Taken by my mate; Second Chance
Chapter 32 - Confirmed

AMBROSE

I woke up dreamily, the smell of my mate coating every hair in my nose like a sweet reminder. My lips stretched into a smile and I reached over to pull her against me, but she wasn’t there. My eyes opened quickly and I looked at the bed beside me but it was empty and cold.

“Nova!?” I gasped, sitting up and looking around the room.

The others in the room jerked upright too and my eyes met Covyn’s panic for a brief moment before they settled on a form standing in front of the doors to the hall perfectly still. I barley looked at anyone as I got up and rushed over to her, calling her name again.

She didn’t move, my arms wrapped around her when I got there to notice her trembling slightly. “Nova, what are you doing?”

I noticed all the locks had been undone and she had her hand poised on the knob in the middle of turning it. I pulled her hand away and held it in mine. Her breathing was silent and small.

“I… I wanted to go for a run… but,” her voice trembled slightly and I felt the fear bubble passed the wall she’d made, “I don’t know who I can trust.” I turned her to me, hugging her against my chest. “They all looked so happy and familiar at dinner. Anyone could be the same, and what if they told others?” Tears dampened my shirt and my heart felt for hers. “I’m not strong enough to be safe here.”

I started to rub her back again and then picked her up, wrapping her legs around me as her face shifted to cry in my shoulder. This wasn’t even something I could promise her wasn’t true.

I knew it wasn’t selfish to want to be with her when I could feel she wanted to be with me just as much, but my life prevented her from having the strength she used to. She was made weaker by being with me, and your mate was meant to make you stronger.

What could I say? She was so strong, but I knew that wasn’t the strength she was talking about. As much as it pained me, she was right. Without the strength of her phoenix she was an easy target for anyone who figured it out.

I didn’t like her feeling unsafe in my home, so I promised her all that I could. “I will always be with you, and that will keep you safe.”

She stiffened, knowing me too well, and pulled back to grab my face. “If you go, I’m going down with you.”

“Nova….”

“No! I’d rather live every day watching my back with a dagger in my hand than be another second without you.” There was a venomous way in which her words lashed out but caresses me, like she was like apologizing and chastising me at the same time.

I couldn’t help it. Love washed over me so quickly that I lifted her chin towards me and crushed my lips into hers. She was why the Goddess let me keep coming back. Sure all souls were old, but she let me keep the memories so that, for once, Nova would have whosheneeded.

She was right, I couldn’t leave her. That may have made me a selfish bastard but I wasn’t about to care. She wanted to keep me over her phoenix? Fine. I didn’t like it but that was her deal, but I would make everyday a dream for what she gave up for me.

We were both so absorbed by the kiss that I forgot where we were. Someone cleared their throat and I broke from her, feeling her sway forward as I pulled back to turn towards the sound. She crashed against my chest, almost like she had let herself tip right over into me and her arms wrapped around my waist, bringing my attention from the spectators back to Nova.

Her smile was big, and for some reason I felt better too. Like we just needed to sleep on it and confirm our stance. This time together, or not at all. It wasn’t my place to tell her to live without me, especially when I knew I’d die without her. And she had already lived so long alone.

I picked her up and carried her to the couch to sit with me. Everyone around us started to get up, straightened their covers and stretch out from their night in a weird environment. But I could feel it, an emotional presence in the room since I had woken everyone up to an empty bed, everyone here wanted to keep her safe.

“We’ll go get breakfast,” Ellion offered. “For everyone. It’s an off day anyway, so there’s no training or pack business to worry about.” He offered a wry smile.

“It’s okay,” Nova beamed, nuzzling into my neck. “I feel better now.”

—

DALEY

Nova shifted in Spencer’s lap, trying to hold him tighter, and he groaned beneath her, gripping her hips firmly to hold her still. She pulled away from him, face bright red with embarrassment and I had to cover my mouth to keep from laughing. The flush deepened as Spencer looked at her and she started chewing on her lip. His thumb moved up to pull her lip from between her teeth and she bit him lightly.

I started blushing just seeing the two. Mr. Durem looked even more uncomfortable but before I could invite him to come along, or try to break the lovers focus, Nova stood up and booped Spencer’s nose. He looked at her, more confused as she walked away.

“I still have too much energy to just sit and answer questions. Let’s go for a run first.” She smiled brighter as she moved towards the patio door, her previous sorrow either gone or masterfully concealed.

“Nova…” Spencer groaned.

“Come on, we used to run together through the woods all the time,” she whined.

He rubbed the back of his head, running his fingers through his hair. “Nova… it was different then. You know that.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “So run slower. Or… Will you make me go alone?” She teased, opening the door and ducking outside.

I heard him start to chuckle as he stood, striding after her, shaking his head. “You coming Covyn? You look you could use the fresh air, and frankly I don’t trust her to not convince me to just keep running once I have her.”

Mr. Durem reluctantly got up as Spencer opened the door. I heard Nova squeal as his arms wrapped around her and he picked her up into the air. He started to tickle her and she stuck what looked like a mean elbow into his ribs. Spencer went down and she took off down the stairs.

“You know better than to tickle me!” She shouted over her shoulder, grinning behind her before I lost sight of her from the second floor.

Mr. Durem groaned at the patio door, looking at his crumpled Beta trying to regain his breath and looked back into the room. “Sequoia, you coming?”

She got up slowly, stretching out in her smaller cat form and jumped into his arms. “Why don’t you take your human form, or the leopard?” I suggested.

‘Because very few creatures keep familiars. Even in my human form I would smell the same. Someone could pick her out by me being with her.’ Sequoia explained.

I heard the voice in my head like a mind-link, but in my human form. A light laugh from Sequoia followed through our heads at all of our shocked expressions.

She rubbed the side of her face against Mr. Durem’s facial hair like she scratched her cheek.‘Should we not disperse? Nova and Ambrose have quite the lead and by the time you two go for breakfast that pack will have consumed it all.’

We obeyed, not even reluctantly. The power felt in what, to her, was a simple action was astounding. Covyn took off outside with her and we went straight to the kitchen. Sequoia had been right, the rest of the pack had pilfered the breakfast line already. The cook was happy to make us up some fresh plates, sucking up as it neared time to go over the budgets I’m sure. But we didn’t have to wait long, everything was still out from earlier and soon I had two plates in my hands and Ellion had a tray with the remaining four.

I was glad they didn’t ask about to extra plate. I had been worried about what I would say the whole time while we waited and was nearly ready to claim one of us was pregnant… which wouldn’t have helped anything. The thought gave me pause though, thinking about having little pups running around. I didn’t train anyway, and I wasn’t a skilled fighter, we had just been enjoying our untethered party life. We usually went into the city once a month to go to some bar or club, but hadn’t gone in a while and honestly… I didn’t miss it.

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