MATE AND HIS LOVER 9

#43 Aren't we now?

Two more days until the fight. As per tradition, the current Alpha holds a celebration for the title nominees in the Alpha's mansion.

After Nate gets ready in a deep black suit, he picks up his ringing phone. Frank's name is on display. When Nate tries to accept the call, the screen gets stuck. He frustratedly continues to tap on the green button.

Nate's very old phone, a long since discontinued model, has been acting up for the past couple of weeks. But he has been too busy to browse for a new one and had decided to keep it for as long as it can attend and make calls, which is the only thing he uses his phone for.

He glances at Daisy's open room. There's a tech genius a few steps away.

When Nate enters her room, he is astonished by Daisy's reflection on the mirror she's getting ready in front of.

She's in a low-neck black dress and wearing a velvet choker. A darker eye shadow over her eyelids bring out the clarity in her pupils. She puts down the red lipstick she had just finished applying. And just when she turns around to look for her heels she notices Nate staring at her.

"What?" She says.

"Uhm... My phone. It's not working. The answering button doesn't work."

"Did you try resetting?"

Nate just stares at her. Because she's stunning. And because he doesn't know how to reset his phone.

Sighing Daisy comes to him and takes his phone. While she goes through the settings looking for the option to reset, Nate doesn't take his eyes off her even for a second.

After the phone restarts Daisy gives it to Nate. Instead of his phone, he grabs her wrist and pulls her to him. Daisy accidentally drops the phone.

Nate flushes her against him and starts kissing her. She kisses him back.

Today is the first time Daisy had seen Nate in a suit. As soon as she saw him she realized how much sexier he looks in that attire — more than usual, that is. But, of course, unlike Nate, she didn't let it show on her face.

Soon they are on the bed, and Nate pulls her dress down from her shoulders. She tugs at his shirt in response. "I can't be the only one putting on a show."

Nate smirks before straightening himself and taking off his shirt.

When they kiss again the distance between them had been reduced by the thickness of their tops.

As his hand moves in free rein over her breasts and waist, Daisy relishes in feeling up his hard back and shoulders.

At one point, Nate shifts his deep kisses to her neck, startling Daisy a little. "I think this is enough for today," she says.

He stops kissing her but keeps his face right next to hers. "I'd already taken the pill. I won't get carried away."

She smiles. "It's my neck that's on the line, literally. I need more than a pill to be sure."

"Like what?"

"Like when we're ready to seal the deal."

"Aren't we now?" Nate asks.

Daisy stops smiling. She moves away from under him, sits and pulls up her dress. Nate sits next to her and draws her close.

They both stay like this for a while before Nate breaks the silence. "After the fight... Whether I win or not... I was thinking... I... I want to build a house. For us. It'll be near the border, away from town. It'll be quiet. You'll like it."

Daisy takes hold of Nate's hand in between hers, and makes circles on his palm with her finger. "First off, you will win. If you don't, then I'll just kidnap you and take you away with me. You don't have to be in a pack that doesn't deserve you."

Nate smiles. "Are those my only options? Become an Alpha or a runaway rogue?"

"You've a better idea?"

"I just told you about it. I'll build it however you want."

"It's not that... It's not that I don't want to settle here with you. But, I just... I need time to figure a few things out."

"Why can't we figure that out together? Don't you trust me?"

"Don't be silly, of course, I do."

"But?"

"I... My mind is not ready to confront anything. It just shuts down when I try to tackle my past. And I can't move forward with my past lingering right over my head."

"Tell me what is it? What is it that you're scared of? Who?"

Daisy opens her mouth to respond when Frank hurriedly enters the room. "Whoa, hey, keep it in until after the party. Everyone's waiting, buddy."

Daisy smiles and leaves a small kiss on Nate's lips. "I'll tell you later."

When Daisy comes outside, she sees that Lily had already arrived. The four of them leave for the venue.

EVERYONE IS AT the mansion when Alpha gives his toast. "When my father stood here and gave this toast for me and Lester, he was going on and on about how the fight for title is not really about pitting one of us against another, but instead it's about bringing us together. I thought that was a boring speech."

Everyone laughs.

He continues, "Because the person I was gonna go up against was my best friend, and now my Beta. It didn't really matter to us who won. However, we really did fought like our lives depended on it just so we could rub our win on the other's face forever. Lessie... Love you," Alpha says raising his glass towards the Beta. There's laughter again among the crowd.

Christopher turns his attention back to the audience. "Today, however, I miss my father, and the speech he gave. His words never rung more true than now. These past few months I saw my two sons being pitted against one another. I know they never got along with each other even before this, because of my mistakes. For which, I'm sorry. But I want them both, and everyone else here, to know that the coming days will bring us together, even if you might not see how, just as I couldn't understand my father back then. That said, congratulations to our brave contenders."

The crowd raise their glasses to Nate and Patrick.

After the speech, the party resumes. Daisy is with Lily and Lily's friends. When it becomes late at night, Ross comes to the girls and asks them to find the boys and take them home, since they should rest as much as they can before the fight.

Daisy and Lily find Frank with Drey, Tim and a couple of their friends. "Where's Nate?" Daisy asks Frank.

"He took hish uncel to hish carr. Castheeno wash washted," Frank says, sounding drunk himself.

"You take him home, I'll find Nate," Daisy says and leaves to the entrance.

Near the doorway, next to the pillar at the side, Daisy sees Veronica pull Nate in for a kiss.

Nate pushes her off. "Stop this. How many times do I have to tell you I don't like you?"

When he hears footsteps leaving, Nate turns to his side and sees Daisy going back inside. "Fuck, not this again."

He glares at Veronica. "Next time you pull shit like this with me, I'll stop letting you off the hook just because you're a fucking girl."

Veronica backs off, scared. Nate leaves to catch Daisy before it's too late. 

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