True Mates

Chapter 3

Ensley

Ensley awoke when she heard voices. She heard Kyler describe his feelings for her. Turning more to the side, she wrapped an arm around Kyler's stomach. Oh, he felt so good. The car slowed down and then stopped. Ensley pretended to be asleep, waiting to see what was happening. Had they reached the Blood Moon pack already? She heard car doors opening and then Ensley was in Kyler's arms being carried. She curled in toward his massive chest.

"See you later today. Thanks for opening the door for me." Kyler spoke to Chase as he went inside the house.

"No problem. See ya." It sounded as if Chase closed the door, too. Kyler carried her up the stairs and paused, turning he walked a few steps before gently laying her down on a bed. He pulled the covers over her body and sat on the edge of the bed. Ensley kept her eyes closed and tried to keep her breathing even. Kyler ran his hand down her hair.

"Oh, Ensley." He breathed. "How am I going to do this?" He stopped talking, continuing to touch her hair.

Ensley wanted to yell. Do what? What do you have to do? Speak!

"You are so beautiful. You are everything I have ever dreamed of having in a mate." His voice was low and deep. Kyler leaned down and kissed her hair. Inhaling her scent as he sat back up. "I must keep my distance until I am the only man in your heart. The knowledge that you love someone else wounds me more than I ever thought myself capable of being hurt by another. I've spent so much time protecting myself from pain, I hate I have to do it with my mate, with my Luna." Why would he need to protect himself? What happened to him that made him this way? He is so strong, capable and entirely intimidating. She could not believe he was saying these things. His words cut through her like a knife. Ensley felt tears rising, so she rolled over in bed to hide them from Kyler. "Sleep. I will see you in a while." He rose from the bed and closed the door on his way out. His absence left her feeling bereft. Ensley sobbed into her pillow. She cried for Kyler, Maddox and herself.

The next morning, she did not want to get out of bed. However, as the new Luna of the Blood Moon pack, she must. Tossing Kyler's shirt on to the bed, she went into the bathroom connected to her room. As for the guest bathroom, it was fully stocked with all she needed, plus a soft white robe, which she put on after her shower. She dried her long wavy hair and brushed it until it gleamed down her back. Tightening the robe around her waist, she made her way downstairs. No one was home. She did not feel Kyler in the house. The clock on the microwave said it was 1:45. Ensley found items to make a sandwich. She was eating when there was a slight knock on the door. The door opened before Ensley could rise from her barstool and in walked a pregnant young woman with dark pixie cut hair, a beautiful face, and dimples to die for. She was adorable.

"Hi!" she smiled. "I am Hannah, Chase's mate."

"Hello." Ensley walked over to greet her. "I'm Ensley."

"Kyler came over about an hour ago to see if I could find something for you to wear. I brought some shorts, a top and a pair of flip-flops; Kyler thinks they will fit you. We can go to the store if you want to pick up clothes and shoes for you. Kyler said, Zach, his third-in-command will go with us. He said to give you this." Hannah handed her a credit card. "To buy whatever you need. Also, Chase is making arrangements to have your mom pack your belongings."

"Okay. This is all still a little surreal." Ensley said, gesturing to their surroundings.

"I'm sure it is. It was for me as well. I've known Chase forever and yes, he is gorgeous, but he was never on my radar. I thought of him as just a bud. A group of us all hung out in high school, including Kyler and Chase. We knew Kyler would be the alpha and guessed that Chase would be his beta. When Kyler's dad was killed in a raid, he became alpha at seventeen. He was ready. His father had taught him well. He wanted to finish school, so with the help of his dad's beta, he was both alpha and high school student. Upon Kyler's graduation, his dad's beta stepped down, telling Kyler he needed to lead the pack the way he wanted and not the way his dad would have done it. So, Kyler named Chase as his beta and Zach as his third-in-command. Several months later Kyler turned eighteen and all the girls held their breath, hoping to be the one. Nothing. A month later, Chase turned eighteen. He never let on that I was his mate. I turned eighteen two weeks after he did. He knocked on my front door that morning holding a bouquet of wildflowers he picked himself. My mom woke me up and told me I had a visitor. I opened the door and there stood Chase. I said to him, of course. All the little things that happened between us and all the times we were together in the past suddenly stood out to me. I wondered how I could have not known he was the one. How I did not see it. What did you think when you first saw Kyler?"