"How could a heart like yours ever love a heart like mine? How could I live before? How could I have been so blind?"
~Willamette Stone, 'Heart Like Yours'

~~~

*Type's POV*

"What's the plan for today?" I ask between bites of food. Tharn is sitting across from me at the small table in our suite as we eat breakfast.

"I was thinking we'd go for a run this morning," Tharn says, making me raise an eyebrow in wordless questioning. "There's a small forest area not far from here. It's neutral territory, so it should be safe. I think it would be a good idea to give our wolves a chance to stretch out."

"That sounds good to me," I say with a grin. "When do we do that?"

Tharn reaches over and ruffles my hair, making me wrinkle my nose. "You're just like an excited little kid," he muses. "Finish your breakfast first and then we can go."

"I'm not a kid," I grumble, running my hair through my hands to smooth it down. Tharn chuckles and leans in close to me. The close proximity of our faces makes my heart pound in my chest.

"I know that," he says lowly with a mischievous grin. "You're far too sexy to be a kid."

I scrunch my face and shove him away. "You sound like a pervert."

Tharn just laughs at that and stands back up, gathering up our dishes and setting them in the sink in our suite's miniature kitchen.

As Tharn turns on the water and begins washing our dishes, I study his every movement, paying attention to the little details I've never allowed myself to see until now. He's wearing his usual white tank top that he typically wears to bed, leaving his arms exposed. With each movement, his biceps ripple with strength and power. He holds himself upright and tall, exuding his Alpha birthright. Every movement is purposeful and so graceful, leaving me nearly breathless just from watching him do this mundane task. But, somehow, it doesn't seem so mundane when he does it.q

"You know, you don't have to do that," I tell Tharn, who keeps his back to me as he continues to wash the dishes. "They have people that get paid to clean our messes."

Tharn shrugs his shoulders. "It's relaxing," he murmurs. "With all the stress that comes with being the next Alpha of the pack, I've learned to hold onto any little thing that relaxes me. And those things are few, so I really need to hold on tight."

"Oh? What else relaxes you?"

"Doing the dishes, obviously. Also, gardening. There's something about tending to the delicate life of a plant that brings me peace. And you're not allowed to make fun of me for that shit, and don't even say you weren't going to because I saw that look in your eyes. What else... ah, music. Music is my second favorite source for relaxation."

"Your second favorite?" I question, tilting my head to the side. "What's the first, then?"

Tharn turns his head to the side, allowing me to see the warm smile on his face, softening his chiseled features. "You."

My skin heats up from embarrassment.
Embarrassment over Tharn being openly affectionate.
Embarrassment over how much I love it when he says things like that.

Clearing my throat, I hop up from my seat and take my place by Tharn's side. Tharn looks at me with surprise, his dark puppy eyes widening slightly.

"You wash, I'll dry," I say simply. I see his wide grin out of the corner of my eye but try to ignore it and stay focused on the dishes. He hands me a freshly washed plate, which I in turn wipe dry with a clean dish towel that was folded neatly on the counter.

The more we're around each other, the more I notice our mate bond strengthening. I'm able to slightly pick up on his emotions; anger, fear, pain, lust, joy. And fuck, was he emitting an endless amount of joy right now, just from the simple act of us doing dishes together.

It's clear that Tharn has strong feelings for me, and I would be lying if I said I wasn't falling for him too. How could I not? He's my best friend, and he treats me like I'm the most precious thing in the world to him. My whole life has consisted of people looking down on me as an omega. But not Tharn. Tharn has never treated me as anything less than an equal. Can you believe that? An omega equal to an Alpha? And that's gone back to way before he would've known we are mates. Even as children, as we went through middle school and high school together, Tharn has done everything he could to instill confidence in me. Confidence that has since then overridden all my insecurities about being born an omega.

My heart sinks a little as I remember I haven't spoken to Tharn's parents since he told them we are mates. Do they even approve of me? Of their Alpha son having a male omega as his mate? Will they refuse to let me be Luna, or an Alpha if Tharn wants to allow that? And if they don't approve, would Tharn in turn reject me? Would their opinion overrule whatever feelings—

"Shit!" I sputter, wiping my hands over my now soaking wet face. Blinking to clear my vision, I look over at Tharn. The shit-eating smirk on his face tells me everything I need to know. That, and the extended water nozzle he had pulled from the sink, still in his hand and pointed at my face.

"You were so lost in thought that you didn't hear me saying your name," he explains. The innocence in his tone is betrayed by the mischief in his eyes.

"So you sprayed me?" I demand, narrowing my eyes at him. "Like a fucking cat?"

Tharn wrinkles his nose in distaste. "Fuck no. You're not a cat." He leans in close to me and grins. "You're my pup."

Unfortunately for him, I'm still too annoyed by his water play to melt from the pet name. I plaster a smile on my face and press into him until our chests are touching. Tharn's eyes widen and he gulps, looking down at my lips. I run my tongue over my bottom lip to hold his attention. His nose twitches slightly as he breathes in my scent, making his pupils dilate. He seems completely enraptured, and an unbelievable amount of happiness is pouring out of him from my touch.

Sucks for him.

With Tharn sufficiently distracted, I yank the nozzle out of his hand and spray him directly in the face with cold water. He jumps back in shock, coughing from the water I sprayed into his mouth.

I burst out laughing at Tharn who now looks like a drenched puppy. He looks up at me with wide eyes, his jaw slack from shock. My stomach cramps from laughter at his expression, and tears spring to my eyes.

"Karma, asshole!" I exclaim between gasping breaths and laughter. The shock in Tharn's eyes vanishes, as playfulness fills his expression. He lunges for me, making me shriek as he tries to pry the nozzle from my hand. Water sprays around the kitchen as we wrestle until we're both soaked. With a particularly hard yank, the nozzle is ripped from the sink. We stop and gape at the damage, before Tharn slowly turns his gaze back to mine, challenge filling his eyes.

"You better run, pup."

Without a second thought, I dash out the front door and out of the hotel. I don't slow down as I sniff the air, picking up the scent of that forest area Tharn had mentioned earlier. I race in that direction, feeling Tharn hot on my trail. If it wasn't for the head start he gave me, Tharn would've already caught up with me. But he won't do that just yet. He loves the chase.

With the forest in sight, I throw my wet clothes off and shift faster than I ever have before. The wind blows through my sleek black fur as I dart through the wooded area, weaving between the trees. I can hear his mocking laughter through our pack mind link as I feebly attempt to stay ahead of him. I push my legs harder, my paws digging into the dirt and grass as I lunge myself forward. I can smell him now, quickly gaining on me.

A barked yelp escapes me as I'm tackled to the ground. We roll around on the ground for a while, stirring up dirt as we wrestle for dominance. It doesn't take long for Tharn to overpower me and pin me down. I struggle beneath him, and Tharn growls at me to submit. A lightbulb goes off in my head, and I immediately stop squirming. I let a purr rumble through my chest, the sound making Tharn freeze. His glowing eyes widen, and I reach my head up to lick his face. His expression softens and he leans down to nuzzle me. I take the chance to flip us over and pin him beneath me.

'You really need to be careful of who you let your guard down around,' I say smugly through the mind link.

'I am,' Tharn insists. 'I only let my guard down around those I trust with my life.'

My breath hitches and my heart pounds in my chest. Adoration swirls in Tharn's glowing eyes, making me melt. His brilliantly red fur creates a stunning contrast against the forest floor, and his eyes glow with a bright shade of gold that leaves me breathless.

How did I get such a beautiful mate?
More importantly, why did it take me so long to realize how beautiful Tharn is?

Tharn nudges me gently with his nose, pulling me from my thoughts. I meet his affectionate gaze, and my walls start to crumble. Leaning down, I softly lick Tharn's cheek. He purrs in response, and our noses rub together in a loving nuzzle. Elation spreads through my chest as I let myself bask in the warmth of his adoration.

I'm in serious danger of falling in love with this man.

***

"Are you going to tell me where we're going?" I ask once we're in the car. After we finished our run and enjoyed a bit of teasing in the shower, Tharn announced that we were going somewhere special for dinner tonight. It's been hours since his little announcement, and he left me to speculate where we're going. Even now as we're on our way to dinner, Tharn still hasn't spilled the secret location.

"You'll see," Tharn smiles warmly as he smoothly steers with one hand. I slump back, but don't pull away my hand that is currently intertwined with his free one. His thumb sweeps over my knuckles in a soothing motion, making my annoyance dissipate.

My brows furrow in confusion when I recognize that we're headed in the direction of the beach. "Is the restaurant near the beach?" I ask. Tharn stays silent, a small smile playing on his pink lips. Curiosity bounces in me as we get closer and closer to the beach.

When Tharn finally parks the car, he gets out and opens my door for me. I look around, feeling even more curious and confused. We are on the beach, but there's not a restaurant in sight. I open my mouth to question Tharn further, but I'm stopped when a blindfold slips over my eyes. Tharn stands behind me, fastening the silk and blocking my sight.

"Tharn—" I start.

"Trust me," Tharn whispers in my ear before lightly nipping at the shell of my ear.

I blush at the innocent yet intimate contact, and let Tharn lead me down the beach. His hand tightly grips mine as he acts as my guide dog. It feels like we're walking for a long time, when in reality it couldn't have been longer than five minutes. We finally still, and Tharn's hand slips from mine and to the back of my head where the blindfold is tied in a knot.

The silk blindfold slips away from my eyes, and I blink as my sight is returned.

Oh
My
Fucking
Moon.

The image before me is too surreal to not be a mirage. I rub my eyes, trying to clear my vision. But the image doesn't disappear, making it clear that this is real.

Before me is a canopy of translucent white linens, framing a table with an elegant meal spread out. There are candles surrounding the scene, illuminating the darkness with their soft golden light that reminds me of the way Tharn's eyes glow.

Tears well up in my eyes. I can't believe Tharn would do this. For me.

Tharn chuckles softly next to me as I continue to gape at the extravagant set up. "Come on. Let's take our seats."

I nod mindlessly, letting Tharn lead me by the hand to the table. He pulls my chair out for me and I sit without complaint.

"I hope you like Italian," Tharn says as he gestures to our plates. I can only nod again, feeling at a loss for words. Tharn reads my expression easily and grins in satisfaction. He seems very pleased that I'm blown away by his surprise.

"Tharn," I finally breathe out. "When... how did you...?"

"Techno recruited some of the wolves to set everything up earlier today," Tharn explains with a smile. "I paid their travel expenses and for a hotel room for them to stay in tonight. Not the same hotel as ours, of course," he adds with a chuckle. "It was hard convincing him to take the weekend off from chasing his mate all over the country."

I nod in understanding, still looking around at the breathtaking atmosphere. "This is... really amazing, Tharn," I tell him honestly. "I can't... I can't even begin to thank you for this."

Tharn shakes his head earnestly. "You don't need to thank me. Just seeing how much you're enjoying it is enough for me. I told you I wanted to spoil my mate, and I'm delivering on that. Now, eat your food before it gets cold."

"Yes, mom," I tease before diving into the dish. I sneak glances at Tharn throughout the meal, appreciating the way the glow of the candles highlights his chiseled features. I smile as I eat my large plate of fettuccine alfredo with the spicy shrimp Tharn specially ordered for me. I can't remember the last time I felt this relaxed and happy, and it's all thanks to Tharn.

We eat in silence, but not an uncomfortable silence; an appreciate silence for the food, the atmosphere, and each other's company. Tharn finishes his food before I do, and he slowly sips on his glass of wine.

"Type," Tharn says in a soft tone. "I need to ask you something."

"Hm?" I hum as I continue to shovel down my plate of noodles.

"Are you still trying to break our mate bond?"

There's a loud clatter as my fork slips from my fingers and drops onto my plate, and I nearly choke on my food.

"W-What?" I stammer.

Tharn shifts in his seat uncomfortably. "Do you remember the night I went to your house during your first heat?" He asks, and I hesitantly nod my head. "I confronted you about Techno telling me that you were looking for a way to break our mate bond without going through the pain of rejection. Do you remember that?"

Realization hits me as I'm flooded with the memory of that night. So much has happened since then, that I completely forgot Tharn ever knew I was trying to break our bond.

The memory of Tharn's shouted words echoes in my head. "I've had your back for ten years, and you've had mine. And now you're really trying to figure out how to rip out my heart by rejecting me?"

My heart clenches from the hurt I can now hear in his voice, and the pain is only made worse when I recall the harsh words I spat in his face.

"And no one, not even the Moon, can force me to be with you."

Shame floods me. I can't believe I said such horrible things to him. The one person that I'm supposed to love and support endlessly. I can't even begin to imagine how much I must have hurt him.

"Tharn..." I start, with the intention of apologizing. But judging by the look on his face, Tharn misinterprets my tone.

"Wait, please," Tharn says quickly. "Before you say anything, please hear me out. I... I need you. You are so much more than my best friend, so much more than the mate assigned to me by the Moon. You are the one who inspires me to be better. You are my light, my happiness, my everything. And I am completely, hopelessly, and irrevocably in love with you, Type."

My eyes widen at the intimate and sincere confession. My heart races as the mate bond sings with joy and strengthens. Tharn gives me a nervous smile before he continues his speech.

"I love you, Type. I love your mind, for the way you think and your quick wit. For your sassy attitude and confident demeanor. I love your body, for the way it moves and fits so perfectly with mine. And I love your soul, for your strength in all the hardships you have faced. You are my other half. My soulmate. I thank the Moon every day that she didn't make someone else your mate, because I loved you long before I found out we're mates. I've loved you since the moment we met. You. Are. My. Everything. Please... please don't reject me. I know I can't force you to do anything, but I'm begging you. Please. I don't think I would survive the pain of losing you."

Tharn's eyes shine with unshed tears. My inner wolf is howling with unbridled joy from that confession. I knew Tharn had feelings for me, but I didn't know it went that deep. I should feel scared, but... I don't. I feel... warmth. Peace. Happiness.

Love.

Tharn is... actually, I don't think there is one singular word that can describe what he is to me. He brings out the strength in me that no one else but him saw. His rationality balances my rash temper, and he has always been there after I've lashed out at him. Waiting patiently for me to return to his side. Tharn compliments me in every way. He's...

He's my perfect mate.

Keeping my gaze locked on Tharn's watery eyes, I slip from my chair and straddle his lap. Shock rolls over Tharn's face, yet his hands automatically find my hips, as if on instinct. The touch makes me shiver into our mate bond, and I lean forward until our lips meets.

Tharn doesn't waste a second before responding to the kiss. Our lips move together softly, our tongues gently caressing each other. I break the all too short and press my forehead against his.

"Tharn," I whisper, and Tharn reopens his puppy eyes to look up at me. "When we get back to the hotel...."

Tharn looks at me expectantly, and I can hear his heart pounding in his perfectly defined chest.

"..... I want you to make love to me...."

Those puppy eyes widen in shock, and I bury my fingers in his hair.

"..... and then I want you to mark me."

~~~

The End

HAHAHAHA I'm just kidding lmao
Could you imagine though, if I just ended the book there 😂

Thanks for your patience these last few days. We moved apartments and didn't have internet for a while

That scene where they were wolves chasing each other and doing their cute little nuzzles made me SO SOFT 🥺 I love them

Remember to comment and vote!

See you in the next chapter! (Bring a fan!) 🥵
-Gumbie