Alone Until I Met You (Completed)

(16) The Big Surprise

When I woke up the next morning, fully rested and content, I turned my head to the side and realized that I was alone…again. I could feel that small bit of happiness chip off from inside of my chest and let out a long sigh. Was it really too much to ask for to just wake up one morning and have the first thing I see be Colt? I glared at the empty pillow beside me for not granting this little fantasy of mine before rolling my eyes.

He never really stuck around before we were mated so why had I assumed that he would change his habits afterwards? I shook my head from side to side as if to answer my own question before sliding the cover off of me. I turned my head towards the bedroom door and felt a little bit of hope rise. Even though Colt hadn’t been the first thing I saw when I woke up he sure as hell would be the first person I’d see.

As if he might disappear if I didn’t see him soon, I swung my legs off of the bed and practically ran to the door. Happiness and anticipation bubbled up in my stomach making a large smile form on my lips as I turned the knob on the door and opened it.

“Good morning!”

The smile on my face sagged in reply to Jackie’s bubbly greeting and my hand slipped off of the door knob. Why is Jackie here? I wondered briefly before turning my head from side to side in search of Colt, and where is Colt?

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jackie’s brilliant smile dim from me not greeting her back but frankly I wasn’t too concerned about it. I took a step out of the bedroom when I didn’t immediately see Colt and started to sniff. The shred of hope that I still had at him being here died at that moment. His normally strong scent was spotty and weak meaning that he hadn’t been in the apartment for a while.

I could feel my shoulder’s slouch forward in disappointment and sighed. Not only had my new mate left me alone in bed again but he had also left without saying goodbye. My gaze dropped down to the ground and I ended up staring at my small toes.

“Okay than I’m guessing that I was not the person you were expecting to see when you opened up that door.” Jackie said before making her way over to me. I could smell her light vanilla fragrance grow stronger as she neared and strangely enough the smell made me feel a little bit curious.

I raised my gaze up to meet her frowning expression and took a small step towards her. “You smell different,” I leaned closer to her and took another generous sniff. The smell was a lot stronger than usual and it even had a hint of something spicy in it. “You smell kind of like pumpkin.”

Jackie stared down at me for a minute with dulling brown eyes and for a moment I thought I had upset her. Then her smile lit back up and as she rested her perfect hands onto my small shoulders. “I’ve been trying out these new fragrances lately because Linc said that I smelt funny the other day, but the moron didn’t even notice that I had changed it at all.” She giggled slightly. “Do you like it?”

Inside I could feel a frown forming in my mind, for one werewolves didn’t normally put on perfumes or other humans chemicals because it was overpowering to our sensitive noses and second her ‘new’ scent smelled completely natural. I took a slight step away from Jackie and looked her over. She was wearing a pair of tight fitted jeans and a flowing turquoise shirt that reminded me of the dress she wore yesterday, but nothing seemed different about her.

My eyes met with hers once I was done looking her over and that’s when I noticed it. She wasn’t wearing any flashing human make-up but her complexion was glowing. Her regular flawless pale skin had been enhanced with a warm vibrant glow that made me want to smile.

I cocked me head to the side in both wonder and confusion. What was going on with her?

Before I could repeat my question aloud Jackie surprised me when her eyes started to drift away from my face and down at my ensemble. I could feel the discomfort rolling around in my stomach when her eyebrows crinkled. Personally I had no problem wearing Colt’s clothes because they were all I had but obviously Jackie and Linc were indifferent to the idea of me borrowing my mate’s clothes.

“Are you wearing Colt’s clothes again?” Jackie questioned and I could feel my face redden with embarrassment.

I nodded my head slowing in reply.

Jackie frowned at me answer before shaking her head disapprovingly. “Okay listen,” She began. “I have no problem with Colt and at first I thought it was kind of sweet that he was loaning his clothes to you but damn it Allie you are woman. An independent woman in fact and you deserve to have your own wardrobe. If Colt is too much of a tight ass to take you out shopping then it looks like I’m just going to have to do it in his stead.”

She grabbed ahold of my wrist before I could object to anything and started to drag me out of the apartment. Despite Jackie’s good intentions behind doing this I couldn’t help the ominous feeling that was building around me like a black fog. It wasn’t until much later that I realized that if I had acted on that feeling then maybe things wouldn’t have turned out the way they had…