“Seriously, it’s no biggie. Don’t work yourself up over it.”
She reluctantly conceded and followed me out to the car.
The sun was beginning to set already. As long as the day felt, time was flying by.
“Tell me about being a werewolf, if you don’t mind.” Aura gave me a shy smile as I sped off down the road towards her apartment.
“What do you want to know?” I leaned into the center console, loving how close she was.
“What does it feel like when you shift?”
“Like my entire body is about to cramp up. An intense pressure builds in my limbs before a bit of pain bursts through it as my bones reconfigure. It doesn’t last long though. Once I’m in my wolf form, my entire body feels like it’s finally free. It’s this indescribable pleasure that takes over.”
“How old were you the first time?”
“Six.”
“Is your mom one too?”
“Yeah.”
“Is it true what the books say about a true mate and claiming?” Her tone was light and breezy.
I froze, taken back by her question. She clearly didn’t think she was my mate, or even a potential mate, given the nonchalant curiosity of her question. I glanced at her. She had her head slightly angled as she patiently waited for my answer.
“It’s true,” I reluctantly replied.
“That’s actually pretty amazing in my opinion. How many people marry the wrong person every day only to end up in divorce? Your way ensures that you end up with the right person, the best person for you, the first time around.”
Her perspective intrigued me. I hadn’t thought of it like that before. What would she say when she found out she was my mate though?
By the time we pulled up to her apartment building, the sun had nearly disappeared below the horizon.
“I’ll be really quick, I promise,” she sputtered, undoing her seatbelt and grabbing the door handle.
“I’m going with you,” I asserted.
She acquiesced. “Alright.”
I walked behind her until she reached the fourth floor. I took her keys and unlocked the door. The heat hit me the moment the door opened. It was sweltering inside. The place obviously didn’t have good insulation. On top of that, it was dark. I knew Aura wouldn’t be able to see inside.
“Tell me where to go. I can see in the dark.”
“Wow. I don’t feel inferior.” She chuckled.
“You shouldn’t.”
“Uh huh.” She rolled her eyes. “It’s in the first kitchen cabinet across from the fridge on the bottom shelf. There should be three prescription bottles in the front.”
“Okay. I’ll be right back.” I headed into the space, immediately locating her meds. I glanced at the names, but I wasn’t familiar with any of them. I frowned as I pulled them off the shelf. I hadn’t considered the fact that she could be seriously ill. Every muscle in my body coiled at the thought. It wouldn’t be fair to find her and lose her almost immediately.
“Did you find them?” she called.
“Got them.” I closed the cupboard and went back to the door. She stood fidgeting in the doorway. “I told you it was no biggie.” I smiled.
She smiled and blushed at the same time. It sent all the need in my body south. I ushered her out the door before I was tempted to make use of the dark, empty space. I locked the door behind us and led her back to the Jeep.
I waited until we were driving again before I broached the question. “What are your meds for?”
“Um, basically I have a thyroid condition.”
“And the long of it is?”
She grinned. “How can you know me so well already?”
I looked directly at her. “Because I’m meant to.”
Her smile turned wistful. She shook her head, as if to regroup her thoughts. “When I was three, I had an abnormal growth on my thyroid. They surgically removed it and did a biopsy. Everything came out fine so they didn’t do anything more. Within a year, I’d gained some weight even though I was eating the same, was tired all the time and didn’t look ‘lifelike’. For a mother who prided herself on offering men the perfect package, a dull, overweight child wouldn’t do.
“So she shuffled me to several doctors before they discovered that I had hypothyroidism. They thought I’d had it since birth but it wasn’t caught. They put me on hormone therapy and sent me on my way. When I kept gaining weight and my symptoms only worsened over the years, they finally ran more blood tests and discovered I have an autoimmune disease that’s attacking my pituitary gland, my thyroid, and digestive track. At that point, they added more medicine and adjusted my hormone therapy level.
“I guess you could call it the drastic point, but when my hair started falling out at age seven, my mom took me back. They found that my body was attacking and preventing itself from producing thyroxine altogether. They religiously check my levels every six months, but lately my body has been requiring more hormone so my dosage has been steadily increasing. They also monitor my autoimmune disease because they can be volatile, which mine has proven to be.
“Because of my set backs and the type of steroid I’m on, I won’t grow any taller and I have no hope of losing weight, regardless of how little I eat or how much I exercise.” She took a deep breath. “I guess in answer to your earlier question, the meds are for my thyroid condition, my autoimmune disease and the inflammation caused by the autoimmune.” The little influxes of her voice at certain points throughout her story revealed her turmoil over her medical issues and her mother.
I had a whole new level of respect for her. She was much stronger and braver than most gave her credit for. Worse, other kids teased her for something that medically she couldn’t change. I didn’t understand why she had to go through so much.
I wanted to reassure her somehow, but words failed me. I couldn’t think of a single thing to say to her. So I reached out and laced my fingers through hers, holding what I could hold, comforting the only way I could while driving.
She gave me a shy smile before focusing on the little bit of scenery illuminated beneath sporadic streetlights outside. To my surprise, she left her hand in mine the entire drive home.
The moment I parked, she removed it. “Listen, Jonas, I really appreciate everything you’re doing, but please don’t feel like you’re obligated to do anything for me. It’s not your fault, and it’s not your responsibility. You can be my friend without being my savior.”
Chapter 24
AURA
The feel of Jonas’ hand securely entwined with mine sent my mind racing, and not in a good way. My hope was too high. I needed to bring myself, and my subconscious, where hope lied, back down to reality. Jonas would always be just a friend. Considering I had no friends, I could use a great friend more than a first boyfriend right about now.
“Let’s go eat.” He threw open his door and flew around to my side right as I was opening my door.
I smiled at him as I slid out of the car. “So you have speed, vision and true mates?”
He smiled. “Don’t forget a sensitive nose and ears, and strength too.”
“Okay, I might be a little jealous of those.”
“Don’t be. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve wanted to be normal.” He closed the passenger door behind me.
“Me too.” It was then that I saw the depths of our likenesses. We both longed for our own definitions of normal, and neither one of us would ever get it.
“Go on in. I’m just going to grab our bags.”
“I can help you.”
“If my dad caught you carrying a bag, he would flip.”
I frowned. “Are we humans really that weak in comparison?”
He chuckled. “I don’t know about men, but according to my dad, women are more delicate. His word, not mine.”
“Humph. I may not be perfect, but I can hold my own.”
He considered me. “I know. But you still can’t carry anything.”
I gave u
p and headed for the front door. Will opened it the moment I reached it, as if he had a sixth sense… or werewolf hearing.
“Cassie’s warming your plates now,” he said as I walked through the door.
“Thanks.”
He smiled warmly at me. “I’m afraid Cassie and I have a pack meeting to attend, but please make yourself at home, Aura.”
“I really appreciate everything.”
He patted my shoulder. “I heard the ding. Food’s ready for you.”
I didn’t know if I would ever get used to that. Then again, twenty-four hours ago, I didn’t even know werewolves existed. I was sure this would all catch up to me at some point. I think I was running on adrenaline for the time being.
“See you guys later. Behave, Jonas.” Cassie gave Jonas a stern look as he came inside.
He rolled his eyes. “Bye.”
He set the bags down by the door and headed for the kitchen. I assumed he was following the scent of the food, or perhaps he heard his dad because he went straight for the microwave. I heard the front door shut in the distance as Jonas grabbed the plates. He placed them on the island in the gourmet kitchen followed by my medicine from his pocket.
“What do you want to drink?” he asked.
“Water’s fine.”
He passed me a bottle. I took two of my pills. As I swallowed, I caught him staring at me. With anyone else I would have worried it was because of my size, but with Jonas, I didn’t. “Do I have a bug on me?”
He laughed. “No.” He grabbed a new pair of forks from the silverware drawer and handed one to me. “We can sit here.” He pulled out one of the leather barstools and then sat in the one beside it. When I didn’t immediately move towards the seat, he grinned wolfishly at me. “I promise not to bite you while you eat.”
“Good. Then I promise not to bite you while you eat.” I smirked, loving the surprised look on his face. I sat down beside him. “I don’t mean to pry, but why didn’t you go to the pack meeting?”
“Pack young only attend certain meetings. This wasn’t one of them.”
I merely nodded and took a bite of spaghetti. I hadn’t taken more than three bites by the time Jonas had cleaned his plate.
“Sorry. I was hungry, and dinner was extra good tonight.” He winked, giving me credit for the extra good part.
I loved cooking. When my mom’s current boyfriend stocked the kitchen, I went on a creative cooking spree. I’d invent new dishes and freeze them for meals later. It was calming to me. Cooking, art and reading were the things I lived to do.
“Do werewolves have a faster metabolism than humans?”
“Yeah. It’s the combination of our DNA. We burn a lot of calories when we shift and we run more than most humans.”
“I don’t suppose there are any overweight werewolves then.” Yup. I definitely was not on Jonas’ radar as anything more than a friend.
He shook his head ‘no.’ “What do you want to do tonight? We do have the whole house to ourselves.” He wagged his brows suggestively.
“As curious as I am as to what you’re suggesting, I don’t think I have enough energy to do much more than shower, change, brush my teeth and go to bed.”
He seemed to mull over my words. “We can at least watch a movie until you fall asleep.”
“Sure.”
Halfway through the oversized plate of pasta, I pushed it towards Jonas. He didn’t hesitate, immediately scarfing down the rest of the spaghetti. I watched in amazement as he ate. So often I wished I could eat like he did, like a lot of the girls at school did, and have a normal figure. It was depressing at times to realize that I was eternally stuck in an overstuffed body.
Once he finished eating, I grabbed the plates and carried them to the sink. I picked up the sponge, prepared to wash the dishes when he yanked it from my hand. “Nope. You’re the guest. You’re not allowed to wash dishes or clean.”
I faced him. “Let’s be honest here. You’re doing way more for me than I am for you. The least I can do is wash a few dishes.”
He cupped my face, his features softening as he looked at me. “Relax, Aura. You’re seventeen, not thirty.”
I held my breath as his gaze focused on my lips. My heart thundered in my chest as he leaned in closer. I heard the gushing of my blood in my veins, felt the thump-thump of my erratic pulse. I wanted this. I wanted him to kiss me. But not if he wasn’t serious. And how could he be after one encounter a week ago and twelve hours of interaction? Fact: he couldn’t be. “I, uh, should go shower.”
He softly sighed, dropping his hands away from me. My skin tingled where he’d been touching me. “I’ll carry your stuff upstairs. The towels hanging in the bathroom are clean.”
“Thanks.”
Chapter 25
JONAS
My wolf was slicing my insides, pissed that I’d let her slip away from the moment. I didn’t know how much longer I could go without kissing her, without having free reign to hold her whenever I wanted, to touch her whenever I wanted.
I heard her walk upstairs and into the bathroom. She closed the bathroom door. Moments later I heard the shower turn on.
I knew based on her reactions to certain things that she was feeling something too, but I think Jim had it right. There was no way what she felt came anywhere close to what I did. So, I would just have to find middle ground.
I went to the entry and grabbed her bags to take upstairs. I set her bags on the bed in the guest bedroom. I doubted I would get any sleep tonight. She was too close. It was a wonder my wolf hadn’t sprung free again and bitten her. Maybe I did need to bite her. It wasn’t a full claim, but it would be enough within the werewolf community if I marked her.
I went to my bedroom, grabbed a pair of athletic shorts and boxers and headed into the bathroom attached to my room. I definitely needed a cold shower.
I rushed through washing, trying to be done before she was. When I stepped back out into the hall, the bathroom door was open and her bedroom door was closed. I heard her rummaging through a bag.
My wolf roused at the thought of her-
I immediately cut him off. She couldn’t stay here if I lost control. My dad wouldn’t allow it. It wasn’t even that he was my parent; he was the alpha. There was no disobeying the alpha’s orders.
I went downstairs to browse the movie selection. I had no idea what she would be interested in watching. I took a chance and picked out a comedy.
My heart skipped a beat when she came downstairs and rounded the corner. Her hair was wet, and hanging down and around her face. She wore thin, blue plaid pajama pants and a black tank top with a black bra that peeked over the edges of the shirt. I slid my gaze down her curves, my body immediately reacting to her. When I saw her toes polished in a soft pink, it was the nail in my coffin.
I pinched the back of my neck. It was a coping mechanism, reminiscent of grabbing a dog by the back of his neck and holding him off. It helped me regain a bit of my control. Too bad that didn’t include teenage hormone control.
I opened my eyes, surprised to find her standing in front of me. I was losing it. How did I not hear her? Was I that far gone?
“If you need to let your wolf out, I understand.”
I couldn’t hold back my amusement at her choice of words. “If I let my wolf out, he would bite you.” I smirked.
She seemed taken back. “So you’re not still there mentally as a wolf then?”
“I am.”
“Then-“
“Aura.”
“Yeah?”
I gazed directly into her vivid blue eyes. “Please tell me you feel it too.”
She took an unsteady step backwards. “I need to take my medicine.”
I punched the air as she left the room. Patience and compromise. I sighed. Neither patience nor compromise were helping me. I was a future alpha who was close to tears. Where the hell was my masculinity, my alpha-ness? It seemed I’d lost it the moment I discovered my mate was a human. And not just any human, a h
uman with health issues I didn’t understand. Once she was asleep, I was going to research what she had. I needed to know how to help her. After today, I was more determined than ever. She would never be alone in anything again.
She came around the corner, watching me closely. I couldn’t blame her there. I had been a bit of a basket case today. It was my wolf. He’d been pushing me all day. Combine that with an overwhelming surge of emotions surrounding her and I was lucky I could still converse.
“Take a seat on the couch and I’ll start the movie,” I offered.
She nodded and headed for the sofa. She sat down and curled herself tightly against the back cushion on her side, with her back against the arm of the couch. She seemed so vulnerable in that moment, like she did need a protector.
I popped the movie in the DVD player. I plopped down next to her on the couch and leaned back. I glanced at her. She gave me a shy smile that warmed me to my soul. At the end of the day, it was about her. She was my world now. There would be no escaping it. There would be no controlling the gravity pull towards her. I couldn’t fight it. I didn’t want to fight it. I just wanted her. I wanted to know that she was with me on this, that I wouldn’t lose her tomorrow. That’s why I wanted to claim her. I needed to know that she was mine and that she wouldn’t leave me.
The movie started. I stared blindly at the TV, lost in my thoughts, lost in her aroma, in her proximity. I was lost to her; lost in her.
Needing to be closer, to feel her, I stretched my arm along the back of the sofa. I dropped my hand and drew lazy circles on her back with my fingers. Within a few minutes, her breathing slowed and deepened. She’d fallen asleep.
I took advantage of her dream state and studied her for a bit. Her knees were tucked as tightly to her chest as possible; she’d slumped against the back sofa cushion, her hand cradling her face as it leaned against it. Her other arm was wrapped around her midsection, her hand fisted against her left side. It was only when she was asleep that the tension left her body. It was now that her features were their softest.
Her innocence tugged at my center, at something deep inside. Perhaps she didn’t realize it, but she needed a friend and a savior.
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