Stolen Soul

Chapter 16: Flirtatious Behavior

Matt

When the Luna asked me to keep an eye on Lexi this morning and help her out in whatever she needed, I was surprised. I thought she would ask one of the girls, but I did not question her. Secretly, I was excited and a little nervous. The more I was around Lexi the more I wanted to be around her, which was not good. I was distracted all day in training, her scent, her laugh, the way her mouth folds up at the corners when she laughs, the way her eyes light up and lined with tears this morning, how she fits in with my group of friends and family, she raced through my mind all day, even as my brother, Luke took jabs at my sides. He continuously mind linked me through out the day about my distracted behavior.

When we finished up our morning laps and headed in for lunch, I was hopefully I would see her, but she was no where to be found. I barely caught any of the lunch conversation, as I spent the hour scanning the room, even lingering when lunch was over. Luke practically had to drag me back to do the warrior training with the younger ranked pups, even Sam had noticed my distracted behavior, and kept tossing odd looks my way, but never said anything to me.

It was mid afternoon when we headed back towards the pack house, I needed a snack, and a cold shower, really I needed to get my mind off of Lexi, even Ashton was thinking about her wolf. He was not helping me stay focused, either. I know that if things stayed like this people were sure to catch on.

Her scent hit me as I opened the doors to the pack house, Ashton was wagging his tail like a puppy when she crashed into me, without thinking I grabbed a hold of her arms to stop her from slipping away. Her scent overtakes my senses, as I stare down at her, the faint hint of a smirk plastered on my face, when Luke coughs from behind me, I loosen my grip immediately. My smirk disappearing as she steps back away from me.

As luck would have it, she is hungry too and skipped lunch. I remember what Luna Amara said, as I raise my eyebrow flirtatiously and ask her if she needs anything else. She blushes at the gesture and asks me to take her to get her stuff that she left when she shifted and we found her, exhilaration and excitement rush to my stomach, as the fluttering kicks up, I turn and head towards the kitchen to stop the sensation with Lexi jogging to keep up with me.

We settle on subs, and quickly eat them in pleasant silence. Lexi's foot brushes up against mine every once in awhile, and I'm not sure if she is trying to play footsie with me, or if she is just really bad at keeping her feet still, Ashton likes it, and so do I. When she does it again, I look up to see her smiling at me, I smile at her and hold her gaze for just a moment as pink rushes to her cheeks, and the warm flutter of butterflies assault my stomach. When we finish eating I leave to go get my truck.

Sam spots me as I turn towards the pack house garage to get my truck, he changes directions and sprints over to me, grabbing me by the wrist shifting my focus directly towards him. On instinct Ashton lets out a warning growl, and Sam drops my wrist.

"You are acting really off today, what gives?" Sam barks out.

"Nothing, just a little distracted, I'm fine." I say without looking up.

"Do you hear yourself, you are never distracted, like ever. The last time you were distracted it was over a girl, your fated mate. What is distracting you?" Sam asks, as he gulps air which is now thick with tension, from mentioning my dead mate.

"Lexi, I bark out. Even Ashton is distracted by her and her wolf. I'm so fucked." I whisper scream at my brother, as I drag my hand through my hair.

"f**k man, I'm sorry. You can't pursue her, she has a mate somewhere, and the pull will bring him her soon, it's better you stay away from her." Sam says, his eyes filled with pity and confusion as he looks back at me.

"That's harder said than done, the Luna asked me to watch out for her, and I agreed to take her back to school to get her stuff'." I say as I continue walking towards the garage. Sam trailing behind me, mumbling under his breath, when I catch him mumble that he is coming with, I lose it. “I don't need a baby sitter, I am a grown man. I can be around her without f*****g her.” I grit out through my teeth, as my hands form tight fists.

Sam backs off and turns towards the woods, as I jump in my truck. I am sure I pissed him off. Sam is level headed and meant well, but coming would draw more attention to my predicament not less, and how would I explain him coming to Lexi. Hey my brother here is going to be a c**k block to make sure I don't try to make out with you while we get your s**t, I am sure that will go over real well.

As I pull up to the pack house Zach Brown Band plays through my speakers. I doubt Lexi will know who they are, but it is pretty chill music, I feel like everyone should like them. As she opens the door, a smile spreads across her lips when she proves me wrong again, and I can't help but like her more. She not only knows who Zach Brown Band are, she has seen them in concert.

When she tells me to stop the car to understand why her favorite Zach Brown Band song is free, I obey. As I sit on the side of the road in a parked car, with my eyes closed I feel peaceful, and as I hear Lexi's voice blend in with the music, increasing with each syllable the butterflies pick back up. I don't open my eyes until the song ends, feeling a happiness I haven't felt in a long time.

We flirt about music, specifically Zach Brown Band songs, as I play my favorite song and we once again fall into a satisfying silence, just listening to the music. As the song comes to a close I toss her my phone to try and get her to play something, when she shouts for me to pull over. In the woods I spot a red Honda Civic, and quickly pull to the side of the road.

I follow Lexi as she gets out of the car, she pauses for a moment and I watch as she smells the air around her, she does so subtly, and I don't draw any attention to the action. Her body slightly tenses as she directs me towards the water. There is an unfamiliar scent of another wolf in the woods, it is a day or two stale, but clings to the trees on the path we are taking. The scent isn't quiet right though, it carries with it the scent of death. I have heard of this before from my grandmother. She says many moons ago, a witches coven would take our dead warriors and resurrect them, tying them to their souls. They call themselves the hybrids, she calls them monsters, against the will of the gods like vampires.

Lexi finds her belongs by the lake neatly stacked in her shoes, and checks her phone immediately, when the screen stays black she shoves it in her back pocket and takes the rest of her things. She turns back towards her car, and I quietly follow her back the way we came. She stops and turns towards me as we approach her car."Do you want to just take my car, we need a parking permit.”

I quickly agree, and we climb in her car, when the same scent hits me much stronger, whoever that wolf or hybrid was, he was in this car, and based on Lexi’s reaction she senses his presence her as well. She quickly darts her eyes around the car, and adjusts in her seat. To a human, I am sure her behavior would seem normal, but I can hear the slight pick up in her heart rate, the way her breath hitched when she opened the door, and the tension she grips the steering wheel. She has not said anything about the scent, so I don’t ask, as much as I want to know, I also don’t want to push her to hard, not yet at least, but I will need to let Alpha Landon know.

I grab Lexi’s hand to get her attention, and she turns to me pink creeping into her cheeks again, forcing a smile to appear, as I slip my phone back into her hand. “You won’t get off that easily, you still have to pick a song.” She looks down at the phone, and the sweetest giggle leaves her lips, and then a groan.

“Well, I like a lot of different music, does it matter what I pick, what are you trying to accomplish by me picking the song?” She asks, looking up at me through her long lashes, with a hint of mischievous gleaming in her eyes.

I shrug my shoulders, and play it as cool as I can “Just thought you might want to pick.”

She lets out an oomph sound as she starts typing in my phone. A song I have never heard starts through her car speakers, its got a fun beat, and I watch as she sort of dances and hums in her car seat along with the song.

“I’ve never heard this song before, sounds like club music.”

She looks over at me with a megawatt smile, and starts singing to the music, without responding to me.

“I don’t understand this song, what’s whippin mean.”

“I think its just about her being in bad relationships, but honestly I don’t like the song because of what it means. It’s just fun to listen to. It’s a good running song, or cleaning, or dancing. I don’t particular feel anything when I listen to it.”

I guess I deserve that, I didn’t tell her I wanted to get to know her through the music she likes, but it is fun to watch her wiggle in her car seat while she drives.

She plays fun upbeat dance music the rest of the 25 minute drive back to her dorm, and I try really hard not to stare at her as she moves in her seat, tapping the steering wheel and singing along, I smile, and my heart rate accelerates, as I hold my breath and knots in my stomach begin to twist again. When she parks, I am a little sad the music has ended.

“Home, sweet home, I’m on the third floor, get ready to climb some stairs.” Lexi states as she smiles over at me.

I follow her has she heads into the building, following behind as we head to a stair case. Not going to lie, watching her walk up the stairs is a pretty good view, so the three flights of stairs is fine by me. She stops, and looks back at me as she pulls out her keys and unlocks the door.

“It might be a mess, don’t judge.” But it’s not a mess, when she pushes the door open, she walks in and looks over to the desk in the corner. A blonde girl, well another wolf, turns and raises her eyebrows in my direction, pulling her air pods from her ears, and then the look of confusion springs to her eyes.

“Where the f**k, have you been, I’ve been worried sick about you,” the blonde says as she slides her chair back, her piercing blue eyes staring straight at me.

She grabs Lexi by her arm and pulls her over to the corner, lowering her voice to barely above of a whisper when I catch, “What’s up with the hunk, is that where you have been?” She looks over at me and back down at Lexi, who turns around clearly blushing.

“It’s sort of a long story, I this is Matt, Matt this is my closest friend in Vermont and roommate Rebecca.”

Rebecca starts crossing the room over to me when she abruptly turns around as she passes Lexi who is now heading towards the closest after grabbing a duffle bag that was stuffed under the bunk bed.

“I thought your birthday is tomorrow, did something happen.” Rebecca prods.

She is referring to her shift, as a wolf she can sense that we are both wolves, and wants to see if Lexi will let her know.

Lexi turns towards me, confusion in her eyes, when she looks at Rebecca and whispers, “You’re a wolf?” It’s both a question and a statement, that seems full of both wonder and betrayal.

“Yes, and so are you, which means you are 18.”

“Did you know?” She asks as tears start to well in her eyes.

“I did not, I have never known of an orphan wolfed that doesn’t stay with the pack. I met your mother and father when family’s came to visit the first week of school, and they were human. I assumed you were a very very athletic human.”

I chime in, “Any wolf would have assumed that, she is the stolen heir of the crescent moon pack.”

As she exhales, she turns towards me, “the call of the mate bond is what brought me to Vermont, I believe my mate to be a crescent moon wolf.”

Lexi turns, as she wipes away her tears and plasters on a weak smile. “You can all the way from Oregon because of the mate bond?”