Why My Mate Cries
Chapter 18

ALIYAH’S POV

LUCAS, one of the members of the Jewel Pack, stared at me reluctantly. I couldn’t stop my brows from furrowing as he suddenly approached me and asked for my help, and I wasn’t sure how I could be of use with the issues he had regarding his human mate.

“M–My human mate loves eating cake,” he said as he glanced between me and Reid. “Luna, can you please bake a cake for her? I want to impress my mate, and gain her trust.”

“Aliyah is not yet–“

I immediately stopped Reid from saying what he was about to say by holding his arm. He looked at me in confusion, and I shook my head, signalling to him that it was alright.

“Do you know what kind of cake she likes?” I asked Lucas curiously.

His eyes widened, and he blinked twice. “Fruit cake, Luna…”

I then nodded my head and smiled. “Then, I can surely help you, Lucas. But I need some ingredients so I can bake her a fruit cake.”

“You can list it down, Luna. I will make sure to get it all for you,” Lucas assured me. He smiled sincerely, his eyes filled with gratitude for my decision to assist him. “Thank you so much, Luna. This will surely be a great help for my future!”

“I am happy to be of help,” I said, taking a deep breath and patting his arm.

Sage walked up to us with a paper and pen in his hand. Then he asked, “What are the ingredients you need, Aliyah?”

I informed him of the ingredients that needed to be bought in the market. Then one of them volunteered to go out and get those in the market.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” Reid whispered in my ears as we waited.

I nodded my head and looked at him. We were both in the packhouse’s kitchen as he was helping me prepare the utensils that I’d be using to bake a fruit cake for Lucas’s mate.

I didn’t replace any hesitation in Reid’s eyes. What was visible was the sheer amount of appreciation because I was trying to help one of the members of his pack.

“Yes, Reid. If baking a cake for his human mate is the only thing I could do to help him, why not?” I replied.

He patted my head. That made me smile at him.

“Just making sure you’re not doing anything out of impulse.”

I blinked in surprise, and then, after a second, shook my head.

“Your people are my people,” I said, pouting my lips. “Of course, I’d like to help them in any way I can.”

He grinned. “I’m happy you’re caring about them.”

“I have to since they will become my new family. I am too aware that it may take time for me to blend in and the process might be slow, but I know it’s going to be worth it,” I said.

“That’s my mate,” he said, and he kissed the side of my head.

It didn’t take that long before the ingredients arrived in the kitchen. Everyone had gathered in the spacious kitchen to probably watch me as I baked a cake, and I had to admit it was nerve-wracking. If not for Reid, who cheered me up, my fear of people would have consumed the shit in me.

He stayed on the side and watched me in silence. I was well aware of the many eyes that stared at me, and I composed myself to make sure I wouldn’t fail in this matter. I did not waste much time and started baking the fruit cake for Lucas’s human mate.

I carefully made the batter using the ingredients on the table and made sure that it was properly done before I molded it and put it in the oven. I could hear some of the members whispering about me and how I bake, and I couldn’t help but smile as they were all positive comments.

Klaus and his mate, Liana, started to set the mood for everyone by cracking some jokes. I myself couldn’t stop laughing as they were extremely funny. Knock knock jokes were thrown, and as the time passed by, I felt more and more welcomed and accepted by the pack.

Liana also praised me for having great skills in baking. I didn’t know that she was actually a chef, and she and Klaus were both fond of cooking. Deep within, I knew I was proud of myself for getting their praise.

“The pack are starting to like you,” Liana whispered, and gave me a thumbs up.

She leaned her back against Klaus’s chest, who wrapped his arm around her neck, which I found too romantic.

“Right. Aliyah’s doing great right now.”

“Thank you, guys,” I told them.

It didn’t take a while for the batters to be ready. I took them out of the oven, and started putting some icing on their coats. Much to my surprise, everyone seemed so excited since the cake was about to be ready in just a few minutes.

I looked at Lucas and saw the excitement in his eyes too.

I came up with a strawberry cake as the smell of it was enticing enough to impress a girl. I made two cakes, one for Lucas’s mate and the other one for the pack to taste. After another twenty minutes, I was finished.

I could hear the praises of Reid’s packmate for me, and I couldn’t help but feel happy and motivated about it.

“So, I made another cake for everyone of you,” I said shyly as I looked at the other pack members. “You can taste it and I hope you will like it.”

“Thank you so much, Luna!”

“You’re the best, our dear Luna!”

And I heard a lot more praise from them that made my cheeks blush. Lucas went to me shyly. I was smiling when I handed him the cake he’d given to his human mate.

“I hope everything goes well between you and your mate,” I said sincerely to him.

“I really appreciate you helping me, Luna Aliyah,” he said, and gently caressed his nape. “I will keep you updated once my mate and I finally have a mutual decision. For now, I’d like to get into her heart through her stomach.” He smiled at me as he stared down at the cake I had baked. “She will surely love this.”

“I hope so, Lucas.” I smiled at him.

I felt a warm hand wrapping around my waist. I didn’t have to guess who it was, as there was only one man who’d do that to me…

“Your mate will like the cake. Aliyah’s an excellent cook,” Reid remarked.

“I sincerely thank you, Alpha, for letting Luna help me.”

“I will always go with her decisions, Lucas…” Reid looked at me with a smile. “If she wants to help people, I’d be happy to let her do that.”

I could feel my heart rate picking up as Reid’s stare grew deeper on me. I bit my lower l*p and swallowed forcefully. I hadn’t expected him to be so proud of me in front of his pack, and I guess I was just too happy that, for the first time in my life, someone was speaking up for me.

We went to our room after helping Lucas. I was about to go to the bathroom to take a quick hot shower, but Reid stopped me by holding my hand. When I spun around, I felt his soft lips claim mine. My face reddened as he did that. I kissed him back, while my body started to tense immediately. I pinned myself closer to him, and he only let me go when we needed to breathe.

“I like how you handled the pack today. You made me the proudest, mate… “he whispered as he smiled at me, then leaned once again to taste my lips.