Within Their World

Sloan and Suzi Meet Again

James' POV

     'I don't get why this can't be me and Cody time. I demand my baby dammit.' As always Sloan is being overly dramatic when it comes to me and Cody going out together, always wanting an excuse to show our Mate off himself, the primal instinct always coming into play.

         'Didn't you just get a whole week with him? All I got was the mornings and lunch.' I ask him and he just huffs and flips his hair at me while I just roll my eyes. Since school let out last week and our house as started the process of being built, Sloan had all of last week to coo and spoil Cody and Jessie to his hearts desire, and though people say they shouldn't be jealous of their wolf, I definitely was.

So it feels good to have my hand back in Cody's as Sloan whines about the lack of attention.

My sweet bean tugs in my hand and I look down at him with a soft smile. "James, can we get Chinese food?" He asks me and I look up to see the food court ahead. I pull him in closer to home and give him a kiss on the forehead making him giggle before I give him his answer.

"Of course bean. I was just starting to get hungry too." I tell him and there's a bigger skip in his step as we make our way to the spot that has the best chinese cuisine in the city.

I order for Cody and I, my shy lover still not comfortable with strangers and once I pay, tucking the card Cody tries to give me in my pocket, I lead us to an empty table away from all the others so that he doesn't get overstimulated. We sit across each other and begin to eat our lunch as we chat happily, enjoying the summer time vibe, our first together in a long line of many.

"You know what I'll miss about school?" I ask Cody as he steals a piece of chicken from my plate that he doesn't think I notice.

"Gym?" He asks, titling his head adorably and I shake my head.

"No. I'll miss the freedom. I officially get the title as Alpha next month and the pack will be mine. That's a shit load of responsibility." I tell him, sharing a secret fear, scared that I won't be able to do it and my dad was right but Cody seems to read my mind as he smiles softly and places his small hand on mine.

"You're already a great Alpha. You'll be even better since you don't have to worry about school. And I'll be right there beside you....well probably hiding behind you, but you'll have my support." Cody tells me and some of the tension leaves my shoulders as I laugh along with his joke, the accuracy making it that much funnier.

        "And you're already a great Luna. The pack loves you." I tell him and it's the truth. Many people have come up to me after seeing him survive my dad, stand up to my mom, and come back from the kidnapping still fighting. Everyone forgets that even with how soft and shy my sweet bean is, that he's one of the strongest people you'll ever meet. And sometimes he just needs that reminder. And I'm proven right when he blushes and lowers his eyes in embarrassment at the praise.

        Once we finish our food, we clean off the table and put our trays where they belong before we're making our way out of the food court and towards a store Cody wanted to try but of course things can't be that easy.

        When I turn to my left, I see a familiar face, and though I try to turn my head in hopes that Sloan wasn't paying attention, I appear to be too late as my wolf immediately opens his mouth.

       'Not this knock off barbie bitch. Go slap her. She's useless without her power puddles.' He snarls but I kept us walking, hoping that if Suzi sees me, she'll keep to the unspoken rule we've always had and continue on her way, Sloan not here to entertain her snarky attitude. As we continue to near each other I try not to alert Cody but stiffening up and facing forward, but the odds don't seem to be in my favor as Suzi turns her head and sees the two of us just about to pass her.