Chapter 5: The second chance and Engagement Ring

Diesel had been by my side since then. He had blown me away when he had first turned his attention to me. I mean when I first arrived here. I'd been twenty-two and rejected back then when I had finally been given a chance to find me and my wolf a mate. A second chance, mate, in fact.

Moving on hadn't been that bad when a bulky guy was always by your side, trying to make you smile.

"Everyone else who was single gradually found their other half and paired up, but as I got older, the wait had become harder and harder to take," Diesel said as we were having dinner at my place.

Everyone knew in his pack that if he didn't find a mate by the time he hit your mid-twenties, it was unlikely that he ever would, and it got even more unlikely with each passing year.

He said he wanted to give us a chance and that he wanted to be my mate. I'm not going to lie; he had been flattering me, and when he proposed a relationship since neither of us was likely to find his mates, I'd been tempted. I held out for a month before he charmed me into giving it a shot.

And it had been so good. Diesel could be stubborn and inflexible, but he'd treated me well. And once we were official, I took over as acting luna. We had been good together, so good.

I put my heart and soul into supporting my pack and my chosen mate for years.

The day that stood as the highlight of my time with Diesel had been long and busy but not unusually so. As always, I ensured that schedules were concise and dealt with a few problems that had cropped up in the pack, chief among them the departure of one of our elementary teachers last month when she found her mate and moved to his pack.

I'd have to inquire with other packs to see if they had any young mateless wolves who would like an opportunity to go to a different pack. Desiree had volunteered to cover the position, but I knew she was anxious to return to her former role in the pack clinic.

Diesel had promised me a nice night out with him, and if it hadn't been so busy, I might have been impatient for the day to pass, but I barely had a spare moment to anticipate our date. We didn't go out that often because we were both absorbed in our respective roles in the pack, but when we did go out, he made it worthwhile. I smiled as I tidied up my desk and locked my office behind me.

I loved him so much. I was glad that I had agreed in spite of my mother's protests. She's worried, I know, but Diesel assured me I'll be his mate.

I had built a life with him, and Diesel was a supportive mate.

What was wrong with committing to another person who helped me overcome rejection?

Both Diesel and I were pack-minded people who loved our Blackmore pack.

Still, Mom wasn't the only one who wasn't a fan of chosen mates. It was a common attitude in many packs, including mine, and I understood where they were coming from. Theoretically, nothing could compare with the one chosen for you by fate. But that was easy for people to say when they never experienced being rejected at all.

Who cared what the naysayers said about non-mate relationships?

I didn't want to be alone. Didn't I deserve to be happy, even if some hypothetical goddess didn't believe I deserved to be? I thought so.

My head was filled with excitement about having some free time with my mate as I got ready for our date. I pulled on a deep red dress that looked good with my long, curling black hair. I left it loose because I knew he liked it that way. And I liked his expression when he checked me out, so it was a win-win.

Slipping on a pair of pumps, I hurried down and found Diesel waiting for me in the pack house foyer, looking handsome in a button-up shirt and dress pants. As soon as I was within reach, he pulled me close with an appreciative spark in his eye and caught my lips with his own, his tongue playing with mine until my head felt disconnected from my body.

I could give it to him, he was good. It was obvious how much he appreciated me by the excitement coming to life against my stomach. Maybe we weren't going anywhere after all tonight. I didn't mind that idea in the slightest. We didn't get enough alone time, either.

His lips tilted up in an engaging grin as if he could read my mind, and he said, "We'd better go if we want to go."

The smile I returned was wide with all my affection for him. He wrapped his arm around my waist and led me out to his favorite car. We drove in companionable silence for a while before he slid his hand up my thigh and started massaging it while he drove.

"It's not too late to turn back, D," I pointed out with a suggestive smile.

"No, I want to try this place out. I've heard it's good." Even though he smiled, it was obvious by his firm tone that his mind was set.

He squeezed my leg a bit higher, and warmth pooled in me. He was such a tease. But I liked that.

"If you say so."

"I'm hoping you'll like it, too," he said.

"How could I not?"

We talked about our day as we drove into the city, making comments filled with affectionate innuendo. Diesel pulled into the parking lot and parked smoothly, demonstrating his skill as a practiced driver.

He walked around to open my door for me, giving me a long, drawn-out kiss after he helped me to my feet. I leaned towards him until he broke our kiss again.

"Better go. We've got reservations," he said, holding his arm to me.

We entered the elegant restaurant, light ambient music playing in the background as the host led us to our seats in a private area tucked into the restaurant's corner. Large windows looked out onto a green space beyond that my wolf appreciated. After looking at the menus, we both ordered steak like the stereotypical werewolves we were.

We chatted and laughed throughout our meal. When we were done eating, he smiled and said, "I pre-ordered our dessert; I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not," I laughed. He knew I wasn't very fussy when it came to food—as long as it was mostly healthy, I didn't mind indulging occasionally.

"Did you know it's the third anniversary of the day I finally convinced you to be with me?" he asked.

"Really? I thought we counted from our first date?"

"No, we count from when you finally agreed."

I smirked at him playfully. "That's not how I count it."

"You're so stubborn," he said, but there was no criticism in his tone.

"Isn't that why you chose me?"

"In part, Care."

"Oooh, so mysterious."

"You're gorgeous, but you know that."

I simply smiled. I had never lacked male attention, but I enjoyed none of it as much as I enjoyed his.

The waiter brought out a couple of slices of chocolate cake. I scooped a forkful to my mouth when a glint caught my eye. I looked towards the decorative rosettes on the edge of my piece and saw…

"A ring?" My heart pounded.

I met Diesel’s eyes and found him watching me. He was smiling fondly. I picked the ring up from where it lay, surprisingly not at all sticky from the set icing.

"You're the mate I wish the moon goddess had picked for me. Will you marry me?"