Stripped And Tainted | ✓

☾♕Chapter 35: Mark Tainted

Song: Frail Love by Cloves🎶

~ The true definition of soul mate is not someone who shares your soul it's someone who shares your heart but saying heart mate is just ridiculous ~

Chapter Thirty Five: Mark Tainted

The next eight months were spent preparing for the Alpha's Gala. Odes is now one and half years old, I love him even more than the first time I held him in my arms. He had his first steps that very day when we found out I wasn't marked by Banner anymore.

After a little make out session, we walked back to the house and there he was crawling when he saw as he sat up. I went to pick him up but Banner snaked his arms around my waist and pulled us a few steps behind like he just knew.

I watched as Odes struggled to get up by placing his hands on the ground and trying to lift his legs but all it looked like was him trying to do a push up but instead he stopped at swinging his little tushie in the air before sitting back down and trying again.

It was the cutest thing ever.

After a few hopeless tries he finally got to his feet, he stood while bending his legs as if testing out his knees. That would have done it for me but Banner never loosened his grip like he just knew that our little boy would come racing to us in a burst of giggles and laughter. Finally Banner let go and I picked him up swinging him around with tears of joy.

Banner joined us later, cuddling us in for a family hug and for the, a hundredth time that day my heart just burst in adoration and pure unconditional love for the tiny creature that is my son. His my gorgeously beautiful little prince.

Though he's one and half and most babies start talking at one, werewolf babies a bit earlier he still keeps his words to himself surviving by his giggles, laughs, mindless gibberish and lets his diaper do all the talking and believe me it talks a lot. Banner says Odes' keeping his first word to be something smart like Banner but we all know his a mama's boy.

Currently Lowie, Esme, Fazirya, Averi, Hannah, Tesoro, Nelda the female Alpha of White Shadow Pack and Lilac the Luna of the black hurricane pack who I'd come to be friends with out of attending the previous Alphas Galas were all in my room helping me glam up for the ceremony. Lilac and I knew each other from high school though.

I loved the Alphas Galas ever since the first time Banner and I went to the one hosted by the Shadow pack. All that seems like a distant memory now. It was always nice to get to see Lowie, Esme, Lilac and Nelda.

"The dress is here", Averi bounced in practically shaking with excitement. Hannah and Tesoro were keeping Odes Company while helping me get him ready as well since they both didn't do makeup related stuff.

Esme and Nelda were working on my hair as Lowie and did my makeup while Averi and Fazirya dealt with the dress. Though she's not really a girly girl Lowie's makeup expertise would put Kylie Jenner's glam squad six feet under.

"Remember when Banner made you think he was going to propose", Lowie said shamelessly reminding me of that moment the thought of marrying Banner still doesn't settle well with me. "The dress was gorgeous though", Esme said as she did the finishing touches on curling my hair.

"I wonder what happened to it", Lowie said as she applied blush to my cheeks. "Knowing Banner he probably left it in that hotel room", I said.

"Lucky", Lilac said as she, Fazirya and Averi hurled in the huge gold gown. "You're just glum because your mate did it the traditional way", I told her. Lilac was one of my friends in high school, she's a hopeless foodie and the day she found her mate. She disappeared!