"I'm sorry about last night." Sophie finally blurted.
Cortez turned to Sophie, who was sat sideways on the porch swing. Her legs were curled up and rested partly over his as he rubbed his hand comfortingly up and down her bare thigh. Every time his hand moved, her skin ignited in flames and as much as it made her unsettled, she tried to get used to it. She had become more and more comfortable with Cortez as the days passed, but something was holding her back.
She felt guilty for forcing herself on him like she did.
"I didn't meant to be so aggressive. Like I said before, I haven't been myself lately. It's all been a lot." Sophie's graze dropped. "Not that I should use any of that as an excuse. It was totally irrational of me to jump on you like that."
Cortez fought a smile as he leaned towards Sophie and planted a kiss on her shoulder. "You don't have to apologize. You never have to apologize to me. I understand that you're stressed beyond your control. That's why I'm here. To comfort you."
Sophie flashed Cortez a pout, her eyes found and glistening like an abandoned puppy. "You're not disappointed in me?"
"Disappointed? Never." Cortez softly chuckled and squeezed Sophie's small knee gently in his big hand. "You could do no wrong in my eyes, Angel."
Sophie let her head fall back against the porch swing. They were silent again as Cortez gently kicked the porch with the toe of his shoe to keep the swing rocking back and forth. Sophie stared at the side of Cortez's head, admiring his dark scruffy jawline and his dark puffy eyebrows. His eyes were narrowed as he stared into the open fields in front of Sophie's house, as if he had sun in his eyes despite the roof above the porch they were sat on.
"Is this how our relationship is always going to be?" Sophie asked as she reached for Cortez's scruffy hint of a beard. She gently pulled and combed the rough hair as Cortez looked to her with a curious gaze.
"What do you mean?" He asked simply.
Sophie dropped her hand from his scruff to his hard chest. She just liked touching him. "We're blindly in love with each other, against our will. Will we never fight? Never bicker like an old married couple? Always be happy and forgiving without a purpose?"
"We're in love with each other?" Cortez smirked, ignoring all the rest of Sophie's mini rant. "I haven't heard you say it yet."
Sophie rolled her eyes and pulled her hand off Cortez's chest just to slap directly where she had removed it. Cortez flinched and chuckled and he curled his fingers around the hand she slapped him with.
"Come on, I'm serious."
Cortez pulled himself together and slowly began to shake his head. "We'll fight and bicker. My parents always have, Jeremiah and Delilah do, I know there has been some tension between some couples in the pack but I don't usually get between their personal problems. We've fought before, haven't we?"
"When?" Sophie's eyebrows tightened in the middle.
"When you woke up after the bite and ran off."
"That wasn't a fight. I got mad while you were pleading for me to listen. That's on me, I guess."
"It's not on you." Cortez frowned. "But you were mad at me. And you were mad when I showed up at your school, twice, actually. Just because we're mates doesn't mean we're incapable of having a normal relationship."
Cortez had seen right through her question. The fact that she was automatically in love with someone she barely knew, against her will, was baffling in all directions. To think that she only liked Cortez because she was brainwashed to scared her. And even when she asked him to give her some space during finals, they had completely failed to do so. That made her worry even more. They were fully incapable of being apart, which normal couples could do.
But Sophie knew Cortez was right. They may have been mates all this time but things had never gone smoothly. Yet, anyways. And besides, she didn't know much about this mate bond stuff. She was sure there would be a million more things that would catch her off guard and baffle her. They were only at the beginning stages of their relationship.
"Is there a chance we'll ever stop loving each other?" Sophie asked.
"Impossible." Cortez answered conclusively. "There is a myth that mates can formally reject each other and live separate lives but it's just that, a myth."
"But they still try it?"
Cortez nodded. "I've never witnessed a rejector and rejectee but I've heard stories. It's easy in the beginning, like when I had to say goodbye to you and wait to see you until you called. But it gets harder and harder to stay away until it's physically painful and then either destroys you or drives you to your mate again."
Sophie's thoughts never stopped running and running with every new story and fact he revealed to her.
"Have I ever caused you physical pain?" To her surprise, Cortez smirked and averted his eyes away from her. Sophie's eyebrows furrowed again as she curiously scooted closer. "What? Why are you smiling?"
Cortez took a moment to eye Sophie before he caresses her cheek and planted a kiss on her lips. Sophie's eyes fluttered shut as she enjoyed the soft feeling of his lips move over hers so delicately. It felt like he was cherishing her and that was an odd sensation to process. They hadn't gotten that far yet, but already, she felt like she was being slowly stripped of all her clothes until she became undone and bare before him. Something as simple as a loving kiss did that to her.
"Every time I've turned away from you, it hurt. Trying to stay away from you is a nightmare. When you turn me on and send me home, it's torture to touch where I wish you would." Cortez shamelessly and casually admitted.
Sophie's emerald eyes appeared past her eyelids as she nervously bit down on her bottom lip. She hadn't imagined he'd confess something like that to her. It made her heart race and her body get all anxious. Staring him in his pitch black eyes easily grew unbearable. Her intense embarrassment caused her to hide her face against his shoulder. Cortez found her embarrassment endearing. She was so innocent.
"I'm sorry. I don't mean to hurt you." Sophie muttered.
Cortez cupped Sophie's face in one hand and lifted her head to meet his stare again. "I don't like when you apologize to me. You've..."
"Done nothing wrong." Sophie finished.
"You know but you still apologize for useless things."
"You apologize despite knowing I'll forgive you."
Cortez shook his head and retracted his hand. His hard scowl landed on the fields in front of Sophie's house again as he massaged her knee. "You shouldn't accept my apologies. Every time I've apologized, it's because I've failed a promise I've made to you. You've never failed me."
"It's too late. I've already forgiven you. Suck it up."
Cortez turned to Sophie in slight shock, although, the attitude in her voice sounded familiar. She used that mad tone when she had teasingly called him grandpa. And that playful smirk on her face was the same as well. Cortez couldn't help but smile and stare fondly at his beautiful mate.
Sophie's smile was bright, warm, filled with joy. He loved admiring it. It felt almost as if all the joy he could possibly feel was hidden within Sophie and he was addicted to every little bit of happiness that leaked out of her. She was contagious and he was sick with bliss. It all sounded very cheesy but none of it was false. She was a drug and he was an addict. The cheesiest, most accurate line in the book.
"Come home." Cortez's eyes fell from happiness to desperation. Sophie also grew more serious as she remembered the last time he had said that.
"Home, as in..?" Sophie awkwardly dropped her gaze.
"The pack house. It's where you belong. Where we belong. There is an empty place in that house that only you can fill."
Sophie began nibbling on her thumb nail, which Cortez had already deciphered at this point. She was nervous, anxious, overwhelmed. He wanted to ease her worries and let her know she was under no pressure, but that wasn't true. She was a Luna. That was a big deal. Everybody wanted to meet her and be led by her. There was no way to downplay that. There was no way to lightly express how important she was. It simply wasn't a light matter.
"I can ask everyone to leave the pack house so you can look around by yourself." Cortez finally admitted. That was at least one way to keep her at ease.
Sophie shook her head. "No. You said there are three hundred of them. I don't want to kick all of them out of their house just so I can feel comfortable."
"It's your house." Cortez lightly corrected.
Sophie shot him a light glare. "It is not. It belongs to you and your pack. They don't even know who I am yet. I can't just barge in and claim it as my own."
"I think they'd like that." Sophie cocked an eyebrow at the sight of Cortez's smirk. He lightly squeezed her knee. "They want to meet you. They are ready to accept you. And they're growing more and more anxious."
Sophie felt the pressure in her chest painfully build as the stress amplified. There was a whole building, a whole pack, of people that wanted to meet her. She wondered what they expected of her. Did they want someone as powerful as Cortez? Because they wouldn't find that in her. Sophie lived a very secluded life. Being surrounded by three hundred new people was bound to be overwhelming.
Cortez could see, could feel, Sophie's anxiety building within in. The tension in her body was growing thicker. He felt defeated. If she was too scared, he couldn't force her to meet the pack right now. He didn't want to force her into things she wasn't ready for.
So Cortez was about to excuse the whole thing and apologize for stressing her out. That was, until, Sophie got up from the porch swing and gestured for him to take her hand.
"If they're waiting for me, I shouldn't disappoint." Sophie forced an air of confidence around her, although Cortez could hear her heart pounding in her chest.
Cortez frowned. "You shouldn't force yourself to go, Sophie. We can do it later."
"You don't want that." Sophie stated. Cortez studied her, she suddenly looked more determined. "Neither does the pack. I don't want to be rude or selfish. If I'm meant to be their Luna, I should take responsibility. That's what you said, right?"
Cortez sighed and ran his hands frustratedly down his face. Turns out, he already had pressured her into doing something she wasn't ready for. He hadn't exactly meant to. Yes, him and the pack were getting impatient but if it meant Sophie's comfort and sanity, they'd wait even longer if they needed to.
"I didn't mean it like you had to jump into the deep end or anything. If you need more time..."
"I don't." Sophie interrupted. Since Cortez hadn't taken her hand, she turned and stepped off the porch and into the sun. "I want to meet them."
Cortez watched Sophie trot around the front of the house and then disappear past it. He cursed at himself and rushed off the porch to follow her. Sophie was stepping into the woods by the time Cortez caught up to her.
They walked silently through the woods until Sophie reached that familiar metal fence that connected in thick, brick pillars at the corner. Inside the intimidating fence was an old mansion made of brick. It was very historical looking, almost like a castle. The last time Sophie was here, she hadn't even taken a good look at it. Now that she had, she slightly surprised. The atmosphere around it was so eery.
The grass around the mansion was dead with dead leaves and broken branches from the trees around the fence littering the yard. The mansion design was not as grand as any usual mansion. It was all flat, all grey bricks, unkept veins crawling up the sides. The stairway leading up to the front door was cement and a couple steps were cracked and crumbling.
Sophie was shocked. So they had both come from broken homes, and not figuratively but literally.
"And you wanted to fix my broken steps?" Sophie teased as she cautious continued up said crumbled steps.
"No. I just wanted an excuse to see you." Cortez admitted behind her.
Sophie slightly blushed but pushed it away as she continued to the huge front door. She grabbed the handle but hesitated, knowing there was a whole world passed these doors that she could never walk away from or ever forget once she witnessed it. Cortez stood patiently behind her, listening to the frantic footsteps inside the house as pack got ready to meet the Luna.
Just when they had all settled, Sophie used all her night to pull the two large doors open.
The doors were heavy and creaked loudly as she forced them apart. Instantly, her eyes landed on the crowd of people staring at her. Surrounding the huge foyer, people lined up against the walls and congealed into a crowd on the opposite end of the foyer. All eyes were on her. And there were so many of them. All of different ages, sizes, shapes, races, ethnicities, and personalities, she presumed.
Cortez pushed the doors open even wider since her short arms hadn't done much. Everyone marveled at the sight of their Alpha and Luna stood beside each other for the first time. Some found themselves giddy and excited at the sight, others slightly confused or simply indifferent at the odd pairing. The last time of them had seen Sophie was when she was passed out in Cortez's arms, so seeing her now, healthy and standing, made them incredibly relaxed.
Sophie was so shocked at the sight of so many people that she hadn't even noticed how long they had been staring back and forth. Until, a sudden camera flash went off to her slight right. Sophie flinched and looked to the young girl hiding her phone nervously behind her. Some of her friends fought back smiles and giggles as they nudged her.
"I didn't know there would be paparazzi. I would've put on nicer clothes." Sophie nervously joked as she turned to Cortez.
Cortez glared at the young girl with such an intimidating scowl. He looked like he could eat the girl alive at any second. She gently grabbed Cortez's arm and squeezed, similar to how he had been squeezed her knee just a couple moments ago. His eyes fell to her and they instantly softened with concern.
"Don't worry. I'm not upset by it." Sophie reassured. Her eyes drifted to those still staring. She felt like they were all waiting for her to do a magic trick. "None of them are approaching me." She spoke more to herself than to anyone else.
"They won't approach without your permission." Cortez answered behind her.
"Permission?" Sophie gasped at Cortez. He simply nodded, as if what he said was normal. Sophie turned back to the pack and stepped further inside with her hands waving anxiously in front of her. "Permission is unnecessary. I am here to meet you all. I want you to welcome me into your home."
Sophie watched as the pack exchanged hesitant glances. They were trying to grasp this odd situation just as much as Sophie was. They didn't expect to have a Luna who was, once, a human. She was unfamiliar with how all of this worked and that meant, the rules didn't apply any longer. So without formalities, the anxious ones rushed forward with excited grins.
Instantly, the circle they had created around the foyer grew smaller as they all rushed to greet their new Luna. Sophie slightly cowered in shock until her back met Cortez's hand. He put his other hand in front of his mate and lowly growled at those surrounding so close to them. Cortez didn't like when his pack misbehaved, especially, in front of Sophie. It made his blood boil. She was too small and too nervous for their wild energy.
Sophie giggled and gently pushed Cortez's arm down. He was taken aback by the giddy sound and studied the pure joy on her face. "It's alright. I'm not scared."
Sophie nodded to Cortez, trying to silently reassure him. He was reluctant but the smile on her face was convincing him. Cortez finally stepped back but kept a protective hand on her lower back. Sophie turned to the first person in front of her, a woman a couple years older than her but certainly younger than Cortez. She introduced herself with a fast shake of her hand, both of hers cupping Sophie's.
"It's so nice to see you again, Sophie. The last time we saw you, you were passed out in Cortez's arms. I wasn't sure you'd make it." The woman rambled.
Sophie glanced to Cortez, who was tense and stiff from head to toe. She could feel the slightest growl he was hiding in her chest. Sophie didn't remember anything from when she had gotten bitten since she was unconscious the entire time. But part of her was flattered that all of these people had worried about her, even then.
"Sorry, I took a photo of you without your permission, Luna." The small girl in the midst of the crowd dropped her head.
Sophie frowned, placed a hand on her shoulder, and using the other to tilt her head up. "No, sweetheart. Don't apologize. I'm not upset."
The little girls eyes twinkled as a smile pulled at her lips. She admired Sophie's beauty and her heartwarming, welcoming smile that made all her sadness float away. The Luna was already her new favorite princess. She was way cooler than any of the Disney princesses. Especially, since her hair was so short. She didn't know why, but she liked that about her Luna. Now she wanted to cut her hair short.
Everyone around her introduced themselves one at a time, shaking the Luna's hand with a glint of excitement in their eyes. Sophie smiled warmly at each and every one as she tried to remember names and faces. It wasn't as scary as she imagined it to be. They were all so nice and polite, an air around them that convinced Sophie that they were trying to impress her more than she was trying to impress them.
Cortez formally introduced Sophie to some of his warriors and second and third in command. She didn't exactly know what that meant but they were all proud to explain their positions. With puffed out chests and handsome smirks, the boys explained that they protected the pack from any threats and also did most of the hunting on special occasions. Sophie was amused by their haughty attitudes that they obviously were playing up for her approval.
"So you strong men will be protecting me?" Sophie teasingly flirted.
"Of course!" Tyree roared. "It's an honor! Just as it was an honor to escort you to school."
Sophie was confused for a moment before she remembered seeing Cortez's wolves run along side her bus on the way to school. She slightly gasped and pointed the three men stood in front of her.
"That was you?" She gaped.
"You don't recognize us?" Kano grinned proudly as he stood beside Tyree, Nick, and Trevor. "We met you outside your house once. Remember, when you were terrified of wolves?"
Sophie felt strangely left out. These people knew her more than she realized. She had met them as wolves multiple times and had no idea. They had even seen her when she was bitten and unconscious. And then another memory hit her. She had met them in the woods. When Daisy had escaped under the fence and ran into the woods, where wolves were fighting each other. The wolves were stood right in front of her and the big black wolf was Cortez.
"Oh my god! I remember you!" Sophie cried as she gently pet the shoulders of those around her. "You were fighting in the woods. Are you all okay? Some of you had gotten hurt. You're alright now, right?"
The warrior wolves chuckled and nodded, reassuringly gripping Sophie's hand as she reached for them. She turned to the others around her and they also nodded. She could feel her heartache. She didn't want them to fight one another. She didn't want anyone hurt.
"It's been awhile since then. We've all healed." Kano grinned.
"Don't fight each other. I don't know what happened but I don't want you hurting each other."
"Oh, no, we weren't fighting each other." Trevor blurted. Sophie focused her attention on Trevor but his eyes strayed to the Alpha. "Don't worry, Luna, we're fine now."
Sophie felt like there was a story there that he was holding back from her. She turned to Cortez, whose expression was unreadable. That was until his hand traveled up her back and his eyes fell on hers.
"Should I show you around, Gorgeous?" Cortez's pitch black eyes held her so delicately.
"Sure." Sophie shrugged. There was a lot for her to see and learn so she didn't think to question him about the story of that day just yet.