Crimson Mist ✔️

8: More training.

I'm pacing back and forth inside of the guest room, in Jeremy's family home. I don't know what to do. Should I ask Michael what his birthmark looks like? Should I keep my mouth shut about that until I know more? Uno probably knows something, right?

"Holy shit, Danielle, can you sit down? I'm trying to sleep," Jeremy's voice cuts through my thoughts as he speaks from his own room. I sigh, and sit down on the edge of my bed.

"Sorry," I whisper, knowing he can hear me.

My ears still perk up whenever my wolf-instincts know he's near, but it's not anywhere near as intense as the first day. We're just now sitting on opposite ends of our shared wall, while I'm trying to figure out what to do. I've kept my distance from him ever since I saw it in his eyes that he wanted to kiss me yesterday. His gaze haunted me in my dreams, and I already dreamt what it would be like if he kissed me, and ran his hands all over my body..

"What's wrong, little mate?" he asks, and I hear him shuffling around his room now.

"Nothing," I mutter, and pull my knees up under my chin. "I've just got a lot of thoughts."

"Care to share?"

"No."

I hear him huff in annoyance, before his door opens, and my ears are focused on the sound of his feet hitting the floor, closer and closer to my door.

"Can I come in?" he asks once his feet has come to a stop right outside.

"Why?" I ask, feeling my whole body tense up as the smell of exhaust and the woods creeps up into my nostrils, and I don't really want him to come any closer.

My instinct is telling me to both run into his arms and jump out the window, and it is exhausting and confusing. I never know what to trust. Should I trust the fact that he's supposed to be my soulmate, and love me unconditionally until death do us part, or should I trust my gut feeling about Michael, and run to him for safety? Neither of the options seems to sit well with my mind. I still need to figure out what's going on between Michael and I.

"Because I want to help, Danielle," Jeremy says, and I hear the slight smack as his forehead hits the wooden door separating us.

I look around, before I get up from the bed, and walk over to the door. I open up the door and look at the beautiful man in front of me with a small smile. If he wants to help, he can try teaching me his wolf-ways again. I won't freak out this time. I'll keep an open mind, and I'll be a good student. This way I can help Michael find his, or maybe even our, pack sooner rather than later. I brush past him and walk down the hallway with my arms crossed.

"Then teach me," I tell him, before heading down the stairs.

He sighs, but chuckles at the end of it, and then I hear his feet start moving again, so I know he's following me. Once I'm down the stairs I have to stop immediately, so I don't collide with Cade, Jeremy's nephew. He's running around in circles around his little sister, Cara, who is trying to stand up and walk. They're both adorable, and I smile before sneaking past them. None of them has really spent any time with me, more or less because I haven't made myself available to them. I'm afraid I'll love them and never want to leave this place.

"Uncle Jeremy!" Cade yells just a few seconds after I've walked away from them, and then I hear Jeremy grunt a little. As I turn around, Jeremy has the little boy in his arms, and they're staring at each other with serious faces and furrowed brows. The sight is mesmerizing, and I'm pretty sure my ovaries just pushed out ten fully fertilized eggs, judging by the aching feeling in there. Suddenly my mate starts to tickle his nephew, who in turn starts laughing uncontrollably, until he's put down onto the floor again. Jeremy then pats Cara's head, who giggles in a very cute way, before Jeremy turns to me with an amused smile, like he knows I was staring.