HOLLOW

•TWENTY•

•Natalie's POV•
•

"You're not getting up?"

I shake my head, the soreness between my legs worse than before. "Why is that?" His lips formed into a smirk as he asked this. He knew exactly why. "Because." Even though we both knew the answer, I was embarrassed to admit it.

He let a chuckle run past his lips before he kissed my cheek. I felt chills spread all over my body. "Because of what?" I turned my head away from him to hide my blush and the smile that was about to break out on my face.

"You should know!" I could tell he was doing his best not to laugh. "Can you walk?" I cross my arms and sent a glare at him. He was having way to much fun with this.

"If I say no, will you stop asking me questions?" I question. He shrugs and leans back into the pillows. "It's going to cost you a little more." My eyes narrowed at him. His smug face was a little odd. "What do you-"

"The only payment we accept his kisses. That's going to cost you ten." So that was what the smug face was for. "Fine. Just stop asking questions." I leaned in and was about to place a kiss on his cheek when he stopped me. "Nope. On the lips." I rolled my eyes and leaned in to place a kiss on his full lips.

I doubt that anyone knew he had a side like this. All people saw was the stone wall he put up and not the playful side. "What's on your agenda today?" I ask him and he shrugs. "Just supervising the pack. You can come... if you can walk."

I didn't miss the challenging smile on his face. "I can walk." Accepting his challenge, I threw the covers off of myself. I swung my legs over the side of the bed, already feeling the pain.

I did my best to hide my wincing and hopped onto my feet. By now, my face was all scrunched up to try and help the soreness between my legs. I began waddling over to one of his many drawers to find my clothes.

"See, I can walk," I say. I find a pair of dark blue mom jeans and a plain long-sleeved shirt. I put them on as Athanasios watches me carefully. "I guess you can walk." He gets out of bed and puts his clothes on as well.

"So I'm guessing you have no excuse to not come with me." My jaw drops slightly realizing the situation I had gotten myself into.

_____

"You do this every day?" I question. He chuckles beside me and wraps a large arm around me. "Yes." We were outside watching people train. It had been quite interesting for the first thirty minutes but it was just boring now.

People were fighting in both human and wolf forms. "Don't you get bored with it?" I ask him. He shakes his head and pulls me in closer. "Nope. I don't think I'll ever get tired of it, just like you." My blush could no longer be blamed on the temperature.

"Hello!" I followed the small voice to a little girl who was lightly tugging on Athanasios' pant leg. She had black hair and green eyes. Her small coat looked adorable on her. "Hi." Athanasios bent down to pick up the small girl then returned to his natural height. "Where's your mom?" He asks. She just shrugs. My heart couldn't help but break at the sight. It was beyond cute.

"Pretty!" She points to me and I smile. Her parents must be happy to have her as a child. "Thank you." She sends me a heartbreaking smile. I couldn't help but wonder where her parents were.

As if the universe was reading my thoughts, a woman came running up to us. She had the same green eyes and black hair as if she and the girl were twins. She stopped in front of us and bowed her head. "Alpha, luna. I'm sorry if she caused you any trouble." She lifted her head to look at us. I quickly shook my head. "No! She was anything but that." I explain.