The Alpha Queen's Mate (Book 5 of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 35

They both left the pack house and headed out into the woods and the paths that led through them, walking slowly along.

"You're much calmer than you were earlier," Nick commented. She was way more relaxed.

"I think hurting you ended my anger. I still feel really bad about that." She wanted to lift his shirt up and check for bruising, even though she knew there wouldn't be any. She felt horrible about it, much worse than she'd ever felt about breaking his ribs before. She felt like she'd taken her anger at Alex out on Nick and it had really upset her. He didn't deserve that.

He shrugged. "It's not like it hasn't happened before. Still hurts but only for a little bit and frankly, it's not the most painful thing I've ever experienced."

"What was?" she asked curiously.

Nick frowned thinking for a moment. "Probably when I went rock climbing with Ragnar with no ropes. I fell pretty far. That sucked a lot. He thought it was funny but then he fell and he didn't really think it was funny anymore."

Noelle stared at him, feeling slightly sick. "Why would you do that?"

"We did plenty of stupid things. Though I think he's done more stupid things than I have, but then he's lived quite a bit longer than me so he's had more opportunity." He smiled at her. He wasn't even sure if it was the dumbest thing they'd ever done, but it was up there.

Noelle giggled. "I suppose you won't do that again."

"No never. I don't even like rock climbing." Not anymore.

"I wonder why." She rolled her eyes in exasperation. She knew they'd done some dumb things but she hadn't heard about that one. Men. She'd never felt the need to test her immortality, but then she hadn't been around for hundreds of years, waiting for her mate either, thankfully. Hopefully she'd be enough entertainment for him. That thought made her blush.

'I know of some great ways to entertain him,' Holly purred.

Noelle rolled her eyes. 'Perv.'

'You can't be a perv if it's your own mate. Tell me you wouldn't like to feel his hands all over us again?' Holly said, pushing memories of those moments back through Noelle's mind.

She felt her face grow a bit hot at the memories, though Nick didn't seem to notice.

They came out near the lagoon and Noelle walked over and sat on the bench. Nick joined her, sitting next to her and placing an arm across the back of it.

"The most painful thing that I've experienced happened yesterday. But seeing you out in the woods helped tremendously. Having a new bond form with you made all the difference. It eased the pain," she said softly.

He slipped his arm forward and around her, and she leaned against him. "The next two months are going to be difficult."

"Because I'll be in school?"

"And I've got six pack visits scheduled." He slowly rubbed her arm. He loved those tingles.

"Ugh. So I guess I'll have to come home on the weekends you're home?" Noelle asked. She didn't like that idea. At this rate, she would get very little time with him over the next few months. How hard was it going to be on her to be parted from him so much? Especially if they hadn't completed the bond?

"You think I'm just going to see you on a few weekends?" Nick asked her with a frown.

"Um.. I don't know what you're thinking," she admitted, her heart leaping a bit at his words.

He smiled. "I'm thinking a lot of things right now. I will come to you. When I can, I'll come see you in Ohio. It'll be much better than coming back here when I'm not working."

"You will? I'd like that. Are you going to work as much after I get out of school?" Noelle asked him. He smelled so good, and she wanted to kiss him again.

"That's up to you. You can travel with me whenever you want. I think it would be good for you to establish relationships with the packs. But if, say, you get pregnant, then we'll probably want to stay closer to home," Nick said quietly.

Pregnant would mean sex. With Nick.

'Who else?' Holly rolled her eyes.

Noelle snorted, then blushed when she saw Nick's eyes widen. "Sorry. Holly.."

"Am I allowed in on the inside joke?" Nick asked her with a half smile.

He was so sexy when he did that. "My thoughts. She was commenting on them."

"And what are you thinking about?"

Noelle's face turned bright red and she looked down. She wasn't telling him that.

Nick laughed. "Sex?"

She smiled himself. "Well you mentioned it first."

He gave her that half smile again. "I just mentioned you being pregnant."

"Which I can't be without sex. With you. And Holly sarcastically said, Who else. My thoughts are running away from me today," she admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed.

"A lot has happened in the last few days," Nick said quietly, his gaze serious now.

"Yes it has," she agreed.

"And both of our lives have majorly changed." He pulled her a bit closer.

Noelle relaxed against him, enjoying the tingles his touch brought, even if it was just on her arm. "Does it bother you? Being mated to me? Someone who is going to be Queen one day?"

He sat back on the bench and stretched out his legs. He was quiet for a long moment.

Maybe he didn't like it, having his mate be more powerful than him. Nick was a very powerful werewolf in his own right. His father had been the second most powerful werewolf in the world, and that passed down to his sons. There wouldn't be too much of a difference between them, not as much as there would be if it was Alex. But Nick would also become even more powerful once they completed their bond.

"No. I never thought I'd even be mated to someone from this pack. Noelle, I want to be with you. I don't care if I have to sit at your feet every day. I still want you," he said softly, cupping her check, his eyes glowing a bit as he studied her.

His words warmed her heart, melting away the worry she'd had. After the mess with Alex, her confidence had dropped some, and she just needed the reassurance. She'd always been a very confident person, but Alex had put a crack in it.

Her gaze moved down to Nick's lips. They were full and soft. She remembered how they'd felt earlier on her own. She needed another taste of him. She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

Nick pulled her closer and lightly touched her lips with his tongue. She immediately opened her mouth, letting him deepen the kiss. It was so much better with the tingles. Her thoughts drifted back to the other morning when they'd kissed. He'd had his hands all over her then, though now he just touched her face and her arm.

His touch had been amazing though. She'd enjoyed every second of it, and the fact that she would get to experience it again excited her.

Nick was thoroughly enjoying these moments with her. He really hadn't expected to be kissing her again so soon, but she'd initiated it and he'd take whatever he could get from her.

He wanted more, wanted to pull her on his lap and bury himself deep inside her, but he needed to wait. He'd be patient for as long as he needed to be. But she tasted amazing.

He finally broke off the kiss and looked at her. She gazed up at him, her lips parted. He could easily see her desire for him in her eyes, but he wouldn't take advantage of it, no matter how tempting she was. "We should head back."

She bit her lip but nodded and stood. Nick stood as well, and took her hand in his and they began the walk back. He felt a bit elated as if they'd crossed another barrier. She was freely kissing him. He'd let her initiate it both times because she was the one who'd been through a disaster of a mating. Nick was ready to go all in. If he could, he'd mate her and mark her tonight. Or last night. But he'd wait.