We were able to get out of the packhouse unseen.
Hand in hand we walk to the waiting Rolls Royce. Like a true gentleman, Jasper holds the door open for me before getting behind the wheel. Once we're on our way, he takes my hand in his again, kisses the backside, still looking straight ahead.
'Did you have a good time today, Rain? I think we're a bit short-handed to get the pack's finances in order. And I know you excel at business administration,' he says. "Can you spare some time to help us out? I know you do a lot of cooking and training with my mother. But I need you closer to me." His words warm my heart and for a moment I doubt whether my departure is the right decision. Jasper says he needs me, maybe I should focus more on my relationship with my mate than listening to small talk.
"Hmmm, let me check with Mom first. She's made a work schedule for things that need to be done in the pack," I informed him. "I'd like to spend more time with you too," I reply softly as I lean in and kiss his ear. A smile crosses his face. "Then we have an appointment. Ask my mother if you are free to come to my office at least once a week. I prefer Wednesday, then it is less busy and I can spend more time with you." he suggests dubiously.
"Focus on me? I thought you said I'd be working on the books, Alpha," I interrupt teasingly.
He chuckles.
"When I'm in the office, I have so many fantasies about you and me on my desk, on the couch, against the wall...". Before he can finish his sentence, I tap him playfully on the shoulder.
"Jasper!" I exclaim. "Are you a sex maniac? We have so much sex, sometimes I don't know where you get the energy from after hours of office work". Jasper smiles and brings my hand to his lips again. "You are so seductive. Every time I see you, you are more beautiful than the last time and I want to own you again. It is something deeper than the mate pull".
Smiling happily, I look ahead.
Jasper is always showering me with compliments, openly expressing his love for me. We are so happy together, but I can't forget that I can't give him the most crucial thing in his life; an heir. I take a deep breath and slowly release it. Thinking carefully and making the right decision is now of vital importance. Above all, I cannot be selfish and claim his love without fulfilling his need.
I look sideways at him, my manly and attractive mate. He could so easily find another woman who would gratefully give him all he needed.
Just the thought of another in his bed and arms almost suffocates me. Still I can't be selfish, I remind myself again.
We arrive at an exquisite riverside restaurant.
As the festival is in progress, only a few unmated wolves and an elderly couple are present. Jasper holds my elbow and leads me to a table overlooking the water. My mouth falls open when I scan the setup. It looks like Valentine's Day, everything is set in red, our table is in the middle and beautifully decorated. The lights are dimmed, creating a romantic ambiance. I’m sure this is Jasper’s doing, he had this made up so beautifully, especially for me.
"Do you like it, Rain?" Jasper asks softly. I turn to him, my eyes sparkling with joy.
"Thank you, Jasper. You don't know what this means to me on this day. I feel less guilty now that you had to leave the festival to be with me."
Immediately his face turns serious.
“It's not a sacrifice at all, Rain. I feel guilty for spending so little time with you," he confesses. "The pack business takes up almost all of my attention. Sometimes I think I'm neglecting you. But today I'm spending quality time with my mate. I've missed you so much." I lean against his shoulders as we walk further to the table. Jasper holds my chair out for me and when he sits down opposite me, we look into each other's eyes.
"What do you want to eat? The chef is ready to prepare anything you want. But I know you love the French steak and the Italian Lasagna, so I ordered those in advance," says my mate. Together we decide to add some meat dishes and another bottle of the best red wine. The cool breeze blowing in our direction from the river completes the whole atmosphere on the terrace.
Jasper and I reminisce about the start of our mating when we discovered each other as destined mates and the unforgettable Luna ceremony attended by all the leaders of the surrounding packs. How happy we were then and full of plans for the future.
A shadow falls over my face as I recall our conversations about having pups.
Jasper wanted five, at least one boy who could take over the pack when the time came. The other four, for his part, could be girls, copies of their mother, so he would have not only a queen in the house but some princesses as well. He sounded so dreamy when we talked about it back then.
Three years later we are sitting here on the terrace and the first pup is still nowhere to be seen. And I don't dare to go to the gynecologist for an examination, the confirmation of my infertility could be unpalatable for me. So I put it off as long as I can.
I look up at Jasper and scan his face for any clue that he remembers our talk about pups. But all I can read in his eyes is the love he has for me. I sigh happily. "Moon Goddess, why? Why me? I would do anything to make this man happy. All he needs is a puppy, at least one,' I pray to myself.
When we're done, we walk to the railing of the terrace. Jasper takes me from behind and holds me in his arms as we look out over the mirror-smooth river.
Life without him will be difficult, but my decision is made.
I love this man too much to be a burden to him, I have to go...
A trail of clothes forms from the elevator to our apartment.Impatiently we strip each other while kissing we bump into the door and when we manage to open it, we almost fall into the living room. When we finally land on the bed, there is no time for foreplay. We own one another like two drunken sailors, moving each other to incredible heights only to tumble breathlessly back to earth and then slowly begin the climb to the heavens again. Like true werewolves we ravish our bodies throughout the evening, hot lust raging through us. Everything in the apartment is unsafe for our love, from the bed to the sofa, the wall and my dressing table. And it is already late morning when we finally fall back into the disheveled bed, exhausted like hell. Fortunately, the day after the festival is a holiday and the pack is at a total standstill. So,I can keep Jasper to myself for a few more hours. We sleep until noon when hunger drives us out of bed. "Luna, are you awake?
Ruth's words keep roaming around in my head.'We are strong.' I may decide to stay with Jasper and be strong. Maybe one day, the Moon Goddess will bless us with a pup after all and then everything will be all right. My heart beats like crazy at the idea that I would carry Jasper's pup and thus regain the respect of his family and our pack. Everything would be fine again the day I announced I was pregnant. And Jasper will be over the moon, throwing a big party that will last for days. But if another year passes without a pup. When the Full Moon reappears at the Lupercalia Festival and Jasper has to leave his pack members at the cave again without participating in the mate hunt. All because his mate doesn't have a wolf to chase or a pup to continue his bloodline. Everyone's humiliation, my shattered self-respect and the feeling of having failed once again will be unbearable. 'We are strong,' echoes again in my head.Lost in thought, I walk t
Quickly I grab my suitcase from the walk-in closet and throw it on the bed.Earlier I had selected the clothes I wanted to take with me and sorted them in a drawer.Casual and formal wear, some stilettos and gym shoes and everything on my dressing table I slide into the suitcase in one jerk. When it is so full that I can barely zipper it up, I pick it up and put it at the door. I grab my purse and check that all my official documents and personal credit card are still in it. I leave the card Jasper gave me on the clean dressing table. Looking around, my eyes capture a picture of Jasper and me on the wall. It was taken during our mating ceremony three years ago when we were so confident about our future together.I walk over to it, unsure if I should take it with me. With my departure, I want to draw a line under everything related to this pack. I will remember only my family, but I won't contact them for the time being. In a letter to them, I've explaine
Two years later"Rain! We're already late. The new CEO is already in the conference room. Now all the attention is on us. Please, hurry up, girl".Natalie's annoyed voice echoes through my office as she turns her head around the door. I wanted to finish the files I am working on before going to the introductory meeting of our new boss. For weeks he has been the topic of every conversation on the work floor. Some staffers have looked up his name on google and run his picture through all departments. All go crazy for the man. The young single staffers are drooling over him, there have been several bets about who will hook up with him first. And of course, they didn't include me in their folly, everyone knows I don't have time for this nonsense. I'm always focused on my work and never care about girlish stuff. Natalie grabs my hand and pulls me behind her to the meeting place.And she is right, we are the last to enter and everyone glares at us with a sigh. The new CEO wan
It ended up being quite a presentation for Mr. del Conselho. Businesslike and acquainted, I explained to him all the details of this prestigious project that definitely will bring us more wealthy clients with such assignments. His face is expressionless as he fires the questions at me. But I am well prepared, this is not my first project. Both for the company and privately, I prepare many assignments that have all been blockbusters so far. Most disturbing is the way he looks at me with his deep blue eyes. His piercing glances seem to want to see through me, but I stand firm. If he thinks to make me insecure, he has another thing coming. I know my job like no other, ever since college, I've been a math nerd. When I've explained everything and there are no more questions, he nods approvingly. "I'm very impressed with your knowledge, Miss Weiner. Next week I have a meeting with the client, be ready to assist me with that," he declares briefly and turns to his desk, a sig
Calling Home After work, I drive to a protected national forest about twenty kilometers from Conselho Construction Enterprises. I'm so down again, I miss Jasper terribly and can't stop thinking about my mate. It breaks me up to be far from him, sometimes I just want to pack my bags and go back to the safe arms of my buddy. But then I remember the disappointment in the eyes of the pack, the words of my in-laws. Jasper deserves a better woman than me. And now after two years, he must have moved on with his life. He never made an effort to contact me, which proves a lot. I have to hold back. 'We are strong,' runs through my head, the words of Ruth, my sister. I think now is the time to contact her, she must have already graduated and I wonder if she got the scholarship of the pack or if Jasper helped her after all. Arriving at my usual spot, I park my car in a safe place. I walk a short distance into the forest where huts have been built at the edge.
"Alpha."Ruth steps uncertainly into my office. My mate's younger sister. Since Rain left, her attitude toward me has cooled considerably. She used to be excited when she saw me, always jumping around my neck and overwhelming me with compliments. Always ensured me how fortunate she was to have me as her brother-in-law, thanked me for treating her sister so well and bragged about it everywhere she went to anyone who wanted to hear it. But everything has changed now, Ruth is distant and doesn't quite know how to take her attitude. And she declined my help to pay for her studies at a university outside the Storm Forest.I had promised Rain to do that. But Ruth probably didn't consider me a family anymore and rejected my help. "Alpha, I come to ask your permission to leave the pack to study in Human Town," she says, fidgeting with her fingers. With a jerk, my shoulders straighten. "You turned down my help earlier. How are you going to pay for all that now? And will John le
Rain's POV "Ruth!!!"I can't believe my little sister has finally arrived. I have missed her, she is not only my sister but also my best friend. Unlike Rachel, we get along supremely well, we can talk for hours about all kinds of things. Now I close her in my arms after two years. "Oohhh girl, I can't wait until we get home. I hope you will have a good time here," I whisper in her ear. And then I see her mate standing there. "John, welcome. Thank you for being willing to let Ruth fulfill her dreams. You know how much she wants to be the pack doctor. And she has the talent for it," I greet my brother-in-law with a smile. John is the son of the former Gamma. "Thank you, Rain. I do anything for my little mate. And if she wants to study, it's no problem," he promises. We walk to my car and when Ruth catches sight of it, she circles it admiringly. "Waw, sis. Is this yours? Goodness, you must be loaded to be able to afford one of these," she whistles