New Beginnings

Chapter XXIII

3rd Person P.O.V.

Waiting in the living room of the pack house was a middle-aged woman in a dark blue robe knitting a small scarff. Her face was devoid of wrinkles even at fifty-six years of age. She was sitting by the fireplace, rocking back and forth in a rocking chair, humming a tune she used to sing to her children and someday grandchild.

The woman was waiting up for her eldest son, awaiting his safe arrival. Even though he was an adult man and the alpha he was still her baby boy. She wasn't worried about him being safe. No, the thing she was waiting for was who her son would bring home. Call it motherly instinct but she knew that he was bringing someone, a special someone potentially, home.

She watched in silence as the front door opened, in walking her son and a beautiful young lady. She wanted to laugh as they snuck through, thinking they made it without being caught. "Where have you been, my boy?" she asked, causing the two kids' heads to snap in her direction, eyes widening in shock.

"M-mother?" the boy asked, looking at his mother in shock, not expecting her to be awake.

"Are you not going to introduce me to our guest?" his mother asked tauntingly, a smirk covering her features.

"Well, uh, it's late and we're tired so, maybe in the morning?" the male said, scratching the back of his neck nervously, not wanting to have to introduce his mate this late at night, especially to his mother.

"It's your fault you came home this late," she said, standing from her chair and putting her knitting needles down. "So, introduce us, James."

"Ugh, fine," James mumbled, turning to his mate. "Mom, this is Jackie, my mate, and this is my mother, Susan."

Jackie reached her hand out to shake Susan's but it was quickly dismissed when Susan came in for a hug. "Aww, it's so nice to finally meet you," James' mother spoke clearly, pulling away from her future daughter-in-law. "I can't wait to get to know you better."

"I look forward to getting to know you more, you seem like a wonderful woman," Jackie told her mate's mother, genuinely excited to get to know her.

"Okay, it's almost one in the morning, I think it's time to head to bed. Mom, it was good seeing you but, um, we're gonna go now," James cut in, ready to get out of this awkward situation. He grabbed his mate's hand, leading her up the stairs. "Goodnight, Mom."

"Goodnight, Sweetie. I expect to see you and your mate breakfast," his mother yelled, walking off to her bedroom to go to bed, not waiting for a response from her son.

"Gosh, that wasn't awkward at all," James mumbled sarcastically, opening his bedroom door and leading Jackie in.

Jackie laughed at the blush that covered her mate's cheeks. "Your mother seems really nice," she mumbled, walking over to his bed and sitting down on the bed, watching James walk over to his walk-in closet.

"She's amazing but overprotective sometimes," James mumbled, walking back in only a pair of gym shorts and a shirt in hand. "Here, you can sleep in this," he said, handing her his shirt.

"Thanks," she mumbled, taking the shirt and walking to a door, presumingly the bathroom. She stripped down, leaving her only in her undergarments before pulling the shirt over her head. It engulfed her muscular frame, reaching just below her mid-thigh. A small smile tugged at the corners of her lips at being covered in her mate's scent.

James watched his mate emerge from his bathroom in only his shirt. His eyes trailed down her body, scanning over her long legs, loving the way her body looked in his oversized shirt. A smirk played on his lips as he said slyly, "And here I thought you couldn't look any better."

Jackie felt heat rush up her neck and into her cheeks, looking away from her mate's intense gaze. "I think you're seeing things. You need sleep," she mumbled embarrassedly, lying down on the bed beside him.

"As long as it's with you then yes, I need sleep," he smirked, pulling her closer to his body and tangling their legs together.

"Good, 'cause I'm tired," Jackie said tiredly, relaxing in her mate's arms. "Goodnight, James."

"Goodnight, Beautiful."

________

The next morning, James woke up with his mate in his arms. This was the happiest day of his life. He loved the way his mate fit perfectly in his arms. He stared at his beautiful mate with love-filled eyes. He couldn't believe this was his. Every moment they spent together he loved and adored. He savored the feelings he felt around her.

He watched with a smile tugging on his lips as his mate sturred, snuggling closer to his chest. "Are you going to stare at me all morning or are we going to go eat breakfast?" he heard the woman in his arms mumble softly, eyes widening in shock not realizing she was awake.

"How long have you been awake?" James asked, smiling.

"A few minutes, I'm comfortable in your arms," his mate mumbled quietly. "But now I'm hungry."

A loud laugh left James' mouth when Jackie said she was hungry. He'd be lying if he said he wasn't either. "Let's go down and get breakfast. I'm sure my parents and brother are already down there," He laughed, lifting from the bed with his mate still clutching his chest.

"I don't want to get up," Jackie groaned, trying to push her mate back down to the bed.

"I thought you were hungry?" James asked jokingly, staring at his mate with a wide smile, continuing to laugh harder.

"Not enough to leave the comfort of this bed," she mumbled, burying her face in one of the many pillows.

"Come on," James said, picking his mate's limp body up and throwing her over his shoulder.

"No," Jackie screamed, still clutching the pillow to her face. "Put me down, James."

"Nope, I have a really good view from here anyway so there's no point," James smirked, slapping his mate's ass while walking to his closet.

"James," Jackie whined in exasperation, dropping her pillow and hitting James in the back.

"Relax, you need to get dressed," He laughed, putting his mate down and digging through drawers. When he was done he threw a pair of his boxers at Jackie saying, "Put these on," and walked out, pulling on a thin cotton blue shirt. Jackie pulled on the boxers before quickly following suit of her mate out the door and into the kitchen, smelling the delicious smell of food.