Ash's POV
It's my 22nd birthday and we're having a cookout to celebrate. Werewolves, vampires, and humans are all invited together in one place, to celebrate with my family. The weather is great. The music is perfect. I look around me. I am surrounded by family, and friends that I've acquired along the way.
Some are happily chatting with each other. Some couples are dancing. Some men are by the barbecue stand while some women are helping with arranging platters of food on a long, wide buffet table. I am happy.
I see Eric, chatting and laughing with Ella and Ivar, who has his arms wrapped around his mate's pregnant belly. I see Victoria, my best friend, smiling brightly up at a man. She's glowing, looking like a beautiful ray of sunshine in a white summer dress. She waves when her eyes meet mine and I wave back.
I see Millicent and Neal. I'm surprised to see Ethan is also here. I never knew Thor would want to consider inviting him. It's been two years but Thor has never fully forgiven him for 'stealing his mate's first kiss,' as he always grumbles whenever he sees Ethan.
I continue to look around me, searching among the faces of people I know and those I don't recognize for a particular person. A slight frown appears on my face as I wonder about my mate. Where is he?
"Thor?..." I worriedly call out. I turn around to go look for him inside the house when I bump into a hard wall. A flesh and blood hard wall that smells divine. My frown disappears and I smile when I inhale the warm, heady smell of my mate.
"Yes ma'am..." He answers, grinning widely down at me.
I laugh, my heart swells with love
"Hey, baby!" I say, sliding my arms around his waist before standing on tiptoes to kiss him fondly.
"I was just searching around for you," I say after the kiss ended
"I was looking around for you too, my love. Martha said to tell you the baby needs to be fed."
"Again?... But I just fed him like— five minutes ago!" I say with surprise
"Exactly what I told Martha myself. I need to do something about that guy. Dude has a mouth full of teeth, why couldn't he eat barbecue or salad or any other food normal people eat? Why suck on my wife!?"
I laugh when I see the disapproving look on his face. I've never met a man more jealous of his own son than my husband. I hold his hand, pulling him along with me...
"Yes, even though he has a mouth full of teeth, he's still a baby. He's just two weeks old!" I say and he scoff
"C'mon, you don't have to be like that. He's your son, remember? Come, let's go make his bottle. I should have done that earlier instead of breastfeeding him."
He stops me from moving
"No! Forget about that parasite for a moment. I need your attention too, wife, c'mon! I'm suffering here, can't you see that!?" He complains like a baby, making me laugh some more
"Why don't you let's sneak to our room instead." He says, whispering what we would be doing in the room into my ear and I giggle like a little girl.
I'm happy. I never knew I could be this happy in my life and it's all because of Thor, my mate, and husband. He makes me so happy but I've been neglecting his needs because the baby takes a lot of my time, even with Martha's' help.
"Yeah, let's forget about that parasite for now..." I laughingly agree with him and he hugs me tightly.
We walk hand in hand in the direction of the mansion. We are about to sneak up the stairs when an unfamiliar voice stops us...
"Hey, love birds! Where are you both going?"
"Oh, dang it! Thor grumbles under his breath as we both turn back.
I was surprised by who the voice belongs to
"Thor, didn't you tell her baby needs to be fed? Why are you both going upstairs when the baby is that way, huh?" She asks and smiles like she just caught us with our hands in the Cookie jar
"'What is she doing here?'' I ask, looking at Thor in confusion but he just shrugs indifferently like he's telling me, 'She has the right to be here.'
I don't agree with him and my fists curl in anger. I feel my claws extend then, piercing the soft flesh of my palm to draw blood. I immediately close my eyes in an attempt to calm myself when I feel Sif, my wolf rising in me.
No, no, no, no, no... I already put her to sleep so why is she coming up again?! It was a disaster the last time I got angry and she came out to fight for me. I almost killed innocent standbys.
God, I can't lose control now! A lot of people are here to celebrate my birthday with me! My son!... I am the Luna of the largest pack in North America for crying out loud, I can't keep living in fear of my wolf's destructive angry emotions!
I should have listened to Thor when he told me I need to learn how to control my wolf. He wanted me to do it before my birthday but the timing was wrong for me. I couldn't do it right then because I just put to bed!
It would be a long journey and a very long procedure. Even though I know our son would be well cared for by his father, Martha, and even Ella, I couldn't bear to be away from my mate and two weeks old baby. The thought alone made me sick for days when Thor suggested it.
"Calm down my goddess. My love. Breathe in and let it out slowly. You have to be in control. You're the boss of your wolf don't let her control you, babe. Relax your tensed muscles..." I hear my mate whisper into my ear as he has always done whenever Sif is about to or has just finished wreaking havoc on my behalf.
I tried to do as he had said but it isn't working this time.
"No!... Oh, goddess! It's not working! She's not obeying you this time, Thor! What am I going to do now? All these people here..." I crouch on the floor, put my hands over my head, and cry out in alarm but my voice comes out as a growl instead.
When my eyes open, it's to an unfamiliar room. My mate is sitting in front of my bed, staring blankly into his laptop. He looks so worried– and so different.
His hair has regrown. He now has a different hairstyle like he used to wear when we just met. I wonder how long I've been unconscious for him to look so different.
What about those people at my party? What about our son? I hope they were all able to get away from me in time. I hope our baby is safe. God, I feel so ashamed of myself for still not being able to control my wolf after two years.
Thor sighs in frustration and finally closes his laptop. He looked up and our eyes met.
"Hey babe. You're awake!" He softly says as he hurriedly stands and walks up to my bed.
He kneels beside the bed so he will be at the same eye level with me, then takes my hand and holds it in his much larger own.
"Hey..." I managed to croak out. My throat feels patched.
He smiles and hurriedly gets up. "You need water. Let me get you water. Now, where is that cup?..."
I watch him look around frantically as he talks till he finds the cup he's searching for which is right under his nose on the bedside drawer. It's a big red sippy cup, I wonder how he couldn't easily see that.
He brings it over
"Come, let me help you sit up. Careful with the IV line..." He talks as he helps me up. Fussing and arranging the pillows around me to make sure I'm comfortable.
"Here..." He hands me the cup when he's done and I sip greedily. I was really thirsty.
"Thank you," I say and place the cup back on the drawers after I've had my fill.
"How are you feeling?..." He asks me. Even though he's now smiling, his brows still furrow with worry.
"Weak as usual but I'm fine now. Don't worry too much, I'll live..." I say, narrowing my eyes at him.
"What about you though? How long was I out for this time? You look so different..."
His frown deepens like he's confused about what I said
"I look different?..." He asks
"Yeah..." I say with a nod. "You let your hair grow out like it was before when we just met. But never mind. It doesn't matter to me how you chose to wear it though. I love it either way..."
His eyes widens with surprise
"Oh!..."
"Yes. How long was I out for? How's everyone? How's the baby? Martha is taking care of him I presume?... And why are you looking so– so confused." I hesitate as I look for the appropriate words to describe his behavior.
"Ash, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't able to..."
"No, Thor! You don't owe me any apology. I should apologize for not listening when you suggested I learn how to control my wolf. I'm sorry. I hope I didn't hurt anyone that day? Please forgive me, baby, okay."
I tried to look as pitiful as possible when I apologized but the frown on his face only got deeper as his narrowed eyes peered deeply at me. His green eyes, a whirlpool of emotions that I can't relate with the Thor I know– confusion, dumbstruck, fear..."
Nah!... For as long as I've known him, I've never seen him act this way. He looks dumbstruck, not replying to what I say or any of my questions.
"Babe?..." I call softly to him. "You didn't answer any of my questions. What happened? Did I hurt people again?"
He loudly clears his throat
"Yes– I mean, no! No, baby, you didn't hurt anyone. Everything is okay." He leans over and kisses me lightly.
"Uhmm... let me quickly get the doctor to give you a check-up. I'll only be a minute." He says with a smile and hurries out.
Even though he tried to mask his expression from me, I still see through him. He smiled just now but it was forced. He's indeed scared... or is it worried? He's scared or worried about something.
******
~°Author's note°~
Hi guys
So what do you think is happening with Ash? Please comment. I would love to read your thoughts. You can follow my page on Facebook. Authoress Biola Johnson