Leah

I woke up to the feel of sparks snaking across my skin, naked in Alex's arms. We had made good use of the privacy of the cabin. Multiple times. But Alex seemed excited to get back and it made me a little sad, thinking he was tired of me already.

"What's wrong, little one?" He asks when he comes back inside from carrying our bags to the car. He's always so observant.

It's annoying sometimes.

"You seem so excited to leave. Are you bored with me?" I ask and he shakes his head.

"Of course not, Leah. I just want to show you your surprise. I'll never be tired of you." He says with a sweet smile. He holds his arm out and I tuck myself into his side, eyeing the bright red mark I left on his neck. A surge of pride goes through me as I inspect it.

"You seem pretty pleased with yourself." He says with a little smirk.

"How did you know that?" I ask.

"Now that we're marked, I can feel your emotions." He says with a large grin. I gasp and pull away from him.

"That's not fair! Can I feel yours?" I ask and he shrugs.

"You should be able to. Focus on me, the vibes I'm giving off." He says and I do as he instructs, closing my eyes and feeling around for him. After a few moments I begin to feel him. I sense his happiness, his pride and his lust.

"You insatiable wolf." I murmur and hear him bark out a laugh.

"I can't help it, little one. You're delicious." He says with a little growl making me shiver as he wraps his arms around me.

"Well, I suppose we should get back to the packhouse. Let everyone know I'm still alive." I say sadly, not wanting to leave our little newly mated bubble. He hums in agreement and scoops me into his arms, carrying me to the car.

I can't help but notice the temperature when we go outside. It's cold, but more like a crisp fall day, not the biting sting of a freezing cold morning.

"Wow. This is crazy." I murmur. Alex chuckles as I continue to marvel at the feeling of the air against my skin.

He holds my hand on the drive back and we sit in comfortable silence. I'm excited for my surprise, but being next to Alex is really all I need. I'll go anywhere, as long as it's with him. He pulls up in front of a house I've never seen and stops. I look over at him curiously, but he just eyes me nervously.

"What are we doing here, baby?" I ask, reaching out to run my fingers through the stubble on his cheek. He leans into my touch, closing his eyes to savor the feeling.

"Alex?" I ask with a little smile, pulling him out of his stupor.

"Oh, sorry." He says, a little blush spreading over his face making him even more adorable. "We're here because this is our house." He says excitedly, slipping out of the car and jogging to my side to help me out. My jaw is still gaping by the time he opens my door. He chuckles when he sees me and unbuckles my seatbelt, pulling me out and keeping me in his arms. He carries me over the threshold and sets me down before pulling me into a fierce kiss. I return it with fervor, letting the sparks settle into my bones, calming me.

"This is our house?" I ask and he nods with a smile.

"We're mated now." He says, shrugging and I remember what he told me when I first arrived.

"Houses are for couples raising children..." I say suspiciously and he chuckles.

"We don't need to have kids. I'm the Alpha. I do what I want." He says with chagrin making me giggle.

"We probably should have discussed children." I say a little shyly and Alex shrugs again.

"We can have them if you want them. I'd like them, but I'm happy with you. I will do whatever you want." He says simply.

"Could I be pregnant now?" I ask. "It's not like we've been using wolfy condoms." I say and he barrels out a laugh, his whole body shaking with the effort.

"No, little one. You're not pregnant. You can only get pregnant on the full moon." He explains and I nod.

"I want children. I want to give you children." I say, quietly, a little shy. A heartwarming smile spreads across his face and he scoops me into a bear hug.

"My sweet little mate." He coos in my ear, making my heart ache with joy.

"Can I ask why you and Julie didn't have kids?" I ask and he looks away, lost in his thoughts.

"We just weren't in a hurry. We thought we had all the time in the world." He says wistfully, his face clouding with sadness.

"I want a family with you, Alex. You'd be an amazing father." I say brightly and he pulls out of his somber mood with a sweet smile.

"And you will be a wonderful mother." He says warmly, cupping my cheek.

"Are you going to show me our house?" I ask cheekily and he nods while gripping my hand to tug me along.

He takes me on a tour of the beautiful home, the large kitchen, soothing colors, so many windows letting in the natural light.

"It's gorgeous, baby." I murmur, wrapping my arms around Alex's waist.

"You're gorgeous." He says with a wide smile making me giggle.

"Should we go visit the pack? I miss them." I say with a little pout but Alex shakes his head.

"I let them know that we're back and that you're ok, but I need to leave in a few days to meet Alpha Knox so I'm going to be selfish with my little mate while I can. They will have plenty of time with you while I'm gone." He says and my heart already hurts at the thought of him leaving.

"How long will you be gone?" I ask quietly, almost not wanting to know the answer.

"No more than a week. I don't like leaving the pack for that long. I don't want to leave you at all, but it's too dangerous for you to come and I'm not willing to risk your safety. You and Jon will both be in charge while I'm gone." He explains, rubbing his hands on the tops of my arms in a soothing motion. I sigh heavily and lean forward to rest my head against his chest. I can't stop my little sniffle as I burrow closer to him, trying to steal all of his warmth.

"It'll be ok, little one." He murmurs into my ear, rubbing my back to calm me.

"I just found you. I don't want to lose you." I say, choking back a sob. Alex is strong and a skilled fighter, but there's no guarantee he will come home in one piece.

"Leah." He says firmly, cupping my face in between his large hands, forcing me to look at him. "There is nothing, and I mean nothing, that will stop me from coming home to you. You have given me light. A reason to live. A joy so deep and love so strong even death itself wouldn't be able to overtake it. You have given me hope and purpose. Excitement for my future. Our future. I refuse to lose that. Never again. I would kill for you. Die for you. Bend myself in half to keep you happy and safe. So please, don't waste these days with me being worried about me coming back. Because I will be back. These first few days as mates is precious. Don't waste them with tears and stress. I want to remember these days as full of happiness. And sex. A lot of sex."

His words hit me deep within my soul, I can feel our bond burn brighter with his declaration. I nod in agreement, not wanting to spend even a moment in his presence not enjoying him. I can save the anxiety for when he's gone. I launch myself at him, pressing our lips together, they move in sync almost on their own, like our bodies know what they're doing without needing any input from our minds.

He lifts me and carries me up the stairs, stopping at a random door and kicking it open. I land on a soft surface and open my eyes, looking around. The room is warm and welcoming. A bay window lets in the light and I can tell we will be able to watch the sunset from that spot. I smile at the thought and sit up, pushing Alex on the bed next to me.

"This is our room." He says quietly, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"It's perfect." I breathe out, taking in the view. I can see the pack, but the forest beyond takes my attention. The trees are bare now, but I know they will be lush and beautiful in the spring and the oranges and reds of autumn will be spectacular. The thought of watching the seasons change, year after year with Alex by my side makes my heart ache with how badly I want it.

I look back at Alex and see him watching me with affection and awe. I reach my hand out and he takes it, threading our fingers together.

"Thank you for saving me, Alex. I will be grateful for you for all of forever." I say quietly, not wanting to break the spell of the moment. He tugs me towards him and I curl my body into him.

"You never need to thank me for that, little one. Because you saved me too."