Rose
"So..." I fumbled awkwardly with my hands as we walked deeper into the garden "I didn't plan this."
"I figured as much" Grey chuckled "The little wolf told me that this was all his idea."
"Little Wolf?" I questioned "You know what he is?"
"Of course I do" he said "I could smell his wolf."
"He has a wolf?" I asked excitedly "That's great!"
"Of course he has a wolf" Grey cocked his head to the side "Why wouldn't he?"
I bit my lip "It's not my place to tell their story."
Grey chuckled under his breath "Always the saint."
I made a face at him "That's not true."
"Oh really?" He raised an eyebrow at me "Name one bad thing that you've done recently?"
"Besides hanging out with you?" I bit my lip, glancing and smiling at his smirk "I've cussed recently."
He balked out a laugh "You're a real rebel."
I hip bumped him and walked faster, making it to the middle of the maze before he could.
I gasped when I saw what was there.
In the middle of the maze was a table set up romantically with lit candles and two platters covered with silver tray covers.
"Wynter did this for us?" Grey said, wrapping his arms around my waist and laying his head on my shoulder.
"Weylyn did" I smiled "She just managed him and distracted the others."
"Well we can't let this beautiful scene go to waste, now can we Princess?"
"No, we can't." I smiled at him.
Grey lead me to the table and pulled out my chair like a gentleman before taking his own seat.
I lifted the platter cover and smiled at the cute assortment of food, obvious to me that it was assembled quickly and by a child.
"The kid sure does have..." Grey picked up the powdered sugar donut with a raised eyebrow "Sugary tastes."
I picked up the tiny Princess cake and took a bite out of it "Not everyone is a health nut like you Mr. Soccer Star."
"I'm not a health nut!" Grey exclaimed "I'm just conscientious about my diet during soccer season."
"Mmmm..." I smirked "So I didn't see you trading out your pancake breakfast for a banana and apple yesterday?"
He blushed.
Busted.
He grabbed a cinnamon roll and took a big chunk out of it, avoiding my teasing.
I gasped in mock outrage "That's not how you eat a cinnamon bun!"
He looked blankly at me "Yes it is."
"No it's not."
"Yes it is."
I shook my head "Not it's not."
"Yes it is" he gave me an indescribable look "And if you think otherwise then I might have to reconsider our dating status."
I nodded seriously "I was thinking about that since you took that first bite."
"So how do you, Oh so knowledgeable one, eat a cinnamon roll?"
"You eat it piece by piece" I motioned for him to watch me "And if I had extra icing, I would dip my pieces into some icing."
Grey was quiet for a moment before he narrowed his eyes at me "You're a monster."
I laughed loudly "Why?"
"Because you're destroying that perfectly good cinnamon roll" he said "Like a monster."
"That's how you eat it!" I laughed, ripping a piece of my cinnamon roll apart "I'm sorry you're not as refine as I am."
He shook his head and took another bite out of his roll "Refine my ass. I saw you inhale seven plates of food at the buffet once."
"It's a buffet" I defended "What else are you supposed to do at a buffet?"
"Not inhale food like it was your last meal."
I sniggered and was about to say something when a huge boom sounded from behind me.
I stood and turned to see smoke billowing out from the north.
"Come on" Grey grabbed my hand, urging me away from where we previously occupied "We have to go!"
Another boom sounded.
"ROSE!" Grey tugged on my hand harder "We have to go! NOW!"
"Grey" I trailed after him, stumbling when he picked up the pace "Is that where I think it's coming from?"
He didn't answer me.
"Greyson" I tugged on my wrist that was currently lock tightly in his grip "Greyson stop."
Screams echoed in the courtyard.
"Greyson, we have to go help them" I yanked on my arm "Greyson stop!"
"We have to leave Rose" he said, urgency lighting his tone "I need to get you away from here."
"But those people..."I dragged my feet "They'll die if we don't help them."
"I'm sorry Rose" he said genuine sorrow lacing his voice "But if I don't get you out of here, you'll die."
"I'll be okay" I said, trying to convince him "But..."
"No you won't" he said, leading me left "Because there's at least twenty scents in the courtyard right now, none of which were at the party."
My eyes widened.
"This is my fault" I whispered "None of this would have happened if I wasn't here..."
"If it's anyone's fault, then it's your Grandmother's" Grey said "The woman who dragged you into this mess."
"I-" My words were cut off by a sinister voice.
"Come out come out where ever you are little flower!" The dark voice sang "I've been dying to meet you all night!"
A howl sounded.
"Shit!" Grey cursed "They're using wolves to track us!"
"Wolves wolves?" I asked nervously "Like your type of wolves?"
"Kind of" he said, avoiding my eyes "Except...these wolves are...different."
"Different how?" I asked slowly.
"Just different."
Another howl.
Grey paused in our trek to find an exit "Baby I need you to do something for me."
By the look in his eyes, I knew what he was about to say before he said it.
"No, absolutely not" I said firmly "I will not leave you."
"Baby, you don't understand" he gripped my hands tightly in his "These aren't just any types of wolves Princess. These are Ferals. Wolves that will stop at nothing once they have their scents set on a target."
"Okay...so we'll find a way to beat them" I said "Like we always do."
"No Princess, you're not understanding me" he gripped my face "Ferals are stronger than the average wolf. They're more inclined to be in their Wolf form than their human forms which lessens their humanity and turns them into savages."
"But you're a wolf too" I said gripping his arms "Can't you stop them?"
"My humanity keeps me from turning into them, which in turn, makes me weaker."
Another howl.
"Baby I need you to trust me on this" he kissed my lips quickly "I'll lead them away from you and have them focus on me instead."
"But if they're interested in my then how will you leading them away help?"
"Because I know how Wolves think" he released me "And regardless of their feral status, I know the one thing that no wolf, sane or not, could say no to."
"What's that?"
"A challenge from an Alpha."