Good morning. A husky male voice boomed through my mind.
I was so startled that I sat up with a start and fell off the side of the bed. I tried to grab on for dear life, but all I managed to do was pull all of my bedding on top of me.
Stop laughing, would you? I snap at sapphire, but she laughs anyway. Oh well.
Are you awake? Now that I was more cognizant, I knew who it was.
Answer him. Sapphire demanded.
Relax! I am if she gave me a moment.
Yeah, yeah, I’m awake... I mind link Kyle back. I'm so excited to hear from my mate. I had hoped he would think of me because I sure had been thinking of him. He was all I dreamt of last night.
What are you doing today? Have any plans? He asked.
Nothing yet. Why? Ask to see me. Ask to see me. I chant in my head.
I would love to come and see you. But I likely won’t even make it out of my office before dinners over. I’m swamped. I just wanted to hear your voice.
I immediately felt disappointed.
I was hoping that you would be up for a game of twenty questions? Can we play it throughout the day? It’s a little lame, I know, but it’s an excellent way to get to know each other?
I would still prefer to spend time with him in person, but this was an effort at least.
Is there anything that I can’t ask? He will likely shut me down, but it was worth a shot, right.
No? But he didn’t sound very confident, so there were definitely going to be a few touchy subjects there.
What happened. I keep hearing about this big thing you have been through. What is it? It’s eating me up. I start right off the bat. I feel bad. His secret should be to his to tell when he's ready, but I am driving myself crazy wondering what it could be.
You can ask me literally anything but that. I’ll share it with you in time. I promise, okay. Just give me a chance to get to know you first. He’s polite about it, but I could detect his defensive and annoyed undertones nonetheless.
I would drop it for now.
Okay. That’s fair. I’m sorry, I won’t ask again. What’s your first question? Maybe sapphire could help me think of a few.
What’s your favourite colour? That’s an easy one.
It’s green. I don’t even think about it.
Hello, it should be blue. Saphire sasses me. Oh my, she’s right.
Scratch that. My favourite colours blue. Sapphire blue.
What’s yours? I couldn't think of anything else.
The colour of your eyes, darling. Oh brother. Okay, it was a little cute, but I saw through it.
Oh yeah? Let me ask you. What colour are my eyes exactly? Let's see if he actually knew.
Blue. So much fake confidence, he had no idea.
WRONG!!! . They are brown, and nobodies favourite colour is brown. I'm almost glad he got it wrong. It made him cuter somehow.
No, you're mistaken. Brown is my favourite colour. He scoffed in mock offensive. I'm giggling like a girl with her first crush.
You called him out, and he didn’t react. Sapphire yelps. And I’m reminded once again how hurt she was too.
Maybe he is different. I muse
Ask him for the name of his wolf. Sapphire pleaded with me.
Sure. I hope she gets a good mate too.
Sapphire wants to ask you what the name of your wolf is? I was curious too. I loved wolf names.
Sapphire, is that your wolf? That’s a really pretty name. Wait, is that why you changed your answer? Is that why sapphire is your favourite colour? I could feel sapphire purr as Kyle praised her name. She was going to be bad as I was.
Yes, and yes. I replied happily.
My wolf is Duke. Grumpy old bastard he is too. He has been rather persistent about seeing you again. Let me tell you. He is pretty happy to finally know his mate's name. Perhaps it will keep him happy for a while.
Hmm, duke, I like it. Plus, Duke meant royal. Kyle was no royal, I know but, he kind of was, an alpha was like the king of his pack.
What's your birthday? He asked me next.
July 2nd. I loved my birthday. It was almost the centre of the year. So I get presents every six months. We didn’t celebrate Christmas as the humans did, but we supernaturals did celebrate the winter solstice. So I got some for the solstice and the others for my birthday.
What about you, what’s yours? I should start trying to think of some of my own questions soon. I was just parroting his.
May Fourth... His birthday was almost as close to a mid year as mine.
So you are a Taurus, then? Did that count as a question? Because it wasn't. If he was born in May, he was a tarus. I hope I didn't waste a question on something so silly. Do we only actually get twenty questions each?
I don’t know, honestly. I don’t follow things like star signs. But if you do, I’ll make a point of it to remember what yours is. What is it? I can't say I'm surprised most werewolves don't. I didn't even know them all myself. Just my immediate family. Samantha happened to be born on May 3rd.
I mean, I don’t really. I know a random one here and there, but that’s it. Mines cancer. I don’t know all that much about the sign tho. I shouldn’t have bought it up. Now I feel silly.
What? Do you mean like that sickness humans get? He sounded appalled. I don’t think he understands.
No, nothing like that. Yes, Cancer is awful, and it is a human sickness, and it’s a soul sucking life destroyer, but the sign and the illness are not the same thing. Let's just forget about it? I would beg him too.
I am so sorry, Faith, but I have to go. Can I still ask you questions randomly as I can? I wonder what he had to do today. I know it would be stuff to do with being an alpha, but still, I was curious. Oh well.
Yeah, no problem. I guess I could stand a day prepared for random invasion at any moment. It was exciting and a little daunting. It was like knowing someone was waiting to jump out at you, but from where and when?
I jogged downstairs and met Amy as she prepared breakfast. I offer to help, but she shuts me down.
“Hey, Amy.” I plop myself down on the stool at the island bench and watch her as she spins and dances around the kitchen as she cooks. I wonder why she’s in such a good mood.
“Yes, baby” she twirls towards the fridge and pulls out a gallon of orange juice.
“I’m out of clothes. I know I have a few outfits of yours, but I really need more. I wish I could return to Crescent moon, but that’s not exactly an option.” I couldn’t even ring my parents and ask them to ship it. It would be reckless.
She slides a glass of orange juice towards me, pours her own, she’s sloshing it everywhere, but the mess doesn’t seem to bother her. I don’t know what got her in such a good mood, but I hope it stayed. She danced her way back over the fridge and back to me, dropping down on her for arms and propping her face with her closed hands. She looked like a little kid with that big toothy cheesy grin. She never smiled that like. She was just being silly. Now I was sure of it.
“Okay, what’s got you all hyped?” I can’t help but ask.
“First of all. We will see what we can do about clothes. Your dad called me this morning, told me everything. We all agree you can’t leave the lands unless you are with Kyle” wait, did that mean Kyle knew?
“Does Kyle know?” I ask. I’m a little disappointed in them. I wanted to tell him. Now it just seemed like I was keeping things from him. I wasn’t. I just haven’t seen him yet. It didn’t seem appropriate over mind link. He should hear these things from me. I’m not cross with them. They were just looking out for me, just frustrated that I wasn’t consulted at least.
“No. We are just telling you. You are responsible. You’ll listen. It would be best to tell Kyle tho” it felt good to hear that they trusted me. I will have to show them that they were right to do so.
“That’s not why your so happy tho?” Why would it be? It seemed more like something that would stress a person out.
“Amelio and I have been saving for years to go on a holiday. It seems like every time we get close, something happens, and we have to spend it. We finally decided that we are doing it. We won’t be leaving for months, but we are already making bookings. For three weeks were going to be out amongst the humans, doesn't that sound fascinating.” I have heard about these holidays plans several times throughout the years. I couldn’t wait for them. I was so happy.
“Congratulations. That’s so exciting. Where are you going?”
I’m just about to take a sip on my orange juice
What is your favourite time of the year? Resounds loudly throughout my mind. I’m so taken by surprise that I spill the juice all over my shirt like an idiot. Great, now I’m all sticky
Winter, hands down. You could dress up as warm and as comfortable as you wanted in winter to keep warm, but in summer, there was only so much you could take off before you made everyone else uncomfortable.
“Are you alright there” Amy looks at me sceptically as she hands me a napkin.
I clean the juice as much as I can. I toss the scrunched paper and feel a small gush of pride as it lands straight in the waste bin.
“Ha yeah. Kyle mind linked me. It caught me off guard, is all. What were we talking about again?”
Aren't you going to ask him what his is? Sapphire is unhappy with me for not paying enough attention. I roll my eyes at her, and she sticks her tail up so in the back of my mind so that I can see her butt. It was so weird that I just knew what she was doing. I could see it in my mind but not with my eyes. So crazy. I was paying attention, but I was with Amy too. It would be rude of me just to shut her out.
What about you? What’s yours? I ask him quickly, so he doesn’t think I’m ignoring him.
“Nope. Nice try, missy. We are talking about you? How long have you and Kyle been talking?” She seems equal parts excited and worried.
I got it, but I felt like this was worth the risk. At least for now, I did. We would have to see.
“ I’ll tell you, only if you tell me where you are going?” I had no problem telling her, but I was starting to feel like it was about me all the time. I didn’t like it much. It felt selfish. It was important for me to show that I was interested in more than my drama.
“Australia. We’re going to spend three weeks visiting as much of it as we can.” She all but squeals.
“Wow, so you are leaving the country?” This was exciting. Most of us don’t leave the pack, but here my aunt was excited about it all. I hope it goes well for her.
“You better take so many photos that we don’t know what to do them. I want to see all of it?” I want to travel myself one day.
Easy. Fall. Just wait until you see the change of the season through your wolf eyes. I would describe it to you, but I wouldn’t do it justice. You need to see it for yourself.
Or I could see it with him.
“So, are you going to tell me? When did you and Kyle start talking?” She prods again.
I gushed about him as we ate our breakfast, and like a good Aunty, she listened to every word, and not once did she discourage me from seeking out time with My second chance mate.