Chapter 8: Worried About Her

-Brendon-

My mate seemed to be doing much better this morning. I knew that sleep had helped her, and she was back to being my beautiful Celeste, always eager for my touch. After I scrubbed us both clean, I led her out of the bathroom, taking her delicate panties with me into the bedroom.

I brought her in front of me and bent her over the bed, still dripping wet.

“What are you doing?” she chuckled, and I playfully spanked her, eliciting a gasp.

I grabbed both her arms and tied her wrists together with her panties—nothing she couldn’t easily escape from, but I knew Celeste enjoyed our games. She wanted things to be exciting and surprising, never boring, and I was determined to satisfy both her mind and body.

I pushed her legs further apart, then sank down behind her, my tongue gliding over her wet skin. She let out a long moan, finally receiving what she craved.

“Yes, Brendon!” she called out, pushing back to meet me. But I kept teasing her, avoiding any particular spots, which only frustrated her more.

“Oh, come on!”

I spanked her again, a sweet chuckle escaping her lips after her gasp.

“That’s not how you get what you want, and you know it,” I reminded her. Then I sucked on her clit for a brief moment before pulling away.

“Please?” she asked, her voice rising in a plea.

“You can do better than that.”

“Fine! Please, my wonderful mate, can you just fuck me? I need you!” she complained, the sexual frustration in her tone clear.

“That’s better,” I chuckled, beginning to tease her again. She needed just a little push before she was shaking and crying out into the bed, coming hard for me.

As she convulsed in pleasure, I stood up and thrust into her, feeling her warm walls ripple around me. I began to fuck her hard and deep, pushing her into the bed as her cries grew louder, driving her toward a second orgasm.

I wasn’t far behind her. When she started to come down from her high, I found my release, filling her up and marking her as mine. She-wolves could only get pregnant during their heat, but it was undeniably enjoyable practicing with Celeste. I knew she wanted to wait a few years before becoming a mother. We had already discussed it.

As we recovered, I stroked my hand down her back, pushing her long, dark brown hair aside. My mate truly was incredible, and I couldn’t express how happy I was. It was even better when she realized I was hers too.

Maybe I should have waited, but I couldn’t. I knew the exact moment Celeste turned eighteen—the very moment, in fact. As I stood in the room where Jason and the others were playing pool, my gaze never left the door leading out into the hallway.

“And five, four, three...” Jason began, glancing at his watch. The others exchanged puzzled looks.

“Why are you counting?” someone asked.

Jason didn’t answer. I barely registered his voice or the others’. The moment he said, “And now she’s eighteen,” I bolted from the room, racing through the hallway, nearly knocking people aside.

They shouted after me, but I didn’t care. I stormed up the stairs and into Celeste’s bedroom—but she wasn’t there.

“Celeste?” I called, her scent thick in the air, but no Celeste appeared. I left the room and began my search, but it didn’t take long before I heard her sweet laughter calling me.

My heart hammered in my chest as I crept closer to the balcony, where she stood with her girlfriends. They’d obviously stolen a bottle of alcohol and were celebrating in their own way.

“Okay, one more shot?” Simone asked.

“Yes, please,” Celeste replied, holding out her shot glass. I drew closer, every nerve in my body humming. Celeste clinked glasses with her friends, but as if sensing me, she turned her head. Our eyes locked, and she dropped her shot glass, letting it shatter on the ground.

“Holy shit,” she whispered.

Though I had years of mistakes to make up for my bad behavior, I was determined to prove to her that I was the one who was right for her.

“Feeling better today?” I whispered, kissing her neck. I heard her moan as I kissed the mark I had left on her, appreciating how beautiful it looked on her.

“I think so,” she replied, making me smile.

“Only think so? Then I didn’t fuck you well enough.”

She looked over her shoulder, giving me her sweetest smile, and I leaned closer to kiss her again. But then my curiosity about her strange comments from the night before bubbled up.

“Does it still feel wrong?” I inquired, noting the way her smile faded.

“I… don’t know.”

I didn’t like hearing that. I sensed Celeste was holding something back, but I wanted her to feel comfortable sharing with me because she trusted me. So I had to be patient.

“How about some breakfast?” I suggested, changing the subject. She nodded in agreement.

I pulled out of her and untied her hands before going to find a towel to clean her up.

“You couldn’t have come inside me in the shower?” she asked as I cleaned her.

“No,” I replied, stepping into the closet at the far end of the room.

I grabbed clothes for both of us, and Celeste held up what I had chosen for her.

“Do I usually dress this way?” she inquired, holding up the oversized hoodie that was mine.

“No. I thought after everything, you might want a quiet day at home,” I explained.

“Oh.”

Again, my mate acted a bit off, but I didn’t comment. She began dressing in fresh underwear, a hoodie, and sweatpants. She looked very relaxed, and I believed that was what she needed today. I found dark pants and a white shirt before holding out my hand to her. She smiled and took it, and we walked downstairs together.

“I believe the others have already eaten,” I told her. “But we can go check.”

“Let’s just eat in the kitchen,” she suggested.

“Are you sure?”

She nodded, and we headed to the kitchen. Celeste ate slowly, clearly lacking appetite, which made my protective instincts flare.

“Celeste, is something bothering you?” I asked.

She seemed fine moments ago, but now she barely touched the cereal in front of her. “No, it’s all good.”

“You know you can’t lie to me, right?” I pointed out.

She nodded. “I’m fine.”

“Say it one more time and you’re getting bent over the bed again,” I warned, but her eyes filled with desire, as if that was exactly what she wanted. I knew Celeste sometimes acted bratty just to get my attention, so this wasn’t unusual. However, I needed her to understand that she could talk to me—she didn’t have to hide anything.

“Just tell me what’s bothering you,” I insisted.

“I don’t know,” she replied.

“What do you mean?”

Celeste sighed, pushing her food away, but I grabbed it and brought it back to her. She groaned a little.

“Eat and tell me,” I insisted.

“I don’t know, Brendon. That wrong feeling I told you about… it’s back,” she admitted.

“And what does that feeling tell you?”

“I don’t know. Something just isn’t right.”

“Could you be a bit more specific?” I inquired.

“No,” she replied.

“Then you’re not making things easy for me,” I groaned, and Celeste smiled a little sadly.

“No, not really.”

I leaned against the kitchen island, watching my mate play with her food. It was obvious something was deeply bothering her, but I didn’t know how to help when she could barely explain what was wrong.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” I asked. “Clear your head?”

“I think that would be nice, yes.”

She gave me her sweet smile again, but I told her she had to finish eating before we could go. She complied before we left the kitchen and headed toward the closest exit. We walked toward the woods surrounding the pack house, where most pack members lived alongside the alpha and luna.

“Don’t you have work to do with my brother?” she asked.

“I’m sure he will understand I need to take care of my mate,” I replied.

She smiled a little as we walked together, clearly enjoying the peaceful morning.

“I just wish I knew what was going on with me,” she murmured.

“You’ll feel better soon,” I assured her.

“You sound so sure.”

“Yes, because I would never let you handle this alone,” I assured her, wrapping my arm around her and pulling her close.