Chp 1 Pt. 4 Summer Is Ending

Maliyah

I wake up feeling amazing. I am glad I have saved myself for this moment. We may not have actually had sex but it was still perfect. He is perfect. I couldn’t ask for a better mate. I know I am jumping the gun, but we’ve been dating since I turned fifteen and I am sure he is my mate.

I look up at the handsome elf next to me and can’t believe how lucky I am to have him in my life.

“It’s creepy to stare at someone while they sleep you know.”

I can’t help but giggle. Aspen opens one of his eyes and smiles at me. I let out a squeal as he rolls on top of me and that is when I realize I am still naked. I suddenly become self conscious and try to hid my ugly scar that is on my body.

“You are beautiful. Don’t ever think otherwise.” He leans down for a gentle kiss that is over sooner than I’d like.

“I need to get you home. You promised to go riding with your siblings today.”

“I’d rather stay in bed with you all day.”

Aspen let’s out a light chuckle.

“I would like nothing more beautiful, but trust me when I say waiting until you are eighteen and find out we’re mates will be worth it.”

I know he is right. He gives me another quick kiss before helping me out of bed and leading me to the shower. I pull him in with me, making him chuckle as he obliges my request. At this point he has seen me naked so I don’t see why we can’t shower together. I behave and do nothing but shower. Once we’re finished, I put on some shorts, a tank top and some gladiator sandals.

Aspen and I walk hand in hand to the breakfast room, which I’ve learned is different from the dining room. Laid out on a long table are various fruits and breakfast pastries for us to choose from. Little Ada is already there eating breakfast with her father.

“Good Morning King Bjarki.”

“Please Maliyah, just Bjarki. We are practically family.”

“Okay, Bjarki.”

“Are you ready for your last year of school,” asks my father.

“Absolutely. I have about a month left before classes start so I know I’ll be busy getting school supplies, school clothes and preparing for cheer practices.”

“Ahh..yes. Your father told me he built a new school between his pack and Dimitri’s coven that humans can also attend.”

“Yeah. The pack and the coven still have their own versions of elementary school that teaches exclusive topics regarding their heritage, but with more shifters mating with humans he thought it necessary to ensure we learned the human ways as well so he created the school for us to mingle and get to know one another without revealing what we are of course.”

“Have you learned about your family history at all?”

I catch Aspen glaring at his father, who now appears lost in thought.

“I’ve been learning a lot from my grandmother, Celestia and from the dragon elders. It’s all quite fascinating.”

I look at Aspen with a raised eyebrow and he just smiles at me. I decide to let it go as whatever is going on between him and his father is none of my business. As soon as I finish breakfast I say goodbye to Ada and head back home with Aspen.

“Maliyah!”

Accalia appears to have been waiting for me to show up as I see her running towards me. I can’t help but laugh as she crashes into me for a hug.

“I missed you too Accalia. You and the boys ready to go for a ride?”

“Yes! Let me go get them.”

Aspen chuckles as we watch Accalia head back inside.

“Are you coming?”

“No, I have business to take care of today. You enjoy the day with your siblings,” says Aspen.

“When will I see you again?”

“I’ll see you before school starts, I promise. There are a few things that need my attention that I have been neglecting.”

I feel a little bad that I have been taking up so much of his time this summer, but also feel sad I won’t see him for a few weeks.

“I’ll be back before you know it,” Aspen whispers as he leaves a kiss on my lips.

“Alright, well then go so you can come back sooner.”

Aspen chuckles as he gives me another kiss and disappears back to the elf realm.

“Maliyah, we’re ready,” says Accalia with our brothers in tow.

‘Mom, the kids and I are going to head to the stables for a ride,’ I mind link.

‘Okay, be back for dinner.’

I grab the keys to one of the pack cars and drive to the stables. As soon as we arrive I can hear Beauty nickering in her stall.

“Alright, saddle up everyone.”

My siblings take off to saddle their horses. I walk up to Beauty’s stall and rub my hand along her nose.

“You ready to go for a ride girl?”

She let’s out a snort that I take as a yes and head to grab her gear. Once we are all saddled, we all begin to head down the trail.

“Sis, are you and Aspen going to get married,” asks Aiden.

Well that came out of no where.

“Umm….if he turns out to be my mate then yes.”

“What if he doesn’t,” asks Thierry.

“Ya’ll are too young to be having these conversations,” I chuckle. “Ya’ll ready for school to start,” I ask, changing the subject.

“I don’t wanna go back to school,” whines Accalia.

“Me either,” says Thierry.

I laugh at their responses as we continue down the trail. We stop at the river to give the horses a break and eat our lunch. As we sit in the sun, enjoying the last days of summer the hairs on the back of my neck begin to stand.

“I’m gonna go grab the cookies Miss Kat packed for us.”

I stand and head to Beauty’s saddle and scan the forest.

‘Terra?’

‘There is someone there.’

I try to mind link my parents, but they don’t answer.

‘Uncle Mark?’

‘What’s wrong Maliyah?’

‘I am riding the main trail with my siblings. We’re at the river. Someone is watching us.’

‘Stay there, I’m on my way.’

The mind link cuts and I head back to my siblings with cookies in hand. I smile, pretending nothing is wrong. Every once in a while I steal a glance at our surroundings, but I still don’t see anyone.

“Hey kiddos, whatcha all doing out here,” asks uncle Mark as he rides up with some warriors behind him.

“Just spending time together before summer is over,” says Accalia.

“Your parents asked me to come get you. You know your mother hates it when you’re late for dinner.”

It’s still early afternoon, but no one argues against uncle Mark and we all begin packing up.

“Let’s see what you young ones got,” says a warrior, egging my siblings into a race.

“Beat you there,” yells Accalia. She giggles as she canters off, but I stay behind with uncle Mark.

“Where did you sense this presence?”

I point in the direction I am sure I sensed someone. Uncle Mark and two warriors immediately jump off their horses and shift. I grab their horses reins and wait for them to return. I no longer have that feeling so I know who ever was there is long gone.

“It was definitely a rogue wolf by the paw print and smell but it’s as if they vanished,” says uncle Mark.

“Warlock maybe then,” I ask.

“Could be a wolf with a warlock but I am only getting one male rogue scent.”

“So a hybrid?”

“I would say so. Come on, let’s get you home.”