"Well, I love it and I think it's beautiful." I replied as he led me up the stairs and handed me the food so he could lay the blanket down on the floor of the gazebo, then he took the food back before holding his free hand out to me and helping me sit (Considering I had worn a dress today) like the gentleman he is.

"Thank you." I said.

He smiled at me as he took a seat next to me now. "And thanks for bringing us dinner."

I shrugged, "I knew you were going to be swamped with work...thanks for taking the time off to try and give us some quality time together."

"I will always do what I can to make you my highest priority Love." He said before he kissed me.

But the kiss had ignited something in both of us, something we had sort of been neglecting as filling the Beta position, and now the challenge had occupied our every thought.

I took a hold of his face and got up from my sitting position and onto my knees before he acted as well and instead laid me down atop the blanket. Like when we had first started dating, I couldn't get enough of his kisses but all too soon his kisses began to trail lower and dangerously close to my mark...his mark.

My eyes must've darkened as He smirked and we both knew what was happening next.

I didn't care that we were on the hard wooden floor of a gazebo, I didn't care that we were outside where essentially anyone could walk by and see us...All I cared about was my mate, and right now we were expressing our deep love for one another.

My dress pushed up, his pants pulled down He finally let himself in and My body completely encompassed him.

I held him close to me as I allowed my body to enjoy him, my moans fell out of me along with my confessions of my love for him. He kissed me often and held out on his own pleasure until I reached mine fully.

Once I'd finished he took a firmer hold of my hips and took full control as He fully enjoyed himself and I greedily submitted to another orgasm alongside him this time.

Panting now He hovered over me and Kissed me before he smirked. "Oops.. guess we ruined our romantic picnic"

I couldn't help but smile and shake my head, "I wouldn't say it was ruined...it's always nice to have some dessert before dinner."

He smirked once again before he got up. He fixed my dress before helping me sit up and then fixing his pants. "Good thing we brought food...I'm starving." He said.

I looked at him and smiled, "You know lately I've noticed...you have been eating a little more than usual." I noted.

"Am I getting fat?" He asked.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head, "No." I laughed a little, "And I'd love you anyways...just, I know we've got a lot going on, maybe you're dealing with it by stress eating."

He nodded, "Probably...to be honest I don't think I've ever been so stressed and unsure about anything in my life."

I took his hand in mine, "I'm right here with you, so at least we can face it all together."

He smiled softly, "Thank you Cassie, having you by my side means the word to me."

We talked a bit more and finally had our dinner, when we were all done I collected the trash and Dean helped me up and playfully kissing me once again before bending down to collect the blanket.

"You're going to have to pay for that." I pointed out.

"I'll pay for it when I come back to work..."

A silence fell between us. We both knew he was suppose to come back to work the day after tomorrow, but tomorrow is his challenge.

He instantly picked up on my worried concern for him.

"Hey, don't give me those sad eyes." He sounded gently before he tossed the blanket on the bannister of the gazebo, He sighed and pulled me in for a hug.

I held him tightly.

"Hey, hey...I don't like it when you're upset Love...come on Cassie, you're breaking my heart."

"Do you know how much you mean to me Dean?" I asked seriously. "I love you with everything I've got in me...I love being your mate, and your Luna and I can't wait to marry you and have kids with you and grow old with you, but all of that potentially goes out the window when you recklessly put your life on the line."

"I'm not." He said.

"Yes you are Dean, I love you and believe in you more than anything, and I fully expect you to win the challenge ...but Love, there's just the smallest tiny little shred of reality that reminds me that things may not go the way we want them to and you could lose."

"I'm not." He said again.

There was no use in arguing and he smiled a little now, "Cassie Love...I'm not going to allow anyone to die tomorrow, as Alpha of this pack I should have never even allowed that as an option in the first place, my job is to protect and lead by example...and I want our pack to see me as a good Alpha they can come to when they need help, or one that they can call out for fucking up because I'm only one person and mistakes are bound to happen...but I never want our pack members to be afraid of me or afraid to speak their minds even if it's against me."

"Thank you." I whispered and reached up to caress is face.

"Only you could've changed my mind."

I shook my head, "No...you are a good man with a leaders heart and an Alpha's mindset...you would have figured it out sooner or later."

"Well I'm still glad you voiced your opinion and forced me to see things clearly...soooo..."

"So what?" I asked as he grabbed the blanket and we began to make our way out of the forest.

"Call me crazy but I'm pretty sure I heard you say you want to marry me, and have my kids?"

Heat flooded to my face, "well...yeah, someday."

He nodded. "I thought we weren't going to rush into those things?"

"W-well that is...I mean, if it happens it happens right...not that I'm openly planning on those things or anything." I blanched.

"Gotta admit, felt kinda good to hear you say you want those things."

I took a hold of his free hand and kissed him. "Of course I want to be your wife and have babies with you...when the time is right."

"And how will we know when the time is right?"

At this I could only shrug as I let myself into his car, "I don't know Pinecone...your guess is as good as mine."