Bane strides across the grass, commanding every eye on the lawn. The kids freeze mid-chase, their game forgotten. I doubt they recognize his status in the other pack, they just respond to his confidence, gawking like he stepped off a movie screen. Which, honestly, isn’t far from the truth with that killer smile and fierce swagger.
“Are you ready to go?” he asks doubtfully, eyeing the girl perched on my shoulders like she might be a bizarre accessory he doesn’t understand.
“Go? No, I’m not even close to ready.”
“Did you forget about our date?”
The kids erupt into giggles, whispering and elbowing each other the moment they catch the magic word ‘date.’ The girl clinging to my back drums her heels against my sides, and I crouch to let her scramble down. She zooms away, laughter following her as she runs.
“You’re a little early,” I inform him.
“Better than being late. I’m only…” He consults his watch. “Wow, two hours early. Guess I should have checked my fancy new watch more closely. Should I go?”
He tucks his hands in his pockets, expression bashful. Butterflies flutter wildly in my stomach, out of control, and I melt on the spot. He’s a far cry from the distanced alpha I started hooking up with.
“Stay,” I say, leading him back to my place here. “Just let me get changed and grab my keychain.” In addition to a few charms, it holds the keys to the apartment above the potions store too.
“Don’t worry about that. I received permission to spend the night.”
I stop in my tracks. “You got permission?”
Bane’s cheeks actually flush faintly. “It’s not a big deal. Seriously. I asked your Alpha, and he told me to do whatever I want, it’s a free country.”
Not surprising. Our pack isn’t as strict or guarded as his. But Bane still asked. It’s the thought that counts and that thought?
It counts for a lot.
~
Josh
Bane isn’t always two hours early. He’s usually late, though he never keeps me waiting very long. It’s a huge improvement, even though his lack of punctuality doesn’t bother me nearly as much as it used to. Not when he’s trying so hard to get things right this time. He’s just as grateful for this second chance as I am.
Honestly, I’ve probably been falling in love for a while. But now that we’re dating and neither of us is trying to resist the other, I’m fallinghard.
We show each other our favorite places in the city as we get to know each other. The cramped bookstore where I used to escape after school, amazed by the memoirs from actual shifters, vampires, and witches instead of just fantasy novels from human authors. Or the cozy Italian restaurant that Bane claims makes the best spaghetti and meatballs, but I prefer his.
He tags along as I visit different covens, searching for the craft that calls to me. He even tests the potions I brew and lets me practice spells on him, trusting I won’t turn him into a hamster or were-gerbil.
I bring coffee for the mornings he hits the gym early, training for his leadership fight. Sometimes I even spar with him. Our wolves mesh together well, with his providing the bulkand muscle and mine offering agility. But we still face some difficulties as humans.
“Okay, this isn’t working.” He releases my hands but doesn’t retreat from behind me.
“What? Keep going. I’m getting the hang of this move.”
“And that’s great, but I’m only getting hard.” He rocks forward, letting me feel his growing hardness. “Why don’t we hit the locker room instead?”
It’s easy to get distracted during our sparring sessions. Maybe I should hire a personal trainer, someone who won’t pin me against the mat for reasons unrelated to combat technique. The fight after Bane’s birthday looms closer, and I have serious ground to cover to be ready… it may require a miracle.
Being with Bane fulfills something deep within me. He’s even better than I dreamed, but I refuse to let him sacrificehisdreams for our relationship. His siblings won’t back down easily, which means we need to be ready to fight like hell. Never once did I imagine myself as an Alpha, especially not leading a pack as formidable as Iron.
But Bane has poured everything into achieving his dream, and I won’t let it slip through his fingers because of me.
~
Josh
Bane shows up out of nowhere. “Just getting done with work?” He smiles and grabs my hands, leading me out of the doorway at the Fern and Flower.
