For the Taking ✅

31 • What

Seraphina POV

"Where are we going Des?"

I had blindly followed my mate into the snowy wilderness because, I quote, there's a beautiful view. We had tracked through a foot of snow.

My hands and feet had become sensitive from the last time I ventured out here. They nearly got frostbite the last time I came out here and I with that recollection I shivered at the memory.

"When Osiris and I started to build a pack we found this place up in the mountains." Desmond started, moving a branch out of my face before I smacked into it. "When we were checking out the terrain we came across this place."

Ducking under the branch I gasped. The view, it was beyond words. Nothing could describe the exact view I saw, but I could try.

Once I was past the branch I came to see a cliff's edge. When I swallowed the lump in my throat as I stepped closer to its edge the landscape became that much more breath taking.

Beyond the cliff was a snowy valley with an icy lake at the base of it. The lake side town looked tiny in comparison to the size of the frozen lake. It took my breath away. The faint outlines of the narrow streets and buildings were all I could make out from this distance.

"Wow." I murmured tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.

"You like it?"

I nodded looking over my shoulder to see him grinning. He was beaming with enthusiasm as he jumped on top of a rock at the edge of the cliff.

Desmond stood proud, a nostalgic look in his eyes grew as he scanned the horizon.

"Why'd you bring me here?"

He slid down the boulder effortlessly, his dark brown curls bounced against his forehead. "I thought you'd like the view." He looked shyly away averting his sight from mine. "Plus, I thought you'd like to spend more time together. You know..." He looked back over to me. "Since I haven't been making much time for us. For you."

Happy warmth settled in my belly at his words. He didn't seem to realize how much his statement meant to me and honestly I might hold off on ever telling him feeling like a little fan girl.

Desmond had really taken me on a date. It was more of an adventure but regardless this was what I yearned for all this time; this was what I begged of him though I had kept that need to myself.

I swiveled around completely to face him an animated smile wide on my face. A sheepish and timid grin tugged at the corners of his lips. I could tell that Desmond tried to hold it back. I couldn't understand why he was so unsure of himself around me.

He looked out of place almost, though he genuinely looked happy to see me beaming. For being my mate he was awfully shy of me, not holding my eye contact long and constantly finding reasons to keep his distance from me.

I've told myself now that this was just who he was and who he'd probably always would be. Desmond was a bubbly person and full of life but as a mate he was withdrawn. I saw him as an orange; a rough and tough exterior but a soft and sweet interior that is worth all the work it is to peel ack each layer to get to.

I just hoped that I would succeed in one day getting to that sweet place with him.

Wanting to get a glimpse at that part of him I reached out to cup the stubble side of his sharp jaw. His brown eyes scanned over my face cautiously as if searching and reading my every move.