Strangers to Mates

Chapter 16: How time flys

The next day while Raymond was at alpha training Malia managed to get away from James because she wanted to talk to me. Once she got here we went upstairs and talked

"James wants me to move in with him and I don't know what to do. I mean We spent the night together last night but still, living there. That's a big step" she told me.

"Ooh," I said teasingly before becoming serious "Well I moved in with Raymond after knowing him for only a few days but you know everyone's different. It's up to you. You should only do it if your ready. Personally I'm taking things slow because that's just me but you could be the totally opposite." I said.

I watched her while she thought for a moment before speaking again.

"I think I will but I don't know how to tell my parents. I think that was what I was really unsure about" Malia said honestly.

"I'm sure they'll be fine about it, he's your mate"

"Your right" she said nodding her head.

We talked for a few more hours before she left, deciding to go tell James the news and tell her parents. We'd do that a couples times a week, just handing out when she got the chance, between James and school I didn't see her much but we texted a lot.

It seemed like every day I got closer and closer to Raymond and I loved that.

(Time skip)

I sat in our living room, the fire burning brightly and the snow lightly falling outside. I had being trying to read a book but gave up an hour ago when I was to excited to concentrate. I took a sip of my black coffee, starring out the window, watching the flakes fall. I suddenly felt strong arms pick me up and place me in their lap and I instantly laid my head on his shoulder.

"I can't believe it's Christmas Eve" I mumbled, still starring out the window.

"It'll be our first Christmas together" he said.

"It should be weird, it's also my first Christmas without out my family." I said thinking out loud.

"I'm sorry" he said softly.

"No it's not your fault, besides I'm glad that I'll at least get to spend it with you." I said lifting my head to meet his eyes, "besides Christmas never was much back at home. X-mas cards and cash, my parents weren't the best at choosing gifts so we always gave gift cards and cash to each other. Sadie and Chris is another story but it still never was much"

"I'm glad that you're glad" he whispered.

"So what are the plans for tomorrow anyways?" I asked taking another sip of coffee.

"Well we're going to wake up and then your going to open the gift my parents got you and the cards from your friends and family and then finally the gift I got you, and I'll do the same. Then we'll have most of the day to hang out till four ish when we go to my parents house for a Christmas dinner with James and his family and mate, obviously. Then we'll come back late that night and" he said then leaned forward and finished his sentence by whispering in my ear.

"Hey" I said playfully slapping his arm and glaring at him, "there will be none of that"

I watched him grin and couldn't hold my glare any longer.

"C'mon lets go to bed. I wanna get an early start tomorrow morning." I say climbing off his lap and extending my hand to me.

He took my hand standing up but used it to pull me into him.

"First" he mumbled placing his fingers under my chin and lifted my head up to him.

He leaned down slightly and kissed me. I was shocked at first, not because we haven't kissed before cause we have obviously, but because I wasn't expecting it. It was so like him, he'd always catch me off guard and kiss me. Not that I'm complaining or anything. I rested my hands of his chest since they were pinned between the two of us and kissed back. When we pulled apart he said,

"Okay we can go to bed now" I rolled my eyes at him before taking my cup into the kitchen and turning all the lights off.

Christmas morning was one of the few morning my body woke up early on it's own. Christmas might not have been much back at my old house but it still got me excited. Just like I guessed Raymond was still fast asleep.

"Raymond wake up" I complained but couldn't keep the happiness out of my voice.

He wasn't the only one excited to have our first Christmas together. I shook his shoulder and he started to wake.

"What time is it?" He asked rolling over to look up at the ceiling.

"Um, like nine o'clock" I said checking the clock.

I heard him groan but he got out of bed and went into the closet. I moved to sit on the edge of the bed, waiting for him. Not long later he came out with only plaid pajama pants on that hug low on his hips. I happily jumped out off the bed in his long sleeve shirt that I'd worn to bed and grabbed his hand, pulling him downstairs. I let go of his hand to go and make us each some coffee, mine black, his with a little sugar. I brought the mugs into the living room, handing him his before setting mine down on the table. I grab the Santa hat and pulled it on Raymond's head.

"Really?" He asked even though he was grinning.

"Of course. You have to be my Santa" I stated taking up my cup again as I sat on the ground, leaning against the coffee table.

"Remember you said anything for me" I added.

"Maybe I should be more careful about what I say next time" he joked.

"Hey!" I cried even though I knew he was messing with me.

He sat down across from me closer to the tree we had set up three weeks ago. He grabbed all the cards that were in the tree and tossed them to me. There were seven, four for me and three for him. The four for me were from my parents, Sadie, Chris, and then one from Malia and James. Raymond's were from his parents, Malia and James and my parents. We decided that we'd open cards then gifts. So this is what I got from everyone; Mum and dad: 500$ cash (holy crap, they'd never giving me this much) Sadie: gift card to Tim Hortons (she knew me to well) Chris: iTunes gift card (good choice, I need some new music to go with my new phone) Charlotte and Alpha Rock: a set of three photo albums and a not that said 'to keep you memories together in' (I'm pretty sure Charlotte picked it out but I was still super sweet and I loved it). Raymond got a gift card from James and Malia (probably more from James though), then from his parents he got cash and a set of five new books, all classics. Now that I think about it, Raymond had a lot more books then I thought he would have, this might be why, but I'm sure he's still read them all.

Lastly we opened each other's gifts. I tried to get him to open his first but he wouldn't so I ended up going first. It was a smallish square box and I carefully unwrapped it. I was shocked to find inside was a set of two beautiful rings one bigger and one that looked about my size.

"Look I'm not asking you to marry me. Yet," Raymond started to explain. "But I thought maybe a promise ring was good enough for now"

I smiled and took the rings out of the box. I crawled over and sat right in front of him.

"Give me your hand" I told him.

He obeyed and held it out. I gently took his left hand in mine and slipped the larger ring on his finger. I was about to let go but he grabbed my hand, flipping it over. He took my ring out of my hand and gently slide it on my finger. They were truly a beautiful set, simple sliver bands engraved with a pattern, they didn't stand out to much, but they were perfect for us. He held my hand in both of his hands and brought it up to his lips, softly kissing it.

"Okay, open your gift now" I say eagerly, it actually took me forever to figure out what to get him but I think he'll like it.

I handed him the neatly wrapped box and he opened it. Inside there were two other small boxes but first he look at the envelopes at the bottom. There were 24, two for each month.

"One year of dates, two a month" he said reading the front of one out loud.

"Um, ya" I said sheepishly, not sure if he liked it or not.

I looked up to find him grinning which of course made me smile as well.

"Go on open the other boxes" I said when he didn't move.

"Nah, this is all I need from you" he said leaning over to kiss me but I put my hand in between us.

"No, you have to open them" I complained.

"Okay, okay" he said and grabbed the flatter one.

Inside was a sold gold/brass pocket watch with a wolf on the front. I know, I know, it was cheesy but I thought hey, he was gonna be alpha one day, why not have a pocket watch. He smiled as he opened it were I had a date engraved and the letter E, as my initials.

"It's the day we met" he said.

"Ya, I thought the day we met had kind of more importance even if we didn't know that we were mates yet. I mean if we hadn't met then we wouldn't have learned we were mates right" I said shrugging my shoulders at my honest words.

"It's perfect. You know I had a suspicion about you" he said like he was remembering that day.

"Oh really, is that why you wouldn't stop starring at me" I teased.

"How did you know about that?" He asked as his cheeks reddened.

"A certain Sadie might have saw and mind linked me about it" I confessed giggling lightly.

"Oh my god" he said, dragging his hand down his face as he's cheeks got redder.

I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It was very rare for Raymond to get so embarrassed and it was cute and funny when he did. Finally he reached over and grabbed the last little box.

"I can't believe you got me this much" he said before opening it.

"I didn't know what to get you and I've never really bought any actual gifts so I went some what crazy, but they are little things so it's not a big deal" I excused because I honestly thought his gift was ten times better than mine for him was.

He opened the box to find a leather bracelet, similar to the one he gave me back on July. I noticed that he wore a couple other leather bracelets sometimes so I thought why not. And just like mine the words 'don't forget' were on his.

"Now we match in more way than one" he said putting it on right away which made me happy.

I crawled over and sat down in his lap which he didn't protest against.

"I'm really happy" I told him with my arms locked around his neck.

"And I'm happy that you're happy" he said kissing my nose lightly.

I leaned forward and hugged him tightly. I didn't really know why but I just really wanted to hug him. I sighed as his strong arms held me close to him and he nuzzled his head in the crook of my neck. It must've been a while that we stayed like that because Raymond's phone suddenly went off. He groaned and leaned forward and grabbed it without letting me go.

"Hello" he said almost like a question but it was hard to tell with the irritation in his voice.

"Yes mother we will be there in three hours" what three hours, what happen to all the time we had to kill, was really one already?

He sighed after whatever Charlotte said and finally said, "yes goodbye mom"

He tossed his phone to the side and pulled me close to him again.

"Is everything alright?" I asked concerned.

"She was just mad at me for calling her mother cause I only do that when I'm annoyed"

I couldn't help but laugh that that was what had gotten the conversation so serious.

"C'mon, if we' re got three hours we have to get ready. We can't go like this" I said trying to get up.

"What if we forget about the dinner and just stay like this?" He said not letting me go just yet.

"Do you always have to be this stubborn?" I asked.

"What do you mean?" He asked pretending not understanding me.

"I mean every time I try to get out of your lap you never let me" I said exasperatedly.

"Not always. And what if it's just because I'm worried that you won't come back" he said overly dramatic.

"Really? You know that I'm not going anywhere" I said trying to reason.

"I know" he said still not letting me go.

"Then let me go shower" I said as he finally let me go.

I looked back down to see him pouting, obviously trying to make me feel guilty or something like that. I bent back down and quickly kissed him before running up the stairs. I could hear the shuffle of movement, probably because I left him with a bit of a mess but it was to late now and I knew he didn't mind. If he did I would be able to feel it.

I showered and changed into jeans and a nice shirt that had long lace shelves. I curled my hair before clipping it up and put on a peachy lip gloss. I left the bathroom so Raymond could shower and change like me except he took no where near as long as me. By the time he had probably come out I was downstairs waiting for him as I look for my nice fancy coat. Well it wasn't really fancy but it was really nice, it was a deep forest green, kinda like the color Raymond's eyes got when they darkened. I also grabbed a black scarf and my converses. I put it all on when Raymond came down in dark jeans and a dark button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up. Raymond grabbed his coat and put on his shoes before we headed out the door. I played with the ring on my finger as we drove to his parents house.

When we got there his mum came up and hugged us both before leading us to where everyone else was, I guess we were last ones here. I gave Malia a hug before greeting James and his parents, it was the third time I'd met beta Willow but the second time that I'd met Mrs Willow. Dinner went by pretty smoothly, we all talked and ate, Charlotte even complimented my ring making me look over at Raymond with a smile. After the dinner we had dessert and it must have been close to nine when we finally left but right before that James told us the times he was having his New Years party. I guess James and some other guy alternated each year of who did it and this year it was James. But before Raymond and I had a chance to leave his mum made us stand under the mistletoe and kiss so she could take a picture. Raymond tried to protest but stopped when I said that I thought it was a good idea. It wasn't very original but still very cute, Charlotte told me that she'd print it and send it to me so I could put it in one of the albums they had given me. I thanked her and we all said our goodbyes before Raymond and I went home. All in all I had to say it was the best Christmas I've had, even though it made me feel a little guilty, I still loved it.