At Long Last (OC x Natasha Romanoff)

Chapter 27

Alex's POV

The sound of kids shouting and the barn door opening, brought me back out of my head. I stood up and approached the gate of the pen I was in. Glancing down the aisle of the barn, I could see two little heads bouncing up and down as they tried to run towards me. Unconsciously, my tail started to wag in excitement. Once I saw Natasha it only started going faster, my tongue now hanging out of my mouth.

Artemis: "Mate! Mate! Mate!"

Alex: "Yes, it's mate. Now can you calm the hell down? I look like an actual dog right now."

Natasha introduced the kids to me. Their excitement clear as day as they said hi while bouncing up and down. My attention went back and forth between all of them. Next thing I knew Natasha was opening up the gate to let me out. I ran out and tackled the kids. They squealed and started laughing. I let them up and they quickly took off towards the barn door. I looked at them then back at Natasha and Laura before taking off after them.

I quickly caught up to the kids. Cooper held up a larger ball. I was about to lunge at it to take it from him when he turned and kicked it into the field. I chased after it and brought it back dropping it in between the two kids then backing up waiting for them to toss it again. I could hear Natasha and Laura talking on the porch of the house. Laura kept questioning if I was an actual wolf or if I was just an overgrown puppy in this state. As I was bringing the ball back I had to actually think about it, but this is the most fun I've had in years, so I didn't think too much about it at the time. After a few hours of playing with the kids, Clint came out and took the ball. I let out a small growl at him, before he held it up and moved it back and forth. My attention stayed on the ball, he gave me a smirk before turning and punting it further into the field. I looked at him and gave a smirk of my own before ducking under Lila so she was sitting on my back. She squealed and laughed, I quickly did the same with Cooper before taking off after the ball. The kids' laughter only grew louder and louder. Having the kids ride on my back reminds me of all the runs I used to take with my parents before the attack. I was often on my mothers back, but my father always scooped me up like that.

Alex: "Artemis, do you think we can make a life like this?"

Artemis: "What do you mean?"

Alex: "This is a loving family. Like the one we used to have. We were destined to lead the pack, but that's gone now. If we stayed here, do you think we would be ok? Do you think we could start over and make a family?"

Artemis: "We will never be able to forget what happened, but I don't think mom or dad would want us to live in fear. The fear of not knowing if those people will come back. I think they would want us to move on, but not back down if they ever did come back. You were only a kid when the attack happened, and I was only a pup. They kept us weak so we couldn't fight back. That's not the case anymore. We are getting stronger every day, and If they ever do come back, we'll kill them."

Alex: "I think it's time. No more hiding. No more staying in my comfort zone. We have stayed in our wolf form because that is what kept us safe for years. I have not felt this safe since before the attack."

I looked back at Natasha as we made eye contact. I nodded my head towards the barn. Walked over to the barn door and waited for her. Once she reached me, I led her into the stall I was staying in. I nipped at her sleeve, trying to signal that I needed clothes, but she didn't get the hint. I glanced over at the blanket I had been using and shifted.

Alex: "Can you get me some clothes then can you, me and Laura talk? Please."

Natasha: "Yeah, I'll be back in five minutes."

I waited for Natasha to come back, staying wrapped in my blanket. I kept getting lost in my head, asking myself if I'm really going to do this.

Artemis: "Don't psych yourself out. It's time, we need to do this."

When Natasha came back with clothes and Laura, I quickly changed so we could have this hard conversation.

Natasha: "You wanted to talk to us."

Alex: "I need to move forward. I have stayed in my wolf state because that is what I am comfortable in. It's what kept me safe for years in the hell hole. My wolf is the reason I was able to get out when I did. I don't want to keep hiding behind that state anymore. I want to move forward and to do that, I need to first tell you everything. Natasha, you know a large amount of what happened. Laura, I don't know what you know about me, but I imagine it isn't much. I feel it's more important for you to know about me now because Clint seems very much like his kids." Laura started laughing at that.

Laura: "Oh you have no idea. We will need to sit down and talk to him at some point, but if this is what you feel comfortable with now, then this is where we will start."

I went on to tell them my life story. I told them about my family and status before the attack and everything leading up to Natasha finding me in that cave, including about Artemis and our first time shifting.

Alex: "As you see, I've stayed in that form to help myself and keep me and Artemis safe. We don't want to continue to live in fear though. We want to move on and make a family with our mate." I looked at Natasha when I said mate. "Artemis and I know we will never have the family we had, we will never lead the pack like we were destined to, but we want to start over, start our own pack and recreate what we lost all those years ago. I think that's why I get along with the kids the way I do. I was just a kid when I was taken. I lost my childhood; they gave me a second chance at it. A chance I never thought I would get. If you let us, we would like to stay here. Be a part of a family again and try to move on from our past." Laura was in tears at my confession.

Laura: "Oh Honey, of course you can stay and be a part of our family. I have to warn you though, we are very dysfunctional, but I have a feeling you will fit right in. All I ask is to help keep us all safe, just like you would with your pack as an Alpha."

I lunged into Laura's arms, hugging her as tight as I could. I couldn't stop the tears that were now flowing out of my eyes.

As I sat back, I looked at Laura. She has no idea what her words meant to me. I nodded my head at her in a silent vow to keep my family, my pack, safe. No matter what. I looked back at Natasha; her eyes were also shining from unshed tears. I hugged her too. Sparks shooting throughout my body at the contact.

Laura had left us alone to talk.

Natasha: "Not to take this whole thing away from you, but we have survived hell. We have more in common than you think and then what I let on. I'm not ready to open up like you did, but know I understand, and if you need to talk, I'm here for you. I just have one question for you though. Why do I get all these for you? I've never felt like this before."

Alex: "What feelings?"

Natasha: "Like I'm drawn to you."

Alex: "That's because you are. We are Mates."