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THE smell of bacon and waffles drift through the forest nearby Dakota’s home. They have done more work on the old house. The second level looks brand new with an aged look. Dash jumps over the fallen logs, and then leaps up to the first level balcony and disappears. Dakota holds my hand. He presses a kiss to the back of my hand. I can feel his heart pounding as we get closer to his home. His steps hesitate for a moment while he searches the forest around us. His palms have become sweaty, and his brow creases. I stop and turn to face Dakota.
My free hand reaches up to cup his face, while my other hand is still curled around his.
‘Dakota, it’s okay,’ I reassure him.
‘Aren’t you a little nervous?’ He looks down at me, and his mouth is set in a grim line. ‘A house full of werewolves can be unpredictable.’ His forehead creases.
‘I trust you,’ I say with all of my heart.
He smirks and a dimple pops out.
‘Are you sure about that Ava? ‘Cause holding you makes me want you more.’ The feel of his hand in mine and the tone of his voice is hot, slick and smooth. ‘It’s true, but I’ll be good, Ava. It’s just that ... it’s not just me you need to be worried about,’ he mumbles.
He looks into the glass windows down the front of the house and then takes me around to the back door, which is closer to his bedroom. He leads me down the hall and into the kitchen.
All the boys— though that seem silly to call them boys when most of them look older— are seated around the table. The twins sit at opposite sides of the table. Dash is on the left of Jackson. The seat on his right is bare. All hands are either picking food from the middle or putting food into their mouths. They freeze and all heads turn in our direction. I would’ve thought that Dash had told them I was coming or that they could at least smell me. Maybe it’s because, as Dash had said earlier, I smell like Dakota. Jackson leaps out of his seat, and he grabs another one from god-knows-where and places it next to the empty space on his right. He sits back down, clears his throat and everyone goes back to devouring the food.
Dakota walks over and pulls the seat next to Jackson out, making me sit. He pushes me in and then takes the one next to me, though he turns it around so the back is facing the table.
An uncomfortable awkwardness spreads over the room like a blanket. Dakota reaches out and puts bacon, muffins and waffles on my plate. He piles his plate with the same food. All eyes are on us.
I look down at my plate and play with the food. I break the muffin and take a small bite.
I feel alienated.
Like I don’t belong.
Ugh! Of course, I don’t belong. They’re fricken werewolves!
Two fingers lift my chin up and I’m looking into Dakota’s ocean-green eyes.
‘Don’t let them intimidate you.’ He smiles and the dimples surface.
We stare at each other longer than needed.
Duey starts talking about some game he wants to buy. I’m really glad he did that. All the awkwardness in the room seemed to flow out the window after that.
* * *
AFTER BREAKFAST, DAKOTA and I went up to the balcony on the first floor. It faces my street. I can see my house from Dakota’s large two storey house. I watch for any signs of life but nothing is moving. I look over to Jane’s house, and all I can see are the roses and the front porch. I hug my arms around myself.
I can’t go back there, and I can’t stay at Jane’s.
I’m homeless.
Dakota wraps his arms around me and rests his head on mine. You’ll be safe with me. Dakota says in thought to me.
We stand like this for who-knows-how-long. His house has quietened down from the raucous the boys were making.
‘You want a hot chocolate?’ Dakota asks.
‘Yeah sure.’ I nod.
He lets go of me and walks down the stairs.
I look at the trees a little longer before I follow him down.
I sit on a bar stool by the bench in the kitchen.
Dakota has his back to me. He has broad shoulders. The muscles in his arms flex as he makes the hot chocolate.
‘We already know that she is your mate Dakota. You don’t need to mark her as a piece of property,’ Jackson says as he slides into the stool beside me.
‘Huh?’ I crease my forehead and wait for Jackson to go on.
‘The hickey, on your neck.’
‘What— What, hickey? What is he talking about Dakota?’ I ask.
Dakota sighs.
‘You have a beautiful neck.’ He shrugs and looks away.
‘Bathroom,’ I demand.
Jackson points down the hallway which leads to Dakota’s bedroom. I get off the stool and head down that way. I try the first door on the left. It’s the toilet. The next doorway is the laundry that we walked in through. I open the last door on my right and walk into a spacious bathroom. My bathroom at home is a very small cubicle compared to this. A small mirror sits above the sink. I walk over and check out the damage. A large purple, reddish mark has attached itself to my creamy neck. The door opens, and in the mirror, I see Dakota walk in. He sits on the bench in the shower.
‘I can’t believe you did this.’ I touch the spot and groan. ‘Why?’ I ask.
He shrugs. ‘We’re teenagers. Isn’t that what we do?’
‘I have never had a hickey in my life,’ I complain.
He grabs my wrist and pulls me into his arms.
‘Why didn’t I feel you sucking on my neck?’
‘I’m sorry,’ he apologises. ‘Remember when we were at your house and we found your mum? You moved your head, giving me room when I was doing that.’
‘What do you that mean?’
‘It means that you enjoy every kiss, touch or run of my nose along your neck.’ Dakota shuffles uncomfortably. ‘I wanted you to enjoy it so much that I kissed you and touched you too much. I think I gave you too much of my wolf. I couldn’t help myself. I gave you a hickey. You sorta zoned out, and I felt what you were feeling when we were together. All of the emotions in the room.’
‘Is that normal?’
He chuckles. ‘You’re asking me it that normal? I’m a wolf and I have never been with a girl before.’
‘Ever?’ I ask.
He shakes his head. He brings his nose closer to mine, and we touch and breathe each other in. Every fibre in my being calms down, and I’m over having a hickey.
‘So, how many boys do I have to beat for stealing your first kiss and your innocence?’ He smirks and his dimples show themselves.
I feel the blood rush to my face.
‘One,’ I whisper. ‘But I don’t think you can beat him.’
‘And why the hell not?’
I roll my eyes. ‘Because— that person is you.’
A deep sated smile spreads across his face.
‘And, I’m still a virgin.’ I bite my lip.
‘Me ... too. I couldn’t take it any further than kissing and touching. When we are both ready ...’ He allows his words hang in air. Dakota takes my hand and kisses it, then he holds it, and stands up and we stroll out of the room.