That's gratitude not love.

"But why not?"

"Because we've been to just seven shops!" Ashlynn answered her in a duh tone and pointed to the next shop.

"No, you mean we've been to seven shops and skimmed through every item available there. Now, I am hungry, so food court!" Adeline pointed in the direction of the food court.

"Fine." Ashlynn let herself be dragged across the mall to the food court. "You're not even a wolf, how do you eat that much?" She muttered, knowing Adeline won't be able to hear her.

It was Tuesday and Wednesday was the game. Adeline laughed at how panicked Ashlynn looked when she realised that she hadn't bought any clothes for it and god forbid if she wore her old ones.

They bought two pizza slices each and two doughnuts for themselves. Finding a nice, clean table, they began eating.

"God, This has been long overdue," Ashlynn said. "I've been going out with Alexander so much, I forgot how good it feels shopping with a girl."

"Then why don't you?" Adele questioned her. If she wanted to go out then she should with whomever she wanted.

"It's complicated." Ashlynn sighed.

"Nothing is complicated when you have to talk about it. It's you who thinks that it is, otherwise, have you ever seen a math teacher telling you it's complicated? Nope. They could recite the solution if they wanted."

"I-" she hesitated. "Thing is I'm an orphan and orphans in any world aren't treated well. When I met him, it was love at first sight and then he asked me to move in. I mean, he gave me a new home."

Adeline nodded and commented, "That's gratitude."

"What?" Ashlynn couldn't understand that. 

"Well, what you talk of, is gratitude. You're thankful to him but that doesn't mean that you have to stick with him. You can go out if not every day then a few days." Adeline simply shrugged.

"That's nice. I think I can do that." Truth was, Ashlynn was an orphan and orphans were usually chosen as second chance mates or mated with those who had given up on finding the one and that was also done for the sake of mates and out of respect to the God who had created them. Simply being grateful.

Second chance mates weren't bad but it was like being with a heartbroken person, they could never forget the previous one. They were baggage.

Ashlynn was simply grateful to him because he was her mate and he kept her by his side. He also immediately asked her to move in with him and give her a loving family. She couldn't just ask him for more and she never did.

"Anyway," she cleared the table with Adeline and threw away everything. "What's next?"

Adeline rolled her eyes and groaned loudly, making her new friend laugh.

**********

"Hey," Ashlynn softly knocked on the door, effectively stealing her mate's attention.

"Hi! Come here." He immediately brightened as he held his arms out for her. Ashlynn happily walked into them, the warmth of her mate was an out of the world feeling.

"Xavier and Adeline are talking. They seem happier." She commented.

"I noticed," he didn't but since she said it, he'd just agree.

"I told you it would be nice if we introduced him to a human mate. Now, he understands everything better. He's taking it slow and the meditation is helping him calm his anger down."

"Someone's gloating." He teased poking her sides.

She laughed lightly, her chest vibrated. "Well, it was my idea." She sighed, she wanted to talk but didn't want to upset him.

"Hey, can we talk? I wanted to say- ask a few things."

"Sure, go ahead." Alexander could care less. Whatever she said was something he would immediately carry out.

"Just a second, then," she said, wiggling out of his arms. Moving to the foot of the bed, she sat there. Maintaining some distance.

"I wanted to talk to you about my feelings." 

"Wait what? You don't love me?" Alexander's expression visibly darkened at that.

She shook her head and explained, "I do but there's a feeling that surpasses that all. Gratitude. I feel that gratitude towards you for loving me and giving me a chance to being your mate and also, a family a loving family and sometimes that gratitude overpowers my love for you."

"Is that why you don't refuse me on anything? No- wait, You did not mate with me because of gratitude right?" Alexander felt something in his chest. The guilt that maybe he took advantage of her even though he didn't know when he should have.

"No! No!" She immediately denied, "I loved you, baby, that's why I agreed."

"Gratitude huh," this was difficult. What was he supposed to do here?

"How about I get you a studio apartment? You live on your own, sometimes I can stay over and in fact, you know what, you can work for yourself too. Pay for rent and groceries etc,"

"You mean become independent?" She was a bit confused. She was dependent on him completely so this would be nice step for her.

"Yes! Then you won't feel gratitude towards me anymore, you'll be working for yourself." He smiled, finally figuring out a way.

Ashlynn got up and threw herself into her arms. These were the moments where you knew that if your partner loved you or not and her's did. He sacrificed his primal needs to protect her and let her be free.

"I love you," she kissed his lips. "And I can never thank you enough for this."

"You don't have to," he returned the kiss, "just never walk away, mate."