Moon Dancer - Hidden Wolf 1

Ares

I stare up at the ceiling from where I lay on the couch. The bare beams two stories up are symmetrical on either side, the pale brown wood textured with grain.

Grayson was upstairs, peacefully sleeping in Jagger's arms.

The pillow I had pulled over my chest and clutched in my hands did nothing to curb the need to hold my mate.

My gorgeous, perfect, amazing mate.

The mate I didn't deserve.

That mate that I was going to fight like hell for.

I would be happy in whatever way she would have me.

I didn't doubt that Ryker and Finn would get closer to her, and her existing bond with Jagger was unbreakable. I just didn't yet know if I would get to be as close to Gray as they would get.

Tossing the pillow as I sat up, I glanced toward Jagger's room. Honing my hearing, I listened closely to Gray's steady breathing. She slept like a baby. One relief of these past few days.

It was almost 2 in the afternoon, and we hadn't patrolled our territory yet.

Standing, I shake my arms out before silently walking to the kitchen.

Maybe making some breakfast for everyone will manifest hungry bellies when they wake up.

I throw my apron on over my t-shirt and sweatpants and get to work.

It wasn't an apology, but rather a gesture. I wasn't good at talking and communicating, but I could at least show Gray that I wanted to cook for her. That this was one small way I could provide for her. I had only a glimpse of what Gray's life had looked like, but I know my from pack that there wasn't much in her fridge and cupboards. She had been relying on Larkin for survival. And he didn't give a shit about her. Goddess, she was half starved.

There were exactly three things I could offer Gray. My skill, my cooking, and my companionship.

My skill could really only be used in combat, it was too explosive to be utilized in other ways.

So other than protecting her, my skill wouldn't be of use.

But I could still do so much for her.

And I was going to start with making sure the little wolf never starved again.

I quickly made some pastry dough and mixed up some of Ryker's fresh veggies and eggs, stirring in some cheese. I stuck the quiche into the oven and while I let some sausage fry on a pan, I dunked some apple strudel bread I had made a couple days earlier into a mixture of eggs and vanilla. Setting the french toast on the griddle next to the sausage, I grabbed oranges out of the fridge and grabbed the juicer.

Once I was satisfied that breakfast would be to Gray's liking, I walked out of the kitchen and stripped my shirt off. Glancing in the direction of Jagger's room, I listened closely to Gray's breathing.

A soft smile spread across my face. She was sleeping soundly, her nose starting to twitch as the first smells of the fresh cooked breakfast reached her.

I nodded to myself for some reassurance, and then set off to patrol.

Usually we split up to patrol and each covered different sectors. But I could cover each sector by myself easy enough. It'd take a while but if it meant my pack could sleep in and enjoy a good breakfast... warmth radiated in my chest. I could do this.

I could keep myself in check.

I'd win over Grayson. I'd show her and my pack that I was capable of this. That I could be a mate.