Little Wolf

First Date

Luke

Jax is going berserk in Luke’s head being so close to their mate. Her outfit is out of this world sexy, and it’s taking everything Luke has not to claim her right here, right now. This is torture. They make small talk during the short drive into town.

Going around to the passenger side of the truck, Luke helps Paislee get out. Their bond zings through him in waves at her touch as she lands so close to his body. Her scent caresses all of his senses, luring him to her. Looking into her eyes, they flash, and Luke catches a glimpse of her wolf. Hello there. He leads her into the Italian restaurant with his hand on the small of her back.

“Good evening, Mr. LeBlanc”, the hostess named Kelly greets him pleasantly, “Your table is ready”. She quickly eyes Paislee before turning on her heel and leading them through the dining room. Kelly has seen Luke wine and dine a good number of women. Maybe this place was a bad idea. Kelly leaves them at their table with menus.

“Check this one out”, Kelly says to one of the servers as she leans against the bar. “The playboy doesn’t usually go for strawberry”, the server snickers.

“That’s twice now that someone has called you a playboy”, Paislee tells him, c*****g her head at him. She heard that? Only werewolf hearing would pick up a conversation that far away. “I used to be, yes. Those days are long gone”, he shakes his head at her. “Was the man in the hallway yesterday your father?”, she asks. “Yes it was”, Luke answers.

She bites her lip and looks down at her menu. Luke could kick himself for ever having had another woman before Paislee. There’s no one in this world who matters more to him than she does. If only she knew.

“So is the estate all wrapped up, now?”, he asks, changing the subject. “Well, I thought it was. Today I received a parcel from a lawyer I’ve never heard of. I can’t imagine what else there is to know about the estate, and why it wasn’t done through Charles”, Paislee says thoughtfully. “Well, where’s his office? Maybe he handles something that’s private”, Luke offers, leaning forward on the table.

“That’s the rub”, she sighs. “No address. Just his name and phone number. Mr. Lowe? Lyle? Lowell. That’s it!”, she says triumphantly.

Luke blinks at her a few times before it dawns on him. That’s the werewolf lawyer for a few of the local packs! “So… you haven’t opened the parcel yet?”, he asks cautiously. “No, I’m just so sick of estate stuff. I’ll do it this week sometime. I just want to feel normal for a few days”, she tells him as she returns her attention back to her menu.

Their server comes by and they order a bottle of red wine, and Caesar salads to start. Paislee will have the eggplant Parmesan, and Luke has ordered the lasagna. Their conversation comes easy, and they laugh quite a bit as they chat. Paislee tells him about her childhood and her parents. Luke talks about his mother who passed away. Rather than say she died in battle, he tells her that she died battling cancer. Rogues are kind of like a cancer, aren’t they?

When they finish dinner, Luke is anxious for the night to not be over yet. He’s enjoying her too much. “Would you like to shoot some pool?”, he asks her. Paislee blushes as a slight smile pulls at the corners of her plump lips. “I would”, she murmurs, batting those gorgeous eyelashes at him.

“Come on, then”, he smiles, taking her hand and leading her out the front door. Ruby’s is just a few doors down, so they decide to walk. The summer air is thick with humidity, and there’s a gentle breeze. “You smell like… Christmas”, she ponders aloud. “Do I?”, he laughs, squeezing her hand. “I really like your cologne”, she says in a soft voice that sends tingles up Luke’s spine.

At Ruby’s, it’s quieter than it was on the weekend, and they have no trouble securing a pool table. Luke pounces on the opportunity to show her how to play, leaning over her body as he guides her hands to take her shot. He feels her shiver as his face grazes her cheek, his d**k pressed up against her hip. He feels her body grow warm underneath him.

After a couple more turns, she excuses herself to the ladies room.

Paislee

Paislee has never been so hot and bothered. This man does something to her she’s never felt before. Sure, she fooled around with some guys in high school and reached second base, but this. This is next level. She throws some water on her arms to cool herself down in the bathroom and plumps up her hair before reapplying her lipstick.

Walking back out into the pub, she freezes. She watches as a woman with long black hair runs her hand along Luke’s chest, giggling. “Hello again, Alpha”, she says in a low voice. Luke grabs her wrist and gently pushes her away, “I’m here with my mate, Melody” he growls. Before Paislee knows what’s happening, she hears a low growl escape from her own body, shocking her. Her chest rumbles as it comes out, and she feels rage. The urge to tear this woman apart rocks her.

All eyes are on Paislee as she stands in the middle of the pub, frozen. Luke grabs his wallet and throws a hundred dollar bill down on the pool table before striding towards her. “Let’s go”, he growls as he takes her hand and leads her back out and on to the street.

Paislee is shell shocked by her own behaviour and they walk in silence. Luke helps her into the truck before hopping up in to the driver’s seat. They sit in silence as her mind races. With the appearance this man, her world is turning upside down.

“What happened back there?”, she whispers, “Why did that woman call you ‘Alpha’?” Luke’s eyes soften and he gazes into hers, searching. When he doesn’t answer, she presses further. “Did you tell her you’re with your mate?”

Paislee recalls her dream from a few nights before. The woman told her that “he’s our mate”. Did she mean Luke? What’s a mate? Paislee’s head is spinning, and he’s not saying anything to help her to understand. Luke takes her hand in his, tracing circles in her palm and it zings under his touch. “I wish I knew what to say, Paislee”, he shrugs helplessly, “There’s only you. Let me see you again. We’ll go to the city, or we can go on a picnic. Anything you want, I’ll do it. Just please let me see you again”, he implores her.

“We’ve only been on one date. How do you know there’s only me? What does that even mean?”, she cries as she throws her free hand up in the air. “Please”, he whispers. His eyes look… sad, almost. She’s putty in his hands, and she can’t even say why.

“I think I need to go home”, she tells him. Luke slumps in his seat before turning the key to start the truck. They drive in silence. She can feel his tension rolling off of him in waves. She feels so sad, almost like she can feel what Luke is feeling. When they pull up the driveway, Luke puts the truck in park. Paislee grabs the door handle to let herself out. Grabbing her by the wrist, he murmurs “Wait”.

Paislee turns to face him. He looks absolutely crushed. “Paislee, you need to open the parcel from Lowell”, he says hesitantly. “Do you know him?”, she asks. “I do”, he breathes.

Paislee yanks her hand away and hops out of the truck. All of this is so bizarre. She trembles as she unlocks the front door and slips inside, locking it behind her quickly. Leaning against the door, tears roll silently down her cheeks.

On the wall, she can see that his headlights are slowly disappearing down the driveway. Flicking on the foyer light, she wobbles to the hall table where the mysterious parcel was left. Picking it up, she stares at it, willing it to give her more information without having to open it. It smells like… rosemary, she realizes.

Walking in to the kitchen with the parcel, she pours herself a glass of water. She sits as the island and stares at the parcel some more. After a few gulps of water, she realizes that she’s going to need something stronger and she rises from her chair to shuffle through the wine rack. Finding a Pinot noir, she opens the bottle and pours herself a generous glass.

She takes her wine and the parcel to the living room and settles in to the cream coloured Victorian tufted sofa. Placing her wine on the oak coffee table, she picks up the parcel, her hands are shaking.

Ivy

Ivy is watching television with her mother when her cell phone rings. It’s late in the evening, and it surprises her. “Lee? What’s up? How was your date?”, she whispers into the phone so she doesn’t disturb her mother’s program. Ivy slips out on the the front porch so she can talk privately.

“Ivy, my birth mother was certifiably insane. That’s why she gave me up”, Paislee shouts into the phone. “What? I’m coming right over!”, Ivy shouts back before hopping into her little car. Using the Bluetooth, Ivy texts her mother, “Gone to Paislee’s, don’t wait up”. Ivy speeds around the lake to get to Paislee’s house in record time.

Racing into the house, Ivy shouts for Paislee. “I’m in the living room. Grab the wine!”, Paislee shouts back. Ivy grabs the bottle of wine and rummages for a glass before she makes her way into the living room. She can see the parcel from Lowell is torn open and there are papers scattered all over the coffee table.

Paislee’s makeup is running and her wine glass is empty in her hand. She’s visibly shaking. “Oh honey, what’s happening?”, Ivy asks her before taking a seat beside her and filling their glasses. Without a word, Paislee shoves some papers that look handwritten at her, “See for yourself”, Paislee says angrily.

Luke

He blew it. Paislee is never going to speak to him again, and the strength of his wolf will suffer without their mate by his side. Jax is whimpering in his head. Sometimes, a werewolf can even die if they are rejected by their mate. “She doesn’t know enough to reject us, we’re alright for now”, Luke tells Jax. “We need our mate”, is Jax’s only reply.

Luke is broken. Using the Bluetooth, he calls Lucy. “Hey! How was date night?”, she asks in a singsong voice after the second ring. “I blew it, Lucy”, Luke answers in a sullen voice. “No! Lukey, what happened?”

Luke tells her how well it was going before Melody showed up. He explains that he couldn’t explain to her that she’s a werewolf, and it crippled him. “I don’t know why you won’t just tell her, Luke”, Lucy chastises him. “I can’t, Lucy. She’ll think I’m batshit crazy”, Luke sighs.

Jax howls in agony all the way home, to Luke’s chagrin.