Chapter 5 | Secrets

Henry

Magnolia’s birthday can’t come soon enough. Seriously, how has she not figured out that I’m her mate yet?

We grew up together. And to be honest, I have been in love with her pretty much my entire life. I have never viewed her as a sister. Things have never been platonic to me.

Unfortunately, she doesn't feel the same way. She has always called me her 'bro' or has even tried to set me up with other girls. But I don't want any other girl, I only want her and that's the way it has always been and the way it will always be. I just don't know how to prove to her that she should give me a shot, especially before her birthday.

We're still a couple of months away from her birthday and I don't know how much longer I can wait to kiss her. But I don't want her to have any regrets about me.

She randomly spouts off, "How much longer are you going to stare at me?"

I didn't even realize I was staring at her. I say, "Sorry."

She huffs as she shakes her head, "Is there something wrong with me? Like, do I have a cowlick or something?"

I chuckle, "No, you look beautiful like always, Mags."

She looks at me with wide eyes and I stare at her in shock as I realize I just said that out loud. Her cheeks turn red and she turns away from me and brushes her hair behind her ear as she says, "Thanks, that's sweet of you."

I let out a nervous chuckle and say, "I'm just telling you the truth, Magnolia."

She looks at me and shakes her head, then looks away. She's got something on her mind, but she isn't sure how to talk to me about it. She should know by now that she can tell me absolutely anything! All I want is to make her happy.

I ask, "What is it, Magnolia?"

She breathes out and says, "It's nothing. I don't want things to be awkward between us."

I let out a low chuckle and say, "I don't think you can. Come on, we're best friends. We tell each other everything."

She starts to ramble, it's one of the cute habits she has when she's nervous, "But if I tell you this, it could ruin things and I don't want to ruin things because like you're my best friend! And I don't want to lose you because I was too stupid to not keep this to myself. Then again, as best friends, aren't we supposed to tell each other everything?"

She continues to ramble, but that last line got me. We're supposed to tell each other everything, yet I've been keeping a major secret from her for over a year now. I breathe out and say, "How about you tell me your thing and I'll tell you something I've been keeping from you?"

Her eyes widen and her lips pucker in a little surprise face and she asks, "You've been keeping something from me?"

I nod, "Yeah... I have, and for the same reason you're experiencing right now. I don't want to ruin anything."

She breathes out, "Okay... we can't keep secrets, so let's do this and hope it works out."

I chuckle and put my arm around her, pulling her closer, "Mags, I don't think there's anyway it won't work out. No matter what, you're my best friend. Nothing can change that."

She nods slowly and takes a deep breath and then says, "Okay, fine, then here it is. I um, I like you."

My eyes widen and my heart leaps to my throat. I'm scared to respond because what if she doesn't mean what I think she means.

She presses her lips together and says, "I've tried to fight these feelings, but I think you're really attractive and I enjoy being around you more than anyone else and I just... I like you, Henry."

I smile and say, "There's no reason to hide your feelings, Magnolia. Plus, I think you're really attractive, too."

She scoffs and shakes her head, "Yeah, right."

How can she not see how beautiful she is? She has long blonde hair that hits below her breasts, beautiful jade green eyes, cute freckles that go over her nose and her cheeks, not to mention her body is beautiful! 

I grab her hand and say, "I mean it, Magnolia. You're the most beautiful girl I've ever seen."

She looks at me in shock and I breathe out and say, "And it's normal for you to feel that way and for me to feel this way because... I'm your mate."

Her jaw drops and her eyebrows knit together and she says, "Excuse me, what?"

I chuckle and nod, "Yeah, you're my mate."

She shakes her head and says, "No, no, no, no, that's impossible! What are the chances of that happening?! This must be some kind of joke."

She turns to move away from me, but I grab her arm and pull her back to me. I brush her dark strands of hair behind her ear and tell her, "I would never joke about this with you, Magnolia. You are my mate. I've never felt platonic with you and... I'm tired of fighting my feelings. You feel the same way, Mags. It's meant to be."

Her eyes show the different emotions going through her mind, and I lean closer to her. My eyes stay focused on hers and I'm just a breath away from her lips. I breathe out and my voice comes out huskier than I expected and I ask, "May I?"

Her eyes stare into mine and she breathes out, "Yes."

I lean in to close the gap and I know from this moment forward, things will never be the same.

The moment is unfortunately cut too short as there are footsteps approaching us and Magnolia jumps away from me. Our moms come around the corner with a smile and the Luna, Magnolia's mom, says, "There you kids are. You need to get ready for dinner tonight. Violet and Cora will be in soon."

Magnolia gets to her feet as she says, "Yup, on it, mom."

She waves at me before walking away, leaving both of our moms with a perplexed expression. They both look at me with an eyebrow raised, silently questioning what was going on, but I just smile and stand up and lead us back to the pack house. 

This moment we had will be our little secret. We don't need meddling mothers getting into the beginning of our magical relationship.