Grace

"Damn it, Gavin! You've lived here for a month already. How many times do I have to tell you not to drink the last of my coffee creamer!?" I scream and Owen flinches at my high pitched tone.

"Sorry, baby." I mutter, kissing his cheek apologetically.

"You alright, love? You've been a little... sassy lately." He inquires with a worried frown. I shrug and stir some sugar into my coffee.

"I'm just... anxious. I don't know. I feel like something bad is going to happen." I say, averting my eyes. Owen sighs and pulls me into his chest, running his hands along my back.

"Why is that?" He asks and I shrug again.

"Because every time my life seems to be going well, something comes along to fuck it up." I say bitterly and Owen frowns as Gavin comes into the kitchen.

"Gracie baby. I did not drink that god awful coffee creamer. It was probably Owen and he just doesn't want to tell you because he knows it'll piss you off." Gavin says with a pointed glare at Owen. Owen growls at him a little and Gavin rolls his eyes, knowing Owen will never make good on his threats.

"I drink my coffee black." Owen says. "Like my soul." He adds and I snort out a laugh, choking a little on my coffee.

"Youre ridiculous." I say with a smile, pressing my lips to Owen's. He purrs at the touch, threading his fingers into my hair and rubbing my scalp. My eyes nearly roll to the back of my head at how good it feels.

"No. I'm just an adult. Adults drink their coffee black." He says and I huff at him.

"Only if you have no will to live left." I say and Owen huffs before scooping me into his arms and placing me on his lap.

He tries to feed me breakfast, but I bat his hand away not wanting to be treated like a princess. Gavin watches the exchange with a warm smile, but his eyes quickly swing to Liam who walks in with no shirt and a wide smug grin only for Gavin. Gavin groans a little at the sight of his mate and Owen huffs, standing and pulling me outside before we get a show we definitely did not buy a ticket to.

"We need our own house." Owen says as we do our morning walk around the pack. I laugh at his gruff words and give him a wide smile.

"Why? You're not happy with our living situation?" I ask and he scoffs.

"You'd think they would get tired. They go at it constantly. I mean, I enjoy a healthy sex life but surely they get sore at some point." He says exasperated and I smile up at him.

"They probably just switch positions if they do." Owen groans in disgust as his face crinkles making me laugh.

"Ok. Enough talking about my brother's sex life. What do you think? Our own house?" He asks and I shrug.

"I thought the pack house was meant for the Alpha and Beta?" I ask and he slips his hand into mine before looking at me with a mischevious grin.

"There are certain benefits of being Alpha. I make the rules." He says haughtily and I smile, shaking my head playfully at him.

"I don't care, Owen. Honestly. I'll live in a tree as long as it's with you. And has wifi. Wifi is a requirement." I say sternly and he chuckles before lifting our joined hands and kissing mine softly.

He stops in front of a cute little bungalow with a red door and porch swing, turning me towards it. He steps up behind me and wraps his arms around my waist and rests his chin on the top of my head.

"What do you think?" He asks.

"About what?"

"The house."

"It's cute." I say and look up at him curiously.

"Cute enough to live in with me?" He asks, his eyes twinkling with joy. I gasp and let out an excited squeal, running up the stairs and flinging the door open, Owen's warm laughter following after me.

The living room and kitchen are one wide open space and I instantly fall in love with the fireplace. After a quick tour I find three good sized bedrooms, the master with a soaking tub.

"I know how much you love your bubble baths." Owen says with a warm smile, leaning against the doorway of the bathroom as I take it all in. The house is much smaller than the packhouse, but it feels warm and welcoming.

It's a home.

"I love it, baby." I say, my eyes swimming with tears. Owen chuckles and pulls me in to his warm embrace.

"I love you." He says and I laugh a little, kissing him gently.

"I love you too. Almost as much as I love that bathtub." I say making him laugh heartily. The sound is a balm to my anxious nerves.

"How about I introduce you to the bedroom?" He asks, his voice low and seductive. A shiver flashes through my body and I heat up at his words.

"Yes please, Alpha." I say teasingly. He gives me an approving growl before he leans down to grab my thighs, pulling them up until my legs wrap around his body. I throw my arms around his shoulders and pull myself flush against his body.

His lips descend on mine, an animalistic growl escaping his chest as our tongues clash and fight for dominance. He always wins, but he enjoys when I make him work for it. Before I realize we have moved, my back lands on the plush top of the mattress. I giggle as Owen traces the sweetest kisses down my neck and across the exposed flesh of my chest. My panties dampen and he takes a deep inhale, his chest rumbling at the scent of his mate ready and waiting for him.

"You gonna give me that cock, baby?" I ask teasingly. Owen's low chuckles sound more dangerous than amused.

"Be careful what you ask for, little love. I may just pound this sweet pussy until you can't take it anymore." He quips back and I bite my lower lip before responding.

"Promises, promises." I say, raking my fingernails down his back. His eyes darken as his wolf presses forward and he leans down to whisper in my ear.

"When have I ever not kept a promise to you?" I gasp as his tongue slinks out to trace the sensitive flesh of my ear.

"You always keep your promises to me." I admit, my voice full of devotion to this man who has never been anything but perfect. He pulls away to give me an adoring smile.

He leans down to kiss me again, but I stop him when I catch sight of movement out the window. My eyebrows furrow in confusion and Owen gives me a concerned look while he watches me. I stand and pad over to see storm clouds swirling above the pack in an unnatural way. The anxiety that had been building in me for a couple of days turns to dread, my hands begin to sweat as my knees shake at the sight.

"What the fuck is that?" Owen asks. My heart rate kicks up and my breathing comes out in pants as panic floods through me.

"Nothing good." I say. I look at him and my eyes are wide and fearful. Owen's confused look instantly switches to concern as he takes me in.

"What is it, love?" He asks and I look back out the window. The wind begins to howl, trees bend at dangerous angles as children run to their homes.

"It's magic. Tell the pack to get indoors and stay there." I say firmly, even though I feel like I'm barely hanging on to the last threads of my composure. I see Owen's eyes cloud over in a mind link and head for the front door. Just as I'm about to swing it open, Owen grabs my arm to stop me.

"You're not going out there." He says firmly and I look up at him with my own defiant glare.

"Yes, I am. You can't fight magic with brute force, Owen." I say firmly and he sighs, running an exasperated hand through his hair as the howling wind forms a funnel in the center of the pack like a perfectly placed tornado. Debris spins in an eerie circle and I watch as a form begins to take shape.

"Shouldn't your dome shield thing keep anyone out that isn't a pack member?" He asks and I nod, opening the door despite his protests.

"Yes." I say and he growls a little.

"Then how did someone get in?" He asks and I look at him, my face full of sorrow and fear.

"Because they're stronger than me."

I don't wait for his response, I walk towards where the shape of a person is becoming more detailed in the center of the twister. Slowly the wind stops blowing and the debris settles in a small circle around the woman with a sinister grin.

"Grace. Darling." She drones in her customarily fake affection.

"Mother." I sneer back.