The 'Rogue' at the End of the Tunnel

13. A Place to Belong

As I was about go out after putting the cake carefully into the refrigerator, a delicious scent wafts into my nostrils. The woodsy scent of honey and sandalwood, I have been missing for past three days, the scent I had been craving for, ahh, my mate, he's back.
I could cry out of joy.
Finally.

I feel his hands slide around my waist as he places his face in the crook of my neck, a place it belongs and takes a long breathe. The blood rushes to my cheek as I feel the butterflies in my stomach. I am suddenly exited and involuntarily start leaning towards him. We stay like that for some time in a very comfortable silence.

After a while my mate decides to release me from his hold, and once he does that, I feel his warmth disappear leaving me cold. I turn around to face my mate, his face a little tanned, his usual grin not in place, his stubble a little darker. He seems a bit worried.

"What's wrong?" I interrogate him worried.

"A lot of things." He sighs.

I place my hands on his cheeks caressing them.
"Tell me." I try to offer comfort.

"You have got something important to do. Don't you, Luna?" He changes the point reminding me of the job I was supposed to do right away. And when he calls me Luna and reminds me of my supposed duty for the first time I feel like home, a home, a place you belong, a place you live with your family protecting and cherishing them happily ever after.

"Oh yeah, I was going to give a piece of my mind to Alex." I blurt as I head out the kitchen, him on my tail.

"Well, Ray I wanted to talk to you about something, important." He starts.

I hum in response while turning around abruptly at the sound of my nick name from his mouth.
"I know I am your mate; you know I am your mate, I am the Alpha, and you will be my Luna." He continues seriously.

I hum again looking straight at him.

"So, it only makes sense if you stop mentioning me as your mate, and it's already time you start calling me by my given name." He states.

Oh. I see.

"Honestly, every time you mention me even in your thought you don't bother with my name. Only you have got the leisure of calling me by my given name after my parents." He remarked quite annoyed and frustrated.

"Well... I- uh- I mean you do not mind. Like, you are well known, feared and respected in the supernatural community. So, um, I thought you wouldn't like that." I mumbled like more to myself. I know he heard; we are werewolves.

"Are you serious? Like, are you afraid of me?" He protested trying to prove something. Yeah, prove that I had no reason to not call him by his name.
Uh! I never thought about that.

"Fine, fine. I know right." I fake a smile trying to cover up for my shortcoming, of course. I am his mate, and he even gave me a nick name, while me. I am a failure.

"It's fine, you can start from now on." He gave me a chance.

"Yeah, I am sorry, truly sorry, Blade." I expressed and at the sound of his name his face showed a million-dollar worth expression. He was happy would be an understatement. His face showed a mixture of elation, admiration, excitement and pride. Had I known this I would have called him by his name from the beginning.

Ever since I met him it's been surprises over surprises. I walk up to him, stand on my toes and place a quick kiss on his cheeks. His face only becomes more flustered.
Before he could say anything, I start to walk backward towards the front door with the smile on my face.

"See you later BIG BAD Alpha." I tease as I reach the door. I turn around still thinking about my action.

Why would I do that? I could feel heat reach my cheeks and warm all over. I might have acted confident, but I was more than flustered myself.
Come on, it's the first time I am experiencing this kind of relationship.

I had never thought of dating before, because my ideal type was strong and confident, stronger than me, of course. I never found one. Tyler felt stronger but he was funny and mysterious. Yep, mysterious, too hard to read. That reminds me, I haven't seen Tyler ever since I met him twice after my rejection in the same month. But what happened to him after his rejection? Where 'd he go? I never got a chance to talk to Annie ever since her birthday.

My line if thoughts break as I hear someone call me. I turn around to look at Leah.
"What are you doing here? I question her.

"Since, I have become quite talkative, the healers decide to kick me out of there." She comments and continues.
"And I was headed to your place. Turns out you are going somewhere, so I would rather not disturb you." She starts to turn away and run towards the woods.
"N-no wai-"
And before I knew it, she was out of sight.

I sigh and march towards Alex's.

****

I knock on the door of the Beta. The door opens to reveal an Alex in his fifties. Alex's dad. I have met him twice before in the past few days I spent here in the pack.

I greet him and he greets me back in reply. He too had a very funny and careless personality like that of Alex. Before I could interrogate further, he addresses.

"I can see why the Luna is here. Alex is at the roof in the backyard. He climbs up there whenever he's upset."

"Oh, thank you. Also, Esmeray, Esmeray is fine." I add as I take off abruptly towards the backyard.

Their backyard was very beautiful. It was still morning and there was a little pond in the center. The whole area was covered with trees and plants, butterflies and honeybees all over. I could hear the crickets chirping. The fishes in the pond sparkled under the sunlight in the crystal-clear water that you could see the pebbles and rocks inside. And that is when I see a small rock fly from above and splash into the water.

I turn around and lift my head to look at Alex sitting on the roof, with a fist full of rocks in one hand and in other hand he had a new rock ready to fling. He was sort of lost in thought. I look around in search of anything leading me to the roof and my eyes finally lands on a wooden ladder at a corner. I climb up and slowly and steadily make way towards him. I carefully place myself a little away from him.

"Someone seems to have fallen in love." I give bending my head to look at his face playfully.

He stops halfway through his idle throwing of stones and looks at me startled.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE? I-I mean W-What are you e-even saying?" He retorts loudly and startled.

"To think the master of illusion himself to have startled by me. Is it that I am too good or is our Beta too lost?" I question innocently.