Chapter 18

Alpha Lucas had almost explained everything to me near that cliff yesterday, and I couldn't help but question myself whether all my feelings towards him were true or not, the flushed face of mine at his thought was my own feeling or not.

Apparently, it was full moon today and the mates feel this intense—very intense urge to stick to their other halves, it's sort of like a signal to the approaching full moon which explains why I was blushing so much for him.

He told me that the mate bond coaxes you in a way that you don't want to do anything but stay close to your mate during this time, such symptoms start a couple of days before full-moon, even your emotions go out of control.

No wonder why I was going crazy with these unfamiliar feelings and emotions. I remembered the first time I felt like this, it was the time when Alpha Lucas texted me for the first-ever time. I accused that poor soul of casting some spell on me.

Now, here I was asking myself what or how I actually felt for him. The tingling in my heart, was it my own feeling or mate bond's magic?

I was angry at this stupid, cruel mate bond if it controls over my whole life then what is left to call it to mine? If my own feelings are forced then what sort of life was I living?

I didn't know. I didn't know what I was living for anymore. I don't have any reason to breathe for nor I have a dream to pursue or they were too far for me to chase. My life was basically trash.

I huffed while tapping my foot on the ground and pressing myself to the wall of the iPhone store under its shelter. It was raining heavily and I was out with Alpha Lucas to buy a new phone. I smiled looking at the box of my new phone in the pink paper bag, Alpha Lucas had bought me an iPhone 11 pro. I protested against his idea and told him that I would be fine with a normal phone, but what he said had me flying through the clouds.

"Heaven, you're the most important person to me, you're my first priority. What I bought you is just a phone, if you ask me I can buy you the whole store."

That might be a bit too much for others, but it was very heart-touching for me.

I bit my bottom lip, a smile escaping my lips as my eyes wandered from one end to another of the road, Alpha Lucas had rushed to find umbrellas since we thought it would be nice to walk to the store. In truth, I didn't inform anyone I was going out, it was the Alpha who ran into me near the gym and tagged along with me.

The sounds of heavy feet colliding against the watery road caught my attention. I turned to the source to see Alpha Lucas holding a black umbrella above his head in one hand and another similar umbrella hanging on the fingers of his other hand.

"Here." He opened the umbrella and handed it to me. "Are you alright? I hope I didn't make you wait for long?"

I shook my head at his polite gesture. "You were on time and I'm fine too."

"Are you hungry? You didn't eat your lunch either. We could grab a take out or something." He looked at me, the worry in his eyes as clear as pure water.

"Are you?"

He chuckled. "I had my lunch, you didn't."

"You don't worry about me, I'm not much of an eater," I said.

"Heaven. About yesterday, I couldn't tell the whole thing due to the weather." His eyes were already on me by the time I looked at him. I raised my brows at him in confusion.

Yesterday, all he told me was that today was full-moon, it affects wolves, and the feelings I felt for him this past couple of days weren't actually mine? Something like that. He was meaning continue if it wasn't for the sudden rain, drenching us in its wrath.

"I feel like my feelings aren't my own anymore," I said. My mood is already dulling with the fact. "I'm not sure how I feel about you, the mate bond has full control over my emotions now."

"It's only for today. After the full-moon, your feelings will go back to normal."

I faced him, pointing a finger to myself and reframing his sentence. "You mean, I won't feel this attraction towards you anymore?"

He gave me a small smile. "It depends. If you're not really mesmerized by me then your feelings will be back to normal, if not they won't change."

"Oh," I spoke, already thrilled to get over with today.

"Also, Heaven?" He cleared his throat, it was amusing to see him struggle. "I was meaning to request you something."

"Go ahead."

"You know how wolves feel during the full moon, the urge to be close to their mate, to hold them and to feel them, I'm not asking you much but just consider the point—"

"You want to bring me to your home," I remarked, getting to the point.

He gazed at me pleadingly, "Yeah. I know I'm asking you a lot but if you're not there with me today then it will drive my wolf on a rampage and that is not a good sign for my wolf. I promise I won't touch you without your permission, I swear."

The desperation, tension, and the fear of rejection on his face would drive any girl crazy and accept him in a second. He looked so innocent, so much like a baby pleading for a candy that I forgot for a moment that he was an Alpha Head, not of a country but of a continent and a successful billionaire at his young age of twenty-six.

For a girl like me, I wasn't sure if I was alright with the thought, if I don't go with him it would be a whole problem for the pack because only a mate can calm down her other half. Not going with him would only cause serious damage to him and his pack, not me.

And I couldn't ignore what Ashley said either on the other day, the pack was concerned for their Alpha and the key for his peace was me. I couldn't let them down, I don't know why but now when I think about it, the people in this pack had welcomed me with open arms without caring about which kind I belonged to. They were so understanding and so patient with me, they gave me so much comfort... like a family. Agreeing to Alpha Lucas' request was the only way to repay him and his pack's kindness.

Now, here I was sitting with Alpha Lucas on his sofa. He was activating my new phone after putting in my sim card and the memory which I had taken from my old phone on the accident day, I kept it safe with me for this moment, and looking at Alpha Lucas helping me brought a huge smile on my face.

"Here's your new phone," Alpha Lucas looked at me with a kind smile but ceased when he saw how close we were. Our knees and shoulders were touching with our faces too close for just talking.

It was our first time being this close, usually, we keep a certain distance and talk a bit with full-moon arriving, it would be hard for Alpha Lucas to control his wolf. I could already see his soft honey turning hard.

"Ah-a," I floundered over my words, snatching my phone from him and moving away. "I'm sorry."

His Adam's apple bobbed as he gulped hard, fisting his hands to control his need to touch me.

"No need to be."

There was an awkward silence between us, no one daring to speak. I pretended to be interested in my new phone, jumping from one random app to another while making sure to keep an eye on him.

Alpha Lucas got up and walked out of the hall, leaving me alone.

Nothing else to do, I observed the room. His living room was like a show for someone to sit and enjoy, I was very impressed by his choices. It was a simple two-story building with simple yet elegant furniture decorating the rooms. Alpha Lucas had taken me on a short tour around his house and said I was happy and would be wrong, it was fabulous and totally my type. I was in love with the decor, it was just like the one I dreamed of since my college days.

I heard footsteps behind me and Alpha Lucas was caught in the line of my vision. I gasped turning away while closing my eyes with my hands.

He chuckled. "I'm not completely naked. I am wearing shorts, Heaven."

My cheeks warmed when I heard him getting close to me. Never in my million dreams, I thought I would get to see a shirtless Alpha Lucas. His abs stood out—I'm not sure how many—and broad tan chest was like a blockbuster movie to watch. I pressed my hand to my eyes even more ashamed of my naughty brain.

"I'm going out. Take care."

Alpha Lucas did the most unexpected thing anyone could ever imagine. His hand brushed against my hip softly, pressing his bare chest right to my shoulder as he leaned in for a soft—most passionate kiss on my flushed cheek. My heart blew fireworks in my chest when he so carefully whispered a 'see you', lips touching my ear before he jogged his way out of the house.

I understood that it was all this mate bond's magic, but it had me seeing stars within these four walls. No no, I wasn't fainting but I was surely going crazy.

I brought my hands up and slapped my cheeks, dragging my mind from insane to sane. My right cheek was dancing with tingles where he had so lovingly kissed it. My heart accelerated to a speed where even a machine would be confused to detect.

Alpha Lucas gave me a brief description of what they do during full-moon. Apparently, the werewolves turn into their beast form around 11 and go out for a long run around the grounds for an hour. Females go different directions and males run opposite directions to females, they make sure they don't run into each other and meet their mates exactly at twelve.

The werewolves who are yet to find their mate or lost their mate usually howl at the moon and cry: some wishing their Master or God for their mate's well-fare and some praying to meet their mate again, basically, they are asking for death. It's sad for the ones who lost their mates but these are the rules of life and we can't do anything but live with it no matter how bad the circumstances are.

But for those werewolves who were mated to the humans are the same, but the human stays home while their werewolf mate goes for the run. And I was supposed to wait for him until the clock strikes midnight, no matter how dumb and stupid I felt about the way of celebration I had to oblige this, it wasn't like I had a choice, duh.

Pondering over all these didn't help my nervousness, he had told me that by the time he comes back he wouldn't be him. His wolf would be out to play. The wolf part of these werewolves acts 10 times how a normal lover would behave, meaning that Alpha Lucas' wolf would want to love, cherish, and play games with me. It sounded scary and almost made me dig a hole and hide my face. To be honest I had never experienced such a thing with any guy. He had scared me to death more than explaining and couldn't help myself but reassure that he wouldn't me—

Of course, you dumb girl he wouldn't hurt you but love you. The voice inside me spoke.

"That is what's scaring the crap out of me." I exhaled and plopped on the couch. My eyes felt heavy but some strange sensation in my body kept me awake.

I didn't want to cooperate, but I didn't have any choice either. I was his mate and had to do as the most important person in this pack.

I glanced at the wall clock for time.

Only fifteen minutes were left.

God knows what surprises were waiting for me tomorrow.