Chapter 22 - Dawson
The giddiness I feel is magnetic as I get dressed for my date with Yvonne. I’ve been trying to chip away at her walls ever since she returned to Girdwood, and she’s finally letting me in by allowing me to do something nice for her.
I shrug on my suit jacket and give my reflection another once—over, satisfied that I’m presentable enough for this date.
It isn’t safe to travel outside of Girdwood during the night, especially after learning that the group of Moonshine wolves who’d attacked us the other day were found ripped to pieces on their way back to Sunrise.
It was the demon that caught them out there—the alphas of Snehvolk discovered this when I reported the attack to them, and we were on our way to Sunrise to deal with them.
The demon’s attack on the group was obvious; it had torn their furry limbs to shreds and scattered them all across the forest after drinking their blood.
I hadn’t told Yvonne about our findings when I returned, wanting to protect her from the horrors that lurk out there, especially since she’d been able to tap into her powers.
Justice may have been served to the group who’d wanted to hurt both her and our son, but the danger the demon poses still exists now more than ever.
What we used to believe is no longer true.
The demon dog doesn’t just attack lone werewolves in the forest. It murdered a group of ten, and though they’re not as strong as Snehvolk wolves, it’s cause for concern, prompting tighter security measures around Snehvolk territory and no traveling during the nights.
That’s why I’d set up our date night in my house, lighting the candles on the dinner table and letting the warm ambience flow through the dining room with a fire crackling in the fireplace.
I head out only to pick Yvonne up from the cabin behind my house, taking a deep breath to control my nerves before I knock.
I’d never courted a she-wolf before, and none of those females who readily threw themselves at my feet were important enough to pursue. Yvonne is different, and she reminds me of this when she opens the door and takes my breath away.
“Wow…” I breathe in awe when she’s standing before me in a breathtaking off-shoulder number.
The contrast between the bronze of the dress that hugs her curves to perfection and the silver of her eyes is a stunning match.
I gulp when arousal stirs between my thighs, wanting to keep things decent even if we’re on our own tonight.
I arranged for Gio to spend the night with Rissa, even though I have no intention of pursuing Yvonne for sexual gratification. Tonight is meant to be easy-going; just me, her, and some good food to give her a break from cooking.
My plans are almost thrown out the window because of how appealing she is to my inner wolf, and it takes every ounce of self-control to greet her properly and offer out my hand, remaining completely chivalrous.
“You look beautiful tonight, Yvonne,” I praise sweetly as she slips her hand into mine.
She blushes cutely as she closes the door behind her. “You clean up quite well yourself, Dawson.”
Bemused by her compliment, my heart skips a beat as I lead her through the path cleared from today’s snowfall back to my house. As soon as we enter, I hear Yvonne’s audible intake of breath as she pauses to take in the sight of the dinner table prepared for tonight.
I pulled out all the stops for this one, taking care to ensure that I’d set up things in a romantic way, much like it’s described in the books Yvonne enjoys reading.
The candle-lit dinner table is set with the finest silver cutlery to match the unique color of Yvonne’s eyes, and crockery to match the smoothness of her porcelain skin.
Then, there’s the bouquet of bright red roses as a centerpiece, with more petals strewn across the table.
“Dawson…” Yvonne gasps as I lead her inside and pull out a chair for her. “This is…”
When she becomes speechless, I chuckle lightly and proceed to my seat across from her. “Is it too much?”
Yvonne reaches out and lightly brushes her fingertips across the roses in the vase. “No, it’s perfect.”
Our eyes meet, and I can see that my efforts have affected her in ways that sparkle the silver pools with warmth and appreciation. I find myself falling the longer I remain staring into her eyes, realizing in that moment what I’ve known all along.
I snap out of my daze, reminding myself to take things slowly instead of blurting out the words that might come on too strong. I’ve taken the time to get her to open up; the least I can do is let us both enjoy the night and finally break it to her when the time is right.
I go on to being the perfect host, pouring wine and serving the meal I’d prepared tonight, my heart swelling with pride when every gesture is appreciated through Yvonne’s sweet blush and the warmth in her eyes.
We talk about things, simple things, and she opens up about how she spent the past five years in Sunrise, cooking meals for the Moonshine Pack in exchange for a place for her and Gio.
“It’s nice that I didn’t have to cook tonight, or any night since I got here,” she giggles shyly. “Compliments to the cook. The pack is lucky to be getting such tasty meals.”
She gestures to her empty plate, and I wince.
“Actually, I cooked for us,” I admit. “I—”
Just then, a distant, faint ringing in my eardrums alerts me that one of the pack members is trying to reach me through my mind.
I’d blocked out all telepathic communication from the pack, not wanting to be disturbed.
But this must be important since it’s persistent, even if it interrupts me from enjoying Yvonne’s amazement at learning that I cooked for her.
I let out a bothered sigh. “It appears the other alphas are trying to get hold of me,” I tell Yvonne, and her brows lift as she nods.
“Please, go ahead. It must be important.”
I let down my mental walls as I nod, noting that Yvonne isn’t the type to put her own needs in front of others. She knows what my duties are as an alpha, and that’s why when Alpha Elias’s message comes that I’m needed in the pack den for a meeting with the elders, an idea springs to mind.
Getting to my feet, Yvonne frowns when I offer a hand across the table.
“I hate to have to do this, but there’s a meeting I must attend with the council,” I reveal smoothly. “Will you join me?”
Yvonne’s frown deepens. “J-join you? Why?”
I shrug nonchalantly. “No reason,” I chuckle coyly. “Perhaps I don’t wanna travel alone to the pack den.”
Yvonne still appears confused even as she takes my hand, but I don’t plan on clearing up my intentions until we’re there.
The others seem surprised, too, when I arrive with Yvonne, and I can sense her trepidation as she timidly follows me inside.
I show her to a chair around the fire pit, where private ceremonies between the council members usually take place, and I take a seat beside her.
At least she’s not the only she-wolf in attendance, and Luna Aurora appears pleased when she throws Yvonne a wink.
No one questions my motives for bringing Yvonne along; the meeting is rather diplomatic as the elders and alphas discuss the recent happenings regarding the demon.
They mention how the group our trio encountered the other day was murdered by the demonic spirit, and I notice the way Yvonne stiffens, because this is new information for her.
Acting purely on instinct, I reach over and place a hand on her thigh to console her, knowing she must be running through all the possibilities that could have been that day in the forest. We’d not have narrowly escaped whatever the Moonshine Pack had in store for us if it weren’t for the emergence of her powers, and we didn’t encounter the demon that day.
So much could have gone wrong, but it didn’t. It brought us closer, and now that we’re here, I’m about to seal the deal.
An opportunity arises when we’re about to call it a night, the Elders and Alphas having run through all the plans we have in place to face the demon. That’s when I clear my throat and gain everyone’s attention, their eyes turning to me.
“I have an announcement to make, and I think it comes at the right time, considering that we don’t know for sure how long it will be before the demon comes for us again.”
“What is it, Dawson?” Elder Charles, Thane’s grandfather, asks.
I lower my head respectfully, but not before glancing at Yvonne, who appears as confused as she was before we left the house.
“The quest for a mate for me is over,” I announce, turning my face toward Yvonne. “I’ve already found her. In fact, I found her years ago. Now that she’s back, I plan on making things official.”
“Are you saying…?” Brooks asks, and I turn to see his skeptically raised brow as his eyes flicker between Yvonne and me.
“Yes,” I confirm with a firm nod, reaching for Yvonne’s hand as I look around the room. “Omega Yvonne Lang is my mate. And Gio is my son.”
There’s a moment of silence that passes through the room, and before it can settle into awkwardness, I go on to explain what happened in the past, and how the deceased elder, Garrett, had thwarted my plans to claim Yvonne as my mate.
My rejection was what led her to leave the pack, but this time, I have nothing stopping me from claiming her.
Yvonne’s face pales as if she’s seen a ghost, and she remains tight-lipped throughout my explanation.
“This time, I won’t let anyone come between Yvonne and me. This is my final decision.”
With that, and without waiting for anyone’s approval, I excuse myself and Yvonne, citing that we were in the midst of something important when we were called to the meeting.
The main reason I attended was to make this announcement, and now that it’s out of the way, Yvonne and I can return to our date. She remains quiet as we go back to my house hand in hand, keeping her eyes to the ground until we’re inside and she pulls her hand away.
“What was that about?” she asks behind me as I slide the door closed.
Turning slowly, I see the look of confusion on her face. “I meant what I said back there,” I declare solemnly as I take a step forward, reaching out for her when she steps back and lifts a hand in front of her.
“You told them that I’m your mate, Dawson. You told them about Gio,” she says with a hint of defensiveness in her tone. “Why would you do that? Do you realize—”
“Yes, I do realize how important my announcement was, but like I said, I meant every word I said,” I profess.
“I want you as my mate. I’ve wanted you as my mate since the very first day we became friends in that library six years ago.
I would have claimed you as my mate if it weren’t for Elder Garrett ruining what was fated.
Because that’s what this is, Yvonne. It’s fate.
” I take a determined step forward, not allowing her to make another backward move when I take her hands in mine and stare into her eyes with conviction.
“You can feel it too, can’t you? We’re meant for each other.
It’s why you’re most powerful around me.
It’s why I feel like I can conquer the world when you’re with me.
We’re fated mates, if you’d only let your walls down and let me in, you’d recognize it. ”
Yvonne’s bottom lip drops as she bats her eyelids nervously, her eyes glossing over with emotion as she stares at my face as if she’s searching for a reason not to believe me. But when she finds no reason not to trust me, she sighs, and makes my heart skip a beat when she lowers her gaze.
“I’ve been keeping you out ‘cause I’m afraid of being hurt again,” she admits tentatively, and her soft hands stiffen between mine as she fights against the vulnerability of her admission. “When you rejected me in the past, I was devastated. That’s the only real reason I ran away.”
I lift a hand to cradle her cheek, stroking her soft, porcelain skin with the pad of my thumb.
“I only did what I thought was right at the time, for the sake of my parents. But I came looking for you, Yvonne. I was going to come clean and claim you. I wanted you as my mate from the very beginning. And now that we have a second chance, I don’t want to waste it.
You are my fated mate, I’m certain of it. ”
Yvonne lifts her tear-stricken eyes and frowns wistfully. “I know it’s true, Dawson. I can feel it whenever I’m with you,” she admits, and it’s like the walls she’d been holding up come crashing down in a heartbeat.
“Then there’s something else you must feel, too,” I whisper as I step closer, holding her hand to my heart. “It’s love I feel for you. I love you, Yvonne Lang.”