Ash's POV
Thor and I talk and walk hand in hand till we arrive at the biggest carport that I'd ever seen in my life.
And before you say 'I haven't seen that much of life anyway', I'll have you know that I've seen plenty of carports in my pack even if not outside and this is by far the biggest I've seen so far.
"You have so many cars!" I can't help but exclaim in wonder to Thor and he laughs
"Well, they all don't belong to me you know as this mansion also doesn't really belong to me. It was built by my great, great grandfather for all the Quinn Alphas to reside in. I'll take you to visit my estate after today."
"Really, that would be great! How about we do that tomorrow, Sunday? You don't have any appointments for tomorrow, do you?" I ask but before he can reply me, my roaming eyes locate a shiny silver car that is parked at the far end of the carport.
"That looks familiar," I say and let go of his hand, moving closer to the car that just caught my attention.
"Is that my car?" I briefly turn around to ask him but continue moving forward without waiting for his reply.
My eyes zoom in on the plate number that still has my name pasted on it.
"Oh, it is my car alright!" I clasp my hands together, jumping up and down in excitement. I move closer and lay on the hood to embrace the birthday gift that I saw briefly on my birthday and didn't get the chance to see again until now.
"Oh, I've missed you Sleek! I've missed you so much. I say as I shower kisses all over the shiny hood.
When I'm done with the kisses, I get down from the hood and hurry to open the driver's door when I notice Thor looking at me while quietly laughing to himself.
"What?" I ask nonchalantly as if it's perfectly normal to hug and kiss a car like it's a long-lost family.
"Sleek?... You named your car Sleek?" He laughingly asks making me blush in embarrassment
I shrug
"Yeah... You don't think I'm crazy do you?" I ask, smiling in embarrassment.
"I'm no stranger to crazy. I mean, have you met Eric? I'm used to crazy, babe. I love crazy, as a matter of fact."
"Perfect!..." I laugh, skipping back to fly straight into his arms. I wrap my arms around his neck and my legs around his waist while he holds me securely to himself as we look into each other's eyes.
"You know, I never get to thank you personally for the best birthday ever," I say
"The best?..." He asks with his head cocks aside. "The best is yet to come Ash." He says seriously and I nod smilingly
"Yes I agree but it's the best I've had so far so, thank you."
"Hmm... I love you, Ash Anne-Marie..." He says almost in a whisper and my smile wavers.
I look away from him as my heart becomes awash with guilt all over again. How can I laugh happily and my heart swell with renewed love for my mate when my mother, whom I brought death upon is lying in a grave?
What's the purpose of getting everything I've lost back in many folds when Martha will never be there to enjoy them with me? She would still be alive if I'd not gone to live with her.
"Hey!... Babe! What's wrong?" He asks, his brows furrows with concern "Are you okay?"
"No... I mean yes. Of course, I'm okay. Just that, Martha named me, Anne-Marie..."
"I know. I saw the adoption papers." He says softly
"You know, she told me it means, 'God has favored me'. She'd always loved the name you see and promised to name her daughter that one day." I swallow, trying to blink back the tears I feel threatening at the back of my eyes.
"I just feel– I mean look at me now. Look at us. We found each other again and I'm happy. God, I'm so happy but I feel I don't deserve this happiness when she's lying dead, cold, and lonely inside a grave. She died because of me, Thor, and..."
"Babe..."
"If I'd not gone to live with her..."
"Babe stop! Please don't blame yourself. Martha wouldn't want that! You know her quite well, don't you? Do you think she wouldn't want you to be happy?...
You know, Eric has been helping me to fill in the gaps made by the memories I locked away. He explained to me in detail about the conversation we had with Martha when you were unconscious. What struck me in all Eric told me was her reason for adopting you.
She was afraid of dying without making provisions for your needs and making sure you would be okay after her death. She wanted you to be happy, that was why she left everything she owed to you, so you will be okay when she's no longer around to look after you. She told us, that even if she dies on that very day, she would be happy because she knows you have me and won't ever be alone."
I can't hold back my tears anymore then. While still in his arms, I hide my face in the crook of his neck and cry my eyes out.
"There, there... It's okay." He says after a while that I've been at it. "Please babe, it's okay, stop crying." He continues to plead softly while kissing the top of my head and patting my back.
"I will start to cry myself if you don't stop crying right now and once I start, I might not be able to apply the break even if you beg me to..."
I suddenly burst out in laughter and raised my head. Did he just say he would start crying? Like seriously?
"That's better..." He says with a smile
"I'm sorry, I don't have a handkerchief to offer you." He says again, dabbing off my tears with his fingers.
I nod
"Thank you," I reply and hug him tighter as I feel his tight hug at the same time
"I love you, Ash Anne-Marie Quinn." He whispers into my ear again. "I love your name better when my family name is added to it, though.
My heart quickens
"I love you too, Thor... But we're not married. I can't bear your family name if..."
We're getting married soon. School resumes in three weeks. The SAT exam is a month after resumption. Do you think I'll let you resume school without letting everybody in your school know who you belong to?" He asks with a raised brow
Even though my heart leaps with joy at the news of getting married to him, I stall a little bit to see how he would react
"Okay, but don't you think we should wait till after..."
"Wait!?... You want us to wait!?" He looks surprised as he asks. "You're already my one true mate so why wait? Don't you want to marry me? Or perhaps you don't want your peers to know you're no longer single? Could it be..."
I start to chuckle as he talks. He looks so appalled I don't have the heart to continue stalling him.
"C'mon babe, this isn't funny! I'm being serious here and you're laughing?..."
Yes, I'm laughing! I'm laughing because I was joking and you took it too seriously. I also don't wish to wait, Thor because I love you so much. I will even marry you today if that's what you want." I assure him before placing a soft kiss on his lips.
"Now put me down. You've been holding me for too long, your arms must be tired." I say and attempt to get down but he refuses to let me go.
"I can hold you forever and I won't get tired. Besides, I'm not satisfied with that little kiss you gave me. I want more..." He says, immediately placing his lips over mine, slowly teasing them open and sucking on my tongue like it's a lollipop.
"Really guys! Are you both going to be like this all day?" Eric loudly says to interrupt us.
We reluctantly part from each other and I giggle before shyly turning my face to the crook of his neck.
"Yes, we're going to be like this all day," Thor replies. "Three is a crowd anyway. So if you don't wish to go crazy, right now is the best time to uninvite yourself from what was supposed to be our date."
"Nope, I won't!" Eric replies in a matter of factly manner
"I don't understand you both. The doctor said no mating until after six weeks! What's the point of getting each other so riled up when you know you can't finish it?"
"Did the doctor really say that?" I ask Thor in confusion since I can't remember the doctor saying that in my presence
"He said two weeks, not six weeks. Don't mind him."
"Awww!? Two weeks!?" I say sadly. I can't imagine us just necking without mating for two whole weeks!
Humans might find abstinence from their spouses easy to achieve but not us shifters. The bond we share with our mate is deep. Abstinence can only be possible if we don't see each other every day.
"It really doesn't matter, so you don't have to be like that, you know. There are so many ways we can satisfy each other without penetration. The doctor never said we can't be creative. You know what I mean?" He says with a wink.
My face lit up
"Really? How can we be creative then? You'll teach me, won't you?..." I eagerly ask but Eric interrupts us again.
"God, You both are unbelievably shameless! I hope you've not forgotten that I'm right here and can hear everything you both are saying?..." He asks but we only laugh
"And please, please, please, can we leave already? The others are waiting!" He pleads with frustration while Thor and I just laugh some more.