Alliance

Twenty Five

Chapter Twenty Five: Southtown
Daisy
***

I couldn't help but think about Cade's amazing body from this morning...and the thought of laying next to him in bed, falling asleep on his chest, waking up in his arms, it was hard to keep from smiling so I kept my face toward the window.

"Of course I won't rush you, you know that...You sure are smiling a lot." He picked up.

I blushed out of embarrassment of being caught, "Yeah...your pack is gorgeous and to be honest I've never been in the city...it's really exciting." I said...it wasn't a lie...it also wasn't the real reason behind my smile.

"Well I'm glad you approve so far, and I think you're going to love it." He said as he mindlessly stroked his thumb against the back of my hand, his eyes glued to the road as he drove on.

I have to admit I was worried that after the moment back in his office things would get awkward between us, when we got into his car and he grabbed my hand as if the whole situation in the office never happened, I was more than relieved.

I was glad for his being able to gloss over it, I knew he'd taken in my suggestion of getting to know each other though...I was just a little worried, how much do I really want him to know about me?

I know I didn't want him to know about my mate...as much as it sucks, I've had years to deal with it and sort of push the pain away...but I think if he found out I was rejected, I can't help but wonder if he'd see me as unworthy of him...like if I'm not good enough for my mate why should I be good enough for him?

Also he was right, I knew it would be extraordinarily difficult to try and reign in not only my new feelings for him but also stop my wolfs urges.

I knew he wouldn't rush like he said...but I didn't know how to keep myself from rushing into things as I've never really chatted these waters before.

I looked over at him and he must've felt my eyes on him as he turned a little and caught my eye, he smiled softly before he lifted my hand and kissed the back of it before he drove on.

It was a pretty moment clouded by dark worry as almost instantly his small gesture had awoken my wolf.

"Once my cousin knows you're here she'll want to hangout..."

I suddenly remembered that his cousin is Ieston's wife Blithe. I don't know why I hadn't thought of that before?

"...she can be a bit much so I'll do my best to keep our time with her in small increments." He chuckled nervously now.

"I've met her once, from what I remember she wasn't that bad...plus it would be nice to know someone else here other than you."

"Bored with me already...that hurts Daisy." He played.

"Shut up..." I smiled, as if I could just suddenly grow bored with him. "No I meant if you're pulling double duty as Alpha and Boss and running between the Northside and Southtown, I don't want to be a bother to you, you know?"

He nodded, "Yeah...I don't want you to get bored just waiting around on me too...I'm sure Blithe can meet us tomorrow for breakfast...so long as you don't mind waking up a bit earlier than we're use to meeting.

"How early is earlier?" I asked.

"I have a nine o'clock meet tomorrow morning with some investors...so I'll call my cousin later this evening and she'll arrange the reservations I suppose we'll have to be out of the door around 8."

"So I'll wake up at 7 then." I put in, "It'll give me time to get ready...I'll try and be as quiet as I can so as not to wake you."

He smiled, "I'll be up already, my day starts at 5."

"5am...Why so early?"

"Well without sounding too much like a douche, I like to get a workout in every morning...it helps me clear my head of everything from the day before and helps me gather my thoughts for the day to come, I can swing by the pack house if need be, shower, have breakfast, get to work, catch up on emails and calls and then just go from there."

"And you do this everyday?" I asked in awe.

He nodded, "Monday through Friday Im CEO...but everyday i'm an Alpha...I can't just turn it off and I was raised that I should always be the first to arrive and the last to leave...if not then I'm not doing something right either as a CEO or an Alpha."

"While I admire your dedication and focus...you should take the time to just enjoy life, sleep in every once in a while... otherwise what's it all for at the end of the day?"

He left my last comment lingering in the air as we pulled into the city portion of his pack, he looked at me and smiled, "Welcome to Southtown."

I looked on in genuine awe at the towering metal buildings with large reflective windows, stores were everywhere alongside various restaurants. I was practically suctioned to the window as I tried to look at everything.

"This...wow." I sighed completely overwhelmed in the best way.

He chuckled. "I promise we can explore the city more a bit later...but right now I just really want to get home if that's alright with you?"

"Of course not." I said honestly, it must be hard having to be away from your home for so long...this was my first time really being away from my home and any family.

"This your first time being away from your parents?" He asked as if reading my mind.

I shook my head and sat back against my seat, "No, When my sister got married I stayed at her new house when they came back from their honey...-"

"How long were you there?" He cut in.

I tried to keep my blush at bay, "Only the night."

He tried to keep from laughing.

"It's not funny Cade!" I sounded embarrassed, to be honest it wasn't that I wanted to leave my sisters place, but seeing her with her mate made me too jealous and I couldn't stand watching their interactions so I volunteered to leave earlier than I expected...Of course I couldn't tell him that.

"Hey I'm not laughing." He said with a slight chuckle in his words.

"My parents are just very dependent on me." I added for good measure, It was another lie...if anything I was the one who depended on them.

"At least they care enough about you to want you around so much." He put in.

"I'm sure your parents care about you."

He nodded, "I think they did in their own way...my mother more so, but as for my father...well he was a better Alpha than he was an actual Father...they're both gone now so doesn't mean much anymore."

We drove on in a comfortable silence after that, only stopping at various stoplights and finally pulling up to a rather surprising home.