SWNOVELS Chapter 14: A Rare Beauty!
Kane had cleaned up the mess in the kitchen, he wouldn’t let her touch the broken mug, in case she cut herself again. There was a tiny argument about it, but he stood firm on his decision that it was not going to happen, she huffed at him and stomped into the bedroom to make the bed mumbling about how he was treating her like a child. He told her that when she acts like an adult he would treat her like one. She shot him a death glare, and he was pretty glad that she actually couldn’t kill people with her looks, he would be dead three times over by now.
“Are you almost ready? I’m starving” He called into the bedroom, he did not want to spend the day fighting with her. She came out of the bedroom wearing a dark blue long sleeved shirt, her hair up and she was heading to the bathroom.
“What are you wearing?” He asked stopping her
“A shirt” she answered flatly
“What happened to the shirt from earlier?” He saw that it didn’t get any blood on it.
“It was too revealing,” she said as her arms instinctively went to hide her stomach. He nodded, he wasn’t going to push her.
“I understand, but I liked the other shirt and it looked beautiful on you, maybe you can wear it next time?” Phrasing it more like a question
“Maybe, I just need to put my contacts in and I will be ready to go,” she proceeded to the bathroom. He really didn’t want her to wear them, maybe they could have an accident, like accidentally fall into the toilet and be accidentally flushed. Or you can tell her not to wear them! Ky made himself known. Tell me how that would go for me? You won’t know unless you try! Damn him, he was right.
He walked over to the bathroom and stood behind her, staring into her eyes in the mirror.
“Do you have to wear those?” He asked, she looked at him confused
“Like to see properly? No” she responded, looking down at them
“Then why do you?” Maybe if he knew her reason behind them
“Because I have too.” She clutched her contact case, he smelled the spike in fear, and he understood she was afraid of something or someone.
“I wish you didn’t wear them, but if you have to, I get it. I would just like to see your beautiful eyes one more time before you cover them up” he turned her around and lifted her head so he could see her. He untucked her ears that she had hidden under her hair. He ran his thumbs up the tips of them as he stared deeply into her eyes. She saw sadness swirling in his grey orbs. Before she could ask he answered.
“You have a rare beauty, the likes the world has never seen, and it pains me that someone has forced you to think that you need to cover it up, it should never be hidden. I’m not going to ask you to do anything you’re not ready to do, but just know that you never have to hide from me. Your eyes are beautiful and your ears are sexy. I’ll wait for you in the kitchen, take your time” she searched his face for any sign of deceit but found none, he kissed her forehead and left the bathroom.
She turned back to the mirror and looked at herself. She looked at her ears and saw a freak of nature, she looked at her eyes and saw a birth defect, her body had scars, her mind had demons, but Kane looked at her and he saw beauty in her flaws. Let your freak flag fly girl! What if I can’t? But you can! No I can’t! You were a sex kitten this morning! It scared the shit out of me! But you did it! But this is different! How is this different? This is showing everyone else! Kane might be accepting of her flaws but she wasn’t so sure anyone else would be once they saw the real her there would be no more hiding, there was no unseeing her flaws. No, she should keep her head down and not draw attention to herself, it’s better that way, no one can hurt her if she keeps the truth hidden. She opened the first side of the contact case, but hesitated, she didn’t know what to do. He said she never had to hide from him. Aren’t you tired of hiding? Maybe, but I’m scared! What is more scary, the mountain Kane or everyone else?
She thought about that for a minute, she pushed the world away, kept it locked out, Kane however was not going anywhere, he made that clear when he told her she was stuck with him. The world scared her, but Kane scared her the most, he brought out a primal side to her, a side she liked. Do you want to be the scared little girl forever? No! Then put the damn contacts down, and get your fine ass out of this bathroom! Her subconscious was a pushy bitch today, but she was right, no more hiding, no more scared little girl, she might be a freak, but she was a damn sexy freak. Closing the case she threw her contacts in the garbage and got about as far as the bathroom door, before she ran back and pulled them back out. She placed the case back on the counter.…Just in case! Even Goddesses have doubts! That is reassuring! She stood in the bathroom door, just breathing, she needed to collect herself, she was really going to do this. We are having a good day, now go, he’s hungry!
Kane was replying to a message Johnny had sent him on his phone
J: “So how’s it going?”
K: “Fine!”
J: “Just fine!”
K: “What do you need?”
J: “Are you coming back today?”
K: “Yeah!”
J: “The Alpha’s are out of the medical ward, after your mantrum yesterday, thanks for leaving me with that by the way”
K: “They were being idiots, and I was late”
J: “Well I don’t think they will want to air any grievances next month”
K: “And that is a bad thing”
J: “Bro! The fuck is wrong?”
Even in a text message Johnny can figure out something is wrong.
K: “Nothing”
J: “Don’t you fucking nothing me, what is it?”
K: “I have to go, we’ll talk when I get back”
J: “You’re not having second thoughts are you?”
K: “What?”
J: “About Dax?”
K: “Fuck no!”
J: “Good, hate to have to kick your ass again”
K: “You mean try! Do me a favour?”
J: “What?”
K: “Find out who owns the warehouse Dax lives in”
J: “Why?”
K: “Receptionist keeps leaving the door unlocked”
J: “Fucking airhead...she called me Jimmy for three weeks, but I got it covered.”
K: “Thanks, I gotta go”
He put his phone away and let out a deep sigh, when he felt the all too familiar tingles and a little hand touched his. He looked down at his hand, hers looked so tiny in comparison. When he looked up at her, a big smile crossed his face and he pulled her in for a hug. Her ears were untucked, her eyes weren’t hidden, she still had on the long sleeved shirt but two out of three ain’t bad. Maybe she would wear it next time it really was his favourite top, and watching the way she put it on this morning will play on an endless loop in his mind until the day he dies.
“Are you ready to go?” He asked, she smiled up at him and nodded. He entwined their fingers together, and led her out of the loft. It was now noon, and the lunch crowd would be at the dinner, she better be ready. When they got downstairs and were about to walk out the door, she stopped and hesitated.
“If you want to stay here, we can,” Kane looked down at her, he cupped her chin lifting her face to look at him. He saw the fear in her eyes, he gave her a reassuring smile, he was good either way. He just wanted to spend time with her. The only benefit of out of the warehouse was if he pissed her off she couldn’t throw things at him. She took a few deep breaths and shook her head.
“I would like to go out,” she said as he nodded his head and waited for her to lead the way. He was thankful for that, he was fucking starving!
He drove the couple of blocks to Glenda’s Diner, the closer he got the harder Dax was breathing. She was scared and nervous, and he knew this was the most open she has been in her whole life. She was allowing herself to be vulnerable and exposed and she was doing it for him. He reached over and he took her tiny little hand in his, she squeezed it tightly drawing strength from him. If anyone looks at her wrong I will have their heads! Ky growled. You seem to be starving as well! They will die bloody horrible deaths! Easy, big guy. Let’s just feed you and see how this goes, but I can not disagree with you! A wrong word could result in a neck or two being snapped.
Pulling up in front of the diner and he killed the engine. They sat there in silence for a while, then he turned to face her, before he could say a word, his stomach growled loudly. Her eyes widened and then she broke out laughing
“You seem hungry,” she giggled.
“I’m starving” he couldn’t deny it he really was, he missed breakfast.
“Then let’s get you fed, before you eat somebody” she unfastened her seat belt and moved to open the door. He was there before she could even get the handle pulled. How the hell did he move that fast? She would need to ask him about that. He reached his hands around her waist and gently pulled her from the truck and placed her down in front of him. Entwining their fingers he closed her door and they walked towards the diner.
With the bell above the door chiming announcing their arrival, it was busy in the diner and when most people looked up they only saw Kane standing there.
“Just you for lunch handsome?” Glenda asked, a little disappointed. She was older, late to mid fifties. Her once full head of brown hair now held silver streaks, but she had a gleam to her eyes that never seemed to disappear. Kane smiled brightly at her when he pulled Dax from her hiding place behind him.
“No, I brought a lunch date,” he said, kissing the back of her hand. Glenda beamed a genuine smile that made the gleam in her eyes shine brighter. Kane decided he liked Glenda, Glenda liked Dax, and Glenda liked seeing Dax with him. The diner grew quiet when everyone noticed she was standing there. They all stared at her, and she started to shift uncomfortably under their gaze.
“The corner booth is open. I will be there in just a second with coffee” Glenda said, pointing to the back corner.
Kane guided her in the direction Glenda had indicated after he thanked her. Eyes followed them as they moved to the booth she could hear muffled whispers and saw people make hand movements regarding her ears, he waited for her to be seated facing away from everyone before he took his own on the opposite side so he could see everyone.
“Everyone is staring!” She self consciously touched her ears.
“They’re staring because you’re beautiful” he squeezed her hand in reassurance. When she looked into his eyes, nothing but adoration stared back at her. He truly did think she was beautiful. She blushed at the compliment, he ran his fingers up and down the back of her hand, and the little tingles that were starting to form from the simple action began to intensify.
“Enough of that you two, save it for the bedroom and not my diner” Glenda stated, filling their cups with coffee. Dax yanked her hands away, her face 6 shades redder, Kane just laughed, he really liked Glenda.
“What will it be today, pretty eyes?” She asked with a big smile on her face “Pancakes?”
Dax looked up at her, confused.
“But breakfast is over?” She asked, Glenda smiled motherly at her.
“Not for you honey! I already have Murray whipping up a batch of chocolate chip pancakes” She winked at her over top of her order pad.
“Then yes please, I would like pancakes” Dax replied grinning.
“And for you handsome?” Glenda turned to Kane.
“He’s starving” Dax answered for him, Kane just smiled and nodded his head.
“Worked up an appetite I see? One Chef’s Special it is” and with that Glenda left to put in Kane’s order. Kane let out a deep chuckle when he saw the look of horror on Dax’s face. Her six shade blush, turned into a twelve and like he thought it did reach the tips of her ears.
They ate their food and talked and laughed throughout it. She told him stories of previous customers she had. She was in the process of telling him the story about the lady who wanted an accurate sized sculpture of her husband’s member.
“What?” Kane’s eyes were wide
“She had a picture and everything” Dax was laughing.
“What the hell would she want that for?” He asked, Dax looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
“For the long cold nights at home when he was on the road” she replied he furrowed his eyebrows, then realization hit him.
“Oh! Oh! Oh, that’s gross” he made a disgusted face when he got a mental image of it, shaking his head trying to get it out of his mind “What did you say?”
“Well I was professional about it” Dax stated.
“Uh huh! What did you say?” Now he really wanted to know.
“Uh...Fuck No!” She started laughing again. He was frankly relieved by that answer “I directed her to an adult shop that could help her with her request” she added.
“Adult shop? You have many dealings with adult shops do you” he asked, raising his eyebrows. She didn’t miss the innuendo, but chose not to acknowledge it for the most part
“It’s the art world, you come across many many types of people” then she leaned closer to his side of the table and motioned for him to come closer “Besides, where do you think I get my panties from. Won’t find those on the racks at Victoria’s Secret” she whispered and then sat back and gave a little victory laugh when she saw his face.
“Praise the adult shops” was all he could say with a wicked grin. They finished their meal and Kane paid. She protested but he said it was his treat and she could get the bill next time, though she doubted he would allow it.
Back outside, they walked around the town square, stopping to look in the windows of some of the shops. She didn’t say anything when he took her little hand in his. Her body did tense a bit at the initial contact, but relaxed after a bit. More progress! He thought. People would stop and stare, they would whisper and make the same gesture towards her ears and he would just squeeze her hand tighter. They found out more about each other, he grew up with a younger sister, Johnny was his best friend since diapers, though he was more like a brother. He told her about his parents death at 16, not the particulars behind it, just that they were in a really bad accident and Johnny’s dad took them in. He didn’t ask any questions about her past, she was grateful for that, it was bad enough she relived it in her head, she didn’t want to tell someone else about it. He would look at her like she’s broken. Instead he asked her favourite colour, she said she couldn’t choose one when the world was full of them.
“What is your favourite colour?” She asked him, he thought for a moment then replied.
“Used to be grey, but now I think I like cerulean blue with amethyst starbursts” she felt her cheeks heat up at that.
“You are quite the sweet talker Mr. McKenna” she said looking up at him,
“You’re easy to sweet talk to” he turned her to face him and pulled her closer “Ask me, ask me to kiss you. You want me too, I can see it in your eyes”
“No, you want it as much as I do so if you want to kiss me then kiss me, but I will not ask you” she said as her eyes sparkled up at him. He let out a playful growl and a sexy smirk crossed his face.
“You will be the death of me. I also like the colour red, but only on particular garments of clothing” he said and they kept walking, her cheeks flushed bright red when she realized what those garments were
“And in the blush that spreads across your beautiful face” he added, she looked up at him, her cheeks darkening. He’s good! Her subconscious said.
They crossed the street to walk back towards the diner when something sparkly caught her eye in the jeweller’s window. It was a simple teardrop shaped translucent crystal. An elegant white gold cage with spiral bars wrapped around it. It hung from a spiral white gold chain, but the way the light was reflecting off the crystal made it dance. She never wore jewellery, she was never worthy of its beauty but she liked the way it sparkled in the light. Kane watched the way she memorized every detail of the necklace, how the light reflected the colours. He saw the smile that played on her lips when she saw the way the necklace would look on her in the reflection of the window, but moved on. So far he has seen her look at half a dozen things through the windows of the shops, but she never once asked to go and see them. He might have to pick a few things up before he heads back to the pack house he thought. She deserves the world! Ky agreed with him.
Two blocks from the truck lost in conversation when they heard a persistent voice calling her name. They turned to look as Mrs. Morganson hastily moved down the block towards them. Disapproval etched on her face.
“Dax, I was calling you, didn’t you hear me?” She snapped at her, clearly angry.
“I’m sorry Mrs. Morganson” Dax shrank back a bit from the other woman’s hostile attack. Kane bit back a snarl, but his eyes didn’t hide his disgust at the woman’s behaviour.
’Well I was, you should pay more attention,” she scolded her.
“Yes, you’re right I should. I’m sorry!” Dax bit her lip, her shoulders tensed, her posture stiffened almost like she was waiting to be struck. Kane pulled her more towards him. Something about this woman wasn’t sitting right with him; he just didn’t know what it was.
“Is there something you need Mrs. Morganson?” Kane addressed her, though he was calm his tone was a little harsh. She looked at him, he could tell she disliked him, but he didn’t really care the feeling was more than mutual.
“Not in particular no. I just thought it was interesting how you were too busy to have plans and here you are walking down the street like you have nothing better to do” the older woman addressed Dax not him. A look of panic crossed Dax’s face, before she covered it up with a smile.
“Oh, um Ka….Mr. McKenna commissioned an art piece and we were just discussing the particulars of what he wanted” it wasn’t a total lie, they did discuss it….the night before, but she didn’t need to know that.
“So this is work related? And he is the high profile demanding customer?” Mrs. Morganson asked stiffly.
“Yes,” Dax nodded her head, doing her best to keep the smile on her face.
“Good, you wouldn’t want the town thinking you were just another slut.” Dax flinched, the smile fell from her face and she stepped back from Mrs. Morganson like she just slapped her across the face. Kane tried to pull Dax away from the hateful woman, he felt the tremble of her body at what was just said to her.
“You would be a pretty girl Dax if you took more pride in your appearance, you shouldn’t wear those contacts anymore, they make you look like a sideshow attraction. What is with your ears? They make you look like some freak of nature. You should really get them taken care of. I’ll give you the name of a doctor who can fix them for you.” The woman spewed her poison before Kane could say anything, Dax shrank back even more, wrapping one arm around herself while her fingers trailed the scar on her ear, her eyes burned with tears that she desperately tried to blink back and she just nodded her head at the verbal beating she had taken. She put herself out there and she got her ass handed to her.
Pulling Dax behind him, he stood in front of her protectively, he towered over the other woman, glaring at her.
“Why would she have to do that? I don’t think she needs to change anything about herself. She has a rare beauty, you would have to be either blind or stupid not to see it. She shouldn’t have to hide it to make insecure idiots feel good about themselves. She shouldn’t have to water herself down so she is more digestible to others, let them fucking choke” He didn’t even try to hide his displeasure at the words the woman said to his mate.
“Have yourself a nice day, Mrs. Morganson!” He wrapped his arm around Dax’s waist and started ushering her away, but he could see by the pain on her face that the damage was done, the words cut deep.
“I want to go home,” she whispered. Kane just nodded, he looked over his shoulder and glared at Mrs. Morganson. Stupid woman! Ky growled, Kane couldn’t agree more.
****POV change****
Again she was with the tall one, will he not leave her alone? He was too close to her, his blood was heating up as he watched them from the town square. Holding her hand, she was his, created for him and only him, another man was not going to take her away from him, he didn’t care how big he was, she was his. His blood boiled when he watched Erin approach her, he did not want that vapid bitch anywhere near his angel. He watched her shrink away from Erin like she was just struck. He watched her recoil and shrink in on herself. What did that shrew say to her? She was beautiful, she was in her real glory, she wasn’t hiding. Erin should be so lucky to gaze upon her like that. He has seen her many many times like that when he was younger. She was rare, a treasure no one looked like her in this world, it angered him that she was forced to hide her true self from it. He would never make her hide, she was special. He remembered all the things that bastard Carl would say to her. He would go see her, he would hear her cries and screams while Carl beat her, his heart would break for his angel, how he wished he could make it stop.
He would hear the names he called his angel, the things he dared to say to her, how he wished he was big enough to kill Carl then. When the screams and the cries stopped and long after he watched Carl leave, he would go and find her unconscious, beaten and broken on the floor. He would tend to her injuries as best he could and sing to her. His mother never sang to him, just his brother, but he would sit outside the bedroom door and listen. Pretending it was for him, she looked upon him as the devil, a monster, she didn’t know what a monster was, only him and his angel did and now that monster was getting out. Oh did he have plans for Carl, he would make him pay for the damage he inflicted upon his angel. Continuing to watch as the tall one stood in front of her, guarding her with his body, as inconvenient as he is he might be of use to him. His phone ringing pulled him from his current thoughts.
“What?” he answered harshly,
“I understand!” he replied and disconnected. One more look towards his angel, they were heading back down the sidewalk his heart broke for her. Soon my angel, soon I will make all those who hurt you pay, soon I will take you away from all of this and we can start our life.
****
Kane and Dax made it back to the truck, he opened the door and lifted her up into it, but she fell back into his arms when her hands were shaking so bad and she couldn’t keep a hold of the hand rail. He gave her a moment, she was fighting her emotions, trying to stomp them down, trying to maintain control. She didn’t want to break here, didn’t want to let them see. His heart broke for her, she put herself out there for him, and that stupid vile woman crushed her. She was in pain and he was angry, that will never happen again he vowed, no one will ever talk to her like that again. He helped her back into the truck, she kept her head down but he saw the tear at the edge of her eye when he closed the door. He looked up and caught Glenda’s knowing look through the window, he saw a flash of anger in her eyes but she gave him a smile. When he got into the truck he wanted to take her mind off the encounter they just had,
“Why didn’t you go into any of the stores?” She turned away from him stifling a sniffle
“All the store windows we stopped in front of, why didn’t you ask to go in?”
“Nothing caught my interest” she lied, she knew he was just trying to distract her, so she let him
“Really? The music box that played greensleeves, the caged teardrop necklace, the black journal with the skull wearing the flower headdress” he listed off a few
“As beautiful as they were I don’t need them” she shrugged her shoulders
“But you wanted them” a sad smile crossed her face before she looked at him
“I have learned I can’t afford to want things I do not need,” she said. He thought about that for a moment. What did his little mate want that she felt she didn’t need? He’s seen her warehouse, how she lived, was it that she didn’t need them or more that she felt she didn’t deserve them?
“When was the last time you did anything for yourself?” He tilted his head to the side when he looked at her. Again she just shrugged,
“I don’t know” another lie, she knew it was the day she gave herself a name
“Hmmm” he didn’t believe her.
“When was the last time you did something for yourself?” She asked him,
“That’s simple, today!” He answered with a grin
“Today?” His answer confused her
“Yup! Today, I spent the day with the most beautiful girl in the world.” He started the truck and they headed back to her warehouse. She spent the 10 mins mulling over his answer to that question. When he pulled into the parking lot, he didn’t kill the engine, he just put it in park. Sadly their day has to end here, Johnny is already gonna be pissed at him for leaving him at the pack house all day alone. He got out of the truck and walked around to her side and opened the door.
“My name” she said, undoing her seat belt before she turned to face him so he could help her down.
“What?” He furrowed his brow, she took a deep breath before she replied
“The last thing I did for myself, was when I gave myself a name” he stared at her stunned but he waited for her to continue.
“Aug 27, 2017 I found out I had just turned eighteen, and I decided to do the one thing no one in eighteen years ever did, I gave myself a name. Do you know what they name, unnamed baby girls?” He shook his head
“Baby Girl Jane Doe, adoption agencies do not like naming babies, most people change the name anyway, so I was Baby Girl Jane Doe and I stayed that for eighteen years even after I was adopted, and I didn’t want to be her anymore, so I gave myself a name on my birthday. That was the last and only time I have done something for myself” he grabbed a hold of her waist and she placed her hands on his shoulders as he gently pulled her from the truck. He placed her on the ground, still unsure what to say to her.
“I had a….nice day, thank you for spending it with me” she said and walked away leaving him standing there in stunned silence. It wasn’t a total lie, it started out rough and ended rough but the middle part was good. She liked getting to know him, liked being around him. He watched her go, he watched her walk away. His anger slowly building in him, she paused at the door, looked back at him and gave a small wave. He waved back and then he watched her vanish inside. What the Fuck? Came Ky’s growl in his head. It mimicked his own sentiment. Our Queen deserved better than that! That she did! She deserved a name! Yes she did! The more he listened to Ky the more angry he became he pulled out his phone and called Johnny.
“WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU?” Johnny bellowed into the phone. Johnny sounds angry! Yes he does!
“I have a few stops to make, I will be back in an hour”
“Your fucking job sucks” Kane chuckled at how stressed his friend sounded on the other line.
“I have another favour to ask”
“FUCK YOU!” Johnny sounds really angry! Kane waited for his friend’s breathing to slow down. “What is it?”
“I need you to find any information on this date Aug 27, 1999 specifically pertaining to Jane Doe, Baby Jane Doe or Baby Girl Jane Doe”
“Why?” Johnny was quite calm now and very intrigued
“Because they didn’t give her a fucking name Johnny. I want to know what kind of worthless piece of shit decided an innocent baby does not deserve a proper name” Kane seethed into the phone. Johnny could hear him growl through the line.
“And then what?” Johnny asked, but he already knew what the answer was going to be.
“Then I am going to make them the same nothing they forced her to be for 18 years” Aliquis hodie ibique moriemini! Indeed Ky today someone will die!