MATEO’S P. O. V.
I don’t take my arm off my angel. I have never openly called her that, but that is what she is. My angel. The one that saw into my soul, saw the real person inside. Loved me for all my faults and accepted me regardless. This beautiful woman at my side is my reason for anything I do.
I don’t like crowds. Hate them actually. So this party is definitely not my thing. I want out of here. Not just the party, but I want Lila to myself. I miss that. When we were at my house, it was always just the two of us. Not counting Callum and Ash, but Ash came and went. Callum is like a part of us. I know with her as my mate I am going to have to get used to this. Her family alone is a big one. Any gathering that we have will be a spectacle. At this point I am not sure that her parents know how to not have kids.
Her brother Jace, pulls me to the side, right when Lila is pulled the other way by her aunt Zoe. He moves us to the corner. He rubs the back of his neck. “Look, I want my sister to be happy. If you make her happy then so be it. I’ll give you a chance. I don’t want my sister to get hurt. Can you look me in the eye and tell me that you aren’t going to hurt her?”
I look him right in the eye. “I will never hurt her. Lila is it for me. My mate. Like your mother and father. That is how I want to be with Lila. Loyal and in love. Does that answer your question?”
He eyes me. Then puts his hand out for me to shake. “Sorry about all this, I call her my little sister even though she is my older sister. I have always wanted to protect her. She is my only sister.”
I take his hand. “I understand. I am an only child but as soon as I met Lila, I wanted to protect her. I don’t blame you for wanting to do the same.”
He smiles. “Fresh start.”
I return the smile. “Fresh start.” Considering that this man is at least five years younger than me, I shouldn’t be as worried as I am, but I am not ignoring the fact that this guy is huge. He is only going to grow bigger in the next couple of years. Plus he is Lila’s closest brother, if we don’t get along then it will make things difficult for her.
Gabe joins us. “I am willing to give you the benefit of the doubt here. I know I was a little messed up before I met Jasmine. I am willing to accept that maybe I was wrong about you.” He puts his hand out for me to shake. I am starting to feel like one of those dogs that everyone wants to see the new trick I learned.
Still I shake his hand. “I understand. You love your daughter. Just know that I love her just as much, if not more.” I don’t like being this person. The person that everyone talks to. Or the one that expresses my feelings to people. I put my hands in my pockets and shuffle a little. Shit I don’t even like telling Ash my feelings and he is my best friend.
“Well, I am sure that you do. I just want to know one thing. When did you know that you were in love with her?” Gabe looks at me like my answer will make or break our relationship.
I get a soft smile thinking about it. “As soon as I laid eyes on her. I knew she was the one that I needed. She is absolute perfection in my eyes.”
Gabe smiled. “That’s what I thought. Welcome to the family.” I don’t know how I said the right thing, but that must have been it.
“Thank you.”
Both Gabe and Jace leave me alone for a minute. I am scanning the crowd looking for my angel when her other dad decides that he needs a word. “Mateo, a word please.”
I smile politely, but honestly I am done talking. I just want her. “How can I help you Hunter?”
“I know that my daughter has already chosen you and all that, but I just want you to know. I won’t accept anyone hurting her. I made the biggest mistake of my life with Jasmine and I don’t recommend it to anyone.” It’s like he is warning me and cautioning me at the same time.
“I understand, but I am a little confused in your wording.”
He sighs. “The person I love most in the world is Lila, but right behind her is Jasmine. Do you know how hard it is to see the person you love with her arms wrapped around another? To see her with children that aren’t yours. To see her smile up at the man that shares her bed every night. I can’t even get a hug at the end of the day. That my friend is torture, but one I deserve. The pain I put Jasmine through was inexcusable. So, don’t worry about what we might do to you, worry about what you might do to yourself.”
I think about his words. “I can see how that would be worse. Don’t you ever want to leave the pack? Go somewhere where it doesn’t hurt so bad.”
He smiles, “Where would I go? Everyone I love is right here. Like I said I deserve my torture. I know I don’t have another mate out there. Jasmine was it for me. I am the one that made the choice to hurt her. At the time I thought she wasn’t going to find out. That I would have a fling and she would be gone and that would be that. Then I almost killed Lila. The thought that I almost killed my baby girl over something so stupid, it’s enough to make me not want to live. The only thing that keeps me going some days is that Lila loves me. She knows all I did and she still loves me. So from now on she is where I am.”
“She does have a good heart like that.” I finally spotted her and made eye contact. She smiles and is heading towards me.
“She gets that from her mother, just know there is a limit. Don’t push it.” Hunter smiles at me.
“Don’t worry Hunter. I have no intention of even coming close to that. Lila is my life. I never want to be without her. I will never make any mistake that would take her from me.” She slips into my arms as the last words come out of my mouth.
Hunter pats my other shoulder. “Just remember what I said. There are things worse than physical pain.” He smiles at his daughter. “Alright Little bug, I said my peace. I will let you have your man to yourself.”
I watch as he leaves and it is now just the two of us in this corner. “How many more threats are there?”
She squeezes her arms around my waist. “Oh, I am sure there are still my grandparents. Not sure if my mom has threatened you yet either. Or the rest of my brothers. I think the threats are just starting.” She smiles. “Don’t worry, the only one that you need to worry about is mine.”
I kiss her neck, that is my favorite place to kiss. “Oh, yeah. What’s that?”
She moans. “If you hurt me, I won’t let you live.”
“Oh, yeah, and what if you hurt me?” My lips brush against her skin to make my point. “I don’t have an army to defend my honor.”
She laughs. “Mateo, can we just agree that we aren’t going to hurt each other. Over the past week and a half, I have grown to love you. I love you and want to be with you.”
I pull back and look in her eyes. “That is the first time that you have said that.”
She gives me a coy smile. “I have said that I wanted to be with you before. I wouldn’t have marked you if I didn’t.”
I growl and nibble her neck. “Don’t play with me, pet. You said you love me.”
She moans. My favorite sound. “I do. I love you Mateo.”
I smirk. “That’s my girl. I love you too, Lila. More than anything.” I pull her closer, I want to be with only her, I am done with this party. “How much longer are we here?”
She laughs. “Well, my mom said her party lasted until almost midnight.”
I groan. It is only like nine. “I can’t be here that long. I might start ripping my hair out if I am here that long.”
She combs her fingers through my hair. “Don’t do that, that is one of your most endearing qualities.” I laugh a little at that. “We will head out in about thirty minutes.”
“I can live with that.” I press my lips to hers. I can’t stop myself. I pull her more and more to me. I want her. She is mine.
Someone clears their throat and I want to throttle them. Just leave me alone, people. Lila pulls away. She looks at who it is while I bury my head in her neck. “Uncle Jay, what’s up?”
“Apparently I am now the party coordinator or something. Your mom says it’s time for cake.” He sounds irritated, but also playful at the same time.
“I’ll be right there.” She says back. That’s if I let her go enough to go.
I hear him walk away. Then Lila chuckles a little. “We still have to do the rest of the party stuff.”
“No, we can just stay right here.”
She laughs. “If you think my mom is going to let that happen then you are out of your mind.”
A thought occurs to me. I look up at her. “What do I smell like to you?”
“What do you mean?”
“When you smelled me on your birthday you said Daddy you didn’t have to. What do I smell like to you?”
“It’s embarrassing.”
I squeezed her. “Tell me.”
“Chocolate and roses.”
I laugh. “How is that embarrassing?”
She rolls her eyes. “It’s embarrassing that the only person who has ever given me chocolate and roses is my daddy and that was my first thought when I smelled you.”
I press my lips to her again. When I pull away from her, “I will shower you in roses and chocolate. You will never want to see them again when I am done.”
She brushes her fingers through my hair again. “My Alpha.” I love the look in her eyes.
“My Luna. My angel. My mate. My life.” I kiss her jaw with each statement.
She doesn’t fight me. She loves me. What more could a guy ask for?