Welcome Home Mate
Chapter 84

ROXIE

It has been the longest three days of my life.

I have been busy helping the new pack members fit into the pack.

I knew Lex was busy with whatever he found in Alpha Trevor's pack house. I didn't want anything to do with it. All my concerns were about the people affected by him, and the first one was Malia.

Malia came back to the pack with us. Alpha Gareth had contacted her father, who turned up before she arrived. He looked heartbroken but also relieved to have her back.

It was nice to watch them interact, even though Malia found it hard for her father to touch her. They left an hour after Lex told her father what they had seen. I didn't stay around to hear the rest, but he wanted some of the information.

Once Malia left, we had the pack doctor give all the new pack members a check-up, and we learned we needed more help, but it turned out that everyone did.

We had to ask Alpha Gareth and Alpha Dean to help by sending their doctors to help with the check-ups.

We were given some specialist therapists to help with some of the trauma that most of the women and children suffered.

It was hard to listen to some of the stories that were told, as many wanted someone in with them, and many wanted me in with them, and as Luna, I had an obligation to the new pack members.

I felt every pain and heartache, and I was afraid to sleep by the end.

Lex and I have been sleeping in the same room, but due to all the drama that came with Alpha Trevor's pack, we haven't seen much of each other. We keep missing each other, I am always in bed before him, and I leave before he wakes. Many times I have stood and watched him sleep on the couch.

I wanted him in bed with me, but when we haven't seen each other to speak to, it is hard to tell them what you want when they are not around.

I shook my head and looked ahead.

I was watching the pack members train. I was going to see who needed more help, and many from Alpha Trevor's pack needed help, mainly the women.

We set up cots in the grand hall for everyone to sleep in when we arrived, and the following day, many of them moved into rooms within the pack house.

The pack house became loud in the mornings or even during the day.

I wish we slept in my father's house; at least we would have some time to see each other. We were still trying to navigate through everything, and all I wanted was to be with him one night.

Bex moved in my head and got closer.

She let out a yawn.

"When are we seeing, mate?" she murmured. "I want to see him."

I let out a slight breath I didn't know I was holding as I watched Lilly try her hardest in training.

I remember leaving Lex for a few moments to see where Lilly and her sister were going to live, and I was happy to witness the interaction with Huw and his mate. Lilly and her sister are living with Huw and his mate, Greta. Huw explained that while Greta and the girls got to know one another, he took me outside and told me that they had lost their only child in a rogue attack a few years ago and were talking about adopting a few months before the attack.

I felt for them, but Greta was happy to accept the girls into the family.

"Well," Bex yells, pulling me back from my thoughts.

I sighed.

"I don't know," I murmured. "We could go to the office after training to see if he is there."

Bex nodded, but she stayed silent for a few moments. "Rox," she whispered. "I want to mate and mark mate."

As she mentioned this on the car ride back, I knew this was coming.

I was all for it, but Lex went into the office and started to work.

I didn't know what to do with myself.

Whenever I tried to see him, I was told he was on the phone or with another alpha. It has been challenging to see him or even talk to him.

"I don't know..." I murmured to Bex. "I want to, but we must discuss many other things."

"Like what?" she asked. "We both want mate to f**k us; what else is there to talk about?"

I looked back at her; her eyes were full of determination about this. I knew I couldn't bring up the Luna ceremony, which has been on my mind a few times. I haven't had anyone to talk to about it. Sofia has been busy dealing with other pack business, and Jason, well, I think he has been avoiding me since I came back. He knows I want to clear the air with him, but he has been hiding from me. I sighed.

"Never mind," I said, looking back at Bex. "I will tell you later."

Bex stared back at me, and I knew she wanted to discuss this more, but someone called my name, bringing me back to look at who was in front of me.

Lilly.

I smiled.

"Luna," she called. "Did you see what I learned?"

I nodded, even though I didn't.

"It was great," I said.

Lilly looked at me and c****d her head to the side but didn't say anything. I noticed Huw running up to us and smiling. "Luna," he said as he came to a stop. "I'm surprised that you haven't trained today." I smiled.

"I had my reasons," I said. "I was seeing who needed more training, and I was going to offer to train them in the afternoons, a few on their own at first, so they get used to the moves."

Huw nodded and smiled.

"That's a good idea," he said. "We may have a few contenders for the ultimate fighter community by next year."

I smiled.

"Huw showed me a video of you fighting," Lilly said, making me look at her. My eyes widened. "You were outstanding. I want to be just like you."

I felt flattered.

"You must keep training every day and learn some new moves," I said, smiling at Lilly.

I was about to say something to them when Jason called me. "Luna Roxie," he shouted, which made me look up at him, and my eyes raised. I never thought I would hear him call me that ever. "I was wondering if you wanted to go for a walk." I nodded.

I would love that, even though I wanted to see Lex.

Bex moved closer but let out a sigh.

I ignored her.

"Yeah, sure," I said and said my goodbyes to Lilly and Huw and headed over to my brother.

Jason stopped and smiled as I approached. "Let's go for a walk," he said.

We both headed in different directions and headed into the forest. I had an idea where he wanted to walk to as we used to go somewhere close by when we were kids with our parents.

We walked in silence for a few moments until Jason decided to talk. "I'm sorry I avoided you when you came back from the pack," he said, which made me look up at him. I found his eyes looking at me, but he turned his head and looked ahead. "Sofia and I have had a few words, and we are trying to sort things out. I have tried to sort it out with her, but she doesn't want to talk to me."

I stared at him but stayed quiet for a while.

I looked ahead and sighed.

"I guess it's to do with the she-wolves within the pack," I said.

Jason didn't say anything, but I knew it was the truth by the silence.

She-wolves were the worst when it came to gossip, and I won't be surprised that they were talking about Sofia behind her back when she wasn't listening.

We walked further but came to a log that had fallen.

Jason walked over to it and sat down while I stopped and looked at him.

"Sofia will come back to you," I said. "She needs time."

Jason looked at me and nodded.

His eyes searched my face, but he sighed.

"What about you?" he asked. "Have you forgiven Lex for what he did?"

I stared at him, confused.

I knew I had forgiven him, but forgetting is another thing.

The mate bond affected me more, especially when he was around. I can't even think straight.

I looked at Jason, walked to the log, and sat beside him.

"I have forgiven him," I said, looking ahead, but I turned to look at him. "Forgetting is another story."

Jason looked at me and nodded.

"Jas, if I know what every she-wolf is like within this pack, they like to brag, especially the ones who haven't found their mates," I said. "I bet some mentioned to Sofia who you were with and slept with."

Jason looked away, but I placed my hand on his knee. "Look at me," I said.

Jason stared ahead for a few moments but turned to look at me, and I could see fear in his eyes. He was on the verge of breaking, but he needed to know this. "Sofia will come back to you," I said. "But you have to give her time. Jas, that doesn't mean you can't try to win her over. Send some of her favorite flowers or chocolates to her. Tell her how much you love her, and make a suggestion that will benefit you and her."

Jason stared at me, but a knowing look came across his face. "We already suggested something," he murmured and released a low sigh. "We agreed not to have s*x till she can trust me."

I looked at him, and my eyes widened. "You haven't cheated..." I asked, but he shook his head. "I haven't had any other woman since I found Sofia," he said. "Sofia had to get more information out of Amber before we came to find you. When we learned that she was one of Alpha Trevor's mistresses, Lex thought it would be easier for Sofia to get more out of her."

"And did she?" I asked.

Jason looked at me, but his face hardened. "She did," he said. "But Amber mentioned that I slept with her and rolled out some other members I had been with. Sofia lost it and tortured her. I have to admit it scared the crap out of me how she acted." I stared at him, but I gave him a knowing look.

"I heard all those stories before I left the pack," I said. "Even if they were only from Naomi, it still hurt knowing Lex was with someone else. Forgiving the past is easy; it's when you can't forget about it that is the hardest thing." Jason looked at me but didn't say anything.

"I'm giving it a go with Lex, mainly for Bex, but also for myself," I said to him. "I'm not the same girl as the one who lived here before. I learned more about myself when I was on my own, and fighting helped get all the built-up frustration out that I had bottled up all those years when the bullying happened. I never looked back until I came home, and I only went back home to meet Sofia."

I smiled as Jason looked at me.

Jason nodded but looked ahead.

We sat in silence for a few moments till he took a deep breath in and out. I knew he was opening up for the first time, and I wasn't going to stop him now. "I used s*x as a coping situation for the pain I felt when mum passed," he said, his eyes straight ahead. Bex moved closer and listened in to what he had to say.

"Mum was the only one I could talk to about anything," he said. "Dad is great, but talking about girls was never his specialty; he would prefer to talk about the weather or training."

Jason sighed.

"Mum would make some tea and sit me down; I would tell her what was going on with me," he said. "When she left, I didn't have anyone to do that with. I knew everyone wanted me to talk and open up about it, and I knew Dad was more worried about you as you were there when she was killed. I didn't want to burden him with my thinking, so I blocked it all. When girls started giving me attention, that was it; I flirted and slept with whoever I could, not caring about anything."

Jason turned to look at me as a lone tear slid down his cheek.

"I would never hurt Sofia," he said as a slow smile itched the corners of his mouth. "I remember meeting her at the BBQ, and my wolf was jumping up and down for joy. All I thought was someone who could help bring me back to who I was, but it never worked out like that."

Jason placed his hand into mine and looked at our hands. "I didn't even know what was going on behind my back," he said. "Sofia never told me she overheard people talking about my old ways. She knew I was a player, I was honest about it from the start, but I guess when you have slept with most of the women in the pack, they are going to talk."

I squeezed his hand and sighed.

"You know you can tell me anything," I said. "I might be younger than you, but I am a good listener, and if you want to talk about manly things, I guess Lex can help you with that."

Jason burst out laughing, but I let a smirk itch the corners of my lips.

"Jas," I said. "I don't want you to think you must go through anything alone. Sofia will be there; trust me, she will want to know how you feel. She will want to help you."

Jason nodded, but he smirked. "Lex talking about manly things, huh," he said.

I laughed.

"Yeah," I said, but once I calmed down. I looked at him with a smile. "Lex is your best friend, and he has been through what we have both been through; he lost his mum too. He might even know how you can deal with it somehow." Jason looked at me and nodded.

We sat there in silence for a few moments, but I sighed.

"So you're on a s*x ban then," I murmured.

Jason snarled. "Rox," he groaned. "Not what I wanted to talk to you about, but I am. Sofia thinks a few weeks without s*x and only talking to her might help."

I looked ahead. "How is that going for you?" I asked.

Jason groaned. "Not good," he said. "But I can see the logic in it."

Bex giggled in my head, which made me look at her.

Bex smiled.

"He is learning now," she said. "Instead of using s*x to deal with everything, he has to talk to Sofia about it."

I frowned.

"I didn't need to know that," I said, but part of me was happy that Jason opened up to me.

We sat on the log for a few moments when Jason cleared his throat.

I looked over at him, and he had a stupid smirk plastered on his face.

"What?" I frowned. "Why do you look like that?"

Jason laughed and stood up from the log, letting my hand go.

"I think you should go back to Dad's," he said. "There is a surprise waiting for you."

I stared at him, confused. Jason moved toward me and pulled me up by my hands. I looked at him.

"You need to go to Dad's," he said. "I'm not walking you there, but you will like the surprise."

Jason leaned down and kissed my cheek. I watched as my brother let go of my hands, which fell to my sides. Jason walked away, mumbling something, but I didn't hear him.

I looked around and realized that we were sitting near the house.

I wonder if he chose here on purpose.

I sighed and started to walk toward the house.

It wasn't far; it took me ten minutes to get there. Once I stepped out of the forest, I looked at my family home.

No car was in sight, but the lights were on.

That was weird.

Where was my Dad? I thought.

"Bex," I muttered. "Can you sense what's going on?"

Bex moved closer but sighed.

"I can't hear anything," she mumbled. "Look in the house. I smell food."

I sniffed the air, but as soon as the smell hit my nose, it made my stomach grumble.

I walked toward the house and headed to the front door.

Once there, I placed my hand on the door handle and opened the door.

I walked in, but a scent hit me full force, nearly knocking me off my feet.

Lex.

I walked in as Bex started to pant in my head. "Mate," she whispered.

I looked around the house, and my eyes widened.

In the living room was a table with two place settings, candles, and wine.

I looked around, and my eyes landed on someone in the kitchen doorway.

My mouth watered at the sight, and it wasn't for the food.

Lex stared at me and smiled.

"Hey," he said. "I thought we should have our first date."

I couldn't speak; I was speechless.

Lex had planned this whole thing, dinner.

My core tightened at thinking of what kind of dessert we would have, and I didn't mean any cake.

I shook my head.

I couldn't think like that; it was meant to be our first date.

What kind of person would it make me if I mated with my mate on a first date?

"A horny one," murmured Bex with a mocking tone.

I ignored her, but Bex had other ideas.

"I want mate," she said. "I want him for my dinner."

I agree with her, even though I looked like a mess and was in sports gear. Lex was wearing a shirt and pants. Clearly, he had been in the office earlier today.

He looked hot as hell in his outfit.

f**k, this mate bond was affecting me in every way possible.

I needed to drink some wine.

I needed to calm down before I jumped him or something.

I could feel Lex stare at me, and my eyes went to his.

"Why don't you sit?" he said. I didn't even notice that he had moved.

I nodded and walked toward the chair he had pulled out for me.

I sat down, and he helped me move closer to the table.

I looked up at him, and he smiled.

"I will bring the food out," he said and walked away.

I didn't look to see where he was going as I had no idea where.

My mouth was dry, but I could feel excitement brewing in my veins.

We were on our first date.

I wanted this more than anything.