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Chapter 7

"Takeout?" I repeated and then laughed. "I'll cook for you! Unless...you don't want me too. I understand. I'm not that great--"

"You're an amazing cook Dawson. I'd be honored if you'd cook for me. I didn't want to ask because I don't want you to feel entitled."

"Entitled? Of course I'm entitled! I'm your mate and an omega. It's my job. Like cleaning the house while you're working." I chuckled with a shake of my head.

Chase took my face between his hands and kissed my nose. "No, my dear. It's not. In fact I'd be insulted if that's all you did with your time. Don't you want to go places? Do things? You can't tell me you have no other ambitions other than serving males hand and foot."

I flushed and grumbled, "But that's what I was taught..."

"I trust you'll keep yourself busy," he laughed.

The phone rang downstairs and Chase groaned. Terror grabbed me by the throat but Chase soothed me a soft kiss to the jaw. "Relax. Austin's going to be slamming on the door. We'll know when it's him. It's just Axel. He's the only one to use my home phone expect my mother. And my mother only calls in the mornings."

I laughed as he told me to wait while he went downstairs. I heard his footsteps retreating down the stairs and flopped back down into the plushy bed with a sigh. I felt...content...almost. Austin inevitable appearance was nagging at me quite a bit and while I wanted to be confident in Chase's abilities... I wasn't sure he was stronger than Austin. I rolled out of the bed, opening the door to the bathroom and nearly fainted when I saw the huge Jacuzzi tub. I could only imagine relaxing in the massive tub covered in bubbles...

I turned sharply when I heard the door open.

"Ah--you like it then? I was never a bath taker myself... I'm more of a get in get out type. But I can see it's appeal. Especially when I can cuddle with a cutie like yourself."

Blushing, I buried my face in his neck as he hugged me. "It feels so amazing to know that I have you," he muttered. "It's like a dream. I was so sure you'd reject me..."

"I thought about it," I admitted. "Because of Austin."

"Why though?" he asked looking at me. "What kept you there? He used you and he abused you and when you got the chance to leave you hesitated. Why?"

I shook my head. "He made me feel...made me think... That I'm not worth anything. So when you come up saying all these things to me, I can't believe it. I still can't. How could anyone love me when I'm so stupid and ugly and fat..."

"Don't say those things about yourself. You're smart and beautiful and I don't care how much weigh."

I pushed him away a bit, more ashamed with my rounded tummy. "I'll lose the weight. I promise."

"Stop it. I don't care. You're beautiful either way. As long as you're healthy, which you are, you can be any size you want."

I felt tears haze my eyes. I wanted to believe him, I did, but Austin said... "Look at me."

I looked up, feeling a tear slip down my cheek. Chase wiped it away with the pad of his thumb and made a soft noise. "Baby. It's going to take time for you to realize that everything negative Austin ever told you was a lie, used just to hurt you. But don't you worry. By the time I'm done showing you how beautiful you are and how much I love you, you won't even consider what he said."

He sealed his words with a kiss and I blinked away my tears.

For once in my life I felt happy.

But I knew that once Austin found out I was gone, it'd disappear.

***

Cooking with Chase was an adventure.

But mostly, it was fun. We made pasta. A simple dish, something that just about anyone could make. Despite minor mishaps like the sauce boiling over and forgetting to turn on the burner to boil the noodles, we made it through. Although it was weird to sit in front of a dish I actually made. Austin usually made me have salad. "What's wrong?" asked Chase through a mouthful. "It's really good. I think we did a damned good job."

I smiled and forked a few noodles. The food felt unusually heavy in my mouth so I picked at it. Chase saw this but didn't say anything. Maybe it was just my nerves. We finished up and cleaned up, Chase insisting on helping. So in the end I washed and he dried and put away. I looked at his measly selection of dishware and suggested he get some real sets. "I guess I should, huh? It's not just me anymore."

I smiled idly at him and looked down at the sudsy water. Austin could show up at any time and I was terrified. "Relax," instructed Chase as if reading my mind. "You have nothing to worry about."

"What if he's stronger than you?" I blurted out before flinching, assuming I'd be punished for calling him weak.

"Hey--I'm never going to hurt you Dawson. Never. And I may not be as strong as him. It's a good thing Axel's on our side, hm?"

"Alpha Axel?" I repeated in a hushed voice.

"Yep. He hates the way Austin treats you--he's more than willing to him put him in his place."

I bit my lip. I still didn't like the idea of him being hurt. "Does it have to be that way?" I asked after a moment.

"There's no other way for it to be, babe." he replied with a kiss to my cheek. "Let's finish up in here and then go to the den alright? We can watch movie? That'll calm you down some."

"Yeah...yeah okay."