"Such a beautiful lily blooms

In the heart of any dark rooms.

He smiles even through adversity

Pushing through dirt rather assertively.-me"

Sorry it's short. But I wanted to give you guys something! I wrote/finished this little bit up on vacation in Cali! I hope you guys enjoy and COMMENTS are loved! I split this in two. So here's part one and I'll be trying to write part two and have it up probably later this week or the next!

If you overanalyze this chapter, you might see part of the plot unfolding.

3rd Person Pov.(not edited)

Jordan walked away from his mate, not initially planning to see her, but glad he did. He knew she was safe and that, that human friend of her hadn't persuaded her into thinking that he wasn't worth it. He wasn't. But Jordan was glad that Korali didn't think that. She would always remain a moon in his dark night, a blissful reminder that he was still alive and there was something to live for.

Jordan clutched the brown paper bag closer to himself, walking quickly around the corner and up into a nearby apartment building. Living in the actual city was expensive; but feeling bad about whatever it is that happened to their daughter, Jordan sent a monthly stipend to help with the rent. Plus, Arion's parents both worked.

He pulled out a white piece of crumbled paper with the apartment number on it, leisurely walking up the stairs and towards the door. He knocked three times and waited for a response.

The door was a solid wooden one with a small orbicular peephole. Jordan felt no impatience or anything. He was just a bit uncomfortable and scolding himself for not asking Korali to join him. He knew she needed some time away from him. But he couldn't help but feel aches in his fingers from missing her feel and her touch in return. Two days wasn't a long time, but it felt like forever.

When someone finally came to the door, Jordan peered down to see a Hispanic man in his late 40's wearing a white t-shirt, jeans, but no shoes. He smiled when he saw Jordan, his light brown eyes expanding.

Arion's father was a devote believer in any having a small amount of good. So when he came to The Blue Ash Pack for his mate, he didn't know that there was so much evil concentrated in one small person. Jordan's mother was inherently evil. That fact had turned them both away from joining another pack or even his old pack. They weren't necessarily rogues, just wolves that decided they'd rather live a complete human life. It wasn't healthy for their wolves, but it was possible.

Alex opened the door and allowed Jordan in and closed it behind him. The room was decorated comfortably, feeling like a home. It had the background straight from a set with plush white couches, crystal-like glass table, and super clean. Jordan sat on a chair at the kitchen island and waited for Arion's mom, Nyala, to appear.

When she did, she stopped in her tracked looking at Jordan with tears in her dark eyes and a bittersweet smile on her face. She lifted her arms into the air and ran to him, embracing him, and whispering soothing words into his chest. Jordan wasn't use to being embraced. When Korali did it, it still felt awkward. He loved them from her because they brought him peace, but he wasn't use to being touched intimately and it tended to throw him into a tangent of thoughts.

When she let go she looked at Jordan and stepped away, grabbing the bag from him and sitting in a seat next to him. "Jordan, it's nice to see you. You've grown so much! And you're so handsome." Color flooded to his throat.

"And you look, happier?" Alex said from inside the kitchen. They felt no fear of Jordan, and he was glad of that. He felt better about the situation; more comfortable. He visibly relaxed twitching up a small smile.

"I've found my mate," he mumbled, not making eye-contact, rather looking at the marble table top.

"Jordan, that's wonderful news! Is she not with you?" Nyala's beam could be felt through Jordan's face. He wondered why these couldn't be his parents. Why was he cursed with a Father without a backbone and a ruthless serial killer mother? His family was dysfunctional and caused all kinds of pain for Arion's family.

"I'm surprised. When I met Nyala, I couldn't do without her for a long time."

"She's in the city visiting friends. I needed to give her space. I—I didn't accept the mating so well."

"Oh no, because of Sarah." Nyala said it as if it was fact, not a question, her eyes filled with hurt. Jordan looked up at that name and then to Nyala's husband who seemed confused on the whole ordeal. "I know you didn't believe that all this time. Jordan I told you before we left not to ever think you'd not be graced with a mate."

"I tried. But then when she never came and I started to get up there with age, it seemed unlikely. When she did come it seemed like I was cursed to ruin her life. Even now I'm not sure what to do with her. I love her fiercely. But what if that's not enough to protect her?" Jordan had already voiced these thoughts to Max and Cailo, but they offered no feelings of relief. They were afraid too. But for different reasons.

"Protect her from what Jordan?" Nyala voiced softly, placing her hand on top of Jordan's.

"From myself." He uttered, defeated. "From my mom," he closed his eyes tightly. "She's lurking around and plotting something. But I can't find her. And I don't want to be--" He cut himself off not likely this feeling of vulnerability that washed over him. He buttoned his lip and stared at the ground.

"We understand Jordan. And we don't blame you for anything, you should know that. You were just a child. Arion was just a child. There was nothing you could have done." Alex spoke softly. The moment was fragile and filled with emotion. The air was thick with heavy thoughts and hearts.

"I could have tried harder. I didn't know. I didn't think that she'd—I wish I could have found her. That would have made things clearer."

"Honey you can't live your life in the fear of your mother. You might not want to become the serial killer she wants you to be, but by not enjoying your life, your mate, your hopes for the future, you are letting her win. You are letting her still influence you. Do this for Arion. She'd want you to be happy." Nyala's hand then gripped Jordan's and he looked at her smooth dark brown face. Her voiced took on a soothing motherly whisper, "Don't let her win, Jordan. Do this for yourself."

***

"Okay shh," Korali giggled Jordan's hands brushing lightly at her breasts which kind of hurt. They felt tender, but she held in the discomfort. She could hear Jordan's low chuckle and his face move to the back of her neck as she led him into the dark and quiet apartment. When Jordan touched a sensitive spot on her neck she moaned lightly and scolded him, "Jordaaan. Stop. If we're going to do this we have to get to the guest room, so shh." She smacked his hands playfully, pulling on one to the nearest bedroom.

Once they were safely in the room Korali blew out a breath of relief and before she could say anything Jordan's mouth was on hers. He seemed very passionate tonight and she wasn't going to be the one to stop him from his ministrations.

As his lips trailed wet kisses and nips down her neck Korali couldn't help but grip onto his shoulder for dear life. The tingles were shooting from every direction and she was concentrating on enjoying the feelings, but keeping quiet.

Jordan pulled her shirt off; pausing and kissing her in the mouth first before removing his own. The normal fireworks that went off when they usually kissed were at the moment explosives. Dangerous sticks of dynamite. She wanted him urgently and she needed him to hurry it up.

"Did you really use my pictures?" Korali broke the kiss with a small laugh, while Jordan started to kiss around her face.

"It didn't work this time because I had a taste of the real thing."

"That's kind of weird and sweet at the same time." She spoke stopping him again, which only made him frustrated.

"Not when blue balls are a thing." She laughed for a couple of seconds before his touches brought him back into the present.

Korali reached for the zipper to his pants to speed up the process when she was momentarily stunned when he kissed a spot and then blew on it, she erupted in small giggles and then someone knocked on the door. Korali and Jordan froze both feeling like two teenagers caught by a parent.

"Lock the door, when Kaliko returns I'll tell her she has to sleep on the couch." Peter voiced and when he walked away he muttered something about "My friends do this constantly, I'm basically a parent."

Jordan buried his face in his mate's shoulder a minute before sighing and getting up, locking the door. When he returned to the bed, they just sat there looking at each other.

The pale moonlight shone a light through the window at the couple. They could see each other's faces pretty clearly and the night was cloudless.

"How'd it go?"

"Good," And that was all Korali needed to hear. She wasn't going to pressure or push him, she was just glad to know that the worst didn't happen. She knew that he'd tell her in his own time and that pushing him would only make close up and they were getting to that point in their relationship where they needed to just have everything out in the open.

"Uh, Korali?" Jordan squinted looking at her nose oddly.

"Yes?"

"Wipe your nose." I squinted when he took a tissue from the bedside table and dabbed at my philtrum.

"What?"

"Your nose was running. Are you feeling sick?"

"I was feeling a little bloated and nauseous because of my period is coming most likely. I get those symptoms all the time."

"Alright, if you say so. Let's go to sleep. I'll leave before you wake up." Jordan whispered pulling her into his embrace and lying down on the twin-sized bed.

In the middle of night Korali started to toss and turn from the heat. Jordan's body was cooking her. "Jordan it's hot." Korali complained slightly pushing him, to remove his embrace. "Get off of me."

"Okay, okay." He mumbled still asleep turning away from her. The bed was too small for him to move completely away but it was enough. She kicked the covers off but was still was burning up. It wasn't like the heat, type of hot but it felt like she was in a sauna.

Korali slinked to the window opening up and sticking her head out of it. The cool crisp night air feeling like a personal-sized portion of heaven. She walked to the bathroom grabbing a face towel drenching it in water, ringing it out and going to back to bed. She placed it on her head and drifted back to sleep.

Some time in the night Jordan felt something wet seeping into him. He was waking up from a nightmare of his mom murdering him in cold blood while Korali, Cailo, and Max watched and couldn't do anything. In the dream his mother had stabbed him in the chest with her razor like nail, ripping his heart out and all he could do is watch. He reached up and grabbed his chest, dropping to his knees and watching with wide eyes, Korali scream for him, but not moving.

When he opened his eyes he immediately looked at his mate worried. "What the? Korali are you bleeding?" Jordan pulled her out of her spot in an abrupt manner looking her all over.

"Huh?" She pulled back the blankets and fished out the wet towel. He breathed in relief and raised a questioning eyebrow.

"You're snoring."

"I don't snore," Korali muttered offended.

"Well you've been sounding like a chainsaw all night."

"Whatever and you are super hot, like a heater." Jordan raised an eyebrow in concern and placed his hand on her head. She felt normal and the room was a consistent cool temperature.

Deciding to let her deal with whatever she laid blame to her womanly happenings, he turned back over and drifted back to sleep.

Korali rolled over too, their body's back to back and followed Jordan's lead.

When she woke up the next morning Jordan was gone, a faint indention in the bed and her body tucked into the covers were the only two pieces of evidence that he was there. Korali smiled at the spot before swinging her legs over the side of the bed and getting up.

She twirled around the room a bit before opening the door and walking out to see Kaliko sprawled all over the couch and Peter in the kitchen with a bowl of cereal.

"So do I have to burn the sheets or what?" Peter's words were slightly muffled by his cereal he was still chewing in his mouth.

"No!" Korali laughed bashfully. "Jordan and just slept. Is this apartment drafty or something?"

"No," Peter paused, his eyebrows knitting together before he took another bite. "Kaliko you feel like its drafty?"

Kaliko lifted her drowsy head opening her eyes to slits, to cast a glance at her two friends. "No, I slept soundly. Why?"

"I got really hot and my nose started running, oh and Jordan said I was snoring. I must be coming down with something." Then Korali sneezed roughly, her head shooting down like someone yanking her hair, at the force.

Do you think Korali is sick? Is it something to be worried about or just nothing? How'd you think of Arion's parents? Of Jordan's truthfulness? Did you like learning a bit more about Arion's past? Do you want to know more about her? I might be adding a new character. What's your favorite unique girl and boy name?