Emerald Luna

Alarick

Technically, we were in the national park, but the part that most people wouldn’t go to since it’s not part of the trails. We went near the creek near Porter’s Creek trail and set up a picnic. Normally Chimney Tops is the spot for a picnic but we didn’t want to alert park rangers. At least I could get decently clean in the creek and not be as sweaty from my workout. It was a simple picnic, a charcuterie board of meats and cheese, some fruit, and a bottle of sweet local wine. She was sipping on some wine enjoying some wind when I give her a bouquet of wildflowers.

“I didn’t know you were a picking flowers type guy.” She blushes a soft pink as she accepts the flowers.

“For you, I can be.” She blushes at me… man is this how having a mate is like?? I can get used to this.

“This is a sweet date.” I was genuinely having a good time.

“It’s not over yet.”

“It’s not? What else is there?” I smirk at her and as we clean up the picnic, I push her into the creek she yelps as she falls in. “What the heck was that for??” Ok, that wasn’t the reaction I was hoping for.

“A reason to get in the water, and to get more intimate with your beautiful body,” I smirk at her hoping to get just a glimpse.

“Well, then you could’ve just asked. Instead of throwing me into the creek! Even if I was going to jump later, I at least wanted to take off my sweatshirt. Now it’s soaked and-” She didn’t finish her sentence cause the current was picking up. I dived in to get her and luckily, I could grab her before she got too downstream.

“I got you! I will not lose you!” I do chest compressions to help get the water out of her lungs. After about five minutes she started coughing and I sighed in relief. “Oh, thank goodness…” I stare into her emerald green eyes lovingly as I realize that I just saved my mate from drowning. After calming down from getting the water out she looks at me with red eyes in anger and I guess from the water stinging her.

“What made you think it was a great idea to push me into the creek!?” Oh, great what was supposed to be a fun night has turned into a fight…

“I was just having fun… I didn’t mean to make you upset or angry… I also didn’t know that you didn’t know how to swim!”

“You’re right I guess I could’ve… but thank you… for saving my life.” She sheepishly thanks me and I let out a deep breath I didn’t realize I was holding.

“I think we should clean up our picnic and head back to the packhouse. I can drop you off at your room and-“

“I’d like to stay with you tonight.” She abruptly tells me… to my surprise.

“Really?” I’m shocked. She’s only been with me for half a day and already wants to share a room?? Not that I’m complaining but I got the impression she wanted to take things slow.

“Yeah… but I’d like to grab some things from my room first before going to yours.”

“Of course, you can.” I clean off the food and put it in the basket and wrap the blanket we were sitting on around her shoulders to warm her up. “There’s an on-suite bathroom you can shower in to get warm when we get back.”

“Thank you…” I help her walk back luckily, it’s not a far walk back home. When we’re finally home, I put the basket in the kitchen and carry Esme to her room. She seemed like she was dead on her feet and couldn’t walk anymore. I knew she was in decent shape, but guess being almost drowned took a lot out of her. I took her to her room so she could grab some stuff to bring to mine. I’m honestly surprised that she wanted to. I figured she’d want to wait to even think about moving rooms but maybe tonight scared her so much that she didn’t want to wait anymore. I give her one of my t-shirts to give her some comfort and she has one of her lounge shorts on.

“Thank you for the clean clothes and a shower.” She gives me a little smile as I could smell her floral shampoo and her fruity body wash.

“Of course. What happened out there?? Didn’t you ever learn to swim?” I get it, we’re in the middle of the mountains so not exactly beach territory but there are some creeks and streams.

“I never really bothered to learn. The stream separating our packs isn’t deep enough to swim and live in the middle of the mountains we don’t exactly have a beach around here.” Yeah, that’s what I thought.

“What was life like at your pack?” I had to ask, I felt like I knew nothing about her.

“I had an ok life at my old pack with my parents and friends, but never like this. Nobody hurt me physically or emotionally but I was more like the one they just didn’t pay attention to. My family was omegas, and we didn’t go into our packhouse much unless we needed to. It surprised me I could train, but since I was friends with our beta and her sister, she invited me. Since being here, everyone is so nice to me. I’d like to know the higher ranked wolves before getting to know the regular members though.”

“Sure, no problem. Uh... She? Your former beta is a lady?” Normally ranked members were the sons of the ranked member before, but I had heard some packs training their daughters if they didn’t have any sons.

“Yeah, she’s amazing! Also, her family doesn’t have any boys, so they trained the older daughter to do the job.”

“Well, if she can do the job, good for her.”

“What about your family?” She looked at me curiously, and I guess this was bound to be asked, eventually.

“Mine? Oh… we were a nice family than on a family outing they just didn’t come back for me at the site we were staying at… so I’ve been running this pack since I was 16.” I looked away from her as I tried to forget that day. It still makes me sad thinking about it.

“Wow… that’s incredibly sad… but you have me now. We can be a family. And as a family, I don’t like that you spend all day in your office! I never get to see you and we still don’t know each other that well!” She cuddles up to me and I try to warm her up. I was nervous around her, to be honest. This beautiful woman was all mine, and I did not know what to do.

“Yeah, you’re right. We can be our own family. I’m sorry for always being in my study. Having a mate is new to me too.” I smile at her nervously as I rub the back of my neck to help me calm down.

“How am I supposed to be Luna if I don’t know my alpha or my pack??” She had a point there… can’t argue with that. I let out a deep sigh and had to think for a moment. “How about you being my secretary, I could always use some help answer calls and emails? We can have lunch together in my office.” She sits up from hiding under me and smiles at me.

“I’d like that…”

“What’s this on your nightstand?” I grab a picture from her and inspect it. She seemed thrilled in the picture.

“Oh, that’s my parents and my friends back at Scarlett Claws.” She smiles at the fond memory and lets out a deep sigh.

“You look like a nice family…”

“Thanks…” The dreaded awkward silence is in the air as she leads into my chest again. Ugh, this is how I didn’t want our first date to end but we enjoy cuddling against each other. I think about her idea of being my secretary. I’ve never had one before to help me in my study, but yeah, I guess I could use the help. Plus, it’d give us time together and get her away from Koa for now. I’m still not happy about that… but at least she’s in my room, holding onto me I’ll still take that as a win.

“Are you still mad at me for pushing you into that creek?”

“No… I’m still annoyed about it, but I’m not mad.” I’ll take it I breathed a sigh of relief knowing that she wasn’t mad at me anymore… I kiss her temple and I hear a sigh of relief from her. She turns around to look at me and just plants one on me. I did not expect her to kiss me. Where did that confidence come from!?

“Well, hi there!” I gave her a surprised look and wondered where she got the idea to do that.

“I’m normally not a crazy girl, but since you’re my mate I figured ‘why not?’ and just muster up the courage to give you my first kiss…” She blushes at me again and I can’t help but smile at her when she does that. Ugh, she does not know what she does to me.

“Really!? First kiss?? I’m honored.” I smile at her as she blushes at her boldness. It surprised me too I did not expect that considering I pissed her off earlier. To catch her by surprise, I kiss her back. I didn’t want to start our first night going all out but figured this would be a good icebreaker.

“Well, hi there… use my surprise on me??” She giggles at me as I use her surprise against her.

“Well, I figured since we were in a somewhat sassy moment…”

We chuckle at each other at the cheesy moment, but at least we’re enjoying each other instead of fighting. She is right we’re supposed to be mates and I practically know nothing about her…I wrap my arms around her waist and really lay it on her…I can feel her smiling at me as she wraps her arms around me. This is a much better way to end our date night than arguing…