Chapter 48

(Owen POV)

I knew when I brought Amelia home from the hospital that it would be a lot for her to take in. I had been sure to tell her all about this house when I had tried reaching her through our link, even projecting memories of me building it so she knew she would always have a home with me. So, when I set her down and she stood standing in the entrance I had no idea what to expect. The memories she had of this house had been wrapped in her mind, in a world that never existed. Would she be disappointed in the real thing?

Would it only bring her painful memories that she had made in that place? I stood watching her quietly as she slowly turned in place and took it all in. When she was facing me again, I saw a soft smile on her face, and I admit I was surprised. Her eyes met mine and she gave me the first genuine smile I had seen all day. I hated that she thought she had to fake her smiles around me, when I knew exactly what she was feeling. My wolf had sensed her wolf briefly the night before and had tried coaxing her out, with little result. Samuel said she looked scared in the depths of Amelia’s mind.

He did get her name, Elena. I could tell he cared deeply for her, even though their meeting was brief, by how happy he got to even sense her so close. Amelia didn’t seem to even notice them trying to communicate, which of course worried me. She had no sense of her wolf at all, and that meant she had a long way to go before she became her true self. I may have only been with her for a short while, but I can tell that I couldn’t have asked for a better Luna for our pack. Though I knew that would have to wait too. My pack was fine having an Alpha with no mate for the last few years, but now that they knew my mate was here, they were excited to meet her.

I watched her in silence taking in her beauty, because she really was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. Yes, she had bruises all over her face, but it was still there. Her beauty shined through everything that had happened to her and it was clear as day to me.

“So, what do you think?” I ask her.

She smiles softly and takes in a deep breath. “It feels like home.”

I my heart jumped at those words, and my wolf preened at the thought of our mate liking the home we had built for her.

“Does it look like the one you imagined?” I ask stepping closer to her and slowly wrapping my arms around her waist.

I moved slow and watched her carefully for any sign that she didn’t like what I was doing, but she didn’t flinch away or stop me. The opposite in fact, she let out a shaky breath before stepping closer and almost falling into my arms. I instantly held her as close as possible, and I smiled. She was here finally in my arms after calling out to her for so long…she was here, and she was all mine. We stayed like this for a few moments until I heard a few sniffles coming from my small mate. I pulled back slightly and wanted to immediately let go thinking had hurt her, but she held onto me tighter.

“A little longer, please?” She asked softly keeping her head low.

I quickly put my arms around her again and rested my head on top of hers. I took in a deep breath and her scent filled my nose and my whole body shivered. She moved to look up at me with a confused expression.

“Are you ok?” She asks me with big, concerned eyes.

I nodded quickly but took a step back. See the thing about mates is everything between you is heightened. My body responds to her from pure instinct making my behavior a little unpredictable right now. Every part of me wanted to kiss her and hold her and scent her and more, but I needed to take things slow, so I don’t freak her out. Easier said than done! I had been searching for her for 2 years, 2 YEARS! I craved her touch now that I was close to her, but cravings lead to other things and I needed to rain things in.

“I will, help you take your stuff to your room.” I tell her quickly rushing out to the car and taking a deep breath as I stood behind the open trunk.

“Man, she smells so nice…” I whisper to myself, my wolf giving a low growl in agreement.

I felt terrible for reacting to her like this, but my wolf was ready to claim her after waiting for so long and he wasn’t easy to talk down.

“She is our mate; we must claim her.” Samuel always thinking with his…well, not his head that was more my department.

“She is fragile right now Samuel, she needs time.” I try to explain to him.

“If we mate her, she will be stronger!” Samuel counters, and I admit his argument makes sense but no! It was too soon.

“No. Not now, she will tell us when she is ready! I hope.” I say to him slamming the trunk closed and carrying her stuff inside.

She is standing by the fireplace glancing at a few photos I had placed there. I step up beside her and smile at the memories of my family, it made me think how much they would have loved her.

“That’s my parents there and that cutie is my sister.” I say pointing to them individually.
“I remember.” She says still looking at the photo. “Will I get to meet them soon?”

My heart drops at her request because of course I want her to meet them, but not any time soon because that would mean she was gone too.

“I wish you could, but I lost them a few years back.” I tell her turning to look at the photo again.

When I turn to look at her again, she is looking at me in horror.

“What’s wrong?” I ask her quickly.

“T-they are gone? Your dad too?” She asks with a barely there voice.

“Yeah, um…car accident.” I tell her not sure why she is reacting in this way.

“Oh my god. I am so sorry!” She says with a flash of guilt flashing across her face.

“I-it’s ok Amelia, it was a while ago now.” I say trying to make her feel slightly better.

“I-I had this terrible image of your father…I’m so sorry!” She says.

Oh. “He was actually the one who caused the accident. He had been drinking and ran a red light and hitting a rig as it passed the intersection. Thankfully my mother and sister didn’t suffer, but he was on life support for over a month before eh passed. That’s when I became alpha.”

She looks to me and then to the photo. “No wonder he was the villain in my story. He was the villain in your story too.”

I laugh a little at that, because it was kind of a cute explanation and completely true. My father wasn’t a great man, but I tried in every way to be a better man and alpha than him. We stand silent for a few moments more looking at the photo, but then I had enough.

“Let me take you to your room!” I say stepping away and heading toward the stairs.

She soon follows and I lead her to the room just next door to mine. “Here we are!”

I set her bags down and turn to watch her reaction to the well put together room that Natalia had helped me furnish.

“This is our room?” She asks turning to me with a confused expression.

“Oh! No this is your very own room!” I say proudly.

I wanted to show her that I was a gentleman and did not expect her to share a bed with me straight away. She looked around and then smiled at me once again.

“Thank you!” She says sweetly and walking toward one of her bags and setting it on the bed.

When she doesn’t turn or say anything more, I leave her to unpack. I stay just outside the door for a second trying to figure out why she had given me one of her fake smiles again? Did she not like how the room was decorated? Before I could build up the courage to ask, I heard a knock at the door.

I rush down and open the door to find my beta standing with a smirk on his face.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him.

He laughs and pushes past me.

“I heard you found your mate finally and I am here to formally present myself to our new Luna!” He says with a straight back and firm nod like some kind of knight about to meet the queen.

“She is just getting settled in now, I got to show her the room Natalia decorated for her!” I say walking past him toward the kitchen.

“Oof!” He says while making a wincing sound. “That’s harsh.”

I turn to him from the other side of the fridge door. “What?”

“You gave her a separate room? She must hurt!” He says.

I furrow my brow in confusion. “Why would she be hurt?”

He scoffs. “It makes it seem like you don’t want her in your bed, bro! That’s just mean! What is she ugly?”

I hated how sometimes he knew things I didn’t seem to even think about, but I guess being my Beta that was kind of his job. It was just that accent, it made him sound so damn smug all the time! We walk to the living room and fall onto our usual spots on the couches.

“You think she is upset then?” I ask him.

“Definitely!” He says with a shake of the head. “She is going to think you don’t want her, as a mate or a woman. Big mistake!”

Oh no. What had I done?
I was stewing in my beta’s words when I hear footsteps coming down the stairs.

“Alexander?” I look up to see my mate smiling brightly and looking right at my beta.

Alex stands and bows like the proper gentleman he is not and greets her. “Hello Luna!”

The next thing she does takes us both by surprise, and I nearly choke on my beer.

“Oh my gosh! You’re really here!” She says running down the stairs and wrapping her arms around Alex’s neck and kisses him.

On the lips.