Becoming Beta (Completed)

Chapter 33

Zeke

I blinked. Once. Twice. Three times. "You're what?" I blurted. Valerie began to climb off of my lap, but I grabbed her thighs, forcing her not to move. "Sorry. I didn't mean it like that. That was the wrong thing to say. I was just shocked" I rambled.

She kept her hands to herself and avoided looking into my eyes. "You're shocked about your mate being in love with you?" she asked rhetorically. A scoff escaped her lips. "And I thought Sam was stupid" she muttered.

Chuckling, I shook my head in amusement. "I love you too" I said softly.

She still didn't look at me. "You're just saying that" she grumbled. She thought I was saying it because she did? I clicked my tongue and shook my head in disagreement. "Whatever, Jerk. I take it back" Valerie declared.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "You can't take it back" I told her. She ignored me and tried to get off of my lap again. Sighing, I picked her up and pinned her onto the bed. I straddled her waist, keeping my weight on my knees so she wouldn't suffocate. Even though my face was right in front of hers, she refused to look at me. "Valerie Jillian Peters" Her head snapped to me as she glared. However, her glare was forced. Tears were brimming her eyes. "Cariad" I mumbled, gently cradling her face. I attempted to kiss her, but she turned her head.

Sighing, I got off of her. She scrambled to sit against the headboard and continued to look away from me again. I took a deep breath before moving closer. I sat in front of her with my legs crossed over one another. "Cariad means love. I told you that. I've been in love with you before I even found out we were mates" I admitted. She finally looked up. At the sight of a tear running down her face, I frowned and moved our bodies so my legs were stretched out with her sitting on my thighs. She didn't try to move. "Valerie. I felt something for you when you shoved me and shouted in my face about Ashlyn getting hurt. I felt something for you when we went shopping at the mall; when we got in that fight; when you forgave me; when you moved into my bedroom. Before your birthday, I couldn't sleep without hearing your voice"

"Don't for a second doubt that I'm not in love with you. I'm crazy about you. I didn't think it was possible to feel this way. But I am unconditionally in love with you" I declared. She moved closer to me, so she could wrap her arms around my neck. I let out a breath of relief as my arms wove around her waist. "I love you, Valerie, so much- it drives me crazy"

She pressed a kiss to the side of my neck. I could feel her lips turn up in a smile. "I love you too, Jerk" she mumbled.

The door suddenly burst open. Kenny came running into the room and two seconds later, Sam showed up in the doorway. "Why is Valerie on-" Sam's eyes widened. "Oh!" he exclaimed, wiggling his eyebrows at us.

Valerie and I both rolled our eyes as she climbed off of my lap. "Sam is never watching Kenny alone" she decided. I nodded in agreement; Sam pouted but didn't object. "Hey, Kenny" Valerie lifted him onto the bed and sat him on her lap. "How was your day with Bubba?" she asked.

He grinned. "Cool! We ate cookies, and we went to the store to buy stuff" Kenny informed her. He started giggling. "We talked to girls" he continued to giggle.

My mate raised her eyebrows at me. Way to go Kenny. Thank you for that. I really needed her to know this. I thought as I stared at the kid. "There were two girls in the toy section. I just gave the little girl some cash, so she could buy a Wonder Woman" I explained. Valerie nodded her head, but with the look she was giving me, I knew we would be talking about it later. When she kills me, I want "The Circle of Life" to play at my funeral. It's the song from Lion King.

"Go take a bath, Kenny. I'll find you pajamas and I'll put them in the bathroom" Valerie told him. The kid nodded before going to the edge of the bed. Instead of climbing off, he jumped. "Kenny!" my mate shouted. He slowly turned around with his head down. "You do not jump off the bed! That's dangerous" she scolded him. He muttered an apology with a frown on his face. "Just don't do it again" Valerie said in a softer tone. She pressed a kiss to his head and ushered him into the bathroom.