PARADOX

twenty-two

Vega

October 2037

Kennedy Winters

"You lovebirds okay?" I looked up to see Judah standing over us with a furrowed brow, "we wondered where you guys went let me tell you I wasn't expecting this. Did you find your friend?"

Chuckling I pulled away from Damon trying to discreetly wipe my eyes from any remaining tears.

"No," I sighed quickly, sending Maddie a text to make sure she was okay. "There was an incident."

Lukas didn't say anything, his eyes just darted down to Damon's knuckles which were coated in his dried blood. They had been split open when he punched Sean yet they had already healed. "Her friend went home with a hunter who wanted to start a fight."

"She still went home with him?"

Rolling my eyes I leaned further into Damon's side, "their relationship is weird. She's a bit dependent on him. They had broken up before we went out tonight but..." I shrugged, "it is what it is."

"Are you alright? I hope you got a good punch in."

Laughing, Damon stood stretching his hand down to help me up, "of course I did," he smirked, "bastard didn't even land a hit on me."

"Good," Lukas clapped him on the back before turning to me, "you alright?"

God I hated when people asked that. "Yeah," I sniffled a watery smile stretching across my face, "it's just been a long night."

"Well I'll see you in about a week Damon?"

They said goodbye to one another with one of those quick bro-hugs before separating quickly, Lukas leaving to meet with the rest of his pack. By now the rest of the club had emptied and the street was chaotic with everyone trying to work out different ways home. We wandered down until the street got emptier.

"How were you planning on getting home?" Damon's voice echoed in the quiet street even though he whispered.

"I actually don't know," I frowned, "it was up to Maddie. How were you planning on getting home?"

His cheeks flushed pink, "I was planning on running home," he scratched the back of his neck with his free hand. "Shifted."

My teeth pressed against my bottom lip as I dragged it into my mouth, "oh, I'm sorry for ruining your plans."

"They don't have to be ruined." The air around us was so thick you could cut it with a knife. "I could carry you back to yours."

There was never a moment that I was around him when my heart was steady. I had wondered about his shifter, what he looked like when he was shifted. I just never thought I would get to see. Now I've been presented with the opportunity I couldn't just say no.

"Okay," my voice was barely above a whisper. He still heard me though. His eyes widened as if he expected me to say no and a small smile formed on his face.

"Okay," he repeated before turning down a side road, "you don't need to watch this, it can be a bit gruesome."

Deciding to take his word as gospel I turned my back to also give him some privacy as well. I could hear him unbuckle his belt dropping it to the ground with the rest of his clothes. My core tightened at the thought. God was I becoming so desperate that even the sound of him undressing got me turned on?

The sound of footsteps behind me made me turn around. He was beautiful. His fur was a shade of brown that was almost black. He stood taller than me even in this form, which was intimidating to say the least. His eyes were no longer that shade of grey but instead ruby red. His paws had small flecks of white on them, some stripes of white followed up his front legs stopping before his elbows? I have no idea what they're called but on a human they'd be elbows.