Evan thought that the less he knew about him, the later they would meet in person. So far, he only knew his gender (or rather assumed), the fact he liked sports (or at least soccer), and that he was somewhat nice. Nothing too special. Except for the fact that he was destined to be his other half, of course. Still, in Evan's mind, it meant that they wouldn't find each other anytime soon. He was just a stranger.
He didn't feel connected to him, so naturally, kissing Kieran didn't feel like cheating.
Was he supposed to wait for his mate? To have all his first experiences with him? He certainly didn't like the idea. His mate didn't wait when he held someone else's hand, so why should he? So, when Kieran asked him on a date, he agreed.
His parents were oblivious to this, and so was Angie. He didn't want him to be his dirty little secret, but he also wasn't ready for breaking non-existent rules out loud. That's just how it worked – one person knew, and then suddenly everybody did.
So, he agreed.
Kieran was trying to take him out for almost a year, and even when he always said no (after he finally stopped blushing), he still remained kind to him. He never pushed him into anything, and he never complained. They were just friends who were flirting with each other every now and then. Yet, after a few more months, Evan couldn't resist anymore.
He was sixteen, for Christ's sake. He was supposed to go out and kiss boys and girls. To make memories, mistakes, maybe even some hickeys. He just wanted to be a normal teenager. Well, normal werewolf teenager.
With Kieran, he felt just like that.
Currently, they were on the outskirts of the town. A few years ago, someone put a huge white sheet between the trees there and even made a tiny roof so it wouldn't get wet. The only things you needed for a perfect date were the projector and the car (obviously).
Kieran borrowed the pickup truck from his dad, brought some blankets and pillows, and when he pulled a bag of popcorn out of his backpack, Evan knew it would be perfect. A perfect first date. He didn't even hope that he would ever experience something like this. Wolves had an animalistic streak, and their first instinct was to jump into bed together rather than buy roses. However, Kieran was not a wolf, and that made him perfect in Evan's eyes.
"You really thought about everything, didn't you?" He couldn't help but smiled. He knew it was only an illusion, and he couldn't be enjoying this forever, but he could enjoy one flawless night. After all, he had been waiting for it for over a year.
"I admit, I wanted to impress you," Kieran beamed at him, holding a blanket. Evan took it from him and snuggled against him. Kieran then helped him cover both of them so they wouldn't be cold and pushed the play button. Bright lights lightened up the screen, and the first scenes of the movie started to show, but Evan's eyes were staring at something much more interesting.
Suddenly, their eyes met.
Evan wished it wasn't so dark, so he could fully enjoy all those shades of blue. Sometimes he felt like he could drown in those eyes.
"You did a pretty good job," he whispered to his date in a hushed tone. They were alone, so there was no way he wouldn't hear him. It felt intimate. Just as he imagined it to be when Kieran asked him out.
"Oh yeah?" The only thing he could focus on was his lips, his teeth slowly biting them as if it was a competition. If it was, he would certainly win.
There were no words needed anymore.
Kieran moved closer and closer until there was no space between them. And then it happened. His first kiss. And Goddess, it felt right.
---
The memory of what just happened yesterday made Evan giddy inside. He still felt the tingling sensation on his lips. He could hear Kieran's slightly deeper voice and feel the way his heart was speeding. He always knew they had chemistry, but he never imagined how good it would feel if he acted on those feelings.
This was it. He didn't want to let himself admit that, but he knew. If he ever let himself give in to his emotions, he would fall hard. He could imagine himself falling in love with him, giving him every bit of his soul. After all, he was perfect for him. The way he looked, the way he talked, his eyes, those beautiful blue eyes, and the way he looked at him. Evan liked everything about him.
For a second, he wished he was a wolf. Silly thought.
With a sigh, he got out of bed. He didn't want to arouse suspicion and since it was the weekend, it meant spending time with his parents without acting lovesick. The last few days had been fight-free, and Evan was trying to keep it that way. No arguments meant no suspicions and therefore more time spent as he wanted.
He went straight to the kitchen to deal with his increasing hunger. The last thing he ate was popcorn, and it was almost twelve hours ago. And although he often thought of coffee as food, now his stomach craved something more filling.
"How was the study date?" was the first question his mother asked when she saw him. Oh yeah, he lied. He mentioned it, didn't he?
"Fine," he answered shortly and headed to the fridge. He learned long ago that short answers were the best.
"I hope you didn't do anything I wouldn't do." He rolled his eyes at her statement. She was bugging him the whole week when he told her he wanted to go out in Marwell. He was honestly surprised she hadn't decided to go with him as a supervisor.
"Well, I was learning, and you don't do that hence your work, so I guess I have to disappoint you," he remarked sarcastically. She was so overprotective. He didn't understand what she was afraid of so much. It's not like he would reveal his secret to anyone. It wasn't just his secret, and he knew it. Moreover, it made him strong enough to protect himself from possible danger. Robbers may have knives, but he had claws.
Even when he hated the werewolf life sometimes, it was still a huge part of his identity. He still loved the way the wind ruffled his fur, the scent of wild air, and that feeling of freedom and being able to do anything. Without being the wolf, it wouldn't be him. And without his parents and friends, who were also his pack members, he would feel alone. So far, these worlds existed in one, and during the time he lived in them, he learned to coordinate them even if it involved the occasional lie.
"There's no need to be sarcastic. I'm your mother, not your friend," his mother rebuked him. At least he was behind the fridge door, so she didn't see his expression. He was pretty sure she wouldn't like that either.
He took out some leftovers from yesterday and put them on the counter.
"Don't eat it cold. You'll get a belly ache."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He grabbed the plate and aimed for the microwave. His hunger grew even worse, and he couldn't wait to finally eat something.
That was the plan for the day – eat, shift and run. Nothing was stopping his delightful day. At least that's what the poor kid naively thought.
Fate worked in cruel ways, and of course, he decided to prove that to him at the worst time. It couldn't let him have this one small feeling of victory; of love almost. It had to show him where his place was.
For a second, Evan thought something was wrong. Like he fainted or something, but then it hit him. He was not seeing through his own eyes, so the darkness that surrounded him also did not come from him. His mate's eyes were closed for some reason, but somehow Evan felt that he wasn't having discomfort. It was strangely soothing. Like when you have this strange warm feeling in your chest that tells you something good is coming.
His eyes finally opened, and the first thing he saw was a fire.
His eyesight focused, and what seemed to be fire were candles on a birthday cake. A birthday cake that landed on the table in front of him. His gaze shifted, and the next thing he knew, he was looking at the name written in frosting.
Happy birthday, Ryan!
And that's when Evan awakened.
The first thing he heard was the plate smashing against the floor, but it wasn't just the plate that shattered that day, so did his joy.