HER: Novel by Nicole Maria Navarro

Proper Asking 13

My mark was pulsing. It felt like my heart was placed in the junction of my neck where Sebastian had finally claimed me as his. It wouldn't stop beating. The mark was still slightly red when I looked in the mirror this morning his wolf teeth left the mark of his two main canines along with soft light red bite marks.

I was cooking and I couldn't stop wincing when I moved the pans around the stove because my neck was sore. The egg on the pan crackled with the oil underneath it and the smell of syrup and bacon wafted the kitchen.

Baby noises came from upstairs and I immediately turned off the pan for the eggs and headed upstairs towards the baby room humming to myself a lullaby. The door to mine and Sebastian's room was ajar and his scent brought butterflies to my stomach. I walked into the baby room and saw Sebastian already had her in is his arms rocking her back and forth. I leaned on the entry of the door way and I watched them both gazing at each other.

"She's a sight for soar eyes don't ya think?"

Sebastian looks up towards me at the sound of my voice. His eyes then go straight to my newly healing mark and over my body as if checking to see for any injuries.

"Just like her mom." he says while glancing down at her and looking back up at me with a heart warming gleam in his eyes. The silence wasn't awkward in Thalia's baby room, it was warm and humble for what seemed like forever.

"Are you feeling okay?"

"Yea..yea I'm fine.. Just a little sore." A smirk appears on his tanned face and then it's fades as a little laugh comes out between my lips.

"I should get dressed. Actually we both should."

I lean off the doorway and look at him curiously then it hits me. The funeral of the little boy.

"Ye-..-yea I'll take her, there's breakfast downstairs." I stutter as he hands over Thalia and kisses me on the cheek before he steps out the door.

Tears of sadness could be heard loud and clear throughout the pack house as the child was now buried.

Sebastian was comforting the mother, Linda as she sat in the huge kitchen table sobbing her heart out. Linda wasn't that much older than me a 26-year-old mother who lost her mate two years ago and now a dead child.

The sun was starting to set as I looked out the window of Sebastian's old room with Thalia gurgling to herself as she played with her little fingers.

The door creaked open and I turned around towards the door and saw dark long hair and Addy's hand wrapped around the door knob with tears in her little eyes.

"Addy..are you ok-.." I was cut off short as she runs into me and wraps her arms around my legs and hiccups into my skin. My heart breaks at the sound of her sobbing as I pat her back and kneel down to her height.

"Oh sweet heart.. It's going to be okay It'll get better I promise."

"...he..he was my Fweind and we used to play so much together." she says while her fingers curl tight in a fist. I didn't know what to tell her as we just stand there quietly as she sobs in the silent room.

••••

Days past as the pack was now back into their regular routines and more trackers were scattered through out the perimeter of the land as were warriors.

Sebastian would not let us leave his sight and when I mean, not let us leave his sight. I really mean it. Not only was he by our sides through out the day he literally stood by the door when I needed to use the restroom and that's when I had enough of his worrying. Even if it was nice to have him around.

The initials of the C.M. Where still etched in my head they were letters that appeared everywhere I went. They wouldn't leave my head. The worst part is I knew who it was but I didn't have the guts to tell Sebastian. It was my duty as a Luna to protect the pack and I couldn't help but want to hide in a closet instead of help. Cole wanted Thalia and I couldn't let him take her. She would endure what I went through and I never wanted that for my child. She was everything I had left.

Sebastian was currently trying to get some answers on the rogue who crossed his lands but he hasn't found a lead since after the funeral of the little boy.

"Thalia come on sweetie you have to eat something." I say as I try another time to get her to eat the applesauce. As a response she flicks the spoon out of my hand so it hits the floor and goes for her baby bottle instead.

"Your being stubborn today." I say as I laugh at her smiling behind the bottle. The front door opens and in comes the scent of woods and pizza which makes my heart beat fast.

"I brought you girls some lunch." I hear Sebastian's deep voice as he enters the kitchen with two pizzas.

"You mean your mom made us the pizzas." I reach for them but as I do he lifts his arm higher so it's now out of my reach.

"Uh uh uh." he says pointing at his cheek. I give him a glare and reach up to grasp his neck with my hand and slightly skim my lips over his cheek.

"I'm happy you're home Seb but I would really like... If you could just..-" I take away the pizza from his hand but as I do both pizzas unbalance and fall half onto top of the island and the other half is now on the floor.

I cover my mouth with my right hand while Sebastian gasp at the sight of the fresh pizza now splattered on the counter and on the floor. An 'oh'  from the high chair and a bang is heard from Thalia pounding her baby cup against her baby chair.

"Oh yea you think that's funny little one?" Sebastian says playfully towards Thalia as her smile gets wider and wider. A not so lady like snort comes out from me and Sebastian turns around towards me with his arms crossed over his muscular chest.

"I can't believe you ruined the pizza." He wraps his arms around me and twirls me around before he sets me down on the island table with his arms on both sides of my thighs. My mind immediately goes hay wire at his closeness and how his eyes stare directly into my own.

"Me? You're the one that decided it would be a good idea to put it above your head but how can I repay you Mr. Carter..?" I say seductively.

His eyes go black as he grips the island table and his face comes closer and closer towards the junction of my neck where now you can barley see the two teeth marks.

Thalia screams. Loud. At the sound of her screaming I jump up and bump my head against Sebastian's chin.

"Oh my gosh, Seb, I'm so sorry are you okay?" I ask as I set my hand in his chest and he rubs his chin.

"I'm fine.. I'm fine I'm okay." he says with a smile and a wince. I turn back around towards Thalia and see her giggling, I slip off of the island table and head towards Thalia.

"No yelling my love, come here lets get you out of this thing." I pick her up and pull her out of the high chair as I turn around I can feel heat radiate around my body and I look up towards Sebastian's green eyes.

"Hey what's wrong you okay?"

"Yea Bella I told you I was fine I came here to ask you something. It was actually on the pizza." he says gazing at the mess on the ground.

"Okay what's up?" I ask curiously.

"You and me? A date? We need it. I need it." He says as a smirks appears on his lips.

"You mean, like you pick me up and I get all dolled up and pretty and we eat together like a couple..?"

"Yea.. Like that." he says as he grabs Thalia's finger.

"Yea...What time..?"I stutter.

"Tonight at seven."

"I..I don't have a babysitter for Thalia." I say hesitant

"I asked Violet and she's okay with it plus my mom will be helping her out because her fiancé is on patrol since what happened last week." He says twiddling his fingers with Thalia's.

"Okay then, yea lets do it."