My little whirlwind clung to my hand, bringing a contented grin to my face. I watched my closest friends as they all looked so happy and together we left the little church in a good mood to go for some more food.
Since the sun really came out, we decided to take one of the tables outside at the small waffle shop and all ordered the same thing. Everyone got their warm waffle and while we boys ordered a coffee, the girls enjoyed their warm chocolate. Only Ethan ordered a whisky, whereupon Jo smiled at him and shook his head. He was really lucky to have found someone who accepted all his quirks.
It was nice that we were all sitting here together, because most of the time I was just out in the woods with the boys, and now and again in the Wialtrama. Unfortunately, I saw Jo and Chiara less and less because of the little ones, but I could imagine how exhausting it was for them to find time for something other than their offspring.
"How about it? We'll make a small fire at your cabin tonight and drink to this beautiful day," said Jayden, looking at me expectantly.
"Sure, we'll do that," I replied full of anticipation and looked over at Lou, who apparently didn't notice anything anymore, she was enjoying the waffle so much. Such a delightful sight that I couldn't tear myself away.
"So there we are out. But go ahead, I'll take care of the little ones," said Chiara and gave Darya a kiss on the slobbered cheek.
"Then I'll stay with you," Jo also joined her, whereupon Ethan put his arm around her.
"Then there's more for us."
He laughed and got a light slap on the thigh from Jo after she started giggling too.
"I'll be there too, see you then. I still have a few things to do."
Ludwig got up, said goodbye to us and disappeared across the small market square. I looked after him, lost in thought, until I noticed Lou's hand on mine.
"Did you like it?" I asked her, gently stroking my thumb over her cheek, which still had powdered sugar on it.
"Yes, thanks," she replied, then turned to join the girls in their conversation.
My gaze wandered over the market square, which was getting fuller and fuller due to the sun and between the familiar faces, I also saw several unknown ones.
"Who are they?" I asked Jayden, who immediately followed my gaze.
"As an alpha, shouldn't you know that?"
Ethan also heard my question and looked curiously at the faces, but there was also a big question mark written on his face.
"These are some from Darius... from the other pack," came Samuel, who suddenly appeared out of nowhere.
"Was the baptism nice?"
Although I still heard his question, I no longer paid any attention to him or listened to them. My gaze lingered on a guy glaring at me quite angrily. He looked like one of those guys who worked out every day, and I guess he liked to show it off, clad in a black tank top that showed his tattooed, toned arms.
I couldn't understand his aggressive gaze. Or maybe he was a relative of Darius and resented us for killing him.
"What's going on?" Lou asked me quietly and I immediately turned away from the guy and looked into my sweetie's eyes.
"Nothing, everything okay," I answered her and as soon as she smiled contentedly and looked at the others again, I risked another curious look, but the black-haired man seemed to have disappeared from the face of the earth.
"Well then, see you tonight."
The others got up from the table and headed home while Lou rested her head on my shoulder and took a deep breath.
"Shall we go home?" I asked her, stroking her soft hand.
"Yes," she breathed, and we made our way home again, holding hands.
"Who was that guy?" she then asked me as we walked into the forest. So she had noticed my stare after all.
"I have no Idea."
She looked at me thoughtfully for a moment and then turned her gaze back to the front of our hut.
"Shall we set up a fireplace?" She let go of my hand to stand in front of me and give me a questioning look.
"We can do it," I replied with a smile, but inside I was still scratching the question who the stranger was and somehow I had the feeling that it would be someone who would turn my life upside down.
Something was bothering him, I just didn't know what, but I still had to find out.
Together we gathered stones and then laid them in a circle before realizing in desperation that all the wood in the forest was unusable because of the rain that morning.
"Great!" I hissed annoyed while fighting my way through the undergrowth next to Chace and hurting myself on thorns again and again.
"Come here," he said immediately and pulled me by my hand to crouch in front of me.
"Was hast du vor?"
"Spring", lachte er und das ließ ich mir sicher nicht zweimal sagen. Gekonnt sprang ich auf seinen Rücken, schlängelte meine Beine um seine Hüfte und seufzte zufrieden als ich meinen Kopf auf seiner starken Schulter niederließ. Manchmal tat er mir wirklich leid, mich als Freundin zu haben. Er war so gutmütig und mit nichts aus der Ruhe zu bringen. Ich hingegen ein nervender, kleiner Zwerg an seiner Seite, aber dafür versuchte ich ihm auch immer wieder zu beweisen, wie sehr ich ihn liebte.
"I'll carry them home now Madame and then I'll get some wood from Rudi's cellar, okay?"
"Yes," I breathed, hanging on his back and closing my eyes. He was running fast and yet it felt like I was floating on a cloud. The smell of his hair mixed with that of the forest and the mixture brought a smile to my face.
Arriving at the hut, he carefully let me down and immediately turned to me to look deep into my eyes. The deep green made my heart beat in my throat and I immediately put my hand on his cheek and stood on tiptoe, eager for a kiss.
"Kiss me," I whispered demandingly, and he placed his hands on my hips, laying his soft lips passionately on mine.
I ran my hand through his hair, making him growl softly, but it made messing up his hair all the more fun.
"Lou," he whispered admonishingly into my mouth, but I didn't even think about breaking away from him.
I pulled him down closer to me, sucking on his lips and wrapping my arms around his neck. There was no escape for my darling, even when I broke his kiss and began kissing gently over the skin of his neck. I had my eyes closed and was listening to his breathing quickened by my caresses.
"The others will come soon," he whispered, and then unfortunately I became aware of it again. I dropped my toes, pulled my arms back and looked into his green eyes while he looked at me excitedly.
"You're my moon, Chace," I smiled at him and he immediately frowned with a grin that made me see his dimples again.
"Your moon?"
"Yes, my moon, which brings me light despite the darkness."
I stroked his cheek gently and then, smiling, walked past him into the house to put on something else in peace and to cool the drinks. As soon as I got into the bedroom, I unzipped my dress and let it fall down my body. A quick reach into our brown mirrored wardrobe and I pulled a black t-shirt from my darling over my head, which would certainly have passed as a dress on me, but I still put on comfortable brown pajama bottoms.
It wasn't long before someone knocked on the door and I didn't even have time to relax a little. I walked through the living room and noticed as I walked that none of our friends would actually knock.
"Yes?" I asked loudly, but no answer. I carefully opened the door, but no one was in front of it. Surprised, I looked around between the trees, but since it was getting darker, I could hardly see anything anyway.
I thought I was probably imagining it, but suddenly I saw a single rose at my feet and a small note next to it.
I looked around again, confused, then bent down to pick them up and shut the door behind me.
The rose looked beautiful and I quickly unfolded the enclosed note.
Our love will be our destiny A.
I must have read these lines ten times before I was sure that someone had gotten the wrong door.
I crumpled up the note with one hand and put it in my pocket while I simply put the beautiful rose on the coffee table and disappeared back into the bedroom to give myself a little rest.