Chapter 35: Chapter 35

THIRTY-FIVE

Black pulled Willow against his chest and rubbed her back soothingly. The shock of seeing him kill had only settled and she was struggling. He understood that, unlike females like Zaira and Aleisa, Willow was not accustomed to the werewolf-type of living. If she had been a werewolf, she would not have been so shocked.

In the beginning, after everything had happened she seemed okay but after Alex and Isaac left and Black told her to sleep, she woke up from a nightmare, crying. Black, who had been preparing himself to leave after receiving a phone call from Isaac that they had caught the person that had betrayed the pack, rushed to console her.

Willow was shaking and tears ran down her face struggling to get over the nightmare. Black continued whispering soothing words to her. ‘I’m here’, ‘It was just a nightmare, don’t worry’, he kept repeating those words and saying things similar. When she finally calmed down, he would have thought she was asleep if not for the tight grip she still had on his shirt and the fast beating of her heart.

“Do you want to tell me what the nightmare was about?” He asked her slowly while running his fingers through her hair.

Willow was silent for a few seconds before speaking. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.” Her voice was so small and scared, it broke Black’s heart.

“Hey, nothing is going to happen to me. I’m right here.” He told her but she shook her head.

“They hurt you...I-I saw it.” She said and gripped his shirt tightly.

“Shh...don’t worry, nothing is going to happen to me.”

Willow raised her body and looked up at him, her face was stained with tears. “I know that you’re a great fighter, I saw you fight off three wolves but...but what if they had been more or...or—” She paused to take a deep breath. “...my mind just can’t stop coming up with the worst possible scenarios.”

“Shh,” Black straightened his body as well and kissed her forehead. “You’re right, I’m a great fighter so don’t worry too much about me. I won’t be getting myself in any dangerous situations unless someone threatens the safety of those that I love.”

“Promise?”

Black nodded and kissed her lips. “Promise,” He replied and smiled at her. “Why don’t you rest now?”

She shook her head. “I don’t want to sleep, let’s just remain like this or watch an animation.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

Black wrapped his arms around her and smiled. His plans to end the life of the foolish bastard that had dared to put the life of his mate at risk would have to be put on hold. In any case, Willow’s well-being came first before anything and she still looked spooked.

“Whatever you wish.”

......

Willow wiped the sweat that had formed on her forehead and took a sip of her water. “Never in a million years would I have thought you planted all these vegetables.” She said and looked over at Black who had a watering can in his hand.

“I’d make a pretty decent farmer.” Black praised himself with a smug grin. “It’s more of a stress reliever though, Nina kind of got me into it after Wyatt went rogue.”

Willow nodded and stood up from the ground. She dusted her shorts and went closer to Black and watched him. When Black had woken her up in the morning with a tray of food and an excited smile, she did not think they would spend the day in Nina’s garden. Black had a small section in the garden where he planted his own vegetables.

“Do you need some water or juice sweetheart?!” Nina asked from the threshold of her cottage.

Willow turned to look at her and shook her head. “I’m good!” She gave a thumbs up and watched Nina walk back inside. “She’s been asking if I need water every five minutes.” She laughed.

“She wants to make sure you like her,” Black replied before setting the watering can on the ground. “Grab a tool and help me remove some of these weeds.” He told her and she nodded.

“Are we still going on a date?” She asked.

“Yeah.”

“Where are we going?” She asked while trying to remove a weed.

“Be careful, don’t remove any vegetables,” Black told her before replying to her question. “You’ll see.”

“Bla—”

“Wills!” Someone yelled and she turned. Caleb came running towards her and pulled her into a hug. “I’m so glad you’re okay, Levi told me about what happened.”

Willow hugged him back. “Levi?”

“Yeah, Isaac told him,” Caleb replied. “I was so worried, we went to Black’s house but no one was there and then Alex told us that you were here.”

“I’m so glad that you’re okay.” Willow looked up and smiled at Levi.

“Thanks.” She said and Caleb let go of her. He looked around and frowned.

“What are you doing?” He asked.

“She’s helping me take care of the plants that you’re stepping on,” Black replied and glared at where Caleb’s feet were stepping.

“Oops,” He said with a guilty smile before moving his feet. “I meant, why is she digging holes on a Saturday? Isn’t she supposed to be resting?”

“Aren’t you supposed to be resting as well? You just came back from a school trip yesterday.” Black countered.

Caleb glared at Black. “ No one is talking to you Blackie.”

Willow laughed and leaned on Caleb. “Don’t worry, he promised to take me on a date after this so I don’t mind.” She said.

“Oh everyone is here! Come here! I just finished cooking.” Nina shouted out to them.

“Come on Wills.” Caleb dragged Willow towards the cottage and made her drop the garden tool in her hand. “Black can handle the garden on his own.”

After they ate, Levi and Caleb left. Willow helped Nina clean up before Black told her that they had to leave. Originally, she had thought they would go on a date to a restaurant or something along those lines but once again Black made her walk through a narrow path in the forest. After multiple times of proposing to carry her just like last time, he succeeded.

With Willow on his back, Black continued walking. Willow looked behind them and frowned, she could no longer see Nina’s cottage. It only made her wonder how big the pack was. When Black stopped walking, she looked ahead and gasped at the sight.

“Whoa!” She exclaimed and got off his back. “What time did you have to set up a picnic?” She asked and ran over to the picnic set up in front of her.

“When you were eating with Caleb?” He replied.

“And you honestly want to feed me more?” She asked with a tilt of her head. “You people must want to make me fat.”

Black joined her on the spread-out blanket as she scanned through the basket of food. After being satisfied with what she saw inside she looked around the open field and smiled. If gardening was not peaceful, this surely was. The clean air swept around them and the tall trees around them set an even better ambience to relax and wind back.

“Have I ever told you that I love you?” Willow asked with a small smile as she crawled up to Black. He shook his head with a small smirk and rested his hands on her hips when she was at eye level with him.

“Well, I do.” She said and placed a light kiss on his lips. “I love you, maybe a bit too much.” She cracked a smile before leaning down for a deeper kiss.

Black pulled her down before flipping them over and she wrapped her legs around his waist. It did not take long for Black to lead the kiss, with him on top and Willow’s back on the blanket. What started out as a gentle kiss soon turned into a full-on heated makeout.

“Do you want to eat first?” Black asked after they pulled away.

“No. Let’s just lay here like this.”

......

“Ugh! Fuck this shit!” Willow cursed and threw her notebook to the ground in frustration. She looked down at the now torn book and groaned. “Why the fuck did I do that?!” She yelled out once again and walked over to the now torn notebook and picked it up.

“Is everything okay in here?” Charlotte peeked into her room before entering carefully.

“I’m perfect, just perfect.” She replied sarcastically before sitting back on her chair and hitting her study desk. “I freaking hate school. Why did you tell me to do this?”

Charlotte moved closer to Willow and started massaging her shoulders. “You need to relax, you’ve been distracting yourself with books ever since you fought with Black.”

Willow rolled back her shoulders. “Don’t,” She warned.

“Will, don’t be like that. Couples fight all the time, you can’t ignore Black’s existence.” Charlotte told her. “You’ve been tense and cranky, you should talk to Black. Studying with an absent mind is never the best.” She added and stopped massaging her.

“Hey! Don’t stop,” Willow whined.

“Call Black and once you’ve resolved everything, shout for me and I’ll give you a full body massage.” She replied and walked out of the room.

Willow groaned and looked at her phone. Black’s contact was already there, she had tried to talk herself into calling him multiple times but ended up not doing so. She knew that Charlotte was right, studying was much more of a challenge whenever something else was on her mind and right now, Black was on her mind.

She still thought their fight was absurd even though because of it, they had stayed away from each other for three days. Seeing that it had started as a discussion about her moving in with him, she had not thought it would escalate so much. Black had been adamant about her moving in with him so that they would not only see each other during the weekend. She on the other hand tried to make him understand that it was better for her to stay in the city because the university was close.

Black still argued and said that he would drive her from and to the University when needed. In the end, the argument escalated and Willow ended up staying with Charlotte for the weekend.

“Ugh! Why doesn’t he just understand.” She cried out before picking up her phone and clicking on the ‘call’ button.

Black picked up almost immediately. “Willow?”

Willow felt her eyes become moist just by how he said her name. She always loved how her name sounded when he said it but this time, she could hear the agony and yearning in his voice. It reminded her of the last time he stayed away from her after the fight with Levi.

“Black,” She said with a heavy sigh at the end. “Let’s talk, I really miss you.”

“Yeah...yeah.” Black agreed almost immediately.

“Pick me up at my place.” She told him while playing with a pencil in her other hand. “Black,”

“Yes?”

“I love you.” She said before cutting the call.

......

“All I’m saying is, I don’t need to move in with you. I can do that later on. Right now half of my life is in the city.” Willow said while playing with the rim of her cup. “School, Char...everything is here. I don’t want to trouble you by making you drive me to and from.”

“I understand what you’re saying but it wouldn’t be a bother. Seeing you on the weekend only isn’t just enough.” Black replied.

Willow sighed. “Black, you have to stop spending money on me like that. Let’s just wait until I’m done with the entire course. I’ll move in with you and spend a lot of time with you...Heck, you’ll even get tired of me.”

Black groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “I don’t like this setup but I don’t like fighting with you.” He said while looking at the countertop like it was the most interesting thing.

“Neither do I.” Willow nodded.

“What if I get an apartment in the city?” He suggested and Willow rolled her eyes.

“You need money for that and I just told you not to spend money on or for me like that.” She reprimanded him. “Besides you have duties in the pack and moving into the city would mean having to drive back here every day.”

“It’s my money, that I have earned and I should spend it as I see fit. Besides I have no problem with driving.”

“And this house?” She asked, an amused smile on her face. “We just finished everything up. Do you seriously want it to be empty once again?”

“I'm rarely here when you aren’t around.” He replied.

Willow stood from her seat and went to Black. He turned to face her. “Let’s just continue with this arrangement, please.” She begged and with a groan, Black nodded.

“Thanks!” She squealed before wrapping her arms around his neck. Black leaned closer and kissed her.

“You take advantage of me, my love,” Black said after they both pulled away.

Willow felt her heart rate pick up because of the term of endearment. It was not the first time and neither would it be the last but every time Black used an endearing term to call her, it caused her to blush profusely.

Black kissed her cheeks. “It’s already late, why don’t you spend the night?”

“Only this time.” She told him sternly and he nodded. She smiled and leaned down. “Okay, I’ll make an exception.” She said before leaning in for a kiss.