Wild and Free

(Auden’s POV)

“I’m so happy for you,”

“I told you so,”

Kenzie and Cassie said at the same time, one smug and the other prideful.

I shot a look at Kenzie who put her hands up in surrender, “I’m not going to lie! I called it from the beginning.”

I raised an eyebrow at her, “If you knew then why didn’t you tell Mason and save him all that pain?”

She shrugged, putting a hanger with a yellow dress up against herself and looking in the mirror, “I didn’t know for sure. But he talked about you all the time. I only knew for sure at the fight after you shifted. It was written all over his face.”

Cassie rolled her eyes, “Well whether you called it months ago or not, we’re both very happy for you.”

I buried my face in my hands, still refusing to believe that this all wasn’t just a dream.

“Auden you don’t have to be embarrassed for it,” Kenzie said, setting the dress on her mattress and sitting down next to me on the bench at the foot of the bed. “You found your soulmate, that’s amazing. And even in the five minutes that I saw him this morning, you made my brother happier than I’ve really seen him since our mother died.”

I looked up at her, “Really?”

She nodded and gave me a sisterly side hug, “Really.”

“I’ve just never felt things like this before,” I rubbed my hands together nervously. “It’s not who I am, w-what I know.”

Cassie shrugged and sat on my other side, “It wasn’t really for Kenzie or I either but you get used to it. You just have to get out of you own head and let it happen.”

I smiled at the thought, “He said almost the same thing.”

“Well he’s right,” Cassie said.

They both stood and looked down at me, “Now stop worrying and come on, we have to finish getting ready before the boys come in here and break down the door,” Kenzie joked, holding a hand out for me.

I sighed and took it, letting her drag me over to her enormous closet.

I had showered a little before our catching up conversation just then and just needed to finish getting ready, same as the two of them.

“Pick anything you want,” Kenzie said, presenting the rows of clothing to me.

I laughed, “I wouldn’t even know where to start.”

“Fine Cass and I will pick for you,” she proposed. “Why don’t you go and do you hair. I’ve seen the insane braids you do to your sometimes and I definitely want one too.”

I smiled, nodding before doing as she said.

After brushing through my now dry, long brown hair, I sectioned it off, leaving half of it down in its current straight state. The other half I spilt into two strands. I did a four small strand plait on either sides of my head before I tied them together at the back. I finished it by fishtail braiding it and pulling it out thicker in some place. It looked complicated but not overly crazy.

Cassie called my name and I came out of the bathroom to see three outfits laid out on the bed.

The first one was most definitely Cassie’s and I knew because she could never pass up the opportunity to wear some kind of glittery element, whether it was a hair clip or full on glitter shoes. In this case is was a no sleeved, lilac colored dress with a black sparkly belt and black flats with bows that matched the belt.

The next outfit was Kenzie’s. She’d selected a rich green and white dress. The skirt was slightly textured and a deep emerald color while the bodice was white with a single emerald stripe down both of her sides. She’d chosen white heels and simple jewelry to accent it.

The last one had to have been mine. I sucked in a small breath when I saw it, not missing the high five that my two friends shared at my reaction.

It was my favorite color: royal blue. It was an off the shoulder dress, the bodice was blue lace with silver thread woven into it. The skirt was the same colour but made of a soft, silky fabric. It was higher in the front but lower in the back, giving it an interesting look. She’d given me simple silver heels that I was nervous about wearing.

“It’s beautiful,” I told them.

They both smiled before Kenzie clapped her hands, “Okay let’s change then Auden can do our hair and we can go!”

About fifteen minutes later we were all ready. I had finished doing both of their hair and it looked great. Just about on cue there was a knock on our door.

Kenzie walked over and opened it to reveal the four boys, standing looking bored out of their minds.

“Kenz, you said that you send for us when you were-” Riley started, his words getting caught in his throat when he saw us. “Woah.”

His eyes landed on Cassie and he froze. I saw her cheeks redden under his gaze and when I glanced at Holden, he and Kenz were in a very similar speechless state.

Greyson was the one to break the silence, rolling his eyes, “Blah, blah you look great, whatever can we go?” he said, turning around and starting down the hallway.

We all laughed, rolling our eyes at his at his retreating figure.

Holden shook his head, coming into the room to his mate, lifting her by her waist and twirling her in a circle. She giggled and entwined her fingers in his when he put her back on the floor.

Riley came in, wrapped his arms around Cassie, pulling her close. He whispered something in her ear that made her blush, hugging him.

He looked closely at her blonde hair that I’d braided in a crown that went around her head. “Whoa, no wonder you guys took so long. How did you pull this off?”

Holden studied Kenzie’s when Riley mentioned it. Her I’d done a waterfall braid down one side and then twisted it into a bun at the base of her neck. He whistled in agreement.

“Auden did it,” Cassie said. “She’s got a hidden talent for it.”

“And everything else apparently,” Kenzie remarked, rolling her eyes at me.

“Well it looks great on you,” Riley said to my friend.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching them all for a second before I felt a presence behind me.

You look beautiful, his voice said in my head.

I turned around to face him, his gaze burning into my with a single stare. I smiled at him, to which he returned. His strong arms slung around my waist and I looped mine around his neck, savoring his clean smell.

The sweet moment was slightly taken over by my sudden nervousness. I took in a shaky breath and he looked at my warily, “Something wrong?” he asked, worry lacing his tone.

I looked down at the floor, “Your father will expect an answer from me.”

“He knows that you’ve gone through a lot,” he shrugged yet his eyes showed relief that it wasn’t our closeness that bothered me. “He won’t pressure you, not if I have any say in the matter,” he defended me.

I smiled up at him, “Thanks.”

He nodded and turned to look at our friends, “Okay losers, let’s go so Greyson doesn’t eat all the food before we get there.”

They nodded and we all filed down the hallway toward what I could only assume was the dining room.

When we arrived, Alpha Pearce, Beta William and Angela were already seated, with Greyson as well. But my eyes didn’t widen when I saw them. It was the two smaller figures that jumped up from their seats when I came in.

“You’re here!” Ben yelled, running around the table, with Chris just behind him.

They both grabbed me in a hug before I could even react.

“Hey guys,” I said, hugging them back.

“I told you that they’d understand if you told them who you were,” Chris said.

I shook my head, smiling at them, “I guess I should’ve listened earlier.”

“Come on boys let the poor girl go,” Angela said to them. “They are all probably hungry.”

The kids did as she said, letting the rest of us sit down

“So did you sleep alright?” Angela asked us all. “I know yesterday was a bit chaotic, I’ll bet you all slept like babies.”

Everyone helped themselves to the plethora of food in front of us.

“We actually stayed up and got lost talking for a while,” Riley told her, glancing at me and Mason for a second. “I guess the excitement didn’t really wear off until later. But yes, most of us slept very well after it did.”

Angela and the boys helped make casual conversation throughout the whole brunch. I could tell that they had so many questions for me but appreciated the fact that they refrained from saying anything.

No matter how hard I tried to deny it, I was exhausted. Physically and mentally I just felt drained. The fight, then the arrest, then the trial, then being out all night, it was a lot.

I felt like I had to pinch myself, multiple times just to make sure I wasn’t dreaming. Sure I’d gone through a lot of pain in the last few hours to get to that point, but it felt like then, in that moment, things were too perfect. When things ever felt that good, I always thought that meant something horrible was about to happen. But I guess for the first time, it didn’t seem like a bad thing.

Who knew, I’d get my home ruined, my true identity exposed, and discover my mate all at once, but not feel bad about any of it?

Mason’s hand felt for mine under the table, giving it a small squeeze. That small action reminded me that it was real. All of it. I didn’t need to pinch myself because that feeling was something that even the most over imaginative mind could never dream up.

I glanced up at Mason while Holden told some funny story about his little sister that I’d heard a million times. I was slightly surprised to find that Mason was looking right back at me.

I blinked tiredly but gave him a small smile. He looked worried as he put his napkin on the table and stood up.

“Thank you for the meal Father but I think Auden and I should both get some rest. It’s been a long couple of hours,” he said.

I opened my mouth to protest but he looked my in the eyes and cut me off, “You can’t lie to me remember?” he whispered in my ear. I looked up at his smirk and refrained from rolling my eyes as he held out a hand to me.

I sighed and took it, standing up to leave, but not without saying my goodbyes and catching a quick look from the Alpha.

I let Mason lead me down the corridors before we got to a door, which he opened. It took me a second but I registered that it must have been his room, based off of some of the pictures and how naturally he moved around.

He went over to his closet, tugging his shirt over his shoulders. I couldn’t help but sneak a small glance at his sculpted muscles while he wasn’t looking. It was short lived though because he changed a moment later.

I felt slightly uncomfortable, not really knowing what I should do. So I just stood in the middle of the floor, looking around the room.

Mason had a big bed in the center of the wall with dark blue bedding. He had a desk pushed against the wall across from it that had more papers and letters like that spare bedroom had. A big window at the far side of the room looked out over the courtyard. Out of it you could see pack members milling about, doing midday activities and such. There was a navy couch in the corner with a small table in front of it that had books scattered on it.

I looked around to see that pretty much the whole room was littered with them.

“So you do read,” I muttered recalling that day in the library with a smile.

He looked over at me and laughed, “Yeah I took your suggestion to heart,” he joked. “No, my mother was a big collector of old books, so most of them were either hers or ones she gave to me,” he told me.

I picked up a leather bound one from the table, “So the big bad Alpha is really just a big book worm?”

He shrugged, “I guess my secret is out,” he grinned, pulling the curtains of the window closed, shrouding the room in almost darkness.

I opened the cover to see a little note scrawled out on the first page in neat cursive. The note was signed from Mom.

Before I could do anything about it, Mason scared me by picking me up off the ground. I yelped and glared at him but her ignored me and walked me over to his bed before tossing me down.

“What was that for?”

“You were just standing there,” he said nonchalantly, looking down at me from where he stood. He walked around the other side of the bed.

“And you couldn’t have told me to lay down?”

“Well would you have said yes?”

“Probably not.”

“Then you see my point,” he said before his face turned serious. “I’ll take the couch I’d you feel better. But before you try to convince me, you’re sleeping there, end of story.”

I shot him a look but he seemed pretty adamant so I gave up on the idea of arguing.

Groaning, I flopped down on my back, “You’re making me weak, Royal.”

He laughed and went to go to the couch. But I flipped over and caught his wrist before he could get far. He looked down and our hands for a second before looking in my eyes questioningly.

I bit my lip, “You don’t have to take the couch.”

Mason looked slightly surprised but smiled and came back around the bed.

I turned back over so my back was to him. A second later I felt the mattress dip and his arm around my waist, pulling me into his warm chest.

We were both quiet for a while, and I was certain he’d fallen asleep but right before my body even considered drifting off, he spoke.

“Auden?”

“Yeah?”

“Where do we go from here?”

I paused, thinking about it.

“I don’t really know,” I whispered, turning over so I was facing him now.

“But a-are you going to leave again?”

I looked up into his coffee brown eyes. They were curious as always but in the moment, slightly worried. It made me feel guilty to think that he felt like I wasn’t going to be there always. But knew I didn’t have the greatest track record with commitment so I shouldn’t blame him.

I had been playing with the options in my head. I could leave, find another town in the middle of nowhere and go back to the way things were. I could stay and act like nothing had happened. But everytime I thought of something new, I beat myself up for even considering another path other than staying.

I’d found my mate, where else would I go?

“You can’t get rid of me that easy,” I told him.

~~AUTHOR’S NOTE~~

Well that's it! I always envisioned some huge ending for this story but after writing this chapter I realized that it just didn't need it. There will not be an epilogue but possibly keep your eyes out for more stories from me (and possibly a sequel) in the future ;)

Since this is the end, I would love it if you wrote me a review of my story for editing! I really love hearing feedback. But with that, please don't waste your time if you're going to be nasty (as in I am aware that there are a lot of grammar mistakes I did write this in the eighth grade lol).

Thank you so much for coming this far!

I hope you enjoyed!

~your Cheshire Cat loving friend