For some reason, Ian's mom had made me sleep in their family house for the past five nights now. We rarely went to the pack house so I rarely saw Ian and to be frank, I am missing him.

I kept Dana company because she said she wanted to know me and who was I to reject the offer? I wanted to know her too. Yesterday, Andrea spent the night with us and we had a fun night.

Andrea was questioned about her having a child which was funny because Dana seemed to be excited while Andrea was getting nervous. I was having fun roasting her too, but then the topic turned around. Dana started asking me how many kids I wanted with her son.

Needless to say, I was very uncomfortable and it was Andrea's turn to laugh at my situation.

Dana and I were watching a movie as she was inserting her little comments every now and then.

"Well, are you ready for the ceremony?" Dana asked out of the blue. I wondered which ceremony she was talking about for a while, but then I remembered. The Luna ceremony.

It was pushed back for three days because of Dana's arrival, but it would be held in two nights.

"Hmm, I'm still a bit nervous. Sometimes I still don't think that it's real." I answer honestly.

She smiled sweetly as she squeezed my hand gently. "Oh, honey. You'll be just fine. I can already see it, you make a fine Luna. You are one of the moon goddess' warriors after all! I never would've believed for this to happen."

"Yeah... it really is unbelievable." I say lowly. To be honest, that fact was the biggest thing that's hard for me to believe.

Dana stands up and stretches her arms. "Alright, time to sleep. Now... anytime soon." she says with a knowing smile on her lips.

I squint my eyes at her and tried to think what she was up to. From the past few days of knowing her, I knew that she was a cheeky one. She has a lot of hidden agendas.

She bid me goodnight and and went on her way. I was left at the living room and since I didn't feel like watching TV anymore, I turned it off and started to go up the second floor where my room was.

As I walked the stairs up, I took my time as I looked at the pictures and family portraits that hang on the wall. Ian's father, as I have learned, was killed in an attack four years ago when he was on his way to the meet with the Council.

Ever since then, Ian has officially became the Alpha of Panselinos and he made the pack's safety a priority.

Ian looked like his father, except with a few features he's received from his mother. Dana told me that Ian and his dad were really close and that his death had been a turning point for him.

I made my way to my room and tried to sleep. However, hours later and slumber still refused to visit me. I tossed and turned forcing my eyes to sleep, but it didn't help. Ian kept entering my mind.

Sure, I'm happy to spend time with Dana, but I've really been missing Ian. And because during the day, he has duties I rarely saw him. During the night, Dana and I were already in their family house. I've told Ian to come numerous times, but he refuses to.

I glanced at the digital clock beside my bed. It was one AM.

I want to mind-link Ian but I'm not sure if he's asleep.

'I'm tired.' I complained to my wolf.

'Don't bother me, I'm trying to sleep.' she said and blocked me out. She was particular on her sleep, you see.

I pouted. 'Meanie.'

I tried to count sheep, but that just didn't work out. Cause you know... wolves and sheep... yeah, it really doesn't make a pretty picture.

I closed my eyes once again when I smelled a familiar scent. A scent I've been longing for. The only person I really wanted to see.

I stood up so fast and linked him. 'You're here.' I said excited and looked for my slippers, preparing to go down.

'Open your window.' he linked back. I went to my window and opened it. There, I saw Ian standing in front of my window with a big smile on his face.

"Stand back a bit." he said loud enough for my sharp ears to hear. I nodded and stood back. Within seconds, Ian jumped from the ground to my window. He lifted himself off the window frame and entered my room.

For a while, he looked around before returning his eyes to me. He pulled me into a hug and I couldn't hide the smile that plastered on my lips.

"What are you doing here? You should be sleeping." I scolded, but to be honest, I'm really glad that he's here. Who am I to complain?

Ian fixed the strands behind my ear and wrapped his arms around my waist. The proximity set my skin on fire and damn, it was already night time. And we're in a room.

I-- I am not yet ready, oh my gosh.

Surely we weren't?

Right?

I mean Dana is just a couple of rooms away.

There was just no way this was going to happen.

As I was panicking in my thoughts, Ian pulled away.

"Well, I really missed you." he says and turned around.

Hmm? What did he say?

It warmed my heart up and along with it, the beating started. I stared at Ian's back as he was looking around the room.

My hand goes up to the left part of my chest. I've been getting used to this warm, but irregular beating that only happened when he was near.

"I have been telling you to come here, but you never do." I say and sit on my bed.

He looked back to me.

"Come with me." he said. I wasn't able to say anything back because he already opened the door and left the room.

I followed him, but we didn't go far. We went to the next room to mine. It was-- his room.

Ian turned the lights on and stood there looking at it for a while. "This is the room I grew up in." he started. I looked around. His bed was by the wide window and beside it was a night table. It looked like his room from back in the pack house, but here, you see a few figurines and posters.

The table was more of a study table instead of the wide desk he had in the pack house which was filled with paper works.

This room also feels more... cozier. Where years of memories lived.

"So why don't you visit anymore?" I ask, playing with a figurine of a red sports car.

I hear Ian sigh which made me turn and look to him. He was already sitting on his bed and looking up his ceilings.

I only noticed now that his whole ceiling was painted of a forest that glowed in the dark. My mouth opens in amazement as I also sit on his bed and stared at the beautiful painting.

"This is Alec's mom who painted it with the use of her magic. It was my dad's idea to put it up so it would always remind me of the pack and my duty to it. He always told me not to forget that I must protect the pack." he reminisced again.

"He sounds like a great dad." I say lowly, feeling a bit sad that I remembered very little of my dad. Rather, I had very little memories with him because he was taken from me too soon.

Ian laid down completely on the bed. "He was the best. I always looked up to him and I looked forward to introduce to him my mate and Luna who will continue to strengthen the pack." he paused before continuing. Memories must've been running in his mind. "But he's gone."

Silence settled in and I could feel how heavy he must've been feeling right now.

"I'm sorry." I said after a while. I didn't really know what to say. I wasn't very good at this.

Ian smiled. "My mom has purposely kept you away from me and made you stay here so I can come here." he laughed a bit. I gasp for a bit.

That cheeky, sneaky woman. I knew she was up to something.

"I haven't been here much ever since dad died. I couldn't come home where his memories were everywhere. This is where he taught me everything..." he said. He closed his eyes as if to relive his younger years where he was free of cares and worries of pack responsibilities.

I smiled and put an arm over his stomach so I hugged him as we laid down. "I'm sure that he's proud of what you've done." I tell him. Instead of smiling, he only thought for a bit.

"I can only hope so." he said.

And with that, we laid in each other's embrace as we looked at the painted forest of the ceiling. Without knowing it, we both drifted to sleep.

💕