After the awkwardly silent ride back to my pack we finally pulled up to my apartment. I looked at the clock on his dashboard and felt like shit, it was already going on 4 in the morning (as we'd stayed at the club after closing, talked at his house and then drove all the way back to Harmond) and as much as I may want to be alone to think things through right now, I knew I didn't want Auggie driving back home this late.

"At the risk of sounding like a brat right now..." I offered as lightheartedly as I could, "Will you stay with me?"

I knew if I was just going to ask him to stay the night with me I could've damn well just stayed at his place...but there was something about being at my own place, in my own pack that made things easier for me.

"You hardly have to ask Gracie...and you don't sound like a brat."

"I-I just don't want you driving back this late." I offered.

He smirked, "So that's the ONLY reason you're asking me to stay?"

I resisted the urge to smile, "That I can think of at the moment." I said as I got out of his car and made my way up to my apartment knowing he'd soon follow behind me.

Once inside the familiar space I let out a deep breath and relaxed a bit, soon his hands were on my hips as he held me from behind.

We stood there for a moment, just him silently hugging me from behind while I wrapped my arms over his. I couldn't help but close my eyes and smile at this perfectly peaceful moment.

He kissed the back of my head and sighed heavily, "I'm sorry if I upset you Gracie...it was never my intention...-"

"I know." I said as I opened my eyes. "It's just a lot." I said before stepping out of his hold and making my way to my bedroom. I could somehow feel his hesitation to follow me now and I stopped and turned around, "Let's go to bed." I said as I held my hand out to him now.

I could see he wanted to be happy about the small gesture, but he held his emotions back as he nodded and simply took my hand.

Together we made our way into the bedroom and I immediately stepped out of my shoes before I grabbed my usual sleepwear, "Uh...sleep however you're most comfortable, all I ask is don't be a weirdo and wear socks to bed."

He smiled and shook his head, "Never...only lunatics wear socks to sleep."

I smiled and nodded my agreement before I went into my bathroom and got changed. When I walked back into the bedroom I found him already laying in the bed, I could see he had opted to take his top off, then I wondered, "what if he sleeps naked?"

My wolf seemed to wake up at the thought now. 'Mate.'

"Don't worry...I'm not naked." He smirked as he watched me stare at him, "Unless you want me to be."

I rolled my eyes in an attempt to seem unfazed and also quash my growing lust, "I was going to say that's my spot."

His smile stretched further, "Okay then."

Then instead of simply scooting to the other side of the bed, he pulled the covers back, got out of bed, giving me full view of his body in nothing but a pair of boxer briefs that hugged his lower portion nicely before he got back into bed and smiled, "There...happy?"

I couldn't hold my own smile back now, "Very." I moved and got into the bed now and laid right beside him.

"I know I'm starting to sound like a broken record here Gracie...but I'm really sorry I brought up Cor...-"

"Don't..." I cut him off immediately, my emotions getting the better of me now as my eyes pricked with the threat of tears.

I hate that I'm so fucking emotional now.

"It's hard enough knowing I have to share you with her for now, but I refuse to let her take you from me in bed as well...give me that Augustine, promise that when we're in bed it's just you and I, always."

"Of course." he said as he took me into his arms and drew me into his warm embrace. He kissed my temple and the warm kiss mixed the electric tingles, his scent, and our closeness...that's all it took for me to completely become his.

I took care in looking up into his face now before I reached up and caressed his face softly, he smiled down at me and I brought his face closer to mine so I could kiss his lips.

Kissing Auggie is beyond amazing, and I was quickly learning it was my favorite thing to do...that is, before his mouth moved away from mine and his kisses became exploratory.

Ever kiss of his seemed to stoke the fire building within me, and I could only lay there lost in lust but wrapped up in my growing longing for him.

"I want you." I whispered into the night.

"I want you more." He replied as he looked up at me now. "But I can't have you."

"I am giving myself to you." I protested.

"And I want to accept it, so fucking badly...but I don't want to hurt you more than I already am."

"The only way you can hurt me is by pushing me away." I said almost pleadingly.

With one final look he was helping me out of my shorts while I got my top off...he pulled his underwear down before he returned to kiss me.

He pushed himself inside of me and I held him close. His own sounds of pleasure spilled out of him.

"You are mine." I said as I held his face in my hands and made him look at me.

I wanted this to be an act of my hold over him as my mate...me staking my claim that he really in mine.

But with every deep thrust it only pulled ME in further and I knew I was His...and now more than ever I knew this was no longer either of us claiming the other as mates...this was us, expressing our true feelings for one another...us making love.

Everything from the time we met up until now was moving in hyperdrive, but it felt right...moreso, it didn't make our feelings for one another any less real.

He lifted me and now face to face in an upward straddling position I looked into his deep dark eyes and lost myself to him completely.

"Augustine."

It was all I could say before I finished for the first time that evening.

_____

"We need to get to sleep." He said tiredly.

I laid against his chest, all signs of my last orgasm finally fading away as the sounds of birds beginning to chirp hit my ears...but I drowned them out as my wolf and I zoned in on his heartbeat it was beginning to steady as our multiple actions of tonight were also waning on him as well.

My wolf settled into a comfortable rest as his long fingers stroked my bare back.

It tickled slightly, enough to cause me to smile, but the action was more comforting than anything else so I finally closed my eyes and submitted to sleep.

_____

"Goddess!" I growled when my phone wouldn't stop ringing.

Auggie chuckled and handed me the cellphone, "Just answer it and maybe they'd stop calling."

I rolled my eyes and answered the call without even double checking who it was. "What?"

"Grace Wylde...I know that's not how you answer your father's call."

I blushed and pulled my blanket up to my neck as if he could somehow see me and knew what I was doing.

"Hey Dad...sorry...uh, what's up?"

"I'm going to assume you were in class."

I blushed once more, as I looked at Auggie. "I was actually with a professor when you called." I said... Auggie smirked and shook his head, before he turned onto his side (facing me) closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep...plus what I said wasn't an outright lie.

"Your mate I presume." He sounded with a sigh, "If you're still with him, your mother and I would like to ask you both over dinner...and this time it'll be just us, no other family members."

"Thanks." I offered.

There was a silence between us now, clearly he wanted to say more otherwise he'd of hung up.

"...I don't hate him princess, try and remember that."

"I know Dad, and you don't know how much that means to me."

We finally hung up and I looked at the time, it was just past noon now and as much as I knew I should get up all I really wanted to do was lay back down with my mate and just enjoy being with him right now.

I put my phone back on the night stand and laid back down, this time on my own pillow so I could actually have a good look at him.

He was laying on his side, his eyes were closed, he was still resting, he looked so at ease here with me and I smiled...this could be our everyday normal, comfortable, happy, in love.

He opened his eyes and caught me staring at him, he smiled and lifted his arm up, as if to silently say 'Come here.'

I smiled and more than willingly obliged him as I selfishly snuggled myself into his chest.

I kissed his chest and his hands stroked my body before he reached my thigh and lifted my leg up to hook around his waist.

"We should get up." I said now as I knew if we continued in this fashion we'd only end up having sex again.

"I don't want to Lovely."

My heart raced and he noticed, "I-I need a shower...I probably look like I've been dragged through the gutter."

He laughed, "You don't, but I guess we should get up." He said before he kissed my forehead. "Care if I join you?"

I shook my head, "I was hoping you would."

Once we were out of bed, business was back on the table. "I really have to go to school tomorrow." I said as I went over to my counter and pulled out my makeup wipes. "Who knows what I missed."

"I'm sure nothing important happened from our disappearing from the world this morning." He smirked before he began to pee.

I averted my gaze and removed my remaining makeup and then brushed my teeth...he walked over and I offered him a toothbrush.

"How do you happen to have a brand new tooth brush just laying around?" He asked with a slight humor but mostly curiosity.

"My mom ordered a surplus of them once by mistake, she was using this new app and was ordering a bunch of stuff and on her list was new toothbrushes for her, dad, and my sister so she added three to the cart and she paid...but she didin't realize she'd order three cases instead of 3 individual ordered toothbrushes."

He laughed, "And she didn't notice anything was off by the price?"

"Same thing we all asked her, and she said it completely went over her head...this was around the time I moved out and I was a little pissed at the world so I know she was more than a little worried about me."

He nodded.

"Anyways she gave me a box and it's come in handy for when the girls stay over...and now you have your own tooth brush here as well." I offered sweetly before hitting him with why my dad called. "...Speaking of my parents, they uh, they want us to come over for dinner." I announced nervously.

"Why are you nervous?" He asked.

I shrugged as I finished brushing my teeth and he only just began."I was under the impression you and my dad didn't like each other." I admitted.

He spit out the toothpaste and rinsed his mouth clear. "Grace...I do not have any problems with either of your parents, in fact... I understand their standoffishness."

I blushed out of embarrassment, of course my parents should love my mate as he's my other half, made specifically for me by the fates themselves...no one would ever love and care for me more than he would.

"They don't hate you." I replied.

"And I don't hate them...but that's neither here nor there and I can see this is upsetting you so as much as I don't want to further upset you, I think maybe we should talk about it."

I offered him a small smile, "Thank you...I guess it just sucks knowing our Mated relationship isn't a convientional one by any means."

He nodded.

"I don't know...I guess even though in the past I've sorta looked down on mates, I always knew you were out there and despite my trying to be anti-Luna and go against the rain on normalcy to so to speak, I did sort of have the idea that when I found my mate my parents would love him and he'd love them and everything would just click seamlessly and our first meeting wasn't exactly the best."

"I think your parents no that Gracie...otherwise I'm sure they wouldn't be extending an olive branch by asking me over for another dinner." He sighed, "I hate talking about the heavy stuff."

"Sucks but I guess it's better to be honest and upfront with one another."

"I  know...but I'd rather see your smile than your frown." He said as he moved to kiss me and then stepped away to start the water.

I sighed and grabbed some towels before joining him in the shower.