06

We are now in my office, Leighton waiting on me to start talking.

« His name is Max and whoever had him kept him in a basement for 4 years » my eyes had changed colour to Dukes Blue ones. Leighton didn’t even flinch just carried on the conversation « Did he say who ? » « No, he cried himself to sleep, was going to try again later » Leighton nodded « ok, just let me know if you need me to do anything, oh Alpha Nic phoned again letting us know his offer is still available » this made Duke growl loudly « what part of no I’m not interested in your daughter doesn’t he get » Duke spat out, Leighton Snorted « I did decline the offer for you again, maybe once Max is marked by you everyone should back off ».

Myself and Duke had a talk whilst Max was sleeping, we are going to tell him we are his mate because obviously something is wrong, he doesn’t feel the connection. So here I am pacing outside his room mumbling to myself when the door swings open and my beautiful mate is standing there in tight fitted blue jeans and a baby blue shirt that is a bit to big for him. « cute » screams Duke, Max walks up to me and closes my mouth « you will catch flies » he whispered then looked at his hand as the tingles went through us « huh » he said so he can feel them, is he just ignoring the pull ?

« Can I help you ? You have been pacing in front of my door ? And where is Princeton ? » « Oh Princeton is in the nursery with the Omegas and I was…wondering…ummm….if you fancied a walk, I can……Umm show you around the pack ? » He walked back a bit into his room « ummmm, will there be lots of people ?, like is your pack filled with higher ranked wolves ? » He said whilst shaking slightly making me and Duke upset and sad for him

« It’s fine, we will go the back way and we can just walk in the fields just us » he relaxed and let out a breath « OK » I smiled. We walked through the pack house, which I had cleared out a couple of minutes earlier then we walked to my favourite place, it’s hidden away, I found it just after I got here and I claimed it as my haven.

« Wow, it’s so peaceful » Max said spinning round, it’s not massive just a small area in between a load of weeping willow trees that is home to hundreds and hundreds of flowers. I placed a bench here years ago and we walked over to it and sat there for a good 10 minutes in silence, we were both lost in thought,

« I have something to say Max » this brought him out of his trance, his beautiful hazel eyes fixed on my face, I took a deep breath

« I’m your mate Max, your mine » I could tell it took a minute to register what I said then his face fell « Oh….ummm oh ok, just give me time to get Princeton and we will be out your territory » tears were falling from his face as he went to get up, I grabbed his hand « No, no, that’s not what I meant » he tilted his head, I don’t understand can’t he smell me ? « Your not rejecting me ? » He said in between sniffles, I shook my head « God no » « But but, I don’t understand ? I’m not pure, I have a bloody pup that isn’t yours » Duke came forward my eyes changing to his Blue ones « He is ours, only ours » Duke growled out, Max’s eyes went wide then he whimpered and backed away, I took control « Sorry Duke got angry, we love Princeton, this last month, has been amazing, minus the bit of you being in a coma » he was looking at the ground « sit back down and let me explain » I sat back down and he followed.

« I’m not rejecting you, I just don’t understand how you can’t have noticed I’m your mate Max » he wiped his face but carried on looking down

Max

« Let me get this clear, you are not rejecting me, you accept me as I am and you accept Princeton as he is ? » He looked at me « Yes, yes I accept both of you 100%, seeing you lying on the hospital bed nearly dead, nearly killed me and Duke and then to find a baby pup in a sports bag just crushed us, right then and there we decided even if you didn’t make it, that, that pup would be ours no matter what »

He grabbed my hand, feeling the sparks and tingles « Max don’t you feel that ? » He said bringing up our intertwined hands to my face »I do feel it, I just…..I just can’t smell anything, I thought it was just…. Because of being in the basement and that I just needed to get use be being free and able to smell nice things, but I can’t smell anything, I’m sitting in this field full of flowers and I can’t smell them or tell you what colour they are » I was full blown crying like a baby again, Kingsley pulls me in to a hug, I flinched to start with as it’s my natural response to any touch then I relaxed.

« It’s ok baby, it’s ok, you will get through this we will get through this » we stayed in this position for a while he was rubbing his thumb up and down my arm it seemed to make me relax even more and it was definitely making him and his wolf happy as I could hear them purring.

« So ok, you can’t smell but you felt the sparks and stuff, I’m not rejecting you or Princeton, are you accepting me, because like you I have a past too and at some point we are both going to have to explain them » I was snuggled into his side with my eyes closed « yes I accept you, I know at some point I’m going to have to explain my past, just let me explain in my own time, the same that I won’t force you to explain your past until you are ready » I then opened my eyes and got out the hug

« Can you tell me or explain the colours of the flowers because all I see is different shades of grey, apart from your eyes, your eyes are amazing a stunning shade of Green that changes darkness when you are happy or sad, I also saw was it Duke your Wolves name his eyes are blue » he seemed stunned he was just looking at me like he was analysing me.

« Wow so I’m special » he said smuggly I just rolled my eyes

« That is strange that you can see my colour but nothing else, anyways……… »

He spent the next 20 minutes explaining all the beautiful colours of all the flowers and trees.

We started to head back « do you mind, if I hold your hand ? » He held out his hand, I held back for a second then hesitantly I put my hand into his and felt the full force of the tingles. « I wonder what you smell like ? » I mumbled to myself « you smell like wild flowers but mostly roses » « oh I didn’t think I said that out loud » Kingsley just smiled at me « yeah you did, so do you mind if we just pop over to Dr Hunt, I want to see if she can explain your lack of smell and colours » I nodded yes very slowly, I guess it’s another person that will know my past and feel sorry for me and give me pity, I know that what happened in my old pack won’t happen here, I can’t explain it, I just feel safe here but then again for 16 years I felt safe there, I went stiff, I stopped walking making Kingsley stop « are you ok ? »

I shook my head and got out my own head « Sorry head was in my past » he gave me a sad smile « it’s safe here I promise you » « Sorry promises don’t mean much to me » I mumbled as I started walking. The whole time we walked back to the clinic I was watching around me, getting the lay of the land so to speak but I didn’t see another soul. « I cleared the area, I knew you weren’t ready to meet other people yet » I felt myself relax and I smiled whilst nodding « thanks » I whispered.

We were quickly ushered into a room by Dr Hunts « So how can I help you Alpha, Luna ? » Shit it’s just registered I’m gonna be a Luna, my wide eyes turned to Kingsley he smiled at me and whispered « you ok ? » « It never registered that I would be a Luna, ummm yeah, we talk about that later » he nodded and turned to the Dr whilst holding my hand « so Max told me earlier that the reason he didn’t know I was his mate is, he can’t smell anything and also he can’t see any colours apart from my eyes and Dukes » « and Princeton’s » I mumbled « that is interesting, can I ask a couple of questions ? » « I guess » I whispered, I feel uncomfortable talking to other people that aren’t Kingsley.

« So has that always been the case ? » I shake my head No, « do you remember when it started ? » I look down at my hands « I spent 4 years in a basement, I went in normal came out like this » I mumbled, Kingsley growled making me curl in on my self to make myself smaller « sorry Max, Duke just got angry, he isn’t mad at you » trying to uncurl me, I nod again « ok »

« I’m sorry Max for what you went through, it is definitely related to being in the basement and the beatings you took to your face, it may come back once your mated but I can’t guarantee it ».

We now sat in the Alpha quarters kitchen, Kingsley cooking something and me well I keep drifting into my thoughts which is a bad idea. I’m broken out my thoughts by tingles on my shoulder «  ….everything ok, Max are you ok ? » I turn to look at him « huh ? » «  I’ve been calling you, foods ready, are you ok ? » I sigh « No » we eat in silence, «  Can you tell me about the pack ? » « Yeah sure, so there are about 500 of us » « wow » he smiles « yeah, not all wolves, we have a bit of everything bears, cheetahs, rabbits, birds and even cats » I spit out my food « really » he nods « yeah, they keep to themselves but they are really good hunters and make excellent warriors….. everyone here has been banished or forced to turn rogue, we also had some lone wolves join »

« So did you start this pack or did you get via family ? » He hadn’t talked about his family and I hadn’t seen any pictures, I could see he was hesitant.