MISSING SOMEONE NEW

I look over my checklist for the third time, cursing myself mentally for being obsessed with checking things like dad. But I push the taunts I know Po would make out my head and go through the list anyway.

Pillows. Check.

Blankets. Check

Lights. Check.

Food. Check.

Laptop. Check.

I look around the space I'd set up for J and I. Everything was in place, exactly the way I wanted it to be.

It was a little risky setting up here, on land that basically tethered on the pack's. But it was a risk I'd gladly take just to make J smile.

Plus, Aunt Kathy promised to put up a dome like barrier to keep everything and everyone out of this space but us. I really didn't deserve someone like her, I mean, she didn't have to do this for me. She didn't have to help me sneak out to see J or make sure no one followed, but she did. She was always here for me and I thanked Goddess everyday that she was in my life.

"Don't you think this is a bit simple kid?" She says as she glances over the set up.

"It has to be simple." I say ignoring her unimpressed look. "J won't get anything extravagant, he won't value it as much as others. This. … I think he'll like this."

"Whatever you say." She says lifting her hands in defeat. "Want me to zap him over here?"

"I have a feeling he won't take a liking to teleportation." I joke knowing that he'd probably lose his fucking mind if that happened to him. "Plus, we have to go somewhere else first."

"So my job here is done?" She asks and I nod with a smile before giving her a tight hug. "Touching. Feli, you're touching me."

I ignore her and squeeze harder.

Aunt Katty may pretend to be a bitch with less emotion than a brick wall, but I knew her long enough to know that she loved hugs. Even if she'd never admit it.

I release her eventually and she sends me an aggravated glare I promptly return a smile. She holds the glare for a moment before her resolve breaks and she sends me a tender smile.

"Have fun tonight." She says genuinely and my smile just grows even bigger.

"I will. Thank you for everything." I say appreciatively but she just swats me off.

"Remember, rubber is your friend." She teases, disappearing before I can defend myself.

I push away the pending thoughts that come with her implications, J and I were very far from that stage and I didn't need to get all worked up thinking about it.

I glance over the space one last time to make sure everything is perfect before setting course towards the area I usually found J.

It was strange that with the land that ran as far as your eyes could take you, he always seemed to be in the same area. I figured it may be because he stays around for me but when I think about it, that didn't match up with what the pack believes.

Dad always said that 'the thing' haunted them and the pack because it rested right outside the pack. Almost taunting them as it remained undefeated and when I thought about J, the J I knew and loved, it didn't make sense. He didn't seem to be looking for a fight or for a challenge, he didn't seem to be looking for anything at all.

So why would he stay?

Why would he remain in a place where people just kept coming back to attack him?

I stop in my tracks as a thought pops into my head.

Did he stay for me?

No. No.

J didn't know we were mates until we met, until he shifted. Like me, he had no idea until it happened. I mean, he even attacked me.

I force myself to keep walking but the thoughts follow suit, my mind scrambling to put the jagged pieces together.

Why did he stay. …

Did he feel the pull? Did he feel the mate bond? But how. …

I never felt one myself. The only pull I felt was to explore the land beyond our pack, to get out here and see what was left untouch.

Did that pull have to do with J? Did I feel a pull to him and not the place itself?

I shake my head to rid myself of these confusing thoughts. I was never one for conspiracy theories and that's exactly what my life felt like at this point. A bunch of unsolved, nonsensical mysteries that I couldn't figure out.

But I didn't want to think of that tonight. I didn't want to think of my old pack, Jayson or anything else. I just wanted to think about my mate. To spend a night with him and only him.

****

J tackles me before my smile can completely form. Laughter ripples out from my lips as I lay on the ground, covered by his large wolf form.

He quickly begins work at lathering me with licks, purposefully covering me in his scent that I had to scrub away every time we parted.

J nuzzles himself into me, basking me with his affection and love that I greatfully accept as I wrap my arms around his large neck. A tingle runs up my spine at the connection and I can feel all the pent up tension leave my body.

It'd been too long.

Too long since I had seen, held him, smelt his beautiful scent mixed with my own. Too long since I'd seen my mate.

When he pulls back to look at me, my heart jumps within my chest, the sensations his gaze arises warming my body completely. I can see it in those dark black orbs, the need and want and even the joy.

It makes my heart race.

He makes my heart race.

I manage to eventually pull myself from underneath him and I turn so that he could shift. He still didn't like me to watch, but his shifts were getting shorter and easier with each attempt. I longed for the day where it'd be as easy as it was for all the other wolves, he didn't deserve to suffer, especially not for me.

When two large arms wrap around my stomach, I immediately sink back into his chest as a smile spreads across my lips. Electricity courses through me at the feeling of his skin on mine, sparks dashing from within me as a sort of happiness, I only feel with J, invades me. This sort of delight that only came around with him, it was like the sun was shining on me as I was soaking it all in.

J doesn't let me enjoy this hold for too long and he turns me to face him. His eyes gleam at the sight of me and he tugs me towards him. Holding me flush against him, he latters my face with kisses that set me off into another fit of giggles.

"I've missed you." I breathe out when he finally let's up on the kisses. "You have no idea how much I've missed you."

He stares at me and sets a gentle kiss to my nose that I tell myself is his way of saying he missed me too.