Meet me in the Emerald Forest

Chapter 7 Lukas

I would have skipped home if I wasn't afraid of who might have seen, I was that excited about my 30 minute interaction with Clementine.

For the first time since I met my mate, I was able to hold a conversation with her. I didn't think, even for one second, that it would feel this amazing to have been near her. Just seeing her smile, causing her to laugh, and watching her subtle facial expressions was enough to make every single struggle I've ever faced completely pale in comparison to not having her by my side for eternity.

Which meant that I was in deep shit because now I knew what it was like to have my mate's attention and there was no going back after that. Bastian was completely and totally irrational at this point, there was no containing him or talking him out of going after his mate. It was also safe to say that I was now right there with him. Clementine was mine and we were hers.

Garrick was right, she was a grown woman and boy has she grown. She knew what she wanted out of life and she wasn't going to let anyone, least of all me and the pack, stop her from achieving it. I didn't have to be afraid of stealing her freedom because I was pretty sure she would shoot me if I even tried. She could make her own choices now and I had to let her. It was time to come clean with my mate and let her make up her own mind about me and my world.

But, first, I had to make her fall in love with me and that would be the real challenge.

"Well don't you look jollier than an elf at Christmas time." Mateo, who had returned at the same time as Clementine, grinned at me when I entered the packhouse.

"I saw Josh and Jake at Clementine's house." I said and Mateo's eyes went wide.

"You were at Clementine's house?"

"I was with Clementine." I clarified and Mateo's eyes grew two more sizes.

"Tell me more, please." He sounded like a gossiping school girl.

"I was going for a run in the Emerald forest and stopped at the tree where we first met. She must've had the same idea after her road trip." I explained as we walked towards my office. By now, Garrick had joined us and was clinging to my every word.

"Yeah, her brother was really pissing her off." Mateo said, looking slightly scared as he thought about Clementine's anger.

"I noticed. Met him, too." I said, unlocking the door to my office.

"So...what does this mean?" Garrick sang with a stupid look on his face.

"It means you were right, okay?" I snapped at him, plopping down in the desk chair.

"I was right?" Garrick faked surprise, his hand fluttering dramatically to his heart.

"Yes, okay? God damn it, Garrick, do you have to look so smug?" I growled at him and he couldn't contain his laughter. He poured the three of us some whisky and handed out the glasses,

"So, your head has been effectively removed from your ass, then?" Garrick clarified and I gave him a look that said shut it or die.

"I want her, happy? I want her like I want air to breathe and walking away from her today nearly killed me. She's mine and I'm going to make sure she and the rest of the world knows it." I snarled, slamming the now empty whisky glass down on my desk.

Garrick and Mateo exchanged glances before they began pumping their fists into the air, cheering.

"Thank the Goddess!" Garrick shouted while Mateo conducted some sort of appalling happy dance.

"Please, please stop that." I begged, pinching the bridge of my nose.

"Not gonna stop until she's here. I am so tired of chasing that woman all over creation." Mateo groaned dramatically.