His Little Mischief

28

t w e n t y - e i g h t| t h e o
___

Cara and I found our way back home, our hearts feeling lighter than ever after we placed our differences aside.

Still, she remained silent all week long. But all I cared about was the serene gaze as her eyes roamed over the dense forest, where her other half belonged.

At least she was doing better.

I knew I'd never get back the Cara who smiled so brightly, but I was grateful to even have her by my side.

Especially after the foolish things I've done.

My eyes follow Cara's retreating figure as she enters the pack house with slow and steady steps. I follow her right after and smile when an image of my mate enters my mind.

I wanted to give her a back hug and shower her with kisses, but I already knew something was wrong the moment I entered my territory.

I could feel my fretful pack members panicking and I could also feel the absence of my mate.

But somehow, I don't feel an ounce of concern. I trusted her with all my heart. My wolf could feel Alexandria's satisfaction through the mate bond.

That could only mean that her wolf just accomplished something so triumphant and satisfactory that I could feel it through the mate bond.

My wolf yips at me, overjoyed, because this told him that somewhere out there, his mate's consciousness still resides in her.

I could feel like walls that separated us break down little by little. Maybe, just maybe, today is a day we would finally decide to move on to the future.

I open the doors of the pack house and immediately, hundreds of distressed wolves move their attention to me.

I hold back a chuckle when my eyes land on Emilio, sitting on the edge of a table, his knees bouncing up and down anxiously. Scarlett rubs his back in an attempt to calm him down and places a blanket around him.

"Theo, I—," he starts but I stop him when I toss my coat at his face.

His downturned lips tug even lower when I throw him my biggest smile of reassurance.

I don't think it's working.

Instantaneously, there was a pause in all movements. I meet Celestina's eyes as she gapes at me with uncertainty and disbelief. I watch a little kid blink at me repeatedly, stopping midway in the process of biting her nails.

The ambience seems to shift and my people eye me up and down as if I just stole something from them. Sorry, I don't steal.

Unlike someone else I know—ehem.

"What the actual fuck?" I hear a voice mumble to themselves.

"Don't worry. I've got it handled. You all trust me, don't you?" I question them. When there was no response, I raise a skeptical brow at them, prodding them for an answer. The only reply I received was a slight nod.

I unbutton my cuffs and then my shirt. Slipping the dress shirt off my body, I fling it at Gio, who narrows his eyes at me suspiciously. I smirk when I see the dried blood in his arms and say, "Nice tattoo, Gio."