When The Wolves Come Out

Chapter 30

I groan, my eyes fluttering open as I hear birds chirping outside. I check the time: 11 a.m. I hadn't slept so well in ages.

Stefano let me sleep in one of the guest bedrooms and lent me one of his large t-shirts for pyjamas. 

I get out of the bed, quietly padding downstairs and into the large kitchen. I was starving and decided to have a look in the fridge for some breakfast.

"I see my brother finally brought home a girl," a male voice says from behind me. I turn around to see a guy with brown hair and striking blue eyes just like Audrey's.

"I guess you're Stefano's brother?" I ask him.

"Yep," he replies, popping the 'p'. "Call me Max."

"I'm-"

"Lyn?" Stefano interrupts, coming next to me and wrapping me in a tight hug. He looks at me for a few seconds and I realise I'm still wearing his t-shirt. Only his t-shirt. God, help me.

"Hi. I just met Max over here," I say, blushing and gesturing to his brother who smirks at Stefano.

Stefano stiffens slightly. "I hope he didn't bother you," he says, clearly aiming it at Max who was leaning on the kitchen counter with one hand on his hip.

"We were only introducing ourselves, weren't we, Lyn?" Max teases before winking and walking away.

"Sorry about him. He's a bit-"

"I think he's alright," I finish. "What are we doing today?"

"Whatever you want. We can go out or something and have a coffee?"

"I'd love that." I smile.

After eating breakfast, I get dressed into some clothes Stefano dug out from who knows where, and meet him outside where he's waiting by a shining silver car. He's dressed nicely in a red flannel and black jeans. He beams at me and we get in the car, driving off to town.

"So, how come you don't live with the rest of your pack?" I ask him a few minutes into the drive.

"The pack is too big to live in one house altogether, so most people live scattered around the town area. My father is the Beta and tends to go away a lot, though. Hopefully I can follow in his footsteps someday and be one of the pack leaders."

I listen in awe whilst watching Stefano seem to light up as he talks about his pack. It makes me happy, just seeing someone have so many hopes for the future. It also makes me wish that I could feel that way about my life instead of being stuck in the past.

"You okay, Lyn?" He reaches over and puts his hand on my knee which is strangely comforting.

I then realise that he touches me quite a lot in ways that I wouldn't ever let anyone else do, but all of his actions calm me down and make me feel so much better.

"I'm fine," I reply after a while of thinking.

"What was it like in your old pack house?" he asks casually.

"My mate was going to become the future Alpha so honestly, it was a bit pressurizing. It seemed like home, though."

"I don't want you to feel like I'm making you stay with me," Stefano murmurs which melts my heart a little.

"I really appreciate it, actually," I reassure him, placing my hand on top of his. "It was really kind of you and your family to welcome me like that."

"It's okay. It's nice having company other than my brother for once." He laughs contagiously and it makes me smile for some reason.

"Is he really that bad?" I tease. "You know, when my brother annoyed me, I used to paint his nails whilst he was sleeping," I admit, trying not to laugh at the memory.

"Seriously? That's genius!" Stefano beams, laughing again. "You've gotta help me do that some time."

"Of course."

~~

At the coffee shop Stefano insists on buying me a Pumpkin Spice Latte seeing as it's Autumn. I unwillingly say yes and it ends up to be delicious.

"I knew you'd love it," Stefano says as he sips is own.

I smile in agreement. "So, where do you go to school?"

"I'm homeschooled. A tutor comes round every two days, which I guess is okay because I need lots of knowledge to be Beta of the pack."

"It's nice how motivated you are," I tell him.

He nods his head when the door to the coffee shop opens and two girls from school walk in, looking at me and Stefano suspiciously.

"You know those girls?" Stefano leans in cautiously.

"They go to my school," I whisper.

"Do you like them?"

"Not really."

One of the girls called Elise begins to walk over to us, loudly chewing her gum and twirling a piece of hair. Stefano looks over his shoulder at her and crinkles up his nose in disgust before taking my hand in his across the table. Elise looks at our hands and scoffs before walking away again.

"Thanks," I breathe out once the two girls have gone.

"Anytime."

I look down at our hands which are still entwined on the table and Stefano pulls away.

"Was I making you uncomfortable?" he asks, worry clear in his eyes.

"No, I honestly didn't mind." That ended up coming out as desperate and flirtatious which makes me blush. "I didn't-"

"I know what you meant." He laughs again which only makes me go a deeper shade of pink. "It's cute when you do that."

"Do what?"

"Blush."