The Mates Bond

Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five
Talking

After Braxton and I saw Trace off for the evening we both knew that there was an elephant in the room.

"Sooo." He sounded.

I smiled, "So, Trace and Val."

"Another mate coupling."

I nodded along to his words, "I'm happy for my sister, assuming Trace is as good a man as Ryder" I offered, "She really does deserve happiness."

He placed his arms on my shoulders and pulled me in for a hug, his tall frame always towering over me, "i know Trace, he is a good man and more...but I'm happy so long as you're happy Gorgeous."

I smirked against his chest "No doubt they'll start dating, maybe she'll move over there in time, then they'll be as happy as we are...I should call my parents and convince them to sell the house...especially if Val's gonna move out soon."

"I have no doubt that they will be as happy as we are, and the minute that Val accepts him she will be beginning her training just as you are." He smiled.

"What?" I asked before reality kicked in. Trace is an Alpha. "Well, I mean she'll have some time to get used to everything and I can ease her into the role."

He pulled out of the hug to look at me almost sympathetically, "Harper gorgeous, I know you mean well but it will be up to Trace and the council, the council really...on how and when she will being her training to become a Luna, but knowing Trace and Val...I know it won't be long before he marks her and that essentially kicks off everything."

I was kind of at a loss for words, of course I'm still happy and excited for my sister, but this is a lot of stuff super fast. "But I mean, I had a year to kind of get into all of this and she's just gonna be thrown in there?"

"First and foremost she will always have her mate now, and I don't think any male, especially an Alpha is going to just let his mate be thrown into anything." He said with a gentle smile, "I know Trace well enough to know that he is very protective of the people he cares about, and your sister will be placed highest above anyone now as she is his mate."

I nodded, "I just wish she had as much time as I did, getting to know her mate like I have."

He chuckled before placing a lovely kiss upon my lips, "And I have loved every minute getting to know you and still learning about you as we continue to move forward."

I love this man so much.

"Now" he said as he took a slouching position against the sofa and took hold of my waist so I would step in between his legs. "to be honest, the only real reason we took as long as we did before your transition into becoming the Luna, is because you only just took my mark." He explained as he gently pushed my hair away from my neck and behind my shoulder to reveal his mark. "And I have a feeling it won't take Valerie nearly as long to accept Trace's Mark."

At this I crossed my arms, "Are you suggesting my sister is easy or fast?"

He sighed, "No Lovely, only suggesting that since she does happen to be a little more...experienced than you, I have every faith that she will accept her mates mark much quicker." He tried to amend but now I was feeling a little hurt, he must've sensed it as he pulled me in even closer to him, "Remember every Mates coupling is different Gorgeous, so if someone takes their mates mark sooner or later is completely between the two mates and no one else, despite the council thinking they are the ones to make that decision." He smiled.

I couldn't help but sigh now, "So here comes another couple who will probably get married and have babies before us too."

He furrowed his brow only slightly, "Is that something you're wanting?"

I shook my head but shrugged, "I...well I don't know to be honest." I sighed, "I've definitely thought about it, no really I've stressed about it." I admitted.

"Stressed about it?"

I felt slightly embarrassed now, "Well it's the reason I moved out in the first place, like it was all becoming so much...the mating, the mark, the presenting, the lessons, marriage, alpha heirs...it all felt like it was piling up on me and like I had to get it done immediately."

"Why didn't you tell me any of this?" He asked kind of sadly.

"I was worried about disappointing you or worse, making you feel like I didn't want to do any of it...Like how do you tell your boyfriend you don't want to get married or have babies."

"Ever?" He questioned, I could see concern beginning to fill his face.

"Well someday...but I'm not even 20 yet," I confessed. "Call me selfish or whatever but I love you and I love being with you, but I felt like when Ellie got married that I had this obligation that I had to soon get married and then now with Mariah being pregnant, that same overwhelming feeling like I have to have a baby in the name of the pack is kicking in even though I'm perfectly happy without having a baby at the moment."

"Harper, I wish you felt comfortable enough to talk about these things with me sooner, because believe it or not Gorgeous, but I face these same issues too, as the Alpha and Luna yes we will have many expectations placed upon us but I can assure you that just because everyone might want us to do this or that doesn't mean we have to...we don't have any obligation to get married or have kids."

"Ever?" I asked confused.

"Ever." He smiled, "Gorgeous there is no law anywhere and I'm sure you would know." He smiled sweetly, "There's nothing saying that the Alpha and Luna have to be married or that the Luna has to have kids."

I had to think about it but he was right, I had gone over every freaking book and scroll there was so far and I haven't ever come across anything about marriage and children being mandatory.

More so I felt like a jerk so I voiced that.

"I feel like a sucky hypocrite." I said, "I preached to Val that when it comes to mates that she should open herself up and just talk to whoever her mate turned out to be and here I am not even doing that."

He kissed my forehead. "Just promise me that if you're stressing about something that you'll come to me, I don't care how small or insignificant you think it might be...the last thing I want is for you to feel like you have to do this alone try and remember gorgeous that I'm new to this too."

I felt better having had this conversation and I now knew that I wasn't the only one who was worried about all of this. Then something else struck me, I don't know how I would feel if Braxton and I never did get married, and if he's thought about it like I have...is it possible he never wants to get married?

But taking his advice I just asked instead of harping on it.

"So, where do you stand on the whole marriage and babies topics?"

He didn't even have to think about it, "oh I definitely plan on marrying you...without a doubt I'd love to marry you...but babies...I think we could put that one off for a while." He smirked. "You see I too am too selfish to share my mate with anyone right now, my own child included."

Then I put in a saddened expression.

"What's wrong Gorgeous?"

"W-well, despite neither of us wanting kids right now...I have to admit I'll miss us being intimate."

And he reacted quickly, "Hey I never said anything about not practicing the wonderful world of safe sex."

And just like that he was chasing me up the stairs and into the bedroom where I let him have my body completely.