Unworthy

CHAPTER EIGHT

Michael's POV 

After the gasps, there is silence, then applause that grows gradually till it becomes loud. The applause feels restrained, the shock is still evident, some pack members give forced smiles obviously trying to please me. The genuine smiles are few and far between, I feel disappointed but I guess I should have expected it, but my pack can wait, right now I need to deal with my seething mate standing next to me.
"you are all dismissed" I announce and the crowd quickly disperses, leaving only me, my mate, Chris, Mellissa, Dante, my mates son and mother.
"Welcome to the pack Luna, my name is Chris and I am the Beta of the pack" Chris says, she gives a friendly smile.

"Thank you Chris" she replies.
"Welcome to the pack Luna, remember me? we met earlier and I would like to introduce you to my mate Dante"
"Yes Mellissa and Nice to meet you Dante" Kathy grabs a hold of Dante's hand, giving it a gentle shake.
Enough pleasantries for now, Kathy and I need to talk. I turn to Chris and Mellissa "Guys, Why don't you take Doris and Vincent inside, am sure dinner is being served "
"Yes Alpha" they turn to leave, leaving me with my mate.
"Michael I told you..."
"Not here Kathy, let's go to my house" she stares at me with her hardened eyes but does not say anything.
"Where are we going?" she asks as she follows me through the dirt path.
"to my house "
"You leave in the woods?"
"Yes, I built my own house, the pack house is too crowded. Besides I wanted somewhere private to enjoy my mate" I say as I stare into her beautiful brown eyes giving her a seductive smile while wiggling my eyebrows .
"Nooo, keep looking forward, there will be no enjoyment of any kind, at least not anytime soon"
"You deny your mate" I say with a pout, hand to my chest feigning hurt to try and lighten the mood.
"I am not denying you anything, and don't try to change the subject ".

Well that didn't work.
Soon we arrive at my house, I open the door and allow my mate inside, her eyes wander around the living room staring at the decor.

"Your house is beautiful " she says. The house has a rustic feel to it with natural wooden floors and stone walls .
"Thanks and it's our house" she nodes and turns her head away from me. she sits on the sofa in the centre of the living room .
"I had asked you not to make the announcement about us being mates today but you did it anyway, and I want to know why?" I guess she's not a beat around the bush sort of person.
"Because you are my mate, the pack had to know, I will not hide you, I know it will not be easy but neither of us can change this, we cannot be apart from each other, we cannot make ourselves miserable for the sake of other people's happiness. Yes, we are different from other conventional couples, yes you are older but that does not bother me" she sighs

"that's what you say now but what about the future" she stands from the sofa staring into my eyes with arms folded across her chest.
"What about my son? I will not be apart from him"
"You are family now, he is a part of you that makes him my family too, my son" she rubs her temple, running her hands over her face
"What happens when you want to start a family ? the pack will want an heir, I can't give you one, Vincent was born twelve years after Joseph and I had mated, you and I both know that I will not be able to conceive in a few years' time, we don't have twelve years!"
"Will cross that bridge when we get there Kathy, besides there are options"
"Options? You mean adoption, surrogacy? We are wolves, you are an Alpha, human options don't apply to us, you don't understand" she says in a high pitched voice.
"Enough Kathy! please let's just live in the present, worrying about what might or might not happen in the future is not helping, don't let the fear of the future blind you to what you have now, Me, your son, your mother, the pack" she scoffs

"the pack...I could feel the love radiating from them after you told them we are mates"
"all am asking is for you is to give us a chance . Let me make you happy" I plead as my left my hand knuckles caress her left cheek. She closes her eyes and reopens them, her eyes search my mine for any form of deception and she will find none.
"Okay"
"Okay?" She gives me a weak smile. I know that it is not easy for her, for either of us. I don't want to think of the future right now, I will never admit it to her but I am also afraid.
"Thank you. Now let's go get you and your son's bags, correction my son, you guys are moving in with me"