Evelyn

Chapter 10: Maximus

I crept to the forest edge, paws digging into the dirt. I lifted my snout up, sniffing the air, eyes zoning in on the second-story bedroom window. Back turned to me, my mate lay in bed. My soul burned as I stared at her, remembering how I had fled the library. I knew if I didn't leave I would mark her then and there and even if I didn't, I never would let her go.

She would hate me if I did it. So, I ran.

I was broken from my thoughts as her parent's shouts reverberated from inside the house. I raised an ear to listen.

"I can't believe you, John!" Luna Smith yelled. "You scared away the man who was your best friend's son! You scared away a good man, a kind man. Your daughter's mate! And now you have ruined our daughter's shot at happiness!"

"Sylvia listen..." I heard him pause.

"Oh no! Don't you 'Sylvia listen' me! I will not take that bull crap John-"

"YOUR RIGHT!" I heard him seethe.

My head rose and my eyebrows with it.

He sighed, "You are right Sylvie."

I didn't hear the rest because the sensation of being watched snapped me out of my eavesdropping. My eyes made contact with my mate's, who was now sitting up and staring at me from her window. It was unsurprising considering I was staring at the window. Thé mate bond likely startled her.

I moved to head back into the forest where I'd leave to go home when I saw her eyes widen and her run from her bedroom. Moments later, she was slipping through the screen door and put into the cold Alaskan air. She had nothing but boots, sweatpants, and a tank top on as she clutched her shoulders. The biting Alaskan cold was already turning her shoulders pink and I growled at the thought.

Her footsteps paused and I realized my mistake.

Laying down and exposing my belly, she dropped her shoulders and released a sigh. Walking towards me tentatively, when she was a yard away, she knelt down into the snow and extended a hand towards me.

I stood up and walked toward her. I decided I would not be hesitant this time and walked right up to her face. Her hazel eyes explored my face, reaching a hand out to softly touch my head and pet it. When I stood still, she smiled lightly bringing her face into the moonlight ever so slightly. In the moons glow, the freckles that dusted her face were evident, a soft reminder that even in Alaska the sun still shined.

I noticed tears well up in her eyes as she petted me as her strokes became slower. Soon she was releasing hiccups and I felt my stomach become sick.

I did this to her.

Trying to alleviate her tears, I licked her face and she half-heartedly laughed.

"Thank you," she sniffled out. Hesitantly, she wrapped her arms around me and hugged me. I leaned in, sniffing her hair and tucking my head into the crevice of her neck.

Wiping a hand to her nose she pulled back and gently pet my face.

"Can I talk to you?" she paused as if expecting an answer and then laughed, "You probably think I'm an odd human for being comfortable with you but you are clearly a weird wolf for letting me pet you so it doesn't really matter. Plus, maybe you're a coping mechanism I've created in my mind and this is all actually a dream," she rambled.

Then, she paused as if realizing what she had said.

"Wolfie... Can I call you Wolfie?" I licked her face in response and she smiled, making my heart flutter. "Wolfie..." her voice cracked and tears poured down her cheeks again, "there was this guy and I really liked him. He showed me a flicker of what love could be. And, I've never loved anyone... at least romantically." She looked at the sky. "He was so beautiful," she cried. "So, so, beautiful..." I looked at her as inquisitively as a wolf can and she laughed. "Oh no, I don't mean how he looks... well he is beautiful. But no, Wolfie I mean his soul."