Chapter Seventeen.

Sitting on one of the four stools that surrounded the island in the kitchen, I watched as Logan cooked breakfast for the two of us. It had been a couple of days since I had accepted him and he had accepted me. Logan had been true to his word when he told me that he had taken a few days off from training to be the next Alpha to spend them with me.

For the past few days Logan and I had ventured out from his house and around the pack's territory. He showed me the ins and outs of the territory; from the many parks that were dotted around, to the school that most of the teenagers from the pack attended. I had been surprised when Logan pulled up outside the school building explaining that although education was not necessary within pack life some teenagers often wanted to expand their knowledge as well as others who wanted to go to university.

I was curious as to whether or not I would be expected to attend the local school. I hadn't enjoyed school when my mum and I had been controlled by my dad. The other kids often bullied me and I now realised that my dad had most likely ordered them to make my life as unpleasant as they could. I wasn't bothered about not going back to school as I would just have to start over and as Logan had told me, it wasn't compulsory to go.

"Esme," Logan cooed from where he was frying a number of eggs at the stove.

I blinked a couple of times before focusing on a grinning Logan, "sorry, I wasn't listening. Did you say something?"

"I was just wondering how many eggs you wanted?" Logan repeated with a soft smile on his face. I had half expected him to be a little bit annoyed at my inattention as I had been doing it a lot lately but Logan never seemed to mind, he would just smile fondly and repeat whatever he had previously said.

"Two please," I smiled softly as I slipped off of the stool and padded over to him, peering over his shoulder and at the stove where many things were cooking at once. "Do you need any help?"

"Everything is almost done I think, could you get two plates and knives and forks out please?" He asked, waving the spatula in his hand towards one of the lower cupboard besides the fridge.

I shook my head and made my way over to the cupboard that he had pointed to wearing nothing but his shirt that I had worn to bed last night. Ever since I had asked Logan to stay with me a few nights ago I haven't been able to sleep without him. The night after I had accepted Logan I had been tossing and turning in my own bed unable to sleep. After an hour or so of contemplating whether or not to go to his room I gathered up my courage and walked the short distance to find that he was also awake. I've been sleeping in his room by his side ever since.

I grabbed two plates as well as a knife and fork for each of us. I took my time in laying them out on the island surface so that they sat beside the plates perfectly.

"Watch out!" Logan called out suddenly.

I looked just in time to see him coming straight for me with a hot pan in his hands. I jumped back and out of the way as he placed the fried eggs on the plates. He continued dashing from the stove and back to the island with hot pans of food until he was juggling with a piece of hot toast in each hand. I wanted to help him but I was sure that I would just get in the way and injure us both in the process.

"There." Logan clapped his hands together as he faced me with a big grin on his face.

"I'm starving," I told him as I walked forward and hopped up onto the stool in front of the plate that had two fried eggs on it, while Logan's had three and what looked like something that resembled a fried egg, but the yellow yoke had spilled everywhere.

"Eat up," He instructed.

I didn't need to be told again as I eagerly picked up my knife and fork and began to cut up a piece of crisped bacon. Breakfast was filled with light chatter between the two of us with Logan often sticking his tongue out and showing me his chewed up food. I had expected it to gross me out instead I found myself laughing along with him.

I enjoyed Logan's company a lot. I enjoyed being around him more when it was just the two of us as he seemed to be so carefree with a smile gracing his face almost all of the time. I knew that Logan had to keep up some sort of front for his pack so that they wouldn't think he was weak and unable to take care of them all. I understood Logan's behaviour and why he acted the way he did.

I also knew that his wolf was very influential on his behaviour. I didn't know what it was like to have an animal within oneself. Logan had explained to me that he could feel his wolf inside of him, he could feel his emotions but he wasn't able to communicate with him. He had told me that when he felt an extreme emotion from his wolf, such as anger, he would shift on the spot until he could calm down his wolf. Logan's wolf was a part of him and I accepted it completely.

"What are you thinking so hard about?" Logan asked as he began to place the washed pans on the draining board beside the sink.

I hadn't realised that I had gotten so lost in my thoughts that Logan had begun to wash up the pile of dirty pans that he had left by the sink and microwave. "Nothing," I replied.

I easily slipped off of the stool and made my way over to him where I took the dish cloth in my hands and began to dry the pans. Logan didn't say anything as I hummed softly filling the quiet kitchen with the lullaby that my mum used to sing to me when I was a little girl. She had stopped when I was eight telling me that my dad thought it was immature and that I needed to grow up. At the time it had upset me and I often spent nights after crying in fear but I had learned that no matter how much I cried my mum wouldn't come and sing to me.

I felt something cold and wet hit me on the side of the face as I jumped away from the sink with a gasp, the cold liquid trickling down my face and neck and onto Logan's t-shirt that I wore. Logan laughing at my side had me turning to see that he was already cupping the soapy water in the sink between his hands getting ready to throw it over me once again. My hand brought the dish cloth to my face as I shielded my face just in time as the water hit my hands and the cloth before dripping down my arms.

"Logan," I squealed his name as I was once again soaked with water.

"Yes?" He replied innocently.

I removed the cloth from my face so that I could see him facing the sink getting ready to create another bowl with his hands to throw more water at me. I took the opportunity to step forwards quickly and cup the water in my hand before throwing at Logan. Logan's startled cry had me giggling as I watched the water drip from his face and onto the t-shirt he wore, the light blue material turning darker wherever the water hit.

"You didn't?" He stated in disbelief, the water running across his lips as he wiped them on the back of his hand in one swift movement.

As I stared at his plump, pink lips a blush rose to my cheeks as I remembered the many times that they had been pressed upon my own in the past few days. Logan hadn't tried anything other than kissing and holding me. Whenever we kissed Logan would always hold himself back so that we could go at a pace I was comfortable with. I appreciated it knowing that Logan respected me and only ever wanted to make me happy.

I noticed that his eyes hard turned a little darker than their normal shade of chocolate brown. I knew that it meant his wolf was close to the surface but I wasn't afraid. Logan had proved to me over the past few days that neither he nor his wolf would ever hurt me and slowly I began to trust him. I knew that Logan wanted to protect me, to love me and to shield me from the world so that I could never be hurt again.

"I did," I giggled back enjoying Logan's playful side as he narrowed his eyes slightly.

I flicked the water at him before he could cup the water and throw it back at me. Logan spluttered in disbelief once again before his arm snaked around my waist and pulled me against his body so that I was trapped against him. I laughed and squirmed against his hold as my hands grabbed his forearm and tried to pull it off of my waist so that I could run away.

A scream tore through my throat as cold water was suddenly tipped over my head soaking my hair before it trickled down my face and neck soaking my already wet t-shirt, making it stick uncomfortably to my body. I breathlessly squealed and closed my eyes while Logan continued to chuck handfuls of water over my head obviously enjoying my squirms as his deep laughter drowned out protests.

"Logan!" I screamed his name breathlessly.

"Yes my love?" He questioned as he placed a kiss on my wet cheek sending shivers down my spine as I shuddered against him.

"Let me go," I told him. I had wanted my voice to come out strong, demanding but it came out breathless from the sensation of the cold water running down my back and the shirt clinging to my body.

"As you wish princess," Logan whispered.

I was once against covered with water before Logan let go of my waist. I stepped away from him as I wiped my eyes gently with my fingers getting the water out of my eyes so that I could see again. My hair clung to my face and I tucked it behind my ear quickly while turning to see that Logan was trying to hold back his laughter. His cheeks were slightly puffed out and his eyes were squinted.

I narrowed my eyes and jumped forwards as fast as I could. I didn't hesitate as I cupped the water in both of my hands before spinning on my heels and throwing the water all over Logan whose facial expression suddenly became not so amused.

I didn't waste any more time standing in the kitchen where Logan could easily trap me and continue to soak me until there wasn't a part of me that wasn't wet. I turned around and began to run out of the kitchen. Logan growled playfully from behind as I heard his bare feet hitting the laminate floor as he chased after me.

Logan was fast and with the added bonus of him being a werewolf he could have easily caught me before I stepped out of the kitchen and into the carpeted living room. He was humouring me as he allowed me to run through the living room and up the stairs. Logan was thudding behind me to the point where I could feel his hot breath on the back of my neck causing me to shudder. He never came close enough to catch me only close enough to tease me by letting me know that he was close behind me.

I ran straight past my room and into Logan's room. I felt tingles explode in my stomach as Logan wrapped his arms around my waist and lifted me off of my feet. I squealed as my legs were lifted from the ground and Logan carried me across the bedroom and towards the bed that we had spent our time making out in just a few hours ago. Logan released me and gently tossed me onto the bed messing it up and soaking the covers.

I shook my head to get the hair out of my face as I propped myself up on my elbows behind me. Logan stood at the edge of the bed, a look on his face that I couldn't describe as he suddenly lowered himself onto his knees on the top of the bed. I found myself unable to look away from his chocolate brown eyes as they drew me in, I could see all the different emotions flittering across the surface of his eyes, including a few emotions that I wasn't used to seeing.

Logan was now hovering above me, his knees placed on either side of my hips as he kept his weight off of me, no doubt not wanting to hurt me. I didn't even have time to process what was happening before Logan's hands were gently attacked my sides causing me to squeal and scream as I wriggled underneath me.

My desperate pleas for Logan to stop fell upon deaf ears as he continued his gentle assault on my sides. I was breathless from laughing and squealing. My body twitched and wriggled underneath him as I tried to escape his merciless attack. I hadn't known I was ticklish there until Logan had gently jabbed my side during the night which had startled me awake with a jerk and a fit of laughter.

I had hoped that Logan had forgotten as I had accidently kicked his leg when I had awoken with a start. It was clear he hadn't as I looked through my tear-filled eyes to see that he was grinning widely down at me from where he straddled my waist. I was sure that I would have blushed at any other time from the intimate position that Logan and I were in but my face was already heated and no doubt flushed from my wriggling and laughing.

"Logan!" I didn't recognise my own voice; the husky tone that it had taken on had frozen Logan on top of me.

I took the time to straighten myself out as I had been slightly hunched over with my arms wrapped around myself to try and stop Logan from reaching my sides. I looked up at Logan through my eyelashes, my head resting on the pillow behind me and my chest heaving with every breath I took from how breathless I had become.

Logan was staring down at me in something that I could only describe as awe. His chocolate eyes seemed to melt and they darted around my face and seemed to take in every freckle, every frown line; he seemed to be memorizing everything about my face. It was so intense that I found myself blushing and looking away only to have Logan gently take my chin between his thumb and index finger and force me to look up at him. His face was closer than it had been moments before as I could feel his warm breath fanning against my face, the dark swirls clearing visible within his eyes. The lowering of his head told me that he was about to kiss me as his lips were gently pressed on my own.

My eyelids fluttered closed as I surrendered myself completely to the kiss. His lips were warm and soft against my own never forcing me to do anything that I wasn't comfortable with as I reached up and gently cupped his neck on either side. I was pleased that Logan was the only man that I would ever kiss, the only man that I would know intimately. He didn't seem to mind that I was inexperienced, he was proud that he would be my first everything and although I was nervous about intimacy I knew that Logan would never push me, that he would always take care of me and one day, love me.

As Logan pulled away from my lips I found my eyes opening and the words stumbling out of my mouth before I could stop them, "mark me."

Logan's eyes widened considerably as he took a moment to process what I said before speaking, "Esme, I..."

"Logan, I trust you," I told him honestly while moving my hand to cup his cheek where I began to rub my thumb over his stubble, "I know what I'm asking for. I want to be yours, forever."

"Esme," my name came out breathless from his lips as I felt a light shudder run though his body, "are you sure about this?"

I knew my answer. When I had requested that he mark me I hadn't known that it was what I wanted until the words had accidently slipped from my mouth. I was going to be with Logan forever that was something that I was positive about as Logan and everyone else had told me many times that I was Logan's and I was his until death do us part. Logan was mine as much as I was his, he had told me himself.

I trusted Logan more than I had ever trusted anyone other than my mum and grandparents. He had shown me what it was like to have friends, to let people in and ultimately be free. I was allowed to be the person that I had always wanted to be around Logan and everyone else here. I was beginning to fall for him in every way possible and it was a little unsettling as I had never felt this way about anyone before. The feelings were all foreign to me and I had no idea how to keep them in control but all I knew was that I was falling head over heels for Logan.

"I've never been so sure about anything else in my life," I told him before adding, "That and accepting you as my mate."

Logan didn't say anything else as he lowered his head so that he could once again place his lips on top of mine. It felt different from all the other kisses that we had shared. They had all been breath taking leaving me gasping, my heart racing and my knees feeling weak. This felt as if there was more meaning behind this kiss than all the others as if all of our unspoken words and feelings were being told to one another through the kiss.

Logan's lips slowly began to move against my own and for once I allowed him to take control of this kiss. My lips began to move against his as the butterflies in my stomach suddenly became alive. I was sure that my heart was beating so loud that even Logan could hear it without his advance hearing. All I could feel was Logan as he clouded every one of my senses until he consumed my entire being leaving me breathless and lightheaded.

We pulled apart, both of us breathless and gasping for air as he rested his forehead against my own, our eyes staring into each other's as we caught our breaths.

"Are you sure?" He asked, once again.

"I'm sure," I nodded my head against his forehead. I was nervous and a little bit worried that it would hurt as Logan had only told me that he would bite my neck where my shoulder and neck met.

Logan pecked my lips once more before he began to trail feather light kisses down my cheek and along my jaw before he dipped his head and placed open mouthed kisses on the tender flesh of my neck. I felt my earlier nerves disappear from the sensations that Logan was awakening within my body. The grip I had on his neck tightened and I pulled his face closer while turning my head to the side so that he had better access to the tender spot his lips were searching for.

A moan escaped me as Logan reached a certain area on my neck with his skilful lips and I knew that he had found his place.