Beautiful as You Are

Chapter 17 · Notice Me

Willow's pov

I laugh as Amy played with the pups.

My birthday was nearing and Akilles' had been acting weird. He's staying out late out at night, taking longer hours in the office. Even hiding things from me.

I just figured he was planning something fot my birthday but its that nagging feeling its something else. So to occupy my time I've been spending time with Amy.

"Willow...earth to Willow." Amy's voice invading my ears. Coming from my thoughts, I see Amy talking to me. "So as I was saying...I was thinking we could go to the pet store. I volunteer there to help out, do you want to come?" Amy asked as we got up walking to the garage. "Yeah, just let me tell Akilles'." I say. Getting a nod, I jog inside going up to Akilles' office.

Knocking on the door as I open it, "I'm going with Amy to the pet shop." I say softly as Akilles' doesn't look up from the paper work he was shuffling through. "Okay, Willow go ahead." Akilles mumbles as he makes a call ignoring me. Sighing as I feel sad I go back to Amy getting in her car.

"Whats wrong Will?" Amy asked as she used her nickname for me. "Akilles' has been ignoring me for almost a week. He barely notices me anymore and I just feel like maybe...he doesn't want me anymore. Oh my gosh! What if he is going to reject me? Where will I go?" I said beginning to panick.

"Will! That won't happen, Alpha loves you with everything he has. Probably even more, its probably just the stress." Amy said calming my anxietys. "Yeah, maybe." I say trailing off as she parks in front of a pet store. Exiting the car, we go inside smiling at the owner that was a older man with a lean frame and gentle eyes.

"Hey, Mr. Finnely, I brought someone to help out with the animals." Amy said to a older man that was small in frame. "That's great. The cages have already been cleaned so all you can do is play with them." Mr. Finnely said to Amy as I instantly gravitated to a dalmation pup that sat skittishly in its cage. Opening the cage slowly, I sit in front of it. "She was the only pup saved when a adandoned building set fire when it was struck by lightening during a thunderstorm. A bit skittish." Mr. Finnely said.

"You know its okay to scared." I whisper to the puppy. Slowly as if it understood came to me, I picked it up in my hand going to Mr. Finnely. "Mr. Finnely, can I have this one, I can pay you." I beg as I give him a pout. "Of course Luna. It will just be $500 for the pup and everything included." He said as he looked at me knowingly.

"Okay...umm can you mindlink someone to help put the stuff in a separate car to take to the pack house?" I ask embarassed that I can't mindlink with the pack just yet.

Mr. Finnely nodded and it seemed with no time at all someone had came with a separate car. Helping me get everything, I quickly paid for everything before saying goodbye to Amy. I head to the car, Laxie in my arms as the man goes back to the pack house.

"Ummm...thank you for helping me with this Johnny." I smile to the warrior that had helped me. "No problem." He smiled as he parked in the pack house garage. Finding Laxie's carriage, I put her in it before helping carry some of the stuff up to Akilles' and I room.

Finished getting everything in the room and set up, I sigh as I take Laxie out her cage. Picking her up, I walk to Akilles's office, in excitement I knock before simply walking inside seeing Akilles' hunched over buried in his paperwork.

"What is it?" Akilles' sighed frustrated as he rubbed his forehead. "Oh...I was wondering if you want to grab dinner with me?" I ask softly. "I already ate." cam his clipped answer making me sigh.

"Akilles' I'm really worried about you. Your stressed. But you keep ignoring me. Are you okay? Do you want to talk?" I say as my anxiety spikes. "God, would you leave me the fuck alone! Jesus!" Akilles' yelled at me shocking me as I leave out the office. My appetite leaving me, I put Laxie back in the room before exiting the pack house.

Stripping my clothes as I stand behind a tree, I shift running into the woods. "Mate is just stressed with everything. We have to be Luna, we can't run away everytime he gets like this. Lets just talk to him in the morning." Reign suggested as we began running back to the pack house. Shifting I place my clothes back on before walking into the kitchen rummaging, I find some ingredients for dinner.

Humming a tune, I cook my dinner of catfish stew. Noticing Micah had walked into the kitchen, I jump hearing his voice. "Smells like catfish stew. Can I get some Willow?" Micah asked. "Sure, I can't really eat all this." I say taking out two plates porprotioning out the stew.  Handing a plate to Micah I take a seat beside him eating in peace.

"How's Thaddius?" I ask as I eat. "Actually we completed the mating process just this passed Tuesday. So we're okay except he keeps wanting to pup me. I'm not ready just yet for pups." Micah sighed sounding exhausted.

"Oh, well good luck with that." I chuckle lightly. "How's you and Alpha?" Micah smirked softly nudging me. "He told me to leave him alone. And I am hurt by it but being Luna I can't sit and be sad about it, you know." I say sighing.

"Maybe he just need to calm down...I'm glad your finally happy, that we are able to just sit and talk like this." Micah smiled softly to himself. "Yeah, it is good. Do you want to meet my puppy? I got her today." i say as we put the dishes in the dishwashers. Leading Micah to Akilles' and I room, I see Laxie laying in the corner calmly. Easing onto the floor, I bring Micah down with me.

"Here Laxie, here girl." I call exciting Laxie making her run over to me. "She is adorable." Micah gushed as he looked at Laxie as she turned in circles in front of me. Tentatively Laxie sniffs at Micah before nipping at his fingers.

"She likes you." I smile as I rub behind her ears. Filling up her food bowl I set it on the ground beside her cage. "Does your mate know about your little munchkin?" Micah asked as he rubbed Laxie.

"He wanted to be left alone. I just want to relax in bed with my dog and sleep." I say sighing as I head in the bathroom changing into a shirt of Akilles' and a pair of my shorts. Getting the leash, I clip to Laxie, "C'mon girl, lets get you to the bathroom." I say as Micah follows me outside.

It was quiet between us as I let Laxie walk around letting her down her business. Once she was finished I clean it up tossing it in the trash. Walking back inside, we go our separate ways, going to my room , I place Laxie in her cage with her bed putting a blanket over it.

Getting in bed, I snuggle with Akilles' pillow, as I have the past few nights before going to sleep like state. But everyone knows a mate can't sleep without their other half beside them.