Klepto POV

"So, this one is the gas, right?"

I see the panic that sparks in Ezra, and chuckle to myself, leaning forward to hit my forehead on the steering wheel. The honk of the horn makes me jump, but I'm still laughing my ass off.

It may not be obvious to him, but I'm pulling his leg.

Messing with him is too easy.... and too fun.

"Goddess help me." He mumbles, running a hand through his hair, "I should've never agreed to this."

My wonderful mate has agreed to something amazing. I've begged him for the past few days to teach me how to drive. I couldn't wait. As soon as I saw that Alpha Veiler and his buddies brought a car with them, I've been giddy to learn.

It's more of a big suburban, at least that's what Ezra calls it, but I don't exactly know the difference.

A car's a car.

"Driving seems fun!" I grip the steering wheel in my sweaty hands. I'm a bit nervous, but also pumped. This is going to be freaking awesome.

"Probably because you've only seen that blonde girl from High School Musical drive her pink convertible." He grumbles, still tense at having me behind the wheel.

"Come on, Ezra, she's fabulous." I say, because it's obvious. I just made him watch all 3 high school musicals, so he should know. "Not to mention, there's no other cars on the road."

I motion with my hand out the window to the long open path into the woods. It's the only road that leads to the pack, and it goes on for a few miles. It's the perfect place to learn how to drive.

"I just don't see why this is necessary. Why exactly do you need to drive? Where do you want to drive to?!" He's clearly exasperated, but not angry. I shake my head.

"I'm 21! That's so old to not be driving yet!"

"Yeah, well I'm 93 and I barely drive at all." I literally gasp, my hair flying as my head whips around to stare at him.

"You're 93?" I sputter, and the amused grin that pops onto his face makes my heart race and my stomach flutter.

He is one hot old man.

Okay, that sounds way wrong.

"I was born July 3rd,1925."

My eyes widen as I stare at him as if he'll spit up some sort of explanation. It appears that's all he has to say.

"You could be my great grandfather." I demand, raising my eyebrows to try to get him to realize how insane this is. Ezra is not fazed.

How did he not see what a big deal this is?

"I'm a lycan, Klepto. I can live forever and still look like this. I hit maturity when I was just 26, and that's when I stopped aging." He shrugs as if it's the most normal thing, but I can't help but feel a little weird that my mate is almost twice as old as my Dad.

Yeah. Weird.

"Thank the Goddess you don't look 93, or I would dump you." Ezra bursts out laughing, hugging his chest. A wicked grin breaks out on my face, I love it when I'm the one to make him laugh. It makes everything feel right.

"So. Where do we start?" I ask the enormous lycan warrior sitting next to me. His laughter abruptly cuts off and his expression grows pleading.

Little does he know, I am not backing down from this at all. No way.

"Alright, well, you start with seatbelts." He says, and I'm quick to reach for the belt, snapping it in place and eagerly looking to Ezra for the next step. He nods, then motions to the rectangular mirror at the top of the windshield.

"Check your mirrors, adjust them so you have a good view of the road." I groan, wanting to bang my head against a wall. Why can't we just get to the good stuff already? Like actually get this baby moving?

"There's literally no other cars here, why do I need to see the freaking road?" I ask impatiently, blowing a strand of hair from my eyes.

"Do you want to learn how to drive, or not?"

I sigh, clenching my teeth roughly.

"I want to learn how to drive." I grouch.

He leans back in his seat, his expression and mood softening a smidge. He grabs the handle on the ceiling, a handle he refers to as the "Oh, shit" handle.

"Alright then, now you want to make sure the car is in drive." I look down at the gear shift thingy, little letters lining the side. I get a frantic jolt when I realize I don't know what any of those letters mean.

"So, the car is in park right now, ok? See the P?" He asks gently, patiently, and his sweetness makes me guilty for putting him through all of this.

I nod, watching him point out the gears and what they mean.

"R is for reverse, you use that to go backwards. N is for neutral, and you won't need that yet, so don't worry about it. D is drive, and L is for low gear, which you also don't need to worry about yet, or ever, unless you actually want to get a license and all that stuff." He explains and I furrow my eyebrows over at him, brushing my hand over the gear shift.

"Do you have a license?" I question, and Ezra's smile is easy, amused.

"Of course. The Guard supplies them, government issue. I had one before that though, before I joined. It's normal for lycans and werewolves to drive, despite what you've experienced." I rolls my eyes, slapping him on his very muscular arm.

"Yeah, tell me about it. I'm learning more and more what I've missed out on." I grumble. Man, I hate that stupid Alpha Green. If he wasn't hiding out in the pack house while King Veiler's here, I would give him a piece of my mind.

"Don't stress, you have years to catch up, and I'll help you." He rubs at his arm, pretending my attack hurt him which I know is impossible, "But, we'll start with driving. Go ahead and put your foot on the brake, it's the big petal."

I push away the urge to squeal. This is actually happening!

My converse covered foot pushes down on the brake, all the while I'm sporting a childish grin.

"Now, straighten out the wheel." I do as he instructs, spinning the steering wheel until it's right side up. The sensation of the wheels turning under the vehicle is strange, but exhilarating.

"Shift the gear to drive." His voice is back to being laced with anxiety and I chuckle.

"No trust in your amazing mate?" I ask while I pull the gear shift down.

"Ease off the brake, slowly, key word being slowly." He ignores my question, his honey eyes fixed on the road ahead.

Once again I listen to him, but not enough apparently, because as soon as my foot comes up the car rolls forward. The reaction I have to the unexpected movement is to slam my foot back down on the brake. Bad idea.

The whole car is rocked back and forth, my head jerking.

Ezra gives me a playful glare.

"I did say slowly, didn't I?"

"Sorry." I supply, and he shakes his head.

"If you keep this up I'll be wearing a neck brace." I laugh and try again, this time following my mate's fabulous advice to a tee. I ease the brake up, the car rolls forward inch by inch and I don't hold back the excited squeal that escapes me.

"I'm driving! I'm really really driving! I'm doing it, Ezra! Look!" He snickers, a flare of mischief on his face.

"Yeah, you kind of are, aren't you?" My lips part to release another sound of exhilaration, "Okay, make sure you're steering straight, and take your foot off the brake completely, then give her some gas, slowly. You know that word, right?"

"Ha ha. Very funny." I sarcastically say, lifting my foot.

The car is going faster, and when I put my foot down on the gas it seems to shoot forward. I scream, not expecting that much speed. Once again, the brakes are abused when I slam on them, my shriek still full blown.

"Yeah, I'm going to have to get you a dictionary because clearly you don't know what slowly means." He's the one laughing his ass off now.

"Ugh, shut up!" I joke.

It goes on like this for awhile as I get the feel of being behind the wheel. I never would've thought I'd be here. Here I am sitting next to my loving mate while he teaches me to drive a car, all while we tease and laugh.

It feels like a dream. A long, wonderful dream.

Eventually I'm driving like a pro, well at least I think so, but I'm really just going 10 mph on a straight road. Ezra keeps cheering me on, acting like it's the greatest thing he's ever seen. This is the kind of support I need.

If you told me a month ago that I would be in love with Ezra, I would've told you that you're crazy.

And yet here I am, head over freaking heels for the loser.

I thank the Goddess above I listened to Alpha Veiler, it worked out better than I could've hoped.

After an hour of driving, Ezra makes me park the suburban on the side of the road. As soon as I stop the car and take out the keys, my mate is talking.

"I have something to tell you." He says, and I lower my hand, the keys jingling against my fingers.

My nerves spark, as does my suspicion. It is so easy for me to fall back into that mindset of being on the defense, ready for anyone to betray me, especially Ezra.

"Alright." I whisper, preparing to build my walls back up. He is going to shatter me again, isn't he? Right after he buttered me right up again.

Stupid, stupid mate bond!

I'm shocked out of my mind when he grabs my hand.

"Calm down. It's nothing like that, sweetheart, I swear. It's actually a good thing." He gulps, glancing at our now laced fingers nervously. "I hope." Ezra adds, more silently this time.

"What's up?" I ask, trying to keep the heavy dose of relief out of my voice. I don't need him to know how terrified I was by that one sentence he spoke.

"It's the King, Veiler. He uh, kinda asked me to be his third in command?" He's so nervous and unsure, making his news into a question and watching me carefully with each syllable off his lips as if I'll shatter at any second.

Instead, I jump across the seat and into his arms, winding my arms around his neck.

"Ezra! That's amazing!"

A new pack? Such a big title? I'm ecstatic.

"We'll go together, of course. If I take it." Ezra mumbles. It doesn't seem like he got the reaction he expected.

"What do you mean, if you take it?" I demand, scooting closer to him. "Montana, Ezra! Montana! I've never been that far West. I've never even been outside of the state! The boys will love it of course."

I think about it a little more and grin.

"I'll never have to see my stupid pack again!"

In my excitement I jump on him and grab his face. I don't question my instincts, I just mash my lips on his. He doesn't stiffen, doesn't hesitate, he starts to go along with it so quickly as if he was actually expecting it.

We kiss and kiss like the world doesn't exist.

Next thing I know, his strong arms catch me around the waist. Without disconnecting our kiss, he tugs my into his lap and groans.

My tongue sweeps along his bottom lip before diving into his mouth a little. He pulls back, his bright lemon zest eyes wild with arousal.

"I love you." I blurt out breathlessly, now unsure even after the words are out of my mouth.

The alarm mirrored back at me from Ezra is intense. His mouth is open in pure shock. We just kind of sit there for a good while, just staring at each other. I begin counting in my head the time that tics by in silence.

I'm at 43 seconds when he finally says something.

"Even after... after all the things I've put you through? How can you love someone like me?" He asks, completely incredulous. I grin, running my fingertips down his arm.

"You pushed me away, and it did hurt, I won't lie. But we're mates. We were made for each other. You're sweet, and strong, and compassionate. Now that I have you, I don't know what I would do without you."

"Goddess, Klepto. How are you even real?" He demands, giving me a long kiss before pulling away again. "I love you more than you'll ever know."

His thumb brushes my lips gently before going in for more. The kiss is urgent and fast.

His fingers twist into my hair and he pulls me towards him, as if I can get any closer. My breath is starting to get heavier and it's the only sound other than the beating and pounding of our hearts.

I lose myself in the rhythm of him, our bodies together. It's meant to be.

I'm so focused on our kissing that I don't notice someone right outside the car door until there's a knock on the glass.

I jump so high I hit my head on the ceiling.

"Ouch!" I rub at the bump, turning to look outside and cringing.

Ace's wicked grin is tell-all. He had seen everything. My cheeks flame and I dart my eyes away, I am completely off guard by being caught in the act.

Ezra is anything but bashful.

"If you'll excuse me." My mate pops open the door, kicking it open before stepping out and easily depositing me in the passenger seat. When he turns around Ace darts into the woods.

Ezra runs after him, fists clenched at his side as he sprints.

"Come back here you bastard!" He yells, and Ace replies with an outrageously rambunctious laugh.

He acts like he's 12 years old, I swear.

"Ezra and Klepto, sittin in a car. K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" The jokester sings as he runs out of sight.

I can't help but snicker at the sight. I just hop he won't be caught.

Because it looks to me like Ezra is very protective, and if the burning sensation in my chest is any indication, I adore it.

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If you're reading this, I love you:)