Chapter 36
1545 Words
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Kris
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Something about her tone said otherwise and it turned his stomach the more he watched her move through the side entrance of the building.
The stone, while active, showed what she saw. It worked best for memories, Colla told him when she agreed to help. Watching her in the present, however, showed her view as if he was her person… as if this was his life. Being the first person in another’s body seemed unreal, and in a word, creepy. Kris, however, couldn’t look away.
She finally acknowledged his presence.
It felt liberating in a way, like he could ping pong around in her mind before driving her away with his need. Of course, he still needed to remember to play by Colla’s rules and watch out for the fvck boy demon that she…
Kris shook his head, trying to escape the anger that boiled under his skin at the thought of her choice.
Crystal’s spite rang in his ear at the thought. The b!tch.
Renee couldn’t possibly want him. Not forever. Demons are only ever long term azzholes. He wouldn’t look after her like Kris could, he told himself.
He padded down the steps of the courtyard as his wolf, blending in with the shadows as he went. Kris’ ears flicked backwards and forwards listening for trouble. His tongue darted out to wet his nose while he sampled her lingering scent. While faint, Kris knew he couldn’t help himself.
He was still tracking her after all.
So what if he was acting like an adolescent? He earned this, Kris thought. The chase… his mate… his whole life would finally fall in line. All he had to do was submit to him.
“Kris?” Renee’s soft tone felt as gentle as it did angelic. The use of his name fell lightly on his allerted ears, startling him further.
“Uh-yes?” Kris rushed out.
“Can you see me?”
“No?” he partially lied.
“Oh, good okay,” Renee sighed with relief.
“Why?” Kris worried.
“I want to change.”
“I thought humans couldn’t–” he began, dumbly.
“Uh…” Renee paused. “N-uh, we don’t,” she assured him. “I mean like change my clothes.”
‘Oh… oh…”
Suddenly his mouth ran dry.
“I can’t… no, I can’t see you,” he promised, closing his eyes.
… This isn’t normal, his wolf protested.
… You’re supposed to be on watch.
… A good Alpha protects his mate; watches her; keeps others away.
“I’m her Alpha,” he murmured to himself.
“What?” Renee worried.
“I’ll guard the door,” Kris cleared his throat.
“I thought you said you couldn’t see me,” Renee countered.
“I can’t. Not yet. Not without your request,” Kris flung promise after promise.
“You’re here?”
“You were in distress,” he answered, self assured. “I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t at least check on you.”
Renee fell silent after that.
Maybe he pushed too far.
“That’s not creepy, right?” he worried.
“Uh…” Renee seemed unsure. “I don’t really know werewolf culture,” she answered honestly.
“Oh,” Kris replied. “I can teach you some if you want.”
“Okay,” Renee elongated her response.
“Or, not if you’d rather,” Kris tried to hide the hurt in his voice.
… Why wouldn’t she want to know about him? Or their culture?
“Kris, just tell me…” she sounded exasperated.
“You don’t want to know. It’s fine…”
“I do, eventually… I’m just freezing, wet and exhausted. I want to change without some perv watching me.”
“I’m not a perv!” Kris countered as he pushed through the front door. “Oof.”
“Says the Alpha that talks to himself and followed a human because he had nothing better to do.”
“You were in danger!”
Renee stopped mid-inhale.
“Danger?” she exhaled. “Were you at my house?”
Well, he’s in wolf-s**t now, Kris thought.
“No!”
“How would you know I was having a problem if you weren’t around?”
“You’re not going to believe me if I tell you,” he avoided her question. “Are there showers in the locker room?”
“Yeah?” she answered, unsure of why that was relevant.
“Warm up there.”
“I don’t have a towel. I left my home with nothing.”
“Search the lockers. Steal one for the night. It’ll dry by morning,” Kris assured her.
“What if my scent gets on it?” Renee countered. “They’ll know it was me. I don’t need the extra attention, Kris.”
“You could always come home with me…” Kris murmured.
“Be real. Your pack would no sooner throw me out,” she dejectedly replied. “There are enough paper towels here. I’ll just pat off after.”
“Paper-what? No,” Kris stumbled over his words. “No. I can’t let you do that. It goes against everything I am.”
“Unfortunately, you don’t own me,” she replied with back end.
“Would you like me to?”
Kris couldn’t help his question, however, there was no Alpha alive that would take back their proposition, especially to their fated mate.
“What?” Renee asked, bewildered.
“I don’t know if you want me to repeat myself or if that “what” was a warning,” Kris replied.
Renee’s pause was unreadable, however.
“My mother would offer up the same concern, asking my father or myself to repeat ourselves, but it was never to hear our input. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve fallen for it and been chased.”
Renee chuckled lightly, then audibly shuttered.
“My offer stands. If you want a warm meal and all… I can take you there.”
“Maybe another time, Kris,” Renee replied, then turned on the shower. “If it’s all the same to you, I just need to do this now before I die of hypothermia.”
He heard her teeth chatter next.
“Okay,” Kris swallowed his resentment. “This isn’t a normal thing for me.”
“Okay,” Renee replied.
Kris heard the telltale sound of fabric swish as she discarded it off her body. Her sigh of relief was barely audible but Kris heard it too. His tail wagged gently knowing at least something he offered was taken into consideration.
He padded through the halls with her scent rich on his pallet. He could practically taste her the closer he got to the ladies locker room. The thought jarred him, knocking Kris out of his comfort zone.
Crystal was of age by enough centuries to be legal without question. Renee was not.
His heart leapt in his chest. How was he going to deal with this now? Still her scent lured him in. He turned the corner of the shortened hallway that separated the lower gym from the ladies locker room and behold the only remaining barrier that kept him away from her.
Kris walked right up to it and took a seat right in front of the door. No one would get in. Not even himself, he dropped his chin to his chest, then pressed the top of his head against the wood.
“Please be gentle when you open the door to get out,” Kris quietly informed her of his position.
“Long day for you too?” she asked.
“You could say that,” Kris answered just as quietly.
“Sorry…” she apologized.
“Why are you saying you’re sorry? You have nothing to do with–”
“You just said I did,” Renee countered. “I’m okay. You can go if you want.”
Being dismissed hurt.
A lot.
“I’d rather not,” he said, avoiding the loss.
“I’m really okay…”
“It’s an Alpha thing. I can’t, without assurance, that you’re actually okay, unless you prove to me that you’re fine…”
“But I am fine,’ he heard her argue while she turned off the shower.
The rustling of paper towels promised this was not going as smoothly as she thought.
“... By coming home with me,” Kris ignored her last comment.
“I can’t do that! My parents would kill me…” Renee stopped immediately.
His breath left his lungs as it did hers, feeling her panic rising.
That’s disturbing.
“Are they usually bad to you?” Kris forced himself not to growl.
It was so unnatural he could vomit.
“Just strict,” Renee snapped. “Just strict,” she repeated carefully after.
“Okay, okay… Uh… we don’t have to. I’m just confused why…”
“Can we drop it?” Renee countered. “I really just…”
“Yeah,” Kris promised. “Why don’t you lead me then– tell me what you want, I’ll take care of you, wherever you want to go.”
- Writer
