I'm guessing the news of the alpha returning has spread everywhere throughout the pack by now.

As soon as Adrian got out of the car once we reached a small restaurant, pack members that were mainly teenage girls flooded him, telling him how much they missed him and what happened. I stayed in the car, not yet opening my door because of how many they were. I don't know who these people are and what they could do to me. Some of them, I think don't even know that he brought me along with him.

In a way I didn't really want him to announce that he brought someone. Especially saying that he brought a girl. And his pack seems bigger than my old one which means more males. And I've never really trusted a guy before. Ever.

I don't want to be vulnerable and open up myself to him cause my experiences with people aren't good. And I've read that they're nice people out there I just haven't met them. But I'll know when I meet them.

It just takes time for me to figure out.

And that's what's happening with Adrian.

Adrian must've said something or answered most of their questions because they were all starting to leave. Many had disappointed looks on their faces, no longer having an excuse to talk him.

Whatever he said, I think it had to deal with me being with him.

I heard someone say something about a meeting previously so I guess that he already had it with higher members of the pack and then the news spread around.

Adrian came around to my side of the door and opened it. His black long sleeve T-shirt blew loosely from the wind. I don't understand why he didn't wear a coat or a sweater. It was cold.

"Sorry about them. They just were curious and every-"

"It's okay." I whispered, clamping my hands together while looking at them. Those girls were really pretty. Way prettier than me, so I can understand why he would want to be around them.

"Alright," he said with a small smile; barely there. His hand came into view, waiting for me to grasp it. When he helped me out of the car, I looked up to see one of the girls staring at him, well us now, and she whispered to her friend with a look of awe on her face.

I thought she would look disgusted of me, but both of them looked happy. I think.

I didn't want them to catch me staring at them so I looked away quickly.

As we walked in the small restaurant, I started to hear more chatters directed towards us. I couldn't catch exactly what they're saying but I definitely know it's about us. Or me to be more specific.

I feel like they're staring because of my oversized sweatshirt and sweatpants. Adrian's wearing blue jeans with his long sleeve black shirt. It doesn't really look like we should be here together.

The small bell on the door dinged after us, the restaurant greeting us with warmth. People were at first talking and enjoying themselves, then they saw him walk in.

I stood a little behind Adrian, not wanting the sudden attention that felt like was poured all over us.

"Welcome Alpha! We are glad that you're back!" A hefty- shorter man greeted us. His head was so bald that the reflection of the lights were glistening off of it. His smile made up for it though.

"It's good to be back," Adrian replied, slightly grasping my arm to move me in front of him. The mans eyes shifted towards me as if he was just noticing me. I squirmed a little under his gaze feeling a bit uncomfortable. I moved closer to Adrian.

"Ahh, this must be your mate, that has been rumored about. I didn't think they were true when they spoke of it," the man continued on. "She's a pretty one. Your a lucky man Alpha Adrian."

Mate.

Mate.

I almost forgot about that word. The word that has always left me confused and no one would explain it to me. The word that I was to scared to ask about because of Sir. He wouldn't like if I brought it up because of his. And he wanted Liam to find one. It was just better to leave it alone.

I've just come to the conclusion that it's a really important thing to affect someone this much.

I looked up at Adrian confused only to see him with a big smile on his face. He didn't deny anything or explain. Instead he said, "I am. I really am."

"Come on, Ill show you your table."

He led us too a two seater that was in the far corner of the room away from mostly everyone. The sunlight from the window creates the perfect warmth and illuminated the oak wood table. There was red cushioning on the booth and it was very comfy and bouncy. The best combination.

"Your waiter will be hear shortly." The man smiled as he set the menus down and did a small head nod as he returned back to the front counter. Adrian turns away from him and smiles at me.

"Alright sweetheart, order anything you want. Anything that sounds good to you."

"This has everything they have on here?" I asked him, gesturing to the menu.

"Yeah, wait, do you not like anything on here?" He suddenly became nervous.

"No, I mean," I started out quietly, " it's just that are you sure they didn't add anything on it or they're lying about it? Cause that's a lot of food."

This menu was at least three pages long, ranging from different burgers to chicken to salad to everything you could think of. There was stuff on there that I never would have thought about before.

"Some restaurants might even have more than this believe it or not." He responded resting his chin in his hand. His hair slowly fell in front of his blue eyes.

Wow.

The information startled me. How could anyone even eat this much?

"Ohh.."

Looking though the menu, I looked under the title "breakfast" since it was so early in the morning.

A skinnier guy came to our table with a notepad in his hand. "Good morning alpha. What can I get for you and.." he trailed off not really knowing how to address me.

Adrian was about to say something to him until I cut him off.

"Kayla.." I assured the waiter quietly, not wanting to make it awkward or anything. And partly because he was a man.

The waiter "Cameron" that was on his name tag, glanced between me and Adrian with a knowing look in his eye.

"Yes of course. What can I start you off with, Luna Kayla and Alpha?"

Luna?

Wait-

"I'll have the breakfast burrito, everything on it and a side of hash-browns please with a coffee." Adrian informed cutting off my thoughts. Cameron looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer. Am I not answering fast enough?

"U-um I'll just have some eggs uh, with sausage." I whispered, not looking at him in the eye. Actually I didn't know if he could hear me.

I was proven right, "I'm sorry I didn't quite catch that." He pardoned himself leaning down suddenly.

I flinched, fiddling with my hands more. Did I ask for to much?

Sir would always act like he didn't hear what I said if I went out of line.

"She said she'll have the eggs with sausage as the side. And get her an orange juice along with it. That is all." Adrian told him. The waiter was startled at his sudden outburst and scribbled away on his pad quickly. Adrian didn't say it in a mean way, but his voice held authority.

"Of course alpha. I'll have it out as soon as possible."

When he walked off, my nerves started to calm down. Adrian told me to get anything I wanted.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"No your not."

I didn't answer him, just looking at my reflection on the table.

He sighed, licking his lips,and looked out the window in deep thought. The restaurant became more quiet, probably because of Adrian in the presence. He was very intimidating I couldn't blame them at all.

"Kayla," he said catching my attention.

"Mhmm.." I responded.

"I.. look i know it may be hard for you to comprehend right now, but not everyone is the way you think they are. The place you were in, it was just so wrong." Adrian looked intensely into my eyes. His hand moved close to mine on the table, but he stopped himself before it touched me.

I know some of what they did was wrong. But how am I supposed to know what's right. No one shows me the right thing. I cant have an image of what it's supposed to be like if I don't even know how to form it. "I just want you to know, that I won't let anyone hurt you. Especially in my pack and if they do," he trailed off. He never completed the sentence.

Again I didn't say anything.

The waiter, Cameron, came back with our food. He hurriedly set everything down and mumbled out a quick "enjoy" before scurrying off into the kitchen somewhere, me head following his movements.

Everything smells so good.

The eggs were steaming with shredded cheese on top of it. The sausage still had a slight sizzle to it, making it even more appetizing.

Oh how badly I wanted to eat this when I used to make it.

My stomach grumbles very loudly.

"Eat up sweetheart," Adrian smiles at me after seeing my reaction to the food. I blushed, parts of my hair from the bun I've had in since I woke up falling in my face. I just realized that not only does my clothes look a mess, but probably my face and hair too.

So why do I suddenly care?

Adrian slid the wrapped up silverware to me. Unwrapping it, I picked up my fork, heading straight to the eggs first. As soon as the food touches my tongue, I quietly moaned at how good they were. I haven't had something like this in years.

Adrian suddenly stopped eating his food and looked up at me.

"What," I asked him. He told me to eat.

"Nothing," was his curt reply.

That wasn't 'nothing' I thought.

He quickly began eating again like he didn't just become weird all of a sudden.

Slightly shrugging my shoulders, I began to eat again, savoring the taste and appreciating it as much as I could. This is something I've been looking forward too. Fresh breakfast, and it's not just the scraps of it this time.

About 15 minutes later, Adrian was finished with his food while I wasn't even half way finished. I didn't know how to tell him I was already full. I wanted to keep eating though.

"I'm full." I decided to tell him. Then I remembered that Doctor May said that this would be normal for me and I had to build up my appetite.

"Your done already?" He quirked an eyebrow.

"Uh.. yes." I said looking down, confirming with myself if I felt like eating one more bite.

"But your not even half way done. You should-" he stopped himself as if just remembering something. Probably the same thing I just did. "That's fine, we can just get a takeout box if you want to eat it later."

"That sounds good." I gave him a small smile.

Returning it back, he motioned for Cameron to come over and told him we needed a takeout box. And with that pulled out some money to pay for our meal.

"Thank you. Alpha Adrian." I realized that I should address him formally now that we are in his pack. And when i think of it, I don't think I've really said his name before. Well, not that much. I don't want his people thinking that I deserve any type of special treatment because I helped him escape. In whatever way he said I did.

He looked up from counting his money, "Don't call me that." He said sternly.

"But your the alpha. Wait, do I need to address you by something else like how Sir told me to call him tha-,"

"No. Nothing like him," he spoke lowly. He finished up counting the money and set it on the table next to his plate.

"Oh, alright." He didn't seem angry but disappointed that I thought the way I did. This is why I like to stay quiet. I always mess up everything.

"Just call me Adrian." He said after a few minutes.

"But what would your pack thi-"

"You're different. Special. You don't have to call me that."

"How am I special?" That caught me off guard. "I'm never special." I told him voicing out my thoughts.

"You're special because you are my mate. And you will always be special, especially to me," he spoke confidently. He did draw people's attention, everyone's reactions being much like the girls was outside. But there was another part. The mate part.

"A mate?" I spoke quietly.

Adrian looked as if he just realized what he said. He sighed pinching the bridge of his nose, obviously now being disappointed with himself.

"I was going to tell you this in a more meaningful place but," he trailed off, "... you're my mate." He grabbed my hand slowly and gently causing sparks to erupt where our skins touched. He rubbed a small infinity pattern on the back of my hand. "And you have no idea what a mate is. That's why I wanted to wait. It might be to much for you to handle right now."

But I've handled so much before.

I need to know what it is.

"Please," I whispered, "Please tell me," I urged.

In seconds the restaurant started to clear out. The people the workers everyone but us. Did something happen?

Standing up, I tried to let go of his hand to follow them but he gripped it, silently telling me not too. "It's okay. I told them to leave."

Right only alphas can mind link a pack and the pack can only mind link the alpha. I never really was a part of this seeing as I was never officially in Sirs pack, just the slave and I was to young before in my parents pack to be in the mind link.

"Okay.."

I sat back down my hand still in his, "A mate is your soulmate. Someone you spend the rest of your life with," he started out tilting his head a little bit to where his hair barely fell into his eyes. "You have them to have someone to depend on, to be your other half, but most importantly, to love." He said all of this while looking at our untwined hands. "And you're all of that to me. And I meant every word I said."

"You're supposed to love me?" I asked. No one could love me. That's what everyone has said to me. The only people that loved me were my parents. And that's because they were my parents.

"Yes. Of course." Adrian moved his other hand to the one he was already holding, both of them engulfing my tiny one.

He'll love me?

"So we are each other's?"

"Yes."

"So I'm supposed to love you too?"

"Well.. I hope you could. Maybe not right now but one day."

This does scare me. It seems like all of this, all of this mate stuff means he would rely on me so much. What if I disappointed him. I don't even know how to express my feelings. And I've never really loved someone in that way. I don't know how too.

Once again I voiced out my thoughts, "Adrian, I don't know how to love."

"I'll teach you."

His grip on my hands tightened.

Wait.

"How did you know it was me?" I asked. Has he known since whenever he was captured?

"Your smell. And what you feel right here," he motioned to our hands, "those sparks, they only happen between mates. No one else."

That explains why he smelled so good when I first saw him.

"What did I smell like?"

He smiled having a distant look in his face, "Like roses and vanilla."

That sounds like a good combination.

"And I wanted to see you everyday cause I couldn't get the image of you out of my head. You were so beautiful and I had to meet you. So when you came down that day to give me food, just the thought of meeting you, made me feel.. different." He spoke full heartedly. I could tell he meant everything he said. That was the thing.

Again for the nth time today, I blushed.

"Why did you need to hold my hands everyday." I broke the silence. The thought finally came out. The very action that made me not stop thinking about him was finally going to be answered.

"Mates make us stronger. Not just physically but mentally too. That's how I had enough energy to escape. Help us escape."

"So, what your saying is that the way that I helped you become stronger you can help me too? Become strong I mean."

"That's my goal." Adrian meant it.

I know he did.

And I believed that he would.

•••••••