♥
"I want to take Milo on a date," I tell my sister as we return from training.
Her chocolate brown eyes light up in my direction. "A date? This is so exciting!"
I rub the back of my head awkwardly. "Yeah... I mean I've never gone on a date before, I've never planned a date in my life. What if it's shit? What if he hates it? What if he's been on a thousand dates before and this doesn't live up to them?"
Viola punches my arm lightly. "You're overthinking, Nate. Calm down. Milo will love it. I don't know if you know this, but he's obsessed with you."
"No, he's not," I say defensively.
She scoffs and then flashes me a grin. "Yeah right, sure."
I roll my eyes at her sarcastic tone as we make it back to the packhouse, sweaty and covered in dirt. Today's session wasn't with our father, instead we trained a little differently in smaller groups which I appreciated. Focusing on specific weaknesses we have instead of typical fighting and defence.
If I ever became the Alpha, I'd be promoting those sorts of training sessions.
"So," Viola sings as we walk upstairs. "What's the plan for the date then?"
I've been thinking about it for the last three days. Since I went over to his pack house and talked him out of his depressive and self-destructive state. We need more time to bond, to be intimate with each other and I want to show him how serious I am about us being mates.
He put in an awful lot of effort in the start, being patient when I came across as an ass.
Now it's my turn to return the favour and ask him on a proper date.
"So I was thinking that I would ask Elin if I could borrow his father's pick up truck, take it outside and grab that old projector from the loft with a sheet and stream movies with blankets and snacks." I say as I glance at my sister.
Her hands clap together. "And fairy lights! I have a bunch in my room. That would be so cute and romantic. When it gets late you can kiss under the stars."
I shake my head. "There will be no kissing."
Viola's face falls slack. "Why?"
The thing about my sister is that she is a hopeless romantic. I've seen her book collection, it's evergrowing. Her favourite movie is probably the Notebook or Love Actually. I feel for her because I know how desperately she wants to meet her mate and I pray the time will come soon. She deserves that special someone who will treat her like the Queen she is.
"Because he's not ready for it." I state.
Her head tilts. "Why would he not be ready for it? You met him at a sex club."
I never told her about Milo's addiction. I'd never tell that to anyone because he told me it in confidence and I don't expect my sister to understand. "It's complicated," I tell her with a small smile. "But right now it's not the time for him and I will respect that."
Viola nods and drops the subject. "Alright, let me shower and I'll grab those fairy lights."
"Thanks, Vi." I call out before entering my own room and showering off the mud and sweat that covers my body.
After I'm clean and I change into fresh clothes, I sit on my bed making a list of all the things I will need. I mindlinked Elin earlier and he said that it's all good to use his father's pickup truck, as long as I don't damage it.
I'm not really intending to drive it far but I'm still a sensible driver.
Later on Viola enters my room with a bunch of different lights in lots of different colours. I pick which ones I want to use as she settles on my bed beside me. She glances at me when I stare at her. "You don't think this is a lame idea do you?"
"Not at all," she shakes her head. "I think it's sweet, you're going to go to all of this trouble for him. It shows that you care a lot and it's straight out of a movie."
My eyes roll with a thick smile on my face. "You would say something like that."
"Have you even asked him out yet?"
I hesitate and her eyes bulge out of her head.
"You haven't even asked him yet?
My teeth bite into my bottom lip. "I'm a bit scared," I admit. "What if he says no?"
"He's not going to say no."
"How can you be sure?"
"Because he's obsessed with you, Nate. Gah, sometimes I want to smash your head against a wall so you can understand."
When her hands throw up in the air, I know she means business. So I suck down a breath and nod, she leaves me alone so I can contact Milo through mindlink. Not that she could hear my conversation but I need to prepare myself before I pluck up the courage to ask.
I stare at myself in the mirror and nod. "You can do this." I tell myself.
My eyes flick between my own in the reflection and I curse. I am beyond pathetic.
I throw myself back to my bed, around the cables of fairy lights and stare up at the ceiling.
Hey. I shoot down the mindlink.
Hey, you okay?
Yeah. I'm okay. You?
Yeah, feeling better today.
I'm glad.
The mindlink pauses for a few moments and I swallow back my dry throat.
I wanted to ask you something. I say hesitantly.
Yeah?
How would you feel about go–
My eyes shut as the words barely form in the back of my mouth.
Feel about what? He asks.
How would you feel about going on a... date with me?
Are you asking me on a date?
Blood pumps around my body aggressively. Yes.
The silence feels about ten years long and my heart thumps inside my throat.
Nate, I would love to go on a date with you.
Relief washes over me like a warm shower. Thank the high heavens because I was seconds away from having a heart attack and never making a social appearance again.
Great, how about you come over to the house around 6ish and we can go from there?
Sounds good. What should we do?
It's a surprise, I've already planned it.
Milo is silent for a few seconds. You've already planned it?
Yeah. Of course, it's our first date. I wanted to make it special.
You sure know how to give me butterflies.
I'm grinning ear to ear, heat spreading across my face at his words in my head.
Right, I need to go because I've got things to do before you get here.
What should I wear?
Something comfortable, preferably warm.
Okay. I'll see you later.
Bye.
Nate?
Yeah?
I'm really, really looking forward to seeing you.
My heart pulsates rapidly in my chest. I'm really, really looking forward to seeing you too.
♥
Viola helped me set up the truck and kitted it out with blankets, pillows and lots of snacks for our movie night. I removed the projector and the sheet from the loft and tried my hardest to get it to work with all the dust on it.
I quickly downloaded some movies to my laptop because we'll be far away from the WiFi. I pinned the sheet between two trees and backed the truck up for a perfect view before setting up the projector.
We hang the fairy lights together, putting them in the trees and along the side of the truck. Both of us step back and look at our handy work and I have to admit, it looks cute as fuck. Viola squeals at the end product.
"Oh my God, this is honestly incredible. I'm so damn jealous."
I let my smile linger on my lips. "It's pretty damn good, isn't it?"
My arm slings over my sister's shoulder as she presses her head into my chest. "Yeah, he's going to love it."
"Thanks for helping me set up. I really appreciate it."
She wraps her other arm around my stomach. "I'll do anything for you, Nate."
I kiss the top of her head and nod. "I'd do anything for you, too."
We retreat back to the house in time for Milo to arrive. He's dressed in an oversized jumper and some baggy bottoms, I'll never get over the way he dresses. So effortless but I still want him in my arms.
I give him a hug and I inhale his scent. He seems to do the same. It's more comforting than I remember.
We stay embraced for a few moments until I pull back, my hands slightly trembling at the fear of his reaction. "You ready?"
Milo's eyes glisten in my direction. "So ready."
"I need to blindfold you though."
His eyebrows raise. "Oh, really?"
"I don't want you to see the surprise before, I want you to see it all at once."
"Alright," he nods as I tie a scarf around his face and guide him safely outside.
I set up not too far from my house, but far enough that we're away from the pack and won't be intruded on. Milo holds his hand out in front of him, wobbling on the occasional branch.
"It's alright, I've got you," I reassure him.
"I know but I feel like my ankles are going to give way."
My lungs exhale a short chuckle. "We're almost there."
As we approach the truck and the projector, the fairy lights glowing against the darkness of the woodland. I smile to myself before gripping the back of the scarf. "Ready?"
"More than ready."
Then I tug it away from his eyes and watch him cautiously. I attempt to ignore the way my blood vibrates through my veins and my breath is stuck in my throat.
Milo's blue eyes flick to the tree first with the white sheet tied to the branches, and then down to the truck with pillows and blankets and full of snacks to keep us going. I find myself swallowing multiple times because the silence is making every second feel like an hour.
His eyes soften as he takes it in again, breathing becoming louder and I can't tell if that's a good thing or not. I scratch the back of my head to distract myself from the fact he hasn't spoken a word yet.
"Milo," I murmur as I step in front of him.
Those gorgeous eyes find mine within a second and I notice the way his chest heaves out of time, quicker than it normally should move. He steps towards me, taking a fistful of my shirt before pushing me back into the side of the truck until I hit it with a thud.
Then Milo's lips are on mine.
At first I hold my hands up as if I'm surrendering but when he widens the kiss with his lips and I get a taste for the first time, my hands close around his face and I tug him closer to me. I follow his lead and when he slows it down and brushes his tongue against mine, we groan at the same time.
Every fibre inside my body lights up. My first kiss, with my mate.
Milo's hand slides to the back of my neck, cupping it gently as he twists his head.
I feel his chest graze against mine, listening to the way our hearts beat at the same time. Thrashing inside us from the exhilaration of touching, kissing each other for the first time.
Fuck. Why didn't we do this sooner? I feel like I'm on fire and no one is ever going to be able to put me out.
When our tongues meet again, I whimper and kiss him harder, but Milo pulls away and steps back. I stare at him through hazy eyes, meeting his dilated ones. They're almost pitch black, as if his wolf was about to take over.
"I'm sorry," he murmurs, wiping his swollen lips. "That was–"
I press my brows together. "Why are you saying sorry?"
"I'm worried that if I start, I won't be able to stop. And I know you will need time and patience and I need to realise that, I need my stupid addiction to realise that." He lowers his head to the ground.
Without thinking I step toward and cup his cheek. "I trust you and I trust that our time to do it will come when it comes. You won't hurt me."
Milo nuzzles his face into my palm. "I'd never hurt you," he whispers. "I'd rather destroy myself than ever hurt you."
I press my forehead to his and close my eyes. "Come on," I say. "Let's get in the truck and watch a movie, I got snacks and blankets."
His eyes light up as we pull away and we hop into the back of the truck. "This is perfect," he tells me. "Thank you for doing this."
"Only the best for a first date," I smile and pull up the blankets before leaning against the back with Milo beside me. "Although I only downloaded a couple movies."
Milo grins. "I'll take anything to be here with you."
My heart soars through my chest and around my body before I get a movie playing on the projector. We scoot closer until he rests his head on my shoulder and I inhale the cool air, the snacks sitting around us as he takes a handful of popcorn.
I can't stop smiling to myself like an idiot, but who could blame me? This idea was a fucking success.
Maybe I can be romantic and relationship-like after all. I've certainly had a long time to think about it.
Milo moves his head from my shoulder after a few moments before turning his head and pressing a kiss below my earlobe. I close my eyes and exhale a shuddering breath, placing one right against my pulse.
"Milo," I groan.
He cups the other side of my cheek and moves around to the front of my throat, peppering kisses there. Goodness, why does this feel so damn good?
"Milo," I say again but this time it's more of a warning.
His lips break from my skin as he flutters those eyes up at me, dark lashes grazing his eyebrows. "Please let me, I want to cover you in my scent."
That sends a shiver down the centre of my spine until I feel tingling in my toes. So possessive. I think inside my head. I adore every second of it.
So I let him. My wolf can barely contain himself.
Another kiss to my earlobe, my pulse, my collarbone and then my throat.
I bite down on my bottom lip and groan again, unable to keep it in this time. Those lips feel like magic, spreading pure bliss across my skin and making my blood roar inside my body. Holy shit, I never want him to stop. Never.
He's sending me fucking wild. My head has never spun so fast in my life.
He nips at the skin so gently but a growl rumbles in my chest.
Milo peels his lips away and we catch eyes. "Did you just growl?"
I purse my lips and swallow. "Yeah," I laugh awkwardly. "I think I just did."
His mouth stretches into a big grin, he chuckles with me before pressing his forehead against my chin. "Oh my God," he beams. "That was so fucking hot and so fucking unexpected."
Heat floods my cheeks and I'm relieved it's dark right now. "Oh my," I slide a hand down my face, listening to Milo's light laugh makes my heart sing. "That genuinely came out of nowhere."
"Do it again," he murmurs, kissing my neck and I melt right back into his embrace.
This feels better than anything I've ever experienced.
The bond grows inside my mind, my heart, my chest. It strengthens every second that ticks by and I find myself fully relaxing for the first time in a long time.
♥ ♥ ♥
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Author's Note
SCREAMING. CRYING. THROWING UP. At how cute this chapter was!
They KISSED ahhhhhhhhh😭🥹🥰😭😭🥰🥹
What did you guys think?👉🏼👉🏼👉🏼
Nate is so fucking cute, that date idea is perfect and I can't cope!❤️🔥
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