Carter's POV
Sloan was now in the kitchen, cooking away. We both cleaned ourselves up after our...encounter. Which was unexpected and fuck did I not love it. Maybe things were moving too fast but I disagree. It wasn't like we touched each other. Just some really heavy dry humping. Did that cause the best orgasm of my life? Fuck yes. So I can only imagine what it will feel like when we finally touch. And when I finally see.
And my goddess did I want to see.
I could feel just how big he was. He was long and thick and it turned me on even more. Part of me wondered if he was bigger than me. Probably. He was bigger than me in every other aspect and might as well be in this too.
I wasn't expecting to say his name as I came, but I did. It slipped out so effortlessly that I almost didn't realize that I did. But it felt right. And in that moment it didn't feel like I was being ripped apart, and it didn't feel like the world was going to crash down on me when I said it. Quite the opposite. I felt free and at peace. And I wanted Sloan to know that I felt good.
He made me feel good.
Now I was lying on the couch, never feeling so relaxed in my entire life. Cars were playing in the background but I was too busy on my phone. I was finally responding to everyone's messages. Mainly Turner and Ezra.
"Lightening, come eat," Sloan spoke and I immediately put the phone done and rose to my feet. Sloan could tell me to jump off a cliff and I would. But I just trusted him that much. It was scary. He had made our plates already and it was set out nicely on the dining table. He also lit candles and set out the fancy wine glasses and it was already filled.
'You made this fancy.' I signed to him and smiled. Sloan slowly started to blush at my comment and it made him look so fucking adorable. I went towards him and wrapped my arms around him. Burying my head into his big chest. I could get used to this.
I already am.
"I wanted to do something special for you. I know today was rough for you, so I wanted to end the night good for you."
Goddess, he was perfect.
'Thank you, tiger.' I signed as I leaned up and pressed a soft kiss on his cheek. Sloan being the gentlemen he is pulled the chair out for me and I sat down. He pushed the chair in and then sat across from me. The candlelight flickered and the soft glow hit his face.
"I spoke with my pops today, and he wanted to know if we were going on the trip this year. I told him probably not but I just wanted to ask."
We both began eating and as the flavor of authentic Italian food hit my tastebuds I remembered why I loved Slaon being around.
'Do you want to go? I'll be fine here.' I told him even though I knew I wouldn't be.
Those trips lasted a week, but I didn't want to seem clingy. But I am. I am clingy. And even just being away from each other for that short period today made me miss him like crazy. I can't imagine being away from him for a week.
"Carter. You know I can read you like a book." He smirked and leaned back in his chair. "Firstly, if I can't handle you being upstairs away from me for thirty minutes. No way in hell, would I last a week. Secondly, don't ever lie to me again."
I could feel the blush rise on my cheeks and I sat shocked. Sloan always knew when I was lying. He saw parts of me that no one else did. Even when we were kids. I should have known all this time he was my mate. I couldn't imagine being mates with anyone else.
"If you don't want to go on the trip. We aren't going." He emphasized on the web, and I saw in his eyes that he was serious. But Sloan was always serious when it came to me.
'I don't think it's right. There's a lot of conversations that need to be had before I can imagine going on a vacation like that again.' I told him truthfully.
"What happened, lightning? What did Rena and Dani say to you?"
Sloan was good at making sure to not pressure me, but I could see that his patience was wearing thin, not towards me, but towards my family. He was getting fed up with the way I kept getting hurt which in itself was strange to me. No one has ever cared for me as much as Sloan has in these past weeks. There wasn't a reluctance to tell Sloan about how I was feeling, but more so a reluctance to him seeing my fucked up life.
I didn't want to have our relationship be plagued with my bullshit which is why I kept most of it to myself. But any time I did share it wasn't out of anger towards me, but toward everyone else. He wanted to know so he knew who to protect me from.
So I sucked it up, and I told him. I told him everything.
About this curse, about how Crispin is my brother, about how Dieter picked my father over a relationship with me.
However, by the time I was done, nothing but pure rage poured out of Sloan. Not towards me. But towards my so-called family. I could see Loren was on the edge, wanting to come out and shift. I had a strange feeling if he did, he'd run nonstop back to our territory and kill them all. That shouldn't make me as happy as it does.
"Come here." His voice was dangerously low but I rose to my feet and walked to him. He pushed his chair back from the table and pulled me to sit on his lap. His hands went right to my thighs and he squeezed tightly as I wrapped my hands around his neck.
I looked deep into his hazel eyes and I saw many emotions running through them. But what caught me off guard was how his eyes began to water as he looked at me.
"Do you know how strong of a man you are" His voice was now barely above a whisper. His statement took me aback and made me confused.
"That fact that you're still here, trying, makes you the strongest man. You've gone through so much, put through so much hell. Just hearing it breaks my heart so I can't imagine what it must feel like to go through it. But here you are. Still standing, still being you. Still, the outgoing, joking, and kind Carter that I know. And so much more."
I could feel a stray tear fall down my cheek as he spoke such sweet things. If it was anyone else I wouldn't have believed him. I would have laughed and walked away from them. But it was Sloan. Sloans never lied to me. And I trust Sloan. So if he was saying these things, he meant these things. Which made them hit even harder.
And as I looked deep into his eyes, and I felt my body warm up with an unfamiliar feeling. A feeling I haven't felt in a long time, I could feel fear trying to trickle in. I pushed it down as far as I could. The fear and the feeling.
I wasn't at a place where I could fully admit it to myself quite yet. And if I did, I wasn't strong enough to face those fears quite yet.
"I don't know what I did in this life to be chosen to be your mate, but I am forever grateful for it."
Sloan brushed his thumb slowly across my thigh as I continued to stare deep into his eyes. I felt every word caress me, hold me in a way I've never been held before. He said I was strong, but at this moment I feel the complete opposite. Unable to acknowledge the strong feeling that I held toward Sloan.
So instead, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. This kiss was filled with many emotions, and words left unsaid. A thank you from me to him. For being here, for not giving up on me. For being everything I could have dreamed of. I needed him to know what I was saying, without having the ability to speak or sign it.
I pulled away from him and I just sat back and looked at him. Was this real? After all these years of pure horror and trauma was I finally getting something good? Something...real? Something that would fucking last? It felt too good to be true but also it didn't.
Deep down I knew I deserved this. I deserved fucking good things. And I recognize that those thoughts didn't come from me, but from Sloan being here. Showing me a life where I am cared for and protected, he'd shown that to me, and now I believe I should have it.
It was Sloan.
He had no idea, but he was saving me.
*****
After dinner we found ourselves sprawled out on the couch. I lay lazily on top of Sloan, my cheek to his chest. His arms wrapped around me. We realized the longer we ignored our phones, the worse it'll get. So we both decided to spend the next two hours responding to our friends.
Sloan had been on the phone nonstop talking to all his siblings, all of them asking about me and if I was okay. Ezra already knew I was fine, seeing as I was texting him and updating him on everything. Sloan also told them all that I was mute, and that I communicated through sign language. Which then caused a text from Ezra, UK, and Uncle Tino asking what videos I watch to learn so they could.
Sloan also told me that Sean had texted him multiple times, but he had no plan of responding. And all I had to do was say the word and he'd never talk to him again. It was so easy to drop his best friend for me. But when he said it, I believed he would.
His fingers traced up and down my back, underneath my sweatshirt. It was sending sparks of pleasure through my body and was making my toes curl. I was quickly becoming addicted to Sloan and it was becoming a problem. Fast.
"Eli, what is this I hear you want to go to college in the human world?" Sloan was currently on the phone with the youngest of the family Eliezar, the only werewolf, and omega in the family. However, when you look at him, he looks like a regular wolf. This is probably because UK is a lycan and huge, so regardless he'd be on the bigger side.
Plus from the few personal interactions I've had with him, he wasn't a typical omega. He was able to hold his own and take care of himself. But when you are surrounded by lycans and tigers I can imagine he must feel weak in comparison.
"I think it'll be fun, to go out and be somewhere else. Many wolves do it." The phone was on speaker so I was able to hear the kid's voice. He was still in high school, 13 or 14 I think, so he had time to change his mind and to think about what he was doing.
"Okay, but you're not like many wolves," Sloan said and Eliezar groaned loudly.
"I hate when you say that. I am not incapable of taking care of myself. You and Florence were able to go out on your own. Ezra can leave whenever he wants. Ambrose...is fucking Ambrose. He just stays quiet and out of the way. And Delany is always out with her friends."
One thing I did notice was how the Mickayas babied him. To much. They didn't allow him to do many things for fear he'd get hurt. And I'd never say this because I know how much it hurt them, but it seems he just wants freedom...time away from the family to prove himself. To prove himself worthy of the strong Mickaya name.
"Well, good thing you're only a freshman, and there is time for you to change your mind." I held my chuckle at Sloan's response. He was such a family man, that it leaked out of him. But it was one of my favorite things about him.
"I'm not changing my mind." Eliezar huffed and Sloan smirked as I looked up at his stunning face. "I don't know if they told you, but Sean came here looking for you."
Sloan and I both went stiff at the mention of his name.
"So did Uncle Dieter and Crispin. They know you're with Carter and they are looking for him. Of course, we didn't tell them! I mean we don't even know where you are--I just thought I'd warn you, Carter. So you're night surprised."
Somehow the kid knew I was listening in and Sloan's eyes connected to mine. I could feel worried and fear began to rise in me. It was too soon. I couldn't face them again. Not yet. I can't.
"Thanks for telling me, Eli. I'll call you soon." Sloan said quickly and hung up the phone, keeping his eyes on me.
"Are you okay?" He asked me quietly and I shrugged. I was not completely understanding my own emotions.
'They are looking for me?' I didn't quite understand why...why would he be looking for me? Why did they care? What could they possibly want?
"They won't find you." Sloan tried to reassure me, but that...I couldn't believe it. Maybe coming here was too obvious. Would Aunt Rena and Danielle sell me out? "Carter, I will make sure they won't find you. And if they do, say the word and I will take care of it."
Take care of it.
I knew what that meant, and I could see it in his eyes that he was nothing but truthful in this. All I had to say was yes or even look and he'd kill them. Kill my parents. Kill my brother.
'I know you'll protect me, Tiger.' I signed trying to calm him down. I could feel Loren's presence, he was close to the edge and it was making Tatty worried.
"Do you want to leave? I can find somewhere else for us to go."
'If they come here...we can leave. I know Uncle Byn and James would let us stay with them and Turner. But I want that to be a last resort. I want to stay here, in my house.' I signed to him.
I loved it here. I felt safe here. This was my home, and I didn't want to leave it. I don't want to leave this pack. I felt like I belonged here and I didn't want to lose it. Lose this feeling of contentment and peace.
"I'll have my dad give me daily updates, and if I get word that they are coming here, we will pack up everything and leave. And I mean everything. Your pictures, your toys, your blankets. All of it."
Goddess...Sloan was everything.
"Plus I am more than fine going to a random cabin in the middle of nowhere as long as you're with me."
He needs to shut up or I am going to pounce on him. Although he'd probably like that.
'Thank you for coming to look for me.' I signed to him and a smile covered his face again.
"I'd follow you anywhere. You already know this."
I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around his neck tightly. His head buried into my neck and that strong feeling came rushing back. It was stronger and harder to push down this time. Fuck, I was in deep shit.
We pulled away after who knows how long and were cleaning off the dishes in the kitchen like we were an old married couple or something. I loved it though. Sloan yawned and stretched his arms above his head, his shirt lifting a little and showing me some of that yummy stomach.
"You ready for bed lightening?" He asked and I nodded immediately. I walked over the couch to get it set up like we have been doing the past few weeks but I noticed Sloan was walking to the stairs instead.
'What are you doing?' I signed and looked at him with my brows furrowed.
"I can't sleep on the couch anymore, especially when there are two perfectly good mattresses upstairs. I'm too big, I need to able to stretch out."
Disappointment flooded me as he stated that. Did he no longer want to cuddle with me? Uncertainty began to barge into my mind and I could feel rejection wanting to make an entrance. Sloan had turned and started walking up the stairs, almost completely unaware of the fact that I was in turmoil. Well, I can't expect him to know what I am thinking and how I'm feeling all the time. But I--
"Carter, come on. I'm trying to cuddle before I pass out!" His voice flooded down the stairs and immediately stopped my reeling mind. A smile covered my face and I turned off all the lights and ran upstairs.
To my mate.
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Don't say I've never done anything for you! I hope you all enjoy this super cute chapterrrr. I love them. SO MUCH!
HOW CUTE ARE THEY??? Please I love them sooo much! And just seeing Carter be more confident in himself is amazing. Also Sloan?? I love him.
As always guys, let me know your thoughts!