The next morning Isaac is still asleep when I wake up, his lashes brushing his cheeks, his breathing soft and regular; he looks so sweet. I lightly touch his cheeks, my fingertips tingling as sparks race through them.

He must feel them too as he mumbles something under his breath and subconsciously shuffles closer to me, his arms coming around my waist, his face buried in my shoulder, my mark tingling from the contact. I plant a soft kiss on his hair and his grip on me tightens even further if that's possible.

I wriggle and twist, trying to escape his arms, but his grip is too strong and I give up. I hear a quiet chuckle from him and I realise his eyes are now open; I must have woken him with my struggling.

"Are you going to let me go?"

"Nope. I just got comfortable."

An idea springs to mind and a smirk covers my face. I shift, giving Jack control. He instantly let's go.

"What the hell Iz?"

Jack just rolls her eyes.

You deserved that.

I did not. What did I do?

You didn't let us move.

Therefore we shifted.

Let's see how you like it.

Isaac shifts as well so we are promptly pushed off the bed due to Nate's large size. He's massive, bear sized, although bigger than any bear I've ever seen. Not that I've seen any bears during my life.

Why would you do that?

Why not? You woke me up.

Asshole.

I know you love me.

Not if you chuck me off the bed.

Nate shifts back laughing, and we pounce on him, growling playfully. His eyes morph back to Isaac's emerald green and we shift back, Jack giving me back control. This unfortunately means that I fall directly onto Isaac: I am basically straddling him. Naked.

He ignores our ... compromising position and somehow flips our positions before I've registered what's happening, planting his lips on mine in one fluid movement. I respond instantaneously, my lips moving against his, fireworks exploding inside me. His hands creep towards my hips but I push them away.

"Not today." He laughs slightly and removes his hands, our heated make out session coming to an end. My stomach grumbles and we both laugh as the sudden noise disrupts the prevailing silence.

Breakfast time by the sound of it.

Mmm.

I'm hungry.

I know.

I quickly dress myself and, grabbing Isaac's hand once he's clothed, dragging him downstairs to the kitchen. I immediately look for the cereal box in the cupboard but it's no longer there. Someone must have moved it.

After a few minutes of searching I finally locate it.

On the top shelf.

I reach for the box but my fingertips barely touch it. Hopping in frustration, I jump again, failing to secure a grip on it. There is a quiet laugh from behind me and I turn to see Isaac leaning on the kitchen door frame.

"Stop laughing" I scowl. "Help. Me. Reach. This. Damn. Cereal." I say, puntuating each word with another unsuccessful jump.

"Let me." Isaac's hand suddenly reaches up and easily plucks that bloody box from the shelf and hands it to me. I growl indignantly at his amused expression. "I'd forgotten how short you are."

"Excuse me, I am not short! I would have you know that I'm 5'9. It's you who's the giant!"

"That's right. I'm 6'2 so yes, much taller than you."

"Only by 5 inches so you can shut it. I'm hungry; let me eat in peace."

"Okay," Isaac replies. He then proceeds to grab himself some food as well and we eat together in peaceful silence. Something he said yesterday comes to mind.

"You meant to say something to me yesterday; what was it?"

"Oh um," he nervously rubs his neck. "Not here. We'll go when you've finished your cereal."

"Alright then," is what I attempt to say. However, my mouth is still stuffed with food so it comes out as "malrite men."

Isaac promptly bursts out laughing at my incomprehensible words.

"Like I said, after the cereal."

We finish our breakfast and he takes my hand, leading me out of the house and round the back towards what appears to be a garage. I give him a questioning look.

"I'm grabbing my bike. You okay with that?" I nod enthusiastically. I've always wanted to go on a bike but I've never had a chance before. He unlocks the garage and hauls out a forest green motorbike, the massive hunk of metal probably weighing nothing to him. He hands me a black helmet.

"I don't need one."

"I'm not losing you to a motorbike accident. Put on the helmet." I oblige and put on the thing, flipping up the visor.

"What about you?"

"I have two." He says, donning a second helmet, also black, climbing onto the bike. "Come on."

"Where do I sit?"

"Sit directly behind me and put your arms around my waist."

"Okay." I scramble onto the back of the bike's seat behind him and do as he says, my arms wrapped tight around him, the thinness of his shirt failing to hide the feeling of sparks at the near-skin contact, resting my head on his back, watching the trees rush past, all blurring into a green haze.

Iz?

Mmmm?

I want to hunt. I miss the sounds of nature.

We'll see.

The bike is surprisingly quiet, the engine producing a low hum instead of a sound equivalent to a shot gun going off next to your ear.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll find out when we get there," is his only reply.

I stay quiet for the rest of the journey, observing the landscape as it goes past, the pack borders soon far behind us.

We pull up next to a lake and I enthusiastically jump off the bike, not even pausing to remove my helmet, ignoring Isaac's chortling as he parks the bike next to the water's edge.

The lake is beautiful, the water completely still, the atmosphere tranquill. There are rabbits on the far side of the lake and Jack eagerly looks at them, the urge to hunt drowning her thoughts. After a moment's hesitation, I give her control and we strip, shifting into our wolf.

She's off like a bullet, bounding towards them. I know she has no intention of catching them; she just wants a good chase and run. Nate soon joins us, his large form casting a large shadow, his paws surprisingly quiet on the forest floor as he lopes alongside us, our game of chase slowing to a companionable jog together.

We soon draw to a halt in a forest clearing, shifting back to our human forms, Isaac's posture stiff as if he's paralyzed from fear although I am unable to ascertain of what.

"Iz, I need to tell you something. It's been on my mind to tell you for a while but I've never quite plucked up the courage." He's really nervous, his hands distractedly running through his hair as he pauses to collect his thoughts, his expression uncertain.

"Go on."

"Promise you'll hear me out."

"Of course I will."

"Thank you" he replies, his eyes flicking around the clearing, looking anywhere but me.

"Iz, I - You're my second chance mate."

I look at him curiously. What's so scary about telling me that? There's nothing wrong with being a second chance mate. I only wonder what happened to his first mate.

If the Praetorian is responsible I will kill him in the slowest possible manner for hurting Isaac.

Isaac fidgets with his hands, his eyes dancing around the surrounding forest, unsure of our reaction.

I gently place my hand on his arm and he flinches, clearly expecting for a stronger reaction to this revelation, for me to be angry and hurt at him for hiding this from me.

But I'm not.

Instead I feel almost a sense of achievement, a happiness that he is comfortable enough with me, that we are far enough through our relationship, for him to trust me with this information.

"Isaac, it's okay. I'm not mad at you."

He glances at me in surprise, his eyes filled with confusion.

"There is nothing wrong with being a second chance mate. The only thing I ask is why? Why did you feel you had to keep this from me?"

He seems lost for words at my calm reaction, his mouth opening and shutting like a goldfish until he realises he's not answering my question.

"It's complicated."

"We have time."

"That we do." He gives me a lopsided smile but it quickly fades to a more serious expression. "The reason I didn't tell you is because in this pack it is an old tradition that if you find your mate that you have to claim them immediately regardless of where or when it is. I ignored this rule out of respect for her space and to allow her to get to know me first. If people knew, they would judge both of us for it so I hid it."

I mentally smile. Even back whenever Isaac met her he was as respectful of boundaries as he is now. However, I can't help feeling a twinge of jealousy for this faceless women he talks about so sadly; what kind of person was she for him to protect her from the pack on finding she was his mate?

And does he love me the same?

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Hello readers!

How are you? It's summer (for people in Europe)! I'm kidding I hate Summer (sorry) but if you want to enjoy the possibility of sunburn and heatstroke have fun. 😄 . I'm more of a Autumn and Winter person myself. 🍂🍁❄. Enjoy the heat while it lasts and don't forget to take advantage of the temperature and put your washing out to dry. Sorry, I know that this isn't really related to the chapter. (Guilty smile).

WORxxx

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