Strange Attractions

Chapter 28

My tired eyes burned as I rubbed my temples, trying to ease the pressure building in my head. The words of the contract were practically imprinted on my mind now, after reading and rereading it countless times. If only I had taken the time to truly understand it before signing the dotted line, instead of being seduced by promises and false hope.

I couldn't help but think of it as a deal with the devil, or perhaps more fittingly, a snake offering me an apple that would ultimately lead to my downfall.

My grandma had consulted her solicitor for advice, but they offered little help. It was left to my mum to deliver the harsh truth, as my grandma couldn't bring herself to forgive me at the moment.

After leaving Leo behind, I wandered aimlessly around my cottage like a lost spirit for days. In moments of despair, I would wail and cry before retreating into myself once again. Grace had come over several times after I refused to answer any of her calls or messages, but I couldn't face her. So, I hid like a coward, pretending not to be home. She must have known what was going on, but she respected my need for solitude.

I had already demolished my emergency stash of chocolate and was restless at 8pm when dusk was setting in. I debated changing out of my comfortable clothes before heading to the store, but who would see me anyway? I quickly pulled my hair up into a messy bun and grabbed my keys.

As soon as I opened the door, a gasp escaped my lips and I stumbled backward, momentarily losing my footing. There stood Leo with his hand raised mid-air, about to knock on my door. He reached out towards me, but I regained my balance just in time.

"You almost scared me to death! What are you doing here?" I chastised him.

He seemed to devour me with his eyes as they roamed over every inch of my body, making me feel exposed and vulnerable. Then he had to open his smart mouth.

"Is it a full moon tonight?" He glanced up at the murky coloured sky before looking back at me with a slight smile.

"What on earth are you talking about? How would I know?" I asked, peering out of the doorframe and looking up at the sky. "I'm in a rush, Leo, so please tell me the reason for your unwelcomed visit".

"Of course, the transformation must be imminent, Will you be howling at the moon by yourself, or will there be others joining in?" His tongue lightly grazed his lower lip as he spoke, a sly grin spreading across his face. He was clearly pleased with himself.

"Just be careful, because I might just bite back",
I jeered, leaning away from him. "I don't care if I look like shit. I don't have time for these games, now move out of my way".

"Wait, it's important, "his playful demeanour quickly fading.

"Forgive my apprehension", I warned, "but the last time you claimed something was important, I lost control of my own company".

"Bella, please", he begged, his tone sincere.

"Oh, spare me, Leo. Just stop looking at me like that. This werewolf needs her chocolate fix, so let's hurry up and go".

We made our way to my car, and as we were getting inside, he stopped halfway.

"Are you going to drive like a normal person this time or are you going to drive erratically and then abandon me somewhere?"

"That's probably what you deserve", I replied coldly. "Now either get in or get lost, Leo".

"Point taken", he mumbled as he begrudgingly climbed into the passenger seat.

We arrived at a generic corner shop, nothing remotely interesting about it. I couldn't help but imagine our shop ending up just as unremarkable as I perused the aisles. Leo stood at the end of one aisle, his lips curved into an amused grin as he watched me hastily gather an assortment of goodies.

"Don't just stand there, grab a basket and those chocolate caramel bites", I demanded, pointing to the share bag that I had no intentions of sharing.

As we got to the till, I reached into my bag to pay when Leo beat me to it with his card. The cashier looked at him with admiration.

"What a gentleman" she gushed.

"More wolf than man. A real wolf in sheep's clothing", I muttered under my breath, shooting him an unpleasant glance. "I'm not destitute yet, I can buy my own snacks".

"The least I can do is help out a fellow wolf in need", Leo goaded with a sly smile, mimicking a wolf howl and barely containing a laugh.

The cashier said nothing, but her expression shifted from 'you two are cute' to 'what a pair of loons'.

I went to grab my stash of treats like a goblin hoarding its treasure, but Leo beat me to it, and I hurried back to the car. He loaded the bags onto the backseat while I adjusted my rear-view mirror and caught sight of myself.

I couldn't believe I had ventured out looking like some sort of sea witch. I found myself laughing at my own audacity.

I wish I had the shame, but I didn't care and neither did Leo apparently.