Authors Note: Once again, I want to thank you all for sticking with me, while I am trying to complete this story. Many of you asked me already if I will write a story about Isobel and Owen----well, I guess you will have to find out. Lol. Let me get through one hurdle at a time :)
Also, I would love to thank Misty for helping me out with this chapter. She was definitely my muse and gave very helpful suggestions.
I hope you enjoy this chapter.
++++++++++++
Cullen began to slowly stretch while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. Instinctively he reached out to pull Angel closer to him, but his hands only felt the space empty. Cullen sat up quickly looking around the room, looking for Angel. Again, he began to feel a fear overcome him at the thought Angel was hurt. But before he was about to tear the room apart, Angel emerged from the bathroom while drying her hair with a towel.
Angel stopped short, when she saw Cullen sitting up in bed. For a moment, she had to tell herself to breathe. The image of Cullen sitting in bed—all completely naked with just the bed sheet just barely covering his manhood—would forever be ingrained in her memory. He looked like one of those Roman statues—but then she realized, that comparison didn't even come close to how tantalizing Cullen looked.
"Good morning Angel," said Cullen in a low timber of a voice, that just sent chills down her spine.
Those chills seemed to bring her out of the dream state she was in. Angel's pulse began to race. Her steps carried her forward without conscious thought. The instant she was within reach, he pulled her down and rolled on top of her, trapping her against him. "Good morning to you Cullen."
Cullen gently grasped her wrists and pulled it above her head. "That's no way of greeting your mate," he said, while Cullen pulled apart Angel's robe to reveal her body all to him. In an instant, his mouth swooped down to capture her lips. He kissed her then, a long, drawn-out kiss of infinite sweetness that promised something later. "That's how you kiss your mate."
Angel could do nothing but stare up at him for a moment, while she tried to catch her breath. "You know, I could really get used to that. Maybe this mating business does have some merits if I get a kiss like that every morning," she added with a grin.
"Oh, you will be getting more than just kisses." When Cullen was about to continue where he left off, there was a knock on his door. Cullen immediately began to growl, but Angel just laughed it off.
"Come on, today is a new day. Which reminds me, I need to find a certain stepmother of yours," Angel said with a gleam in her eyes.
Cullen rolled off of her, groaning. Now he really needed to jump in the shower—a cold shower. He felt Angel jumping out of bed grabbing her robe. Cullen wouldn't have minded if he could just lay here, just for a few more mi...
Whack...
"I said get up," grinned Angel while holding the pillow she used to hit him with.
Cullen just stared at her a moment.
Did she really just hit me with a pillow?
Without a second thought, he lunged out of bed, his intent on catching Angel completely off guard. But in the end, it was he that was caught off guard how Angel easily side-stepped him and ducked under his arms. Her wolf instincts are certainly showing. Which reminded him, he had to talk to Gavin about this. Perhaps he would know why this is happening so quickly.
"Alright, alright, I give," said Cullen, while raising his arms in surrender, "for now." He straightened himself up and walked carefully toward Angel. He leaned in and placed another gentle kiss on her lips. "But what happens later tonight, will be your entire fault for riling up the wolf," Cullen said without sounding stern, but rather in a teasing voice.
Angel stared deeply into his eyes. "It would be my pleasure, to put your wolf in his place as well."
Cullen laughed.
She can try all she wants, but it is she, that will be submitting.
Cullen reached back and slapped her ass slightly. "Go on, you little minx. Or we will never leave this room."
Angel stepped back, rubbing her ass slightly. As she backed toward the door, she didn't take her eyes off of him for a single moment. "Promises, promises..." Angel's reflexes were too quick when she saw Cullen lunge for her. She managed to open the door and run out of the room before Cullen could even try to grab a hold of her.
+++++++++++
Angel was walking down the stairs to the kitchen, where she knew she would find Glynis. Then a voice stopped her...
"Good morning Angel," said Catriona.
Angel turned, and was surprised to see her. The last time she saw Catriona was that morning after her...accident with the stairs. She looked beautiful as always, wearing a flowing simple summer dress.
"Good morning Catriona. How have you been doing?" asked Angel, while smiling. She didn't have any reason to hate this girl. It was the stepmother that irritated the hell out of her. "How has Cian been fairing? I haven't seen him around much."
"We both have been doing well, thank you. Cian received a call from one of his friends, and that's why he isn't here. But he should be back by dinner tonight. How have you been doing, since...since," Catriona looked around them to make sure no one would hear, "you know, the stairs incident, and with Cullen period?"
Angel looked at Catriona for a moment, seeing if she would be able to trust her or not. But she decided to be truthful to a certain degree. "We have been getting better Catri..."
"Oh, please just call me Cati for short. All my friends do," Catriona suggested.
Angel smiled, "well Cati, things have been getting better between us. It's a working progress still and so many new changes I have to get used to, but it is looking good right now," Angel admitted. Only, she didn't emphasize to Cati exactly what all the 'new' changes really were.
Just then from the corner of her eye, she saw Edana walking toward the kitchen. "I hate to cut this short, but I really need to speak with Edana and Glynis. I hope you don't mind, but I would love to catch up some more if that is alright with you."
Cati smiled, "Of course Angel. We have plenty of time to catch up with one another."
Angel waited and watched Cati leave back to the big dining hall that the pack used for eating their meals. She then slowly turned to face the kitchen and with a determined expression, she began to walk to the kitchen to solve another problem.
+++++++++++++
Once Cullen was done showering and dressing up, he quickly left the bedroom searching for Gavin. He knew it was still too early for many of the members to be awake, but Gavin was always an early riser. Cullen thought he would be able to talk with Gavin before everyone gathered for breakfast.
He knew there wasn't anything to worry about and just put it out to his over protectiveness of Angel. But it couldn't hurt to be extra sure. Besides, he really needed someone else to talk to about this. Yes, he could talk to Owen, but he had enough problems dealing with Isobel. Cullen couldn't help but smile at the thought of someone else going through the obstacle of the troublesome twins.
It was so hard to imagine that not too long ago, he never thought once about finding his mate. Not only did he just give up his search, but he didn't care for finding his mate—knowing that she would be his weakness. And to be honest with himself, if he ever lost his mate, he didn't think he would be able to go on. Those were the reasons why he stayed clear of the mating subject. But just one look into Angel's eyes that day in the hospital, he was already hooked—even though he tried to deny it fiercely.
Now it seemed the only thing Cullen truly wanted was to see a permanent smile upon her succulent lips. And even the thought of seeing tears again in her eyes, just tore at his heart. Never again he vowed. He would do just about anything to protect his Angel.
Now with a new determination he sought out Gavin. Of course he found him, where he always was—in Cullen's office. As he entered, he noticed Gavin sitting in the seat in front of his desk.
"Ah, it is about time the great Alpha shows up. Been a bit distracted lately?" Gavin indicated to the piles of paper work still scattered around his desk.
Cullen groaned seeing all that work. He had the galls to even look a bit impish right at that moment. Running his hand through his hair, he looked at Gavin, "You can say something like that."
Gavin just grinned. "So how fairs our future Mistress of this household?"
Cullen sat in his chair before his desk, and first tried to organize a few things before answering. "She is doing very well. Which actually brings me to the reason why I came looking for you."
"And here I thought it was because you missed me..." teased Gavin.
"Shut up Gavin," though he said it only in a friendly matter with a smile on his face. "This is serious about Angel, about all of us."
With that said, Gavin became even more focused and serious right away. "Is there something wrong? Are we close to finding out who is behind the incidents?"
Cullen growled. "Unfortunately, we made some progress but we don't know exactly who is behind it just yet," said Cullen while taking a deep breath trying to rein in his wolf who wanted to haunt for whoever was behind the incidents. "Gavin, I know you love gossip, but this is something that can not leave this room, until Angel is ready. I can't believe I am even telling you this as I promised Angel, I wouldn't tell anyone, but I really need your advice."
Gavin nodded his head slowly. He could really sense that something was bothering his Alpha. "Go on Cullen. You know I wouldn't do anything to jeopardize Angel—I love the little one and would do anything to protect her—even more so because she is yours."
There was no other way to say this...again, but to just be straight forward. "A couple days ago, Angel and I... well, we mated finally."
Gavin shot out of his seat and slapped Cullen on the back in a friendly manner. "By God, that is great news! Why on earth didn't you tell anyone about this?" Gavin frowned and thought about it a bit more. "Why aren't you telling anyone yet?"
"The why part is all because of Angel," said Cullen, while grinning. "She wants to be the one that tells everyone of the great news. You and I both know which two people she can't wait to tell."
Gavin laughed. He couldn't wait to see the expression on Edana's and Layla's face! It would be just completely priceless. Gavin thought about how Angel just came into all their lives like a fierce storm. But he wouldn't have had it any other way. The little one was a very good thing for Cullen. Cullen, now can smile more easily, and to hear him laugh again so freely was a miracle in itself.
Once Gavin let the good news settle in, he began to think what his Alpha would need advice on. Again, the frown was back on his face. "So what do you need advice with?"
"It's Angel's wolf. It showed its' presence already that first day. And even the confrontation yesterday with Layla, I saw Angel's eyes shift coloring. No one else noticed of course, since we moved out to the hall already by then."
Gavin stared at Cullen. "But it can't be possible. Angel's wolf shouldn't be showing her presence yet...not until a couple days before the full moon—which is about a week."
"This is my point exactly. I told her last night that it was nothing to worry about—but I just thought you might have read up on something like this happening in the past."
Gavin shook his head. "From all the books and documents I read regarding weres and our ancestors, I never came across a wolf showing its' presence known early."
Cullen sighed, and ran his fingers once again through his hair. He leaned slightly back into his seat, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I had a feeling you would have said that."
"But that's not the thing we should be worrying about now..." said Gavin, staring intently at his Alpha.
