The Girl He Marked

Chapter 35

Orelia's POV.

'What's going to happen when Lettie is discharged' I ask him whilst we wait for our food to be cooked.

Xavier sighs and rests his elbows on the table.

'We both have our own houses on the territory, we're only about five minutes from each other. I'll be on

hand to help her when she needs it. She has a friend from work who has offered to help out, too.'

My reply is out of my mouth before I've really considered it.

'I can help.'

Xavier looks surprised by my offer.

'I'm happy to help her,' I tell him. 'If she has any questions or is worried about anything regarding her

son, I'm happy to help.'

His eyes soften and he smiles at me. 'Thank you. I know that she would really appreciate that. She's

very nervous about being a mum.'

'That's perfectly normal. I'm not sure anyone ever feels 100% ready to have a baby.'

'What about you' Xavier asks, his face showing interest. 'Do you want children'

I smirk at him. 'Why are you asking'

'You deliver babies for a living,' he says with a shrug. 'Sometimes, people who are around children all

day, don't want their own. It's like teachers who don't have kids because they see them every day at

school.'

'I guess,' I respond. 'But no, I want children. Two, maybe.'

Xavier's face lights up. 'Good, because I want two. Twins would be nice.'

'My cousins are twins. It was a bit of a surprise for my auntie and uncle, and I know it made things a

little harder when they were growing up, but they're very close.'

'I always wanted siblings, I hated being an only child,' he confesses. 'Do you have any siblings'

'Yeah, I've got a sister,' I reply and decide to tell him the whole story. 'I have two mums Rory and Lydia.

They adopted me and my sister, Ines.'

Xavier's eyebrows shoot up in surprise, but he smiles.

'That's awesome.'

'They're pretty cool. They'd like you, don't worry.'

He grins. 'Mums always like me, I'm charming.'

I roll my eyes at that comment. 'I'm glad you think so.'

'Do you not think so' He asks, pouting playfully.

I don't get to answer his question because the waitress brings our food over.

The toasties are served with salad and crisps. My mouth waters as I pick up the first half and take a

bite.

'This place does the best toasties I've ever had,' I tell him after I've swallowed my mouthful.

Xavier nods in agreement and takes a huge bite. 'Definitely,' he mumbles through the bite.

We stay and talk throughout the meal. When we finish up, I ask Xavier to give Lettie my number in

case she has any questions. We agree to meet up again tonight, for dinner.

It seems a little eager, going on two dates in one day, but he's my mate. There's no 'playing it cool'

when it comes to mates. You know from the first time you make eye contact, that you're going to be

together for the rest of your life.

I return home and go shopping for groceries. I restock my fridge and make up my lunch for my shift

tomorrow. I give my apartment a bit of a clean and finally put my feet up in the late afternoon to catch

up on TV.

I'm ready for six, when Xavier knocks on my door. He looks completely gorgeous. He's wearing a black

shirt, open at the collar, and black jeans. He's like a hot bad boy without the emotional stunting or

anger issues.

'You look beautiful,' he says the moment I greet him.

'Thank you,' I reply shyly.

I grab my handbag and lock the door behind me. It took me over an hour to get ready. I must have

changed my outfit about three different times. I can't remember the last time I went on a date.

We choose a sushi bar about five blocks from my apartment. It's raining, which makes for an interesting

walk.

The two of us huddle under my small umbrella, taking up most of the pavement. Xavier uses the

opportunity to put his arm around my waist and hold me close.

I'm not complaining. I got to breathe in his delicious smell the whole way there.

Instead of having a table in front of the chefs cooking, we ask for one in the window, so that we can

people—watch. It turns out that we both enjoy doing that.

You don't order with a waiter. It's quite a modern restaurant; each table has an iPad that you use to

order your drinks and food.

We both select our drinks and two different types of sushi for our starter. I take a large sip of my glass

of wine when the waiter brings it over.

'Tell me more about your family,' Xavier urges.

I don't know whether he's digging for more information on my adoption, but I decide to tell him anyway.

'My parents adopted me when I was a year old,' I explain to him. 'My parents were rogues who had

been killed by hunters. They somehow managed to hide me in some undergrowth and I was found by a

patrol member from the pack I'm in now.'

Xavier listens to me with interest, his eyes wide.

'They brought me back and took me to the orphanage, where I stayed for a few months. My mum came

to visit and apparently, we clicked instantly. They came back again and again and spent ages going

through all of the paperwork for adopting me.

'I don't remember any of this, of course. All I know is them, they're the only family I've ever known.

They adopted my sister, Ines, when I was eight and she was five. She had a tougher time than me, I

think she still remembers some of her biological family.'

'Poor Ines,' Xavier says sympathetically. 'Do you know what her situation was Or is it private'

I shrug. 'It's her story, she isn't too bothered by it. Basically, her father was killed in an accident, and it

wrecked her mum. She had some kind of breakdown and neglected Ines. She was taken off her when

child services got involved.'

'That's so awful.' ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

'She's fine, now. We're a happy little family, the four of us.'

Xavier smiles at that. 'I bet. I'd like to meet them at some point.'

'I'd like that, too,' I tell him. 'I haven't even called to tell them about you yet, how bad is that I'm sorry, it's

nothing personal, I just forgot to tell them. I've been so focused on our date that I forgot to this

afternoon.'

'Why were you so focused on our date' Xavier questions me, but I think he's happy about that

statement.

'I was nervous,' I answer honestly. 'I haven't been on a date in a long time. Months, even.'

Xavier nods. 'It's a difficult situation for shifters, I think,' he muses aloud. 'We're supposed to meet our

mates any time from sixteen onwards, but we're both twenty—six.

'We're social creatures. Most shifters I know have dated around before they met their mate. It seems

impossible to ask us to stay single for ten or so years.'

'I agree with you,' I say. 'My friends have all dated, too. As long as it's not serious, I've never known

their mates to have a problem with it.'

'Exactly. Although, I am relieved to hear that it's been so long since you last went on one.'

'Then you will also be relieved to hear that I've never had a boyfriend.'

Xavier grins across the table. 'I am definitely relieved to hear that. I haven't had a girlfriend, either.'

I should bloody hope not.

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