She's Golden

Phase Thirty-Seven: Playing House, pt. 1

Author's Note:  Everything and their momma happened in the last five or so phases - so we need to come down a bit.  So this update won't be very long, though it begins to set up the next few things happening.  So, please forgive me, and if you want something to blame...blame my school.  They're used to it. - B.N.

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Took George twenty eight years to find the made she didn't want, six days to go from "hell no" to "maybe so", a week after that to go from "maybe so" to "yes, of course" and one more to week to admit her love for him.

Not even soap operas had the luxury of relationships developing so quickly, but that's what made the mate bond so unique - you literally fell in love at breakneck speed.

That is, if there was no resistance, rejection, or hasty retreating.

But fall in love you do - and for the most part it's inevitable, so long as egos, infidelity, and stupidity were left out of the equation.

George realized this as she cuddled against Julian's sleeping form resting quietly beside her, her back to his front, his arm draped across her waist protectively.  His heart beat in time with hers, his upbeat after her down beat, her down beat after his upbeat.  His familiar scent warmed her more than any blanket ever could.  Though he was asleep, she could still feel how comforted he was to be with her - she felt the same way.

How could she have ever not wanted this?

Wait, she knew why, but she didn't want to think about it right now.  She didn't want to feel the barbs of insidious possibilities prick her over and over again, never giving her any peace.  She wasn't an idiot - she knew there was one thing that would determine if this was truly all meant to be.  History dictated that the bond was on her side.  Her mother would take great pains to assure George that a human mate was not only a blessing, but in some ways much better than a lupine one.

"How could they not be a blessing, Georgia?" her mother's voice whispered inside her head.  "Despite being born a mortal, the human mate somehow has it in them to accept you for who you are, despite the fear and the confusion.   I wish I could say that your father wasn't scared - in many ways, he was.  Yet at the end of it all, he fell in love with every part of me - both the good and the bad.  And that is the kind of love that we all hope for, both humans and wolves."

Julian had seen many sides of her in short amount of time.  He'd seen the awkward librarian that found it hard to get through social encounters, the fiery tango dancer who loves to play the game of seduction, the sweets lovers, the trendy fashionista that didn't like to be called that, the passionate she-wolf who desired sensual completeness, and tough-as-nails she-wolf that didn't take crap from anyone and would defend her mate at any given time.  And while she could sense his apprehension whenever things got particularly dicey, he'd never made an attempt to leave.

George smirked.  No, he pretty much asked to live with me, if only for a little while.  He must be crazy.  Then again, I must be crazy, too, since I said 'yes'.

This wasn't insanity - this was completeness.  This was happiness.  This was what the mate bond was meant to be like and this is was everything she ever dreamed of, boldly as a child and clandestinely as an adult.  He may have asked to stay for a few days, but she wasn't sure if she'd be able to let him go once it was all over.  But at this rate, it was only a matter of time before the truth would come up.  Her phase was quickly approaching, and she could feel her wolf growing more and more restless wanting to come out and play, stretch its legs and have a run. 

I can't send him away, but if he's here, there's not getting around it - he's going to know, she thought as the anxiety began to gnaw at her.  He's my mate, I should tell him, but what can I do...I don't want to lose him, and I'm terrified of how he'll react.  I don't want him to be like Chris...