Another Forever

~ One Year Later ~

“You look so handsome in your little suit!” I can’t help the baby talk while I pinch his cheeks and wipe away the invisible dust on his shoulders.

Jake rolls his eyes and shrugs off my comment as he turns to straighten his tie in the mirror.

“I’m nervous, Hails. What if we’re not mates?”

“Jake, She’s been your mate for over a year.” I deadpan taking the tie from his hands and tying it myself. He’s now eighteen and has a mate, but still can’t tie a tie.

He takes a deep breath, focusing on the way the dark blue material slips through my fingers and knots with itself. I can tell he is deep in thought, but I don’t know why. Paige and him have practically been inseparable since she joined the pack.

Every time I would visit they would be like high school sweethearts, all sappy and in love. So why now is he nervous?

“Today will be the first time that I feel the bond. What if she was wrong?” His silver grey eyes meet mine silently begging me to reassure him.

“Never say your mate is wrong.” Thomas’ voice fills the room and I can’t help the giddy feeling that overtakes my body. But I am not going to show it.

“That is the only advice I’ll allow you to take from a bad mate.“I snap, giving a pointed look to Thomas.

“Come on love, please don’t be mad at me. I said I was sorry. I slept on the couch for three days as punishment! I’m sorry!” Thomas approached me carefully with a pout on his stupid handsome face.

“Dammit, I wish I had some popcorn.” Jake sat on the edge of the bed quickly and stared between us with amusement.

If I weren’t so mad at Thomas, I would punch Jake for finding amusement in this situation. But for now I can only handle one idiot at a time.

“For your information, ′I’m sorry’ doesn’t really cover forgetting your one year anniversary with your mate!” I point an accusatory finger at Thomas, giving him the deadliest glare that I can muster.

By the adorably annoying look in his eyes, I think he sees me more as a mad Yorkshire terrier rather then a pissed of she-wolf who will kick her alpha mates ass.

I did it once when we first met, I can do it again.

“Hailey, my beautiful mate - Love of my life and Luna to our pack. I didn’t forget our anniversary.” He says sweetly.

How can he say that he didn’t forget?! We met over a year ago and the day came and went with not even a simple Happy Anniversary from him!

“I’m confused. Did he forget your anniversary or not?” Jake pipes in.

“Yes!”

“No.” Thomas and I answered at the same time and I narrowed my eyes at him, but he continued.

“Your sister wants to think that our anniversary is the day we meet. The day she thought that you and I were gay” Jake gets a far off look, laughing a little at the memory before Thomas continues “I, however, think that our anniversary was when we finally got past everything and became actual mates.”

Guilt instantly floods me. Why didn’t he say that before?

Because you wouldn’t listen to him. My inner voice tells me and dammit, she is right. I am too stubborn sometimes. I step into Thomas, and cup his cheeks in my hands.

“You’re an idiot, who should have told me that’s what you thought in the first place. But you’re my idiot and I love you so much.” I stood on my toes and pressed my lips to his.

I was going to give him just a quick peck, but Thomas had other ideas. His arms slithered around my waist and tightened me against him. His lips moved in rhythm with mine and a small moan escaped my lips when he deepened the kiss, invading my mouth with his tongue.

“Brother in the room!” Jake yells and I laugh as I pull away from Thomas.

Thomas however, doesn’t seem to find it funny as he pouts at me.

“Come on. Time to find out if your mate is your mate.” I kiss Thomas once more before grabbing and pulling Jake to the door.

He pauses at the door, straightening his tie for the billionth time. I still don’t know why he decided to wear a suit but it’s sweet he wants to look nice for his mate.

We make our way downstairs and into the living room. My parents are sitting on the couch, my mom giggling as dad whispers in her ear and trails his hand on her thigh. Thomas clears his throat, effectively breaking them apart as Jake and I wear similar looks of disgust.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s sweet that they are still so in love. On the other hand though, those are my parents and I don’t want to see that.

“You look so handsome!” my mom gushes getting him up and hugging him tightly.

“Jake?” Jake visibly stiffens at sound of Paige’s voice ringing through the house.

She appears in the living room with a smile on her face and Jake is frozen in place. His eyes roam all over her as if he is seeing her for the first time. She crosses the room and stands in front of him, wringing her hands together.

“Happy birthday Jake.” She hands him a neatly wrapped present, but he is still frozen just staring at her.

He looks down at the present, taking it gently from her hands and tossing it to the couch, before smashing his lips to hers.

Thomas presses his chest to my back, wrapping his arms around my middle. I love when he holds me like this. I feel like I am melting into him and that I am forever safe in his arms.

“A year from today would be their anniversary because they now can both feel the bond.” he whispers. I can feel his smile as he places a kiss just below my ear.

I turn in his arms and wrap mine around his neck.

“You should have told me that’s how you felt.”

“That would have ruined the surprise.”

“So me being mad and you sleeping on the couch was better?” I say skeptically.

He kisses my nose before stepping away a little and look at my family.

“Our real anniversary is in a few days, but yes this was all worth it.” He gets down on one knee and pulls out a small black box.

“You are beautiful, funny, stubborn, caring, crazy and so many other adjectives, I would need hours to recite them all. But they all add up to you, my mate. I love you to the moon and back a million times over. Will you marry me?” He opens the box to show me the diamond ring.

I can’t speak, my throat to constricted with the emotions I am feeling. I nod my head vigorously, throwing myself into his arms.

“I love you, Thomas.” I whisper as our lips meet.