Ivana

I woke up with a tingling spread across my stomach. I looked down to see Killian's hand splayed across. His nose against my neck and the memories of last night flashed through my mine. My hand moved up slowly to touch the mark on my neck. He had marked me and I bit my lip to stop the smile that spread across my face.

He stirred and nestled closer to my body. We were completely naked underneath the blanket that he had draped over us. The blanket fell around his waist. I traced the tattoo on his body. It was the tattoo of our pack--an arc of two wolves together with their paws raised in the air.

"Ivy." He mumbled and sighed as he pushed himself up on his elbow to look down at me. I bit the inside of my lips to stop myself from grinning like an idiot. He, on the other hand, was giving me a full blown smirk. His eyes were twinkling with naughtiness as he crawled on top of me and kissed my lips.

"Mine." He murmured against my lips and then trailed his lips down to my mark on my neck. "Forever."

My heart leaped so high. I was filled with so many emotions from him and from me. We were both happy. I ran my hand down his back as he nuzzled my neck.

"I think we should get back." I whispered.

"So soon? I was thinking we could go at it again." He mumbled in a disappointed voice.

I bit back a grin. I can feel how comfortable he was with me. It is a little amazing that after all the bullying and miscommunication, him and I were marked and together.

Many people go through so much just to find love. Our battle might not have been anything but ourselves but it was a battle well worth it because in the end we were both here together. I was finally his and he was finally mine.

I wrapped my arms around his neck as i leaned in to kiss his mark.

"I guess a little more time to ourselves won't hurt." He chuckled and shifted me underneath him.

Killian and I were holding hands when we came back home. My parents and his were eating breakfast when we entered. Their eyes met ours with knowing glints and my dad was huffing. He was still pretty protective of me. My mom stood up and came and wrapped an arm around me.

"Our babies are all grown up now." She said and I blushed red.

I was absolutely embarrassed. I feel like I was wearing a sign on top of my head saying I wasn't a virgin any more and I am now a mated wolf. Killian was grinning but leaned down to kiss me on top of my head.

They asked us to join but we wanted to take a shower. My mom wiggled her eyebrows at me and I rolled my eyes as I dragged Killian up the steps to my bedroom. Well, technically, it wasn't just my bedroom anymore. It was now, Killian and mine.

Killian wasted in no time in ripping off my clothes and taking me in the shower. The crazy male couldn't keep his hands off from me. It took us a while to get out of the bedroom and the only reason we got out was because I told him I needed to feed myself or I'll starve to death.

After breakfast, my dad found us sitting in the living room watching movies. He walked up and sat down in the couch opposite from us. I turned slightly to look at him. He had his 'no nonsense' face on. He shifted a little in his seat.

"Ivana." He said and I straightened up a little into a better sitting position.

"Dad?" I questioned with an arched eyebrow.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "I never expected this to be so soon."

He looked up and his eyes were glassy. He blinked them away and looked at us again. "It is time for you two to take over. You will need to choose a Beta and a Gamma. A formal party should be initiated to introduce them to the pack. It will then renounce my title as Alpha and you will be given the title unless you don't want it then you can give it to who you believe deserves it."

"I do want it." I said. Why wouldn't I? It was a huge responsibility but I was raised for it. My dad was a great mentor and someone who taught me everything he knew.

He smiled gently at me. "I am happy that you are taking over."

His gaze flickered to Killian. "Do not hurt her. She's my only pup. If you do I don't care if your father is my best friend. I will end you before you could blink."

Killian nodded. "I can't ever hurt her. She is mine. I love her and I know she loves me too."

My heart skipped a beat. He loved me. My dad smiled then before opening his arms. I shot out of my seat and wrapped my arms around his neck. He hugged me tightly.

"You are my pup and will always be even if you are Alpha and ruling this pack. I will always see you as my pup and will always protect you." He whispered sadly.

Tears spilled from my cheek. He pulled my face back and kissed my forehead. "Be who I raised you to be. A strong female."

"Thank you, dad." I whispered and hugged him tightly.

*

The initiation ceremony happened a couple months later after vigorous training and Killian assisting. My dad and my mom said they were going to travel. Beta Christian and Emily were off to visit family. After the initiation, Killian and I worked harder in the pack. I think it not only made us realize how hard it was to rule but how much we had to grow up from.

Killian and I wanted to wait on having a child, it was too soon and we had only just begun our life. We wanted things to settle in first before we began our family. I knew the moment that when we do decide to conceive a child, my parents and his parents will be flying back to the pack and I wanted them to have their time alone as well. They deserved it after years of protecting and ruling.

It was late one evening when Killian and I sat under a tree with Killian's arms wrapped around me. I sighed and snuggled closer to his body.

"Ivana?" He asked. I hummed my response.

"Do you remember that time when you and I were under this tree?" He asked.

"You mean the time you saw me in my princess underwear." I responded and he chuckled. I can feel his chest rumbling against my back. He tightened his arms around me.

"Yes, my princess. That time." He said. "You asked why I jumped underneath you to break your fall even when you hated me I couldn't see you hurt. There was always something about you that brought me close. The moment I laid eyes on you, I felt that tug in my chest. I never knew what it was until I met you at the ball. I guess my wolf knew who you were but I didn't until I was of age."

"So you loved me even before you knew."

He chuckled. "Yes, Ivy. I loved you even before."

"I loved you too, Killian, even when you bullied me. I still loved you."

I said and turned my face up to look into his. He looked down at me with those beautiful captivating eyes of his and I knew I never wanted to be anywhere else but here in his arms. He leaned down and brushed his lips lightly across mine.