Liam led us through town, making small talk. We were headed toward the small sports stadium used by the local schools for various sporting events. It was getting dark, and I couldn't imagine why we were here.

"Liam, what are we doing at the sports stadium?" I asked.

"Shhh. Patience; all will be revealed, I promise," he said with a devilish grin. A girl could get lost in that smile.

He led me to the field entrance, where athletes accessed the field. As we entered, I was surprised. A candlelit path led to the far end of the field, where a movie screen was set up.

A small gasp escaped my lips. "What is this?" I asked, looking into his blue eyes. He looked down at me with a sweet grin.

"This is dinner and a movie, kitten," he said. We followed the candlelit path to a picnic blanket surrounded by candles. A picnic basket sat nearby, and a large outdoor movie screen stood before us. We sat down together.

"Did you do all of this?" I asked, looking around.

"Had a little help, but yeah," he chirped.

"This is too much! We already had coffee!" I said.

"Nothing is too much when it comes to you, Azalea. Plus, you already told me this is your first date. Of course, I'm going to do this right," he said with a wink. I blushed.

He turned and grabbed the picnic basket. "Hungry?" he asked. I nodded. He began pulling out dishes. I watched curiously.

"So, I'm not much of a cook, but…" he trailed off. He opened a container of homemade macaroni and cheese with a breaded topping. It was still warm and gooey.

"Wow!" I said.

"I know it's kind of kid food, but it's about the only thing I can make that tastes good," he said shyly.

"No, it looks amazing, Liam!" I said enthusiastically.

"Really?"

"Yes, I love macaroni and cheese. Someone always snatched up the leftovers at the packhouse, so I didn't get to eat it much," I said, then stopped, embarrassed. I looked down at my hands. I really didn't want to talk about living in the packhouse. It just slipped out.

Liam: "Yes, I love macaroni and cheese. Someone always snatched up the leftovers at the packhouse, so I didn’t get to eat it much,” she said, then stopped. She looked down at her fingers. Shit. I was that asshole. I always snuck into the kitchen after dinner and ate leftovers. She looked up at me, sadness in her eyes.

I needed to make amends for the hurt she’d endured—from me, from other pack members, intentionally or not. She never deserved it. I didn’t want her to feel self-conscious, so I said, "I made way too much, I think. You can have the leftovers."

I scooped some onto a plate and handed it to her. She gave me a tight smile. I was ruining this; it was going so well. I pulled out water bottles and a fruit bowl.

"It's okay, you know," she said quietly. I stopped and looked at her. She was looking at the plate. "What happened growing up, what happened to me, it isn't all your fault. And you couldn't have known I was going to be your mate. It's a cruel joke, to be honest. The Moon Goddess must really have it in for us, huh? She mated you with a girl with no wolf, who's probably too small to have a wolf, and to top it off, I'm hated by the whole pack. I'm mated to an Alpha who's probably one of the scariest and most intimidating wolves in the world, and he needs a strong Luna. I'm not strong enough. Ha. Just a cruel joke." She paused; tears threatened to spill. She took a bite of macaroni and cheese, savoring it. She set down her plate and stood.

I was speechless. "I'm sorry. Maybe this isn't a good idea. You shouldn't waste your time with me. Thank you for this day." She turned and ran toward the stadium entrance. I got up and ran after her. I caught her quickly.

"Azalea, stop!" I yelled. She ignored me. I caught her, grabbing her arm.

"STOP!" I said, accidentally using some of my alpha tone. Shit. I'd never use that on her. She froze, her shoulders tense.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. It's just…" I sputtered. "Just… don't go… I feel like I keep messing up." Tears remained in her eyes. I sighed. "I know you didn't have the best time in the pack, and I hate that. I know you don't blame me because I asked you not to when I left you here. But I am to blame. I was the future Alpha; I should have looked out for my pack members. I should have been nice to you, not let everyone be mean to you. There's no justification for my actions. When I realized you were my mate, I felt terrible. I knew I'd messed up. I convinced my parents you needed to leave because I thought I was protecting you. I thought if I rejected you, you'd have a better life. I knew I'd probably never find another mate, and that would be my punishment." I looked into her wide green eyes. They weren't filled with fear.

"I know I can't erase the past. And I hope someday you can tell me about the things I don't know. Now, I want to make up for it. I want to make your life a little better, your days brighter. I want to be the reason those beautiful pink lips smile. I want to be the shine in your magnificent green eyes. I want to get to know you and spend time with you. I don't want to remind you of the past. I want to make your dreams come true. I think finding out we're still mates is the best thing that's ever happened to me." I took a step closer; she didn't move. We were inches apart.

I gently lifted her chin. "Please come back and eat with me. This has been the best night of my life, and I never meant to hurt you."

She looked at me, searching my face. She nodded slightly and whispered, "Okay."

I stood there, looking at her delicate features. She was breathtaking, even crying. "Do you forgive me?" I asked quietly.

"Yes," she whispered. She relaxed, but I didn't let go of her face. Her beauty captivated me.

"Move, you idiot," Gavin said in my head. I let go and stepped aside so we could walk back to the picnic blanket. As we walked, she hesitantly took my hand. I held it lightly, never wanting to let go. I wondered if I could still save the evening. I desperately wanted to change her mind about being my Luna.