Exam week flies by, which is surprising considering how long and stressful exams usually are for me. Cooper and I were studying whenever we had free time, and now that exams are finally out of the way, I can focus on more important things- like the pack and my family.

Grayson and I have grown even closer since he unleashed his deeper feelings, and now I feel like we can really connect more with no emotional barriers left. However, since I had exams all week, I couldn't really spend as much time as I would have liked with him.

My mom finally went back to work. She attempted to bring Evie back to her previous school but she cried and threw a tantrum at being separated from her new friends- Darren's name came up repeatedly. Mom decided that Evie can continue school with the rest of the pack. I think that she secretly loves the idea that Evie will be better protected from supernatural enemies like the coven that took her only a few weeks ago.

I finished my last exam today, which just so happened to be Ethics. Staring at the multiple choice questions brought up some emotions, but I had to hold myself together. It's so freaking unfair. Nobody in class even reacted to Eli being gone. I know that in college, people sometimes get lost in the chaos of classes and crowds and parties, but how can nobody care?

I care. I won't forget Eli and the sacrifices he made for me and Cooper and Evie.

So that's what helped me through my Ethics exam today- the thought that Eli would say something stupid and completely misplaced about ethics and tell me I have to study and pass. I can totally imagine him saying, "You're the most ethical person I know, you can't fail ethics!"

As I walk out of the lecture hall, I watch my breath fog in front of me, reminding me of a book I read about an Ice Queen. That would be cool if I had magical powers, but I guess I can settle for my boyfriend being a werewolf.

Speaking of my supernatural boyfriend, there he is, illegally parked like he was all those months ago to pick me up from class. Even though I'm bundled up in layers and layers of coats and socks and a pair of totally-not-sexy long underwear, he is wearing a simple black t-shirt and jeans like he's ready for 70 degree weather.

I really wish I didn't get hot or cold easily like werewolves.

He leans against his Tesla with his muscled arms crossed. I watch as the sleeves barely contain his biceps and remember how awed I was by him the first time I saw him at Java.

I could really go for some coffee right now.

Grayson's eyes light up the moment he notices me exiting the building. His lips tug up at the corners, and when I'm only a few feet away from him, it's like he can't wait a moment longer to hold me so he covers the distance and wraps me up in a hug.

"Goddess, you're freezing, Thea," he mumbles as he rubs his hands up and down my coat-covered arms.

"Yeah, well I'm not cold-resistant like you," I shiver.

It's not that cold, it's only in the upper 30s, but I feel like an ice pack just taken out of the freezer.

Gray ushers me into his, thankfully, heated car. I thaw for a moment as Gray just smiles at me like a creepy boyfriend from the driver's seat. I would usually scold him for illegally parking in front of the building, but I'm too cold to complain right now so I just let him have his moment.

When I finally melt into the heated seat, Grayson holds out a to-go cup of coffee from Java for me. My jaw drops and then I let out a high-pitched squeal of happiness.

"Coffee! Yay!" I grab the cup, blow through the little hole in the top, then sip the heavenly drink.

"Mmmm, it's chocolatey. Thank you, baby," I smile gratefully at him. He leans over the center console and kisses me, his tongue sliding against mine before he pulls back.

"You're welcome," he says. He then smirks at me and begins driving.

"I much prefer the taste of coffee when it's from your lips, though."

I blush.

What am I going to do with him?

~~~

Gray drives us back to the pack house, the entire drive consisting of me singing and draining every last drop of the amazing coffee he so adorably bought for me. When we get closer to the house, I feel a little jittery- and not just from the caffeine I just ingested.

It takes me a moment to sort out that the innate nervousness is not coming from me, but Grayson.

When he parks and comes out of the car, I follow him and reach for his outstretched hand. He has a knowing smile on his face, so his nerves can't be something bad, right?

I decide not to say anything, not wanting to push Grayson if he doesn't want to talk about it yet. I settle for squeezing his hand a little tighter, a gesture I hope he recognizes as comforting.

Once inside, Grayson offers that I take a hot shower while he "takes care of something."

I feel like that's never a good thing, but I see a sparkle in his eyes that has been absent for far too long, and I love him too much to take that away from him.

I concede, also partially because I'm freaking cold.

I take my time in the shower, wanting to give Grayson some time to "take care of" whatever he needs to "take care of."

That phrase alone is flaring up my anxiety.

I try to focus on rubbing the delicious vanilla scented shampoo and body wash onto my hair and body that Gray loaded in his bathroom for me instead of what he's up to. I may or may not sniff his body wash as well.

What? It smells like him and I'm hopelessly in love.

I decide to wear a pair of jeans and a cropped long-sleeve top- comfortable and cute. It's around 4:00 by the time I head downstairs, so it's too early for dinner. I wonder what he's up to...

"Gray?" I call out when I reach the bottom of the stairs. Instead of him, I get my bubbly little sister running towards me at full speed.

"Thee!" she screeches as she jumps up into my arms. I just saw her yesterday, but her excitement is unmatched as she sprints into my body like a freaking linebacker.

I swear she must borrow some wolf strength because when she barrels into me, I'm so surprised and thrown off balance that I fall right on my butt. To make it worse, Grayson and my mother are there to see it.

I let out a squeak as I cradle Evie to my chest to avoid her hitting the ground alongside me. When I'm sure that I took the brunt of the impact, I begin laughing at my own clumsiness. My butt is gonna be sore later, but I'm not hurt other than that.

Mom and Grayson rush to my side, my mom with a full-blown smile as she laughs at my lack of strength and balance while Grayson tries to hide his smile. At least he tries to hide that he's making fun of me.

"Oh no!" my mom laughs while reaching out for her kids. I slap her hand away and grumble "I've got it," under my breath while I stand to my feet and hug Evie to me. Gray just stands by looking me over for serious injuries, but he seems satisfied when I get up quickly.

I put Evie down when she starts squirming in my arms.

"Grayson says he has a surprise for us! Come on, come on, come on! He's says it's in the other room!"

Evie runs over to my mom and pulls her hand towards said room. I grin and go to follow them, but Grayson holds me back.

"Are you okay?" he questions, fully serious. My paranoid, sensitive werewolf, always checking up on me.

"Yeah, she just surprised me. My butt will be a little sore though," I laugh at myself.

Grayson's eyes darken suddenly, lust immediately filling his mind. He reaches for me in a way that I think is a hug, but I'm quickly proven wrong when his large hands begin massaging and kneading my ass.

"I can help with that," he growls, using his grip on my behind to drag me into his hard body.

A shiver spreads through my body at our proximity as his dominant nature peeks through. I very much like when he goes all Alpha on me.

He shares a cocky smirk at my bodily response to his nearness. My eyes flutter shut as his forehead rests on mine, his hands continuing their heady massage.

"You like it when I touch you like this, don't you?" he asks, although I know he's aware of how even the simplest of touches sends a burning desire through me, let alone when he touches me like this.

When I don't answer him, too lost in my desire and need for him, he slaps my butt- effectively grabbing my attention.

"Hmm?" he teases, running his hands over the area he just abused.

"Yeah," I whisper, shy yet filled with lust.

"Later," he winks, then leaves me wanting. I watch his back as he walks away from me and towards the other room where Evie and my mom are waiting for us.

That sneaky bastard! How dare he gets me all hot and bothered and then leaves me to push my naughty thoughts down.

And I have a lot of naughty thoughts.. starting with the way his butt looks in those jeans as he walks away from me...

"Are you objectifying me in that pretty little head of yours?" Gray jokes, crossing his arms in front of his sculpted chest that is unfortunately covered in a black t-shirt.

Annoyed, I huff out "maybe," before I stalk past him and into the room with my family.

Evie is sitting on the couch, her legs kicking out as she impatiently waits for the present that Grayson has promised us. I'm a little lost as to what present could be for all three of us, but I'm starting to get a little excited as well. Gray seems like he would be a great gift giver because he's so sweet and generous. I hope he didn't spend a lot of money...

Grayson directs me over to the couch, so I slowly sit down next to Evie so she's in between me and my mom.

"Wait here, I'll be right back," he says, then he disappears down the hallway towards who-knows-where.

A bubble of excitement spreads through my stomach at the surprise. The last present Grayson bought for me was a snow globe from one of his travels to Canada. It was so thoughtful because he remembered when I told him about how my mom brought home a snow globe from every single place she traveled for her work as a flight attendant.

I share a curious glance at my mom, but she just shrugs. It seems she doesn't have a clue, either.

Grayson comes back with a familiar box- the same one he brought to my house that awful night we were supposed to have dinner. The night was ruined when we found out that Evie was kidnapped by the coven. The sight dampens my mood a little as I think about what ensued, but I push the thoughts aside because I want to focus on Gray's excitement for this gift.

The gift itself is a skinny and simple rectangular box that is approximately the length of an envelope. It has a shiny red ribbon tied around it to keep the lid on.

It's definitely not a snow globe this time, so I have no clue as to what it is.

Grayson hands the gift to Evie who already has her hands outstretched in a "gimme, gimme!" reach.

"Before you open it," Grayson starts, effectively stopping Evie from ripping the ribbon off of the present, "just know that if you guys don't like it, I can trade it out or return it completely."

He scratches the back of his head nervously.

"I'm sure whatever it is, we'll love it," my mom interjects.

Gray only nods, a light blush spreading across his face.

Evie then pulls on the ribbon and opens the box. She just stares at what's inside with scrunched eyebrows.

"What's this?" Evie asks, pulling out six rectangular pieces of paper. My heart drops when I realize what it is.

I grab one of them from her hands and study the words.

My mate just bought me and my family fucking plane tickets to Venice.

I just stare at the paper, reading and rereading it.

DEPARTURE: BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN WINDSOR LOCKS, CONNECTICUT

ARRIVAL: VENICE MARCO POLO AIRPORT IN VENICE, ITALY

I wordlessly stand up in shock. My mom seems to be reacting the same way, but she has enough sense to explain to Evie that Grayson paid for a trip to Italy for all of us. She giggles and excitedly cheers, but I know that I shouldn't accept this gift.

"Gray," I whisper, finally looking up at him. He stands before me with wide, hopeful eyes. I feel bad for rejecting this gift, but it's too much.

"This was so, so sweet of you, but I- we can't accept this. It's way too much money and-"

"If that's the reason you're kindly trying to decline this gift, then too bad," he cuts me off. He grabs my shaking hand that is holding the plane ticket, stroking his thumb over the top.

"I have more money than I know what to do with, and I promised you I would take you around the world, remember?"

I think back to what seems like forever ago when we sat in his car pulled into my driveway. He asked me to move in with him and said the sweetest things:

"We'll travel the world together- pick a place on the map and we'll go there. As soon as this coven shit is over with, I'll fly us wherever you want to go. We'll ride in gondolas in Venice. I'll take you scuba diving in the Great Barrier Reef. We'll see the ancient ruins at Machu Picchu. We'll stay in a bungalow in Bora Bora or go to any castle or cathedral in the world. We'll get a shitty snow globe from every single place we visit so that you'll never forget the memories we made there. Anything you want, you can have it."

I bite down on my bottom lip as I hold back my happy tears. I really want to go to Venice with him- it's number one on my list of places I want to travel to.

"Come on, Thea," he says as he delicately places a large, calloused hand on my cheek. You wouldn't think that someone so big could be so gentle, but he proves that thought wrong with the way that he treats me- like I'm something to be treasured.

"Say yes. Let me do this for you and your family."

I have no eloquent words to share. No beautifully strung-together sentences that can convey how grateful I am for Grayson's generosity. Growing up in a paycheck-to-paycheck household, I never dreamed that I could ever acquire the necessary funds to go on an expensive trip to Europe, or anywhere. And here my boyfriend is, offering up the trip of a lifetime for not only us, but my sister and mother as well.

I spring into Grayson's arms ungracefully, my arms wrapping tightly around his neck as my legs automatically cling to his torso.

What the hell? Let's go to Venice.

I begin laughing like a diabolical Disney villain.

"Thank you thank you thank you thank you," I chant, kissing every part of his face that I can. His hands splay across my waist and back, holding me close to him.

His low chuckle sends goosebumps down my spine.

"I love you, baby," he whispers, then kisses my cheek.

"I love you too," I say, pulling away from him enough so that I can see the wolf-like glow in his blue-gray eyes.

I hide my face in his neck once again, kissing it every once in a while as I think of all of the things I want to do once we get there.

"Are you sure about this?" my mom asks, switching between staring in awe at the plane tickets and Grayson's smiling face.

"I'm sure. I think we all need a break. The tickets are for whenever, so pick the dates and we'll go."

That's when the celebration really begins. My mom profusely thanks Grayson, who tries to brush off the gesture and claims it's "no big deal." Evie does a little dance, which we all join in on- yes, even Grayson. I wish I had my phone to record how funny he looks trying to learn the chicken dance from a six-year-old.

We still have some time before dinner, so my mom takes Evie with her to grab a computer to start researching things to do in Venice. Gray told us that he will be covering the cost of the hotel and restaurants as well, so we just need to tell him the plans we decide on and he'll take care of it.

Before my mom and Evie leave the room, my mom hugs Grayson. He stiffens for a moment from the unexpected display of affection from my mom, but he quickly hugs her back.

I hear my mom whisper, "thank you for making my daughter so happy," before she pats his shoulder and then walks hand in hand with Evie upstairs to the room they've been staying in.

I think Grayson is a bit shocked at my mom's behavior- she's been cautious around Grayson ever since she found out that he was something other than human, but it seems that she has really warmed up to him and is now once again comfortable with him.

It warms my heart that my mom and mate are getting along again.

Gray gestures to the stairs, so I grab the box with all of the tickets and travel up two flights of stairs until we're situated on the third story where his bedroom is.

Slightly out of breath, I jump onto Gray's bed, reveling in the cushioned mattress and silky comforter. I rifle through the tickets but quickly become confused when I count six tickets. I count in my head: Grayson, Evie, Mom, myself... who else is coming?

When I voice that question, Grayson sits down next to me on the bed and leans back on his elbows.

"Your mom and sister, the two of us, and I was thinking Cooper and your other friend Cassidy."

The past few weeks have been rocky for my friendship with Cass. From her perspective, I basically dropped off of the face of the Earth when I quit my job and ignored her texts and calls for weeks. She obviously has no idea about any of the supernatural danger in my life, so it was hard to explain to her why I neglected our friendship.

I had to tell her a partial truth- that I was grieving the loss of my friend. It's true that I was dealing with Eli's death, and I couldn't exactly tell her any more details.

She forgave me, but got upset that I didn't tell her about it. She wanted to be there for me.

I told Grayson about my interaction with Cass, so this must be his idea for how to make it up to her. He knew I felt bad.

"Cass and Cooper can come too!" I exclaim. "Wait, what about Axel?"

Gray shakes his head. "Axel and I can't both be gone from the pack for that long. The pack at least needs a Beta and a Gamma in charge. Axel wanted Cooper to get away for a bit, so as long as Cooper wants to come and is okay being separated from Axel for a week or so, he's welcome."

I feel so stupid for not thinking about how the pack will carry on without Grayson. He holds everyone together and leads them flawlessly. He shouldn't be leaving just so that my family can travel.

Gray senses the dip in my mood.

"Hey," he says after placing a firm grip on my chin. "None of those negative thoughts. You're new to being a Luna so it's going to take a bit of time for you to learn how things work. I've been doing this for years. Don't expect so much from yourself all at once. We'll get there."

I nod my head. He always knows the right things to say. Looking at him now, his eyes so attentive on me, I know that I'm the luckiest woman alive. Grayson Dark is the love of my life. He's my other half, my happiness, my salvation.

I initiate our kiss, immediately placing my hands on the back of his neck to pull him close to me. I hold nothing back, letting go of any and all inhibitions and showing my mate how much I love him through the kiss alone.