Chapter Two

Kris made his way across the parking lot to his car, checking his watch for the time.

The meeting had taken up more time than he had expected and his scent turned spicy because he was disgruntled, he wasn't worried that he would not meet Ava, she usually spent the entire day if she had the time to and he would drive her back home when it started to get dark.

But for the fact that quality time that he would have spent with his girlfriend was wasted sitting in a stuffy boardroom.

His suit went off as soon as he got in his car, he tugged on his tie as well to loosen it, undoing the top buttons.

He was also in a hurry because there was a lady on the marketing theme who was aggressively chasing after him even after he had told her that he had a girlfriend. 

The last thing he needed was Beth getting to his car before he could drive off, it was ridiculous because she was human so there was no way she could know he was an Alpha.

He was past trying to reason out that though, driving out, he thought over calling home to let them know he was on his way.

It was almost noon, the sun bright and high in the sky as he drove with the windows down.

Or he could just show up and surprise them, that seemed a lot better although it wouldn't hurt to hear their voices.

They were the only werewolves that he had come across in the small town so he could not help but think that fate had brought them together. 

They were so far away from Werewolf settlements and he liked it that way, it was safer here in Newwall anyway.

Werewolf settlements were not safe anymore as a group of humans had taken to slowly wiping them out.

There were fewer and fewer werewolf Packs now, most of them already wiped out.

Kris was careful to keep his and his mom's identity a secret, he was grateful that Ava had managed to keep her identity a secret all the while she was passed from foster home to foster home.

The only other person privy to this was Niall who was also a werewolf, his best friend who was currently out of town, he always seemed to be out on some business trip or the other.

Niall had escaped from his crumbling Pack, barely surviving the attack of Werewolf Hunters. 

It was a Saturday so the traffic was light and in no time he was pulling up the driveway.

He had his own key so he let himself in, seeing as the front door was locked, it would only mean that the two important women in his life were in the back gardens. 

He decided to change out of his suit into something more casual before going to meet them.

Even though Ava said it wasn't done that way, he had insisted on taking her along to pick out an engagement ring, enjoying the way her cheeks had heated up when he made the offer.

They would be going to a ring shop at the end of the week.

He pulled on a simple white shirt and grey sweatpants, padding through the house barefoot as he mussed up his hair, dark blue eyes twinkling at the thought of seeing Ava.

The porch doors were already open so he just tiptoed out, his mom's back was to him, he could see Ava fast asleep, her head propped on his mom's legs.

They looked so peaceful…

Slowly, he made his way over and carefully covered his mother's eyes.

Brooke did not even startle at this, smiling softly as she lifted her smaller hands to place on her son’s hand.

"Hmm? I wonder who it could be." She said out loud, hearing him barely suppress his snickers. "Could it be, Kris?" She guessed dramatically. 

"Hey, mom." He smiled at her, coming around so he could sit at the other edge of the blanket, facing her.

"Hi, dear." She reached forward to fix his wild hair. "How did your meeting go?"

Kris was already distracted by staring at a sleeping Ava though so he didn't hear her. "Hmm?" He hummed, reluctantly dragging his eyes from his girlfriend's face back to his mom's. 

Brooke smiled indulgently. "Your meeting, Kris? How did it go?"

"Fine, mom, it had already been approved, we just needed to settle the advertising. " he explained briefly, his eyes moving back to Ava's face.

The way the sunlight heated up her soft brown hair and made it look like spun gold, her lashes fanning over her soft cheeks, pretty lips in an entrancing bow.

"See this is why we can't have a conversation when she's asleep." Brooke feigned upset. 

Kris blinked, he hadn't realised that he was staring at her again. "You can't blame me, mom, look at her." He gestured in Ana's direction.

Brooke burst out laughing, shushing him in the next breath. "If you wake her up you're sleeping in your car." She threatened him in a whisper.

Kris gulped, knowing that his mom would keep to her words.

“She had a rough week again, didn’t she?” He asked his mom in a soft voice, noting the faint eyebags on her honey skin.

He knew that she called his mom to talk about it but tried to hide how upset she was from him. He didn’t push because he knew that she had always been independent and just because they were dating and he was an Alpha wouldn’t change that.

He respected her wishes, he just wished that she would lean on him more.

“A little but she cracked the scene giving  her a headache so she’ll be fine.” She brought him up to date. “You want to hold her, I’ll make lunch for you then we can do a movie marathon.” Brooke suggested.

Kris was already reaching out for his girlfriend. “Sure, I’ll bring her in when you’re done.”

Carefully, Brooke let Kris easily pick up the sleeping girl on her, she was so much a part of their family that Brooke wondered how they both lived before she came into their lives.

Ava easily leaned into Kris, cuddling up slightly to him, no doubt she could make out his scent even though she was fast asleep.

Brooke stood up, dusting out her sundress as she picked up her discarded novel, it was one of Ava’s first books and the picnic basket.

Kris wished that Ava would sleep longer just so he could get to stare at her the entire time but like she always did whenever he came in while she was asleep, it didn’t take too long for her to wake up.

She let out a soft hum, a prelude to her rousing, stretching out like a cat before blinking open her beautiful emerald green eyes, his favourite colour.

Ava squinted against the sunlight, startling when she saw no other than Kris staring down at her like he had jumped out of her dreams.

“Kris?” She blinked up at him, her voice still soft from sleep.

“Hey, baby.” He grinned down at her, leaning forward to kiss her forehead then her mussed up hair.

It was hard to get her frizzy curls to behave, the soft brown locks which were cut short to her neck embarrassed her every time, particularly when she woke up from a nap.

“When did you get back?” She asked with a smile, sitting up so that her head was placed on his chest, his arms wrapped around her.

“Not too long ago.” He shrugged, breathing in her sweet and relaxing scent.

“So, how was your meeting?” She asked, placing a hand on his upper arm.

“It wasn’t over fast enough.” He grumbled with a pout.

Ava laughed at this, the healing sound washing over him, he could tell that she was no longer bothered about the book she was working on with how freely she laughed.

It had been over a week since he heard her laugh so freely, her dimples winking at him from both sides of her cheeks.

He would always think this anytime he looked at her, Ava was immensely beautiful and she was all his.

“I miss you.” He murmured after a short spell of comfortable silence.

Ava’s cheeks heated up at this. “Even though I’m literally in your arms right now?”

“Yes because you’ll leave soon, I can’t wait for you to move in.” He hummed, tightening his arms briefly around her.

Ava thought she would be terrified about losing her own space, something she never really had while growing up but she could truthfully say… “Me too, my love.” ...without feeling panicky.

Brooke made her appearance at this point, standing at the porch doors with her signature apron on. “I see you woke her up, didn’t you, Kris?” She accused him, placing both of her hands on her waist to assume a threatening stance.

“I did not.” Kris defended with an equally serious expression but his mom was having none of it.

“Then how does she wake up after I leave…”

Ava was laughing so hard that she could barely join the conversation, their banter always cracked her up.

“I woke up by myself, Brooke.” She finally chipped in, breathless from laughter.

They drifted inside the house, Kris closing up the porch doors behind them.

They all had lunch together, laughter and banter shared lovingly across the table between mother and son.

After lunch, they all got comfortable in the living room, Kris insisting on Ava sitting on him although there were a lot of free chairs.

Brooke got the popcorn, knowing that it would end up being just her and Kris watching the movie because Ava always fell asleep while they watched movies although she was the most excited for movie marathons, it was one of her countless endearing traits.

Kris didn't even notice it got late outside, his mom occasionally going to get more buttered popcorn and drinks.

He had only noticed when Ava had started to doze off, her eyes battling to not slip shut but she eventually gave in, cuddling in close as she fell deeply asleep.

It was his mom who reminded him so that he wouldn't take Ava home too late.

"Darling, it's past seven." She paused the movie to say. "You should take Ava home, she doesn't like getting back too late."

"Yes, mom." He agreed.

There was no need to wake her up and he always jumped on the chance to carry her.

Brooke came over to kiss Ava’s forehead, she could be a sleepy cat sometimes, especially after a particularly strenuous week.

"Drive carefully now." She cautioned in a soft voice, following them to the car so that she could put in the car the leftovers that she had packed up for Ava.

"I will, mom." Kris carefully put her in the passenger seat, doing up her seat belt, she would wake up soon enough but he didn't want to be the one to ruin her sleep.

He drove carefully like he didn't want to wake her up but really it was just because he didn't want to see her go.

She woke up about halfway through the journey, her house wasn't particularly far from his.

"Oh my, it's already so dark." She commented, peeking out his side of the window, something she always did.

He kissed her cheek when she came close enough, making her jerk back the tiniest bit, a smile spreading slowly on her face.

He stopped the car in front of her apartment,  leaving it running because she always told him to not bother walking her to her door.

Which didn't sit well with him because what if a raccoon was sitting in the shrubs, waiting to attack, who would protect her then?

They stared at each other, the steady hum of the engine filling up the warm space.

Kris reached out a hand to cup her small face, leaning forward to claim her lips in a searing kiss.

"Goodnight, baby." He muttered when they separated,  his voice low.

"Night, Kris." She responded, her cheeks warm enough that he would have clearly noticed them even without his enhanced eyesight. 

The spike in her scent meant that her scent wouldn't become too faint on his drive back home.

He sat back, his eyes fixed on her petite figure as she made her way to her front door, securely holding the package his mom had prepared for her.

Ava smiled, her heart still racing as she pushed open her front door, she could feel Kris eyes on her, watching to make sure she got in safely.

She turned around to wave at him, knowing that he did the same although she couldn't see him through the tinted windows before stepping into her house and locking the door.