Beautiful as You Are

Chapter 8 · Tip of The Iceberg

Lazarus's pov

Jumping into a defensive position over my mate, I growl lowly towards the rustle in the bushes. Out stepped a rabbit from the bushes, removing myself from over my mate. Seeing Reign was awake, I lick at cheeks nuzzling into her neck.

Nudging my head to the exit of the woods, we begin walking back to the pack house. Acknowledging passing pack members, I look to my right seeing Reign her eyes downcast as she walked a distance behind me. Pausing my movement I wait for her to catch up.

Finally making it inside, I begin nudging Reign to jog up to our room. With a few leaps, we made it inside our room. Closing the door behind us, I see Reign pick up hee bag before quickly going into the bathroom. Confused at her distant and cautious nature, I shift to my humanoid form going to the closed bathroom door. Knocking lightly, I hear small whimper following by the dropping of items. "Reign, are you okay? Your being kind of distant and I want to know why." I ask softly. "Y-Y-Yes I-I'm fine. I-I'm s-s-s-sorry." She said in a quivering stutter.

Walking away from the door, I slide on some dirty basketball shorts. "Can I have breakfast brought to my room in 10 minutes?" I mindlink a omega before the heavenly smell of honey and roses invades my nose. Turning to seeing my mate, her usually unrully hair combed and pulled into a bun atop her head. Her body adorned a long sleeve shirt, sweatpants with worn down slides.

"You look beautiful baby." I say just as there is a knock on the door. Answering I take the breakfast tray thanking the omega that brought it. Placing it on the deak I turn to Reign. "Reign you can help yourself to however much you like. I'm going to take a shower." I say softly as I move past her kissing her cheek noticing the slight flinch. Moving away from her, going into the bathroom. Removing the littls clothing I had on, I step in the shower feeling the hot water stream down my body. Washing myself throughly trying to rid my body of sweat and grime of yesterday.  Moving to my hair, I pour shampoo into massaging away the slight odor from my hair. Rinsing off completely, I exit the shower before drying off, drying my hair with a towel.

Wrapping a towel around my waist I exit the bathroom seeing Reign looking at her wrist. Frowning, I move to the dresser putting on a pair of boxers before rubbing in my lotion. Dressing simply in a white American Fighter t shirt with wrangler jean along with a pair of cowboy boots. Moving to the bed, I grab my mate's attention as I grab her wrist. Instantly she flinched from the contact and was trying to pull her arm away. Releasing her I sigh as I look at her worriedly.

"Why do you flinch away from me Reign? I am your mate. I won't hurt you ever." I sigh as I get up looking over to the breakfast tray seeing some of it was gone which sparked a small light of hope. "I-I'm sorry, i-i-if I-I...hurt y-yo-you. I-it is i-i-in-instant r-re-reaction." Reign said before she went quiet once again looking down at her hands.

Walking over to her, I grab her hands slowly in my own before lifting them to my lips pressing a kiss to the knuckles. "I see mate. I do understand that Akilles' and myself don't know the full extent of you pain but we are willing to listen." I say as I look at her,  gold meeting silver.

Receiving a nod, Reign looks away. Smiling lightly at her shy behavior, I lay a kiss to her forehead. Walking over the breakfast tray I begin to eat my fill. Hearing the light footsteps of my mate, I look up seeing her standing in front of me. "I am sorry about earlier...Lazarus. I have to adjust to such direct contact." She says as she sits in front of me.

I smile brightly at her as she had finally said my name. "It's okay. Now lets go shopping. Don't worry about the price. This is my treat." I say as I grab my keys and motioning her towards the door. Reign seemed worried before hesitantly nodding. Leaving our room, we exit the pack house in a slightly rushed manner. Deciding to take the 2019 Cadillac Escalade, I open Reign's door before jogging over to my own. Igniting the engine, I begin driving to the mall.

It was quite for a few minutes before Reign started talking.

"We were 10 y-years old Alpha decided I should to be practiced for the trackers. He f-forced Willow to shift. The forest was always littered with traps and I always seemed to get caught in one. T-t-they used me if I was a toy to practice on. I would always end up with broken bones or even fractures but A-alpha still forced me to do practice. When I refused to do practice Alp-Alpha would beat me with a silver whip." Reign said shakily and the horror of her storyy mase me go into a almost uncontrollable anger so bad I had to stop the car.

"They did what!? What pack...no what Alpha does that?" I growl shaking
the car with the trembles. Who can do such a thing to a little girl and at such a young age? And they smile like everything they did was okay.

"Lazarus..."

The sound of my name brought me out of my incriminating thought, turning to Reign I see the everlasting rage and pain swirling in her silver eyes.

"That is the tip of the iceberg but I would like to not talk about this for now." Reign said calmly thought I could hear the bubbling anger in her voice. Just as a growl left my lips, Reign grabbed my hand holding it in her own calming me immensely.

Sighing I kiss her knuckles before continuing the drive to mall. Soon parking, we exit the car. Placing a arm around her shoulder I pull Reign closer to me. "Stay close, I don't want to lose you in the crowd." I whisper to her getting a simple nod. I walk to the Nike store and directly to the clothes.

"Hello, my name is Wendy, do you guys need help with anything?" a employee asked looking respectively at both of us. "I don't know my shoe size." Reign said softly though I know the girl heard.

"No problem I have a tape measure with me....you are 8.5 in womens. Will that be all?" She asked. Nodding I walk Reign over to the endless women shoes. Reign hesitantly started lookinh at some but then put them back. "Reign I told you don't worry about the price. If we buy this store out ot will be okay." I say lightly handing her a pair of Air max 270 that she had put down. "But I don't want you to spend all you money on me." Reign said looking at the shoe. "No one is more deserving than you." I say. With a nod and a new resolve, Reign soon had several track suits and pair of shoes in her hand. Checking out momentarily, I pull Reign to a bathroom. "Go change I know you want to wear one of these outfits." I say handing her a bag and a pair of shoes. Reign smiled lighy before taking the itwm and going in the bathroom. Giving the rest to the omega, that I told to follow behind us to help with bag, I tell him to put them in the car.

Almost 5 minutes later, Reign stepped out in a sunflower printed track suit and white Nikes. The outfit hugged her curves showing them off along with her plump ass. I smirk as I look at her. "You look beautiful baby. Like a queen, my queen." I say as I hug her growling lightly as a group of male pass by staring at my mate. Once getting the message they quickly walk away.

Thats how the day went, us going to multiple store getting a outfit every every possible occasions. All in all a pretty nice day.