Hendrix ✓

50 ★ Picture of my past

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕃𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕤𝕖'𝕤 𝕋𝕒𝕝𝕖 - ℕ𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕖𝕝 𝕔𝕣𝕖𝕖𝕜

"I'll tell a story, paint you a picture of my past

Joy in this life seldom lasts"

Cedric POV

A relief like any other floods me when I pull into pack grounds on two wheels. The gate swings open, the road takes me closer and closer to the love of my life and the center of our safety.

I hated every moment spent away from her. It was pure torture. I'm sure she was fine, but I wasn't. I need her more than she ever needed me, and I'm slowly realizing that. Since finding out she's pregnant, I can't stand to be far away. It's hard to stop myself from considering what would happen if she went into labor while I was gone. What if I wasn't able to get back in time? What if something happened to her?

I pull up to the house, parking my motorcycle and climbing off in a hurry. I take the stairs three at a time up to the house, swinging open the front door and practically slamming it shut. I'm impatient to get to her. She's in this house, so close yet so far away.

What I'm greeted with is Klepto coming down the hallway. She walks towards the door, her eyes widening when she spots me standing in the entryway.

"Savannah said it's alright that I stay behind to watch Hendrix. I hope that's okay?" I nod, too tired to argue. It's Savannah's fault anyway, not hers. I just preferred one of my lycans in command to be here. Usually I'd have an issue with it, but I just want to see her. I don't even care right now.

"It's fine." I say, looking anxiously up the stairs where my mate is. I'm starved of seeing her, if I have to wait even another minute I might break something.

Klepto pulls her purse high onto her shoulder, smiling at me like she knows my predicament.

"So it's alright if I go ahead and leave?" She wonders, and I nod, hardly even listening to her. She laughs. "You're lucky, she's a great girl. You deserve her."

Klepto tries to walk out the front door, but I step in front of her, remembering that I need to ask her something. This isn't going to be easy.

"I need to talk to Ezra. Can you send him over to my office as soon as you get home?" I ask, and her eyebrows furrow while she stops in the doorway to look back at me. I can tell she wants to ask me what's wrong, she's very perceptive and knows that something isn't right, but she knows it's not my place to tell. Ezra will soon share it with her, and she will help carry the burden and comfort him. It's just the way mates are. They help each other from the darkest things.

She agrees, leaving the house quickly and leaving me in silence. I decide to bring my luggage up to my room, and to check on my mate.

I don't know if she's asleep, and I don't know if I want her to be or not. On one hand I'd love to talk to her, but I need to get dressed and meet Ezra as soon as possible. If Hendrix is awake, I may never get around to leaving. I'll just want to talk to her for hours.

Thankfully, she's fast asleep. I watch her as I grab some fresh clothes from the dresser. Her side rises and falls evenly, her eyes and lips twitching as she dreams of only Goddess knows what. I pull on a new shirt, irritated with the one I've been wearing of a day through travel. It stinks.

I had to take a plane to Maryland to go to all the necessary meetings at the Guard base. Airports are crowded and filled with annoying people. I'm so large that I need first class just to be able to fit my legs in the seat space, and even walking through the aisle is a struggle since I have to bend my neck at ridiculous angles to make it work.