An Unexpected Mate

Chapter 16 - Moving Forward

I am not the greatest at keeping up with writing. I had all of the chapters planned out when I first started this journey over a year ago, it is just adding the depth and dialogue that I have bursts of motivation for. Since my last intermittent update, I went from having maybe 50 reads to over a thousand...this was pretty shocking, but also inspirational to finish this story and move onto others that float around in my head (that ADHD mind at work and school!).

There are 5-6 more chapters left, so I am going to try to get these finished over the next couple weeks!

Thank you all for reading and please let me know what you think. This is the first time I am sharing one of my stories. Usually they just stay in my mind until the next one replaces it :)

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Lily looked up from the papers she was grading when she heard a knock on the door. Merry was peaking in with a sheepish grin.

"So...I was wondering if you wanted to go out tomorrow night? I can get my niece to babysit for you so that we can have a girls night. It feels like it has been forever."

"Merry. I swear we just went out last week. I don't know if I can swing it. The kids have soccer on Saturday, so I can't stay out late...it would be nice to relax a bit though."

Merry cut in with, "Remember that you want to take time for yourself. Don't start feeling guilty before we even go out! Suzie doesn't mind watching your kiddos. She said they were great and she had fun." She paused for a second and tried to give an even more endearing look, "I already checked that she didn't have plans..."

She had a point about the guilt trip. Lily had been trying to keep from feeling bad when she wasn't 100% focused on kids or work. It was hard, since she hadn't really thought much of herself since she had kids. Lily had sort of lost herself in the last few years and was trying to stop herself from being negative for taking personal time.

"Oh, okay! Where are we going?"

Merry thought for a minute. "Let's try out that new place that is just out of town, heading towards the mountains. I bet I can get my brother to DD if we end up having a bit too much fun. With his wife pregnant, they never really go out anymore."

Lily remembered that. A little too much since she never went out much even after she had her kids.

"Sounds good. What time?"

As they worked out the plan, Lily started to get a strange feeling about their upcoming outing. Why was she feeling slightly nervous? It was just the "girls" going out for drinks. She had been out multiple times since the divorce, probably more often than when she was actually still with Steve. They had even done an overnight for a burlesque show on the Front Range last month. Steve had the kids for the weekend, so Lily had been free to actually go away...for the first time without kids since she had given birth to Cameron. It was freeing! If she could do an overnight away from the kids, why was she suddenly nervous about going out for an hour to have a drink and dance?

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Braxton was bored. Lucas and Henry had dragged him to the new bar on the edge of their territory, close to town. The two of them were on a double date with their wives, having fun drinking and dancing. The bar had a cross cut of people, kids in their early 20s to older couples in their mid 60s. There was also a mix of werewolf and humans dancing to the band. He had to admit the band was pretty good, they were mixing between music from the 80s and 90s to recent hits, mixing in a variety of genres. Although he was bored, he did see that this was likely a good investment for the pack. They had bought a rundown corner store a few months ago, along with the coffee place, and had decided to renovate this location into an evening draw. 

As Brax let his mind wander and watched the various patrons, his senses suddenly came alert. His body was singing with energy and it took him a minute to locate her scent in the crowd, there were so many people and smells to sift through. He knew it was her though. His body had only ever responded in this way to a certain redhead that smells of caramel, chocolate, and the sweetness of Lily.

Brax watched her dance. He watched her talk and laugh with her friends. She looked happy and expressive, almost liberated in a way. Watching her, Braxton finally made a decision. He had been debating whether to approach her every time he had seen her recently, whether to try and (re)kindle something with her or let her go. Standing in this crowded bar, he could not resist the pull and started moving towards her.

Approaching quietly, Brax walked up to the slowly dancing Lily as she stood with her friends. He could see her tense slightly before she turned around, sensing his approach. Glancing back at him when he gently touched her shoulder, Lily did a slight shiver. Their eyes met and without even thinking to ask, he grabbed her willing hand and pulled her onto the dance floor.

As their bodies came closer together and they began to sway to the music, Braxton felt a peace he had forgotten was possible. After a minute or so of enjoying the closeness, breaking the silence that had settled between them, Brax finally spoke.   

"Will you go on a date with me?"

She didn't respond. She did not tense or lose the beat of the music as they continued to sway. Brax wondered if she had heard him, but he had not whispered the question really.

Braxton almost lost his patience when he finally heard a slightly unsure "Yes."

"Tomorrow?"

Lily stuttered a bit with shock and lost the motion for a beat or two. "I can't. My kids have soccer games."

Brax laughed at himself for being so hasty (and probably pushy). "Sorry. I have been trying to get up the nerves to ask you out for a while now, so when you said 'yes' I did not want to wait any longer. If you aren't free at all this weekend, we could do a lunch date this week."

Brax was trying to be patient, but he had made a decision. He was going to have her. He was going to woo his Lily, his mate. He had tried to let her go, but that had not worked and fate had put her back on his path. IF she needed time, he would give it to her. As long as he could at least get her to be his friend, to be near him, he could woo her. 

Shit. What was he thinking? He had never wooed anyone before. He was an alpha, he really never needed to encourage female attention. Female wolves were naturally drawn to him if they were not mated, so it was easy to find companionship when needed. Could he attract and keep a human female? Could he bring her into his life? Would she fit? Where did he even begin?

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As Brax started worrying about what would come next, Lily was also realizing that she didn't know what the next step was. She was 35, almost 36, and felt like an unsure teenager. The song they had been dancing to came to an end and the pair broke apart a bit awkwardly.

Before she overthought and decided not to even try, Lily finally said "I don't teach until 1 on Tuesday and Thursday. We could do something in the morning. If that works." Lily was nervous. She hadn't gone on a date with someone other than Steve in almost 15 years. She could only imagine all the changes that had happened in how such things worked. Did she even remember how to date? What would she even wear?

Pulling her out of her thoughts, Braxton had gently grabbed her upper arm to grab her attention again. 

"Well. I think I can plan something for Tuesday morning. Can you be ready by 8-ish? I don't know what time school starts down in town. If we leave early, it gives more time before your class."

Lily was a bit nervous still, but nodded in agreement. "School starts at 7:45, so I can meet you around 8. This Tuesday? You are asking for this Tuesday, right?"

"Yes. This Tuesday and dress warm, I think we will be outside."

"Outside?"

Lily's mind started to move in overdrive as they gravitated away from the dancers. They had reached her friends and Merry started chatting before Lily realized Braxton had somehow soundlessly disappeared into the crowd before they had even made it the side of the dancing. How did he do that? As the night continued on, Lily could only think of one thing...Tuesday and what the morning would bring.

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