Werewolf Bites (bxb completed)

Chapter 43

He was standing up, she sat around the desk and kissed him. Their arms were wrapped around each other in an intimate position. When they heard me, they both turned.

"Erin!" My best friend said, unlinking from my father.

"Uh. Sorry. I was just looking for my phone. Wait. What?" I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I couldn't escape the state of bewilderment I was in. I peered at them.

Nadine pushed herself off the table and stood by my father. Both of their cheeks resembled strawberries.

"You weren't supposed to find out this way. I'm sorry." She gasped.

"Sorry? What?" I said, still trapped in a confused daze.

"Me and Nadine. We've been seeing each other." My father said. Putting his arm around my best friend, who was only a year older than me.

"Huh. Interesting. Didn't see that coming." I said.

"Are you alright? We were going to tell you soon. I swear." Nadine explained. She nervously fidgeted with her bracelet on her wrist.

"Fine, I'm fine! Great! Just looking for my phone. Aha. Must not be up here. I'm hungry. I'm gonna go get some. Soup. Yep. Soup! Okay." I rambled on for a moment too long about the imaginary soup I didn't even want. I just wanted to leave.

I slowly backed up and turned to leave. My eyes couldn't believe what I had just witnessed. He was kissing her. He had his hands on her. I didn't get that from either of them. The image was burned into my mind, despite me desperately trying to remove it.

I sat down in the lodge and ate a veggie sandwich. A few people were going in and out. Nadine came down and sat by me.

"How is your.. Soup?" She said, looking down at my food, and the lack of soup I had.

"It's weird. Not what I expected. The soup, I mean."

"We wanted to wait to tell you until we were sure."

"How did that happen exactly?" I set my food down.

"You guys asked me to keep him occupied when you were with Raven. It wasn't anything gross like Bayne suggested. We just talked. He's really nice and mature and not like any stupid young boys I've dated before."

She went on to tell the story of how it happened, and went into great detail. She said she liked him for a while, and their relationship felt flirty. But it was around Christmas when they shared their first kiss. He was working up in the guardian room alone. She brought him a Christmas present, shortly after she came to visit me that night. I remembered the socks that she had given me.

"Thank you, that's very kind. But I don't have anything for you." He said to her after she handed him the present. It was wrapped in red with a green and red bow sitting on top.

"That's alright. Just spend time with me, we can make it even." She said.

"I think we already spend more time than we should together." He said, trying to keep his eyes off her.

"It's not enough for me." She reached for his hand. He pulled away, he tried to resist her.

"I don't think this is right."

"Look, I know you're worried what your son might think. I was too at first. But I can't hide my feelings anymore. He'll come around to understand."

"No. My son has had enough struggles right now, his girlfriend leaving him for his dad will not be one of them."

Nadine began to laugh. She almost forgot that's what we told him when we first got there. As did I.

"Erin isn't my boyfriend. I can promise you that. We're just good friends." She explained.

She told him how we met, and how Bayne made up the story about them dating, and how we thought people would be more accepting of her presence if everyone thought we were together.

"You're so much younger than me." He gently stroked her cheek, he couldn't restrain himself from looking at her any longer.

"Age, it's just a number. Our connection is strong.  I know you can feel it too." She had gotten closer to him, their lips within kissing distance.

"My son is around your age. I have a rough past. I have a large responsibility to my pack that I'm not ready to give up yet." He listed off reasons why he didn't think their relationship should stay a friendship. It was all just excuses.

"You don't have to give anything up. I'd never ask you do to that. And I don't care about your past. I want you. The present you." She pulled her hands away.

"Whenever you're ready to do that, come find me."

She said she left the guardian room and went onto the wooden balcony from the top floor. It overlooked the snow covered trees. The sky was dark and cloudy. It slowly began to snow. She wanted air. The crisp, cool air refreshed her despite it being almost ten degrees. She didn't expect him to come to her only a few hours after they departed.

He closed the transparent sliding door behind him. She was bundled in a coat and gloves. He was just wearing his shirt and jeans.

"I just wanted to clear my head." She said to him, without turning around. She resisted looking at him.

"Me too. But I don't need it." He walked out and looked at the falling snow with her.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" She said.

He looked at her. Snowflakes fell into her dark hair. Her doe like eyes watched the amazing scenery in front of them.

"Yeah, it is."

He reached for her hand.

"I know it's sudden. I hope it's not a mid life crisis, but I like you. I think I want to try being with you. But I'm worried about my son. What others might think."

She squeezed his hand.

"Erin is going through a lot right now. With Bayne being in a magic coma and all."

"Bayne? I didn't expect them to become friends."

"Something, like that. Yeah." Nadine said, knowing of my affection for Bayne.

"We don't have to tell anyone right away. We can wait until things calm down."

The snow fell like confetti. Under the sprinkling snow they shared their first kiss.

They agreed to wait. Nadine swore over and over that they were going to tell me soon.

"I can't believe it." I said after she finished the story.

"I'm sorry. I know. Honestly, part of me thought you picked up on it." She admitted, still playing with her bracelet.

"Why would you think that?"

"A lot of people have. Even Romulus was talking about it. We didn't want to confirm anything until we told you. But with Bayne waking up, and the chasing Remus thing happened, we haven't had a moment to breathe. We didn't have a chance to tell you."

I wasn't angry. She seemed to genuinely care for him. I was more worried about my dad, focusing too much on his other commitments than her. Maybe now that he stepped down he would make time for her. It was just strange.

"It was just odd. Like. We talked about people we liked. And you said you didn't like anyone."

"That was before I got to know him. I hope you're not upset." She put her head down.

"I'm not upset. It just feels odd. Like if you guys got married you'd be my-. Stepmom.."

"Oh, god. That's so weird to think about! But nothing will change between us, Erin. I will always be your best friend if you'll allow it."

"Of course. I'll be here for you too. Unless it's about sex stuff. Oh god, have you?"

"What! No! Not yet."

"I don't want to know! That's my only line that I'll draw!"

We laughed and hugged. We saw Bayne walk by through the window, towards the woods. My heart jumped into my throat at the sight of him.

"Go on. Go after him." Nadine said.