MARKED | COMPLETED

Chapter 26

All I've ever wanted in life is to have a moment of peace. I wanted a moment where, for only a little while, I wasn't facing war.

Even for just a few seconds; just a little while where I could linger on the one good thing to happen today. Aisling and I were something, and I was so happy about that fact. But I wasn't allowed to have one second for myself.

We kissed, his arms weaving around my waist. My stomach fluttered in its usual war, more-so when his mouth slanted against mine, and that was all the precious time I had with him before Shaun came bounding back. That was essentially the moment when I realized that I wasn't allowed to have a moment of peace.

He spent a long while staring at us, looking back and forth between Aisling and me before shrugging.

"Which one needs the birds and the bees talk?"

Correction: that was how I knew I wouldn't be having a few minutes alone with him.

Aisling snorted beneath his breath. Reaching for my hand, he pulled me down the steps of the cabin. I couldn't help the creeping smile that wound up on my face. So this is what Mrs. Buckley felt every time Mr. Buckley held her hand? Aisling playfully shoved past Shaun.

"I expect that from Reece, not you."

Shaun offered that rare, who-knew-it-even-existed, broad grin. I could practically hear the finally in my head from him.

"That's his sister, you know." He scoffed. "You'll hear something a lot different."

I cringed. I didn't even tell Reece that Aisling and I had kissed. As far as Reece knew, I was still on that idea that I wouldn't tie myself down to anyone anytime soon. How was I going to explain this to him?

Of course, I already knew that I would get an earful naturally, but hearing it from Shaun made it sound so much worse.

I smirked, half-heartedly, at Aisling. "You really will."

"He'll have to wait." He chortled. "I have to tell everyone in our pack that we're going against the strongest pack at the moment."

Shaun gave a quick groan, his gaze flicking down before up. "You're not good with speaking to them, should I do it?"

"I'd like to think I know how to address my pack, thank you very much."

I keep on forgetting that Shaun and Aisling were more than just Alpha and Beta. That out of everyone in the pack, the only one who could truly question his authority without repercussions, was Shaun, and that he did it very often. Most importantly, Shaun liked to boss Aisling around and wasn't afraid to do so.

"I'm not saying you can't, but you're used to giving the Shifting speech."

"I can give more than one speech."

"Are you?"

I piped up, telling myself that, like all the last times they'd done this, it won't stop until someone stopped it for them. "I'll talk to them. Need I remind both of you that I lived with them for eighteen years."

Aisling gave me a quick smile, warmth washing over me like a thick veil before he squeezed my hand.

"She'll talk to them," he said, more reassured. "You should hear her speeches."

#

It never occurred to me until now that I'd never seen the full size of the pack before. Every had managed to pack the mess hall to the brim, with people sitting in chairs and cross-legged on table tops. The walls were lined, and kids managed to squeeze through the pathways as they ran up and down, filling the seemingly quiet room with laughter.