Author's Note: 

8k reads?!

....

As Caleb drives us to Grey's school, I find myself lost in a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. The weight of our now shared goal to bring down the Zipclaw pack bearing down on me like a leaden cloak. 

Although I meant it when I told Soren that I am going to stand by side I felt scared to be on his side. People see this side as the bad side. I once thought this side was bad..

Being shut away from my world I forgot how much the other packs wanted- WANT Soren dead.. How much my brother wants him Dead.. What will I even say to my brother when I go back?

I stare out the window, watching the world pass by in a blur of colours and shapes and before I know it we are pulling up to Grey's school.  The sound of children's laughter and the hustle and bustle of the schoolyard fills the air as I take a deep breath. 

The car door swings open and Grey bounces in with the exuberance only a child like him could muster. "You're here!" he exclaims, his face lighting up with excitement when he spots me in the passenger seat.

"Hello? I'm here too!" Caleb grumbles, his annoyance evident in his tone as Grey's attention bypasses him entirely.

Ignoring Caleb's displeasure, Grey turns to me with a wide grin, showing me a bright red card in his hand. 

"Look what I made!" he exclaimed proudly. "It's for Soren. It's his birthday present!"

My heart skips a beat at his words. Today was Soren's birthday? The realisation hits me like a punch to the gut, filling me with a mix of guilt.

 "Wow," I manage to say, trying to mask my surprise with a forced smile. "That's really thoughtful of you, Grey. Your brother is going to love it"

Grey beams at my praise, his excitement undimmed by my subdued reaction. Why did today have to be his birthday? Out of all days?! When I'm about to leave. I want to give him a good birthday. 

 I turn to Caleb with a glimmer of excitement in my eyes as an idea comes to mind.   "Can we go to the mall?" I ask him, my voice filled with excitement.

"I want to make a cake for Soren for his birthday." I add and Caleb's eyebrows shoot up in surprise. 

A smile tugs at the corners of his lips. "You sure about that?" he wonders, his tone tinged with amusement. " It might not go as planned" 

Grey bounces in his seat with excitement. "Can I help?" he chimes in eagerly. 

I nod unable to contain my own excitement at the prospect of making Soren's birthday special.

 "Of course you can, Grey," I say, a warmth spreading through my chest.

Caleb drives to the mall, we get out of the car I take Grey hand afraid I will lose him in the crowd. 

I crouch down to grey's level when we get to the correct aisle.  "What flavour of cake should we make?" I ask, eager to hear his input.

"Chocolate!" He shouts without hesitation, his eyes sparkling .I can't help but laugh at his enthusiastic response, nodding in agreement. 

"Chocolate it is," I confirm

*

Caleb drops us off back at the house but not before forcefully inviting me and Soren to dinner at his house. 

I waste no time in gathering the grocery bags and head straight to the kitchen. Thankfully Soren was not home. So, with a sense of purpose fuelling my steps, I began unpacking the ingredients and arranging them neatly on the countertops, my mind already racing ahead to the task at hand. 

I turn to the little pub who was buzzing with excitement imagining the fun we would have baking his brother's birthday cake together.

 "Why don't you go change into something comfortable?" I suggest to him, knowing that we had a busy evening ahead. 

"Meet me in the kitchen when you're ready."

Grey nods eagerly before he scampers off to his room, Meanwhile, I set to work preparing the kitchen, pulling out mixing bowls, measuring cups, and other baking essentials with practiced efficiency.

With each item in its rightful place, I feel a sense of satisfaction wash over me as I wait for Grey to return. 

The past couple of hours are spent baking with Grey and despite my initial doubts that came with baking with a ten year old, Grey had proven himself to be an eager and capable assistant.

He followed instructions with ease, his excitement and enthusiasm making the process all the more enjoyable for the both of us. As we worked together in the kitchen, mixing, measuring, and baking, I couldn't shake the feeling of wanting to tell him that i was going to leave soon.  

 But each time I considered bringing up the subject with Grey, it never felt like the right moment. So instead, I focused on enjoying the time we had left, making the most of our shared passion for baking.

"There you go" I encourage him as he draws a small heart on the surface of the cake with the piping bag, his concentration evident as he carefully manoeuvres the icing.

Once finished I carefully place the cake into the white board cake box I had luckily purchased from the mall and close the lid with a gentle click. "I'm going to put this in the bedroom so Soren doesn't see it," I inform Grey, who nods in agreement.

"why don't you go change into something nice for dinner with caleb"

Grey hesitates for a moment before responding, his uncertainty evident. "Can you help me pick out my clothes?" he asks

I smile reassuringly. "Of course," I reply, touched by his trust in me to pick out his clothes.

 "Wait in your room, and I'll come to help you as soon as I hide this cake from your brother"

With a sheepish grin, Grey heads to his room, leaving me to run up the stairs after him to quickly hide the cake in the bedroom.

I carefully place the cake box in the closet, taking advantage of the space Soren had graciously cleared for me. With a quick glance around to ensure the cake was well-hidden, I turn my focus on selecting a nice outfit for myself for dinner. 

Just as I begin laying out my clothes on the bed, Soren unexpectedly enters the room, his presence catching me off guard.

My eyes widen in surprise as I take in his appearance: shorts, shirtless, and visibly sweaty....

Oh..

He just came back from a run..

"The house smells incredible," Soren remarks running his fingers through his curls, his voice tinged with curiosity as he glances around the room. 

I stifle a startled gasp at his sudden appearance, quickly composing myself before responding.

 What is happening to me?  "Oh," I say with a chuckle, trying to hide my surprise. "Grey and I baked."

Soren's eyebrows lift in curiosity as he approaches me, his gaze drifting to the clothes I had laid out on the bed.

"Baked, huh?" he muses, a playful glint in his eyes. "What's the occasion?"

I can't help but smile at his inquisitive nature, grateful for the distraction from my momentary shock at how sexy he looked right now.

"It's a surprise," I explain,

"For later." 

Soren's lips curve into a smile, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "I don't like surprises " he says 

"Too bad" I shrug, trying to hold back a smile.  "All I'm going to say is that It's a present from Grey and I."

Soren's expression shifts to one of mild disappointment, almost as if he were pouting. 

But before I can say anything else, he closes the distance between us, wrapping his arms around me and burying his head into the crook of my neck.

I feel a shiver run down my spine as he inhales deeply, his warm breath tickling my skin.

His strong scent was starting to overwhelm me. But, despite my struggle, I manage to maintain a calm demeanour as I gently push him away. 

My heart starts to race with uncertainty. "You smell of sweat," I lie, attempting to deflect his attention away from my own discomfort at how hot and bothered his scent was making..

Soren takes a step back, a chuckle escaping his lips as he regards  me with amusement. "Do I now?" he smirks, his tone playful.

I nod, relieved that he seemed to accept my explanation without further inquiry.

"We're having dinner at Caleb and Tyler's house," I continue, eager to change the subject.

He raises his eyebrows,  his curiosity evident. "Why?" 

I hesitate for a moment, "Maybe because he wants to celebrate your birthday" I shrug casually dropping that I knew it was his birthday. I don't know why it felt like it was a big deal that I knew it was his birthday but it felt that way. 

He almost freezes. "how did you kn-" a flicker of annoyance crosses his features as he puts the pieces together in his head. 

 "Grey. - "

"He makes me a card every year," he answers his own questions, a hint of fondness softening his expression as he mentions his younger brother and than his gaze turns back to me. 

I wonder how old he is. 

"How old are you?" I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop myself.

"20," Soren replies flatly, his tone devoid of any emotion.

I knew he was younger, it was obvious but I am still surprised by his answer.   "Wow, I'm way older than you," I realise, the age gap suddenly seeming more pronounced than ever before.

Soren shrugs, seemingly unconcerned by our age difference. "Age is just a number,"

 "As for the dinner with Caleb, We are not going," he declares firmly, his tone resolute. 

I let out a groan of frustration, feeling a mix of disappointment and annoyance. " I already said we can go" 

The Alpha pauses, his expression softening as he considered my words. "It's your last night before you go back, stay with me" he replies quietly, his gaze meeting mine with a hint of vulnerability. 

I let out a sigh.  " We will still be together, and since I'm older then you, you should show me respect and listen to me" 

His eyes darken, a hint of something unreadable flashing across his features. " Age is just a number, I'm your Alpha" he growls his voice low and dangerous.

Realising my misstep, I try to backtrack, my heart racing with a mixture of fear and embarrassment.

"I didn't say you're not- You're not my Alpha" I stammer, my cheeks flushing  as I take a few steps back.

He takes threatening steps towards me, his intense gaze bearing down on me. "I meant your-" I stop talking as Soren's musky- manly scent surrounds me, filling my senses until it was all I could breathe, all I could think about.

"Sam" 

I gasp when i feel the cold wall on my back. Soren swiftly grabs my wrist and pins them above my head. Not this again. 

"what are you doing?" I ask, my voice barely above a breath. 

My heart races in my chest as he closes the distance between us, his warmth adding to the things that were currently overwhelming me. I could feel the heat radiating from his body, igniting a fire within me that I struggled to contain.

"can we do it again tonight, please? It's all I have been thinking about since-" 

I cover his mouth with my lips, It was not a kiss- I needed him to stop talking. It was embarrassing. Everything he was saying was so embarrassing. 

I pull away avoiding his intense gaze and brace myself for what might come next.  I am not going to lie, I wanted it too. I could hardly wait. 

But, instead Soren leans down to whisper in my ear, his warm breath sending shivers down my spine."Pick out my clothes while I shower," he murmurs, his voice sending a jolt of electricity through me.

I look up at him blinking in surprise as my eyes widen at his request.

"We're going?!" I ask, unable to hide the excitement in my voice.

He nods, a small smile playing on his lips.

Author's Note 

Rip Grey.. ..he's still waiting for sam to return..

Anyway! 

Thank you to everyone who has been voting and commenting and reading! it means the world that people are actually reading my weird little story. I really appreciate you guys and to show you that I appreciate you guys, I have made this chapter very long and I will post 2 extra chapters today! 

Love you guys!!!!