Mystery's Alpha

Fear, Attraction and Laughter

Mystery had stopped eating long before Drew and even longer before the twins. They were systematically demolishing the enormous spread, still leaving more than enough for a normal sized lunch for the four of them.

Patting their stomachs half an hour later, Tempest pulled her brother up and told Mystery, "Come on then, watch us start our climb."

Mystery looked towards the cliff face that they were pointing to and chuckled. "Yeah, right. I'll watch that." She moved to a sitting position and prepared to watch. She didn't expect to have to wait for long. Looking back at Drew, she caught him watching her with an amused smile on his face.

"You better go with them before..." and it was too late as Storm took one of her hands and Tempest the other, "they force you up." Drew's voice drifted off as Mystery was pulled forward and held between the twins as they jogged towards the cliff.

"Okay. Just walk please. I like my food remaining in my stomach, thanks."

"You shouldn't pig yourself then." Tempest stated matter of factly. We're ready to climb. We saved ourselves for later after we've climbed the rock. We'll be hungry then!"

Mystery just widened her eyes and walked on with her mouth open. Finally she managed some words and huffed. "I did not pig myself. Rude. Just rude." The twins just giggled.

The twins let Mystery go and took a run up to the cliff. To Mystery's complete shock, they climbed lithely up the sheer rock face, towards the overhand high above her. Fear settled deep within in her, making her breathing shallow and her body prickle all over. She couldn't take her eyes look away, as if her staring at them would keep the twins fixed on the wall of rock. Drew came up behind her and placed his hand on the small of her back. Leaning into her, he spoke softly, "Don't worry. They are both expert climbers. They've been climbing since they were five years old. I taught them everything they know and they have now surpassed me."

"But, but," Mystery stuttered, pointing high at the overhang.

"I know it looks scary, but it is well within their capabilities. This is their passion and they've climbed it many times before. That's why they love to come here." Drew tried to reassure her, but he wasn't going to explain away the danger.

"But, that overhang. Oh no! Do something. She's only hanging on by one hand. She's going to fall!" Mystery was close to tears and Drew could feel her body shaking. "Why aren't you doing something? Save her. Get them off there!" She was becoming terrified and couldn't understand Drew's calmness. He wasn't doing anything!

Realisation came over Drew that Mystery was extremely scared, but made her stand and watch, whilst he held her body against the side of his. They stayed there for long enough to see both Tempest and Storm hang under the outcrop and pull themselves up and over to the next section. When he looked at her he saw that she was crying. Instantly, he wrapped his arms around her. Drew had not realised just how terrified that she had been for his siblings and was touched by her concern.

He led her gently back to the rug and sat her down tucked against his side, not taking his arms from around her. Rubbing her back, he apologised for not having explained just how well the twins could climb. Gradually, her fear calmed enough for her breathing to get back to normal. It had been a shock. She had pictured them falling to their death and she had felt the devastation.

Pulling himself slightly away from her, he gently wiped the tears away from Mystery's face. Gazing into his face, she locked eyes with Drew. His expression changed to one of desire, but it was Mystery who leaned in and hungrily took possession of his lips. It was a quick but passionate kiss. Drew, leaned out to draw a breath and look down at Mystery in wonder.

She turned her head up to catch his eyes and they smiled easily at one another. He'd never experienced such a quick connection before. He'd had plenty of relationships and brief encounters, but no woman before had the power to enthral him, or make him feel like they had known each other for a long time. He felt so relaxed and confident with her. He was sure that Mystery felt exactly the same way. There was no embarrassment, just an easy sense of being in tune with each other. Strange but deeply satisfying.

Breathing in deeply, Drew simply slipped his arm back around her neck, leaning against each other comfortably. Both looked towards the rising rocks ahead, where the twins were almost nothing but dots. Sighing in concern, Mystery turned herself sideways, crossed her legs and looked at Drew instead.

"Jasmine, I think. But there is more to it now." Drew mused, turning his head to look at her. He leaned forwards to take a gentle inhale of her scent. Her scent had changed from a delicate floral and vanilla to develop undertones of a deep fruity scent. He wanted to find out if she tasted as good as she smelled. He chuckled to himself. He wondered what her reaction would be if he had a quick lick of her neck. He snorted out loud as the laughter in his head grew at the thought of her utter horror.

Mystery sat straight; Drew's snort was unexpected, loud and weird. Shaking her head, she looked at him and sat back on her heels.

"I hope that there is some internal joke going on, or do I have to worry about you?." She stared at him as if he had just dribbled down his face.

Drew smiled at her in a wry humour. "Damned if you do and damned if you don't." He chuckled, as if this communicated something to Mystery. "You have my full permission to think I am a weirdo, because if I were to tell you what I was thinking about doing, then you'd think I was weird. If I told you that my reaction - the snort - was because I realised that actually doing it was going to create the same reaction. Well it may actually have left you thinking I was warped so only thinking it was better than doing it." Drew laughed at himself again, especially when he saw the expression on her face.

"What the hell are you talking about. You do sound like a weirdo. If whatever weird thing you were thinking has left you jibbering about me thinking you are warped, you hit the nail on the head. And yet, you feel normal, you otherwise act pretty normally and I know that you aren't lying so I have no bloody clue. What I would say," she quickly held her hand up as Drew drew breath to answer her, "is that you should probably stop talking. Really, stop digging and let's regroup. You are a very strange man Drew but I'll let you worry about whatever is going on in your head."

Drew' pink cheeks of embarrassment faded at the sight of her shoulders jiggling up and down. A switch had been turned. She looked as if she were having some kind of fit. Rolling down and then onto her back, he realised that she was just laughing so hard that tears were beginning to slide down her face. The laughter was punctuated with gasps to draw in some breath.

"Oh my days! You have no idea what is going on inside my head. Really!" She gasped for breath again, choked a little, coughing and wheezing, then pushed herself up to a sitting position. "Drew, I don't think I have laughed so hard in a long time. I might just be more warped than you." She gasped and giggled again, trying to calm herself and holding onto her sides as she gradually brought her breathing under control.

Drew simply sat, frozen as if he was worried that any movement or sound may set her off again. She seemed to move back from Drew a little which he didn't like, but, opening her eyes wide, taking a big sniff and huge breath, she released all of the leftover mirth on a slow release of the breath.

"Okay. Right. All done. I'm not telling you what happened in my head, other than saying that you 'warped' into something else. Yes, I think that I might have lost all reason for a bit, but it is all over now." She smiled gently, looking up at him, as she leaned back on her hands. "You know, it just feels like I am hanging around with a really great friend and we're just joking around. I feel carefree and pretty happy right now."

Drew felt as protective of Mystery as he did his siblings. He surprised himself with this thought. Mystery had described her feeling like she was having a laugh with a friend and he likened his feeling of protectiveness to being similar to how he felt about his siblings. The difference was that he didn't feel like a brother to Mystery. He wanted Mystery. He wanted to repeat this, but he wanted to take his time getting to know her. Damn the consequences for the future. It was bad timing but he wanted to know all of her.

Let the future come and he'd deal with it then.