Wild at Heart

When I woke, Nick wasn’t in the bed where he was when I first fell asleep. I rolled over and pulled my cell off the charger before I began scrolling through my messages. My dad was checking in on me, I really needed to touch base with him. Lucas texted a few times to keep me in the loop on what is going on at the bar. I’m glad I hired him; he’s doing more than I ever expected. And then there was Chloe. I had messages and then more messages and more from her to remind me she was coming over to practice hair styles on me. I rolled my eyes as I responded to her messages. I guess I had nothing better to do today anyway. No messages from Nick. I frowned and pulled his name up on my phone.

Busy day?

Always.

When will I see you?

Tonight.

Good.

I love you, little wolf.

I love you, too.

I put my phone on the bed and went to the bathroom. I made quick of my shower and wrapped a towel around my body. I had some time before Chloe was coming over, so I decided to go online and do some research. Nick and I had an anniversary coming up in a few days and I needed to get his present sorted out. I wanted it to be done before we were shipped off to the East pack for whatever we needed to do to show our loyalty to the alliance.

I printed off what I needed and gently wrapped the papers in an envelope. I tucked the package into my purse and locked the door on my way out. I really needed to get my own car. I had more than enough funds to do it, I just never have. Nick always drove me where I needed to go, or I would walk. Walking didn’t bother me but on days like today it took up extra time I could be doing something else.

It took me about twenty minutes to get to my location, but once I was there all eyes were on me. Sometimes I forgot what it was like to be famous. Every time someone saw me out and about, it was always a question of what was the alpha’s mate doing here? Does the alpha know she’s here?

“Luna,” I turned my head to the heavily tattooed man behind the counter. “What can I do for you?” He asked. I pulled the envelope out of my pocket and handed it to him. He unwrapped the envelope and I stood there awkwardly looking around at the artwork on the walls. I’ve never been marked before, but for Nick I would do anything. “Come on back.” His deep voice startled me.

“I was just gonna make an appointment, you’re pretty busy, I don’t want to take up your time.” He shook his head at me.

“For you, I make time.” He turned and began walking in the back and I hesitantly followed him. “Take a seat.” He motioned to the black chair in the small cubical as he began setting up his equipment. “Get comfortable, Luna. I won’t take long, but it will take some time.” I nodded and sat in the chair as I looked at more artwork on the walls. There was so much of it I couldn’t even tell what color the walls were behind the frames. I tore myself away and sat down on his chair. I slid my shirt off of my body and set it on the floor beside me. When the man came back, his eyes wondered on me for longer than he should have. “My apologies, Luna.” He said as he blushed. “I can’t help but admire a beautiful canvas when I see one.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” I said. I leaned back in the chair and closed my eyes.

“As you should.” I opened my eyes to see the man’s back to me as he collected more materials by the counter. “My name is Lincoln.” He continued the conversation with his back to me. “But everyone calls me Linc.”

“Everyone calls me “Luna”, but that doesn’t mean it’s what I prefer to be called.” That got a chuckle out of him as he turned around and leaned against the counter.

“Fair enough.” His eyes gave my body another once over. “Are you ready to begin?”

“As ready as I can be.” Lincoln smiled again and took a seat in a smaller chair on wheels. He rolled himself over to me and laid a damp paper towel over my ribs and rubbed gently. The smell of pine trees that came off it reminded me of my mate. My eyes closed again, and I pictured Nick in front of me. Damn, I wish he was there when I woke this morning.

“I’m going to begin now.” I didn’t open my eyes; I just nodded and held my breath. I kept waiting for the pain, but it never found me. I felt nails scraping over my skin and I opened my eyes to see what was going on. The tattoo gun was kissing the delicate skin on my ribs only taking a break to be wiped with a paper towel. “I assume this is for our Alpha?” Lincoln began speaking to me again.

“It is.” I said with a nod.

“I’ve tattooed many wolves in this pack.” He wiped at my skin again. “Many males will get tattooed for their females. It shows the female how much she means to her mate.” He wiped me again. “I’ve never tattooed a female for her mate.”

“Glad to be your first.” I said with a smile.

“As am I.” He stopped to meet eyes with me for just a second before he went back to work. “I’ve tattooed Nick a long time ago.”

“You did his sleeve?” I asked. He nodded in response.

“It took a few sessions to get the whole piece done, but we did it.”

“It’s beautiful work.”

“Thank you.” He wiped at my skin again and I felt the burn of raw skin for the first time. “He spoke very highly of you.”

“Nick did?” I questioned.

“Of course.” I began to search my mind for when Nick got his work done. It was clearly long before the mating ritual.

“Nick and I weren’t—” I began.

“I know.” He said with a smile. “This was just shy of a year after the explosion that took twenty-two wolves from us.”

“That was ten years.”

“Yeah, I guess it has been that long.” He didn’t take his eyes off of his art as he spoke. I leaned my head back and closed my eyes. “He’s been very fond of you for some time now, Luna.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Lincoln finished his work in under two hours. He wrapped me up and gave me a packet with instructions and sent me on my way. Werewolves healed much faster, and tattoos didn’t make a difference. My skin felt like it was burning, but it would ease within a few hours and be completely healed.

By the time I got back home, Chloe was already at my door. I could tell by the look on her face that she was less than happy with me.

“Where have you been?” She asked in an annoyed tone. “I have been calling you.” I brushed my hands over my back pockets where I usually keep my phone.

“Sorry, I must have left my phone in the house.” I slid past her and unlocked the door. I held it open for her and she walked right in.

“Where were you?” She asked again.

“I was getting Nick’s anniversary present ready.” I admitted.

“Oh,” her face instantly sweetened. “How sweet, Emma, you actually remembered.”

“What is that supposed to mean?”

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. You’re just not the romantic type.” I couldn’t argue with her there. I don’t think I had a romantic bone in my body, but I knew how much Nick meant to me. “Okay,” she clapped her hands together. “We’re already running late, so let’s get started.” She pushed me into the bedroom and right into the bathroom. She slammed the door shut and locked us in. I narrowed my eyes at her.

“What’s up with this?” I asked staring at the lock on the door.

“I don’t want anyone interrupting us, is that alright?”

“Yeah, I guess.” I had no reason not to trust Chloe, but with my recent relationships going to shit, I couldn’t help but listen to the little voice in the back of my head telling me to find an escape route since the door was locked.

“Here, sit.” She practically pushed me on the toilet seat before she began rummaging through my bathroom. She was pulling out whatever make-up she could find, while the curling iron was heating up.

“We’re doing make-up too?” I asked.

“Of course.” She didn’t let me interrupt her rummaging.

“You’re just practicing for Daniel and Alex’s wedding, why does it seem like we’re getting ready for prom?” Chloe laughed at me in a nervous tone but didn’t answer my question. She was acting very strange, but I didn’t question her further. She began talking about Kyle and it only took me a few minutes to zone out on her.

Chloe had been working on my hair and make-up for almost an hour, and her talk about Kyle didn’t bring me back to reality—but Nick’s scent did. I sat up straight the instant his scent hit my nose.

“Nick?” I questioned. I could smell him in the bathroom.

“I’m just grabbing a change of clothes.” He said through the door. I tried to stand up to go to him, but Chloe pushed me back down.

“Emma! Are you trying to make me burn your scalp?” She asked in that annoyed voice of hers. “You have to hold still!”

“I’ll see you tonight, little wolf.” I wanted to go to the voice behind the door, but I knew Chloe wasn’t going to let me. “Enjoy your girl time, I’ll just be with Daniel clearing up some things.”

“Okay.” I agreed, and then he was gone. Enjoy my girl time? When did I ever enjoy girl time? I let Chloe finish my make-up and she finally let me stand in front of the mirror.

“Ta-da.” She said with a smile. I tilted my head at my reflection, wondering where this beautiful wolf came from.

“Wow, Chloe.” I couldn’t help but smile. “This is good.” I said. “Really good. This is what you should do for Daniel’s wedding.” She opened the bathroom door wide and motioned to the bed.

“It’s not for the wedding, Emma.” I turned around and followed her hand. The emerald green dress I wore to the Mating Ritual was draped perfectly on the bed. The same silver shoes set so flawlessly on the floor under the dress. I turned to Chloe with a look of confusion on my face.

“What’s going on?” I asked.

“Get dressed.” She responded. “Your dad is waiting outside for you; my part is done.”

“Your part?” I repeated. She only smiled in response and left me alone in the bedroom with my Mating Ritual dress. I didn’t know what to do except to do as Chloe told me. I undressed myself and took the bandages off my freshly healed tattoo and slipped the emerald dress on. I snapped my shoes into place and walked out of the bedroom to find my father just like Chloe said. He smiled at me and met me halfway.

“Oh, Emma. You look just like your mother.” He kissed my cheek and I smiled at him. He raised his hands up to my neck and placed a necklace around me. I looked down to see what it was, only to realize it was the emerald necklace of my mother’s. The same one he placed around my neck the night of the Mating Ritual.

“Dad, I’m so confused.”

“You won’t be for long.” He wrapped his arm around my waist and ushered me outside where his car was waiting for us. We got in and he drove me off into the woods. It didn’t take me long to realize where we were going.

He parked the car and I let him open my door and help me out of it. My heels were not made for the dirt as we walked deeper into the woods. I sucked a breath in when I saw him. There my mate stood in a circle of stones. He was dressed in the same suit he wore for the Mating Ritual, his hands resting in his pockets as he rocked back and forth nervously. My dad released my arm and I walked the rest of the way to Nick. I stepped into the circle of the stones and he took my hands in his own. I locked eyes with Nick as I felt my entire body heat up with nothing but affection for the wolf in front of me. We stood together in the woods, in the middle of the exact same circle of stones where our relationship started just one year ago.