Page 12 of A True Mate Bond

“And I’m more than happy to answer this and all other questions you have, even if there are thousands.”

“Do you wolves have something like marriage? No one has called their significant other wife or husband as far as I remember.”

“We have something similar to marriage and we call our significant other our mate. We have mating ceremonies where we commit to one another in front of our pack and families.”

“I like that idea.”

She was a step ahead of him. He’d wanted to talk about this but hadn’t found the right time nor place since she’d arrived. There was still so much they had to figure out and it seemed with the twins arriving in just a few months, there wouldn’t be a lot of time to do so. He turned around and cupped her face with his hands gently caressing her cheeks with his thumb.

“Would you like something like that?”

She nodded with a relieved yet cheerful look on her face. “Yes, please.”

“I’m sure we’ll be able to plan something before the twins arrive. I know my mother will be thrilled. She’ll be more than happy to help with the planning.”

Niev giggled. “I’m sure she will.”

He reached behind her into the cupboard and grabbed two bowls and started serving the ravioli. The rest of the evening was peaceful. Niev quietly ate her dinner and seemed far away in her thoughts. She probably still had a lot to process.

For someone who was basically thrown in the deep end without knowing how to swim, she was doing amazing. After they finished up dinner, she wanted to wash the dishes. He knew she probably just wanted some time to herself without wanting to ask for it, so he let her have it and went to take a shower. When he came back out of the bathroom, she was already cuddled up in bed with her phone on the charger.

“Have you been able to get a hold of Jason?”

“I just texted him, but he hasn’t replied yet. It might take a while if he’s out partying. I’m not even sure if he’ll reply at all.”

He laid in bed and cuddled her from behind while she anxiously waited for a reply, her heart racing and her breathing shallow. When her phone vibrated, her heart skipped a beat. He leaned back, making sure she knew he wasn’t spying on her.

“He said he’s doing fine and that he has been worried about me but didn’t text because he was upset that I didn’t tell him about anything.”

“He wanted you to take the first step. I think I may have hurt his pride the day you left.”

She typed out her response before putting the phone down and turning toward him. She laid her head on his chest and crossed her leg with his. Running his fingers through her hair, he listened to her heartbeats as she fell asleep. While her own heartbeat was slowing down the more she relaxed, the twins’ heartbeats stayed at a steady pace, much faster than hers. He listened to the three of them and slowly fell asleep himself.

Deserving Love And So Much More

Niev woke up holding Blake’s hand. Heavy rain pelting against the large window had woken her up. When she turned to cuddle Blake, he’d already woken up.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. The rain woke me up.”

“Don’t worry,” he yawned and spread his arms. “Come here. We don’t need to get up yet.”

She cuddled up to him and listened to his heart and the rain falling on the roof. Her dreams had been vivid, and she barely felt rested. So many things had happened over the past few weeks, and she’d learned so many new things that it felt as if she was forgetting half of what was important.

“What is on your mind, beautiful?”

“Nothing.” She felt as if she was letting him down. She wanted to fit into his world so badly. If she confessed how she truly felt, she would feel like a failure.

He gently ran his fingers through her hair and pressed further, “Please tell me what it is. I can hear your heart racing. I know that something is on your mind.”

At first, she hesitated, but then she remembered that he was supposed to be her other half. How was he supposed to help her if she didn’t tell him?

“There is still so much for me to learn here, and I already have the feeling as if my head can’t hold more information. I don’t want to fail you. I want to fit in with the pack.”

“You have and are doing anything but failing me. You’re doing amazing. You don’t have to learn everything at once. You can take as much time as you need.”

As always, his words instantly calmed her. He always knew what to say and do to ease her anxiety. Cuddling even closer to him, she enjoyed the moment. She’d hoped to be able to have these moments with him and now that they were finally here, she never wanted them to end.

After a long cuddle session and a relaxed breakfast, Niev walked to the closet to see what she could wear for the day. Even though she was still in her first trimester and her stomach hadn’t grown much, her jeans felt tighter than usual. It seemed to be more in her mind than her physique.

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