In Reach?

Liam’s POV

“Mira” I finally test her name, and just saying that first syllable makes it seem like I’m calling her mine. I’m sitting in my office with a glass of bourbon in my hand, trying to relieve some of the stress for the day. And right now, this bourbon and the thought of her seems to be doing the trick.

What was with that look on her face, that change in aura? And her eyes, they looked like I would drown in them if I looked too long, but I wanted to know what they were hiding. I could feel her change in mood, like something heavy but empty was weighing her down. I don’t know how the others couldn’t pick up on that aura. It was so intense, like it was my own. At that moment I wished I had the mind-link with her so I could see what was on her mind and bothering her so much.

This woman is a mystery to me. I need to find out as much as I can about her. She doesn’t seem like the type to like talking about herself, in fact she doesn’t seem like the type to like talking at all. But it does seem she spends a lot of time in that head of hers. I want to know what goes on in there. I want to know what she’s thinking.

What was that look for? I need to know. I’m pacing my office questioning what my next move will be. She’s probably asleep by now, right? Of course, it’s midnight and everybody’s in bed by this time. Besides, she’ll probably just freak out if I go into her room at this time of night. No, I can’t do that. As Alpha, even I have my limits with being invasive.

I down the rest of my glass and head on to bed. Walking down the hallway to my room, I get reminded that her room is two doors opposite mine. Her scent fills the hallway to my room, and I can’t help but stop in front of her door to hear, to listen if she’s sleeping. I don’t know what I’m hoping for, but her steady breathing indicating that she’s asleep, makes me calm. So, I continue my walk to my room and go to bed

Mira’s POV

I wake up feeling more relaxed than I have in a very long time. There is no city noise in the background, the air smells fresh and I actually woke up in a bed I went to sleep in. Not a phrase someone should be proud of saying, but this is a huge improvement for me.

It’s still early in the morning, about 6 o’clock, but I should probably get ready. I’m a little excited. Katy is going to take me to the practice grounds for the kids. I’ll have a look at how they train the little ones to protect themselves, especially since they can’t shift yet. They’ll also be doing basic classes on what to know about wolf life. Katy thinks this should help me get the hang of things, and quite honestly, I agree with her.

When I reached the kitchen, Katy was already waiting for me.

“Hey Mira. Ready to go?” She seems like an early bird smiling that brightly and so early in the morning.

“Yeah. I don’t know if I’ll need anything though.”

She giggles at my nerves. “You’re just too cute. Someone seems nervous on her first day of school.”

“Ugh. I don’t know about you, but the first day of school never seems fun.”

She just laughs at me and leads the way out.

The little ones, or as they’re called here, ‘pups’, are so adorable in class. They get distracted so easily, as expected. But at least I learned a lot about wolf terminology and concepts, like the duties of every position in a pack; how the mind-link allows them to communicate with each other when in wolf-form, even when not. Which explains why Dimples has so many staring but quiet moments with his guys; I learned about mates; how every wolf has only one mate and that they are like their soulmate, their other half, and that their wolves will know it the moment they look at each other. I remember reading something like this in my grandma’s books. But knowing that it’s real, makes me somewhat envious. It makes me wonder. I’m a wolf, so does that mean I have a mate? But then again, my wolf is ‘dormant’, so I’ll probably not know even if he stood right in front of me. But shouldn’t he still be able to tell if I’m his mate?

The pups were great, very welcoming unlike their teachers. The women kept whispering at each other and looking at me. You would think that they would at least try to hide the fact that they are gossiping about me. Every once in a while, Katy would squeeze my arm and give me a sympathetic look. Something tells me she has been through this kind of animosity.

When we tagged along with the kids to the training grounds, we did notice a few nauseating stares and snarky remarks from a few men. It made my skin crawl feeling them look at my body like that. Katy leaned over to whisper in my ear, “Like I said, many think of us rogues as savages. For many of the men here, they think of us as floozies. It’s one of the reasons why many of the women here don’t like us, especially around the men.”

I look at her with more confusion on my face. I thought the people here were all about, ’everyone protects everyone’. Why is she speaking like I should be afraid of the people here, like I should watch my back?

She notices this and gives a brief sigh. “What I’m saying is that it would be best for you to not walk around alone, nor try to provoke the men. You haven’t been initiated into the pack yet, so technically, you’re still a rogue. So, no-one really has a responsibility to look after you.” She almost seems guilty saying it. “Come one, let’s get out of here.” She pulls me away from the training grounds and leads me through the woods to somewhere.

She brought me to one of the so called ‘chill zones’ by a hill, and we just sit there in silence and listen to the noises of the woods. “Isn’t it beautiful?” She asks with a huge sigh.

“I was thinking just that.”

We hear the wind blow through the trees and it almost sounds melodic. “You know, tales tell of the spirits of wolves being carried through the forest by the wind. That’s apparently why it sounds like it’s almost alive. They’re the spirits who look after us in the woods. I’d like that.”

I peek at her through the corner of my eye as we’re both still lying on the ground. “You’d like that? What do you mean?”

“I don’t know, just the idea of being a woods-spirit I guess. I mean, who wouldn’t want all of this all the time? It’s just too beautiful.” She giggles as she waves her hands around in the air.

I can’t help but share that giggle. She’s just too cute.

After strolling through the forest a bit more, we were on our way back to the head-house. Katy left me there, saying she still had some of her own things to sort out at home. I felt a bit guilty, knowing she couldn’t get to her own things because she had to look after me. I had to let her go, and went to the kitchen to get me a lunch snack. I was relieved to find the kitchen empty.

I walk into the pantry and I’m standing in a bit of shock. I’ve never had so many options. And quite frankly, I don’t even know if I’m allowed to have options. I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be left alone, but since I’m in the house, I guess they figured I’m no threat in a house of the ‘elite’. But I better start making me something before someone comes and stops me.

There is a huge roll of cheese in front me and I guess that is definitely going to be part of the recipe. I’m in dire need of some meat and I need to balance it off with some greens. So, what kind of snack can I make with that? And then a light-bulb goes off in my head, -Keto Taco cups.

I can make taco cups with the cheese, and put mince with some tomatoes and cucumber in them. I love food, and I’m so thankful for my days working part-time in restaurants. I got to see some pretty delicious dishes prepared with the most simplest of ingredients.

After an hour of having the kitchen to myself, my taco cups are finally done. Their amazing aroma fills the whole kitchen. I lay the tray out onto the counter so they can cool off some more before I start eating. Setting up my plate and getting some juice from the fridge, I get a weird feeling of being watched.

I turn around and see Dimples standing at the counter investigating my babies. I literally panic and rush over to him, to get him to back off.

“Woah woah woah. I thought it was fine for me to make me something to eat.” I try to move between him and the plate.

He looks at me, then at the plate, then back at me. “Isn’t that a little too much or you? You could barely finish a bowl of fruit the other day, and now you have a whole plate stacked with………what is that by the way? It smells delicious.” He’s looking back at the plate.

Of course it smells delicious. Anything with melted cheese smells delicious. But I’m not going to share this. Especially with someone that just swallows food.

“Just some Keto Taco Cups.” I say all boastful of my skill and taste in food.

He looks at me with a smirk and tries to reach for one. “Well I wouldn’t mind if I tried some.” I literally pull the plate away trying to block him more with my body between the two. But this beast of a man is too tall and is simply reaching over me.

That’s it! I take the plate off the counter and walk around the corner. “What do you think you’re doing? This took me an hour to make. I’m not going to share it with you. In fact, I don’t like sharing food at all.” I’m angry, but he just stands there folding his gorgeous arms and gives me a ‘seriously’ look.

“Well, you were way more generous with your food yesterday. Besides, I doubt a tiny body like yours can finish all that.” He gestures his hands into an almost-clap. I don’t know if he’s trying to say I’m too skinny or too small, but I take offence. I’m a huge foody and I have actually tried to put on weight when I was younger. But it’s not my fault that my metabolism is too fast.

“Well for your information, I finally got my appetite back”. I say this, but he’s already making his way to me and I’m running out of space to back into. He has a playful look on his face, and it’s starting to seem more like a dangerous one to me.

“Come one, I didn’t even have breakfast.” He almost looks pleadingly, but that smirk on his face tells me otherwise.

“I thought you’re not a breakfast person.” I tilt my head and purse my lips.

“Exactly”, he says finally standing right in front of me with that gorgeous smile on his face.

It took me second to pull myself together, when I realize he took one.

I’m in such shock that I don’t know what to do. I’m holding the plate in my hands, there’s no place for me to put it down and he’s staring at me with victory in his eyes as he brings the taco closer to his mouth. I panic.

I hold the plate in just my right hand, and use my left hand to pull his hand, holding the taco cup, to my mouth. I take a huge bite, as big as my little mouth can take, and can’t help but moan at all the flavours zinging in my mouth.

My eyes were closed, but when I opened them, I see him looking at me with an incredulous look on his face.

“What?” I say still chewing. But I swallow before continuing to talk. I must look like a chipmunk talking with a full mouth. “I can’t let you have the first bite.” I lick my lips and smile at him, feeling like I beat him at whatever game this was of his, and walk away with the plate, before he sets his eye on them again.