I laughed, “The pack here owns this restaurant. I just made a call and paid. It’s really….” Melanie laughed and kissed me,cutting off my words. My mate pulled back and said, “You really are something else. You know that? No one has ever done things like this for me.” Oden purred in my head.
I teased, “From what I understand you were never interested in anyone else but me.” Melanie bit her lip, “It’s not like people were banging down my door for a date. No one ever asked me on a date… except Lux.” I gasped, “Seriously? Are they blind?”
Melanie laughed, “No….but I wasn’t nice to jerks….and I’m kind of…no I’m just direct.” I tilted my head, “Did they not have school dances?” Melanie’s sadness shot up from my foot. My mate answered, “I have a GED… so… I didn’t get to go to school.”
I could sense she didn’t want to talk about it so I dropped the subject. I quickly shot Phil an email copying Gage to remind myself I might be planning a dance for Melanie. She should’ve gotten to get ready with her friends and gone to a dance. I could easily give that to my mate.
I pulled out her chair and sat her down. Melanie smiled asking, “Can you order for me? I haven’t learned German yet.” I laughed, “Of course. What are you in the mood for?” Melanie smiled, “Surprise me.” I nodded and ordered us both Älplermagronen. It was a gratin with potatoes, macaroni, cheese, cream, and onions.
I felt a little nervous, but not really. It was easier to settle myself because we were mates. I felt a lot of sympathy for humans who proposed. The whole entire thing had to be nerve wracking. Melanie was sipping on her drink.
I asked, “Are you excited about tomorrow?” Melanie smiled saying, “Yeah. I’m just not sure that…. someone is going to have the dress I want.” I laughed, “Well, have fun with your friends, and if you can’t find what you want my mom, Cass, or any member of my family including myself would snap it for you. My mom would just be an advocate of me not seeing it. She discovered on google that the groom cannot see the dress.”
Melanie laughed, “I did know that. I think it will be fun… probably. I’m just hoping there’s no tension.” I asked, “Because you invited your mom?” Melanie nodded, “Yup. I feel good about inviting her, but I know that my aunt’s and grandma’s are probably upset I didn’t invite them.”
I told her honestly, “Maybe, but this is about you not them. I want our Mating Ceremony to be about us. I want you to be happy, not uncomfortable. I don’t care what that looks like or means. I don’t want you doing everything for everyone else because I’ve noticed you tend to do that. You can be selfish about our Mating Ceremony. Hell, it’s not even selfish really. It’s about us and no one else.”
Melanie replied, “I do things for me.” I raised an eyebrow asking, “Like dance? Everything else I've seen you do, you do for others. Even Jase and Addison’s mating ceremony. You tried to go even though I don’t think you were ready.”
Melanie sighed, “Maybe not… but I would’ve regretted not going. I hate that I missed T’s… besides... I did go to Jase’s so… it counts.” I raised an eyebrow, but she didn’t elaborate so I didn’t push. Once we finished our meal, I took her on another walk through the town.
We stopped at a little shop and grabbed some cake for dessert. I smiled when she got chocolate frosting on her upper lip. I leaned over, licked it off, then kissed her which made Melanie blush. Once we finished, I grabbed my mate’s hand and walked her back to our house here.
This time, we came in through the front door, so I put in the code. I asked, “Do you want to go for a swim?” Melanie laughed, “Sure... but uhhh I don’t have a swimsuit here.” I asked, “What do you want to wear?” Melanie started to talk then paused.
My mate grinned broadly and pulled out her phone, “Can you conjure this?” I wiggled my eyebrows, “Of course I can.” It was a red crisscrossed halter top, with swim bottoms. I conjured it intoher hands, and she took off for the bathroom. I snapped myself into my swim trunks.
Melanie came running back in. I groaned, “Aesir above.” My mate looked amazing. Oden purred, “Throw out the whole plan and tear that off her.” It wasn’t my wolf’s worst idea. She giggled and grabbed my hand and we took off even though my swim trunks were impossibly tight.
Once we made it outside Melanie started running. We both jumped in the pool holding hands. When we surfaced, my mate smiled challenging, “Race ya!” She started swimming laps. I groaned, “You’re killing me, Lovebug.” I started to swim laps with her.
When I stopped, my mate swam over to me and wrapped her legs around me. I smirked, “I’m very close to taking you right here.” Melanie urged, “So take me.” I growled and snapped both our bottoms off. I sat her on the edge of the pool and started to lick her clit. My mate moaned, “Xander.” It only spurred me further.
When she came, I pulled her back into the pool and slid into her. When we were both satisfied, my mate clung to me. Melanie breathlessly asked, “How the hell did we not drown? I feel like we just defied the laws of physics.”
I laughed, “I’d never let you drown.” My mate asked, “Do we have to get back?” I shook my head, “No, we are going to get ready to have dinner.” Melanie laughed, “I don’t have anything to wear to dinner.” I winked saying, “My mom conjured dresses for you here. I’m sure it comes with a note and everything.”
Melanie giggled, “I really like her.” I kissed her cheek and carried her upstairs. I set my mate down in the bathroom. I told her, “My mom is the best and I adore her. I’ll have to let you shower alone. Otherwise, we’ll be VERY late.” Melanie laughed and quickly got in the shower. God, I needed to leave the bathroom. Oden huffed at me as I practically fled.
When the water turned off, I snapped her and her dry. I heard her laugh and felt her amusement. Melanie came out in a towel. I told my mate, “Whatever my mom snapped is in the closet. I’m jumping in the shower.” A very cold damn shower.
Oden said, “Let’s get on with the asking so we have more sex.” My wolf was becoming quite insatiable. Oden snorted, “Sure, blame me.” It worked in my mind, and he was the one constantly talking about sex. My wolf chuckled in my head.
I quickly snapped my suit on and walked out and did a double take. Melanie was in a stunning red dress with a v neck and slit up the front. A very high slit that gave me ideas. My mom and her slits. I’d never appreciated them more than in this exact moment.
Melanie asked timidly, “Does it look ok? Your mom gave me options, but I only looked at the first one… and….” Melanie turned around and I did another double take. I licked my lips hungry for something other than dinner.
The front of the dress matched the back so there was a V that showed off her back. I told her honestly, “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen.” My mate blushed deeply. I popped us to the helicopter pad.
Melanie gasped, “A helicopter?” I asked, “Have you ever been on one?” Melanie snorted, “Uhh… well… that’s… complicated?” Oden disagreed, “It is a yes or no question.” I knew that. I laughed, “Well, I thought you might enjoy it.” Melanie was beaming with happiness.
We climbed into the back of the helicopter, and I nodded to the pilot. Once we took over, I pointed out all the sights to Melanie. My mate’s excitement made my smile even broader. We landed near a lodge on a mountain.
We took a gondola ride up to the top. A car was waiting to take us to our table. I’d rented out the restaurant overlooking the view. Melanie gaped before asking, “You really just do things…all out, don’t you? This is like on some other kind of level.” I smiled answering, “For you... yes.”
I’d ordered ahead. We were just having steak and a baked potato with a side of green beans. I’d ordered champagne which was already chilling. I popped it and poured our glasses. I toasted, “Here’s to many more days like today.”
Melanie laughed, “Sometimes I can’t believe this is real.” I assured her, “It is. I was raised to treat my mate like a Queen, and that’s what I intend to do. You deserve to be pampered, and I intend to do that.”
