Hidden Secrets

Chapter 13: New Home

Stella's POV

It's hard saying goodbye to all that I've known. I don't remember anything other than growing up with the Blood Howlers, Meeting Sophia and Stefano, and being alone. The car ride to the airport is awkward between Damon and me. I don't know what to say to him, we are supposed to be all-powerful mates, at least normal mates they have a choice of rejecting each other. The moon goddess already marked us for each other.

For the love of goddess please say something to him

What am I supposed to say to him... nice weather we're having?

At this point... I'll take it

"Hey, Ummm, Nice socks,"

"What?"

"What?"

"Did you ... just compliment my socks?"

"No, I said nice weather you have... I mean I have, you, me... WE!"

Dear lord help us

I can't help but sink in my seat as I listen to the silence, but it's broken with a belly of laughter and I look to my side and see a genuine smile. It's breathtaking, this is the first time I've seen him actually smile, I mean I've seen the smirks and the little half lite smiles but nothing like this.

Goddess he is perfect

Don’t get too attached… you never know….

The rest of the car ride was quiet but it wasn't awkward like it should have been. I'm halfway out of the car when I get a glimpse of the plane. It's a lot scarier up close

"First time on a plane?" Damon asked leading me out of the car, and I only nodded scared of what noise would come out instead of words, "Don't worry, I'll protect you,"

This is the first time anyone has said something like that, and it might be the bond but I want to trust him. I've been through so much s**t that I've blocked most if not all of my memories. I may not remember a whole lot but I know that each time I trust someone I just end up getting stabbed in the back. Even if he is my mate I'm too scared to let go of the walls and shelter I've built around me, but with him, it almost seems ok too... let go.

I hand my mags off to the staff and stop at the bottom of the stairs. When I look up I see Damon waiting for me at the top. I did always want to go on an adventure.

***17 hours later***

Whhyyy, why would something so big need to take that long to get to a place? When we took off I thought the plane was about to crash, then once in the air, I threw up in Damon's lap because of the height. Every little movement I wanted to have a freaking panic attack until Damon had enough and gave me a sleeping pill. After that the plane ride was fine.

"Are you ok?" Damon asked

"You better have more of those pills if that's how the rest of the evening is going to go," I said and my only answer was a laugh. I take a step off the plane and what I see is just perfect, I look to my left and I see rolling hills of forest that are lush and inviting, and then I look to my right and I see the ocean, the sky is a bright blue while the ocean is a dark blue it almost looks like someone cut it off the sky. I'm lost in the beautiful scenery when I feel a little grip on my hand and I look to see Damon looking right at me,

"What?"

"Nice weather, huh?" smirking his signature smirk

"Never going to let that go are you?"

"Nope" popping the 'p' and leading me the rest of the way out of the plane, and we are greeted by three black SUV's. I can almost feel the panic and stress set in, and right on cue Damon stops me before he opens the back door for me.

"Hey, I can feel your panic,"

"I can't help it, I'm meeting your family and I don't really know how to act," Taking a deep breath, I jump into the car hoping that this will end quickly. The car ride is short but when we pull up to the house, wow, I thought the Blood Howlers had a crazy pack house, boy, was I wrong. Looking through the window I see a driveway leading to a stone path to a huge wrap around porch and white stones building the three-story house, I mean mansion. There is a beautiful rose garden surrounding the front and a fountain in the front driveway. The stone mansion is submerged in the middle of the forest making the white stones pop against the dark green. You can hear the wildlife around and the smell of the fresh trees. It's something you would find in a fantasy novel. I don't think I’ve seen anything like it.

I step out of the car and Damon drags me into the house. I look like a fish out of water because even if the house looked traditional on the outside, once you get past the front door. It is purely out of a fantasy book; Dark hardwood floors, leather furniture, the sun shining through all the windows, colored along the walls is the reflection stained glass, the smell of fresh floors and baked goods fill the air. Damon is just laughing at me by the time I get back to him, his eyes cloud over which means someone is mind linking him. Which is interrupted when someone tackles him to the ground or someone(s).

"AWWW!" I see Damon being tackled to the floor by three other men.

"bentornato a casa itsy-bitsy ," (Welcome home itsy-bitsy)

"Benvenuti," (Welcome), A man that looks like an older Damon, but with shorter hair takes my hand and kisses the top of it

Should we tell them that we know Italian?

HA, and what's the fun in that?!

"Stai lontano da lei Ricky o ti morderò la gola," (Stay away from her Ricky or I'll bite your throat out myself)

Ok so one of them is named Ricky, check, and if I remember correctly he is the second oldest one. So I'm going to assume the larger one is Sam the oldest and then the one just a little shorter than Damon is John. Damn I'm good

"Oh, quindi questo è il compagno che ti è mancato," (Oh so this is the mate that you have gone missing for) John said, taking my hand out of ricky’s and kissing it, which only got him a large growl from Damon.

"Accidenti, hai fatto bene, è sexy con le gambe, voglio dire dopo il mio amico, naturalmente" (Damn bro you did good, she is sexy on legs, I mean after my mate of course)

"Aspetta, è umana, sento il suo odore, Damon sai che gli umani non usano la magia. Non vincerai la gara con una compagna umana. Sai cosa dirà papà?"

(Wait, She is human, I can smell her, Damon you know that humans are non-magic users. You won't win the competition with a human mate. Do you know what dad is going to say?) Sam said, looking between Damon and me. There is that word weak again, I'm not going to take it!

“Posso anche non usare la magia, ma questo non significa che possa prenderti a calci nel sedere,” (I may be a non-magic user but it doesn't mean I can kick your ass) I said in fluent Italian stunning them enough, but Ricky is the first to break the silence with a laugh, next to follow is John and I can feel the silent pride in Damon.

I walked up to Sam and looked straight up at his face which was much like Damons but older and more girly.

“Hi, I’m Stella,” I reach my hand out and shake it, “I’m Damons Mate, and yes I’m human,”

I walk back over to Damon where I see a slight sparkle in his eyes and I can't help but giggle. I notice that Ricky and John are trying hard to hold in their laugh.

"You are making it very hard for me," he whispered in my ear and I was all too confused as to what he was talking about till I felt his hand slip up my shirt and our skins jump with excitement. I blush like a ripe tomato and hide my face in my hands and walk away putting distance between us. When I finally feel like this is a good distance I'm suddenly engulfed in a hug and squeezed to the point of no return.

"Sam honey, please stop embarrassing me, you look like a fish out of water, HA!" she said. I finally tap her back signaling 'uncle'/ 'can't breath' and she lets go. When I get a closer look at her I notice that she smiles like Damon and her hair is the same silky black hair as him. So that means this is Damon's Mom, Crystal Windcrest, not going to lie that sounds like a stripper's name or a drug.

"Hello dear, I'm Damon's Mom Crystal, but please call me whatever you want," I nodded

"Stella... Stella Whitewater, Nice to finally meet you," I said with a smile

"Whitewater?" She repeated confused, but I only nodded

"Hey ma, where is dad I want to introduce him to Stella," Damon said breaking the weird moment

"Oh sweety he had an emergency meeting in Malon, he won't be home till tomorrow morning," she said, "But it's fine you both must be hungry," before any of us could answer my stomach did for us, making everyone laugh but me.

After we finished dinner, Damon’s family was wonderful and very welcoming. Ricky and Sam were the loudest, and I don’t think John really said anything but I don’t think anyone really minded. At the table while everyone was talking loudly I started to yawn, and with that Damon excused us and we headed to the bedrooms.

"Where am I sleeping?" I ask yawning again.

"With me,"

"Oh Hell no, I want to sleep in my own bed," I stopped walking

"Well we don't have an extra room, so you will have to make do with my bed," He didn’t even bother to stop to look at me.

"I know that's a lie Damon, This place is a f*****g Mansion, I know that this whole mate thing makes you feral and protective," I follow close behind him and he stops without warning causing me to run into his back.

"NO and that is final," He said finally meeting my stare, “There are too many unmated males, and you are human,”

"I can protect myself you know," I cross my arms popping out a hip

"Oh like you protected yourself when I got in your bed back in America," he stated following my movements, also crossing his arms.

"HEY, that was different..." I went to argue

"No, it's not,” He stood firm, “I know that you are the fence about everything, but please think about what Sophia and Stephano told us,”

If what they said is true… I really am in the mouth of the beast.

“Fine,” I said uncrossing my arms, “You win this round, but don’t think you have a chance next time,”

He smirks and turns toward a door right in front of us, walking up he pushes back the double doors and I walk past.

The room is beautiful, the white stones peep through the walls, and there is a build out of a fireplace from the same stones. The back wall is painted a deep earthy brown, where a Large king sized bed sits. the sheets and comforter is a dark forest green and matching brown. Covering the back walls are shelves of books just lined and completely filled. In front of the bed is a wall completely of windows showing off the scenery. I’m in shock when I notice another set of doors that lead to a bathroom. Seeing the same white stones line the wall of the massive shower. The bathtub is in the same area of the shower and also massive to fit at least three bodies. Everything is white with the same deep brown.

"This is amazing," I said with my mouth in awe. He only laughed in response and I could see him walking over to another door which I followed out of curiosity

"Wish to watch me change little star?"

"I umm was just wondering where that door would lead,"

"It's ok you can join me if you want," I didn't know what to say, I couldn't say anything I just turned around grabbed one of my bags and shut myself in the bathroom.

I slipped on the same sweat pants and ripped t-shirt. It's so weird to think that this has all happened in such a short amount of time. Taking a deep breath I make my way back out to the bedroom. I walked back out to see Damon reading a book, but when I walked in he looked up and in an instant, his eyes changed. I didn't signal or encourage anything else I just slipped in the sheet and shut the light off

"Goodnight," I said, grabbing a pillow "Oh, Damon come near me while I sleep and I'll kick you so hard in the balls that they will crawl right up and never come out,"

I didn’t get an answer until I felt the bed lift and the sound of a shower being turned on.