Unknown Secrets

Taylor didn’t let go of Natalya, though that may have been a good idea or instead of a good one at least a prudent one. It just felt, right, having her in his arms. The world stopped spinning, anxiety and worry faded away, and all he had was that moment in time suspended, only broken when she asked him what tune he was humming.

Even then, it might have been a good idea to let go of her. However, the peace her presence brought him would not allow him to just let go yet. Instead he loosened his grip slightly, though she was still flush up against him, and said quietly, “My mother. She used to sing it to me when I was a child. It always calmed me down.”

Taylor breathed in deep, taking in her scent as much as possible before finally letting her go. He kept his eyes on hers though, memorizing the way the differing dark colors blended together to create her unique depths.

“Your welcome” He said, his voice deep as he took in everything he could about her. For the first time he could see the natural highlights that ran through her blonde hair, giving it darker and lighter hues that made her hair so naturally beautiful. Her skin was pale, but not translucent, thus complimenting her features. It looked so soft too, like the fur of a newborn pup.

Without thinking it through he reached out and stroked her cheek, feeling the softness of her skin for himself. When it dawned on him what he had just done, he did the first thing his mind could think of to save face.

Grabbing her chin, he took on the look of a perplexed doctor, and said in a whiney Chinese accent, “ahhh I see now. Coughing so much requires boiled newts and a tickling with goose feathers to cure. Aaaaaancient Chinese cure you know.”

Taylor couldn’t help but break out in laughter too, even though it killed his Chinese doctor impersonation. He had just wanted to distract her, and it seemed that his random idea worked. Part of his laughter was relief, but more than that it was actually pretty damn funny. He was glad that she thought it was too, rather than doing what a lot of girls did which was laugh AT him, or just huff and say he was stupid. Most of the girls in his pack were like that. They called him an idiot when he made impersonations so he didn’t do them often.

“Me? Weird?” Taking on a perplexed expression, and a British accent, “I don’t quite know what you’re trying to say there love.”

He laughed again, enjoying the pleased and confused look on her face. Her laugh was like music to him, and made his heart soar. He wanted to make her laugh like that all the time if he could. Yet, the fact remained that he had a long way to go before he could call her his. Even with the legend hanging over his head, the bond that had unknowingly been formed between them, only he knew about it. He would have to win her over the old fashioned way, even though she already had him.

“But lets hope you never do get me.” He said, his laughter finally subsiding and for once in his natural voice. “The day you understand me will probably be the day you never want to see me again.”

Taylor looked at Natalya with a hint of concern before he realized what she must be referring to. Of course she was probably still a bit freaked out by his actions earlier, kissing her so suddenly and telling her she would be his. That was rather odd behavior for anyone especially for him since before the incident with her he had been pretty much off limits to every girl in the school.

However, as he was wont to do in awkward situations that required him to try and think of something to make it better, he decided humor was the best option.

“Aw did you not like it when I kissed you?”

Taylor laughed lightly before nodding.

“Yeah I’ve been told that. My sisters cant stand me sometimes.”

He found that he quite liked a blushing Natalya. When she was flustered she couldn’t quite come up with a good comeback, and besides, a blushing girl was cute no matter what. He could have stuck around the whole day just coming up with new ways to make her skin color, but before his thoughts could get too, inappropriate, his ears caught the slight crunching sound of a car pulling into a driveway.

“I think your parents are home.” He said, matter of factly. He knew she wouldn’t be able to hear it, and probably wouldn’t know for certain until she heard the front door open. However, Taylor wasn’t going to risk getting caught. Striding over to her window, he was very thankful for the tree that happened to be just close enough to her window so that it wouldn’t look to suspicious.

“Ill see you tomorrow right?” He asked as he opening the window, jumping up onto the ledge. Before she could say anything about him jumping out the window he shrugged.

“If you’re not I guess Ill just have to come back and visit. See you around Natalya.”

Before she could utter a word he jumped onto the nearby branch, and out of her line of sight.

Talyor could have howled for joy as he ran home. He had decided to change once he reached the cover of the trees, needing the to feel the earth beneath his paws. With his clothes clutched tightly in his massive jaws he couldn’t do so of course, which was probably for the best since people would panic if they knew a wolf was so close to their homes.

When he got back to the pack they looked at him a little suspiciously before relaxing. They hadn’t forgotten his mad dash through before when he had been frantically trying to reach the Keeper. However, with his padding gait and obvious good feeling they were no longer worried. However, that was nothing to say for his father who came out of their home with a snarl on his face, though he was currently human.

Before his father said a word he soundly cuffed Taylor across the head, making him yelp in surprise. He dropped his clothes and jumped back, a growl in his throat before he remembered this was not just his father but the pack leader. You didn’t growl at your Alpha.

“I should ground you for a week for that stunt Taylor. Not coming HOME?!”

It didn’t matter that they were outside and that people heard their fight. There were no secrets in a pack. Not when you shared living spaces, and everyone at some point had seen you naked. That’s what tended to happen when you changed, either into a wolf or more likely when you changed back.

If Taylor could grimace he would have. Of course his father didn’t know he had come back in the early hours of the morning to change for school. His mother probably didn’t even know that he had come home either. What with his forays hunting with his brothers already that week he wasn’t surprised his father was pissed.

“I don’t care why you were gone last night but NO MORE UNAUTHORIZED ABSENCES!” He bellowed, his voice making other members of the pack shrink back. If his rage had been turned on them they would have been belly up in moments. Taylor however, was slated to be the next Alpha and he was already at the age where he was questioning his father and pushing the boundaries. If he was still a pup he would have gone over easily, but not now. If his father ever wanted to see his underbelly again they would have to fight, and nowadays the winner of that fight was not a sure thing.

Instead Taylor flattened himself to the ground, not looking his father in the eye as show of his apology and acquiescence to his rule. With that show of submission, though it would have been an insult from any other wolf, his father softened and dropped the Alpha timbre to his voice.

“You worried us son. You’re too important to your mother and I, let alone the future of the pack to disregard your safety like that.”

So he thought he had been hunting alone. Taylor was relieved that was the conclusion that his father had come to, and he had no intention of correcting him. Let him think he was trying to prove his skills and not staring at the window of a human girl.

“Come inside. I’m sure you must be starving.”

Taylor didn’t have to be told twice. He quickly changed back and walked into the house, going to his room to get some clothes on before joining them at the table. His mother didn’t say a word about his absence, having heard the tirade his father had already given him. That was one of the good things about being in a pack. No one would try and scold him for what had happened once the Alpha had spoken and obviously forgiven him. No doubt he would be asked by his brothers what he had hunted down, but that was the most he could expect. He completely forgot that the Keeper would know exactly where he had really been as he enjoyed his meal.