Hello my amazing readers! How's the rewrite version going so far? I think the last version was a bit lacking in the fluff department, so here u go!
Anyways, I made an Instagram to keep in touch with you all! I'll be uploading sneak peeks regarding the next chapters, and maybe have character interviews, annnnnd a lill' surprise as well!
For now, enjoy!
49. Have we met before
I heave out a dramatic sigh and lean my head over the armrest of the couch in our room.
“This is so boring,” I drawl out
Luke looks up from the files he was reviewing, my legs resting across his lap “You could read a book.”
“Been there, done that.”
“Get yourself something to eat?”
“Don’t feel like it.”
“Browse through the internet?”
“Not my thing.”
This time he sighs, brushing his thumb against my calf “Then I’m sorry to say Hazel, but you’ll have to bear it.”
Luke explained to me that it’ll take a day or two to find Korra and convince her to come here. Until then, I cant let any of the other surviving competitors know that Luke and I are mates.
Meaning, I have to stay on this floor, for another few days.
I sit up and pout at him “Are you really sure someone will find out we’re mates if I go out?”
“Positive,” Luke says, looking at little conflicted at my disappointed face
“Its fine,” I say, defeated with the fact that I’ll have to stay stuck on this floor until the mark is removed
Luke offers me a nod “I’m sorry, Elise. Just for another day or two.”
I nod back.
And then collapse back on the couch.
…
I don’t realize I was sleeping until something wakes me up.
Pint!
My brows furrow and I lift myself up from the bed, not knowing how I ended up here.
Pint!
My eyes draw towards the windows, which show the dark sky outside. I make my way towards them, pushing the glass panels aside when—
“Ouch!” A little stone hits me on the forehead
I catch the little weapon and glare down “Who the hell—
And curses die on my tongue when I see an all too familiar face looking up at me from the ground.
“You sleep like the dead,” Luke calls to me
“What are you doing?” I call back, as quiet as I can
In answer, he only opens up his arms, the gesture too obvious.
I blink down at my mate “Luke, if you want to hold me, you can just come up.”
He shakes his head “I want you to come down.”
My heart skips a beat, my eyes widen and a sudden rush of excitement washes over me.
“I’ll be down in a sec!” I call down excitedly
“No!” his voice reaches me in a panicked whisper-yell, barely loud enough for me to catch “The whole point of staying in was that no one catches your scent!”
“Then what?” I furrow my brows
He holds out his arms again. I realize what he means and recoil just at the thought.
“You’re mad.” I give him a wide eyed look “I’m not jumping from here!”
His shoulders shake in silent laughter “That’s about the only thing we have in common, Hazel.”
I bit down my bottom lip. I want to go, I really, really do but its so far down. But Luke…
I growl in frustration and throw the rock in my hand at him. Luke steps sideways.
“You better catch me,” I warn, contemplating how much it might hurt falling from a three storey building
“I wouldn’t worry about that.” Luke smirks
I take a deep, deep breath. Here goes.
And I jump.
Please catch me, please catch me, please—
The air gets knocked out of my lungs when I land, strong arms wrap around me. I still cant open my tightly clenched eyes.
“Got you,” Luke chuckles as he starts walking
The shock of the fall dims down and I open my eyes, looking up at him “Where are we going?”
Luke meets my eyes, surprising me with an excited grin “Somewhere you’d like.”
He puts me to my feet once we near the trees surrounding the mansion and takes my hand in his, interlacing our fingers.
I take a huge gulp of the mist kissed air, slight goose bumps spread on my arms due to the chill and I find my excitement returning.
“So this is our first date?” I ask Luke, almost skipping in my steps as he leads me through the trees
“The first of many,” He stops for a moment so we can walk side by side
“Sure you got what it takes to keep my interest?” I wiggle my brows at him
Luke narrows his eyes at me playfully “Is that a challenge?”
“If you’re not to afraid.” I fire back
“Oh, I think you’ll like my thought process, love.”
Not a few seconds later, I see the trees thinning to give way for a decent earthen road and on that road, I see—
“No way,” I stop in my tracks, slack jawed
A black car stands in the middle of nowhere, Luke pulls out the keys from his pocket and unlocks it.
“You own a Ferrari?!”
“Among other things,” Luke says, unfazed, as he leads me towards it “I’ve earned my fair share of fortune during my travels.”
He turns his eyes to me, lips tugging upward at my expression “Impressed already, Hazel?”
I snap out of my stupor and grin at him “Though that one hell of a car, it’ll take more than just this to impress me.”
Luke opens my door and sketches an elaborate bow “Allow me to take care of that.”
I laugh as I slide in and Luke closes the door before going to the driver’s seat.
“So where are we going?” I ask him
“Somewhere,” Luke says as the car roars to life and we start down on the road
Realizing he wont tell me, which I honestly don’t mind since I love a good surprise, I settle with “How far is it?”
Luke hmms a bit in thought “A little far. This might be like a short long drive.”
“Short long drive?” I chuckle “Say, does this road go straight to the destination?”
Stormy blue eyes flicker to mine, a hint of amusement already gleaming in them “Pretty much, yes.”
I grin “And, theoretically of course, how fast can this thing go?”
Luke flashes me a grin mirroring mine before we’re racing down the road.
In in the dead of the night, someone probably wonders why the hell they hear a howling ‘Wohooo’ from the woods.
…
The car finally slows to a stop, still in the middle of nowhere. I brush my hair behind my ears, a wide grin already forming on my face. Turns out, I like short long drives made really short.
Luke opens my door and I take his outstretched hand in mine, as close the door behind as he leads me forward.
“Don’t tune into your heightened senses yet,” Luke says
“There’s a switch for that?”
He nods “Just focus on my hand, not your surroundings.”
“Okay,” I tighten my grip on his hand, the rough calluses of his palm brushing against my still relatively soft hands
“Close your eyes.”
I roll my eyes with a laugh “And you say I’m the childish one.”
“Just consider it payback for all the things you make me do.”
“You never do anything willingly,” I point out, but still, close my eyes for the heck of it
We walk on for barely a few more minutes, but my nerves are already jumbled up from excitement.
Then Luke stops, I feel him lean closer, his lips almost brushing my ear “Ready?”
I grin “Always.”
“Open your eyes.”
And when I do, they only widen further.
I gape openmouthed at the sigh in front of me, my eyes traveling up and up to the peaks of this surprise. All the way to the highest point of the Ferris Wheel.
Because Luke Winters took me to a carnival.
“Oh my Goddess!” I grab his arm and squeal shrilly enough to make him go deaf
But Luke only laughs “Like the surprise?”
“I love it!” I rock on my toes, grinning excitedly
“Then lets make the most of this night.” He says, returning my grin with a smile
“But wait,” I stop him before he can walk towards it “Wont people recognize us? I thought they do some promoting or something of the Hunt participants?”
“No,” Luke shakes his head “Because unlike us, this carnival is arranged by humans, for humans of the town not very far from the mansion.”
“So,” I say as we start forward “We can be just you and me here?”
“Just you and me,” Luke glances at me from the corner of his eyes, the stormy blue catching mine “Us.”
“Then lets go!” I take his hand and all but start sprinting, quickly covering the remaining distance
The glittering lights and smell of food and chatter of all the people around, combined with the screams and laughter of those at the rides is already giving me a dopamine rush.
I reach up on my toes and press a kiss to Luke cheek “You’re the best mate ever!”
He raises his brows, a smile playing at his lips “Does that mean you’ll go out with me again?”
“Depends on how much food you buy me tonight,” I chirp happily “But first,”
I look around, settling on my first conquest for the night, I turn back to Luke, mischief dancing across my eyes “How about we raid the shooting court?”
Luke shakes his head with a snicker as I drag him towards the stall “We’ll ruin that man’s career, Elise.”
“Maybe he’ll offer something just to get us to leave,” I wink
And that he did. After I almost won everything on display, all the while Luke stood by my side, leaning against the counter, the stall owner not so subtly hinted that he knows the owner of a barbeque place nearby, and he can get his ‘friends’ free dinner.
I was more than ready to take him up on the offer, but Luke said its fine and dragged me— along with a dozen stuffed animals that I’m probably going to go back and give the omega kids in our pack— away from the stall owner. The poor man looked like he would kiss Luke in gratitude.
“Where to next?” Luke asks me
“Hmm, lets go check out this barbeque place he mentioned.” I say “I’m starving.”
Luke rolls his eyes despite the amusement clear on his face “You’re always starving.”
I slap his arm playfully “Be glad Winters, I don’t let just anybody buy me food.”
“Oh, I’m overcome with gratitude,” Luke laughs “I’ll go put these back in the car, you go ahead.”
“Don’t be long,” I say before walking in the direction the stall owner pointed towards
He said its almost right by the photobooth. Narrowing my eyes, I spot the bright red thing, sticking out like a sour thumb. Not two feet away, a huge sign board declares the place where I’m probably going to make Luke spend a lot of money tonight.
The shop is more of an open area, grills scattered here and there along with tables, waiters and cooks. My mouth waters at the aroma, Moon, how long has it seen since I’ve had food like this?
I catch a two persons table and place the first order.
Not two minutes later, while I’m busy admiring the fairy lights arranged across the whole place, someone clears their throat.
Startled, I look back to see someone standing in front of me.
“Excuse me, Miss,” Luke clears his throat “But have we met before?”
I can’t hold back my smile as I prop my elbows on the table and meet his eyes “Have we? I get the feeling I wouldn’t have forgotten you.”
His lips tug upward “May I?” he gestures at the seat across from me
“Help yourself,” I wave my hand
Luke sits down, letting out a breath “You really saved my dignity.”
I raise an eyebrow. He leans forward, setting his interlocked hands on the table, a sheepish look on his face.
“My date stood me up,” He reveals “I really didn’t want to make some excuse back home as to why I’m back so early.”
I snort “Her loss.”
He smiles, holding out a hand towards me “Luke Winters.”
I laugh as I shake his hand “Elise Attwood.”
Just then, a waiter sets down an absolutely delectable looking dish of barbeque on our table.
“Enjoy your meal,” He says
“Oh, I think we will,” I grin at him
“So, Elise,” Luke passes me a stick of my new love “What are you doing here all by yourself?”
I take a big piece of perfectly seasoned meat in my mouth, groaning at the taste, eating all too fast before replying.
“I’ve recently passed a really twisted part of my life,” I sigh and wave a hand “But in the end, everything turned out fine, so I thought I should treat myself to some fun time.”
I lean forward, a suggestive smile lifting at my lips “But I don’t mind a little company.”
His stormy eyes are so bright under the twinkling lights, my breath almost catches at the intensity of his gaze as he leans forward as well, both our faces inches apart.
“I’m glad I met you Elise,” Luke says softly
“Yeah,” My cheeks are burning form this undivided attention “I’m pretty awesome, aren’t I?”
His warm breath fans my face when he snickers “I can always count on you to keep me from being arrogant, can’t I?”
Then he takes the barbeque stick from my hand and leans back. I gasp and put a hand on my chest at the sleek betrayal.
Finally, after I’m done eating to my heart’s fill, Luke pays our generous bill and offers me his arm as we leave.
Right for the photo booth.
And after I have about a dozen pictures of both of us, and the night ripens to its peek, the chill in the air increases, but nothing falters the spirit of the carnival.
“I’m thinking,” I tap a finger to my chin “How about some desert?”
Luke raises an eyebrow “You really have space for anything else to put in your stomach?”
“Yup,” I say proudly “Like I always tell myself, there’s always room for desert.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.” Luke chuckles, leading me towards a patch of area full of ice cream sellers
“I honestly took you for the type more interested in the rides,” Luke tells me
“Maybe some other day,” I say as the ice cream man hands me a big cone having scoops of chocolate, vanilla and strawberry “But I’d like to explore on my first experience.”
“You’ve never been to a carnival before?” Luke raises an eyebrow, flickering a glance at me before taking his mint and chocolate-chip ice cream
“Nope,” I shudder as the ice cream melts on my tongue “But I’m good at adapting, as you might’ve witnessed.”
“Good,” Luke says as we head to a bench “Because there are so many places I want to take you, Elise.”
I flash him a bright smile, trying my to show that the shudder that went through me just now is not at the absolute sincerity of his gaze but at the shill of the night.
“Looking forward to it,” I say
The carnival is almost quiet in this area, only a humm of noise. For a few moments, both of us simply enjoy the ice cream, sitting next to each other, the fingers touching of our hands touching.
Then I notice Luke stiffening, before he shifts ever so slightly towards me.
I raise an eyebrow “What?”
Luke lowers his voice and doesn’t directly look at me “Three guys near the oak tree. They’ve been staring at us for a few minutes.”
I try not to let the stiffening of my shoulders be noticeable “Do you think they know?”
“Not sure, they’re humans.” Luke says “But maybe we should go.”
I nod. Then, a few seconds later, both of us get up, casually walking away.
From my peripheral, I see one of those guys walk towards us. He’s wearing a thick leather jacket, his blond hair is touching his shoulders in neat waves.
Don’t talk to us, don’t talk to us, don’t—
“Hey,” he waves a hand as he reaches
Oh crap.
Luke stops and turns to him, I do the same. Mr. Blonds smiles, mainly at Luke.
“Hey, I’ve never seen you around here before.” He says casually “You’re new in town or something?”
“No,” Luke says “We’re just visiting.”
“Oh,” his face falls for barely a second before he smiles again “Pity that. Anyways,”
He reaches into the inner pocket of his jacket and I brace myself. If this smartass thinks he can take on us, if he’s been sent by some hidden enemy I don’t even know of yet to ruin my first date, I swear on all that’s holy I—
“If you ever come by,” he pulls out a piece of paper and hold it to Luke “Feel free to crash at my place.”
Then he winks.
He bloody winks at my mate and shoots him a suggestive smirk “Gregory Millers. But I answer to handsome or babe too.”
I’m gaping at him, while he’s still holding out his number to my mate.
Before Luke can so much as blink, I step up between them, a death glare on my face.
“Hey!” I narrow my eyes “Can’t you see he’s taken?”
Mr. Blond-ass turns his gaze to me, as if seeing me for the first time. His face utterly bored.
“Really?” he drawls out “I thought you were his sister.”
My nostrils flare “His sister? Why you little—
Before I can make sure his face never matches his sister’s again, an arm wraps around my shoulders and pulls me back to a warm chest.
“Let go, love,” Luke says in my ear, but I can hear the laughter in his voice, before he turns to the dumbass before us “I’m sorry but, as my wife told you, I’m already taken.”
“For life,” I add, just for good measure
Blondie’s shoulders fall, but he shrugs, giving Luke one last wishful glance before returning to his friends.
“Bastard,” I hiss, glaring at his back
I can feel Luke’s silent laughter from his chest pressed to my back “Someone’s jealous.”
“I’m not jealous of anyone,” I huff indignantly
“Of course,” Luke shifts his hold so we’re walking side by side
I look over my shoulder at that Blond who’s still looking at my mate. When he catches me watching, I move a thumb over my throat and then point at him.
Something about the look on my face makes him look away, albeit with an eyeroll.
Yeah that’s right! Stay away from him, you dense asshole.
“Come on, Hazel,” Luke nudges me “Let it go.”
“I am letting it go!” I say, mindlessly lifting my hand, totally forgetting I’m still holding my half eaten ice cream and—
Smudging it across my cheek, followed by a yelp of surprise.
Luke laughs and I scowl at him, opening my mouth to say something when—
He leans down, pressing an open-mouthed kiss on my cheek, his warm tongue licks off the ice cream. A low growl rumbles in his chest, his arm tightens around me, pulling me closer to his warmth.
“That’s some good ice cream, Elise,” Luke pulls back just enough to say “Don’t waste it.”
“I— that,” my heart is fluttering like a mad bird “Where’s yours?”
“I finished it while you were busy shooting death glares.” Luke chuckles
“Oh, right, of course,” Why am I stammering?
We weave through the thinning crowd and I manage to calm my heart down and finally finish my ice cream.
“Ready to call it a night?” Luke asks me
I hmms in thought, when my eyes are drawn to the thing they were drawn to the moment I saw this place.
“One more thing.”
…
“Everything looks miniature from here!” I say in awe
From the highest point of the Ferris Wheel, the carnival looks like a kids wonderland toy set.
“Mhmm,” Luke humms in agreement
I turn back from the window at my side to see him leaning forward, elbows propped on his knees and face resting on a fist, looking directly at me.
A laugh escapes me “You’re not even watching.”
“I am watching.” Luke says
“What exactly?” I cock my head with a smile
A lazy smile tugs at his lips, stormy blue eyes so openly adoring, it makes me slightly breathless.
“A beautiful piece of art.”
Yeah, my heart is definitely going to outrun itself.
“This doesn’t make sense,” I shake my head
Luke cocks his head to one side “What?”
“Even in my fanciest daydreams,” I smile sheepishly “I was always alone. In the end, in the big scheme of the world, I was left on my own.”
And so I pretended that I don’t want it. The love, the care, the bond. I said it so many times, for so long, I almost believe it myself now. And yet, looking in those stormy blue eyes, I realize just how susceptible I am to fall for those things.
I set my hands down on either side of my legs, lowering my head to look at my lap as a breath of embarrassed laughter escapes me. The layers of cocky remarks and optimism melt down, making my feel as if my heart is fluttering in my throat.
“It seems almost wrong,” My voice catches, though the smile stays “I’ve never, never done anything to be deserving of—
Then a warm hand slips behind my neck as my face is tilted up, and something warm is pressed against my lips.
Perhaps for the first time, I’m too surprised to kiss Luke back.
He pulls back, just enough to look at me.
“Don’t say that,” Luke says, despite his serious face, his voice is soft “Don’t even think that. Even when I didn’t know about the bond, I loved you. And if someday, somehow, this bond fades away, I’ll still love you.”
The dull sting behind my eyes doesn’t stop me from smiling as I put my arms around his neck.
“I love you too.”
His own lips curve upward “I take that this date was a success.”
I laugh as I nod “Yeah, guess we’ll be seeing each other again.”
And just like that, his lips fall against mine again.
...
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