The Kitsune and The Werewolf

Change of Plans

I led her outside, relishing the night air as it wrapped it’s cold wisps of wind around my cheeks. She was in pain, but judging on how awkward she was walking I guessed it was from those overly tall shoes that added four inches to her height. She still only reached just above my shoulder, but it was adorable how compact she was.

“So where are we going?” She looked around trying to guess the direction, and while nothing would have made me happier than to see her fox gallivanting in the night I knew I needed to distract her further. It took far too long to get her to drink any alcohol, and while I wasn’t able to learn anything about her I still felt like I was gaining ground on opening her up.

“You know, it’s getting kind of late, how about we just walk through the park.” I held out my arm for her to take but she threw her head back instead. I couldn’t help but crack a smile at her struggles. She was starting to want me, this plan was working. “Something wrong?”

“If you are going to insist on walking I’m taking these shoes off.” With two swift movements of one foot reaching up to her hands they were off and she held them out to me. “Care to hold them?”

“You have my jacket the least I can do is hold your shoes I guess.” I held them by the heel in one hand. “Park’s this way darling.” It wasn’t Luna, so hopefully she wouldn’t care about the pet name. Though judging by her flat expression she was not amused.

“How long were you planning on walking? I kind of was hoping to turn in early tonight.” She made it easy to walk next to her. Her stride was quicker than mine but I took much larger steps and we ended up staying perfectly in time with each other whether it was through her hard work or a subconscious decision she seemed to want to be next to me.

“A few minutes ago we were talking about going on a run, now all the sudden you need to be back at your hotel that you checked out of earlier today?” Maybe I was being petty, but I knew what she had been planning all day. She had no intention of staying another night here and while I wouldn’t normally care, there were other people she was hurting.

“What do you mean? I was with Claire all day.” It wasn’t a lie, but she checked out early this morning before she came back to the bar. She wanted this to be her final day here.

“You can hurt me all you want. I can take it.” I turned to her towering over her small stature. She may be the one person I am meant to spend the rest of my life with, but this fox needed to learn when to stop her tricks, “Claire is a different story.”

“So was this your plan all night?” Of course she wouldn’t be affected by my presence, other wolves would have backed down, she was designed to withstand anything I could throw at her.

“Believe me this is far from what I had planned.” I always dreamed our first date was going to be magical, not a night of trying to sideswipe each other and backstab. Then again she still wasn’t fully aware of the problem she was going to face and it was so cute how unprepared she was. “I need you to promise me that you won’t disappear on her.”

“I don’t belong here Isaac.” She knocked her foot against the ground throwing her arms under my jacket. “I need to get back home.”

“Fine. I’ll let you go.” Lies, she was stuck here more than she knew.

“It wasn’t a request.” Leaning on one hip she looked at me unamused.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

What was he planning? He was giving me such a snarky look, how on earth could he be so cocky right now?

“This park leads to my apartment. How about you sleep off that buzz and say goodbye to Claire tomorrow morning?”

I didn’t have much of a choice, it was after midnight and being a Saturday night I think I’d be hard pressed to get another room. Even harder to explain to the skulk why I was double charging their card. However, seeing as how it was his apartment I knew this was his final push to seal the deal with me, so I needed to get a bit more information before I accepted his deal. “Your apartment?”

“Don’t sound so disappointed. I have a couch.” pausing he turned but then rephrased his answer, “Three bedrooms and a couch I mean. So It’s not like you’ll be forced to sleep with me.” He winked and my heart skipped a beat. Why was a small part of me wanting him to ask? Stupid alcohol.

“Well thank Inari for that.” I had hoped my sarcasm was apparent enough to throw him off my disappointment but judging by his smile I was highly doubtful.

The park was nice enough, I had hardly noticed it while walking with him, maybe that’s what he was thinking. We stepped out on the opposite side closer to the tall business buildings. This rough alpha was rich enough to afford an apartment here?

“This is a werewolf city.” He leaned down whispering to me like he was answering some silent question I never asked and continued to clarify his answer, “I’m the city planner. Nothing moves in the city without my knowledge. The mayor is the human public figure, but my pack owns this town. If I say the word I could have you arrested for no reason.” He lingered on that final thought and I knew it was a warning.

“Well thank you for being so hospitable.”

We came to a tall building fronted with reflected windows reaching far into the sky. The doorman opened it quickly when he noticed Isaac. “Good evening sir, wonderful night we’re having.” He tipped his hat to me and Isaac then shut the door behind us.

I heard him dig through his pocket but then tapped me on the shoulder, “Sorry darling, I need my jacket back.” I was swimming in this thing and never even noticed there were items in his pockets. I slid it off my shoulders and we switched back with him handing me my heels. He dug out the keys from his inner pocket as he pressed the up arrow calling the elevator. “The only way this elevator moves is with a key.” Again he answered a question I never asked.

“Very lovely building.” I looked around at the many potted plants and decorated columns. It mirrored greek architecture with exquisite beauty. The marble shined even in the night. I was lost in the view waiting for us to continue on our journey.

“You should see it at Christmas time, they really outdo themselves.” With a sudden ding the doors flew open and he guided me in. Turning his key next to the top floor’s button, it light up.

“Wow, top floor?” He was living the life of luxury and it just didn’t suit him. He seemed more like the kind of guy who would like a ranch out in the middle of nowhere. He was clearly a dirt road backwater boy, why put on this show for everyone?

“It was my grandfather’s place, passed to me when he died. I kind of got too busy to move anywhere else.”

“Well, it doesn't seem like something you would live in.”

“If I had it my way I wouldn’t, but it’s pretty central to the pack, and my office is just right down the street.”

The doors swung open and a modern apartment sprang to life. There was a couch, but there were also three others all wrapped in a u-shape pointed toward a wall with a large TV hanging on it. The kitchen, dining room, and bar were sprawled out next to the windows. To one side a set of doors and the other stairs heading up to a loft. I stepped around and saw the room continued behind me out onto a balcony with a large pool and hot tub lit with small lights strung from poles. This was a space for entertainment that I had never seen before. Maybe the skulk’s highest members could afford something like this, but it was never something I could ever dream of owning.

“This place is just so-”

“Not me.” He joked tossing his jacket onto one of the couches.

“No, I mean it’s not, but it’s just beautiful.” With a roll of lightning in the sky I could see an oncoming summer night storm. The humidity was a bit harsh tonight, and it would explain the chill in the air.

“You can sleep in any room you want.” He pointed to the set of doors behind the kitchen, “That one is mine. Upstairs are the others.”

Any room I wanted? Well that certainly presented a challenge to my subconscious. That little desire once again creeped up toying with my heart.