Therapy for the Supernatural

21

Cheryl doesn't wait for him to join her before she goes in. She looks over the ingredients and to her delight finds that she has everything. She hasn't made the dessert since her parents died, but she still remembers how.

She starts taking out bowls and the food she'll need when she feels arms wrap around her. "Do I need to run to the store for you?" Eric asks holding her to him tight.

"Nope, everything is here. Want to help?" Cheryl asks out of politeness and is nonplussed when he agrees. 

"Okay, mix these two things together while I work on the other part." The two work amicably together. Once the dessert in in the pan and left to chill in the fridge Cheryl turns to Eric and thanks him. But before she can say anything she finds her mouth occupied by Eric's.

Eric breaks off his kiss, "Who has a better body than me?" Eric demands even as Cheryl is still reeling from the kiss.

Cheryl smirks. "I don't kiss and tell." She knows that he'll take it that she kissed the person that has the better body, but she means she doesn't kiss Eric and tell him her secrets. She also knows it's going to drive him crazy not knowing.

"You should shower," Cheryl says wrinkling her nose up as if she smells something bad. She doesn't. She loves his scent.

Eric picks her up and carries her with him, "You should join me."

Cheryl squeals out, "If I showered now it would take me forever to deal with my hair. We'll be late for the celebration." The lighting of the bonfire is the opening of the celebration. It is also when Matt will be announcing Shelly as the new Luna. She will be expected to be there for Shelly.

Eric sets her down. "I will get you back later, that's a promise." Eric growls that out.

"It better be." Cheryl doesn't know where that even came from.

'What the hell was that?'

'Just having some fun with our mate.'

'Oh, Eric is back to being our mate is he?'

'Yes, but not his wolf.'

'Can't have one without the other.'

This time when her wolf answers there's a definite purr in her voice. 'I know.'

'You figured something out, haven't you?'

'A possibility only. It will be up to the big bad wolf whether or not he accepts it. Once he accepts then it will be permanent. There will be no chance of him cheating on us again. Not without it hurting him as well.' Oh, there is a definite purr in her voice.

'I thought only felines could purr,' Cheryl tells her wolf. Her wolf only laughs at her.

'When are you going to tell him?'

'Not sure yet, tonight probably. If Eric continues like this it had better be tonight.'

Now Cheryl is more than a little leery, 'Why tonight?'

'We'll need a full moon. Don't worry, it's nothing bad and won't hurt the wolf or Eric. Well it might hurt some pride, but then I guess it will come down to how bad they want something.'

'Want what?'

'Us.' After that her wolf wouldn't talk to her and Cheryl gets ready to go. She doesn't know why, but she has a very nervous feeling in her gut. She just hopes that things don't go sideways tonight. She doesn't want her friend hurt anymore by wolves.

A bit later Eric knocks on her door, "Are you ready?"

Cheryl isn't wearing anything fancy, just some nice jeans and a nice blouse, but for some reason it makes Eric's mouth go dry.

Cheryl looks over to Eric and gives him a smile, "Yep, just need to put this on." Eric comes up behind her and takes the necklace and puts it on her.

"You're so beautiful. Be mine?" Eric hadn't meant to ask her like that. He'd been rehearsing all while getting dressed. But it just slipped out.

Cheryl freezes like when he called her love. "Just what do you mean by that?"

"I mean, let me mark you as my mate. Be mine forever."

"Like you were with the other girls?"

"I asked them to be my girlfriend but never my mate." Eric holds her eyes in the mirror.

"I don't know, Eric, three years ago you were with someone new at least once a week. Now you are asking me to be with you forever." Cheryl doesn't know what to say. She can't accept without her wolf's approval. "My wolf still doesn't like yours."

"I know. I'm hoping that you agreeing will give me the time for my wolf to gain your wolf's approval."

"I won't agree without her okay. Once I agree I know you won't wait to mark me." Male wolves don't like waiting to mark their mates. Unless they don't  want them which is what happened three years ago.

"I messed up three years ago, I don't want to do that again. I'll wait for your answer. Please tell your wolf that it's not nice to make others wait."

"Nor is it nice to be late, we're going to be late and I know Matt wants me there before the announcement."

Eric nods and backs up a bit so that she can get by. They grab the dessert and walk the short distance to where the bonfire will be. They drop off their dessert and then they make their way to the stage and wait. 

Cheryl ignores the murmurings of the various pack members. She knew that showing up with Eric would do that. If she had come alone no one would have noticed her. But everyone notices Eric. Many of them will remember the very memorable public announcement she made three years ago on that very stage.

"I'm going to be sick." Cheryl says just loud enough for Eric to hear.

"No, you're not. You're going to be just fine. Ignore them, they've ignored you for nineteen years." Eric nuzzles her neck and she angles her head so that he has better access to it.

"Eric, you coming over tonight?" One of the single pack females says completely ignoring Cheryl.

"Nope, I already have plans, Brandy."

"With Cheryl?" Brandy's voice goes up an octave and brings the attention of several pack members.

"Yes, actually, I do have plans with Cheryl. I haven't had any plans with you for years. I don't know why you'd think tonight would be any different." Eric is brutal with his words but his eyes flash fire. He doesn't need any of his ex flames causing him problems tonight. Not when he's so close to getting back his mate.

"You have plans with Miss Goody-two shoes?" Brandy just can't wrap her mind around that idea.

Cheryl just raises her eyebrow.

"When you're done with her come find me and we'll have some real fun." Brandy says dismissively looking Cheryl over.

Brandy is only three years older than Cheryl but she looks nearly a decade older. "What the hell happened to her?"

Eric shrugs his shoulders and goes back to nuzzling Cheryl's neck. He rather enjoys doing that. "Discontent and dissatisfaction. Hatred and jealousy. Her mate rejected her when he found out just how much of a slut she is. He was from a pack in a neighboring city. Since then he found a nice little wolf and they are quite happy together. Brandy on the other hand keeps trying to steal other peoples wolves. She can't seem to accept that no one wants her.

"I'd say used goods, but I'm hoping that's not true. I'm hoping you'll take me, even though I'm used goods."

"We'll see."

Just then Matt comes out holding Shelly's hand. People hush as they see their next alpha. Then the talking starts back up again with excitement. Has their alpha finally found their luna?