Watercolor Girl

8

Evangeline

I liked being with Lev. And I was sure that regardless of where we were or what we were doing, I would be happy. I didn’t mind moving around the pack grounds. His hand always found mine, and I felt safe even in a place I had never been safe. He had to slow his strides down to walk with me. But he didn’t seem to mind, occasionally he would pause and look at me, his deep green eyes drawing me in. In the moment I was happy in a way I had never expected to be happy. I reached up, he leaned down to meet my fingers and I pushed a stray piece of his hair behind his ear. He pressed his cheek to my palm for a moment before spinning around and standing in front of me.

“THIS.” A voice hissed from in front of him. “This is it?!”

“Enough Rayvn. Leave.” His body was tense. I put my hand on his back, before moving beside him. It didn’t feel like his confrontation.

She was tall and very slender, black hair, and perfect features. Her eyes were a vivid green, flashing with anger. Her skin was a perfect sort of olive color, complimenting her perfectly. Her eyes flashed to me and she growled, Lev growled back.

“He wasn’t yours to take!” I stared at her. But said nothing. I stood beside my mate, watching. Her muscles were tense and I imagine this was the girl from earlier. I could still taste the pain in my mouth.

“She doesn’t talk either?!” Her eyes fixed on Lev. He said nothing. We both stared at her moments passed.

“Rayvn. Leave. You’re only embarrassing yourself. I told you before, she’s my mate.” His voice was gentle and firm, her body relaxed and she let out a laugh, her hands on her hips.

“I don’t believe you, prove it.” She’d barely finished the statement before she lashed out at him. I didn’t think, I reacted, and in an instant she was on her back, pinned into the dirt. A deep growl erupted from my own throat. And I move my face very close to hers.

“My. Mate.”

Lev grabbed me around my waist and lifted me off. Pulling me against him. She scrambled to her feet, backing a few steps before she turned and stomped away. Lev spun me around, his eyes studying mine.

“You mated a feral witch…”

He swooped me up, I wrapped my legs around his waist, and he pressed his smile into mine. Laughing. Paying no attention to the eyes that had gathered around us. He walked towards the pack house carrying me like I weighed nothing in his arms.

Lev

Rayvn was pissed. Her eyes flashed daggers, yelling. I stood in front of Evangeline, but she didn’t stay hidden behind me. She stepped out and met Rayvn’s hard glare with her own. She remained silent, and we both stood waiting for her to retreat. But alas she did not. I felt bad, that maybe I had inadvertently misled her in some way. I couldn’t understand how, but I obviously had. I asked her again to go. Trying not to sound as angry as I was. Even if there is a relationship of sorts between unmated wolves, the unspoken law stands that all relationships are void if one finds their mate. It’s a danger of dating and why so many choose not to.

“You were desperate enough to mate this mutt?” She has the good sense to link it to me, but it flamed the fire of rage she’d already lit insulting my mate publicly like she was.

“Mated and marked. She is my mate.”

Rayvn started to laugh. Her hands on her hips, She screeched out something before lunging for me, claws out. Evangeline moved so fast I had no time to react, her hand grabbing Rayvn’s outstretched arm, ratcheting it back. Rayvn yelped and dropped while Evangeline held her pinned in the dirt. She growled out something before I was able to collect myself enough to pick her up away from Rayvn, who, still shocked by the events that had put her on the ground, scrambled to achieve her balance. Rayvn turned and walked off, covered in dirt, but without another word.

I spun Evangeline around to face me. She showed no fear, no shame, no regret for her justified actions.

“You mated a feral witch…” Sang through my head again, her accomplished smile the sexiest thing I had ever seen and I grabbed her lifting her and pressing my lips to hers. I didn’t even realize it but I had carried her back to the pack house and up to my room, where I dropped her on the bed, pulling her sweatshirt off before climbing on top of her.

“My fierce little warrior mate.” I pushed her shirt up, kissing her stomach all over, pausing only when she pulled my shirt up over my head. I was ravenous for her, her fingers combed through my hair, sending lightening through my body. Soft moans escaping her lips as I pushed her shirt up further kissing her chest, and neck before pulling her shirt over her head. I reached behind searching for the clasp on her bra before she pushed my hands away, guiding them to a little plastic hook in the front. She smiled at me and I passionately crashed my mouth into hers, ravenous to taste her and be inside of her in any way I could, her tongue met mine, just as desperately, I slid down her body, unbuttoning her jeans easily and pulling them off, kissing the insides of her separated knees, up her thighs and along the edges of her black panties. I grabbed at her round hip. Feeling her soft skin in my hand. She moaned as I kissed over her panties, arching her back, her knees pulling up a bit. I kissed back up her body over her chest to her neck, nibbling at the spot where she now wore my mark. Her body arched, and rolled me over in one motion she was on top of me. Her hair fell over her shoulders and her eyes met mine, she moved down my body, unbuttoning my pants reaching down and somehow finding the laces on my boots, expertly loosening them before I kicked them off and she pulled my pants off. Her small fingers slowly began to pull my boxers down, inch by inch until my raging erection was free, she quickly removed them after that. She crawled back up my body, straddling my stomach. I reached up, running my fingers along the seam of her bra, goosebumps began to form under my touch, I squeezed the little hook releasing the clasp and ran my hands underneath the cups, she arched pressing her breasts into my hands, I slid my hands up, under the straps, slowly pushing them off her shoulders until her bra dropped off behind her, she sat there, nearly naked on top of me, I stared at her, her beautiful round face, her perfect perky round breasts, her hard dark little n*****s. Her round little stomach.

“You’re so perfect” I whispered as my hands found her breasts, my thumbs drawing circles around her n*****s. Her body arched again, exposing her neck, I rolled her, my mouth found her neck and I sucked, eliciting soft sensual moans. I sat up between her legs, pushing her knees up, and then sliding her panties from her body, again, I paused to take her in, her perfectly little manicured dark pubic hair, forming an arrow leading to her glistening little slit.

She closed her legs, I glanced up at her, her arms crossed over her breasts,

“I can shave it, if you prefer that.”

I pushed her knees apart and buried my face between her legs, her body arched, louder moans escaping her. I couldn’t get enough of her taste, my tongue searching inside before I started to stroke her c**t with my tongue, I pushed her thighs further down, spreading her open just a bit wider, sliding two of my fingers inside her while my tongue has its way with her little heart. She bucked and rocked against my fingers, so I slid a third inside her, her moans were the sweetest music I’ve ever heard.

“Does that feel good my little warrior?”

“Please don’t stop” She responded in a breathy whisper. I slowed my thrusts into her, watching them disappear into her, before slowly pulling them back

“Do you wanna c*m, little warrior?”

“Please, Lev, make me cum.” Hearing my name as she begged me to bring her to climax renewed my vigor and I began to suck her little heart and thrust my fingers into her dripping center. Her moans and gasps goading me on. I felt her muscles tighten inside her and I ran my tongue along her glistening slit, rubbing circles with my thumb on her throbbing little button, she came hard, and I sucked and lapped up every drop.

I wiped her moisture from my mouth before kissing up her body, over her stomach, her breasts, her chest, her neck

“Do you wanna taste yourself beautiful warrior?” And her mouth met mine, her tongue probing my mouth. I slid my hands down her body, spreading her legs and positioning myself to enter her.

“Can I have you?”

“Please.” She whispered “Please make me whole.” I pressed into her slowly, her warm tight center accepting me. She took me in all the way to the hilt, i moved slowly, wanting to savor this moment. To remember the way she felt, her warmth, her hands laced into mine above her head. Her body arching as I filled her.

Her mouth came to my ear, in the quietest little voice she whispered

“I need you.”

That sent me over the edge, I released inside her, filling her. I rested my head on her chest, she wrapped her arms around me, breathing heavily, her legs wrapped around my back, holding me inside of her.

It felt like hours we laid together, holding each other, but it must have only been minutes. I got up and got her a towel.

I curled up behind her, holding her tight to my naked body underneath the covers. Her eyes had been heavy when we finished, so I knew she wouldn’t be awake long, and the quieter her breathing became. The more evident it was she had fallen asleep. I whispered in her ear,

“I love you little warrior. for the rest of my life. I promise not to let anything hurt you ever again.” I closed my eyes and drifted off to sleep. Warmth pulsing through me. Just a few days ago I was lonely, very much alone with a title I didn’t want in a pack I felt no loyalty to. So much can change so quickly.

Evangeline

It wasn’t late when we’d fallen asleep and I woke up with his arms holding me tightly and his body wrapped around mine in the center of this massive bed that his feet didn’t hang over the bottom of. I wriggled out of his arms and moved to the pile of my clothes I’d dumped out of my bag earlier. It wouldn’t take me long to run out of clean clothes and I made a note to find out where a wolf does laundry in this place. I pulled on my gray sweatpants, and a black tank top, my bladder screamed at me. Nox purred in my head but chided me to go back and stay with mate. She was impatient for her time with Til, so pushy wolves are. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t nervous about them meeting, wolves are different in nature, and the concept of their mating made me nervous. Lev was gentle, despite the absolute ravenous attraction and chemistry and need that the mate bond creates, physical intimacy, or any intimacy at all, was new to me and I hadn’t expected to actually enjoy as I much as I did. I suppose it made it easier knowing Lev wasn’t particularly experienced and we were figuring it out together. Regardless, i worried about Nox and Til.

I stepped on my iPod on my way out of the bathroom, picking it up, popping the earbuds into my ears and hitting play. Lev hadn’t moved, his arms still reaching for my body that wasn’t there, but he slept on, I slipped from the bedroom closing the door, startled, and slightly embarrassed seeing the very purple couch in the living room. What were we doing when they came in? I hoped we’d already been asleep, but I doubted it. I giggled, how awkward. I wandered to the kitchen, the counters were clear of anything. So much empty in this place, I opened a few cabinets and found the bare minimum of cookware, but no coffee pot. I couldn’t live like this. This wasn’t love, this was torture. Words played through my ears. Rea had given me this IPod, I liked her music and asked her every time I went into the shop about it, who it was, when she upgraded she’d gifted me her old one, loaded with all the music she had. I wasn’t as familiar as most wolves were with the current technologies available to us. We live mostly like anyone else would live but because I’d spent the past few years avoiding integrating back into the pack in any way, I had lost touch. I didn’t even have a phone, I was that old school. I stood for a minute, listening to the voice in my ears.

“Because your candle burns too bright, well I almost forgot it was twilight…”

I chewed my lip, I had to get coffee. I could feel my body dying and I was fairly certain that was the reason. I didn’t see any paper, or anything to write with to leave Lev a note, in the event he woke up. I wasn’t sure what kind of sleeper he was but I figured he can link me if he wakes. I threw on socks and slipped on my boots, noting to figure out alternative footwear options, I looked ridiculous, but for coffee, I would run through the pack house naked.

I slipped out, it seemed quiet and the halls were dim. I thought it must be late, i didn’t generally sleep through the night, a few hours here and there, but rarely did I miss all of the dead hours when things were the most quiet. I popped one earbud out so I could hear what may be going on around me and ventured down towards the kitchen. A few wolves were sitting in the community room watching a tv, blue light glowing on their faces as I walked by, unnoticed. The kitchen was empty, just the buzz of machines within it. I looked around, he had gotten me coffee, I knew they had it somewhere.

“Kye help you find something? You look lost?” I jumped and stepped back.

A thin little wolf, probably early teen years looked at me. He was thin, but he was already tall, taller than me.

“I didn’t mean to startle you.” His voice was quiet, but loud against the silence of the room. I laughed, pulling out the other earbud.

“No, I’m just jumpy. I was looking for coffee.” He smiled and started to move towards another section of the kitchen, through a doorway, there in the center or this wonderful room were industrial coffee pots, and a few other specialty type machines that brewed caffein in a far more complex fashion then I was interested in.

“It isn’t old. They keep it fresh for the patrols through the night.”

“Thank you, I never would have found it.”

“You’re welcome.” He reached and grabbed one of the biggest cups available, handing it to me. “Are you new?”

I took the cup, smiling, pouring and filling it almost to the brim.

“Yes and no. I haven’t been back for a while. But I’ve been a member of this pack since I was born.” He handed me one of those little cardboard ring sleeves so the coffee doesn’t burn your hand through the cup.

“Thank you.” I said pressing a lid on, and sliding the cup into the ring.

“You’re welcome. I’m Ollie, if you get lost again, don’t hesitate to reach out to me.”

“Where are you?” Lev was panicky, he must not be an incredibly sound sleeper.

“Coffee.”

“Thank you, Ollie. I’m Evangeline. And I appreciate your help.” He smiled. Turning to walk back towards whatever shadow he’d emerged from, wolves moved so silently these days, I don’t remember them ever being so quiet.

I walked out into the main area of the kitchen, sipping at my coffee that was too hot to gulp and willing it to cool down. When I emerged from the kitchen, Lev was standing in the hall, disheveled, he wasn’t wearing a shirt, he had s*x hair, and wasn’t wearing anything on his feet.

“I needed coffee. I nearly died.” I smiled at him. He kissed the top of my head.

“How did you plan on getting back in?” I shrugged, I really hadn’t thought about it. At all.

“Whining like a sad puppy until you felt bad and let me in?” He put his arm around me and buried his nose in my hair. Exhaling a quiet chuckle.

“We’ll get you a coffee pot if you promise not to disappear in the middle of the night again.”

“You have nothing to write on, or with for that matter. I thought a note on the counter in my own blood would probably be a poor choice.” He laughed again into my hair, and I could feel him settle a bit.

“Yeah you’re probably right.”

“What time is it?”

“Around 3. Maybe a little earlier.”

“Wanna go for a run?” I sipped my coffee, he stared at me for a minute, trying to assess if I was being serious or not.

“Right now?” I nodded. Continuing to sip at my coffee despite the burning inside my mouth. Lev smiled.

“There is nothing I would love more then to go for a run with you. But I’m missing half my clothes.” He started to walk back through the halls to the stairs, I followed. Nox whimpering and whining in my head with excitement. She preferred to run at night. Named for the darkness I suppose she felt at home amongst the shadows and other nocturnes. I followed Lev, trailing behind, enjoying my coffee. He walked into his wing, holding the door for me.

“We need to get you a key. Add that to the list behind a coffee pot.”

“And shoes that aren’t boots.”

“You look gorgeous.”

“You look like a millipede.” He had his shirt half pulled on and he paused, looking at me confused. “I figured if we’re both telling lies.” He laughed, his very sharp canines on full display, some wolves have very human looking teeth, Lev’s canines were obviously wolf, sharp and pointed. My eyes must have been hungry because he pulled me close to him and whispered

“Later fierce warrior.” Before nipping at my neck and gliding off to a closet, returning with socks. Gliding is a good word for the way Lev moves. He pulls on socks. Then pulls his boots on. Looking over at mine.

“How do you do that with your laces?”

I set my coffee on the counter, and sit down in front of feet, loosening and tightening his laces knotting them at the 5th eyelets, pulling them loosely through the last 3, so they’re as loose as they can be, knotting them again after the 8th, and clipping the excess off with one of my claws. I picked his foot up, grabbed the heal of his boot, and popped it off. His deep green eyes lit up.

“Maybe you really are a witch, you and your dark magic.” He grabbed his boot and slid it back on, admiring the ease of it. He swooped me up and sat me on his lap, pressing his mouth to mine. Before standing up and setting me down. “Ready mate?” I nod. Butterflies taking flight in my stomach.

Lev

I followed her to the wood line, she stepped in, walking about 15 feet before she kicked her boots off, setting her socks inside of them, I watched her undress, the curves of her body catching just enough of the moonlight to draw my eyes. So beautiful, and meticulous in her system of folding and setting her clothes aside. I followed suit, feeling her eyes on me, her hand came up, traced the scar on my chest and arm, before she sauntered behind the tree she’d set her clothes at, and out emerged her wolf. Sleek black, black as night, her long fur shimmering in the moonlight. Til howled in my head, she was impressive, I expected her wolf to be small, but it wasn’t at all.

I moved away, shifted behind some trees and when I stepped out. I dwarfed her, regardless of her size, i towered over her in this form as well, her eyes were that matte black color, Nox was leading.

“Keep up.” And she sprinted off into the darkness. I receded and Til followed, catching up to her quickly, but she cut and changed directions, he stumbled before catching himself and catching up to her once again. She slowed down, sniffing into the night air. Til followed, pausing to lick at her ear, and sniff at her neck. Almost like he didn’t believe this was his. She shook him off, trotting off following whatever scent she had picked up, Til trailing, too enamored with his mate to be paying attention to anything except her and her scent. She loped ahead, disappearing into the darkness, her snout in the air, searching for something. Til trotted along.

The air changed suddenly and she hit him like a brick wall, they tumbled over each other.

“Quiet, listen.” Something didn’t sound right, but neither I nor Til could place it. It wasn’t human, and it wasn’t wolf. It was an unnatural buzzing sound. She stood low, almost crouched to the ground, protectively standing over Til, who obediently heeded her command to be still. The woods were hers more then they were ours, and I think even his ego realized that.

She backed up slowly, making no sound at all, her black eyes beckoned he follow and he did, they moved silently through the wood, back to where we had started, she walked behind a tree and when she came around again she had shifted. Nude in the dark, less moonlight to light her, she pulled on her shirt, a sense of urgency to her dressing. I shifted, it’s an ugly transition and most don’t prefer to do it in front of others, but I didn’t mind in front of her. Not at all. I reached down and stroked her face.

“Let the patrol know, and Alpha. Something isn’t right out there.” I felt her worry and it made me nervous.

“Alpha, you awake??”

I was met with silence. I pulled my phone out and dialed his number. It rang until he picked up, sounding very much like he was still asleep. I hung up.

“Meet me in my office?” Evangeline seemed to have an interest in not being heard. I opted to link once I knew he was awake so nothing was spoken where piqued ears could listen.

“Is this a joke?”

“Not at all. Something strange out here.”

Silence followed, Evangeline and I walked silently back from the forest line.

“I’m probably over reacting. But it just didn’t feel right.” I couldn’t say I felt her sense or urgency. But she was right about it feeling off. I wouldn’t have picked up on it myself, the air felt heavier like we had walked into some sort of unseen haze.

We walked into the pack house just as Alpha was hitting the bottom of the stairs. His eyes sleepy.

“His hair matches yours from earlier.” I laughed. She made tense moments easier, Ciaran narrowed his eyes at us, clearly in no mood for humor, especially humor he wasn’t privy to. We follow him into his office and he heaves out a heavy sleepy sigh, throwing himself on the couch.

“So what? What is so imperative right now?”

“We went out to run. There’s a section of the territory that isn’t right.”

“It’s not right?” His eyes threatened agitation. And I fumbled with an explanation for him.

“The forest is wrong there. It smells like machines but the wrong sound. It’s faint. But it’s there. Something is there that shouldn’t be there. It made Nox fuzzy.” She spoke, certain, undeniably certain, that something was very wrong within the boarders of the territory.