The Huntress and her Alpha

Chapter Nineteen

Sarah and Aimee kept me away from the pack house the rest of the day. Probably an hour into our adventure, our first stop being the spa, I started to miss Lip almost unbearably. I just wanted to spend the day with him. Which scared me because we needed a life outside of each other.

The sun was setting by the time we left the mall where Sarah and Aimee had spent too long looking or their dress for the ball Lip was planning. I didn’t want to look, telling them I’d find something in my closet.

Sarah seemed amused by that, like she knew something I didn’t.

By the time we pulled back into the parking lot I was more than ready to find my mate. I didn’t even wait for them to get their bags, I walked quickly into the house and took the stairs two at a time.

Lip was waiting for me at the end of our hallway. His crooked smile took my breath away.

“I missed you.” I said as I walked straight into his open arms. He pulled me tightly against him, pressing a kiss to the top of my head.

I felt him inhale as he held me. “I always miss you when you’re away.”

He leaned down and kissed me gently. “Are you ready to see our room? I didn’t go overboard I promise.”

I nodded. “Yes. Show me.”

Lip pushed open the door and I gasped. The living room wasn’t that much different, a few different pictures were hanging, some of Lip and me that I didn’t even realize he had taken. Then I glanced to my left and completely stopped on my tracks.

“Lip.” I whispered his name as I felt my heart stop.

The entire side wall had been knocked out and replaced with floor to ceiling book shelves. There in the corner sat a large cushioned seat with a blanket and a standing light. My books sat in the shelves, along with new books I knew Lip had went out and bought himself.

He came up behind me and touched my hips. “Do you like your new reading nook?”

Tears filled my eyes. “I love it.” I spun around to face him. “You did this for me?”

“You love your books. And I love you. I wanted you to have your own space. I thought about turning your room into a library but i wanted you here with me when you’re reading.”

I smiled and wrapped my arms around him. “I love you. So much.”

He smiled as he kissed me. Then pulled away. “Let’s go see our bedroom.”

The bedroom was gorgeous decorated in neutral colors including a brand new king sized bed. The closet was big enough to fit a vanity inside along with all my clothes and shoes. Lip’s clothes took up his entire side of the closet, mine looked pathetic compared to his.

But I loved it all the same.

“So do you like it?” He asked when I came back into the bedroom and found him waiting for me on our bed.

“I love it.” I smiled as i climbed onto his lap and wrapped myself around him. “Now I think I should find a way to thank you.”

He laughed as he fell backwards and held me against him. My hands moved on their own, my body singing as I finally got what I had been fantasizing about all day.

——

Now that we were officially living together Lip sped up the planning of the ball. Originally he had been planning it for the next month, but he wanted to officially introduce me to the pack as his mate and so the date was moved to today.

To say I was nervous was an understatement. While I had been here for some time now, I was still adjusting to everything myself. I wasn’t ready for more than just being Lip’s mate.

But he was so happy, he was so excited to have me by his side I couldn’t ruin it. So I smiled and told him I was excited too. It made me happy to see how thrilled he was to have me on his arm.

I wrapped a towel around myself as I got out of the shower. Lip was waiting for me in our bedroom, his hazel eyes full of light.

“I have something for you.” He said quietly as he tried, and failed, to keep from looking down at my towel clad body.

I laughed. “Mmhm. What is it?”

There laying on the bed was a dress. I stepped closer to get a better look at it and gasped. It was a champagne color with beading along the seams. The top came up into a beautiful lace like corset with more beads that shimmered in the light. It was nothing I would’ve chosen for myself, but it was beautiful all the same.

“I had Sarah pick you out a dress. Do you like it?”

“It’s gorgeous.” I smiled at him. “Thank you.”

“I might have persuaded her to pick that one. It has a nice advantage.” He wiggled his eyebrows as he kissed me. “Get dressed, she’ll be here soon to get you ready.”

“Who?” I asked confused as I forgot about his cryptic statement about the dress.

He laughed. “You’ll see.”

Then he disappeared into the closet to find his own formal attire to wear to this dance.

I dried myself off, wrapping my hair up in the towel, then shimmed the dress on. It fit perfectly, surprisingly since i thought Sarah might have thought I was smaller than I really was.

“Lip.” I stood with my back towards the closet as I heard him come out. “Can you zip me up?”

I didn’t feel him come closer so I looked over my shoulder to find him staring at me. He looked dumbstruck, like he couldn’t move, staring at me with big eyes.

“Lip.” I laughed as his eyes found mine. “Can you zip me up?”

“Yeah right.” His fingers brushed my back and I shivered under his touch.

I moved my leg and found the slit, rolling my eyes as I let the towel fall off my head and turned to look at Lip. “So I take it this is why you liked this dress.”

He smiled, his brown eyes full of black specks. “Easy access.” He whispered leaning in and kissing me. “You look gorgeous.”

“Alright you two.” I jumped as Sarah’s voice filled our room. “Break it up. We’ve got makeup and hair to do.”

I sighed. “Your sister is really annoying.”

“Yeah well I’m stuck with her. You chose her as your friend.”

I laughed as he let me go and then Sarah pulled me into the bathroom. “That dress is gorgeous. I’m so glad Lip found it.”

“Why aren’t you dressed yet?”

“Because I’m doing your makeup first. Then I’ll get dressed, don’t worry we have time.”

We fell into conversation as she made me up. She made me laugh, then scolded me when I squinted and she needed to do my eyes. It didn’t take long but when she was done I looked like a stranger.

I had never felt beautiful before. But Sarah had worked magic. My hair curled perfectly, falling around my shoulders. For once it wasn’t frizzy and wild, it actually looked nice. My eyes were bright, the blue and green pronounced by the brown eyeshadow she had used.

My lips were red, bold and bright. “Wow.”

“You look hot.” She smiled as she cleaned up her brushes. “Lip will fall over himself. Now I’m going to get ready. Don’t ruin your makeup!”

I took one last look at myself and shook my head. Maybe I had never felt beautiful, but Lip had always made me believe I was. I sighed, wondering what he'd think of this. I was too made up for my liking, but I guess special occasions were the exception.

Lip was sitting on the bed buttoning his sleeves when I finally found the courage to leave the bathroom. He stopped mid button and looked at me, his mouth falling open.

“Max.” He stood up and now it was my turn to gasp.

He wore dark suit pants that fit perfectly. They weren’t too tight, but they weren’t baggy either. Nothing was left the imagination. His white button up shirt strained against his shoulders, his buttons holding it in place against his well defined chest. He had rolled up one sleeve and I felt my desire hit me all at once.

I loved when boys rolled up the sleeves of their dress shirt.

“Wow.” I stepped towards him, his curls were styled with gel and sat back away from his forehead. I resisted the sudden urge to run my fingers through his hair and mess it up. “Don’t you clean up nicely, alpha.”

“You look…” he shook his head. “Too gorgeous for me to show off.”

I laughed. “It’s not too much? I told Sarah natural and I just feel… like it’s a lot.”

Lip touched my cheek and then kissed my lips softly. “You look perfect, Max.”

I blew out a breath. “We have to get going soon.”

He nodded. “Yes. We are the main event of the dance. Are you ready?”

I shook my head. “No. But just promise you won’t let go of my hand.”

He nodded, squeezing my hand gently with his. “I promise.”

Before I was ready we stood at the top of the stairs and everyone stopped talking. My heart hammered inside my chest as Lip held my hand in the crook of his arm and we walked slowly down the steps together.

“Ladies and gentleman.” Lip smiled as he looked at his pack. “It is my greatest honor to officially introduce my human mate to you all. Please give a warm welcome to my beautiful mate, Max Calloway.”

Everyone clapped as my cheeks heated up. I smiled at them, my eye catching on Lip’s aunt and uncle sitting at the table closet to us. They were clapping, but they didn’t look to pleased. I looked away, finding Sarah and Aimee standing with giant smiles on their faces.

“I know she’s been here for a few months now, but this is her formal introduction to our pack. I expect everyone to welcome her. And for our neighboring packs, welcome to you all. Please enjoy yourselves.”

I smiled at Lip as he pulled me into his side. I felt better when he kissed my temple and everyone resumed their conversations. I was surprised when Lip bypassed our table and instead kept walking towards the open dance floor.

Lip took my hand and then gave me that crooked smile as eyes fell on us once again. “Did I tell you how amazing you look in that dress tonight?”

I laughed. “I think you mentioned how much you love the slit.”

His hands moved down my sides, squeezing my hips then sliding down to my exposed thigh. He ran the tips of his fingers over my skin making me shiver. “I do love the easy access. God you’re more beautiful than I ever dreamed you could ever be.”

I winced, my eyes finding his. “You think so? I’m not as tall as the she wolves or nearly as pretty. My curls are wild and I just feel so plain. My thighs touch, my favorite color is black because it makes me feel like I look smaller than I am.”

Lip stopped moving and brought his hands up to my cheek. He took in a breath and held my stare, my chest ached along with his as I said every bad word about myself to him.

“You’re perfect. Your body has curves, you have muscles that means you work hard. Your hair is wild, but then again so are you. You’re the perfect height for me to lean down and kiss you. And you’re not plain. You’re extraordinary. You’re marvelous. You’re mine.”

I couldn’t help but laugh at his response. “That was too smooth.”

“It’s all true. Without the mate bond I think you’re gorgeous Max. I promise you I have since that first time I met you in the bar.”

I took in a breath and touched the buttons on his white shirt. “You fill this suit out pretty nicely too, Alpha.”

I laughed loudly as he wiggled his eye brows and then threw me away from his body and spun around. He pulled me back on, his hands skimming those curves he said he loved so much. I shivered, still laughing as he moved up together.

“This right here.” Lips deep voice was in my ear as he held me close. One hand on my waist the other snaked around my backside. My arms were around his neck and I pulled back to meet his eyes. “If you could smile like this everyday, with me, then I’ll die a happy man.”

I leaned in and kissed him in front of the entire pack. “I’m happy with you, Lip.”

“What about the rest of the pack?” He asked as we moved together, a few other couples like Aimee and Jack found their way out onto the dance floor joining us.

“I’m warming up to them.” I answered honestly as he dipped me down making me laugh. He pulled me back up quickly, more laughter falling from my throat.

“I love your laugh.” He smiled as his eyes held mine. “I love being the one to make you laugh.”

I shook my head. “I never imagined having something like this. Not a partner or an equal, definitely not a mate. And then to find one who’s so understanding, so in tune with my hesitation and who lets me process things the way I need to. I just feel so lucky that I got stuck with you.”

Lip’s eyes sparkled as he laughed at my heartfelt joke. He captured my lips with his, pulling my body into his completely. We weren’t dancing anymore, instead we stood there kissing, in the middle of the dance floor, during a party that as Alpha Lip had been forced to throw for neighboring packs in order to officially introduce me.

But in that moment everything else ceased to matter. All I wanted was the feeling of his lips, his skin, his touch, against mine. He wrapped me in his arms and I felt that familiar throbbing start in my stomach.

I pressed my hand against his cheek. His fingers pushing the beads of my dress into the skin on my hips. We were lost in each other, totally oblivious to the fact that hundreds of eyes were still watching us.

Someone cleared their throat and then a deep voice broke through the haze of our moment. “Alpha, Max. I um. Don’t mean to interrupt but there are children here.”

Lip pulled his face away from mine, but he didn’t let me go. He growled at Jack who stood there smirking at us, I noticed Aimee trying not to giggle.

“It’s okay.” I whispered laughing myself. Then I lowered my voice for only Lip to hear. “After we’ve made our rounds and said hello to the other alphas, we can go back to our room.”

His hazel eyes darkened. “You’re going to make me wait?”

“I’ll make it worth your wild.” I kissed his cheek, nicking the corner of his mouth. “I’ll even let you tear this dress off me.”

His grip tightened as he kept hold of my hips. I watched him swallow, trying to control himself. We had only been together a few times, but we had been sleeping in the same bed for some time now. This bond inside my chest chafed at the idea of waiting for him any longer than I had to.

But this was his duty, and if everything continued to go smoothly, soon it would be mine too.

“Let’s get this over with.” He grabbed my hand and pulled me towards our table.

There was food already waiting for us, my growling stomach was grateful. Lip fell into conversation with a few alphas who had come because of his invitation. I heard him talk about meetings with them tomorrow as I took a bite of my food.

I felt eyes on me as I sat there. One of the other alphas was staring at me. His big blue eyes were almost white from this angle. He had a long scar than ran down his cheek, ending at the corner of his mouth.

I stared back at him, he kept smiling like he was waiting for me to figure something out. I couldn’t help but break the stare, it felt like he was planning something as he sat there.

I shivered and leaned into Lip, letting his hand slid under the slit of my dress and settled on my thigh. The alpha kept creepily staring and I couldn’t help but feel like I had seen him somewhere before.

Almost like he lived inside a memory I couldn’t quite reach. A memory I had pushed so far down it was just darkness at this point.

Sarah sat down beside me, thankfully blocking my view of the creepy alpha. We fell into conversation and for the first time since I came to Black Forest I finally felt at home among what would someday be our pack.