Last of her Pack

Chapter 3

"Walk with pride Heather. They will always be with you, and if it pleases you, I will allow you to come back here for one week a month. This is still your home, I won't permanently take you away from it when you've only just returned." Mateo spoke lowly to me. So I did as Mateo told me. I looked up, stood up tall, and walked beside my new mate with a small air of confidence. But only one man knows that truly, I am walking with an air of nervousness, doubt and grief. And that man is no longer alive.

Mateo led me to a black 4x4 truck. It was black, and had the wagon attached to it. In the backseat of the truck sat my grandpa. He looked relaxed, more relaxed than I have seen him in a long time. Mateo opened the passenger door and helped me climb inside. I don't remember ever riding in a vehicle, as it was a long time ago.

Mateo climbed into the drivers seat, and sped away from Eridanus land. I stared out the window, watching the trees and fields go by. I then turned to look at my gramps, he was fast asleep in the back, snoring softly. I smile softly at him, before turning back to the front. I look at the clock, noticing it's 6:30 in the evening.

Glancing over at Mateo, I noticed how he only drove with one hand, his left, while is right was resting on the center seat console. I also noticed that before he got in the truck, he took off the suit jacket he had one when he took me as his mate. He was wearing the same black shirt, and it clung to his body tightly, like any wrong move and it would burst off. He had on a pair of black suit pants that clung to him like his shirt did. His wispy locks of caramel were slightly slicked back with hair product, and he had a small tattoo behind his right ear, that ran down his neck slightly. It read 'At Peace'. As I was getting a sense of how he looked, he spoke to me in his gruff honey voice. 

"I noticed you had a tattoo on your back during the obstacle course. What does it mean to you?" I looked at him stunned. So he was checking me out at the trials. I thought nobody was watching me.  I said to myself mentally.  

"Um, well... The tattoo on my back is of a jeweled sun in red and yellow. You see, I remember my uncle Rusty always calling me sunset. And when my gramps and I still lived on Eridanus land, we would watch My Little Pony. One character was called Sunset Shimmer, and I resonated with her a lot." I took a breath before continuing. "My tattoo doesn't really have a meaning, its more of a memory of simpler times." I answered. He just grunted in response. 

"What's the reason for the swan pin in your hair?" Mateo asked. I touched the pin attached to my hair, before gently taking out. 

"Oh this, I'm not sure. My gramps only gave it to me today." I responded. I then turned the pin over to look at the back. In small script it said "In time, the swan will fly to her king." I didn't realize I had read it out loud until Mateo spoke. "What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I just shrugged my shoulders in response before placing the pin back in my hair. 

The rest of the ride back to Mateo's land was quiet. So quiet that I ended up falling asleep, only to be re-awoken when the truck came to a hard stop. I looked over at Mateo to only then notice that he had parked the truck and shut it off. He was helping my grandfather out of the truck, and into a smaller house, right beside a huge one. I looked to the clock before it shut off and it read that it was 9:35 at night. I groaned, realizing I hadn't eaten since this morning. 

I then looked to the huge house in front of me. It was white on the outside, with a black roof, and Greek style pillars running from the roof to the porch. The porch was large, with white lattice and white fencing, while the boards were grey in color. On the porch was swing and two chairs on either side of a small table. The front door was black to match the roof, and the bay windows had black borders. It honestly looked cozy with the exterior. 

As I was admiring the house from inside the truck, my door was flung open. I looked to the side, and there stood a tired Mateo. He offered a hand to me, to help me climb out. I took his hand without complaint, carefully climbing out of the tall vehicle. Mateo then lead me into the house. What shocked me when we stepped through the front door, was the rustic feel of the inside. The complete opposite of the outside. Mateo then lead me to the kitchen, placing me on a rustic bar stool at the island. 

He went into the fridge and pulled out leftover ham. He placed two pieces on a plate for me and three for himself, before placing the ham back in the fridge. He gave me my plate of ham, each with a piece of bread. I placed both pieces of ham on one piece of bread, before placing the other piece of bread on top. I ate the ham sandwich after saying thank you to Mateo. I basically swallowed the sandwich in one fell swoop, because I was starving. 

Mateo looked at me with those curious jade eyes again, while finishing up his sandwich. He then took my plate and his to the sink. He placed them in the sink gently, before turning back to me. "Before we go to bed, I need to set a few things straight with you." He said. I nodded at him to continue. 

"In my pack everyone but the elderly, children between the ages of infant to 13 and the Luna, do not work. You may visit me in my office when you like, but not during meetings. In the presents of others, except your grandfather and our betas, you will address me as Alpha and I will address you as Luna. There is a garden in the back that you may work in if you are bored around the house. You and I will share in the duties of cooking meals. Finally, I will not pressure you to mate with me until you are ready, but I can not promise that I will not wait until then to mark you as mine." Mateo rumbled out softly. I replied with a simple nod of my head, before yawning.

"Lets head to bed." Mateo stated. He came around the island, picking me up like a bride, before ascending the stairs that were beside the pantry. He carried me to the room we would be sleeping in together. The king sized bed had white sheets on it, while the comforter on the bed was a deep blue. On either side of the room was a dresser for both of us. With one dresser there was a simple white vanity with hair brushes and other supplies. Beside the lone dresser was a door that either went to the bathroom or the closet. 

"Your dresser is stocked with clothes, and what ever other items you had with you. The beta female filled it for you. The bathroom is beside my dresser, and the walk in closet where our formal wear is, is one either side of our bed." Mateo said while placing me down on the bed softly. He knelt down, taking off my heels, before placing them at the end of the bed. He then handed me one of his black shirts and a pair of soft white pajama shorts. I got up from the bed, heading into the bathroom. I didn't really look around as I was to focused on doing my business and getting changed. I carefully folded my shirt and bra, placing them on the counter, while I put my leggings in the laundry basket. I then proceeded to walk out of the bathroom, only to be met with a shirtless Mateo sitting on the bed, in nothing but a pair of white pajama pants. 

He gestured me over with a quick flick of his hand. I followed the gesture, sitting beside him on the soft bed. Mateo reached up, taking the pin out of my hair, and setting it on his bedside table. Then, he took the hair tie out of my hair, before undoing the braid. Suddenly I felt the bed dip behind me and I stiffened. But once I felt a comb going through my hair I relaxed. Mateo chuckled at my actions. 

"Don't worry Heather, I won't hurt you." There was a pause in his actions as he thought of what to say next. "I-I hope you learn to like it here Heather. I know I'm probably not the one you hoped for, but after your display of confidence, strength and intelligence today, I just knew you were the one I had been looking for these past five years." He mumbled as he finished brushing my hair, only to tie it in a pony tail. I turned to face him, looking into his eyes. 

"I hope I learn to like it here to Mateo. And thank you, really, for taking my grandfather in as well. You may have earned a bit of his respect back after your atrocious display of high and mightiness. " I said with a small giggle. That only earned me a glare from Mateo. I stifled a yawn as Mateo lightly picked me up before placing me under the covers with him. Once my head hit the soft pillow on the bed, I let my body give into the fatigue. 

I relaxed completely fading into the darkness of sleep. But before I was fully out like a light, I felt an arm gently drape over my stomach and a soft kiss be placed on my neck, before a goodnight was sounded throughout the quiet room. Sleep then fully pulled me under its waves of darkness, and my surroundings dissolved into nothing.