Chapter 16: Ice Cream

(Cole's P.O.V.)

After leaving Penelope in my room, I headed towards my father's office. I'm not happy that I had to leave her but I was more upset that it was becasue of my uncle. I entered the office and saw my father and uncle waiting for me.

"What do you want?" I growled at my uncle.

"Oh a little birdy told me you have one of the wolves that belong to my side of the borders." He chuckled. "She belongs to the Sampson family."

"No!" I raised my voice at him. "She's with us now and she does not belong to the family that abandoned her."

"Hey, settle down. I told her family that she was alive and they broke down crying when they heard the news. They want her back."

"She's not going back!" I growled in anger.

"Cole, relax." My father tried to calm me down.

"No, he's not taking her away!"I was fuming at this point.

"You seem to care a lot about that mutt. Why is that?" My uncle smirked at me.

"How dare you! Don't you ever talk about my ma-"

"Cole! That's enough. Go grab us some waters and we will continue this conversation after some cooling down." My father demanded.

"Fine, but there's nothing to discuss." I huffed.

I walked into the kitchen running my hand through my hair.

"What's wrong?" I looked at Penelope, her panda eyes cooling my nerves.

"Oh, hey. I didn't see you." I walked up to her and hugged her. "My uncle is just being difficult."

"Sorry, I guess." She mumbled. Soo cute.

"It's fine." I checkled under my breath. I grabbed three cups from the cabinet behind her. "I got to go back in a sec."

I turned around and filled the cups with water, setting them down on the counter after each one was full.

"Here, let me help you carry those." She picked up one of the cups. Not with my uncle wanting to take her.

"No." I said sternly.

"What. I just want to help you. You only have two hands." She pouted at me.

"You were taking too long so we just came here." My uncle and father walked into the kitchen. My uncle looked at Penelope. "That's her."

I asserted myself infront of Penelope, blocking her from my uncle.

"Your daddy and mommy want you, Sweetheart." My uncle said as he tried to look around me and at Penny. I growled at him. "Don't you want your family back, Sweetheart."

"Stop calling her that!" I raised my voice at him.

"Now, Son. Relax, why don't we ask Penelope what she wants?" My father intervened. I looked back at Penelope, waiting for her response.

"They're not my family anymore." She grabbed my hand. "I want to stay here."

"But Sweetheart, they will be so devastated."My uncle tried to convince her.

"I said I'm staying." She was getting a little impatient. "How did you even know I was here in the first place?"

My uncle widened his eyes. I smirked, being proud of Penelope's confidence.

"Well, I sent some of my wolves here and they saw you."

"And what exactly were they sent here to do? And when were they here?" she stood beside me, obviously not happy about the mention of her family.

"Uh-" She was actually making my uncle nervous.

"Exactly, leave. Without me." She sent him a deathly glare then grabbed my hand, pulling me behind her. We ended up in my room again. She pushed me on my bed.

"Woe, already ready for round two?" I raised my eyebrow at her. "Not gonna lie you're really turning me on right now." I chuckled.

"No." She pouted, laying on my chest and closing her eyes. "Just snuggles."

I chuckled, enclosing her in my arms. I closed my eyes, enjoying our scents mixing. My peace didn't last long though. I heard the door creak open and giggling comercing. I opened my eyes slightly and saw Caroline and Allison. I really can't get one second of peace.

"What?" I looked at them, annoyed.

"Ya'll left your clothes in the bathroom." She pulled the clothes from behind her back and dropped them on the floor. Her and Allison giggled hysterically.

"Also, we're going to go get ice cream, Penny!" Allison butted in. Penny's head shot up.

"Really?!?" She got up and ran after the two other girls, who had started to run down the hallway. Still giggling like crazy ladies.

I groaned and got up to go with them. We walked to the ice cream stand and Caroline and Allison teased me and Penelope the whole way. Penny ordered chocolate just like she did last time; Caroline got strawberry and Allison got vanilla. Aren't they just the perfect trio? I didn't order anything because I don't like sweets. We sat down and they started to eat their ice cream. Allison and Caroline continued their shenanigans but Penny seemed distracted. I looked at where she was dazed off to. I saw a boy and a little girl playing with kites.

"You know, you guys should make some of those." I looked at Caroline in shock.

"Oh yeah, Penelope. You're always talking about how much you want to have kids." Allison followed Caroline. I felt waves wash over my lower body. I looked over at Penelope, who had covered her face in embarrassmnent.

"Guys, is that really necessary?" I rolled my eyes at them.

"Hell yeah, it is. You guys have to continue the alpha lineage." Caroline continued to tease us.

Penelope stood up and grabbed my hand.

"Let's go back." She sounded sad.

"Wait, Penelope. We're just playing around." Caroline tried to stop her.

We started to walk away and when we were far enough from Carline and Allsion's ear-reach, Penelope suddenly broke into tears. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders, comforting her.

"Hey, what's wrong?" I asked her.

"W-what if I'm not able to have babies?" I looked at her confused. "I-i'm scared that my body won't be able to support one." I looked at her balling eyes and her body.

"That's ridiculous. I mean when I first saw you, maybe but you have already gained so much weight and muscle. You would definitely be able to support a beautiful, healthy baby." She hugged me from the side.

"I just don't want to dissapoint you." She sobbed. I nudged her chin to look at me.

"You couldn't even if you tried." I looked at her stained cheeks and eyes glistening wet. "My mate could never disappoint me."

I placed my lips on her trembling ones and hugged her body close to mine. She's the most valuable person in my life and she will be until I die.

"Let's go home now." I held her hand and led her back to headquarters.

"Thank you." She squeezed my hand tightly.

"Anything for you."

"I'm sorry about avoiding you. I didn't know how to feel. I didn't know how you felt." She said in a sad tone.

"It's alright. I was being confusing because honestly I was confused. I only have one mate. I don't know how to act and I don't expect you to know how to act." I tried my best to be comforting towards her.

"Hey you're getting pretty good at this moody stuff." She teased me. I laughed at her mockery.

When we got back to headquarters, my mom was sitting in the living room. She looked at me and Penelope.

"It seems you guys are finally getting along again." She smiled.

"Yep." Penelope nodded her head and quickly dragged me to my room, closing the door once we arrived. I looked at her confused as she fiddled with her fingers.

"Yes?" I questioned her. She slowly backed me up, making me sit on the edge of my bed.

"Uhm, I know this is kinda soon but could we-" I cut her off.

"Yes, but only if you're sure ready. I mean I've been waiting for you to a-" She straddled her legs around me and sat on my lap.

"Yes, I'm ready." Her cheeks blushed.

"You know my dad taught me to wait until after the ceremony?"

"Wait, so no?" She looked at me wrapping her arms around my neck.

"Of course not! I don't listen to my dad anymore." I laughed at her. She hit my chest.

"Don't tease me! Didn't you hear Allison? I really do want kids soo bad."

"Aaaaw that's soo cute." I booped her nose.

"Cole, I'm serious." She looked me dead in the eyes.

"Well, you got it, Panda Eyes." I flipped her on her back.

"Haha Panda Eyes?"

"Yes, Ma'am."

I closed the gap between our lips before she could say anything else. I grinded my hips against hers so she would know how hard I was. I heard her whimper into my lips. Her hands trailed around my body, sending tingles through every inch of my body. And then the door opened. We should really remember to lock it. I looked back to see my mom with her arms crossed.

"I'm pretty sure you have to wait until after the ceremony." She looked serious but her stern face lightened and she laughed. "Just kidding! Me and your father didn't wait!"

"Uhm, do you need anything, Mom?" I looked at her, kind of weirded out. "You're kind of ruining the mood."

"Oh sorry. I was just going to say that dinner is gonna be ready at 8:00."

"Alright, thanks, Mom."

"Okay, you guys carry on." She ran out and closed the door.

I rolled my eyes and looked back at Penelope, who was clearly holding in her laughter.

"Now let's really get down to business." I smirked at her.

And…

~Morning~

When I woke up, I saw Penelope sitting on the edge of the bed. I chuckled under my breath.

"Need help?" My raspy morning voice escaped my lips.

"No." She said, sounding like she was pouting. I scooted next to her and wrapped my arm around her waist. "Don't touch me! I said I don't need your help!" She yelped at my touch.

"Haha Okay, fine. Then get up." I looked at her attentively. A few seconds went by.

"Ok, help me." She pouted. I hugged her from the side, as I nuzzled my nose in the crook of her neck. My eyes were slightly opened as I looked at the marking I left on her. I liked that she was mine. I pulled her scent through my nose.

"I love you." I whispered close to her.

"I love you too." She responded.

(Cole's Uncle's P.O.V.)

I was infuriated on the way back to my pack. It was confirmed that she was his mate and he would not let anyone near her. Not to mention she was a complete and utter brat. That stuff I said about her family; not true. And I'm quite glad about that too because she doesn't deserve to be missed. Heck, she doesn't deserve to be mated into an alpha bloodline. I need to separate them at all costs. Without a mate, Cole will be too distressed to lead a pack as a mighty alpha. He will be weak and incomplete. I will hunt his mate. Soon the Promise Pack will meet its demise. It will be rightfully mine, again. I walked down the hall of my prison, stopping infront of a cell.

"And you'r gonna help me, aren't you?" I tickled the striped beasts under-chin.

(Cole's Dad's P.O.V.)

I sat at my desk, thinking about what had happened earlier. Cole has never boiled up so quickly before. The way his eyes glowed in anger while protecting Penelope, was like I've never seen before. I don't know how to feel about it. I didn't want them to be mated but their connection is undeniable. I wanted a pure and perfect bloodline. Although Penelope didn't provide that, she was strong and had resilience. She would make a great Luna to stand by his side in leading the pack. They will make a great team. I just need to accept the fact my terms of genetics won't be met. I'm curious as to why my brother had such interest in Penelope though. What was she to him? I almost knew for a fact that her family wouldn't want her back just by the way they threw her out when she was younger. Why did he lie? Did he know they were mated? He was trying to separate him from his mate. How did he know?

~Flashback~

I heard word of a breach of one of our borders. I immediately headed towards the situation. I stopped to analyse for a few seconds. One of the invaders spoke to Cole, who was standing by Penelope. What was he doing out here?

"Who's this? Your mate? She looks like a street dog! Might as well take both of you pathetic fur balls!" He cackled.

~Present~

My brother sent the breach to spy on us. He plans to overthrow us. I see you brother but you can't touch my family. I snarled under my breath. He is cruel to want to separate a pair of mates just for his own gain of power. That's why we didn't allow him to lead as intended. You won't win this war, brother.