The Alphas Hidden Mate

Chapter 3; So This Is Love?

Crace closed the distance between us and our lips met. The sparks of the mate bond zapped between our lips as they moved in sync. I was fool for rejecting this man in front of me. What was I thinking? In a desperate attempt to get closer to him, I gripped his arms and moved closer to him. He must have been thinking the same thing as he moved one hand behind my head and pulled me closer to him. He moved his other hand down my spine, and I moaned at the sensation. The hand continued down to my thigh and I gasped as the sparks went through my nerve system. He took that opportunity and moved his tongue into my mouth, tasting me. He tasted just like he smelled - pastries...more specifically, croissants. Flaky, buttery, and melt in your mouth. I was in heaven. I moved my hand to his hair and ran through my fingers through it. I gripped it and got lost in him. He untied my ponytail and my hair cascaded down over my shoulders. He ran his fingers through it. After another minute or so - I don't know how long it was, it was hard to keep track-, the kiss slowed and eventually ended with pecks on the lips. 

"Wow." I breathed. He smirked at me, c*ckily.

"I know. I'm pretty amazing." He said, shrugging. I gasped and hit his arm. He pretended that I hurt him and held his arm. Though, I doubt I even left a mark on him.

"Shut up!" I said but I couldn't stop the smile that was forming on my face. I sighed and leant into him. I couldn't help the draw that I felt from the bond, every inch of my being needed to be close to him. "So what now?"

"Well, that's up to you, princess" He said, kissing me on the forehead. I pursed my lips, thinking.

"I definitely don't want anyone to know. Not yet, anyway" I said. Crace nodded, understanding and agreeing with me. "I know that it's going to be difficult, what with the mate bond and all. I'm just not ready for anyone to know." I told him.

"That's okay. I completely understand. The only problem is Gabriella. She's going to want to do...stuff..." He said, awkwardly. He looked at me, guiltily. "I definitely don't want to do...stuff...with her when I could be doing it with you" I blushed at that. 

"Yeah, I'm not too keen on you doing...stuff...with Gabriella either" I said, grimacing. "You're going to have deal with her" I told him, slyly. I smiled a little and giggled slightly as I waited for his reaction.

"I'm going to have to deal with her?" He said, shocked. I bit my lip and nodded at him.

"Yeah. You're the one that's involved with her and...whatever you guys do. So you're going to have to think up of something." I said, still smiling a little. 

"No, no, no. This won't do. We are a team now, we are partners. We do things together now. So if by 'I' you mean 'we', then yes. We are going to have to think up of something" He told me. I scowled for a second before sighing.

"Okay, fine. We will have to think up of something on how to deal with Gabriella. Not today though. I can't deal with the logistics of things yet. Can we just be here for a little longer?" I said, snuggling into him. He chuckled and nuzzled his nose into my hair.

"Whatever you want, princess" He said. The forest started to murmur in the background, signalling that it was around midday. It was peaceful. The sun, now high in the sky, shone through the leaves, warming us just enough that it was cozy. The forest chatter created the perfect lullaby and I found myself dozing off. Crace rubbed my arm in slow strokes, sending me further into a deep sleep. We sat on the log like that for a little longer. Then we had to go back to reality. Crace quietly and gently woke me up and we made our way to the edge of the forest, hand in hand. This moment in time, I felt contentedness, I felt at peace, I felt...whole. It was a moment I wished would never end. 

"So I was thinking..."Crace began to say as we reached the entrance to the forest. 

"Hmm?" I looked at him, curious. 

"What if we meet here, at the forest, tomorrow night? And any other night?" He asked me, hesitantly. It was like he wasn't sure if I would like the idea.

"You are just so cute. You know that you could propose the idea of murdering someone and I would be all for it, right?" I told him, wrapping my arms around his neck. 

"Haha, wouldn't that make you an accomplice though? They could put you away for second degree murder" He said, placing his hands on my waist. I threaded my fingers through his short, brown hair and smiled devilishly. 

"Isn't that what partners are for? You said that we are a team now, partners. I suppose that it makes us partners in life and crime now." I told him. He chuckled.

"I suppose you're right, Princess. I suppose you're right" He said, leaning down. I met him halfway and kissed him with passion. The sparks zapped between us, once more. He gripped me tighter before letting go. We broke apart and smiled at each other before parting ways.

We held hands for as long as possible, trying to get as much contact as possible for our bond. The moment he was out of my sight, I could feel the bond inside hurt. It was an indescribable pain. I never want to feel this again, but unfortunately my mind just didn't feel the same as my heart or the bond. I reached my cottage house and made it inside before crying out in pain. God, why couldn't I just be brave enough to face it?

I got up off the door and went to the bathroom to wash my face. There was a knock on the door and I sighed. I went to the door and opened it. Crace was standing there, looking sheepish. My eyes widened in shock. I quickly glanced around to check that no one saw him before grabbing his arm and yanking him inside.

"Crace! What are you doing here?!" I whisper-yelled at him. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Why are you whispering? We're inside." He said, confused. I rolled my eyes at him.

"I'm mad that you are here! I live right behind Gabriella! She could have seen you. I know that this is our first day but, you need to be smarter than this." I told him. I ran my hands through my hair that was still out and sat on the bed.

"I know but I realised I forgot something. I forget to tell you something and give something to you." He admitted, smiling sheepishly at me. 

"What? What could have been so important that you had to risk coming here, Crace?" I asked him. He beamed and pulled a parcel out from behind his back. My jaw dropped the tiniest bit in surprise.

"Happy birthday." He said, pecking me on the lips. I smiled into the kiss before taking the present. 

"How did you manage to get something in such a short amount of time?" I asked him, studying the present. 

"Well, I may have had some strings pulled. Being the Alpha has it's privileges." He said, shrugging. I narrowed my eyes at him. I untied the bow on top of it and lifted the lid. 

"Crace..."I said, in awe. Oh my... Inside the box was a gorgeous set of earrings and a necklace. The earrings were jade with diamond crescents on it. The necklace was a diamond square with a jade teardrop all hanging off a thin gold chain. They were exquisite. "Crace, this is too much!" I told him, playing with the necklace.

"Perhaps...for any other wolf. You're not any other wolf though, Serena. You're my mate, my Luna." He said, candidly. I opened my mouth to chastise him but he stopped me. "I know, I know. You're not ready yet. Still, you will eventually be my Luna. The Luna of our pack, my mate and my partner in crime, deserves the best. You deserve the best and it is you're 17th after all." He told me. "The Fairy Nymph Queen deserves a gift worthy of her title, does she not?" 

I rolled my eyes at him. "Okay" I scoffed at him. I sighed and looked at the jewellery. "You really, really shouldn't have" 

He grabbed the box from me and took the necklace out. "No, I really, really should have. Now, stop protesting and admit that you like the gift." He said. He motioned for me to turn around and I did so. I lifted my hair up, already knowing what he wanted. He clipped the necklace on and the pendant fell to my breasts, stopping right before my cleavage. Oh god...I was still wearing my workout gear, I realised with mortification. 

I turned to face him so he could see it on me. His eyes filled with admiration and lust. "It suits you." He said, smiling at me. 

"I'm guessing you chose jade because of the forest?" I asked him, not missing the irony. He chuckled again.

"That...and because jade is your birthstone, is it not?" He said, smiling at me. I smiled as I realised he was right.

"You already know so much about me" I said, beaming at him. 

"You are my Luna, princess. It's my duty to know everything about you." He told me. I leaned up to kiss him again, and this time, I truly lost myself in the kiss.