Harley

Harley woke up the next morning on the living room couch, nestled next to Will. His body was hot enough to make her sweat, though if anyone wanted to separate them she'd have to be forcibly removed. His hand rested on her arm and that simple skin on skin contact alone was enough to send her nerves into overload.

Unfortunately for her, if she didn't make a bathroom trip soon, she'd embarrass herself something fierce.

Will didn't stir as she got up. She was content to leave him there. The poor man earned as much sleep as he wanted.

Leaving the bathroom after some much-needed relief, she padded into the kitchen.

Natalie stood staring out the back window, a cup of coffee held close to her chest.

"Natalie?"

At her entrance, Natalie turned and gave Harley a happy yet exhausted smile. "Harley, good morning. Why don't you sit at the table and I'll get you a cup?"

Coffee sounded beautiful right about now. "Thank you."

She waited until the steaming mug arrived in front of her to ask. "How did last night go?"

Natalie blew out a breath, "It was the most stressful night I've ever had."

"But..."

She flashed white teeth, "You're looking at your new Alpha female."

Surprisingly, giddiness welled inside of her. She threw herself at Natalie and scooped her into a hug.

The relief hit them at the same time. They sagged in each other's arms.

"I'm so happy for you, Natalie."

Natalie's arms wrapped around her back. "I never thought I'd be this relieved."

"How's Oliver doing?"

"He's in the infirmary resting. I came down to take a moment for myself and find him something to eat."

"The damage isn't too bad, is it?"

"For what the fight could've been? No. He made it out pretty good."

"And Alph--er, Mark?"

Natalie sighed as she sorted through items in the fridge. "He's scraped up. Though between you and me," she quieted her voice, "I don't think Mark gave it his all."

Harley put creamer and sugar in her coffee and stirred. "What's going to happen to him?"

"We're going to another pack."

Harley's hand jerked on the spoon in surprise, dripping coffee onto the table.

Bailey had a suitcase in her hand. She shot Harley a sad smile. "I think my father and I need to rediscover what it means to be pack."

Harley said nothing, her hands tightened into fists on the flat surface.

Bailey noticed. "Harley--" she choked up, "I'm so--"

"Don't." Harley hissed. She couldn't look at Bailey. This Bailey was unrecognizable. In the beginning, Bailey'd been a sweet, cool girl--the only one truly welcoming to Harley when she'd arrived. Now...

Now Jamie was more trustworthy than her half-sister.

This flip flopping was something Harley'd have to account for in the future. If this experience taught her anything, it was not to put both feet and all her trust into a relationship right away. People often had hidden secrets up their sleeve.

"Don't you dare apologize to me," Harley said, her words tight. "You made this pot, now you stew in it."

She'd like to think she'd be the forgiving friend. But right now she was too tired, stressed, and done with everyone to be the bigger person.

Bailey's lips pressed tight. "Okay."

She walked off.

Natalie rested a hand on her shoulder, "Harley..."

"I know I should do it," Harley said through her teeth. "If I don't forgive her it will hover over me for a long time. I just can't right now."

Natalie patted her back. "As long as when you're ready, you give her a call."

~

Later that morning, the pack house was a flurry of activity as members came to visit and give Oliver well wishes. They'd planned a celebratory barbecue later that evening. The members who weren't visiting Oliver were helping set up the backyard.

Alpha Mark and Bailey had left early--one of Oliver's stipulations if he won. He didn't want any trace of corruption and thought it best Mark and Bailey leave as soon as possible.

And so the pack moved on, welcoming the new members--five or so original test subjects--that Will had found and brought back from Selene's camp.

The patrol had watched the camp carefully, waiting for any indication that Selene's forces would make another move. However, so far it looked as if they were packing up and slowly disbanding.

In her bedroom, Harley pulled her suitcases onto her bed and opened them. She had a bit of work in front of her.

About a drawer in, someone entered the doorway and cleared their throat. She smiled. "Will."

He sat crisscrossed in the middle of the carpet and watched her put her clothes away. "I'm glad you're finally unpacking," he said. She tried to focus on her task, but having him in the room was a major distraction. She could feel his gaze, heavy and strong, on her as she put clothes away. Hell, even his voice was distracting in its deep quality. The weighted gaze made her want to crawl into his lap and never leave.

"Harley, wait."

In the middle of putting a rolled up shirt in the top drawer, she froze. Wait? She was finally unpacking! Something he'd wanted her to do from the beginning. "What?"

Will bit his lip and stood, unfolding his limbs with a grace and fluidity she'd never achieve. "I need to tell you something before you go any further."

She folded her arms, waiting. When he only stared at her, her skin began a slow burn.

What could he possibly tell her that influenced her unpacking?

Oh my Luna. Was he going to ask her to move in?

They were early in their relationship--way too early for those kind of questions. Especially if she didn't know when it would end. Because it would end, eventually. Whenever he found his mate and decided to settle down.

"Harley," his hands were warm as they settled onto her elbows. "I--"

She waited.

And waited.

"You...?"

He dragged a hand through his hair. "Fuck, this is hard."

"Start at the beginning."

The corner of his lip twitched. "I'm trying."

Normally, she'd be on his case. Demanding he tell her whatever it was. Or telling him to just ask her to move in already.

What stopped her was the way he kept shifting his weight, and the nerves practically shaking his body. He couldn't keep still.

"Will," she cupped his cheek, "whatever it is, you can tell me. I'm not going to freak out."

The second he asked her to move in, she'd say yes, even though she knew it wouldn't be a good decision. The thought of being near him every day put a flutter in her chest. As soon as he asked, she'd pack everything back up and--

"You're my mate."

Her thoughts came to a screeching halt. "What?"

"You're my mate," he repeated. After the words came out the first time, he took a breath, steadied himself, and came back with confidence to say it again.

Mate? But... "That's not how these things work!" She sputtered, "you can't just declare someone your mate."

"I'm not," he said. He grabbed her hands and uncurled them, holding tight. "My wolf decided a while ago that you were his mate. And I'm inclined to agree with his decision."

A part of her came alive, lightened at his words. Of course she wanted to be Will's mate. She'd love nothing more than to have the man she trusted wholeheartedly as her mate. It would be a dream come true.

Yet that idea was all a fantasy. And as much as it hurt her, she couldn't be the one standing in his way when his wolf decided he wanted to connect that deeply with another. Wolf-to-wolf.

A wolf bond, a true mating between two wolves, was sacred and could never be replicated. It was the type of bond wolves dreamed of.

Little human Harley could never give him that.

Her eyes blurred and she pulled back, hugging herself. "I'm not your mate."

"What? Yes you are," he reached out, but she scooted out of reach. He frowned, his chin tilting down. "Harley."

She didn't know it would hurt this bad. When the relationship between them started, she'd known it was temporary. Eventually, Will would find someone else and she'd separate herself from the situation. But having him stand there, declaring her as his mate, put it into perspective--the longer she stayed, the more it would hurt. It would be best, easier, if she ended it now.

Already it felt like someone had shoved glass into her chest. What would it be like if they let this continue?

The fact that he'd lie and claim them mates was actually cruel. He knew she was latent. Knew she'd never be able to have that connection. Never be able to be a wolf.

"You're kind of a jerk, you know that?" She snapped.

"Harls, I'm not lying." His lips pinched together. "My wolf picked you as my mate. I swear to Luna."

"Your wolf would never do that."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm latent!" The words burst from her lips as the anger, the frustration settled over her. "Don't you get it? Your wolf is so dominant. So strong. He would never pick someone like me to be mates with. I'm weak."

"No, you're not."

Her fingers speared through her hair. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why was he lying? What was the point of all this?

A low, frustrated growl came from him. He turned, then whirled and snatched her up, pulling her tight despite her struggling. "You're mine, Harley. Mine."

She went limp, her focus sharpening. Will's voice had turned throaty and deep.

Not his voice.

When he gave her space, she looked up--

--and met yellow eyes.

"Will..."

"Mine," he said again.

Her tears leaked hot down her cheeks. "I'm not though. You're going to want something more. Someday. And I will never be able to give you that."

"Mine," his wolf said.

"I won't be able to run with you," she told the beast. "I can't keep up to your speed. I'm not strong. And our pups--" she broke off as her heart clenched tight with the sudden realization. "I'm not even sure I'll be able to have pups. They might just be human babies with their wolf spirit locked up tight like mine. You don't want that. I'll be more of a burden than a help. It's better if I just marry some human."

Will's wolf rumbled in dissatisfaction. His eyes were a bright yellow green, and Harley couldn't look away. They mesmerized her. Was that what her wolf's eyes would look like if she were able to Change?

She sniffed and wiped at her nose with her arm. "You deserve the world, Will."

He shook his head and pulled her close, nuzzling at her neck. "I will take care of you," he whispered, "that is what I want. To keep you safe. To keep you fed. To keep you warm. You are mine."

Her fingers bunched in the back of his shirt. She sobbed, her legs unable to keep her upright. Though it didn't matter--Will scooped her up and sat with her on the bed. He rested his back against the headboard and wrapped his arms around her as she cried.

He wanted her. Her. Both him and his wolf. To be his mate, no matter what condition she was in.

Once she'd started crying she couldn't stop. There were so many things for her to cry for--her family's death, her brother's condition, Bailey's betrayal, being without a wolf--that it had all built and built until it was a waterfall of emotion she had to let out.

Even through her sobs, she knew the moment Will's beast left. He took a deep breath, his chest expanding at her side, and then relaxed. His hand continued to smooth down her hair.

"I don't know what the future's going to be like, Harley," he said softly. "But I don't want any future that doesn't include you. And neither does my wolf. We want you just as you are."

When she quieted down, Will helped her wipe the tears away with the hem of his shirt.

"I think I'm done crying for awhile," she said. The back of her throat ached enough that she didn't want to do it again for at least a year.

"It seemed about time you did cry," he said. He traced a finger down her arm, raising goosebumps. "After all you've been through, I'd be more concerned if you didn't."

"Sorry about sobbing all over your wolf."

"He didn't mind."

She stared blankly at the wall of her room. Now that she'd let every bit of water in her body out, the exhaustion pulled at her. She wanted a bottle of water and sleep. Preferably in that order.

"Harley, remember when I came here drunk?"

Even though she was tired, she couldn't help but snort. "How could I forget?" she mumbled, "It's not every day a drunk wolf shows up at your bedroom door."

"That night that you let me in was the night my wolf decided you'd be his mate."

"That was...a long time ago."

He pressed a kiss to her forehead. She let the warmth, the contentedness he brought with him spread over her. "I was excited he'd chosen you. I still am. That first day you walked down the stairs, right after you got here...you took my breath away. I remember thinking, "Is that Mathias' sister?" and then after that, I cursed myself because if Mathias knew how hot I thought his sister was, he'd roast me alive."

He chuckled, "turns out he's actually okay with it."

"You told him?"

"I did. He gave his blessing."

A grin threatened to split her face wide open. "Willie Grey gets the girl."

He groaned, "please tell me you're not going to start calling me Willie again."

"Stay in my good graces and we won't have a problem." She laughed at his horrified expression. "Kidding!"

"I almost forgot. The whole reason I stopped you from packing was to ask you--"

"You want me to move in with you?"

He raised an eyebrow. "How'd you know?"

She only smiled and pulled him in for a tender kiss. One that ended with his hands in her hair and her gasping for breath. "I'd love to move in with you, Willie."

"Please no."

"I think I'm going to keep the name. Sorry, but I've got thirteen years of torment to make up for."

He rolled his eyes. "You're impossible."

"Yes, but I'm your mate."

"Mine," he said, tracing a careful hand down to her hip.

"Yours."