The Whispers and The Wolf

Eleven

About 5 minutes had passed with no words or explanations. I swung my legs against the island out of sheer anxiety, feeling so uncomfortable at this entire situation I couldn’t sit still. The high had definitely disappeared. I was trying to give Conlan time, trying to “Be Patient” as the Whispers instructed but I was not built for the patient life.

As I opened my mouth to speak, so did he. So neither of us spoke and silence broke out once more. I remembered it was well past dinner time and I was suddenly ravenous. I tried to hop down from where he sat me but the island was too high and the stools were too far away. Well this WAS embarrassing. Was I destined to live in a state of embarrassment around Conlan?

Conlan… even the thought of his name made my heart warm. “Conlan…” I breathed, the taste of it was even better.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what tae say…” he stared out of the window, not looking at me when he spoke.

“Conlan… sorry can you help me down ?” I could’ve been physically sick with the embarrassment. Always the independent woman, I couldn’t imagine that I could sink much lower than asking a man to help me down from where he placed me. He strolled over to me with a slight smirk gracing his lips. His smug, kissable lips… Get it together Autumn!

He placed his hands on my knees and rubbed them at a painfully slow pace up my thighs, resting on my hips.

“You stuck, wee birdie?” His voice a low, seductive growl. His smug expression unmistakable. That did it.

Losing control of my body yet again, our lips crashed together and we were in another tangled s****l mess. He lifted me up and I held on for dear life as he carried me to the couch, never once breaking our kiss. Laying me down ever so gently, he kissed me from above. He moved his kisses to my cheek, to my jaw then down to my neck. He inhaled deeply, and I moaned as he continued to kiss and lick my neck. The effect this kiss was having on me, I lost all of my inhibitions as I reached for his belt buckle. Fumbling with the metal, I stopped as he put his hands on mine to make me. He sighed and sat up on the edge of the couch, facing away from me.

“What the f**k is your problem?!” I yelled in sheer frustration. How did this happen again? “Are you a virgin or something?!” Not a smart choice of words. He stood in a flash, I don’t know how he got to his feet so quickly.

“WHAT?!” He barked out at me, his eyes narrowed and fists clenched.

“What is this all about? You want me, you don’t, I can’t keep up! It’s giving me whiplash!” I was breathless, I have to admit I was a bit scared but I somehow knew deep down he wasn’t going to hurt me.

“Autumn ye don’t know what yer talking about, I won’t have ye talking to me like that” His voice was unnervingly calm. But the anger was radiating from him. Something told me no one ever spoke back to this guy.

“Well tell me, Conlan! f*****g tell me, because I won’t have this. You can’t barge into my house, give me the most incredible kisses I’ve ever had, turn me on the point I could scream and then just blow cold.” I’d had it. I was shaking, I’d lost all control of my words as well as my body today.

“It’s no that simple,” he said, head in his hands. “Have ye ever heard of soul mates?”

“Yes, yes I have…” I rolled my eyes. “Are you trying to tell me that we’re soul mates? That really is a new line, never heard that before” I jibed. His face crumpled and his eyes flashed something I could only describe as heartbreak.

“f**k this, I can’t do this. I should never have came” he stormed towards the door.

“Mate…” I heard the Whispers repeat again. Mate… so is this what They meant? Soul mate?

“Conlan wait! I’m sorry, I’ll hear what you’ve got to say but then I have something to share of my own”. He paused, standing with his back to me, his hand already on the door handle. “Please, I’m sorry.” I cared so much about his feelings. Why did I care so much?

“Have ye noticed that us folk around here are different?” He began. “We keep ourselves to ourselves and we look after our own”

“So I’ve heard” I mumbled, not thinking he could hear me. But he sure heard me alright.

“WE DO!” He affirmed, his voice stern. “We don’t take too kindly to strangers, that’s why this place was empty for so long. I never let anyone buy it. But along came your company and I knew you’d be the one to come here. To me.” He paused again. “Us up here, we don’t often accept people who aren’t like us. Once in a blue moon. And you aren’t like us…”

“Will I just pack my bags then?” I was growing tired of these riddles.

“Will ye shut the f**k up and just listen to me, woman?!” He pleaded. Not screamed, not shouted. Pleaded. “You aren’t like us but we all know you. We know your soul.” He made his way to me, one stride at a time. “I know you won’t leave when you hear this. Ye may want tae, but you won’t.” Again with the riddles. “Most of us… Autumn we aren’t…” He stopped right in front of me, almost touching. “Well we aren’t exactly human…”

I started to look around for the cameras. Surely someone was having me on? Robyn must’ve set this up. That’s why she remarked I read too many fantasy novels, she wanted this prank to have context when she played it for years to come.

“Very funny. Ha, ha.” I waved my hand dismissively. “Who put you up to this, was it Robyn? I’ll have her arse for this”. He didn’t laugh. His eye was twitching, like he was trying to be patient but was on his last nerve.

“It’s true Autumn, it’s all true. I wouldn’t lie to ye.” He was adamant. “We’re… well we’re wolves.”

I couldn’t contain my laughter. “Oh wow OK.” Sadie had clearly told him what I’d said about the howling, that laughing was all starting to make sense now. “I’ll take your word for it then shall I?” I managed to splutter.

“Well, you’ve asked for it.” Conlan declared, unzipping his jacket.

Where was this going? And why was I terrified? And thrilled?