TBMA [Complete ✔️]

26. Family I

Zane's P.O.V

Heaven as I'd known it shattered in the face of a single kiss.

Rules be damned so long as she looked at me the way she did. So long as the green in her orbs met the blue in mine and reminded me why I loved the Earth and its colors. Rules be damned so long as her heart beat close to mine and my lips waited for hers to keep them company.

I had heard stories from older wolves about what it was like to share even a simple kiss with your mate, but no matter how much they had said, nothing could've done the actual feeling justice.

The moment her lips came in contact with mine, I was assaulted with fireworks dancing across where they met. Sparks zapped, burning and nipping at my consciousness until all I focused on was the pure bliss.

The feeling that I've made it. That I managed to break past her walls and murder her doubts. The knowledge that after she'd declared she'd never love anyone, that she won't suffer for anyone ever again, I was the first wolf she trusted, the first, and last, to ever feel her lips against mine, nothing would be able to beat it.

If our kiss was the fireworks, our lips were new years' night.

I cradled her head, bringing her closer to me, greedily taking in more of her warmth, more of her scent, more of her.

I was an addict, and she - my addiction.

By the time we pulled away, her lips were swollen, her cheeks painted with an adorable blush she only got around me. Though I'd never admit it to her, my favorite part about teasing her was seeing that very blush burn her face.

We both panted for air through our smiles, a short breath of relief escaping my lips when I saw she didn't regret it. Even if she kissed me first, I'd hate for her to torment herself about it.

The smile on her face, however, that smile wasn't one of regret. It was happiness. And it was also the exact moment I'd dreamed of, the moment I knew it was safe to call her mine.

"Kiss me like that again and you won't have to ask for permission next time!" She smirked, watching me. I ran my thumb down her face, trailing it along her bottom lip before letting it fall.

"As you wish, Angel!" I mumbled softly, not finding it in me to joke about this moment.

Not after waiting for it for so long. Not after it felt like this and meant so much.

I brought my lips back to hers, having already missed their softness. This one, unlike the first one, wasn't passionate, it wasn't meant to shatter down walls of fear, brick by brick, it was slow and soft, it was one meant to show her my love, to prove to her that I was now here, that I was staying.

My lips trailed down, placing soft kisses on her chin, trailing down to her jaw until they met her neck, lingering there longer. Her skin was soft and warm, her arms snaked around my neck as she took deep breaths.

I continued placing soft kisses on her neck, making my way over to the spot where I was supposed to mark her without even realizing it. She pushed me away lightly, my wolf surprisingly not offended by the gesture. He knew she wasn't ready for that just yet, as did I.

"Zane, I-" She started, guilt flashing through her eyes as she was unable to continue her sentence.

"You need more time," I stated more than asked, a small ounce of fear resting itself in my heart.

What if she didn't want to be marked? What if, after today, she still decided she couldn't have a mate?

My fears were, luckily, short-lived as she nodded, a breath of relief flowing through both of us. A flushed, barely noticeable smile danced on her lips.

"I'm not alone anymore?" She breathed out, though it came out more of a question, Zion whimpering at the thought of his mate being lonely.

I couldn't even complain, unsure which one of us was more wrapped around her finger.

"You never were, Angel!" Her arms wrapped around my neck again, letting me pull her in. I thought the embrace was going to be short, but she seemed like she needed to be in my arms more than ever before. So I let her.

Rose rested her head against my chest, while I rested my jaw above it, shielding her from the world.

I wasn't sure how much time had passed with her in my arms, my brain seeming to lose all touch with reality whenever my mate was near. At one point, we found ourselves sitting with our backs against the door, with her head laid against my knees and my fingers playing with her hair.

A text pulled us out of our trance, making me groan when I lost contact with Rose because she forced me to see who it was from. She didn't pry, didn't try to read over my shoulder as I skimmed through it, a grin immediately making its way onto my face as I read it.

"What's so funny?" She asked, trying, and failing, to keep the jealousy out of her voice. I simply shrugged, having gone too long without teasing her.

I didn't turn off my phone when I slid it away from her and left it face down on the floor, watching as curiosity nipped at her.

"Zane!" She whined, scolding me when I only laughed.

"Not jealous of my mom, are we, Angel?" I finally let her see the text, her face heating up so hard that even the tips of her ears burned red.

"You should probably go, and, um, spend Christmas with her or whatever parents do with their pups." She mumbled, getting up.

I jumped up after her, not liking the sudden change of emotions.

"She's only teasing me, Angel, you know my mom loves you probably more than she does me!"

I had no idea what flipped her switch like that, the text only about how she was going home to prepare dinner and how I was probably going to be bringing guests over, given how long I was taking to return to her.

"I know." She said, fumbling with the sheets of her bed, which she had already made. She had always been like this whenever she was upset or embarrassed as a pup, fumbling with her hair or random objects within her reach.

I went over to her, pulling her in my arms and snaking them around her waist, so she wouldn't escape.

"Zane!" She tried, and failed, to remove my hold from around her. "Zane," Rose mumbled softly, soon giving up.

My mate's head once again rested on my body, this time leaning against my shoulder as she took deep breaths to calm herself down.

"You're my mate and as such, I don't want to see you deal with problems of your own. What's wrong?" She seemed to contemplate whether or not she should tell me, but I knew I had won the second she sighed.

I finally let her pull away, holding her hand as I led her to her bed.

"Promise not to hate me?" I shook my head.

"Believe me, I've tried." She elbowed me in the stomach, not enough to hurt but enough to get her point across. "I promise, Angel!"

Another sigh left her lips, then silence stretched between us. I almost thought she wouldn't speak again until she eventually did.

"I was jealous of your mom, Zane, and I hate myself for it. I hurt you, I hurt her, and all you two ever do is stay by my side and I can't help but wonder why!"

Zion whimpered again, fighting with me for control. Upset Rose was something he didn't joke about but neither did I.

My hold on her hand tightened, but she refused to look at me.

"Rose, look at me!" I pleaded, tears pooling in her eyes as her gaze finally met mine. "I know what it's like to lose a parent you were close with, I won't pretend I have an idea of what it's like to lose two, nor would I tell you I understand being alone. I don't, and yet, I still have my moments where I wondered what it would be like if my dad was still here, if he were to train me and help me be at least half of a good Beta as he was. Pain and grief don't just go away and it's okay if you were upset."

The tears that had pulled in her eyes were now making wet trails down her cheeks. I wiped them away before I continued.

"Holidays are hard sometimes and that's okay. You'll always have me. My mom is also yours. You're part of the family and you always have been. You have no idea how mom's eyes sparkled when she found out you were my mate. I hadn't seen her this happy since dad passed. You're just as much her daughter as I - her son." Rose snuggled into me, wiping the remains of tears on her face.

"As for me, we're together now! We have eternity to figure out who hurt whom, but I'd prefer if we spent it loving one another instead. Won't you?" She nodded, cupping my face to kiss me. A kiss to tell me she was grateful I was here.

And I kissed her back. A kiss to let her know I was grateful she was here.

"Very soon, Angel, so, very soon." I kissed the top of her head, glancing down at the spot that would soon carry my mark. "Very soon you and everyone else will know exactly who your wolf is!"

"Who cares about everyone?" She asked, lacing her fingers through my hair to smooth it down. "I already do."

A/N

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