The Big Bad Beast (bxb)

Chapter Thirty: Willow-Tree

Red P.O.V

We drove for who knows how long. Time seemed to almost fade away as the scenery blended together. After we left campus, we drove straight out of town to where the trees surrounded the roads, and there wasn't a building in sight. There was something peaceful about being out of on old streets when no other cars were around. As lovely as the scenery was, there was something else drawing my attention. Welfen.

If this happened to be a date with any other person, I would have been very concerned about it taking place in the woods of all places. But this was Welfen. It just made sense that a werewolf would want to take his mate on a date in the woods. But I was new to the whole dating thing. I wasn't even sure how a date was supposed to go. What should I be expecting to be waiting for me in the woods? Were there some weird requirements for dating? I wasn't sure, but that seemed to make it all the more anticipating.

But with that anticipation came a small sense of worry. I didn't want to do anything wrong, as silly as that was. Was there a protocol for dates? A list of rules that I should know by heart? I didn't think so, but if there was, then I was royally screwed.

Welfen eventually turned off the state-road and onto a lightly covered gravel path that lead deeper into the woods. When he said somewhere in the woods, I had thought he meant somewhere near his pack, but considering how far we've driven away from town, I'm starting to think that wasn't the case. We wouldn't have gone this far from town if we were just heading to his pack's land. Even though I didn't know where we were, I wasn't that worried. If I got uncomfortable for any reason, I could call Mitchell, who at first would be very angry, to come and get me. But I don't think Welfen would do anything to me that I would be uncomfortable with.

Welfen stopped the car when the path started to thin into a small trail. The trail seemed to only lead further into the woods. I turned towards Welfen, who was already looking at me. Once we made eye contact, he quickly looked away, his cheeks flushing red. Oh, was he embarrassed about getting caught staring at me? Cute. "You ready?" He asked after a second of regaining his composure. I nodded, hopping out of the car. The crisp air sent a light shiver down my spine, my arms moving to wrap around myself. I forgot about the chilliness in the air. I was about to start moving towards the trail when a jacket was suddenly strung over my shoulder. I jumped, turning to Welfen, who was smiling down at me. I reached up to touch the coat, which I now realized was Welfen's varsity jacket.

I smiled back at him, slipping into the jacket, being basked in a new protective layer that smelled just like him. We started to swiftly make our way down the path, and once again, our hands continued to graze each other but never connecting. I glanced almost longingly down at our hands, thinking about how easy it would be for them to intertwin. After contemplating it for only a mere moment, I quickly grabbed his hand. I could feel his shock, but he didn't say anything. I side-eyed him and felt relieved to see the smile on his face.

The path eventually opened up, and the trees started to thin, revealing a large willow tree in the middle of a cleared out area, with a large blanket underneath. I was shocked to see the set-up out here in the middle of nowhere. It was astonishing that someone would prepare something like this for me. I stared in shock at the whole thing, struggling to take it all in. It almost brought tears to my eyes, but I held them back as Welfen lead me closer to the tree and the blanket underneath. Sitting atop of the blanket was a small basket that was likely filled with food.

"Do you like it?" Welfen asked me, drawing my attention back towards him. I didn't know it, but Welfen had kept his eyes on me the entire time. I couldn't help but reach over to him and wrap my arms around him, hugging him. He didn't know it, but this meant so much to me. For once, someone went out of their way to do something like this for me; it meant the world to me. That was what that hug meant. I could only hope that Welfen could feel that through the short embrace. I quickly pulled away, flustered.

Hugging him felt so different compared to other hugs. There was a deep bond developing between us, and it only seemed to be growing stronger. Before, I would have hated the idea of being bonded with someone else, but now, I wasn't so sure. The bond between us didn't feel forced; it felt nice.

But I couldn't help but subconsciously think it would have felt nicer if Welfen liked me without the mating bond. He could say that he does, but he wouldn't have pursued me without it, and we both know it. But neither one of us would ever outrightly say that. Welfen walked me over to the blanket, releasing my hand so we could both sit down.

Welfen moved to open the basic, pulling out a small platter of mini-muffins and another plate of finely prepared sandwiches. My mouth started to water at the sight of them. I waited for Welfen to give the go-ahead before I reached over to snatch up a muffin. It had chocolate chips in it, and after taking a bite, I could have moaned. It was delicious.

"This is so good," I moaned, giving a smile to Welfen. "Where did you get them?" I asked him; they were that good. A flustered look popped onto his face, and he bashfully bit into one of the sandwiches. The sandwiches looked good too, but right now, these muffins were mine.

"I didn't buy them," He mumbled, the sandwich half-way in his mouth. I took another bite, tilting my head at him. He didn't buy them? Then where did he get them? It would be entirely unfair of him if he were to gatekeep the muffins.

"Then where did you get them?" I asked as I reached for another muffin. I hope he wasn't planning on eating one of these muffins; I'd fight him for them.

"I made them," I didn't mean to look shocked, but the information did take me by surprise. Welfen was the last person I'd guess knew how to bake. But he definitely could if he could make such delicious muffins. Of course he could bake, just another reason for me to like him. Who wouldn't want a partner who could make yummy tasting treats? Who wouldn't want a guy like Welfen?

"You did?" He nodded, taking a muffin off the plate. I had to control myself from smacking at his hand and stealing the muffin back. "I want the recipe," I said seriously, but Welfen just laughed. I liked his laugh; it was deep and carried in the air. I wanted to continue to make him laugh, to make him smile, to be someone that brings him joy.

I just rolled my eyes at him and reached for a sandwich. I can't just eat the muffins as much as I want to. "So, how did you learn to bake?" A funny mental image of him covered in flour popped into my mind, though I'm sure that wasn't the case. I just couldn't imagine Welfen baking; that, and I was curious about him. Was it wrong that I wanted to know more about him? Past me might have thought so, but present me didn't.

"Well, my grandmother was the one who . . . "

For two hours, we just talked. We laughed and shared stories, some good and others bad, but regardless, it was nice to be able to just talk without another care in the world. For that single moment, the rest of the world didn't feel like it existed. It was just the two of us.

I admittedly found more joy in that than I probably should've.

A/N:I didn't realize that it had been so long since I last updated, and for that, I apologize.