My Runaway Mate

Chapter 11

Bailey's POV

The past few days here have been pretty nice. I've slept more here than I can ever remember sleeping before in my life.

Jax had been very sweet too. He keeps checking on me periodically to make sure I'm ok or to bring me food. It's very sweet.My heart always races when I see him and I always miss him when he leaves. I don't understand this feeling, but I've heard stories about what this is. I need to talk to Jax, to see if he's feeling the same things.

What if he's not? What if he's just a nice guy trying to help me and I'm reading all this wrong? Gosh, how embarrassing would that be? Maybe I won't say anything. Or maybe I should wait for him to say something? That might be better. If he says something first, then I could ask him what I'm thinking.

I stand up and walk, still slightly weakly, to the couch and the laptop. Time to check in on Ben. I've been getting better with walking. My legs don't hurt as much, it's more like an annoyance now. They still feel weak, but they aren't giving out on me anymore. My wounds are just about gone too. Normally, they would of been gone the next day, but Dr Gratiot told me that because of my exhaustion, it'll take a little longer.

Ben is doing good. He's leading this tracker in his case all over creation. I laugh as I picture it. Ben, taking what he would call a vacation, taking in the sights pretending to be looking for me And this tracker just following him around thinking he's going to be praised by Grayson for a job well done. It makes me chuckle thinking about it.

As my thoughts take me to Grayson, I'm no longer laughing. The deadline that summit have him is coming up soon. They are going to attack red river and there are innocent people there. Ben told me that he warned them what was coming, but he doesn't know if anyone left or got caught trying to leave. I'm very worried about them too. Worried about Mrs. Betty. She didn't have anyone left in her life. Her mate died about 20 years ago, and they never had any pups.

She came to red river after that and looked after Ben and I after our parents died. She told me stories about her mate, and what a good man he was. He was their packs gamma. They were attacked by another pack and he was killed. She always had tears in her eyes as she told that story, but always said because of him, her life and many others were saved.

My heart breaks for Mrs Betty. Here she is going through another pack war, and she's all alone again. This has to be bringing up memories of her mate, and I wished so bad I could be there for her.

I close the laptop in frustration,feeling helpless. I needed to get out of this room. I'm going a little stir crazy. Mrs Betty always said cooking was good for the soul, and honestly, I was a little hungry. I should ask Jax if he'd mind that I make myself something to eat. I don't want to over step my welcome here.

I walk, carefully, to Jax's office and softly knock on the door.

"Come in." I hear him say. I gently open the door, not sure if he had guests, or on the phone. I don't want to interrupt.

"Bailey, hey. Is everything alright?" He asks me with concern.

He's always so thoughtful. My heart is racing again just as I see him and breathe in his wonderful scent.

" Yes, everything's fine. I'm sorry to interrupt you, but--"

"You're not interrupting me. You could never interrupt me." He says to me with a smile. Goodness, that smile. It almost made me forget why I came in here in the first place.

"I was hoping you wouldn't mind, if I went to the kitchen to fix myself something to eat?" I ask him nervously. I'm not sure if he'd be offended.

"Of course I don't mind. I can have one of the cooks make you something."

"Oh no, please. I actually.... I actually want to make something myself, if that's ok?"

He looks at me with that gorgeous smile, "Of course it's ok. Bailey, I want you to feel at home here. You don't need permission to do anything here."

"O-ok, thank you." I say to him as I turn to leave. I stop at the door, and look back at him, "Do..do you want anything to eat?" I ask him.

His smile just got so much bigger and more beautiful, if that was even possible.

"You know what, I am a little hungry. How about I keep you company while you make something?" he asks me.

My heart is now beating so hard it feels line it's going to bust out of my chest. The thought of being near him again has my wolf going crazy. She wants to be near him Just as much as I do, maybe even more.

"Ok. I'd like that."

We walk out of the office and head to the stairs.He stops and goes to pick me up, but I stop him.

"No, please. I'd like to walk. It's the only way I'll get stronger."

It was the truth. I needed to rebuild my strength and walking was the only way to do that, but the real truth was, I was scared that he'd hear my heart beating.I wanted him to hold me. Hold me so close to him and never let me go.

I slowly make my way down the stairs, using the railing for support. Jax is walking right next to me at my pace. He has his one arm around my waist in case I collapse or something. He doesn't look bothered or annoyed at all that I'm going slow. He's just patiently walking down the stairs with me. I feel a warmth creep up my face at his kindness. He just smiles at me.

We finally make it down the stairs, and honestly, I feel exhausted. I went from working out everyday, and being in top shape, to being winded descending stairs. I needed to get better and fix this. I hate feeling so weak.

"Do you want to rest for a minute first?" Jax asks me. He's so thoughtful. I really did want to rest, but I didn't want to say anything, and I didn't want Jax to think I'm weak or that I needed someone to take care of me.

"No, thank you. I'm fine." I say to him. He gives me a look and smiled while making a short chuckle.

"Ok then, shall we?" He asks leading us to the kitchen.

There were some staff in the kitchen cleaning and prepping food when we walked in. They stopped and looked at us,but Jax took them to keep doing what they were doing, so they went back to work. Even when he is giving orders to his members, he's not demanding of them. I mean sure, he's alpha. He can tell them to do whatever he wants, but he's more just making statements to them. Not demanding.

I went to the fridge to see what was inside. After thinking for a second, I saw everything I needed to make us a southwest chicken salad. One of my favorites.

I got to work with cutting the chicken and grilling it. Dicing up the tomatoes and lettuce. Grating up some cheese, and crunching up some corn chips into small bite size pieces.

After mixing all those together in a bowl, I got out the mayo, buttermilk and some spices from the cabinet to make the Chipotle ranch dressing. I pour it all over the salad, and the grilled chicken and start tossing it all together.

Jax is just sitting there watching me with such an amused look on his face. He's offered to help me at least half a dozen times during this, but each time I refused. He's taken such good care of me these last few days, the least I could do was make him lunch.

After everything was all mixed together, I grabbed us two bowls and forks. I put his salad in front of him, then took mine and we sat next to each other as we started eating.

"Oh my gosh Bailey. This salad is amazing" Jax said.

I felt my face turn red. I'm actually really relieved he liked it.

" Thank you". I say to him with my eyes looking down

"Where'd you learn to cook like this? The ranch is delicious."

" From Mrs Betty, She was our packs cook."

"Well, Mrs Betty had taught you well" Jax said. "You said was, did something happen to her?" Jax asked me with concern.

I didn't know what to say. I honestly don't know if something happened. I doubt even know if red river had been attacked yet. I still haven't told Jax about my pack or why I ran. I know he's concerned,but he also hasn't pushed me to say more. I'm really grateful to him for that.

"No, nothing happened to her that I know about. She help Ben and I during my escape, so I don't know if she was sent to the sta--" I paused and looked at Jax.

He was looking at me with concern. I know he wants me to keep going and to finish telling him. He takes my hand on his and the electricity I feel had me and my wolf going crazy again.

"Bailey, you are safe here. I promise you. There's nothing you could say or do that's going to change that. Whatever happened at your old pack, you can tell me." he says to me with concern.

"I--I want to tell you, but I don't, I'm not sure..." I started I don't even know what I'm trying to say.

He cups my face and makes me look at him,looking into his beautiful blue-green eyes, I believe him when he says I'm safe here.

"Hey, you can trust me. I'm never going to let anything happen to you, but I need to know what we are up against. I'm not trying to force you to talk or anything like that. I can protect you better, if I know the threat against you.

I look deep in his eyes. I believe him. I believe he's trying to protect me. I believe I'm safe with him. I knew that i have to tell him. He has a right to know what threat could come to his pack while I'm here. I nod my head that I agree.

" Can I have Kip and Nick here when you tell me?" he asks me. I know why he's asking. They are the Beta and first Gamma. They need to help prepare for an attack and have all the gammas ready. I just really appreciate he asked me first. He really is perfect.

"Ok" I tell him.

He smiles at me, still cupping my face. He takes my hand and brings it to his lips. The sparks that erupted from that act was unlike anything I've felt, even when he's holding my hand, my made me suck in a breath. My heart is now pounding even harder. Jax had a far of look in his eyes, I can tell he's mind linking Kip and Nick.

He looks at me and smiled. "They are going to meet us in my office." he says to me.

I get up and start to clean our dishes, but Jax stops me.

"Leave them. Staff with take care of them."

I went to argue, but he swept me up off my feet bridal style, causing me to grab on his neck. I went to tell him that i could walk,but he cut me off before i could.

"I know you can walk, but you still need your rest and you've done enough exercise for one afternoon."

I didn't argue then. I just enjoyed being in his arms as he carried me to his office.

Now for the hard part. Telling Jax and everyone why I'm on the run.