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Reece

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"Where are we going now?" She asked me apprehensively.

"To dinner of course." I told her.

"But dinner where?" She questioned me.

"Kaleidoscope." I answered.

"What!" She exclaimed. "That place is way too much." She seemed stressed out.

"It's owned by a pack member by the name of Lawrence."

"Oh, I get it now."

"Get what?" I asked her.

"We're only going to places owned by pack members. Is that a pride thing or something to do with me?" She was figuring it out.

"If pride had something to do with it, it would limit where I bought a lot of other things."

"So, it is about me." She snapped.

"Can we talk about it over dinner?" I pleaded as I pulled the car to a stop at the restaurant, a valet was already coming to open our doors.

"Fine." She consented.

We were seated right away, to the groans and glares of many people who were waiting near the door. I had the staff take them all a drink and some appetizers on me to appease them. I didn't need a scene starting right now. Lawrence had also been informed of our impending arrival, so we were told that the Chef had prepared a special menu just for us, if we would be so kind to accept. We had no objections. So, the wine and water were delivered along with an hors d'oeuvres while we waited.

"Alright, why the pack only businesses tonight?" She asked as soon as the waiter had left the table. I watched as she took a bite of the hors d'oeuvres and saw the satisfaction spread across her face. I took a bite of the food as well before I answered.

"I wanted the extra security it would provide." I answered her honestly.

"For me or for you?" She looked at me skeptically. I raised an eyebrow, confused. "Are you worried someone might try to hurt me, or are you worried that I might bite you if there isn't a pack member around to keep me from misbehaving?" She smirked. I could tell the last part was a joke, but she had taken me completely by surprise that I couldn't help the laugh that escaped.

"If I said it was for both would that be bad?" I asked her. She smiled and giggled lightly, turning her head and looking up at me through her eyelashes. I don't think she knew how seductive she could be at times.

"It would be more honest than I expected, that's for sure." She giggled again. Her laughter always sounded like music to me.

"But, in all honesty Little Bunny, I chose pack businesses because, Goddess forbid, if something were to happen there would be extra help around if I needed it. I'm sure I could handle whatever came our way, but just in case you know."

"Oh yes, you big strong man, you protect woman." She spoke in a chopped, caveman style voice.

"I'm serious Trinity, I am Alpha for a reason you know." I told her.

"Yeah, because your dad was Alpha." She laughed.

"No, not just because my father was Alpha. If I wasn't strong enough, then I would never have been given the title. We like to keep the title in the family, yes that's true, but if the heir is not strong enough, we admit that and give it to whoever is strong enough."

"I didn't know that." She admitted.

"I noticed." I snapped at her. "I am more than capable of fighting off most, if not any, threat that comes after you. The rogue that hurt you last time only managed it because he had such a head start on me. But I was about to catch him. I only needed ten more seconds to stop him, but I didn't have that time and that pissed me off." I was explaining something to her that I both wanted her to know and I never wanted to tell her.

"Is that why you refused to come see me while I was recovering? And why you blamed yourself? And I know you blamed me as well."

"I never blamed you." I said automatically.

"What?"

"You were performing your duties. Taking women and children out for that hike was a good idea, you didn't know that was going to happen. And you were trying to save that boy, which you did. If you had half a second more, you would have been in the clear as well, but we all ran out of time. I should have stopped him sooner."

"Why are you saying all this?" She asked me, confused.

"You need to know the truth."

"Well, while you're on your truth kick, why did you save me?" She asked. Our soup had been delivered now, and we were slowly eating that while we talked.

"I didn't even stop to think about it. I just leapt over the edge. I could only think 'don't let her be dead'."

"Why? Wouldn't it be better for you to find a different mate?"

"We only get one mate." I glared at her.

"Has anyone ever tried finding a second mate?"

"No, because that's not how we wolves are. Do you want a different mate?" I asked her, angered by her words.

"I'm not the one who rejected my mate."

"Liar." I snapped at her. "You tried to run away from me multiple times, you told me you didn't choose me either and complained about being stuck with me."

"Yeah well, I was scared when I tried to run away. I didn't know what was happening at first, and I only tried to run once after learning you were my mate but everyone was putting a lot of information on me and nothing was going to be the same again. Also, I said all that after you rejected me." She argued.

"What if I had never rejected you?" I asked her curiously.

"We will never know, will we. Since you did reject me, and you do hate me and want nothing to do with me in that way." She was never going to forget those words I said.

"Well, hypothetically?" I asked.

"I don't know." She answered uncertainly.

"Hmm." I was curious about her answer.

We continued through the meal steadily. Each dish was better than the previous one. The inside of the restaurant added to the magical feel of being here. I noticed my Little Bunny looking all around. The restaurant was bright, highly decorated, with a glass ceiling that had been cut into kaleidoscope patterns. They had even used stained glass in the ceiling as well. The ceiling was several layers thick, so it even looked like a real kaleidoscope. Even with all its uniqueness, it was extremely elegant.

After the tense conversation we had been having, my Little Bunny worked hard to keep us to lighter subjects. We talked about the upcoming holiday. She apparently loved Christmas. I was glad that I had gone all out with having the staff decorate this year, it had mostly been for Mom's return, but it worked for my Little Bunny too.

We talked about what classes she wanted to take next now that her exams were done. But she adamantly refused to let us talk about anything truly personal. What I was truly thankful for though, was that we didn't argue at all. Not even the tense moment we had already made it through could be counted as an argument. It was our best conversation to date.

After dessert and a few more sips of wine, stuffed full with six courses of food, I walked her back to the car that a valet had brought back up for us. The light easy conversation continued all the way home.

I opened her door and helped her out like usual. I was working on being the perfect gentleman for her. I walked her to the elevator, knowing she wouldn't want to take the stairs in the stilettos she was wearing. I had wrapped my arm around her waist like I did when we were on our visits to the other packs. The move seemed so natural to me that I didn't question it.

I could feel the tension growing between us. Ever since we got back to the house. I didn't know if she could feel it or if she understood it, but it was driving me, and my wolf, insane. As soon as we were in the elevator and the doors closed, it was like the tension snapped.

I leaned down and buried my nose in her hair, inhaling her scent deeply.

"What are you doing?" She asked, stunned.

"Mmm, contemplating having seconds for dessert." I practically purred at her.

"What." She was shocked by my words. Her mouth was slightly open in awe. I took advantage of that.

I pressed my lips to hers, sliding my tongue past her open lips and flicking it against hers. She squealed in surprise, jumping at the feeling at first. She put her hands on my chest, almost like she thought about pushing me away or pulling me toward her, but she couldn't decide so she just left her hands there pressed against me.

I growled at the feel of her lips, the taste of her on my tongue. The flavor of her exploded into my mouth, apples, vanilla, spices, it was better than eating the apple pie she smelled like. And the danger of the taste of ozone that chased the taste of pie into my mouth, like I could get struck by lightning while devouring her kiss, it was exciting.

With my hand at the nape of her neck and another on her waist I pulled her body toward mine, but she stumbled with the unfamiliar shoes she was wearing. She pushed me away then, looking at me with lust mixed with fear. I know my eyes must have been full of only lust, a burning desire to have her, but she didn't know how much I needed her right now. The elevator doors chose that moment to ding open on the fourth floor.

"I won't be your plaything, Reece, or a distraction. I won't have any of this unless things are mutual between us." She was almost in tears for some reason before she ran off the elevator, bolting for her room.

"Don't you know they are?" I growled quietly to the empty elevator before going back to my room and taking a really long cold shower.