After saying bye to Zay, I meet Roman at the front of the school. He waves when I approach him. "Hey. You ready?"
"Yeah. My car is this way," he says. We follow in the direction he pointed.
"Thanks again, for helping me out."
"No problem. I love visiting anyway."
We climb into his very nice black car and I give him some direction to Paws Here. "So, you adjusting to Railer High yet?"
"Yeah, it's pretty nice. Except for the loads of homework."
"Yeah, mid semester too. But everything else living up to high school standards?"
"Yup." He turns a corner. "You've got a pretty good friend group, you know that?"
I gloat in the compliment but then notice his word choice. "Hey, you're part of it too."
"Hardly. You guys are really close. Max is hilarious, you can tell Ethan is a down to earth guy. And Savannah is as loyal as they get."
"What, no uplifting comment about Zay?" I joke.
"Heh. And you've got a boyfriend," he adds and looks over at me. "Who you seem to like a lot. What more could you ask for?"
"Yeah. He's a little rough around the edges but he's amazing if you get to know him. Just be cool with him."
"I'm not sure he's willing to put in the same effort." I don't argue with that cause it's pretty much true.
"How'd you two meet?"
I shorten the story by just saying, "Me being a ninja and stealthily stalking him to his area of residency."
He chuckles. "Okay. Was not expecting that."
"What can I say, I'm a woman full of surprises." We approach the building. "It's right there," I say, and we turn into the parking lot.
My mom greets us at the front desk when we walk through the door. "Amber, honey! What a great surprise. How was school?"
"Hey mom, it was fine. This is Roman he's new at the school, and I'm helping him catch up with some of his work."
"Hi there Roman. I'm Amber's mom."
"Hey. You've got a nice place here.
"Thank you. I started from scratch when I was a teen and took over when the main manager passed away," she says pridefully
"Well as far as I can tell, you've been doing a great job at keeping it up," he compliments.
"Thanks dear."
I grab a few papers from the desk and give it to him. "Those papers tell you about the missions statement and foundation. The pamphlet explains our history, adoption, and contact information." I grabs pen and write a number down. "And that's my moms cell if you need anything else. You said you need a signature from her right?"
"Oh that's right!" He shuffles through his pockets and brings out a folded piece of paper and shows it to my mom. "If you don't mind I need a signature to show I actually came here to get resources.
"I'd be happy to do that." She signs and hands it back to him.
"Thanks mom. I'm gonna show him around. Will you be here long enough so we can walk them?" I ask.
"Yeah, just keep it short. Love you sweetie."
I go to the right and lead him to the kennels. "This is where we keep the bundles of joy."
The sun is shining brightly through the windows and I can tell it's put the dogs in a good mood. One by one I tell Roman about each dog and how they ended up here
"And the recovering dogs are farther back in a treatment area. I shouldn't have favorites, but I definitely do. Scarlet and Snoopy right there, are the dream team."
Both of the dogs pad up to the gate when we walk their direction, wagging their tails so hard their entire hind end moves with them. "Well aren't they adorable?"
"They're crazy, don't say I didn't t tell you," I say, and open the door.
Roman barely has time to walk in before Snoopy jumps up on him and starts barking. Scarlet barks a few times too before she gets bored and brings me her favorite chew toy.
"Whoa there," he says and kneels down, which only tells Snoopy that he wants to be attacked by kisses.
"That's Snoopy. Trouble maker number one. This one is Scarlet. Beautiful but sneaky. You wanna walk them? I'll take Snoopy, I know he'll be hard."
He laughs. "I'm a big boy. I can handle him."
"If you say so." I strap the two dog's leashes on and hand him Snoopy's. Scarlet tries to chew on hers for a second until remembering she won't get a treat and looks up at me with her puppy eyes.
We walk to the side door and Snoopy is painting the illusion that he's a perfect pup. "See, I got this," Roman says too soon.
As soon as we walk out of the side door and go down the walking path, Snoopy starts straining on the leash, trying to smell everything and anything. It looks more like Snoopy is walking Roman.
I laugh when Roman trips over his feet, barely missing a face plant. "You've got this huh? Try giving him less slack, keep him closer."
He tries the trick and it helps to an extent. "I'm guessing you do this a lot?"
"Yeah, anytime I get. I love these dogs. We take in pups from abused homes, from the streets, even from homes that can't find people to adopt the puppies. To hard not to fall in love with them."
"This is amazing what you guys do. There aren't enough people helping these poor fellas," he says with a smile.
"My mom says since she doesn't have anymore children, she's gonna fill her life up with puppies."
"Must be nice, being an only child," Roman mumbles.
"You have siblings?"
He looks up at me and cautiously scans my face, a sad note running through his own. "Uh, yeah. I have an older brother. He's not in school anymore."
"Oh, what's he like?"
He doesn't answer right away. I'm starting to think he didn't hear me when he finally says something. "He's the definition of perfect. You know, the golden child. Everything I can do, he can do better. Better grades in school, better at sports, everything. My parents have always adored him."
I immediately sense that this is a hard subject for him. Roman already seems like a great guy, so I don't see how much better his older brother could be.
"Im sorry, that you had to deal with that. In some ways it was nice being the only one. But it got lonely as a kid sometimes. I would beg my parents for a brother or sister but it never happened."
"Just be glad you didn't have an self absorbed jerk face brother."
"I'll put that on my pros list," I say trying to lighten the mood.
He gives me a relieved smile, obviously glad for the mood thawer. We reach the end of the trail and enter the building once more. Snoopy is majorly bummed when I unstrap him, expecting to go again. I give them both treats for not being extra difficult.
"Could I take a few pictures of the dogs?" Roman asks.
"Go ahead, I'll be in the waiting room. Just don't use flash, some of them have sensitive eyes."
"Noted."
I go to the waiting room and sit on a chair, and check my phone. I have two message from Zay.
Zay: I'll see you at my house?
Zay: where you at babe?
I debate on whether I should tell him I'm with Roman or not. Hoping he won't flip out, I decide honesty is the best policy.
Me: Ill be there in a little bit. I took Roman to the center for a project
He doesn't respond right away so I don't know if I should take that as a good or bad sign. I don't have long to dwell because Roman comes out of the kennel room.
"I think I have enough to get me started," he says. He flips through the pictures on his phone with a smile on his face.
"Great, let's go."
Roman drives me home and thanks me for the third time today. "Just give me a text if you need anymore help. I'm free most of the time."
"Definitely. Thank-," he stops himself and smiles sheepishly. I wave and he waves goodbye back.
When he leaves, I cross my lawn and go to Zay's back door, opening it with the new key his dad made me. I close the door behind and turn around.
Zay is sitting on the couch, staring at me. His phone is in his hand.
"Hi. Did you get your suit?"
He nods once. And that's all. He doesn't say anything or even change his expression. He just sits there.
So that's how it's gonna be. I put my bag down and make my way into the kitchen. As I pass him I say, "Zay please don't make a big deal out of nothing."
He follows me into the kitchen and watches as I get an apple and start to peel it. "If you have something to say, please just say it instead of staring at me."
"I'm trying. To not let it bother me, but it does."
I sigh and put my apple down. "Lets just talk about this, okay? Clear some stuff up," I say.
"Okay," he agrees. He takes my hand and leads me to his room, leaving my apple behind. Wasn't looking for a whole change in scenery but, okay.
He leads me to his bed to sit while he stands, looking around as if in search for his words. "Zay?"
"I don't want you with him," he says as if it's the most simple thing in the world. "At any time in any way."
"But that's just it babe, I'm not with anyone but you. You know that," I try to explain to him.
He runs his hand through his hair and shuts his eyes momentarily. "It's different for me. You say that, and my human side is listening, really. But there's this... this growing feeling." He reaches out and his fingertips graze my cheek slowly, leaving a trail of buzzing desire in its wake. "This primal rage, that makes me want to wisp you away from every male that lays eyes on you."
I blink and focus on the discussion as the buzz slowly fades without his contact. "Even if we're just friends?" I whisper.
His eyes flash and he flicks his face away furiously. "Yes, even if you're just friends," he growls. He faces me once more and backs away, apologizing. He begins to study his awe inspiring bedspread.
"Zay." I reach my hand out for him to grab, wanting to provide comfort and secretly craving his touch. He takes it and sits down next to me.
"I'm sorry. I'm trying to... control. Keep control."
"Just tell me what you're feeling," I prompt knowing how difficult it is for him to open up.
"I'm feeling jealous. And very possessive of you. And I have this immense rage towards Roman for spending time with my girl. Is it so wrong that I want you all to myself?"
"I- no. You just have to trust me."
"I have no problem trusting you. It's him I don't trust. He likes you and I don't like that."
"How do you know? Did he tell you that?"
"No but from the moment I met him I could sense that he feels he has a connection with you and he doesn't." The last part he growls, so I squeeze his hand.
"I think that's based a lot on assumption," I say. I try to keep my voice gentle to not increase his anger.
"It's not. For example his scent is on you and even now his attraction still lingers on it. It's so strong, I can literally smell it."
"What exactly does that smell like?"
"I don't know how to explain it, it's his testosterone levels. But that's besides my point. He likes you."
"Okay Zay. Lets compromise. I won't hang out with him outside of school alone again. But you have to promise not to freak out if he just acts friendly towards me. And he hasn't been anything but friendly so I don't think you have to worry."
I'm not sure if I believe that Roman feels that way towards me, but if it will make Zay happy then I'll oblige.
"Okay. I can work with that. I just don't trust him."
I hug him. "As long as we're okay."
We lay down and continue small talking about our day. At some point I fall asleep and wake up hours later still in his arms.
"Have a good nap?" Zay asks when I start to stir.
"Yeah, what time is it?"
"Almost nine."
Wow, I was sleeping for a long time. "Were you asleep?"
"Not the whole time. You're very cute when you sleep."
I feel the side of my cheek which is slightly damp. "Yeah I bet, especially with my excessive drooling."
"Just means the nap was good." He curls my hair around my ear and kisses me. "Are you hungry?"
As soon as he mentions it my stomach growls. "Yeah. You stole me away from my apple earlier."
"Sorry about that, didn't want any distractions. Stay here, I'll be back."
He leaves the room and in ten minutes he comes back with a freshly cut and sliced apple. Also on the plate is some strawberries, half a turkey sandwich and a chocolate chip cookie.
"Thank you Zay," I say touched by his thoughtfulness.
"Can't have my angel go hungry."
I begin chowing down the food. In the middle of eating, I think of a question. "What do you look like?"
Zay chuckles. "Well, I have brown hair, brown eyes, I'm 6'4," he begins, with laughter in his voice.
I push him playfully through a yawn. "Shut up. I meant, as a wolf."
"As a wolf," he repeats as if I didn't hear myself.
"Yeah. Is that a weird question?"
"No not at all. I've just never been asked that before. I guess you could compare me to a British Columbian wolf. I'm just bigger and better."
"Mmm your ego couldn't get any bigger," I say.
"All of us are your normal breeds of wolves, it's just the best qualities are taken from each and expanded. It's an amazing concept, and I could tell you all about it but your eyes are droopy and your heartbeat is slowing so I think you're still sleepy."
I barely even notice he started talking about me because he's right, after that yummy meal I'm tired again. But I don't admit it.
"No, no I'm awake. How does it work when you shift? Do you clothes rip off like Jacob?"
Zay laughs. "No that would be very inconvenient. The wolf gods granted us the power of fabricating. Whenever we shift back into a human whatever clothes we had on stay the same. But any injury as a wolf carry on into human form."
"Hmm. That's neat," I say. I'm finished with my food so I put it down on his desk and resituate myself next to him.
"Yeah. What's even neater is that Alphas used to be able to prevent lower wolves from shifting, which takes a lot. That was only the stronger Alphas though."
"Do the Alphas look the same as a regular wolf?
"For the most part, yeah. Although most of them were bigger and stronger."
"Then how can you tell if one of you is an Alpha?"
"It's pretty evident, just in their essence. Us werewolves, we can sense the amount of power we have and hold just by being around one another. It's not easy to miss that much power," he explains.
I notice his movements and expressions as he talks, and I can tell he likes talking about the wolves despite how he acts when he's ashamed.
He continues talking. "But, they do have a definitive physical marking. It's usually somewhere visible, like the forehead, chest, or paw. But it also could be on the stomach or back, somewhere less obvious. It looks like this." He takes my arm and and I watch as he traces a pattern onto it with his finger. "It means humility with strength. A reminder that even the strong have to be humble."
I trace the pattern back onto him. "Why did they put the Decreasing in motion if they gave you so many other cool powers?" I inquire.
"I don't know, too many wolves going against them?" Zay says, guessing.
"What if all the wolves now disobey and go against the wolf gods?"
He takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. "If that happens my world would cease to exist."
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Hey peeps, here's another chapter for you guys! Don't forget to vote and comment, it's much appreciated :)