Chapter 6: The First Date
970 Words
Ava spent far too much time deciding what to wear.
She stood in front of her closet with three outfits spread across her bed, arms crossed, staring at them as if they might magically make the decision for her.
"This is ridiculous," she muttered.
It wasn't even a fancy date.
Ethan had suggested grabbing dinner at a small Italian restaurant downtown before taking a walk through the town square. It was simple. Casual.
And yet, Ava's nerves refused to settle.
She finally settled on a pair of dark jeans, white sneakers, and an oversized sage-green sweater that slipped slightly off one shoulder. It was comfortable without looking like she had rolled out of bed, which was exactly the balance she wanted.
She left her dark curls loose, letting them frame her face naturally, and added only a touch of mascara and lip gloss.
Looking in the mirror, she nodded.
"This is me."
No pretending.
No dressing up as someone she wasn't.
Just Ava.
At exactly six o'clock, there was a knock at her front door.
When she opened it, Ethan stood on the porch holding a bouquet of wildflowers.
Not roses.
Not anything expensive.
Just colorful flowers tied together with twine.
"I wasn't sure what you liked," he admitted.
Ava smiled so brightly that she surprised herself.
"I love them."
"They reminded me of your garden."
"You noticed my garden?"
"I notice a lot of things."
For reasons she couldn't explain, that answer made her blush.
She invited him inside for a moment while she found a vase.
Her home was small but cozy, filled with overflowing bookshelves, knitted blankets, and plants that somehow survived despite her inconsistent watering schedule.
Ethan looked around with quiet appreciation.
"It feels like you."
"What does that mean?"
"It feels warm."
The compliment lingered in the room long after he said it.
Dinner was easy.
Too easy.
Conversation flowed without awkward pauses.
They debated whether movie adaptations ever lived up to books.
They laughed over childhood stories.
Ava confessed she'd once climbed onto her parents' roof trying to rescue a cat that didn't actually need rescuing.
Ethan admitted he'd accidentally locked himself out of his own cabin during a snowstorm and spent two hours breaking back in.
"You?" Ava teased.
"The mysterious land manager?"
He smiled.
"I contain multitudes."
She found herself studying him whenever he wasn't looking.
He carried himself with quiet confidence, always aware of his surroundings. He held doors open without thinking about it. He thanked the waiter by name after reading his nametag.
There was kindness beneath the brooding exterior.
And she liked it.
More than she probably should.
After dinner, they wandered through the town square.
Live music drifted from a nearby gazebo where a local band was performing.
Families sat on benches eating ice cream.
Children chased bubbles floating through the air.
The whole scene felt peaceful.
They stopped near a fountain where strings of lights hung overhead.
"It's beautiful," Ava said.
Ethan wasn't looking at the fountain.
"I agree."
She turned and caught him looking at her.
Their eyes met.
Neither looked away.
For a moment, the rest of the world seemed to disappear.
The music.
The laughter.
The passing cars.
Everything faded until there was only the two of them standing beneath the lights.
Without thinking, Ethan reached up and gently brushed a loose curl away from her face.
His fingertips barely grazed her cheek.
Ava's breath caught.
She should have stepped back.
She didn't.
Instead, she found herself leaning ever so slightly toward him.
His expression softened.
"Ava..."
Before he could finish, a loud crash echoed from the other side of the square.
A trash can had been knocked over.
People turned to look.
A large black dog darted between the benches before disappearing into an alley.
The moment Ethan saw it, his entire demeanor changed.
His relaxed posture vanished.
His jaw tightened.
His eyes followed the animal until it disappeared from sight.
"You okay?" Ava asked quietly.
"I thought I recognized something."
"The dog?"
He hesitated.
"Maybe."
But she could tell that wasn't the whole truth.
Later, Ethan walked her home.
When they reached her porch, neither seemed eager for the evening to end.
"I had a really good time," Ava admitted.
"So did I."
She unlocked her front door but remained standing outside.
"Thank you for dinner."
"It was my pleasure."
Another silence settled between them.
Comfortable.
Hopeful.
Ethan looked as though he wanted to say something but couldn't find the words.
Finally, he settled on a smile.
"Sleep well, Ava."
"You too."
She stepped inside and slowly closed the door behind her.
Only after it clicked shut did she realize she was still smiling.
She peeked through the front window.
Ethan was walking toward his own house.
Halfway across the yard, he suddenly stopped.
He turned sharply toward the woods bordering the neighborhood.
The smile disappeared from his face.
He inhaled deeply, almost as though scenting the air.
Then, without another glance, he disappeared into the darkness between the trees.
Ava frowned.
"What are you doing?"
Outside, Ethan moved silently through the forest.
He reached the place where he'd seen movement.
Nothing.
Only broken branches.
Then he found it.
A fresh footprint pressed into the damp earth.
Far too large to belong to Ava.
Far too deliberate to belong to a hiker.
Beside it lay a single tuft of dark gray fur.
Ethan crouched and picked it up.
His pulse quickened.
This wasn't from an ordinary wolf.
Someone from another pack had crossed into his territory.
And they were close.
Very close.
He looked back toward the neighborhood where Ava's porch light still glowed warmly in the distance.
His wolf stirred uneasily.
One thought echoed through his mind.
She's in danger.
The problem was that Ava Bennett still had no idea why.
- Writer
