was a little surprised. I saw in the restaurant that she was watching me, but that was even better. I wonder what her dreams were about.
"That's all you heard from my confession?" Claire said.
"Sorry baby." I laughed and hugged her. "I am so happy right now."
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We stayed in my room till dinner. I told her about all the werewolf abilities, about the mind-link, fast healing, and our strength. How our pack works. I wanted to tell her about her being my Luna, but I could not. Not yet.
"It's so weird to hear all these things." She was truly amazed.
I wanted to tell her so many other things but Marcus mind-linked me that they were all waiting for us in the dining room.
"Hey, you are okay?" Claire asked.
"Yeah, sure, why?"
"I was talking to you but you did not hear me at all." She explained.
"Sorry. It was Marcus who mind-linked me now. He is my beta, my right hand." I looked at my watch. Indeed, it was already dinner time. "The dinner is ready, and they are waiting for us."
"Oh..." She started to worry again. "And who is waiting for us exactly?"
"Marcus, my beta, Agatha...and my parents." Because of the word parents she froze.
It was a sensitive part. I could see that she was overthinking it again.
"You know, maybe we should leave with Agatha and we could postpone the parents' introduction after we have our third date?" She said and she went to put on her shoes.
"No Claire. I am sorry, but you can not leave. It's not safe." I told her.
"But I need to leave!" Clare was panicking again.
"Stop Claire. Please." I held her hands again. "It's just a dinner. Take a deep breath." I was waiting for her to do what I'd asked for.
When she took that one big breath, I said. "Now I am going to bring you a new dress, you are going to change and then we are going to have that dinner. Whenever you feel insecure, or scared, you squeeze my hand."
I squeezed her hand to show her what she needed to do.
"And you are going to make it right?" She asked.
"Yes, I will."
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When we arrived in the dining room, everybody else was already there. My parents, Marcus, my beta and, of course, Agatha.
"Good evening everyone." I said. Claire was holding my hand and I felt she was trembling.
She was really nervous about meeting my parents. I did not know if it was because they were wolves too, or because they were my parents.
"Mom, dad, let me introduce Claire, my mate." I smiled at her. Or rather grinned. It felt so good to say that.
She was so beautiful. We had to take one of my sisters' dresses because she could not wear the same thing, but she looked amazing. It was a simple blue dress and she looked like an angel in it.
"Oh God honey, you look just like your mother." My mother said.
It was dead silence after that. I did not even dare to breathe. I have not told her about her family yet because I wanted to spare her for today and my mother managed to ruin everything.
"My mother?" She asked. She looked at me and my mother. "You knew my mother?"
When none of us answered, I turned her to myself.
"Yes baby. My parents knew them. I have not told you anything yet because I wanted a peaceful evening for you. I am so sorry... I kept it from you, but you had enough for today."
"I have to know. I came to this town because I wanted to find my family. I need to know." She turned to my parents and let go my hand. "How did you know her? And my dad? Please tell me everything."
My mother looked at me and when I nodded she answered.
"Of course darling, anything you want."
We sat down but none of us started to eat.
After a few moments of silence, my father started the story. He told her about the fire and that they thought everybody had died. Claire listened to them carefully.
After my dad, Agatha told her the other parts of the story. Which knew only her and me.
I could see that father was offended that Alpha James did not ask for his help.
"I could have helped you!" He said. "I had an army, we could defeat that bastard. Two of us could be strong enough against him."
"He did not want you to get hurt. We thought we could escape." Agatha tried to explain the decision they made.
"Maybe that way they could survive and I would have a family now." It was the first time Claire spoke. She had a tear on her cheek.
She stood up and left the table.
When nobody said anything, I stood and went after Claire. She was already outside of the door and she was about to reach the woods.
"Claire, wait!" I screamed after her. "It's not safe for you!" But when I saw that she was running now, I started to run as well.
She was already in the middle of the woods.
"Claire, stop!" I said.
"No Adam. That's not a thing that a hug could solve. I am not gonna calm down!" She did not stop and I heard she was sobbing.
"Please. Let's go back to the house." But as if she would not hear me. "What if Niklaus or his men are here somewhere waiting for you?" I tried. Maybe it will scare her enough to come back.
"You know what? Maybe it would be the best. Let's end this craziness." Finally, she turned around. We were not face to face. She was crying.
"I spent the day with you but you did not say a world about my family. And am I a werewolf, too? What else should I have known?" It was dark but I saw how her tears were running down her cheeks. My heart was breaking.
"I am sorry." I apologized. "I know it's a lot..."
"No! You don't! You can not even imagine what I feel." She hugged herself and collapsed to the ground.
I could not hold myself. I sat behind her and hugged her. First she fought, but she did not have a chance against me.
"I don't want any of this...I want my life back." She said between two sobs.
"I know. I know baby." I tried to comfort her, but for the first time I did not know what to do.
- Writer
