Chapter 21 I love you

I love you

Avalyn

"Are you sure you want to do this? What if it gets out of hand?" I asked worriedly. But both of them waved it way.

"We've done this like a million times, sis, don't worry. Now, you will say start and then we will start and when you see one of us overpowering the other in human form, say shift and then we will fight in our wolf forms. It ends when one of us submits." Sofiya said with a reassuring smile and they both entered a circle that was drawn on the ground.

They both stood on opposite sides and then nodded at me.

"Start," I announced.

At my word, Sofiya dashed to Natalia who got out of her way before delivering a punch that Sofiya blocked. Natalia kicked Sofiya in the stomach at which she winced but she caught her leg and flung her afar. Natalia landed on the other side of the circle on her hands and legs. Letting out a growl, she ran to Sofiya and punched her in the gut while Nat punched her face. Sofiya staggered back but held her ground.

I winced a bit. This was my first time seeing a friendly fight. I didn't want either of them to get hurt. But apparently, this was how they trained.

Taking this opportunity, Nat clawed Sofiya on her neck and Sofiya growled as she bent down and pretended to punch Nat but when she ducked, Sofiya elbowed her on her back and Natalia fell down. She sat on Nat and punched her a couple of times before Natalia flung Sofiya away from her. Nat wiped her bleeding lip with the back of her hand and grinned. Her teeth were bloody and she looked dangerous.

I suddenly knew why Sofiya said that about her.

"When will you learn to get a better hold on your opponent Sof?" She mocked as she spits some blood on the ground.

Sofiya growled before she dashed to Natalia but this time, Natalia took a hold of her neck and held her in a chock hold.

"Shift." Someone said from beside me and I jumped. I turned to see it was Dimitri.

"Good evening, Avalyn." Dimitri gave me a bright smile, unbothered by Natalia and his sister fighting.

I looked at both of them who had shifted in their wolf form. Sofiya had a light brown wolf which was slightly smaller than Natalia's reddish-brown wolf.

"Good evening, Dimitri." I smiled at him.

"Nikolai is looking for you." He told me.

"Can you tell him I'm here?" I asked him.

"I already did." He replied. He looked at both the females fighting with a small smile on his face.

"What?" There was something fishy about his smile.

"Do you know that they are fighting to impress you?" He asked me with a twinkle in his eye.

"What? Why?" I asked, appalled by that fact. It doesn't make sense.

"You are our Luna, Avalyn. And by fighting in front of you, they are showing off their skills. Skills they could use to protect you, to fight for you when needed. Not everyone will show it, but a true pack member will always seek the approval of their Alpha and Luna. Just like a child would want the approval of his parents and would want to make them proud." He finished.

I looked at him with wide eyes.

"Bu-but.. that means you want my approval?" I asked, confused with that logic. I understood what he was saying but not completely.

"Yup. Everyone does in fact. The entire pack is very eager to meet you too. But Nikolai has given strict orders to steer clear from you until given further notice." He gave me a side smile. "Don't tell Nikolai I told you anything." He chuckled.

"I can use some incentives." I smiled. I have no idea where this playfulness was coming from but I felt at ease with him. I had interacted with him before but this was different.

"You, my Luna, are very smart." He smirked.

"What can I say? I'm craving ice cream." I chuckled. It was true, I had been craving one since yesterday but I was rather busy.

"Fine. I'll get you some." He rolled his eyes playfully.

"Can you get me cotton candy ice cream? I would really appreciate it." I asked. I haven't had it for almost ten years now. The thought made me very excited.

"Whatever the Queen wishes." He bowed exaggeratedly and then chuckled. He had good humor.

I heard a growl and my eyes snapped to the fighting wolves. Both of them were bleeding and Sofiya was crouched on the ground as she showed he neck to Natalia who was looming over her.

"Good job girls," Dimitri said as he went ahead and lifted Sofiya in her wolf form in his arms and started walking towards the mansion.

I looked at Natalia who motioned towards Sofiya with her head. She wanted me to go behind her. Giving her a quick nod after a shout of appreciation, I ran to catch up with both of them.

"Is she okay?" I asked Dimitri worriedly.

"Yup. She will be fine by tomorrow morning." He said as he laid her on her bed. It was clear that he was still very concerned about his baby sister.

"I'm standing outside the door, call me once she has changed." He told me and exited the room, closing the door behind him.

Sofiya shifted into her human form in front of me and huffed.

"I swear I can fight better than that. Today was just not my day." She rolled her eyes.

"You did god Sof," I told her and handed her a pair of shorts and a tank top.

"I know. It had been too long since I had a decent fight." She replied as she wore her clothes. "I'm all done, you can turn around."

I went and opened the door. Dimitri and Natalia stepped in.

Dimitri and I cleaned both their wounds while they gave each other pointers to fight better. Dimitri pointed out some in-between too.

I realized that I wanted things to always be like this. I wanted friends with whom I can grow, fight and then help. I wanted a family. And now I have one. I smiled at them.

After I was done, I went in search of Nikolai. Apparently, Sofiya and Natalia had a lot more things to talk about and the entire afternoon had not been enough.

I found him in his office, working. The door was open so I didn't knock and walked in.

"Nikolai?" I called him.

He looked up at me and gave me a sweet smile. "How was today for you?"

"It was good. I had a lot of fun." I smiled as I went near him and sat on his lap. His hands immediately came around me to support me. I leaned against his chest and I could hear his heartbeat.

I sighed.

"What's bothering you, my Love?" He asked softly and kissed the top of my head.

"I can't do this anymore," I whispered to him. "I don't want a normal relationship Nikolai. You told me to try and I did. I don't like it. I miss my Master."

"I don't want to be a reminder of your past Ava. I don't want to be another Emilio in your life." He sighed.

"You can never be like him, he forced me to be his slave and I am willingly wanting to be your slave. My past made me who I am today, I don't want to change, I want to embrace it. It has been a big part of my life, why are you trying to change me now?" I whispered.

"I know you love being my Master, you enjoy the power, the control that comes with it and I like being you slave, I love obeying you, worshipping my savior, and serving him. We were so much closer and happier like that. We both are suffering like this. Please Master, let me be your slave, I want to do it for you because I love you." I begged.

"How can you be sure that you won't get nightmares when I will be your Master again? What about when I punish you for something? Should I still continue being the new face of your nightmares?" He asked, there was underlying anger in his tone.

"I never get nightmares when I'm sleeping with you. So if you want me to sleep peacefully, you will have to hold me every night." I smiled. "I trust you to know that when you punish me, it will be for my own good so that I learn from my mistakes and try not to do it again. You care for me and I want you to care enough to use any means to correct my transgressions." I told him softly.

I could see his resolve weakening. I pecked him on the lips, "please."

"We will have to make the rules first." He smiled.

"Yes! Anything you want! Please, I will do anything. Please agree to be my Master again!" I begged, excited after hearing his reply. He was finally agreeing, I will agree and follow all the rules in the world if he becomes my Master again!

"Before that, we will talk about why the fuck you were going in the ocean when I explicitly told you otherwise." He gritted and my body trembled at my Master's voice.

This was not Nikolai anymore.

"I have lost many people but I couldn't bear the thought of losing you too. I thought you were going to leave me, that you didn't like me anymore. I have no one else in this entire world, I wanted to go where people loved me, I wanted to go to Papa." I whispered, biting my lip.

"I would never leave you, Ava, I love you." He whispered back and I hugged him, brushing the stray tear that fell down my cheek upon hearing his love declaration. The last time someone told me those words and meant it was when I was thirteen.

"Everyone in this house cares about you a lot, you are never alone. You were missing for two hours, Love and everyone were so worried. I was going crazy when we couldn't find you anywhere and it was getting dark too. I couldn't find your scent either. My wolf was going crazy. After some time, I calmly thought of where you would go, and then suddenly, I just knew you would be by the rocks." He said.

"I love you, Nikolai," I whispered and his hands tightened on my waist.

"I love you too Avalyn." He whispered back and then kissed me.

His soft lips gently molding into mine, kissing so passionately as if it is his first time kissing me. His thumb was caressing my cheek. He licked the seams of my lips before pushing his tongue inside my mouth, he didn't take control, we both kissed each other like equals, our tongues danced together in perfect sync like they were made for kissing each other.

"Now tell me the rules," I said, happy that he had finally agreed.

"The rules remain the same- no calling me Master in front of everyone. No kneeling without me asking you to do it. You will also not ask me to punish you. I'm your Master's and I will decide if you need it or not. I will also decide on the kind of punishment I decide to hand out to you, you will have no say in that. You can, however, safe word. What will your safe word be?" He tucked a lock of my hair behind my ear.

"Ocean, Master," I replied.

"Okay." He nodded. "Also, whenever we are doing a scene or I am punishing you, you will address me properly and your eyes will be lowered until we are done." I nodded at that. "You will also use your words, Ava. Especially when we are alone. Like right now. I love hearing you talk." He cupped my cheek and his thumb caressed my bottom lip.

I darted my tongue out and licked it. "Yes, Master." I breathed.

"That's it for now. I will add more rules if and when necessary." And then he picked me up and placed me on the desk, kissing my lips hungrily.