Second Fate

6

"Fate?"

The word felt like a cold shower. Fate was something for perfect people like Cara and Neal, for werewolves and other supernatural creatures. Us boring humans couldn't rely on it.

I ripped my hand from his and took a big step back. The magic had vanished, leaving behind an icy feeling in my chest.

He is making fun of me, isn't he?

"Is this a joke?", I asked tersely.

He'd noticed my mood shift immediately and didn't try to close the distance between us. Instead, he started to knead the hand I'd held.

"I'm so–", he stopped himself before he could continue. Then he took a deep breath and continued, "Believe me, I don't know how this is possible, and it shouldn't be, but it can't be anything else. It feels ... it feels like fate."

"I'm human, Vine."

"But you feel it, even though it doesn't make sense that you do. Or am I wrong?" His gaze had become searching.

Unwillingly I shook my head. He wasn't wrong about the uncanny chemistry between us; but was that what fate between wolves came to?

"I know how fate feels", he muttered, "and this is it, I'm sure of it. But I understand if you need time to accept it."

There were no answers forming in my head, only questions. Why would he think that there was fate between us? And how did he know how it felt when I couldn't put a name to it? And above all – could he be right?

"When I saw you in the forest, I had that ... feeling again, and it was much clearer than seven years ago. I knew the second we looked each other in the eye that we're bound." He paused and the air between us was heavy with tension. "I couldn't believe it seven years ago and I still don't understand how."

"Has that happened before? A human and a werewolf?"

"It's rare but it does happen. That's not what's ...", he broke off, looking as confused as I felt.

"What now?", I asked.

"That depends on what you want to do", he returned without thinking.

I knew exactly what I wanted to do; I wanted to yell from the rooftops that I had a fated partner, that I hadn't been an obsessed teenager but a rational human when I'd felt inexplicably drawn to Vine; and then I wanted to touch his scar and ask about his past and get drunk on the feeling of his skin on mine.

But instead of saying any of that, I just stared at him. Beside all those wants, there was a pressure on my chest of all the fears.

What if he was wrong, and we weren't fated after all? And what if he was thinking about those things I said in the forest when he'd asked me if I was happy, and he felt obligated to be here? To acknowledge a bond which he he'd never wanted?

After a few minutes of silence had passed, Vine pushed himself off the kitchen counter and made a helpless motion towards the door.

"I should go. Give you some time to think."

I felt my voice crack as I answered automatically. "Maybe that's ... yeah, it's late."

"I wanted you to know so you can make your own decision about it. The bond is permanent, and once you know the feeling ..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but I ended it for him in my thoughts: Once you know the feeling, you'll be satisfied with nothing else.

"I'll leave my number." He smiled a little, but it seemed more unnerved than anything. "Please call me tomorrow. If you want to."