After all the insurance and police calls, I let my head fall back onto the sofa and collapsed. Adam closed his laptop lid and came and sat next to me. "You handled that well. Everything sounds in order."

I moved to relax into his chest and smiled at the contact. It felt like I should always want to be close to him. It made me wonder if I still had enough of a wolf, or maybe just the mantle was enough to feel as if I was mated too. Everything seemed to move so swiftly into feeling comfortable with Adam that it had to be some kind of magical love at first sight madness for me too.

His hands went into my hair again and I closed my eyes allowing the lovely touch.

After a few minutes and me almost falling asleep on him, a knock sounded from his door.

"It's open Palmer," Adam called out.

Palmer, the bald man that was with Jeff that first day in the diner, entered. "Elise," he nodded his greeting to me. I just gave a slight wave, trying to shake off the sleepiness.

Palmer put a few bags up on Adam's desk.

Adam nodded. "Thanks man. What do I owe you?"

Palmer gave a lopsided grin. "Don't worry about it. Maybe just another round of getting whooped in Max WoLF sometime."

Adam laughed and gave Palmer a brotherly handshake. "I hate that stupid game."

"You only hate it because you're a bad loser."

"I hate it because you cheat!"

"Just because you always choose that little wimp wizard as your character."

I had never heard of the game so had no idea what they were talking about but giggled over their continued warring banter.

After a few more jabs, Palmer headed to the door. "Alright well, see you later guys. Good to see you again Elise."

"Bye Palmer."

Palmer left and when the door closed Adam looked down to me. "I just let him win at Max WoLF."

I laughed competitively. "Liar. I bet I could win you and I don't even know what you were talking about."

He shook his head playfully. "Maximum World of Legacy Fighters. It's just a player verses player fighting game that we sometimes get together and battle in the video game hall. I guess you can see why we started with that game. Max Wolf."

"Good name," I giggled. Then I leaned off him and sat straight. "If you need to go challenge him, I don't mind being alone for a while."

He kissed my cheek. "Thanks. I'll take you up on that sometime, but not today. Palmer got you a treat."

"A treat?" I asked excitedly, looking over the nondescript bags on Adam's desk.

He laughed and stood to dig about a grocery bag. Then he handed me a white Styrofoam clamshell container and plastic spoon.

My brow came down in confusion at the takeaway box and opened it.

I breathed in a gasp at the Thai dessert hidden inside.

I looked up to Adam, a shocked happiness reading across my face. "Sticky rice and mango?"

He nodded and grabbed his own clamshell, sitting back next to me. "Palmer was running into the city today. I had him grab takeout while he was away."

I bit my lip and looked down to the sweet dessert. "Thank you. I don't know what to say."

"Just say you're happy."

"I am," and I practically threw my arms around Adam's neck, still holding the treat and spoon. "It's my favorite!"

One of his hands patted at my back. "Good."

I sat back and took a spoonful. "Oh my gosh, this is so good."

He smiled in pleasure and grabbed his own spoonful. "It's very nice."

"Nice?" I asked incredulous. "This is the best thing ever." I took another spoonful, eyes closing in delight.

After a few minutes, silence only broken by my delicious moans, both our treats were finished.

I put my clamshell and spoon in the garbage can and then sat across Adam's lap, leaning into his chest. I took a deep satisfied breath and situated myself against his neck, my forehead and nose pressed against him with a big smile. "I'm submitting to that delicious treat, Master."

He chuckled and rubbed down my back. "It doesn't work that way, but you're welcome." He leaned away just enough to kiss my forehead and then rested his chin against me. "Just wanted to let you know I will be here for you always now."

"Thanks," I said softly.

He let us sit that way for a few more minutes before he spoke again. "That's not all I got you."

I popped up, almost hitting his chin. "Oh?"

He grinned and moved me off his lap and stood for another bag. He held the entire giftbag to me.

"What's this?"

"Open it."

I dug through the tissue paper and grabbed out a large bottle of clear alcohol. I laughed and stared at Adam with a tease, the vodka jar dancing in my grip. "Who's seducing who now?"

He sat back next to me with a smirk, "you caught me." Then pointed to the bag. "Keep going."

I reached back in and found a sealed container full of plump vanilla beans. "Vanilla?" I screeched in joy. I then grabbed out a few glass sealing bottles.

"You lost all your supply. I thought you'd want to get to making some soon if it takes six months to cure."

I looked over touched. "You even remembered how long to steep it?" I had only said it once, that first day he was in my kitchen. It seemed ages ago.

"I remember everything you say."

I set the jars back and launched myself around his shoulders. "I love it." Leaning away after only seconds to catch his lips with mine. My fingertips swayed over his shoulders and into his hair. His hands came around my back and his mouth pressed needy. He deepened the kiss and though I was shocked at the contact at first, I quickly realized that that felt incredible too. I moaned into his mouth tasting the mango against him. His lips turned into a grin at my willingness, and he continued the kiss, lighting up my insides with a fiery feeling I'd never felt. My lips tingled and I felt the warmth of sparks press into me at every movement of his hands. He was now my joy, frosting would never have anything on the feel of his lips. Every touch was incredible.

"Wow," I exhaled, my eyes taking in his beautiful blue gaze.

"Wow," he agreed.

I leaned back into his shoulders and let my breathing catch up.

He gave a single kiss to my exposed neck, and I shivered, tingles thrusting up spine, which made him laugh a breath out. "Do you want to go show the kitchens how to make up your vanilla, or should we just sit here like this the whole day?"

I smiled into his shoulder. "Sit like this."

"I don't mind that either." His hand caressed down my back, then his nose went into my hair and took a deep breath letting my scent fill him. "Even sealed I can smell the vanilla beans. They smell like you."

I pulled away and stared into his eyes. "I smell like vanilla?"

He nodded. "Of course. All that baking you do. And every time you use vanilla you dab it on like perfume."

"I do?"

I thought back to all the times I made cake and yes, I did always thumb across the top, but I never really thought about putting it on my neck after. But yeah, I did.

He smiled and buried his nose in my neck. "Mmmm."

I giggled and pushed him away. "Stop, that tickles."

He laughed, "I almost stole one of those vanilla bottles. It was like someone had bottled your scent. I kind of wish I had now. You could have had one left."

"It's alright. I can make more now."

"Then let's go make it."

I playfully rolled my eyes and stood, offering a hand to help him up. We grabbed the supplies and headed to the kitchen.

The rest of the evening went just as lovely. The kitchen ladies were busy preparing dinner so I chose a corner away from them and made my vanilla, shaking the jars well and placed them in a cupboard tucked out of the way. I just needed to remember to come in and shake them occasionally. Adam and I then helped take the stew and rice meal to the buffet line and helped stock everything for dinner. And after a delicious dinner, Adam and I met Nate and a bunch of others in the game room for a few rounds of Max WoLF and then a bunch of funny videos on the big screen.

I sat across Adam's lap, as most of the other mates did, and gazed around the room. It was full of hooting laughter at the current prank video being shown. I smiled over the group completely feeling at home. Even meeting all the new people felt right, rather than intimidating like I'd usually feel. It was easy to think of them as my new family.

Nate stood from the large recliner at the corner still laughing as the video finished. "Well everyone, I'm going to head to bed. Goodnight."

Goodnights echoed from around the room.

Adam's lips came to my ear. "It's late. Should we follow?"

I looked at the clock ticking closer to midnight and shrugged. I was enjoying the company, but my silly body had to give me away by letting a strong yawn free.

Adam gave a soft laugh at my cheek. "I think that's actually a yes."

"Alright," I conceded and stood from his lap, stretching my arms.

"We're going too. Goodnight everyone."

"Night," I repeated.

Everyone gave their goodbyes and nice to meet yous. It was a lovely bunch to call new friends and filled me with joy.

Adam grabbed my hand and started leading us toward the third-floor stairs. I felt more confident about where we were going and thought if someone dropped me on the first floor, I could now figure my way around well enough. Second floor was still a mystery, but I understood it was mostly full of the singles' apartments so I wouldn't be needed there very much anyway.

Adam opened the Beta Female Room door for me, and I walked in my eyes gazing around.

It was a lovely, but basic room. It mirrored Adam's with the dresser and bed, but a table under the window and the playhouse in the corner instead of a couch. I looked at the playhouse with a smile, but the smile slackened at the bed.

Was I staying there?

"You don't like it?" Adam guessed my expression. "Danielle can fix it. Whatever you want. A different paint color? Bedspread? Whatever it is, we can fix it."

I sighed. "No. It's beautiful. I just thought you said you didn't want to make up this room after all."

His sigh followed. "I know. I want you to be with me too, but I promised your dad I would treat you right."

"Maybe I don't care what Milo thinks," I pouted.

Adam grabbed my chin and smoothed his thumb over my pout. "I know, but it's what's right." He pulled me into a tight embrace. "I did things wrong by you for so long. I want to make it up to you and do everything right from now on. And that means we should sleep in separate beds until we're married."

"Really?" I asked sadly. "Aren't we mates? Doesn't that mean something already?"

"Well yes, when both are werewolves, but you were raised human, so there's a different set of steps."

I pulled to arm's length. "What different steps?"

"Well, if we were both wolves and felt the mating pull, we'd mark each other and just uh, go for it, and get a mate welcoming ceremony later. But since you're pretty much human, I'll need to court you."

"Court?" I laughed at his olden vocabulary.

"Yes, court," his hand pressed the hair away from my face. "I'll take you on dates, give you gifts, ask you to be my girlfriend, and let love fall naturally. Then you know, engagement, marriage, then honeymoon and marking. All that stuff the human movies want you to do."

I giggled, "well, Darling, if you'll remember I haven't watched a girly movie in forever." Then I sighed. "And won't all that take a long time? What if we just call me a wolf and go right to being together? I have the mantle."

"Elise, I did everything so wrong at the start. I want to do things right now. You may be part wolf, but you were raised human, so I want to take these things slow."

Slow. I hmphed. We'd been mates for what? Twenty-four hours. How long would I have to wait to be with him? Twenty-four weeks? Twenty-four months?

My eye twitched a grimace and I started running through ways to speed things up. Maybe Dad's birds and the bees talk would actually be beneficial. I could flash some shoulder. I pictured another towel scene.

Adam laughed. "You probably shouldn't do that to me."

At my puzzled look he continued. "Okay. So I can't fully use the mind link with you without being marked, but well, don't be mad, you still send some messages I can read once in a while."

I flushed, "I do?"

He nodded.

"Like what?" I asked paralyzed. What had I said to him without meaning?

He laughed and moved to sit on the bed. "Well, like just barely about baring your shoulders, but mostly when your emotions are in overdrive like feeling bad after the fire, or when you were adamant on not going to the city hotel."

"Oh," I said trying to mask my nervousness. I still didn't quite understand the mind link.

He grabbed my hand and tugged me down beside him. "Don't worry about it. I'm glad when I can know what's going on in there." He pressed a finger to my temple. "It's just like feeling you physically, but I can emotionally too."

I bent out of the way with a shy smile. "It's embarrassing though."

He shrugged. "You said we should just call you a wolf and go on with things. The link comes with being mated to a wolf. If you don't want the mind link yet, then I don't think you're ready to move on."

I sagged. "Maybe you're right."

Another couple hundred cold nights then.

"Just let me do this right." His hand ran down my back and pulled me to him.

I just nodded. I wasn't happy, but it wasn't like I could press the issue now. I didn't even feel right teasing that I'd go to Nate's or something. I'd just have to live it until he felt he'd courted me long enough.

"There's my girl," he kissed my cheek. Then he stood. "I know you're not happy now, but it'll be better for us. And probably safer for me when I can tell your dad I didn't race into anything."

That caught a grin from me. "Alright. I'll be okay. Go to bed Adam. I'll see you in the morning."

He hauled me up off the bed and kissed me strong and deep until I was begging for air and coming up smiling. He peppered kisses around my face, until I was swatting him away.

He laughed. "Night Elise. I'll come for breakfast about eight."

I nodded and let his grasp slide through my fingers as he used the door entrance to his room and closed it behind him.

I let out a sorrowed exhale and then dug around the dresser for pajamas.

Night one begins. Twenty-four weeks of cold alone nights to go.