Little Wolf

First Dance

Paislee

Stepping out of the shower, Paislee wipes the steam from the mirror to look at herself. She can’t help but notice that she’s lost weight since that fateful day in December when her world shifted on its’ axis. It was kind of Ivy not to mention it, even though it’s glaringly obvious.

Paislee sets about blow drying her hair, encouraging the waves to set rather than straightening them out as she goes. Checking her phone, she sees that it’s almost seven o’clock. Ivy should be back soon, after having run home to shower off the dust from packing all day.

Applying gold, coral and light pink shadow to her eyes, she finishes with black liquid eyeliner with wings to really make her eyes pop. Next she sweeps up her hair from the sides and front of her head and knots it into a bun on the top, leaving a few strands to dangle around the hairline.

The front door opens to announce Ivy’s arrival, “I’m upstairs!”, Paislee calls as she wanders into her bedroom to find something to wear. Ivy stands in the hall, looking drop dead gorgeous as she clicks out a text before coming into the bedroom. She’s wearing a light beige off shoulder silk jumpsuit, and strappy brown cork wedge heels. Her platinum hair is parted in the middle and pin straight.

Paislee lets out a low whistle, “Looking good, Ivy!”, she breathes. “Thank you”, Ivy winks a smoky eye back at her, “Come on, lets get you dressed!” Having lost weight, some of Paislee’s nicer outfits don’t fit so well, and they struggle. They finally settle on a backless white tank top and army green capris with elastics at the waist and cuffs. Slipping into her strappy beige heels, she’s ready to go. “Where would you like to eat?”, Paislee asks as they head downstairs to call a taxi. “Let’s get some meat on your bones”, Ivy giggles, “We’ll go to Ruby’s”.

Ruby’s is a pub that serves traditional pub fare; English curry, Yorkshire pudding, pot pies and fish and chips. It can get pretty rowdy later in the night once all the out of town folks descend on Fisherville. It’s also the only bar open late at night in the area. Getting a beer is never a problem at Ruby’s.

The girls arrive close to eight o’clock, so the night is still young and the crowd is still pretty tame. Some people are playing darts, while others are shooting pool in the back corner. Still, the long bar doesn’t have many empty seats. Paislee and Ivy choose a table along the wall closer to the front door, since all of the booths are spoken for.

A middle aged woman glides effortlessly through the room, balancing a tray of drinks. She’s tall and thin with long brown hair. Emptying her tray, she smiles as she approaches their table with two menus in hand. “Hello ladies, will you need menus?”, she asks pleasantly. “Please!”, Ivy chirps. Handing them each a menu, the server asks what they’d like to drink. Paislee orders a margarita and Ivy requests a whiskey sour.

Scanning the room, Ivy is clearly checking out all of the single men. There’s no shortage of men checking them out, either. Their server returns with the drinks and takes their food order. Paislee will have the curry and Ivy orders the chicken pot pie. Where Ivy puts such heavy food, Paislee will never know.

Since it’s Friday night, there’s a band setting up and more people start to file in to the pub. The girls chatter away to each other as they sip their drinks and wait for their meals to arrive. Ivy seems to have set her sights on one of the band members already. When their food arrives, Paislee inhales deeply to smell her favourite dish. She’d forgotten how much she loves the food here.

Lifting her fork to her mouth, Paislee freezes as a strong new scent washes over her, wrapping itself around her and into her nostrils. The smell is like Christmas, warm and inviting, and oozing of pine. Her pupils dilate and her heartbeat quickens. Setting her fork back down, she tries to glance around the room discreetly to find the source. One of the booths has emptied and a foursome is just sitting down. There are three huge tattooed men and a fairly tall woman.

One of the men is staring back at her, his chocolate brown eyes boring into her and a smile is playing on his beautiful full lips. Paislee flushes and immediately looks away. “Helloooo! What’s happening over there?”, Ivy waves her hand in Paislee’s face. “Do you smell that cologne?”, Paislee hisses. Ivy furrows her brow and sniffs the air before shaking her head. “I smell old beer and our food”.

“Holy sh*t, have you seen those huge guys that just sat down? Wolverine over there can’t stop staring at us. Sh*t, oh my god, they’re all looking”, Ivy giggles before putting her head down. Paislee has an overwhelming urge to go over to the Wolverine man and wrap herself around him. Wow, single much?

Picking at her food, Paislee tries to ignore whatever it is that she’s feeling. She definitely is also trying not to look over her shoulder at the booth housing that Adonis whose eyes are burning a hole into her back.

“You have to go to talk to him”, Ivy hisses from across the table. “I don’t have to do anything”, Paislee seethes back.

Luke

Getting out of the pickup truck, Luke stretches his legs after the forty minute drive. He’s wearing black work boots, ripped jeans and a black T-shirt that shows off his bulging muscles. His long hair is knotted at the back of his head. Trevor swings Lucy out of the back seat and she giggles. Tyler of course hasn’t said much the whole ride.

Ruby’s is their favourite spot. Lots of wolves from the neighbouring towns descend upon this place at night, in search of their mates, or at least a good time. The food is good and the staff doesn’t really question them much. Maybe they know, Luke has never thought to ask.

The second he steps inside the pub, he’s hit with the scent of chocolate and coffee. The scent is intoxicating and he takes a huge whiff before striding towards the only empty booth. Not wanting to tip off Trevor, Tyler and Lucy, he fights the urge to run to the scent and devour it, whatever it looks like. Scanning the room, his eyes land on it. Or her.

Her aura glows all around her, her wolf calling to him to bridge the gap between them. Luke tips his head to one side, wondering if she’s noticed yet. His werewolf hearing picks up their conversation, and his ears prick up to listen as he shifts in his seat to adjust his fresh b***r. Finally she looks up and her beautiful green eyes land on him. A smile plays on his lips but she looks quickly away. Well that’s odd. Werewolves don’t really deny the mate bond. “Do you smell that cologne?”, his mate asks the human. Cologne? “I smell old beer and our food”, the blonde replies, scanning the room.

“That wolf over there, she smells… familiar”, Tyler says, staring at Luke’s mate. The whole table is now staring at the two girls at the table near the door. “Wolverine, huh?”, Lucy chides Luke as she jabs him with her elbow. She’s clearly listening to their conversation, too. “You have to go talk to him”, the blonde implores his mate. “I don’t have to do anything”, she replies.

Their focus is broken as Maria comes to the table to take down their drink order. After placing their order, Luke says “Wait! Maria, can you send a round to the blonde and the redhead over by the door?”. “Sure thing, handsome”, she winks and sashays away.

“That’s your mate, isn’t it?”, Lucy pries. She’s too damned good at reading him. “No”, he offers weakly. “You’re lying!”, she hisses. “Oh Goddess, Trev! He’s finally found his mate! I can’t wait to tell everyone”, Lucy gloats, pulling out her phone. Luke growls a warning to her, and Lucy immediately puts down her phone to pout.

“She’s doing a pretty good job of ignoring the mate bond”, Trevor says thoughtfully as he c***s his head to one side. “Ty’s right. She does smell familiar. I don’t know, I can’t put my finger on it. Anyone else smell it?” Luke and Lucy shake their heads. “Interesting”, Trevor mumbles, tapping his pointer finger on the table.

They all watch as the drinks they sent arrive to the girls’ table. The blonde breaks out in a huge grin and waves in thanks. “Stop being so obvious!”, the redhead tells her before turning with a slight smile and wave. “You’re not usually this uptight, what’s with you?”, the blonde asks. “I - I don’t know. I can’t explain it”, the redhead sighs.

Paislee

When their server stops by to check on their meals, she delivers another round, “From the good looking booth over there”, she smiles and points, “That’s Luke”. Paislee feels her cheeks grow hot and Ivy lets out a giggle, waving at them like a lunatic. I swear this girl has zero chill. “Stop being so obvious!”, Paislee groans before turning to give a slight wave in thanks. “You’re not usually this uptight. What’s with you?”, Ivy asks. She’s right, but whatever is happening to her body in response to this sexy beast of a man is making her anxious. “I - I don’t know. I can’t explain it”, Paislee sighs.

The band starts their first set as the girls are finishing their meals. Sipping her fresh margarita, Paislee begins to relax a little as she taps her foot to the music. When the server clears their plates during a slow song, Ivy suddenly hisses, “Wolverine incoming!” All of the hair on her body stands on end as she turns to see Wolverine - Luke - approaching their table.

“Hey”, he says to Paislee in the sexiest voice she’s ever heard. Her heart is thudding in her ears, and something in the music sounds like a second heartbeat racing. If she didn’t know better, she’d think it was his. “Um, hi”, she smiles nervously. The urge to climb him right here in public is making her body throb. “Care to dance?”, he asks her with his hand held out for her. Ivy kicks her under the table. Hard.

Paislee does her best to compose herself before smiling and taking his hand. As soon as her skin touches his, lightning shoots into her hand and up her arm and she yanks her hand away. His hand hasn’t moved, and he raises his eyebrows at her. Clearly he didn’t feel that. Must have imagined it. Taking his hand again, she stands as she tries to ignore the tingles surging up her arm. Being this close to him, her heart is singing and Paislee feels weak in the knees. His scent washes over her like a warm hug, his touch instantly stills her rapidly beating heart.

When they start to move slowly on the dance floor, he smiles down at her as he pulls her in close. Paislee licks her lips, her throat is completely dry as she looks up into the eyes of the most riveting man on the entire planet. “What’s your name?”, he murmurs. “Paislee. Paislee Anne Garrett”, she stammers. “That’s a beautiful name, Paislee. I’m Luke LeBlanc”, he tells her. His tattooed body is hard, with muscles rippling everywhere. Maybe this is what love at first sight feels like.

Luke

Luke slides himself out of the booth and walks over to their table. “Wolverine incoming!”, the blonde whisper yells to the redhead. His heart is beating out of his chest as he approaches. He can hear his mate’s heart thudding, too. “Hey”, he says in a gruff voice, trying to hide his emotions.

When she puts her hand in his, he feels the electricity of the mate bond zing through him. He watches her carefully as she jumps back in surprise. Does… does she not know she’s a werewolf? Luke has never even heard of such a thing. How is that even possible?

Moving with her slowly to the music, Luke’s body reacts to her. His heartbeat slows to a normal rhythm and her scent fills his senses with tantalizing chocolate and coffee. It’s taking everything he has not to crush his lips on to hers. Something tells him that he’d frighten her by doing that. Surely she feels it too?

Her sexy red hair falls down her shoulders and her emerald green eyes bore into him, searching for answers that Luke isn’t sure he should give. Her name rolls off of his tongue like butter as he asks her a little bit about herself, hoping to gain some insight into how on earth she doesn’t know.

When the song ends, Luke has to pry himself off of her. “Why don’t you girls join us at our table?”, he asks her. “Uh, let me see what Ivy says”, Paislee says, blushing.