The Alpha's Disobedient Mate

(7)

The kitchen being full makes Darcy happier than she could have even realized herself. It feels more lifelike than before. The entire house needs this sort of treatment, to be filled with life. The house is so empty, well, save for the kitchen now. No family pictures, nothing too personal, minimal decoration, if any. The house doesn't feel lived in, despite Jace seeming to have resided here for years.

Darcy went ham on filling the house with food. Jace and her had to take two trips each to take all the bags inside. It wounded both their pride when they realized they had to make more than one trip. Well, Darcy assumed it wounded his pride since Jace never outwardly expressed much. He retreated to his office soon after the bags were in the kitchen, leaving Darcy to put things away herself. She appreciated that, knowing this way she knew where she put everything.

But now... She stands awkwardly in the kitchen, her hands itching to do something, anything. Darcy's hobbies included planning and going to packs to ruffle their Alpha's feathers. In between those hobbies, she worked two very human part-time jobs. What is she to do now? No job, and she's well aware her normal hobby is off the table for the rest of her life if she stays here. As much as she loved to train, she can't do that all day, she'd tire quickly of it... Especially if said training is spent alone.

Eventually she ventures to Jace's office, at least bothering him gives her something to do. His brow is knit together, his focus on a piece of paper, pen tapping the desk. Another expression for Darcy to savour. She drinks it all in before he looks to where she stands silently, face falling back to blankness.

"Do you need something?" All business, no fun. It pains her greatly. She opens her mouth then closes it, unsure what to say. What does she even tell him?

"I... What am I to do?" Darcy manages out after a moment of awkwardness.

"Whatever you want."

"We both know that isn't exactly true."

"Within reason." Jace adds, as if to clarify.

Darcy gives him a dry look. If she were to stay here, with him, she'd have to find something to do, or she would go absolutely crazy. Maybe they were meant to forever ignore each other rather than act as a couple. At this rate, she knew she couldn't just leave. Anytime she thought of escape, another part of her kept her tethered right here. Darcy imagines that tether is Jace, but after she first had that thought, she chose to ignore it.

"What are your hobbies?" Darcy asks him after he's looked back to his paper, like he's signaling their conversation is over.

"Work."

"Work isn't a hobby," Darcy retorts. "If I'm to find something to do, you do too, other than..." she scrunches her nose and waves her hand around the desk area. "That."

It's not fair if she no longer has a job and has to find something to do while he gets to work. She would offer to help him do the work too if it didn't feel so much like... like accepting that she's his mate. Not only that, but she didn't even know where to begin with pack affairs. He would have to teach her and she's not sure how long she can stand the boredom of his presence. Boring, he is boring.

Jace regards her, much like he did when she stated he should live a little. Like everything she tells him is something he hasn't heard before. Maybe... Maybe he hasn't. Again, it is something he does not reply to. That saddens her a little. Finally, she moves from where she stands awkwardly, moving so she's beside him, looking at the paper in his hands. A bill of some kind is all she gathers before her eyes trail to his damaged hand.

"What happened?" Her curiosity gets the better of her, even if she told herself she wouldn't ask whenever the thought crossed her mind. When she first held his hand she learned they existed and was scared to bring up the memories for him. Even now, she doesn't want to push, but she wants to know.