Chapter Thirteen

JAYVEE

I smiled on my bed, I wasn't doing anything, just laying there gazing at the ceiling. I know it was wrong, but I was listening in on Aiden's phone call. It had gone quiet after his dad said he was acting like his father. Was that a good thing? I didn't care if it was bad, it was amazing just sleeping under the same roof as my mate. It would have been better to have him in my arms, but baby steps.

'Yo, shithead you gonna keep ignoring me for your mate?' Ailith said through our link.

'I'm not ignoring you. I'm just, um.'

'That's what I thought. Now. We need to hang out because I miss your stupid face or whatever.' She spoke. She was the type of person who would share what she felt but not show that she felt it. She made it seem like it wasn't a big deal if her feelings got hurt.

'Yea we can do something, maybe hit up the arcade?' I asked, getting up from my bed to change clothes.

'Nah, we should go for a run. I wanna race and by race, I mean beat you.' She said cockily.

'Meet me behind the packhouse in 15?' I said turning around to the door, changing my mind on clothes.

I knocked on Aiden's door and opened it after getting the ok. He was sitting on the bed, one leg hanging off the bed and the other folded in front of him. It looked like he was working on something, papers were scattered over the bed. He looked up at me and pushed up his glasses.

"Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I'm gonna be heading out for a bit. My parents are out so it's just you."

He smiled at me before saying, "Alright, stay safe. You free to talk when you get back?"

"Yea, of course," I said before closing the door as I left the room.

Ailith attacked me when I made it to the backyard. "What's up backyardigan?" she asked pulling my hair.

"What are you? Five?" I laughed while wrapping my arms under her legs to carry her easier as I took us into the trees.

"You gotta at least admit that theme song slaps" I nodded as she continued, "You ready to see how it's holding up?" I could hear the grin she had.

"You know it's going to be fine, it's only been a month since we've been there," I said as she got off me to strip. I followed her and shifted, shaking out my fur.

'Race ya!!' she yelled through the pack link as she took off running. I raced after her, catching up easily.

'Better luck next time' I taunted as I got way ahead of her.

"Fuck you and your alpha genes," she said once we got to the tree and shifted. She threw some shorts in my face.

"You're a beta, you should be able to keep up with me. Not my fault you're slow." I grinned, pulling on the shorts. I dodged her punch before beginning my climb up the tree.

"You're lucky I'm gay and mated or I'd bite your ass." She said following behind me. "You think our porn is still here?" we had made it to the top of the ladder that led to our treehouse.

"No one else comes here, so probably. Remember when I thought I was straight?" I asked causing her to burst into laughter.

The treehouse was built by our parents when they were younger, it was given to us when we turned ten. It wasn't anything too complicated, just four walls and a roof. There was an entrance hatch on the floor and a window. We had bean bags piled up on the back wall, enough to make it look like a bed if needed. There were piles of books and magazines everywhere. Pictures all over the walls and fairy lights on the ceiling. They were powered by batteries that only needed to change every couple of months.

"You tried to act like such a fuck boy. Remember when you tried to convince the sophomore class that you had a threesome with seniors" She laughed loudly.

"I don't even have an excuse for that." I chuckled shaking my head as I flopped down on a beanbag. I waved my hand to try and get the dust out of my face. "So how's the mated life?" I asked wanting a change in topic.

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"So, what did you want to talk about, Sugar?" I asked sitting on his bed. I had just gotten back from hanging out with Ailith. I bit my lip at the sight of him, he was still wearing his pajamas, but he added a fuzzy pair of socks. My eyes zoned in on his sightly exposed right shoulder and I froze.

'How the fuck have you not thought to check him yet? We have a marked mate that isn't even our boyfriend yet!' my wolf roared in my head.

'Forest, you are as upset as I am. We will figure it out.'

My thoughts stilled as Aiden began to talk. "So, I've given a lot of thought to what I want." he paused to take a breath, "You are so kind, funny, and smart. You infiltrated my mind the moment I met you. It's not fair how good you are in bed; how strong you are. You are one of the most attractive- no you are the most attractive man I have ever met. I know you would never hurt me the way that Cato did." He took another shaky breath. "Jayvee- Songbird. I would be honored to be your boyfriend. I-if you still want me."

I grinned at him causing him to give me a soft smile. "Of course! I will always want you!" I said launching myself at him to hug him. He laughed loudly as I rained kisses all over his face. Once we settled down to just cuddling. I nuzzled into his mark, smirking when it caused him to shiver. I nudged it again with my nose before gently giving it a lick. "You, uh, wanna share a room tonight?" I nibbled at his mark causing him to moan.

"If you insist." He said quietly before turning to face me and bringing our lips together.