Chapter 5

"Mark?"

"Hmm?"

"It's me, Lilliana. You hungry?"

I jump up realizing I wasn't alone and in the woods.

"Shh, it's okay. You're safe." She assures me, putting a hand on my shoulder.

"Sorry. I, um, haven't been around anyone in a few years."

"It's okay. I completely understand. Are you hungry? Dinner was an hour ago but I'm sure the kitchen couple whip you up something." She smiles and I nod back. I look out the window and it's dark outside. I must have been asleep since it was just noon when I got here.

She grabs my hand. "Come with me. We'll go eat in the kitchen."

I let her lead me down stairs and we go through a couple of rooms before getting to the kitchen. It was a simple modern kitchen. Much better condition than my old packs kitchen. They only had one oven and fridge where this one has 2 of each and a dishwasher. That would have come in handy when we were washing all those dishes by hand.

"Marie?"

"Yes Alpha?"

"Can you make Mark here something to eat?"

"Of course! What would you like?"

" Um...Well what do you have? I don't want to be a bother."

"No bother at all hun, I can make you just about anything."

"Just a sandwich would be fine."

"You sure? I have some steaks? They won't take long to cook." My mouth waters. I've made steaks out of the deer I've caught but I bet these come from cows. The higher ups were always eating steak back home.

"Can I, Can I have one of those? "

"Of course. Sit right here and I'll get it started. Would you like some tea? Water? I think we have some whiskey or rum if you'd like a cocktail?"

"Just water please. Oh and thank you."

"You're very welcome. Be back In a jiffy."

Lilliana and I head over to the table while Marie heads back to the kitchen. Two seconds later she's back with some ice water for the both of us.

I take a sip and glance up at Liliana who is staring at me smiling.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" I start wiping my face thinking I missed a spot In the shower.

She laughs. "No. No, you're perfect." I blush. "I'm sorry to stare so much. I just figured I'd never meet my mate. I don't travel much and when I couldn't feel him here in the pack I thought my chance would be gone forever. I like to stay close to home unless I have to leave for pack duties."

"Oh. Okay." I take a sip of water. I can feel the bond getting strong the longer I'm with her and I don't know if I want to leave or If I want to stay. I used to dream of my mate. When I'd finally get to meet her I would ask her to run away with me. If she was omega too, we'd get her family and mine and run away. We'd start our own little pack. A pack of rogues. I never imagined my mate would be the Alpha of another pack. How could the moon goddess pair a nobody with an Alpha. She was gorgeous too. Long blonde hair neatly braided on the sides leading to the back of her head, long legs, sun kissed skin and her eyes. Oh her eyes. I could get lost in them for days.

I've never met anymore with lavender colored eyes. They were the perfect color to match her light blonde hair. She looked so clean and healthy. I'm sure I wasn't much to look at. I haven't had a hair cut in years so my hair was a little past my shoulders. I sharpened a rock to trim my beard every now and then. I was super skinny you could see my ribcage and while, like all wolves, my skin was tan, it was a very pale tan. I stayed in my makeshift tent all day and hunted only at night usually. Sometimes I couldn't wait and Axel would complain non stop about being hungry so we'd make a quick hunt during the day. I just felt safer at night. In case anyone was around, I'd have the cover of darkness to help hide me although it wouldn't help much since wolves can see in dim light but it made me feel better.

My thoughts are interrupted when Marie places a plate in front of me. Steak, eggs and broccoli. It smelled so good I had to wipe the drool trying to escape my mouth. "Enjoy! And if you need anything else please don't hesitate to ask. I'll be up in my room. Goodnight Alpha Lilly, Good night Mark."

"Good night Marie and thank you so much."

"Yes, thank you. It looks amazing." I say to her without looking up from my plate. I hear the door close and look over at Lilliana who is digging into her steak cutting it into nice little pieces. I cut mine into pieces like hers and try a bite. Oh. My. Goddess. That was so good. Juicy and tender. The seasonings? Oh God, I've never had seasonings on my food before. Mom did the best she could with what she had but this is amazing.

"Would you like some steak sauce?"

"I..I don't know, I've never tried it." She giggles and goes into the kitchen. A few moments later she comes out shaking a bottle and stops and giggles at me. I look down and realize I've eaten everything on my plate.

"Sorry." I look down.

"It's okay Mark. Don't be sorry. I'm sure you haven't had a real meal in awhile and well, it's hard to resist Marie's cooking." She smiles and pours some steak sauce on her plate. Driving her fork through a piece of meat she dips it in the sauce and holds to to my mouth.

"Here. Try it." I hesitate for a second and then take a bite. It only adds to the flavor.

"Mmm."

"Here." She giggles again and places her plate in front of me. "You can have mine."

"Are you sure? Aren't you hungry?"

"Not as hungry as you," she smiles, "eat up. We'll go for a tour when you're done."

It's not long before I finish what was on her plate as well. She takes the dishes to the sink and comes back out and grabs my hand again.