The rest of their meal felt like a movie. They shared bites of food from each other's plates. They talked and they laughed, and for the first time in a long time the pair felt truly happy.

"Would you like dessert?" asked Christopher.

"Umm, will you share something with me?" Quinn asked with wide hopeful eyes.

"Of course! Order whatever you'd like."

"What about...." Quinn started reading down the dessert menu biting her lip again... "the beignets? They are topped off with powdered sugar and locally sourced orange blossom honey."

"That sounds perfect" Christopher said with a smile.

Quinn gave him a toothy grin. "Great!"

Christopher flagged down the server and ordered dessert. When the beignets arrived, Christopher moved his chair so that he sat right next to Quinn.

"I hope this is okay," He leaned in and whispered in her ear. "Since we were sharing, I thought it made sense."

"It's okay, I don't mind." She said with a shaky voice. Quinn still wasn't accustomed to the sensations she felt when he touched her. They were such small gestures and yet she felt she had to catch her breath every time. Her wolf was railing at the closeness of her mate. His scent was intoxicating and she wanted to be closer. It was all Quinn could do to hold back her wolf.

They both reached for the dessert at the same time which caused their hands touch. Quinn bit her lower lip slightly at the sensation while a smirk formed on Christopher's lips.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Quinn said pulling her hand back in embarrassment.

"There's nothing to be sorry about Quinn. You can go first."

Quinn grabbed two beignets and placed them on her plate making sure to get enough of the powdered sugar and warmed honey on them. Christopher took the remaining two and did the same.

Quinn was nervous by how close he was to her and wasn't sure what to say. She was almost waiting for the other shoe to drop. Christopher was comfortable with the silence, content to be enjoying the delicious confection sitting inches from her, his mate.

He paid shortly after and they made their way out of the lovely little restaurant. Christopher opened the passenger side door and helped Quinn inside.

After getting into the truck, he turned it on and began to drive. For a while they sat in silence until Christopher broke the ice. "So, what did you think? Did you have a good time?"

Quinn looked over at him and smiled genuinely. "Yeah, I had a great time. I'm glad you asked me to come out here with you. I almost don't want it to end."

"I'm glad you agreed to come" he said placing his hand on top of hers which was on center console. Quinn didn't remove her hand.

"You know, it doesn't have to end just yet."

"What do you mean?" Quinn said a little surprised.

"There's some place I want to show you, if you're open to it?"

Quinn took her hand from his and started to fiddle with the loose fabric on her thigh. Christopher sensed her apprehension and tried to put her at ease.

"Quinn, I promise that I would never do anything to make you uncomfortable."

"It's just..." she paused for a moment. "Please don't take this personally. But, the last time I trusted a man, it ended very badly for me."

"I'm not like him Quinn. Please. I'm asking you to trust me."

"I don't know, Chris. I..."

"If at any point, you feel you can't handle it, I'll take you home immediately. Don't feel forced to say yes. I just want you to know that I will not hurt you."

Quinn grabbed his hand from the center console and squeezed it tightly. She sat back in her seat with her eyes closed and sighed deeply.

"Okay. I trust you." She said in almost a whisper.

Christopher lifted her hand to his lips and kissed it lightly. "Thank you."

They drove for a little while longer. Quinn was surprised that they were now on pack grounds again and just passing the pack house. She felt better knowing they were on familiar territory.

Christopher then pulled up to the house just past some trees. It was a little secluded compared to the other houses but it was still close to the heart of the pack.

It was a beautiful little two-story house, pale blue with white trim. There were large windows along the wrap around porch.

Christopher helped Quinn out of the truck and led her up the steps of the house. He opened the door and turned on the lights.

"Come on in."

Quinn stepped in and looked around in awe. "This place is lovely. Is it yours?"

"Yeah, it's my house" Christopher paused for a moment. "And hopefully, it will be ours very soon."

Quinn stopped dead in her tracks. "What do you mean?"

"Well, while you were gone, I was getting it fixed up for us." Christopher led her into the kitchen and began a pot of coffee.

"Wow... this kitchen is amazing." said Quinn.

"I updated the kitchen a bit for you. I know you like to cook and I wanted to make sure you had everything you needed."

Shame and guilt washed over Quinn like a blanket. She felt an uneasy turning in her stomach. "Goddess, I am so stupid."

"Why? Don't you like it? We can always remodel it more to your taste."

"No," said Quinn dropping her gaze to her hands and shaking her head. "It isn't that. I love the kitchen, the house, everything..."

"Then what is it?" Christopher placed a mug with coffee and frothed sweetened milk in front of Quinn and sat down at the kitchen island with her.

Quinn brought the cup to her nose and inhaled the aroma sighing deeply after. "I should never have gone. All of the drama, everything. It was just so unnecessary and it was all my fault. You were willing to give me everything and I ran away."

"Quinn, I don't fault you at all. I never gave you a reason to stay. I should have gone after you that night. My wolf told me to and I didn't listen because I wanted to give you space. I regret that decision every day of my life."

"You did the right thing, I probably wouldn't have listened." She said taking a sip, letting the liquid warm her body.

"What happened to you isn't your fault and I could never have accepted being the reason you didn't follow your dreams."

"My dreams..." she said sadly and scoffed. "My dreams ruined everything."

"No they didn't. I'm still here and I will always be here for you and for that baby. I let you down before, I'm not going to let that happen again."

"Why'd you have to be so perfect?" Quinn said, the tears finally trailing down her face. "You have never let me down, Chris. I let myself down."

"Don't be silly. You didn't do anything wrong." Christopher said reaching for Quinn's hand.

Quinn got up from her chair and backed away from Christopher before he could touch her, afraid his touch would make her weak.

"I was always the fat, lazy, weak girl that people snickered at in the hallways and in the pack house but I was happy, I think. I was content with my lot in life, my fate, to be alone for the rest of my life. Now, I'm still that fat, lazy, useless girl but now... now, I'm empty. I have no love to give. I have nothing to offer anymore. To you or to anyone."

"Quinn..."

"I thought I could do this, that I could give us a chance but I don't think I can. I can't curse you with that fate."

Quinn's wolf seldom appeared anymore but at that moment she whimpered loudly in Quinn's mind causing a ringing in her ears and making her dizzy.

Christopher was stunned and didn't know what to say. His wolf was growling loudly in his head. He wanted to hold his mate.

"Accept my rejection."

"No..."

"Set us both free, Christopher."

"I can't Quinn. I don't want that."

Quinn growled loudly, falling to her knees on the wooden floor. "You're just blinded by the mate bond! It isn't real!" She was now yelling. "Just get it over with and we can both move on! You can choose your beta female and I will finally be free to suffer alone."

"NO!" Christopher shouted using his beta command. He aura exuded authority.

Quinn lowered her head and bared her neck to him. She cried softly and whimpered on the floor, submitting to the high ranking wolf in front of her.

"Why can't you just let me die?" Quinn whispered, sobbing into her shoulder.

Christopher knelt down in front of her and wrapped his arms around her as she cried. He placed one hand on her back and the other behind her knees and he lifted her up and carried her to the large L-shaped couch.

Quinn could not stop crying no matter how much she tried. She was embarrassed that Christopher picked her up but she was too emotional to protest. Instead of words, all that came out were gargled sobs. He just sat with her on the couch, allowing her to cry on his shoulder.

Christopher stroked her hair and together they fell asleep on the chaise lounge, in each other's arms. It would be the first peaceful sleep either of them got in a very long time.