BLACK

(47) BLACK

LIKE MOTHER LIKE DAUGHTER

"Oren, please." He wasn't listening. The man had his sights set and wasn't peeking from them. He grasped my ankle again, firmly. I tried to pry my foot from the gentle cup of his fingers. "You're being ridiculous."

He slips my shoe off my foot with ease from my sock. His golden eyes have strayed from mine forever, never matching. It's as if my face has become my foot to him.

Cross legged, I hunch forward with a huff and hand on my chin. I sit in the pack house front hall on a hand crafted bench, hundreds of foot prints from the day staining the floor. Sunlight pours in from the windows behind luminous green trees, the large hallway bursting with the suns warmth. The rays cascade over my sweater covered skin, adding heat to my naturally cold temperature. Just from Oren's touch I know I'm colder than supposed to be.

Oren kneels before me, dressed casually in his jeans and black T shirt. I struggled getting dressed this morning, all too aware of our plans to visit the local schools annual fair. It would be my first outing into Blackmoore Territory as official Luna since Oren brought me home with him... Old me wouldn't have to worry, always having Rayanne pick out some extravagant dress for me, or one of my mates buy only the most beautiful materials for me to go around in. Everybody wanted to parade me around with wealth and fortune, like I was a mirror of their reflection. My fingernails were bitten raw this morning despite Oren's pleads for me not to stress. He said casual, but what was casual? I didn't have anything fancy to even dress up in if I wanted too. He said the pack doesn't care as long as I just come to support them, but what did he know? He's been with this pack for all twenty of his years. He's never had to make an impression, to constantly please them. He's never known what it's like to be the most hated Luna.

During my thoughts, Oren had unravelled the laces and tied their crinkling mess up properly on the outside of both of my shoes. He tenderly pats my jean clad leg, "Stop worrying about the pack."

I scowled at him as he stands up. Now I have huge and ridiculous looking shoes, with no way to get the laces back into their perfect store bought tie. I stand too with a bit of hesitance in my step. "Are you sure this is okay? I shouldn't dress up more?"

He's busy opening the door, gaze beyond me. "No."

"No this isn't okay?"

His eyes glance to me out of eagerness. "No as in you shouldn't dress up more."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"You didn't even look!"

His eyes squint with a small smile grazing his lips. "I've been staring at you all morning. Can you please get your cheeky ass in the car now?"

Eyes wide and cheeks blushing from embarrassment, I race past him in the open door tugging my sweater down my back. "Quit staring, perv."

He barks out laughter after me, pulling the pack house door shut. Reaching the car, I turn and watch him as I wait. The pack house is beautifully built with beige bricks and heavily pressurized wood that gives black edges around the building. Many members tend to the gardens daily, keeping them full of life and vivid until the colder months will come. Oren tells me even as October and December come, some of the flowers will remain alive.

Walking to my side, Oren finally clicks the unlock button on his set of keys. He likes to open the door for me everywhere we go, so he has this little game where he prevents me from ever doing it myself by keeping the car locked. And then he closes the door for me as well.

While Oren rounds the vehicle, my fingers devilishly toy with the lock button. He shakes the door handle a second before clicking the button on his chain again. But I press down just after, preventing him from getting the door open. A grin is plastered across my lips, laughter fighting it's way up my chest. He taps against the glass, fingers pointing at me with blame as I can hear him grumbling in protest. He starts to click the button and grab the door handle faster in series with my own finger locking him out until eventually I lose.