CHAPTER 11

Liliana POV "Do we have to do the mating ritual now that I'm pregnant?" I found myself asking aloud. I knew it was due to perform the mating ceremony, but I was sure for a Lycan. I have been meaning to ask Nate, but he seems so busy and wonder what could be taking his whole time. He barely stays at home with me for an hour. It's not that I'm complaining, I miss him that's all. Maybe being a commander of their pack warriors must be a tough job that demands so much time from him. "Are you worried that Nate has forgotten about the ritual?" Lake replied as she turned another page of her novel. It was one of those novels Roman purchased from the bookshop back before I met Nate. I have read the story though. It was about a sailor and his long lost lover. She was nine months pregnant when they got separated by a ship wreck. He searched desperately to find her while trying to reminisce the memory of them before the unfortunate event. The ending wasn't those of fairy tales where you smile at the end. The sailor found his lover at last but she was dead. Hypothermia, but the little hope was the child held in her arms as she laid on the rift that drifted her to the place she was found. The sailor took their child and mourned his lover. I cringe when I tried to imagine the scenarios in my head. Unconsciously, I touched my belly. I'm in my second month and I was barely showing any bump. Sometimes I wonder if really I'm pregnant. "I just thought isn't it getting late? I know we do perform it a week after getting to know that we're mates." I said. She looked up at me with a smile. "That's werewolves. You're mated to a Lycan. Ours can be done whenever you're ready to. So don't worry." "Oh.." I nodded and took a sip of the camomile tea that was part of the pregnancy prescription that the pack doctor gave me. "Did you have a boyfriend when you were mate less?" Lake question made me choke on my tea. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I know the question was out of context." I shook my head. "No no, it's alright. i just wasn't expecting it and no one has ever asked me that." Not even your brother, but I didn't say it aloud. "I didn't really look into dating. I was a nerd kind of person. Though I had a crush from childhood until I met your brother." I carefully chose my words avoiding to mention that I was rejected by my crush who happened to be my mate "That's cute. Did he ever knew you were crushing on him. Your crush?" At this moment, she had dropped the novel on her laps and angled her body and attention to me. I smiled at her curiosity. "Well I don't think he knew because he never made a move on me. I was just crushing from afar and he did have a girlfriend who happened to be his mate. So I never got a chance with him." I breathed out. It seems as though I have been holding onto this breathe after he rejected me at the meeting. I never knew one day I would get to remember such painful moment of my life. She frowned at my last words. "He doesn't know what he missed. I'm glad you weren't fated with him as a mate, you wouldn't have been here with me. So honestly I'm happy it didn't happen." She gave me a big smile and picked up her book. I smiled and said nothing. Instead, I took another long sip of the tea and watched as the ducks paddle around the pond. I really have colonized this pond as mine because I spend almost all my day here while I wait for Nate to return. **** "It's late. Why are you guys still outside?" I heard someone say beside me. I felt a hand caress my hair and I felt a light kiss on my head. "Lilly fell asleep and I didn't want to disturb her. I was waiting until she wakes up." I think I heard Lake voice. I opened my eyes and tried to figure out my environment and the people beside me. "Pretty girl." His deep voice resounded in my ears. I looked up at him and then to the dark sky. It's already night time. I guess I fell asleep while sitting with Lake. "You're back. Where's Lake?" I said softly. "Right here. I'll leave you with him, see you tomorrow." She said and left. "Did you miss me pretty girl?" His voice creeped up my legs. "I didn't. You can see I stayed with Lake. Definitely didn't miss you." I said as I avoided his gaze and tried to pickup my things around to walk back to the cabin. He laughed. "Okay. But I missed you." I paused and spared him a glance for a second. Did he? "A lot. I'm sorry I haven't been with you for a while now." I shrugged. "Pack duties. I understand." He stayed silent and before I could understand what was happening, he carried me up in his arms and started walking towards our cabin. "Drop me right now. You're embarrassing me. I can walk on my own." I hit his chest but he didn't budge. When I kept hitting him, he looked down at me and frowned. "Stop hitting. It's painful and I'm not letting you walk on your own. So suck it up." I buried my face in his chest and screamed. He laughed, I could feel the vibration on his chest. His cologne wrapped my head and I felt dizzy. Not nauseousness but a hormonally dizzy where my body began to loose control. Before I could register what's going on, I raised my head and kissed his lips. He stopped abruptly. I didn't know what to say so, I deepened the kiss and this time he welcomed it with full force.