Vincent and I ran all the way from Calamitous to a vacant part of the woods I'd never been to. If I didn't know him, I'd think he was trying to murder me. My paws were covered in snow. My hind legs were aching. This was what it was to be a wolf. I struggled to keep up with Vincent as he picked up the pace. It felt like we were never going to stop.
That was, until I saw the cabin a few feet ahead.
Vincent headed straight for the cabin. He slowed his approach when we neared the cabin door. I remained in wolf form, waiting as he shifted back into human form. He twisted the knob, then pushed the door open. I could feel the cool air seeping out from here.
"Come on," he said.
I nodded and entered the cabin behind him.
The first thing I noticed: This cabin was nothing like the cabin we'd stayed in during our retreat. Not the one on our pit stop, and not the one at Grimfur. This cabin was more reclusive. It had a rustic cabin feel. Something small and cozy, made up entirely of old wood. It wasn't the prettiest cabin in sight, but it was comfortable.
There was a long cot against the wall. A mattress lay on top of it with two white pillows and a thin red quilted blanket. Other than that, the cabin was mostly empty.
"Give me a minute to get a fire started. When you change back, you can grab your clothes from the bag and put them on." Vincent was dressed in a pair of black jogger pants and a black t-shirt by the time I snapped out of my daze. He slipped on a pair of thick socks before vanishing beyond another door. Definitely needed that fire because it was dark and cold in here.
I hurried to transition back into my human form. I had no idea where we were going, so I'd brought a pair of gray sweatpants, a black long-sleeved shirt, and my fuzzy socks. Of course, along with a clean pair of underwear. Screw the bra. Vincent returned just after I finished putting on my glasses. There was some wood in both his hands. He threw the wood into the fire pit. I made my way to the cot and sat criss-crossed. Within a few minutes, he had a fire going.
"So, is this another one of your hiding spots?" I quipped.
Vincent chuckled. "I guess you could say that."
"How often do you come here?"
"Only when I want to get far, far away from Calamitous. So far, I can't be sniffed out."
"Ah okay. One of those days, huh?" I joked.
"Yeah, sure." He snorted, then headed for the bag. With furrowed eyebrows, I watched him rummage through it. A few seconds later, he removed his hand, hiding whatever he took out behind his back. "Anyways, it's probably all smooshed now because we were running but . . . here." I gawked at the large oreo cupcake in his hands.
"You bought me a cupcake?" I grinned.
"Don't you dare start." He lifted a finger as a warning. That caused my grin to grow wider. He removed the cupcake from its plastic container. From his pocket, he pulled out a single candle. He then inserted it in the cupcake and used a lighter to light it.
"You didn't have to do all of this, Vincent." I appreciated it though. A lot.
"Who said anything about having to?" he retorted.
I rolled my eyes.
"Uh but yeah, I know we don't get out of the alpha residence much. More or so you. But I thought you'd want to enjoy your birthday outside of Calamitous. I'm sorry, this probably isn't how you imagined your birthday would go. This is the best I could do on such short notice."
He rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes falling everywhere but mine. Oh hell. I raised to my feet with such determination, he'd probably think I'd lost my mind. But my only goal was reaching him. I pulled him to my level from the neck of his shirt and pecked his lips. He was shocked at first. But his shock eased into content when I let go and blew the candle out.
"Happy birthday, Genesis," he said.
"Thank you," I said, adding teasingly, "hmm, where's my present?"
"Your present is anything you want."
I stopped. "Anything I want?"
"Yep."
"You're serious?" I was only kidding.
He nodded and inched towards the cot but I held out my arm to stop him.
"Wait!" I yelled. He paused. I tore the quilt off the cot and doubled it on the floor. "Now sit."
"Really? Back to the floor?" He lifted an eyebrow, amused.
"What? Can't break tradition so soon!" I lowered myself to the quilt, patting the open space beside me. This felt like his birthday all over again. "Sit with me."
"I suppose not." He laughed. Nonetheless, he joined me on the floor.
My chest fluttered. "Vincent, you said for my birthday, I can have anything I want, right?"
"Yes. I did."
"Well, I want more of that."
"Huh?" He frowned.
"Your laugh. And your smile. I like both of them a lot. Maybe a little too much," I whispered. I must have caught him off guard because he choked and pounded his chest. A bright shade of red crept up the back of his neck, then colored his cheeks. He set the cupcake aside so as to not let it fall. I swiped some of the frosting from the top, licking my finger. When he finally sobered, I nudged his arm as though he hadn't just been choking because of me.
"Did you bring napkins?"
"Damn you," he muttered, covering his face. "Check the bag." I snorted and crawled to the bag a few feet away. As long as I looked, I didn't see any napkins.
"I don't see any."
"Just dump the bag," said Vincent.
I did so with no complaints. Our cloaks hit the floor followed by a few other items, including his wallet. His wallet landed upside down. A few cards slid across the floor, and a small silver packet. Shit. I tried to properly store everything back into his wallet. The cards went first. Then, the packet. However, I paused when I noticed the front of the packet. My breath hitched.
"So, uh"—I cleared my throat awkwardly—"do you always casually carry around condoms?"
"What?" The bewildered state of Vincent's voice caused me to look at him.
"Condoms." I lifted the small packet. His eyes widened.
"That asshole!" Vincent hissed. "Shit, don't mind that. I'm sorry. I spoke with Claudia and Bennett before I left, so they'd know I'd be gone. Bennett is a jackass." I didn't know whether to be baffled or amused that Bennett assumed something was going to happen here. It made one thing clear though. Bennett, Mariah, Dylan, and whoever else, knew about Vincent and I. I threw my head back and laughed—my amusement won in the end.
"For the love of the Moon Goddess." Vincent forced his fingers through his curls and groaned. "I'm sorry about that. I didn't. . . I wasn't. . . I hope you know. . . Fuck," he rambled.
After slipping the condom back into his wallet, I crawled back onto the quilt.
"I know." I silenced him with another kiss.
Once again, I thought: Would it be so bad if I stayed?
"Eat your cupcake," he mumbled, his eyes on my lips.
"Eat it with me," I responded.
And that, he did.
I scooted closer to him as we shared the cupcake. Every now and then, he'd look at me. Every now and then, I'd look at him. We did this on repeat. At least until the cupcake was gone. I laid flat on my back, my eyes on the ceiling. Vincent copied my movements. He shifted onto his side, his face in my direction. Our legs brushed against each other.
"Don't fall asleep on me now," Vincent joked.
"I don't think I could sleep even if I wanted to."
"I hope that's a good thing."
I laughed. "Of course."
"You know . . . I like yours a lot too."
"What?" I turned my head.
"Your laugh. And your smile."
My body tensed. "Is that so?"
"Very much so."
"I'll do it more often if you do it more often."
He snorted. "That's not a very convincing bargain."
I grinned. "Hey! I think it is."
He flicked my forehead. I pouted.
"Gen, it's not like I can hide it even if I tried anymore," he said, so low I might have misheard him. I flipped onto my side, tucking my hands under my face. Vincent lifted higher and propped himself onto his elbow. His other hand twitched as if he wanted to move it. For some reason, he was resisting though. So, his hand remained at his side.
"What made you realize you liked me?" I blurted. "I'm not talking about when you realized we were mates. I'm talking about when you decided on your own that you liked me for me."
Vincent's mouth parted in surprise but he quickly recovered. "I guess I first realized when you tended to my wounds after the Erebus attack. . ."
"What!? All the way back then?" I nearly screamed.
"Shh," he shushed me. "Not exactly. That's when I started to like you. But I didn't realize I liked you until we met your mom and you held my hand. Then, I liked you more and more."
"That's when you knew for sure we were mates."
"Precisely," he said. "I loved your touch. But I hated that I loved it."
"So, you tried to pull away."
"I did," he admitted.
"Vincent, can I ask you something?"
"Yes?"
"Hypothetically . . . if I left, how would that make you feel?" My voice was low. We'd only briefly ventured into this conversation. The first time we tried, he no longer wanted to discuss it. He couldn't run this time. I wouldn't let him.
Vincent shrugged. "It'd suck. But what can I do? I can't stop you from leaving. That's another thing I despised the Moon Goddess for . . . for gifting me with this fascinating mate who was never meant to belong in my world. These are the repercussions." His smile broke me.
Would it be so bad if I stayed? The thought was back. Really, how much would I be leaving behind? Your family, a voice taunted me. Surely, Vincent wouldn't keep me from them though. If I stayed, all that would change would be where I lived and how I lived. I couldn't have the best of both worlds but I didn't need to push people out of my life to make this work. Right? I missed home. But not the actual home. Just my parents.
I knew I was betting on the odds of Vincent and I staying together in the long-term (not to mention him being my very first everything), but the risk was tempting. Too tempting. Could I trust him and offer him my heart in full? The way he begged me to trust him nearly three weeks ago remained at the forefront of my brain, and it turned me into mush.
"I wouldn't say that. After all, fate brought us together, right? I'm not human anymore."
"I suppose that's another way of looking at it."
"Mhm. And hypothetically . . . if I stayed?" My throat bobbed.
"Well, I'd hope you were doing it for the right reasons and not because I want you too."
I chewed my bottom lip. "You want me to stay?"
"I've had a lot of time to think about it," he said, looking down at me. "I like having you by my side. You make this life a lot easier to manage. I mean, my life."
"As alpha?"
"As everything."
Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if I stayed. I wondered how my mother and father would react. She'd met Vincent. She knew what it was. Albeit, it started off on a hoax. But it turned into something real. Are you ready for this intimacy though? The thoughts wouldn't stop. Truthfully, I had no idea. Maybe I'd never be ready. Maybe I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Was that so bad? I was tired of living how I lived. In-debt. In insecurity. I wanted a change.
Vincent and Calamitous was my change. But they don't accept you. It was no different from trying to belong in the human world. If anything, I was simply skating by. I had no job. No income. No friends. Sure, I'd miss parts of being a human. But I mostly wasted my days away alone in my little studio-sized apartment. It took me a long time to realize but I wasn't missing out. It felt like my life had barely begun. Until now.
"Dammit, you're going to make me cry," I groaned and wiped my eyes. I caught the tears just before they fell. Vincent let out a light-hearted laugh.
"Sorry," he said.
"And to think you started off hating me," I murmured.
"Hate is a strong word." He leaned in closer, hovering over me.
"Oh really?" I laid flat on my back again. "So, what would you call it?"
"I had my doubts."
"And now?"
"Do I have to spell it out for you?"
"Yes." I breathed when his lips neared mine.
"I like you a lot, Genesis."
Fuck, I wanted to stay. I closed the gap between us. The kiss was rough. Then, it simmered into passion. All I could hear was the frantic beating in my chest. His hands explored the places they'd been before. My hips. My waist. But they were inching into new territory.
I inhaled a sharp breath; his touch cooling me to the bone as he gripped my thighs. Our pelvis met as he snuck in between my legs. His knee was dangerously close to my most sensitive area. His arms formed a cage around my head. Our panting breaths mingled as we broke for air. This position was a lot more intimate. It made things feel a lot more real. My hands curled around his arms when I noticed him move. He froze, his eyes searching mine.
"Genesis?" My gaze lingered on his frown.
"I. . ." Why did I stop him? "Don't go." I slowly dragged my fingers along his arm, tracing the outline of his tattoo. I inched closer to the hem of his shirt. He gulped but didn't stop me. My hand lay flat on his bare stomach, his skin smooth on my fingertips. A dark trail of hair vanished beyond his pants. It set my desires ablaze and caused my racing heart to slip out of control.
"Are you sure?" he whispered.
Shoot, I thought my heart was beating loudly. But Vincent's heart was the loudest in the room. The tips of his ears were red and his jaw ticked. I had that effect on him.
"Mhm. I'm sure." Fuck, I was nervous. "I, um, I want this. I mean. After all, we have protection, right? Might as well put it to use." I breathed out a shaky laugh. Well, that got him to laugh. I was glad. Some of the tension in his body eased. He smiled, then took a deep breath.
"Have you, um, done this before?" He moved to retrieve his wallet from the bag. I waited patiently. He returned with the condom in hand, a blush creeping on his face again. It appeared that just the sight of the infamous object made him uncomfortable.
"You were my first kiss. Do you really think I've gone past first base?" I cringed.
He laughed again. "Good point."
"Have you?" My lips pursed together.
"No, no. Same," he mumbled, grazing my lips.
"We can take it slow," I said.
"Slow. Right. I can do that." His fingers traveled back up my thighs. I followed them to my hips, where he brushed his thumb along the bone. Slowly, he pushed the bottom of my shirt up, revealing the lower half of my stomach. For a moment, he stared. Almost as if he was admiring me. In the next moment, he was peppering light kisses above the waistline of my sweatpants.
I held back a gasp and trembled. He nibbled at my skin, his tongue darting out for a taste, before stopping. His fingers danced along the edge of my pants. Slow and caution, waiting on my permission. I noticed his eyes on my shirt. The kind of look that told me he was contemplating. It took everything in me not to beg him to reach further. I had no idea what the hell I was doing.
"Can I?" he asked, finally.
I could only nod. His touch was gentle as he guided me out of my clothes. I looked away as he did. My exposed chest remained on display; the urge to cover myself grew stronger by the minute. He discarded his shirt and threw it to the side. We were then bare and skin to skin. Just the upper half, at least. I ignored the tingling in my abdomen that his kisses across my collarbone left behind. He made his way to the top of my breasts, his tongue grazing each.
I hissed and shut my eyes. He paused, searching my face. I nodded for him to continue. The fluttering in my stomach made its presence again. He cupped my breasts in his hands, his thumb rubbing slowly over the soft flesh until he squeezed. An arch formed in the middle of my back and I covered my mouth with my hands to muffle my noises.
"I'm sorry, is this okay?" he swore under his breath. Even through my lusted haze, I could see how panicked he was. How thoughtful he was trying to be. It made me want him more.
I swallowed a groan and dug my teeth into my bottom lip. "I-it's fine."
"Are you sure, Genesis? Because I—"
"Vincent," I cupped his face and forced him to look at me. "I'm nervous too. It's okay. We're learning, okay? You don't always have to be perfect. When you're with me, it's okay."
He shook his head and bowed down. The laughter tumbling from his mouth was far from humorous. "Sometimes, I worry about losing control when I'm with you. . ." Control? I wanted nothing more than for him to feel me, touch me. I wanted—no, needed—to feel him close.
"You haven't though, have you?"
"I haven't," he said.
"You haven't," I assured him. He took one final breath before closing his eyes.
When he opened his eyes again, he smashed our lips together like he couldn't get enough of me. My arms slithered around his neck, pulling him closer. Our next few moments were utter bliss. The pain, the pleasure, the discomfort. Everything in between. No articles of clothing were in our way, and he took his time. Admiring me. Caring for me. Learning my body's wants and needs. We'd adjusted to the awkwardness and I clung onto him as though I'd fall.
I remembered the soft grunts he made as I tugged at his curls. I remembered the way our hips molded together, rocking in a gentle motion, while my fingers embedded more scars onto his back—scars that he'd never forget. I remembered the way his fingers felt in all the areas I'd never let anyone close to. The way his tongue felt. The look in his eyes when I explored his body, down to the most private parts. It was a look of absolute euphoria.
I remembered everything, including the burning sensation that lit up within me when his teeth bit into my flesh, and marked me as his. That hurt the most. And even though the marking hurt, I told myself to bear with the pain until it was over. Now, the cabin was even quieter than when we first arrived. A single flicker of light from the fire pit lit the living area.
I lay on my side, facing the fire. Every crackle and pop filled my ears. Vincent lay behind me, his front pressed to my back, and his arms wrapped around my waist. He stuffed his face deeper in the crook of my neck. Our bodies were sweaty. Probably not most ideal thing since it was fucking freezing in here now. His body was warm though. That helped. Just a little bit. How long had we been laying here naked, fifteen minutes? It might've been more than that.
"Are you okay?" His breath fanned my skin.
"Are you?" I asked, caressing his arm.
He pressed a kiss to my shoulder. "Mhm-hmm."
The throbbing in between my thighs hadn't stopped. It didn't hurt like hell anymore at least. But it still annoyed me. No, it fascinated me. Fascinated me because it was a reminder of what had gone on in this cabin today. I couldn't believe I actually did it. That we actually did it. We both lost it. To each other. Hell, I was never going to forget my twenty-first birthday.
"You're not regretting it now, are you?"
"What?" I scoffed. "No!"
"Just checking." He snorted.
I lifted his hand to my lips, pecking his knuckles. "I made this decision for a reason." That must have calmed his nerves because he threaded our fingers together over my stomach.
"I'm hungry," he mumbled.
"Me too," I said, looking back over my shoulder.
When our eyes met, we couldn't help it. We burst into laughter. The cheeky grin on his face matched my own. I turned to face him; our chests pressed together, and my hands roaming his tattooed arm. He ran his fingers over my goosebumps.
"You're shivering," he said.
"It's cold," I replied.
"Is that all?" He raised an eyebrow.
"I'm still processing," I admitted.
"It's okay. . . I am as well." Words couldn't describe how I felt at the moment. I was in shock, in glee, in confusion, and all the above. We slept together. The bond was official. Were we supposed to feel different? I was marked. But I couldn't tell. More importantly, what was supposed to happen now? The thought had been drifting through my head unanswered.
He'd told me that everyone would know I was his, and that he was mine. That meant the minute we'd venture back onto Calamitous grounds, they'd smell our scents mingled together. We'd probably face judgment from people like Hudson. I hadn't seen much of that pain in the ass lately. And I'd like for it to stay that way. No need for him to crawl out of the woodworks.
Suddenly, a loud, obnoxious blaring rang through the silence.
"Shit!" Vincent jolted up straight. "My phone." He searched his scattered clothing for his phone. I moved aside to give him room. When he found it, he scooped it into his hands. I could instantly hear the voice on the other end. Nothing good came from it. It sounded like Claudia.
"What?" Vincent's tone was serious. I knew that tone a little too well—his alpha tone. I tried to listen in, but she was talking too fast. Possibly the fastest I'd ever heard her speak. "Okay, remain calm. We're heading back now. Give me a few." They hung up.
"What's wrong?" I stumbled to my feet as he did.
Vincent dragged his hands down his face, gnawing at his lip. "Bennett's gone missing."
I froze.
Had I heard him correctly?
"Claudia's freaking out and I need to get back before all hell breaks loose or something."
His words were the unfortunate shatter to our bliss as we were hurled head first back into reality. I followed his lead, hurrying to gather my clothes. We were both cleaned up and dressed in our cloaks in the next few minutes. As we headed for the door, Vincent clasped onto my wrist, and spun me around. I stared at him, wide-eyed in confusion.
"I'm sorry," he rushed out. "This wasn't how today was supposed to end."
"It's okay," I nodded, then repeated, "it's okay." He stayed quiet, surveying me—trying to get a deeper read that he wasn't going to find. I guess he realized that when I shifted my eyes. So, he kissed my lips before humming in content, and dragging me out of the cabin behind him.