-:Ashton's POV:-

She knew something was wrong. After all, Cecelia Rivers was not a fool. It didn't take long for her to figure it out. Especially since Julian, Aaron, and I all teamed up to try to keep her home. Then the next morning Julian tried stopping her again. She asked what was wrong. What were we hiding? But we didn't tell her.

Alpha Rivers had shed a lot of light on the situation. Now almost everything made sense. The rogue sighting, the attempted border breaches, the sudden increase in rogue activity, and the kidnapping.

Vincent Morales wanted her. 

She was oblivious to the fact that the threat was directly for her. She was so blissfully unaware of what she could possibly be.

A Moon Blessed wolf.

She didn't like being told what to do. In the short time I'd known her, she'd made it clear. Her decisions were hers. She was not afraid to call anyone out on their shit. Not her older brother. Not me.

She made a good point. We did categorize girls who'd sleep around as sluts and outcast them. We did judge them by their outfits. But why? Boys slept around too. But they were just glorified. They were idolized and wanted. The 'bad boy' persona was worshipped. Why didn't I ever think of that before?

We lived in a misguided, unfair society.

I also noticed how she was closer to Julian than to her own brother. I didn't blame her. She did spend the better part of the last six years in Julian's continuous company. But I did feel for Aaron when I saw him wistfully looking at his sister when she'd spend time with Julian and not him. Unfortunately for him, Cecelia didn't seem to notice.

Julian was like a big brother to her. Now that I had talked to Cecelia and we'd smoothed things out, I was more in control of my emotions than before. Xavier was harder to antagonize and it wasn't as easy to lose control. We had somehow found a common ground and wordlessly committed to each other.

We were sure and we were official.

It was easier to be civil with her best friend after that. Despite his continuous innuendos, he was actually pretty likable. I was glad she had had him in her darkest times when I failed to be there for her. He would never hurt her on purpose.

I trusted them both.

Julian and I had exchanged numbers. We were constantly keeping in contact and making sure at least one of us was with Cecelia when she was outside her room and when she went out the pack borders. We were worried about her safety.

When I picked her up for school that Monday, she gave me all her sass. Noel and Hayden were beyond entertained. I ignored them. I could deal with them later. She eventually caved and drove with us. That was going fine, till lunch happened.

Mathilda had always been the pack bitch. She was good looking and she knew it. And she flaunted it. But she was very insecure too, always in need of external validation. I would know since I'd been cornered more times than I'd like to admit. Some people just didn't understand the meaning of the monosyllabic word 'no'.

Alpha commands came in handy in situations like those.

I knew I shouldn't have let Cecelia go get her own water. I should've been the mate she deserved and went to get it for her. But she was adamant. Her independence was dear to her. She wasn't one of those people who'd swoon at such acts. She regarded me with a strange look which miraculously shut me up as she sashayed off to get her water.

She was on her way back when Mathilda intercepted her. I couldn't hear what Mathilda was saying, but as usual, Cecelia's voice was crystal clear.

It will always reach me, whenever, whatsoever.

What I heard made me want to murder Mathilda right there, right then. Xavier fought for control badly. My body shook with rage and I tried to calm myself but I could feel myself losing my grip. Although the control was rapidly slipping away from me as Xavier wrestled me for it, the only thing that kept me from actually shifting was Hayden's panicky warning: 'There are humans here!'

It was rich coming from him considering that as soon as Mathilda's lunch tray dropped on Cecelia, both Hayden and Noel's wolves were out and ready for blood. It was easier for them to get a grip, though. An alpha command and their wolves were in control. It wasn't their mate.

I didn't know how long I kept fighting a thrashing and raging Xavier but soon our mate was by our side, calming us down. She coerced us out of there before we did something we'd regret. We hadn't even reached the forest before I lost my battle and Xavier took control. She hurried us into the forest's cover frantically then leveled us with a glare. He stepped closer to her breathed her scent in to calm down. She remained motionless.

'Mathilda.' He called out through the pack link authoritatively.

'Hey, Ashton.' She replied cheerily.

That girl had a death wish.

'It's Alpha to you!' We snapped, raging. We felt her cower.

'Sorry, Alpha.' She gritted out.

'You disrespected your Luna. What do you have to say in your defense?' He thundered. Unfortunately, we had to listen to her pathetic defense. Pack law.

'It was an accident,' she defended. See what I meant?

'You are on duty in the Packhouse for the month. You will make sure it's clean and livable. If you deviate from your assigned duties even once, you'll serve another month. No excuses. Do you understand?' Xavier bit out.

'Bu-'

'Are you challenging me? Your Alpha?'

'No, Alpha. We will do as you say.' Her wolf answered. Her human might have been malicious, but her wolf was sensible and loyal.

'Also, make sure I never see you within ten feet of Cecelia unless absolutely necessary or you will face the consequences.'

'Understood.'

'Good.' I cut the link. Now that was better. No one fucking insulted my mate and got away with it.

After a few minutes of Cecelia calming me down completely, and we were back to school to change and get back to classes.

I officially asked Cecelia out that day. She was happy, so was I. Took us a while, but hey, slow and steady wins the race, right?

Before the date, I remembered to drop by the Packhouse to check that Mathilda was on duty. I made sure Noel and Hayden knew about the punishment and so did the pack. I made an example of her. I knew a lot of them were going to stir up trouble for Cecelia since she was a Crescent Moon. She would find it hard to come and adjust. The least I could do was keep a leash on my Pack to make her transition easier.

The date was everything I hoped for and more. She looked so beautiful. Her laughter was music to my ears. She opened up more than she ever had before. She was carefree. She wasn't guarded.

She was herself.

But of course, we couldn't have one day to ourselves. Not one day. Nope. Of course not. 

The rogues showed up at our Packs' common border. And it was clear that they didn't come to fight but to warn. But I was wary nonetheless.

The turn of events was fascinating events was unexpected. By the end of the night, I had marked Cecelia. 

Without her permission, I might add. Which made her pass out.

Julian and Aaron did not like that. At all. 

I had injuries on my face to prove it.

Injuries they mercilessly inflicted.

I knew I was wrong, so I didn't fight back I took the blows. I didn't let Noel and Hayden step in either. They didn't like it. Our pack members watched in amusement. Our fathers watched us impassively. Correction, my father did. Cecelia's father, on the other hand, was seething. Only the Luna's interruption could calm him down. 

Marginally. I was thankful I survived.

Count your blessings.

I still regret nothing.

She wasn't as mad as I had expected her to be. She was understanding. She and I talked it out. Voices were raised, opinions were heard, but in the end, we reconciled. It was hard for me, to open up and talk. But something about her made it easy. Maybe because we shared a part of our souls, maybe just because. But she makes me happy and easier to be myself.

She was literally the best.

That night, Cecelia found out. What was going on? Who was Vincent? Why was he after her? Everything.

She was overwhelmed. I could feel it by the way her body kept gravitating towards mine to seek comfort subconsciously. How she was moody and going from 'I'll have your head' to 'stay with me' phases in quick seconds. I liked how she knew she could trust me and how she sought comfort in me because I did the same when it came to her.

In a span of three weeks, we had grown to become important to each other. Probably the most important like in my case, but I would take what I could get.

After all, I loved her.

Yes, I wasn't afraid of that anymore. 

Why?

She was worth it all.

Isn't it too fast?

I didn't care. Love doesn't know any time bounds.

But it's not right!

Did I ask your opinion? That's right, I didn't. Fuck off. 

She asked me to stay that night. She didn't hesitate, she didn't fumble. It could have been a command, but there was a choice in her tone. It was just the right combination of a request and an order.

We spooned to sleep. I was not ashamed to admit that it was the best sleep I had had in ages.

I asked her to move in with me the next day. I was ecstatic when she said yes. She was a little nervous about meeting my mom, but that was unnecessary. For some weird reason, that woman now loved a girl she'd never met before more than the son she had birthed. I knew she'd always wanted a daughter.

I wasn't complaining. I loved that my mother was so accepting. It assured me that Cecelia wouldn't be alone once she moved in.

But all the acceptance didn't stop my mother from giving me the 'talk'. Talk about embarrassing. It went something along the lines of 'temptations', 'love', 'lust, 'sensibility', 'maturity', 'safety' and blah blah blah. I zoned out. There's only so much one can take. Not to mention, they taught us all that in sex education two years prior. I had a feeling mom knew I wasn't attentive, but she let it slide. 

Best mom ever.

I had slept so peacefully with Cecelia the previous night that I couldn't sleep without her again. My body kept craving her presence, her touch. Xavier kept prowling about, demanding his mate. 

I was so desperate, I opened my WhatsApp and debated texting or calling her. But I was scared of waking her up.

If she was even asleep.

I soon found out she was in the same fix and somehow, I ended up sneaking across not one, but two borders like a fucking fugitive just to see my mate.

I climbed in through her balcony, feeling uncannily like a robber.

Except I wasn't wearing any masks. Or gloves.

As soon as she closed the glass doors behind me, I pinned her against them and kissed her. Oh, how I missed doing that. The feeling of her lips against mine was so compelling.

I slid a hand under her thin shirt and pressed my palm against her warm flesh. She shivered before her kisses grew more demanding. Damn, she could kiss.

Regretfully, we had to come up for oxygen.

I met Serafine, Ce's wolf. Finally. I finally earned the privilege of knowing her wolf's name. Xavier yipped in my head with joy. That was major progress.

I must say, Sera is rather protective and fiery. It was clear that she loved Cecelia to bits and was very protective of her human. It made me wonder what happened in Cecelia's past to make her wolf be that way. Wolves weren't so aggressive towards mates otherwise. 

Her wolf put her human's happiness over her own. I was awestruck. And in debt, because I knew for sure that if someday, by any chance we failed to be there for Cecelia, her wolf will do anything in her power to protect her.

Xavier puffed up his chest in pride at that.

Serafine started out cold and distant before she gradually warmed up. But she was still on guard and it was obvious.

That was why we were surprised when she said she wanted to mark us. Xavier was over the frigging moon. He had been dying to carry his mate's mark. 

She didn't hesitate. Of course, she didn't. She was Cecelia Rivers' wolf.

Confidant like a lioness she was, she sunk her teeth into our neck, putting her claim on us for the world to see.

We wouldn't have it any other way.

**********************************

A/N:-

There you go, guys! A new chapter from our beloved Ashton's PoV. I hope you liked it.

 Writing is addictive, did you know that? I feel so restless when I don't write. My fingers crave to be unleashed on the keyboard and weave a story. I love this. 

But, I'm unfortunately quite short on time. So I'll end it here. Bye! Take care.

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QOTD: Favorite mythical creature? (Apart from werewolves!)

Until next time, all my love,
xoxo.

P.S. Thank you so much for over 500 reads and 140 votes. I love you guys so much❤❤

(20th June 2021)