The first thing I saw when I woke up was Nickolas's face, his eyes gently shut and his lips slightly parted. I tried to move out in order to use the bathroom, but his arms where tightly wrapped around my waist. I tried to gently wiggle out, but his grip just tightened.
"Nickolas?" I said sweetly. "Let go of me before I kick your ass." He yawned and slowly let me go. I sat up in bed and leaned over to get the rolling chair. Not anymore! My wolf was back! Get up and walk! Get that thing off!
I pushed the covers back and stared at my cast. I tried to peel it off, but that was useless. I tried slipping it off, but that was useless. I tried biting it off before Nickolas stopped me.
"What the hell are you doing? If you're hungry, order some food." He chuckled. I glared at him before returning my attention to the cast.
"I gotta take it off!"
"Doctor said to wait 4 weeks." He pointed out.
"Wolf says to take it off."
"Your wolf is talking to you? Since when?"
"About 5 minutes ago." I smiled, causing Nickolas to grin like an idiot.
"What?"
"Your wolf is back."
"Thank you for that crucial information, Captain Obvious. Tell me something I don't know."
"All right, your wolf coming back means you've accepted me as your mate."
I freeze for a few seconds before replying.
"Or it means she wants some exercise."
"Denial is not just a river in Egypt."
"Shut up. You gonna help me take it off?"
"Yeah, wait a sec." He got up and came back with carving scissors.
Minutes later, the cast felt to the floor, cut in half. Finally! I flexed my leg and walked around the room. I went to open the bedroom door, to find a guard still there.
"Nickolas, tell the guard to move and let me out!" I whined.
"No can do." He said, shutting the door.
"Why not?" I complained.
"You can't go out until you do something."
"What?" I could feel my wolf getting excited at the idea of stepping outside.
"Accept me as your mate."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Yes."
"No."
"Just say yes! My wolf is dying to get out!"
My wolf was trying to force me to say yes. I really wanted to go outside and feel the sun on my face and walk around and maybe run away. But I wasn't accepting him.
"No." I replied before plopping down on the bed and turning the TV on.
Nickolas stared at me for several seconds before groaning and pulling me off the bed. He opened the door and let me out.
"You are one stubborn mate." He muttered as I smirked at him.
I don't think this is that much better. Nickolas refused to leave my side as I wandered through the house. Not really anything interesting, I saw a library, offices, bedrooms, board rooms, a kitchen and dining room table. I needed to get outside.
I wandered around some more, with Nickolas following me like a lost puppy, before I saw the back doors, leading to the fields. I quickly ran to them and turned the knobs...and they were locked.
"Open them." I ordered.
"No, I need you to promise me something."
"Fine."
"Promise me you won't run away from me again."
"All right. I promise."
He pulled out a key and unlocked the door, slowly opening it. I stepped out and felt the sun on my face for the first time in 4 days. I took a big breath, inhaling the fresh, outdoor smell. Without thinking I shifted. I sprinted from the back porch and ran straight to the woods.
I heard Nickolas screaming my name, but I didn't care. I heard his wolf panting as he chased after me, but I was smaller and quicker. I suddenly stopped running and quickly turned around, causing Nickolas to slip from trying to turn so sharply.
I howled in joy and kept running to the house. Once I reached it, I turned around and ran to the garden, where I peed on the peach tree. I ran towards the fountain and jumped in, splashing around, before I decided to go to the boulders the kids usually climbed.
At this point, I saw Nickolas's white wolf sitting in the middle of the field, watching me.
Nickolas
Something was very different about my mate. I knew the moment I saw her wolf. I've never heard of a beta-born wolf being born with white fur; it could just be a genetic mutation though.
Lexi
I barked, demanding he played with me instead of sitting and watching me. Together we play wrestled on the ground before I raced and beat him. Then I tried biting his hind leg while he fake whimpered.
I ran circles around the field, sliding into patches with grass wet with dew. I ran for about an hour, making Nickolas play with me, before I decided my wolf was tired.
In my joy of being outside, I didn't think to take my clothes off before shifting, and I had none left. I barked at Nickolas, who was facing the same problem. We walked over to the back door, to find we couldn't get in because of our lack of hands.
I stood up on my hind legs and started scratching at the door until a guard opened it. Seeing our wolves he let us both in and opened the bedroom door for us.
I took a suitcase in my mouth and hid in the closet before shifting and getting dressed.
Nickolas came out of the bathroom a few seconds after. We glanced at each other before we burst out laughing. That guard's face was permanently in my mind.
"And you thought I was running away!"
"Wouldn't be the first time you did."
"But I promised. Besides it was my wolf going crazy!"
"And is your wolf tired now?" Yes, very.
"Yep."
"Good. Now tell me why your wolf is white?" he asked seriously.
"Um, because that's how she came?" I answered uncertainly.
"The first time you shifted, your wolf was white?"
"Yeah."
"Why?" I scrunched my eyebrows together. I knew white wolves were really rare. In fact, I think Nickolas's wolf is the only other one I've ever seen in person.
"What grade were you in, in school?"
"I was almost done with 9th grade."
"You never took Life Science then?"
"No, I think I'm supposed to take that in 11th, why?" My curiosity was rising with each second.
"Who has seen your wolf?" he asked, ignoring my previous question.
"No one really; just my family and Aaron. My parents told me I shouldn't shift too much."
"Did they say why?"
"Just that it can be difficult to control my wolf sometimes. I don't think anyone else has ever seen my wolf. Why?"
"Nothing you need to worry about right now. But, I have surprise for you." He smiled.
"Is it letting me out to the village?"
"No. Now lets go."
I groaned before following Nickolas outside again and towards his car. I opened the door and he turned the engine. We drove away from the village and to the gates. It was very rare for me to get out of the gates, mainly because everything I needed was on the territory. Except the grocery store, but the Alfa and moms usually took care of that.
"Where are we going?"
"It's a surprise."
"Okay...this can be considered kidnapping."
"You got in the car willingly."
"You are not a relative or guardian."
"No, I'm your mate."
"Humans don't consider mates as guardians."
"I'm a family friend."
"An older male with an underage girl."
"That happens a lot."
"Not with a guy who constantly thinks about mating with me."
"All right! You got me there."
I smiled happily and tried to figure out where we were going.
"Hey, you brought that up! You brought up mating with me!"
"No I didn't, you did!"
"You were the first to talk about it!"
"But you always think about it!"
"But I don't say it out loud!"
"Please! I see the way you look at me."
"I'm your mate, in my eyes you're the sexiest creature on planet."
"Sexy, but untouchable."
"For now."
"Perverted pedophile! You're not fucking touching me, ever!" I could feel myself getting mad.
"I already told you; I'm not touching you."
"You wrapped your arm around my waist last night."
"Which means you were awake and didn't slap it away!" Nickolas grinned. I opened my mouth to respond, but I didn't have a comeback.
"I win." I glare at him. He turns into the huge parking lot of the mall. My eyes widen; I'm a girl and it's a mall. I try to open the door, but Nickolas stops me.
"Please, no running away or shifting."
"I promise."
"Pinkie promise?" I groan and take his pinkie in my own.
Jumping out of the car, I speed walk inside and gawk at all the stores. Immediately walking into one, I grab clothes off the rack and move around the store looking for clothes. Nickolas chuckles at my activity, but clothes shopping is actually pretty rare for me, since the mall is far and I ruin lots of clothes when shifting.
I pull out some jeans, shorts, tops and some shoes, trying it all on. I toss what I don't want on the rack and keep what I might buy. Nickolas actually gets into it with me, pulling out some clothes as well.
Nickolas
"Here." I hand Lexi a tank top. "Can I see it?" She nods and tries it on. Stepping out of the dressing room, I see the top reveals her flat stomach.
"Too short."
"It's perfect." I say. She looks hot in it.
"Nope." I hand her some shorts, which she returns to the room to try on. They barely reach mid-thigh.
"Too short."
"It's perfect." She looks fucking sexy.
"You weirdo, it's like you want me to show as much skin as possible." She must've realized my plan, because she shoots me the death glare.
"What? No! It's just hot outside, you noticed, right?"
"Duh, maybe we should get these." I smile. "Maybe some swimsuits as well." My smile grows bigger as I hand her a swimsuit I picked out.
"I can't wait to model these at the pack's lake!" I growl at the thought of other males seeing her showing that much skin and snatch the bikini out of her hand.
"No! Mine!" She flips me the finger before changing out of the top and shorts. She tosses them to the return rack, but I pick them up.
"Oh, you gonna let me wear it at the pack?"
"No, inside the house." She shrugs and continues picking out some clothes.
"Hey, you ready?" I ask.
"Yeah, just figuring out what I can buy." She starts counting the 20's in her hand. "Okay, that's about... Nickolas?"
"Lexi! Hurry up!" I call her. I already bought everything she picked out along with some other stuff that I wanted to get her.
"I wanted to pay." She whines as we exit the mall.
"No way! You're my mate! Let me spoil you."
"I don't want to be spoiled."
"Well, you're gonna be."
"Why?"
"Because I love you." I answer getting in the car.
"How can you say that?"
"What do you mean? You're my mate! I'm going to love you more than anything!"
"You've known me for less than a week and you say you love me?"
"Yeah. What's wrong?"
"This doesn't feel like real love! We don't know each other, and you're older! I knew Aaron since I was born! And we've known each other for 13 years before he asked me out. You've known me for 1 week and you say you love me. You're six fucking years older than me!"
"Love isn't measured by time. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen in my life and even though you can be such a crazy bitch and love abusing me, I love being by your side. I love waking up next to you, even if you kick me off the bed. I love taking care of you when you're hurt even though it was because you tried to run away from me"
"Yeah, I'm older. But I'm waiting for you." She bites her lip and looks at her hands placed in her lap. She sniffs quietly.
"Why are you so upset about the age difference? Yes, it's six years, but it honestly isn't too much. If you're upset about the need to mature, my mom will keep doing the Alfa duties until you're ready."
"It's not the work or maturity! I just don't trust guys!" Tears start running down her beautiful face.
"Did something happen to you to make you feel this way?" I demand.
"No." she replies shortly.
"Lexi, ju-."
"I want to go home." She says suddenly.
"If you tell me, I ca-."
"I want to go home." She repeats. I hang my head and sigh deeply before turning the car on.
Lexi sniffs quietly on the ride home and the tears eventually dry. She may be letting this go, but I wasn't. Something happened to my mate. Something that's the reason for her fear of me. As her mate, I had to figure it out if I had any chance with her.