3

_DASH_

"Ugh." I groaned and finally got up from the bed that seemed to have become more and more uncomfortable from the last time I had lay in it, maybe they had gotten a new one, I thought to myself. I'd been tossing and turning for solid hours just trying to fall back to sleep, but no, it just seemed impossible, and it was only 4 in the morning; I was still exhausted from the trip; I felt it, but for unknown reasons, I couldn’t sleep anymore.

Slipping on sweatpants, I grabbed a pair of running shoes and put them on before leaving the house to go for a morning run. I knew I was not going to fall asleep again so I might as well start my fitness routine early.

I plugged in my headphones and started my run.

                                                                                      ◘

"We've been?” My father growled as I walked into the kitchen. “We have been looking for you."

"I was training." I shrugged, walking past him to the refrigerator, where I got a bottle of water and chugged it down.

"And you didn't bother to inform anyone." He hissed.

"I'm old enough to do what I want when I want. besides; I don't need to tell you I'm going on a morning run at 3." I rolled

my eyes going to my room. It was way too early for us to start arguing, and I didn’t have the energy for such, either.

"Morning bro." Angelo beamed walking into my room.

"Do bro me why the fuck would you growl at me" I snarled.

"Sorry bro, Rex was just excited to find our mate." He scratched the back of his head.

"You are playing with me right." I looked at him in disbelief. “Angelo, you have to be joking.”

“Fortunately.” He shook his head lips tugged into a smirk. “Penelope is my mate."

“Of all people." I groaned. "Anyways I'm still happy for you."

"Seriously." He looked at me wide-eyed clearly in disbelief.

"Yes."

"That's it, you aren't going to get upset or punch me or do something violent." He eyed me curiously.

"Nope.” I shook my head. “Just keep in mind that if you ever break my little sister’s heart, I'll hurt you so bad you'll regret

being born." I gritted out.

"Understood?" I smiled and he just nodded. "Good, and Penny, you can come in; I know you are outside."

"Good morning big brother." She smiled sheepishly as she walked into my room.

"Morning and congratulations." I gave her a hug, and Angelo growled lowly, making me glare at him. "She was my sister before she became your fucking mate, so growl at me again, and I'll tear you to shreds." I hissed.

"It's not my fault." Angelo pouted. “Blame it on the mate bond.”

"I don't care.” I scoffed before turning back to Penelope. “Oh, and the rules go for you too princess."

"What rules?" She looked at me confused.

"Break my best friend's heart I'll hurt you so bad you'll regret having ever existed." I shrugged.

"Are you serious?" She laughed, and I glared, causing her giggles to come to a halt. "Oh, you are."

"And please don't do anything disturbing in front of me." I practically begged. “Charlie and Shawn had traumatized me

enough.”

"We'll try," Angelo smirked back before giving Penelope a peck.

"Get out of my room this instant!" I scrunched my nose in disgust.

_ROSALIE_

"Guess what, ladies,” Penelope screamed, walking into my house. “I finally found my mate!"

"Oh, my goodness, really?" I hugged her excitedly.

"Yep." she nodded vigorously.

"This calls for a celebration!" Charlie beamed.

"Obviously." I went to the kitchen and took a bottle of champagne and wine classes.

I had kept it for months now just waiting for the perfect occasion to bring it out.

"Let's toast to you finally finding a mate!" Charlie beamed as I poured champagne into the glasses before handing them to each one.

"Cheers!" I screamed and we chugged our drinks.

"Who's the unlucky guy?" Charlie taunted teasingly.

"Let me guess it's our dearest beta, Angelo Cross." I beamed and she nodded with a smile reaching her ears.

"Yes, you’re right, it’s Angelo." She blushed.

"Congratulations Penny.” I beamed hugging her tightly.

"Thanks, you guys." She bit on her bottom lip with glossy eyes.

“For real, does your brother know?" Charlie’s eyes widened at the information.

"Yep, and he is totally OK with it." She smiled.

“Dash Kingston?” We asked simultaneously and she nodded yes.

"That's a shocker," I said and everyone agreed.

"Hate to end the celebration ladies, but I've got patients to take care of." Charlie finished the champagne in her glass

before standing up with a groan. "I swear I hate I hate my job sometimes.”

“Bye, guys. We’ll talk later." She hugged us, and upon congratulating Penelope one last time, she left.

"He looks so much older now, even his hair has grown longer" Penelope told me. "That's good, I bet you two look amazing together."

"I'm talking about Dash Rose."

"I don't want to know how your brother looks, Penny." I looked away and got up. "I've got some work to finish up."

"OK, I'll go but Ro, you can't hide from him forever." He sighed and left.

                                                                               ◘

It’d been 2 months since Dash came back, and I had to say I was doing a really good job avoiding him. I still couldn't believe he still hadn't yet seen me, and I hadn’t seen him either.

"Mummy." Cage sat on my lap and cuddled him.

"Yes, my love." I kissed the top of his head.

"Can I finally start school?"

"I'm sorry, baby, but you can't." I sighed with a frown at his request.

"Why, all I ever do is stay cooped up in this house and when people come, you always tell me to hide, why!" He yelled.

"Mind your tone young man." I scolded.

"Why can't I just normal be like the other kids!" He exclaimed.

"I'm sorry but you can’t leave this house just yet," I said that response did not sit well with him because he stormed out

the door in anger.

"Cage!" I called, running after him, but he didn't stop, and soon enough I lost him.

For his age, he sure was too fast a runner.

"Cage! Cage! Cage!" I called walking into the woods where he had disappeared. "Cage get out here this instant!"

I can't believe he ran off, it's fucking 3 am, and I've got a bunch of clothes to design and saw.

"Cage! Cage!" I yelled now frustrated. "Baby please come out." I pleaded finally tired of all the yelling.

"Cage please." I cried out. "Ca-" I started but stopped when a mouthwatering minty and pinewood fragrance in the air

reached my nose tempering with my sanity.

"Mate! Mate! Mate!" my wolf screamed in my head.

"What?" I gasped.

"Mate, he is near." She jumped excitedly.

"Oh no, no, no, no, it can't be." I gasped blocking her out of my head, I quickly hid behind a tree hoping whoever it was

wouldn’t pick up my scent or bother searching for me.

I pulled my knees up to my chest and hugged myself.

I can't believe it, my mate is here.

After a few minutes passed and my supposed mate had not looked for me, I continued searching for Cage.

_DASH_

I got out of bed and went for my morning run. It had now become a routine; I got up for my morning run at 3 every single day because, after 3, I could never seem to get any sleep.

While running through the woods, a delectable lavender fragrance with a hint of ginger hit me.

"Damn." I sniffed the air licking my lips.

"Mate! Mate! Mate!" my wolf beamed excitedly.

"What?"

"Mate, she's here."

"No," I growled blocking him out of my head.

I didn't want a mate, I've never wanted one since her and I was not going to have her.

After sticking around for a while longer, her scent soon started disappearing indicating that she had left, it was no longer

as present and thick in the air as before.

"Good," I muttered and continued my run.

It seemed like she didn’t want to find me either.

                                                                             ◘

"You'll be training the pups," Angelo told me.

"OK, how many are they?" I asked.

"There's 10 of them, you sure you can handle them?" He taunted knowing I was not the biggest fan of children.

"How hard can training toddlers be." I scoffed.

"You'll see," He chuckled then left.

I knew that chuckle, he always made it whenever I agreed to something he knew I would not like the outcome of but yet again, I liked a challenge, I was never the best with kids but I was not going to give up, if I was going to be a great alpha, I needed to be acquainted with every member of my pack. children included.