Midnight With My Alpha Mate

Chapter 23 part 1 Lake Party

My training sessions continued for the full week, as scheduled, and slowly the Blue Moon pack members learned to trust the process and their complaints stopped. After a long week of training, Sunday, warm and full of sunshine, lead for a day of rest and relaxation. I hadn't talked to Payton for a few days; I mostly only said please and thank you if absolutely necessary when we met in the kitchen for meals or if he opened a door for me. Otherwise I stayed away from him so as to not tempt myself back into his arms. I knew he was angry with me and I wanted to give him time to cool off and realize his problems. Rowan had opened my eyes a little that first night back at Blue Moon: I deserve better.

 Rowan, Emily, Chase, the twins, Kyle and I all decided to head out to the lake that Sunday for a day of fun. Not many people went to the lake in the Blue Moon territory, considering its presence wasn't common knowledge. Most just thought it was the neighboring pack's land and left it alone, but me being the betas' daughter, I knew it existed and that it fell under our territory. Every summer rowan and I would swim in the lake all day until late at night and camp out under the stars. Now, with my new pack and new friends, we were going to have a blast. As my alarm went off I sat up in bed and rubbed my eyes tiredly; I'd been having nightmares again now that I no longer slept safely with payton at night. I sighed but smiled to myself as the sunlight poured through a crack in the curtains. Sunday was supposed to be all about having fun with my friends, not remembering the past. I smiled brighter at this fact and shot out of my small bed to push open my window beside my bed. I inhaled the warm, pollen-filled air, and smile. Today will be therapeutic.

I made my bed quickly and pulled on the bikini Emily had let me borrow. I looked at myself in the mirror above the sink in the bathroom and excitement bubbles in my chest as I stare at my bikini. Emily had slipped the small cloths to me the night before and I had been grateful for her forethought. I turned in the mirror, taking in its burgundy color as I tied the ties around my neck, a pretty white pattern on the top adding a hint of beauty to the simple design. It hugged my body well and gave me the perfect outline of my slim figure. I winked at myself in the mirror and giggled as I grab my bag with my towel and clothes in it. I pulled on a small sundress over my bikini and pull my long, thick hair into a tight ponytail on my head. I slid on my black sunglasses and a pair of sandals before heading outside to the group awaiting my arrival at the front doors of the pack house. I smiled at my friends and we all started our travel through the thick forest behind the pack house. Alec thought it would be funny to throw a spider at Emily, and I think I was the only one besides the twins to laugh when she shrieked at the eight-legged creature. I, of course, stopped laughing when Emily shot me a hot, angry glare after calming herself. After Chase ran down the final stretch of the trail after Alec and threw him into the lake, the party really started. Erin tried to throw Chase into the water to avenge his twin, but Chase and Erin just ended up falling into the murky water together during the struggle. Kyle and I just stood on the old dock laughing at the boys. I shoved Kyle into the cold water unexpectedly and laughed louder as he shrieked and tried to save himself from the inevitable by grabbing the air in front of his body.

"Y-Your haha your f-face!" I laughed and dodged some splashes as well as Erin's shouted profanity.

I started to make faces at the soaked wolves in the green water making fun of their misfortune. I stuck out my tongue and danced around on the dock. Suddenly, Emily climbs out of the sunlit, yet murky water, and shoved me into the freezing water below. I screamed out as she danced around while I plunged into the dark water. Chase soon grabbed his beautiful mate, and hugged her before picking her up, carrying her bridal style and jumping back into the water. My heart ached silently for a simple love like theirs. Maybe some people just weren't meant to have a companion, I thought to myself as I watched the couple kiss. I stared out across the dirty lake at the warming sun above the green trees. The most observant of us all, Kyle, came up behind me and stared at the sun too.

"Don't worry Kat. You'll figure it out. You always do." He murmured lowly and hugged me a little before swimming away, his blond head disappearing into the shadows of the murky water.

I shook away my doubts and went back to my playful friends who had begun a match of chicken. This day was for fun and relaxation, not thinking about what has happened, what will happen, or stupid alphas. I smiled at Rowan as she sat quietly on the dock and I prayed silently that she didn't feel left out. I swam over to the dock and pulled myself up onto the wooden surface next to her before giving her a small smile.

"Don't worry about me, the guys are plenty entertaining" she said quietly before laying down.

I grinned, "so you feel safe up here," I began to reach for her ankles, "all alone?"

Before she could reply, her eyes closed as her skin warmed with the kiss of the sun, I pulled her with me into the cold water and as she resurfaced she pushed me down again.

"Oh now you're in for it!" She shouted.