I moved a hand across my face and sighed while I looked at the paperwork on my desk. I was exhausted, but I knew that I needed to get some of this shit done and help my mate.

There was a knock on my door, and I looked up to see my mate standing there, leaning against the doorframe. He smiled and dipped his head in greeting, but his eyes were filled with worry.

"Yes?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question when he didn't say something. "What can I do for you?"

"I wanted to see how you are doing," he said softly. "You have about twelve hours until you can go outside. Are you ready?"

I shrugged and glanced at the time to see that it was only ten in the evening and I couldn't help but mentally groan in annoyance. "I am," I confirmed and nodded while I looked at him again. "I am ready to get out."

Damion walked over to me and gave me a hug from the back. He placed a kiss on my head, and I closed my eyes and leaned my head against his arm. "I can imagine," he said and placed another kiss on my head.

"Hmph," I said and closed my eyes while I pursed my lips in annoyance. "Now, why are you here?" I asked, changing the subject. "I thought you were going to bed."

My mate chuckled and nodded. "I was, but I didn't have my companion with me," he said, and I rolled my eyes and scowled. "I couldn't sleep while she was away."

"Haha, very funny," I said coldly while I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled and patted my arm. "What is the real reason, Damion?"

"That is the real reason," he said. "I didn't have my mate by my side because she decided to fall asleep during a movie."

"And I have work," I said and rolled my eyes while I scowled. "You finished all of your work, and now I have to go over it and make changes, if there is any."

"You don't have to do that," Damion pointed out, and I raised an eyebrow in question. "However, I do appreciate your input and what you add to the table."

"Hmph," I said and patted his arm. "Did you want a cuddle buddy? Is that why you are bugging me?" I asked, changing the subject.

"Yes," he replied and nodded, "And because I know that you are still tired for some reason, even though you had a nice nap."

I pressed my lips into a thin line and shrugged while I stayed silent.

"Aren't you?" he asked and raised an eyebrow in question.

I sighed before I slowly nodded. "I am," I confirmed. "I am still tired." I flicked my hand before he could say a word, and he pouted and closed his mouth. "However, that doesn't mean I am not done w-"

"You can finish it later," Damion said, interrupting me before I could stop him from interrupting me and my work. He pressed a kiss to my cheek, and I closed my eyes and leaned closer to him, annoyed but not mad. "You don't need to do this work while you are tired. It can wait until tomorrow."

"But you are done with your stuff," I said, "and I do-"

"The pack is not going to think that you are useless if you take the rest of the day off, Beth," he said while he shook his head. "It's not that important anyway."

I scowled and narrowed my eyes when he interrupted me again, and my mate raised an eyebrow amused. 'Then why am I doing it if it isn't important?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question. "Why did you want me t-"

Damion chuckled and kissed my cheek. "It's not important right this second," Damion said, interrupting me. "It is important, but it doesn't need to be finished today."

I huffed and rolled my eyes while I scowled. "And when do you need it by?" I asked while I raised an eyebrow in question. "If this isn't done, then you can't finish the next part and so f-"

"I know," Damoin said, interrupting me while he bit back a laugh. "The other part isn't due until later. This part won't hurt that part if this is done later. Right now, your health is more important than that."

I scowled and narrowed my eyes but knew what my mate said was true. "Are you going to keep interrupting me while I try to work?" I asked and raised an eyebrow in question, and he chuckled.

"Yes," he confirmed and nodded. "I will keep interrupting you until you relent and do what I want, which is to take care of yourself."

I growled and narrowed my eyes while I scowled, and my mate gave me a small smile while he dipped his head closer to his chest.

Amusement filled his eyes while he looked at me, but he didn't say a word.

"I need to ge-"

"No," he said again while he shook his head, and I growled again while I narrowed my eyes further. "You are going to bed, Beth."

"Bu-"

"No," he said and shook his head again. He pushed the chair away from the desk and ignored my warning growl. "Stop growling at me, Beth," he teased with a small laugh in his voice. "You are going to bed, and you can't say no. I am also tired, so I am going to go to bed with you."

"Bu-"

"Hush," he said, interrupting me again while he shook his head. "You are going to bed." He turned me around until I was facing him and picked me up, and I instantly wrapped my arms around his neck and growled. "Stop growling at me or else I will kiss you." He narrowed his eyes teasingly while he smiled.

I pressed my lips into a thin line but didn't say another word nor growled. I leaned my head on his shoulder and sighed while I closed my eyes, feeling exhausted, and my mate chuckled while he started to walk toward the door.

"What about work?" I asked and raised an eyebrow while I opened my eyes to look at him, and my mate shrugged while he exited the room.

"You can finish it later," he said before he placed a kiss on my forehead, and I closed my eyes and stayed silent. "You just need to sleep some more, and then you will be able to finish it. Ok?"

I bit back a small sigh before I nodded. "Fine," I grumbled, and he chuckled again.

"I love you," he said, and I grumbled a little before I slowly nodded.

"I love you, too."

"Good," he said and kissed my head again, and I rolled my eyes and scowled, earning a small laugh from him. "So, what do you want to do tomorrow?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

"I will finish up my work," I said and shrugged, "and then I don't know what I will be doing."

"What about a date with me?" he asked and raised an eyebrow, and I pressed my lips into a thin line, staying silent and becoming a bit worried.

I wanted to go on a date with him; I really did, but I didn't trust Vincent not to do anything while we were away.

"We could get a quick bite to eat," Damion said, knowing full well what I was thinking. "We could go to May's place of business for that quick bite and let her know what is happening. I am sure that she is worried about you."

I pressed my lips into a thin line before I sighed and slowly nodded. "Ok," I said finally, and my mate's shoulder's sagged with relief as if he was worried that I would say no. "I want Mike and Chloe to be here with them, though."

Damion nodded before he contacted them through the pack bond. "Done," he said while he blinked. "Liam is going to help the pack and then make sure that Vincent doesn't come over here while we are away."

"Hmph." I nodded, feeling relieved and happy that he had the same thought process as me. "Good. Thank you."

My mate chuckled and rubbed my side with his thumb. He stayed silent while he entered our bedroom and shifted me around so that he was able to remove the comforter and sheet with one hand before he set me down on the bed.

I rolled my eyes and scowled but stayed silent while he tucked me in like a fucking child.

"You are good to sleep like that, yes?" he asked when he was done and looked at me with innocent eyes that had my scowl deepening. "Or do you want to change into something else?" He raised an eyebrow in question while he stared at me, amused.

"I would like to change into some night clothes, Damion," I said but didn't move. "I am not like you. I don't like to wear "day clothes" to bed."

My mate chuckled and nodded before he took the sheets off me and held his hand out so that he could help me stand. "Then let's get you changed so that I can tuck you in again," he teased.

I shook my head and took his hand, accepting his help and stood. "I am more than capable of getting to bed myself," I grumbled before I placed a small kiss on his lips.

My mate laughed and nodded while he pulled me closer to him. "I know," he said before he kissed me again, "but it makes me feel useful when I get to spoil you like this, Beth," he whispered against my lips.

I kissed him again and silently told him that he was useful even without doing all of this. I loved him and loved having him as a mate and having him show me the love and support my mother found in my adopted father.

I knew that I didn't express my feelings a lot, and even though I was trying and doing better than I had a year ago, it was still hard not to have such high walls to protect a broken and wounded heart with the fears of having it broken again.

Damion pressed a kiss to my lips before he pressed one to my forehead as if he knew my feelings and what I didn't say out loud.

"Go get changed," he said, his voice barely above a whisper, "and then we can cuddle for a bit while you get some sleep. Ok?"

I closed my eyes when he pressed another kiss to my forehead before he pulled away, and I went to get changed, grateful to have a mate like him, who was helping me put myself back together piece by piece where the past could stay in the past and have my future not be as bleak as it was before I met him.