an Everlasting Pursuit

twenty one

I lifted my gaze from my plate, the chicken wing in my fingers falling onto it with a light tapping sound. Raking my eyes over her face, just to make sure it was truly her to speak, it did not surprise me to find that she was pretty. Now I could look at her without feeling rude, since she spoke to me, I noted her dimple chin and slender nose. Her brows were arched and well styled, her lashes long and kissed with make-up.

"Are you talking to me?" I questioned.

She blinked, a small smile gracing her lips. "Of course. You're new here, right?"

Swallowing, I nodded, shifting my weight. "I am..."

"Well, I'm Piper, thought I'd formally introduce myself." She grinned, holding out her hand to me.

I eyed it curiously, but joined mine to hers and gave it a gentle shake. Her hands were slender and soft, a warmth coming from her that rivalled the water behind me.

"I'm Ailia." I nodded, dropping my hand.

"I hate to state the obvious here, but you are a human, right?" She cocked her head.

Was she genuinely being this... nice and talkative?

"I am." I nodded again, feeling like a flag in a breeze.

Someone jostled me, causing me to stumble from the impact. My eyes flew to see the female giving me a grimace, but Piper caught on, taking my elbow and pulling me around to stand beside her. She grinned at me, one or two inches taller than me. Pulling me a little closer, she breathed deeply, letting out a content sigh as she exhaled.

"You smell like a wolf?"

I frowned, casting a glance at Asra to see a male by the barbeques had pulled him away.

"I had a blood transfusion." Glancing down at my torso, I gestured lazily with my hand. "I got badly injured."

She gasped when she saw the scarring I gestured too. "Oh you poor thing, those hunts are so brutal. You look a lot better now."

I saw Mya still standing where I was previously and she gave me a confused look to which I shrugged at. She scanned the female beside me with scrutiny before looking towards her Alpha. Only then did she shrug and wave goodbye, leaving me with Piper.

"I feel better." I smiled tightly.

"I bet! You're a wonderful swimmer, too. I saw you go under for a long time. I bet that helped your leg heal up."

My lips quirked in amusement. "It feels good. I enjoy swimming."

"Me too!" She grinned, shaking her shoulders. "Oh, Ailia, we have to talk."

"We do?"

She giggled. "Yes, I'd love to get to know the new pack member."

I was about to point out the various other members, such as Olivia, but decided against it. Maybe she had already met her when I was in a weird drug-induced coma? But she wasn't here when I woke so...

"Tell me something about yourself?"

"There isn't a lot to tell." I shrugged, looking back to my cooling dinner. "I was found and brought here from my village."

She noticed my obvious attention to my food and let out a small snort. With a delicate grace, her pink painted sharp nails picked up my chicken wing and eyed it curiously.

"You know, you should try the burgers. They are so good." She chuckled.

It took aback me when she pulled my chicken wing apart, raising half of the meat to my face. She pushed it against my lips, giving me a grin of encouragement. This was something Everett often tried to do to Olive over dinner. Eve claimed it was to show care to another, but also could be seen as flirtatious, and so it shocked me when this stranger was keen to share.