Chapter 5

“I don’t know; I was busy training, making sure I don’t die, fighting, trying to conquer lands, and maybe fighting my brothers.” I explained, listing them with my fingers, and they all looked at me with squinted eyes.

“What the hell, Maddie? You did nothing but fight,” Emily exclaimed, still unable to fathom how I had lived my years with being boy crazy. “How did you not die of boredom?”

“Anyways, that is not why we are here.” Ariel interrupted before it could get out of hand. “We are down to the important part. Giftttsss.” My ears rang at the screams that followed, and Ariel directed a glare towards me as she didn’t hear my voice.

“Yayy!” I said in the most monotone voice I could muster, making her frown deepen, but I only shrugged. That was the most excited ‘noise’ I could muster.

“You could be at least a bit enthusiastic.” She grumbled, rolling her eyes. “Anyway, we would take turns opening our gifts, and I would be the last to go.”

“Yeah, sure, let’s just get this started.” I took the box Liza was holding out and I opened it, but my breath caught my throat as I saw a locket with a picture of Toby and me on each side, and I took her in my arms, squeezing her to my bosom.

“Thank you.” I whispered in her ears.

Emily was a mug of all seven of us and a leather jacket with Maddie written at the back. Tiana was a book that contained fighting tactics and tricks and a black combat boot.

“My turn.” Ariel cleared her throat, and she pulled out the big box she had brought with her. “Here, you have helped me once when I was in need, and it was only befitting that I did this. Open it.”

Her words only got me eager, and I held one of the ropes and pulled until it came apart, lifting the lid, and the first thing I saw was a black pocket knife.

“You would be doing a lot of fighting when you go back, and this knife is made from one of the sharpest objects; if you look closely, there is a red button you can press, and a drop of wolfbane will come to the tip; in case you are in dire need, it would kill your opponent at once.”

“Ariel.” That was the most thoughtful gift—in fact, all of them were. “Thank you so much.”

“That is not all.” I searched deeper, and I picked up a photo album titled ‘Maddie’s Memories’, and I flipped it open, the first picture taking my breath away.

It was Toby and I kissing under the moonlight, and the one just under it was our wolves lying down and gazing at the moon.

I blinked my eyes, willing the tears back, as I flipped the next page, which was even more pictures of Toby and me, while others were of my friends and just random things she thought I would like.

This time I couldn’t hold back, and I leaned towards her, hugging her tight. “Thank you, Ariel. Thank you so much.” She held me tight, rubbing my back until I was calm, and we released each other.

The last of her gifts had us all bursting into laughter. “What is this?” I asked as I held the silicone-shaped object.

“Well, you will be missing Toby a lot, and I know it can’t compare to the real thing, but it should do the trick.”

"Now, ladies, this is what I call thoughtfulness, and I promise to use it religiously.” I joked, and everyone burst into laughter.

The gift-giving ended, and it was time to party. Tiana cranked the volume to the highest, and we sang, danced, and drank. I was sure at one point I had kissed Liza on the cheeks, professing my love for her, but Kane, ever the party popper, had crashed the party because he believed his mate needed 8 hours of sleep.

It was safe to say that the goodbye party ended well, and I stumbled to Toby’s room, holding the walls for support, but they kept moving and made the journey more stressful than it should be.

I managed to get to the brown door, and I opened it, my eyes zoning on my mate that was lying on the bed.

He was pretending that he was sleeping, but I had heard his footsteps as he hurried back to bed when he noticed I was close, and I smiled.

I went to the bathroom and poured some water on my face, and after two more splashes and a cup of water, the alcohol in my system had cleared thanks to my fast metabolism, but it only managed to leave me horny.

I dragged my legs back to the bedroom, each step becoming harder because all I wanted was to jump him. Instead, I laid down on the bed, making sure there was enough distance between us, and I closed my eyes to sleep.

Ten minutes in and my eyes were still wide open, my nipples overly sensitive that I needed him to touch me before I went crazy. But I held it in and remained on my side of the bed.

“I am Maddie, and I wouldn’t be controlled by my hormones.” I whispered under my breath, but it only got increasingly difficult until I couldn’t take it any longer.

Fuck it.

I couldn’t hold back anymore; I was leaving tomorrow, and I needed the memory of my mate to last me for the journey ahead.

I took a deep breath, asking the goddess to help me, and I crossed the invisible line that had always separated us and hugged him from behind.

Toby stiffened from my touch and slowly turned to look at me, and I could still make out his lips from the darkness. “Maddie, what are you doing?”

“I just want to hold you.”