The Mate He Couldn’t Control (complete)

Chapter 38

Our moment froze as we heard banging on the window. Both of our heads snapped to the boys acting like kids in the restaurant and Julia rolling her eyes in irritation before lecturing them. She was not letting them ruin it. “So, who’s leading?” Jaylon asked, pulling my attention back to him.

“I’ll follow you wherever you want to go.” He placed a kiss on my forehead before stepping back and shifting. I took my jewelry off and mind-linked Julia to get it before doing the same and darting off after him. I’m faster than him so it wasn’t hard to catch up, but I still wanted him to lead. I want to give him as much love and attention as I can tonight.

After I confessed that I love him Friday night, he made very slow and gentle love to me. It was at that moment I knew I wanted to mate. The way he consumed me with love drove me insane and I haven’t been able to clear my mind since. It was a glimpse of what our mating would be like and now I have to have it. Plus, once our minds are connected he’ll share all of my thoughts. Even the ones about his little present. . .

“Why are we slowing down?” I asked through the link.

“I figured you might want some jets to heat up your muscles,” Jaylon explained as we walked into the clearing of my parent's house. They were out having dinner with their friends, but Dimitry was here. I’m sure he’s sleeping, but the man is always alert.

“Are you sure? We’d have to shower before we can get in.”

“Just as we do every other time we get in the hot tub,” he eased.

“As long as you’re happy.”

Once we were clean, he helped me in and I immediately clung to him. “You’re just all over me today,” Jaylon commented.

“Is it not okay for me to be obsessed with you?”

“It’s more than okay. I wish you clung to me like this every day.”

“I can. . . if you do something for me.”

“Ooh, what’s your offer?”

I removed my face from his neck and leaned back to look into his eyes. “Mate with me. Tonight.”

His gentle features shifted in surprise. “W-what? You're ready to mate? With me? Tonight?”

“Yes. I’ve been thinking about it. I’m in love with you and I’m ready for you to claim me.”

I placed a kiss on his lips but then he started talking so I trailed off down his neck. His body was stiff from surprise as the words came out. “But tonight? Right now? Are you sure?”

“I’ve never been more sure.”

Suddenly he gently pushed me off his lap and over to the seat farthest from him as I sent him a confused look. “You have no idea how happy you’ve just made me.”

“Then why are you pushing me off?” I tried to come back but he did the same thing.

“Let’s talk first,” he replied nervously.

“Talk? You want to talk? Honestly, I thought you’d try to jump me in the hot tub. I guess not. . .” I mumbled awkwardly, glancing down at the water and then back up at him.

“I-I’m sorry it’s just you surprised me there. I didn’t think that you were anywhere near ready with how much has gone down this week. And then today you sent me off and now you want to mate. I was very unprepared for this.”

“Well, I figured you could have one last night with your boys before I sucked you into my trap,” I smirked evilly. “If we were humans, our mating would be a wedding, making your day out with the boys is what we’d call a bachelor party. You got the whole human experience. Just not with the suits and big white dress.”

A soft smile came to his lips as his eyes scanned my face. “You humans and your weddings. . . When we were kids, you’d always tell everyone how you dreamed that yours would look.”

“Well, I’m two times more supernatural than you so you're more human than I am.” When he didn’t respond to that and his eyes began looking deep into the water, my smirk dropped and I filled with guilt. “I’m sorry, I thought you would want to mate. I shouldn’t have-”

“Why are you apologizing? I told you that I’m happy. I love you so much and I want nothing more than to mate with you,” Jaylon eased after rushing over to comfort me.

“You look far from happy.”

“That couldn’t be any further from the truth. I’m just not prepared. I wanted to take you out and have an amazing night with you before. I want to give you everything. Give me one more night to make it special for you. I just need to get some things prepared. We didn’t even get to celebrate our anniversary last week. We have to catch up.”

“You know, I never took you as the anniversary type, especially not monthly.”

“You make me treasure every moment. I want to show you how much you mean to me. I will tomorrow if you’ll be patient with me. I want it to be perfect and quite honestly, I’m a little too excited at the moment to be as gentle as I want to be.”

“Anything for you.”

His thumb ran over the skin on my cheek gently as I smiled up at him. He’s so handsome. When I look at him, I can’t think straight. He pressed a soft kiss to my lips before leaning down to my neck. My eyes widened as I felt canines tickling my skin. Oh, so he’s going to torment me instead? “Maybe we can practice tonight. . .”

Jaylon woke up this morning in the best mood I have ever seen him in. He wore the world's brightest smile all day without it dropping for a second. Since it was Tuesday, we had group training, but he managed to get out of it. For some reason, he needed to go to the store. . . with my dad while I dealt with my pet chihuahua. Wanna guess its name?

For the most part, I was beaming right beside Jaylon but I was slightly nauseous. I hid it to the best of my ability, but some smells were too much. Like right now. We were waiting for the others to finish training yet again and I was making one of my teas hoping it would help, but the smell of the chicken Loren was making made my breakfast ease back up. I just need to finish the tea, then I can go upstairs. Two minutes tops.

“Ali, are you okay?” Loren asked after watching me pale.

“Y-yeah I’m fine. Just the smell. . . it’s so strong.”

“You don’t look so well.”

“Just a little nauseous.” I closed my eyes and held a hand to my stomach as I tried to breathe in and out slowly.

When I opened my eyes, Loren had her head tilted slightly as her eyes studied me. Once she reached the end of her calculation, her eyes filled with rage. “Are you-” she started slowly through her teeth but I felt it coming so I blinked upstairs and made it just in time. Note to self: do not order chicken tonight.

I felt relieved once I no longer had anything that could come up. I stood and walked to the sink to clean myself and that’s when I saw it. Jaylon left me a little note to remind me that he was counting down the minutes and a smile came to my lips. He has such a sweet soul.

A knock at the door pulled me out of my thoughts. I opened the door to reveal a beaming Loren. “I finished making your tea for you.”

“Thank you,” I mumbled, taking the hot cup from her. She looked pissed earlier, now she’s making me tea?

“Are you going to taste it? I’m not sure if I let it sit too long or something.”

“It smells like peppermint. . . I didn’t put any of that in.”

“I added it to aid with your nausea.” Her eyes danced from the cup to me repeatedly before I finally took a sip. My eyes widened and my hand began to shake as I tried to keep a straight face.

“Mmm, I should tell Jaylon to make it like this every morning.” It tastes awful.

“I’m so glad you like it.” Loren’s smile grew to the point that it looked evil. The way her eyes looked up at me sparked an old fear that I’d spent a month recovering from. They looked just like his. I bit down my fear and filled my face with a gentle smile. I’m not showing a single ounce of fear, especially not to her. Her features softened before she pulled me into a tight hug. “It’s important to me that my Luna is taken care of, especially with this news! When will you and Jaylon be announcing it?”

I gently held her back and looked deep into her eyes. “You cannot tell a soul about this.” Her eyes looked into mine in a daze for a second before blinking multiple times and stepping back.

“Your secret is safe with me. I take it Jaylon doesn’t know?”

“He will tonight.”

“I will what tonight?” Jaylon questioned as he walked up the stairs behind Loren.

The air left my body for a second until I rushed out an answer. “I finally came up with the theme of the Pack dinner next week. I was thinking aloud and didn’t realize Loren could hear me.”

“Finally. We need your mind fully at ease tonight.” Jaylon walked over and pulled me into a tight hug.

I turned to look at Loren who was smiling at both of us. “I guess I should be going. I hope tonight is eventful for you both.”

When she was out of earshot Jaylon slightly tilted his head to the side. “Did you tell her?”

“No, I haven’t told a soul. Why would I tell her of all people?”

“I wasn’t sure it just seemed a bit weird. Does she know we’re going out?”

“Well you just said you want my mind at ease tonight.”

“I could see that being an indicator.”

“Mm-hmm. Now come on, I need your help in the shower.”

“You’re only tormenting yourself,” Jaylon smirked before pulling me along behind him. He woke up this morning insisting that we needed to “work up our appetites” by biting down all of our cravings. He likes to test me.

“So what did you and my dad do today?” I’m not going to lie, I’m nervous. Very nervous. I wouldn’t have noticed that Jaylon was also nervous if it weren’t for his shaky hands.

“He was helping me with a few things.”

“What things?”

“If you’d wait thirty more minutes you can hear the things for yourself,” Jaylon teased. He’d taken me out to a restaurant that I haven’t been to since my parents took us when we were kids. When Jaylon plans something, it’s always down to the last minor detail.

“Well when you say it like that, I guess I can manage.”

He got out and came around to help me do the same. His eyes were flickering from their normal blue to the glowing blue of his wolf. He’s holding on to every last string. I’m not far behind him. My fangs have been trying to pop out all night. “So, does the groom carry the bride before or after the wedding?”

“After, but you can always do both.” His arms immediately ripped me up and quickly walked us from the garage to the pack house. I feel like I’m being torn from the inside out. The second we sat at the restaurant, these painful cramps began. They haven’t stopped, only grown worse. I’ve spent the last three hours hiding it, but the position I’m being carried in makes them feel like surges of lightning.

I held back a sigh of relief when Jaylon opened the bedroom door and let me down. “The heart marks the spot,” Jaylon hinted behind me as my eyes ran over the room in awe. Candles and the fireplace were the only forms of light and rose petals made a path on the floor. I held his hand behind me as I followed the petals, stopping on top of the heart in front of the fireplace.

My smile slightly dropped for a second when I turned to face him and saw annoyance briefly covering his features. “What’s wrong?”

His smile returned, but I recognized the look in his eyes. Someone was trying to mind-link him, but he was refusing. “Nothing important enough to ruin this.”

“Promise?”

“Don’t worry yourself. Everything is perfect.” Jaylon's hands came up to slide my hair behind my ears before he pulled my face slightly closer to his. “Every time I look at you. . . I can’t get over how beautiful you are.” At this point, his eyes were fully glowing. There was no flickering. His wolf has taken over.

“I can’t get over the fact that you're mine,” I admitted right before my own mind began to knock. Truthfully, I wanted to ignore it, but she of all people I could never ignore. “Yes?”

“I need Jaylon to come to my room now! Make him open his link!” Bridget demanded.

“What is it? Is someone hurt?”

“Just make him open his link!”

“But is it something that has to be done now? We’re about to mate. . .” She immediately shut the link so I figured it wasn’t that important.

Jaylon’s arms slowly wrapped around me as he leaned down and nuzzled into my neck. He inhaled deeply as if to reassure himself before moving back up to look into my eyes. “I’m going to give you everything you’ve ever dreamed of.” Just as he finished saying his quiet promise, his lips captured mine, making my eyes fall immediately. I may be destined to have multiple mates, but there will never be another Jaylon. He’s the only one I need to claim. Every minute of every day, even back when I refused to admit it, I’m consumed with him. Even when I hate him, I love him. My mind is never quiet when it comes to him and it never will be, at least not for the rest of eternity.

Just as I pulled him closer to me, his bedroom door burst open like it had yesterday, only this time Julia didn’t stand in the frame. Bridget quickly made her way up to us with tears streaming down her eyes. “What’s wrong?”

“Jaylon, please come down here,” she begged, completely ignoring my question.

“What can be more important than me mating your Luna?” Jaylon hissed with cold eyes. In his defense, his wolf doesn’t reason as well as Jaylon does. Plus, his wolf really doesn’t like that many people.

“Please? I have never barged into your room and I especially wouldn’t choose the night of your mating to start. Jaylon, I am begging you not to mate with her until you come downstairs.”

“Why won’t you tell me what’s wrong? Did something happen? Do I need to get my parents?”

Jaylon continued to glare at her reluctantly before reading the seriousness of the situation. He pulled me into a tight hug and placed a kiss on my forehead. “Stay here, no one is in danger. I’ll be back soon enough.” He immediately left and Bridget followed behind, only she stopped in the doorway and slowly turned to look at me. She didn’t say anything, but her eyes looked at me as if it were the last time she’d see me. I was going to ask again, but she quickly walked out.

I tried to obey for as long as I could while fighting my cramps. They were now at a high as my nerves made my body shake. I spent ten minutes debating with myself over what I should do. I thought it was weird that we didn’t pass a single person on the way here, but now I feel like it's because of whatever has Bridget so upset. I am the future Luna of this pack. If something is going on, I can’t just sit here and do nothing. Obviously, it's important so why can’t I go down there? Why can’t I help with whatever the issue seems to be?

I immediately shot up from the chair, fully determined to go anyway, but then I froze. A tear dropped from my eye once I felt the wetness. These weren’t just regular cramps. Noah tried to warn me but I didn’t listen. He told me it would be too much on my body, but I thought I was invincible. Maybe I am, but someone isn’t. . . wasn’t. In one week, I put my body through two of the most draining forms of magic and a rejection, thinking that the rules didn’t apply to me. Now the world is reminding me that they do. And when he finds out, Jaylon will never forgive me.