With Hands to Hold | ✔

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Spiraea wanted to take Marianne's advice, in fact she had planned to talk to him that evening. She had readied herself as much as she could, ready to spill her guts as soon as she stepped through the door, only Vincent wasn't there when she got home.

She was filled with worry for a moment, though remembering the meeting he had she calmed. His meeting was probably just running late. She figured that she would just wait until he came back to talk to him. In the meantime, she would just do something else. 

The girl busied herself making dinner, she made curry crab and dumplings chuckling as she though of Vincent trying to eat it. After seeing Mama D'Leau and Papa Bois had her craving a taste of her heritage, it was the first time in a long time that she had missed her real family, or what she could remember of them. 

Her mother had been from Venezuela, but her father was from the Dominican republic. She grew up in the Dominican republic until her mother died and her father decided he didn't want her anymore. She swallowed a lump at the thought. 

After cooking, she cleaned the kitchen, and the living room. She took a shower, changed and even tidied their bedroom. She was so nervous that she could hardly stop moving. 

She sat by the kitchen counter waiting, the clock on the kitchen wall ticking tauntingly. She almost gave up, but as she stood to go upstairs, Vincent stepped through the door looking haggardly. His clothes were a mess, and had sweat on his  brow and matting his hair. 

And just like that, her need to talk to him, the conversation she needed to have left her mind. For a second, she even forgot that she was mad at him- she was just relieved that he was back, and that he was okay.

"Sorry I'm late, the meeting ran late and then we had an issue to deal with. I was running the borders with my warriors." He moved to hug her, though she pushed him away before he could reach her. 

"You're all dirty and sweaty." She laughed at his pout, taking a step back. Her head nodded over to the stove where dinner was ready. "I cooked."

A large grin took over his features, and his eyes filled with that look. The one he only got when he looked at her, the one that made her heart race. "I love you."

And just like that, she remembered her upset. She tried to hide it, but she couldn't help but let her smile fall just a little. Vincent noticed but said nothing, instead he went to take a shower before enjoying dinner with his mate. 

The following days followed a similar pattern. Vincent had noticed the girls sudden distance, though said nothing. He wanted her to talk to him because she wanted to, not because he had coaxed it out of her. Nonetheless he was growing increasingly frustrated at the situation; the last thing he wanted to do was to explode on her so he busied himself making final arrangements before he left with her to go to the upcoming wedding. 

He had arranged that Fletcher would be in charge with his father when they left. They made security measures for the pack; Vincent knew the pack would be no weaker with him gone, but he still wanted to make sure his people would be well looked after. 

If he had any spare time at the end of the day he would take a run before going back home to Spiraea. He had to calm his wolf before dealing with the tension that had grown between him and his woman like a malignant tumour. 

Spiraea felt Vincents withdrawal from her, and she knew it was her own fault. She knew she was pushing him away, it was her fault, and it was hurting them both that she couldn't just talk to him like she was supposed to.  She visited 'Forest Fittings and Things' everyday as well as the taking care of the babies in the Pack Nursery. 

She found out that Papa Bois was quite the craftsman, and had made jewellery and shoes to match the dress that his wife had made for her. He had also made a matching necklace, earrings and bracelet made with green stones and white pearls on a golden chain. The shoes, dark green ballet flats, with ribbon around the ankles.