What’s Left Of Me

Sweet Paradise

Chapter Twelve: Sweet Paradise

POV: Eric

Seeing my mate's face light up with every new thing she sees is the cutest thing I have ever seen. Once we get settled in, I get the heated pool ready. Which she has not seen. My mate has decided to make us a meal. Which I’m extremely curious about because I don’t think has ever mentioned cooking. She has been in the kitchen for about an hour. I make my way into the kitchen and I smell the most wonderful thing. 

I look and see her wiping flowers from the counter. She smiles at me and says, “I hope you are hungry. My family is part Italian of course, you know, so what’s being Italian if you can’t cook? My Great Great grandma has passed down this amazing recipe for Chicken Alfredo. Then we have our side of homemade garlic bread. Sorta, Don’t have time to make the bread from scratch but you get the point. Also if you have a sweet tooth, I made sure to order some of your favorite ice creams.” 

Watching my Mate move in the kitchen, is like watching her do a little dance. That makes me wonder can my mate dance? 

My mate sets us a place at the huge oak table, the smell of the food is making the cabin smell like home. I can’t understand how that’s possible. Even when I’m not home, having Hazel with me makes anywhere feel like home. I guess that’s love all in a bundle right there.

The food was mouth-watering, my wolf agrees with me because he keeps encouraging me to eat more and more. Hazel is laughing at me, watching me devour the food she prepared. Finished eating we go into our master bedroom and get changed into some swimwear. She is wearing a red bikini and let me just tell you… I am the luckiest man alive. 

She is beautiful. She is all mine. I lead her to the heated, lit-up pool, and her eyes sparkle with pure joy. I love it. I wanted to let my mate know, no matter how tough everything gets, you can always make it through. You have to take care of yourself to do so. Maybe this vacation will be a refresher for her. It will clear our minds and we could think of other scenarios. 

We get into the pool and she leans back letting all of her worries drift from her shoulders. I can see her physically relax. I have plans for us to go on a hot air balloon tomorrow and have a picnic in the sky, we also have a few wine tastings. I’m going to go to a spa with her, and we are gonna get a couple massages. This week is going to be full of fun stuff to keep her mind at ease. 

Seeing me in a big pink fluffy robe is sure to help. I am beside her in the pool and I lean my head back to look at the stars. I silently thank the goddess for everything she has blessed me with Hazel is perfect. I feel movement in the water, I look and my mate is right in front of me. I grab her and she wraps her legs around me. We just stare at each other. 

We didn’t even realize we floated to the middle of the pool. She puts her forehead on mine and says, “ Thank you for everything. I love you, Eric.” I reply to her by kissing her. The kiss was so amazing, it knocked the air out of us both. When we break apart, we can’t help but smile at one another. We make our way to cleaning up and then to bed. Laying in bed waiting for Hazel to join me, it hits me. You can’t have the good without the bad… So where is the bad? What is the bad?

POV: Hazel

Last night was a dream. Just everything by far has been amazing. Even the long car ride up here. Eric and I have done so much car karaoke. Did you know he can sing? No….Me too. He made me a promise he would sing at our wedding. Imma holds him to it. When we went to bed, there was a skylight over our bed that had a timer on it. We set it so it closes before sunrise. So we are sleeping under the stars. 

Okay so here is the thing, we wolves a bit more advanced when it comes to gadgets and cell phones. In a few years, flat screens will be introduced, while we already have them. That’s just how it worked out. We have the best of the best when it comes to packs. All I’m time though. So this automatic skylight thing is extremely cool and New to me.

I wake up to birds chirping and snow. I’m used to the snow, I am from New York. When he said pack warm, my thoughts went to New York weather. I wasn’t too far off was I? My mate was still snoozing away and I was hungry. I sneaked out of the room and started breakfast. 

I heard small footsteps into the kitchen walkway and he had his nose in the air. Eric made a little boy pouty face. He walks up to me as I’m cooking bacon and sausages. He shoves his head in the crook of my neck. He relaxes and says, ” baby, you weren’t in bed with me.” 

He pulls back to see my face. I couldn’t help but give him an amused look. He pouts even more saying, “ it’s not funny. I got cold.” I turn and kiss him, one that takes his breath away. I pull back without a word and continue to cook. I take them from a pan. I move towards the table and Eric is hot in my trail. 

He looks over the table and his eyes go wide. He licks his lips and he notices me looking at him. At this point, he looks like a deer in headlights. I smirk at him and say, “Enjoy.” He just nods his head and starts putting food on our plates. We both eat silently, the look on Eric's face was one of pure joy. I was loving every minute of it.

Eric got up and started stretching. He did the dishes and come into the dining area and said, “ We have a full day of activities so be ready by Nine.” 

With that, he walks into our room. I propped my feet up thinking I had time and no. I looked over at the clock and it had 8:30 on it. I jumped up and ran into our room. My mate was sitting there laughing at me. I went into the closet and found a cute white and gold jacket. I am wearing black skinny jeans and white boots matching my jacket. I step out and my mate approves. I pull my hair up into a neat top bun. 

My mate is ready and I finish as he is grabbing the keys. We head down and head off. I’m not sure where we are going but this area is beautiful. We get to this in-town area, wolves and humans alike were roaming around. We pull off and head down this long side road. We pull up to this farm-looking thing and he smiles at me real cheeky. We park and he opens my door for me. 

Before I could ask what we are doing here, this tiny petite woman comes up to us both asking for our names, Eric gives them to her and she waves for us to follow her. We get into this small line of six people and my mate grabs my hand. I didn’t realize why he was squeezing my hand so hard until I look over and see a handsome man in a suit and a black long coat looking at me, I’m feeling creeped out by him. 

To be honest with you, once Eric and I were fully mated, I only have eyes for him. Yes, I can register seeing good-looking people but have no attraction towards them. I mean we all like talking to clean people right? Anyway, this man finally takes his eyes off me and looks forward. 

The lady stands up and announces herself as Karen Swine. Apparently, This is a 10-mile wine and cheese tasting. My mate loves me. At the end of this, we can purchase the wine and cheeses we liked. Golf carts were taking us around everywhere. They seated six people so there was a total, including eight people. We to our displeasure got stuck with creepy. What was worse, he was in front of us. This is gonna be a long morning. Eric and I were stuck to each other like glue, I think he felt my discomfort too. 

The whole wine tasting was amazing, it went by faster than I expected. We tased a lot of the grapes they used to make the wines and paired them with mini cheese cubes. It was not fulfilling at all. We end up at their little storefront and we decided to buy some cheeses and wine for the ladies that help run out packhouse. We give them a company address and they will serendipitous it to our packhouse from there. We never give our real address to humans. 

Eric had to use the bathroom, apparently after so much wine he has to go. I was walking around the store to see if I can find this wine that we both liked when creepy grabs me by the arm. 

He smiles down at me and says, “ I know the wine you are looking for it’s over there in the back.” 

I put on the best face I can give and say “no thanks.” 

Before I could walk away he grabs my arm again, “ Sorry to be forward but your beautiful.” 

I try to pull my arm back but his grip was crazy. His eyes turn into slits and they were extremely red, like fire…H*ll’s fire. Eric come back and pulled me to him and says, “Yes, my Fiancé and mate is.” 

With that, the man composes himself and walks away. The small lady walks to me and apologizes nonstop. All she has seen was him grabbing my arm and not letting go when I try to pull away. She is human, she wouldn’t understand what just happened.

I can’t explain what happened. She insisting giving us a bottle of every free wine that we marked on our cards. We make it back to the truck and I just lay my head in the window not wanting to talk about it. 

My mate says, “He is human why didn’t you pull away.” 

I couldn’t help it I break down crying. He pulls over to the side of the road and pulls me to him. He hushes me and calms me down. 

I finally find my voice and say, “ He wasn’t human, his eyes turned to slits like a cat, but all I seem was red in them like fire.” 

He sits back looking at me searching for anything. He let out a curious sigh, “ I wonder, how he smelled like a human. It sounds like a demon, they are rare but I guess it happens. I’m wondering what he wanted with you though.” 

 We both can’t shake the feeling but we move forward with our day. Apparently, he has more planned. We still can not shake the feeling we are being followed.