The Chronicles of Alpha Academy (bxb)

29: Exposure

Chapter Twenty Nine: Exposure

James

This.

This is it.

This is the best.

Walking hand in hand with Kieran. Just us. On the paved path around the school that eventually ends up at the track and the gym.

"Hey." I say, beaming at him, just because I feel so freaking happy right this second. Who the hell cares what Charlie's bones said? I mean, a feather and a rock are not going to dictate my future. That's just dumb.

What matters is real and right next to me.

"Hey what?" Kieran smiles up at me.

I've never felt this way. He's just...damn! He's just so freaking adorable. The afternoon light is just making his hair glow, and he has a few cute freckles.

"Hey....I don't know. I don't have any good lines." I shrug.

"You don't need to use any lines with me, James."

"I know." And I do. This feeling between us. It's so important. It feels so real.

"Tell me something else about Chicago."

"Hmm?"

"Something about you or your family or what it's like to live in a city."

We sat down a little off the path, next to an abstract concrete statue someone made once upon a time. I think this place used to be a country house or resort maybe for rich human hunters a long time ago. Who knows? Who really cares? Not me.

"Well, I grew up in the McKinley Park neighborhood. Our Chicago Pack lives there, in a row of townhouses right along the edge of the park. It's not fancy. We're not a rich pack, not at all. But we do all right. Lots of blue collar jobs. We're contractors, city utilities, harbor crew, working with our hands, okay with the night shift. Old school Chicago. Most of us like the hustle and bustle of being close to the city, the downtown area, but would rather live in a quieter spot with at least some green space. We have places in Pere Marquette Park, down south, where we go for wolf runs as often as we can, but a lot of us just like city life. Pere Marquette is like this place kind of, a state park with thousands of acres. The overall Illinois pack is based, the one run by my grandfather. He's the one with the money of course. He has ties to every pack across the state. My mom has fourteen sisters and brothers, so they all were sent to high schools with different packs to build alliances, that kind of thing. My dad mated with my mom and became the Chicago pack leader."

Kieran folded himself between my legs, playing with my tie as he listened. Again I was surprised at the changes in myself. Normally I lead with the fact that our territory is based out of the largest most affluent cities in North America, but not with Kieran. With him, I don't feel like I have to put on any kind of show. He likes me for me, not for where I live, or who my father or grandfather is.

He blinked, already reaching up to accept my kiss the minute I decided to do it. It was so soft. I felt his lips on mine, a little cold, from being outside, but sweet. I literally felt my heart flutter.

We were synching which is such a good sign. He hasn't gone into Heat, so he can't MATE, meaning he can't find his destined mate yet. Synching is definitely a sign of a potential mate match, though. Acting like a team, our wolf senses communicating without words.

It didn't surprise me, because I knew, just knew he was my mate. Well, right this second at least, I felt it. Confident. It was going to happen.

"Tell me about your pack Kieran. I want to know more about you too."