Chapter Two

“So, is this your house?” Kate gestures towards a house that was definitely not Laurie’s. They had been walking for the better part of an hour and this was the third house Kate had shown her. Not that Kate had anything to go on really. Laurie’s instructions of “over there, I think” or “that tree looks familiar” was probably no help at all.

Laurie sighs. “Nope.” It was dark, she was getting really cold and quite frankly, the woods were starting to freak her out a little.

“Are you sure it wasn’t the last one?” 

“Yes I’m sure, I know my house.” 

“Well, you did just move.” Kate gets a glare for that one. She sees Laurie suppress a shiver and feels a tinge of worry. She had gotten herself distracted by the woman and had forgotten that she was in fact human and didn’t have the biology that made her immune to the cold like Kate was. 

Wandering the forest with Laurie had been fun. She had learned that her mate was quite chatty and they had spent the past hour exchanging stories about themselves.

So far she had learned that Laurie’s last name was Mason and she was a doctor, a cardiothoracic surgeon who worked at some prestigious hospital in New York. She was allergic to shellfish (Kate had gotten a story about how Laurie had almost died after an ex boyfriend forgot to tell her there was crab in something she ate and she remembered to punch said ex should she meet him), and she had unsuccessfully played Peter Pan in a school play. 

Laurie in turn learned about Kate. She liked to fix anything and everything she got her hands on and the only work she did was doing some repairs for the odd person here or there. Of course, Kate couldn’t tell her that her time was often spent leading a pack of werewolves. She wasn’t stupid.

Laurie was actively shivering now, her coat doing almost nothing as the night grew colder. “You’re cold.” Kate wanted to hit herself for that one. Of course she’s cold.

“I’m f-fine.” 

“You’re shivering.” Laurie had her arms around her middle and Kate had to actively resist the urge to take the smaller woman in her arms.

“It’s j-just a little ch-chilly. Nothing I c-can’t handle.” Kate was pretty sure Laurie would not be able to handle the cold for much longer.

“We can go back to my place and look again in a couple of hours when the sun’s up.” Kate’s house was warm and right now, that’s what her mate needed. She was looking a lot paler than she did an hour ago and Kate was really starting to worry. Laurie had just moved here and was unlikely to be used to the cold weather.

Kate was about to bring this up but Laurie was sticking to her guns. “N-no r-really. L-let’s k-keep l-looking.” 

It was at that moment that Kate learned a new fact about her mate. She was quite possibly the most stubborn person on the planet.

“Your lips are turning blue.” Kate pointed out, hands at her side clenching into fists, trying to hold herself back from pulling her clearly near hypothermic mate. Laurie hardly knew her and Kate doubted that she would be okay with being cuddled up to a virtual stranger for warmth. She needed to be gentle with Laurie, take things slow.

“They are not.” 

“I thought you were a doctor. You have to know you’re gonna get sick if you stay out here for longer.” Kate tried to reason but Laurie simply glared back. 

“I d-d-don’t g-get sick.” Laurie stated and Kate looked back at her incredulously. Was Laurie seriously gonna stay out here?

“Screw slow.” Kate muttered under her breath. Laurie was gonna get sick if she didn’t get warm soon and Kate would be damned if she let anything bad happen to her mate just hours after she found her. “Listen, you are going to go back to my house and get warm if I have to sling you over my shoulder and carry you there myself.” Kate said and the look Laurie sent her way would have probably scared her had she not resembled Casper the friendly ghost. She was looking dangerously pale and Kate was past worried and cruising into mild panic.

“Excuse m-me? Who d-d-do you th-think you-Oh my god! Put me down!” Laurie’s argument was cut off as Kate did exactly as she had threatened and picked the smaller woman up and slung her over her shoulder, starting to walk back in the direction of her house.

“No. You’re being ridiculous and- Hey stop that! You’re gonna hurt yourself.” Laurie had taken to hitting her back but had stopped and resigned herself to her fate as soon as she realized it wasn’t fazing Kate one bit. “Jesus, what are you made of stone?” Kate remained silent, determined to get Laurie back to her place and warm.

Laurie wasn’t enjoying being picked up and carried like a child. She was a doctor, a highly trained surgeon and she could handle herself for god’s sake. She did however, after a while, notice that the way Kate was carrying her gave her a pretty great view of the other woman’s uhm- behind. It’s a good one too, Laurie thought and flushed, immediately looking up and diverting her attention to a tree and not Kate’s admittedly nice ass. 

Kate shifted her a little and Laurie’s hand immediately reached back to grab Kate’s arm, frightened that she would fall. “Relax, I’m not gonna drop you.” Kate says. 

“You can put me down now. I won’t like, run away or anything.” Laurie says. Now that she’d had time to think, looking in the morning or like, in a couple hours when the sun was up did sound like a better idea than walking around in the middle of the night.

“No, this is faster. We can go through the woods quicker like this.” Kate says. Laurie was about to argue the logic of how one would be able to move faster with another person over their shoulder when she starts to notice just how fast Kate was moving. It was like she wasn’t fazed by anything that was in the way. Come to think of it, they had passed a fallen tree while they were looking for Laurie’s house and Laurie had struggled to go over it. But now, on the way back, Kate climbed over the fallen tree with ease. Even with Laurie over her shoulder. Maybe she works out, Laurie thought. 

Kate shifts her again and Laurie realizes that her hand was still very much on Kate’s arm. Her very toned arm and nope, Laurie wasn’t even gonna start to think about Kate’s arms. She was however, not in a rush to let go of said arm. Just then, a thought popped into Laurie’ head. Here she was, bundled up in her coat, about to turn into a popsicle and Kate was wearing a tank top. She was really warm too. Laurie could feel her. Through her arm. That and her muscles.

“Aren’t you cold? I mean, you’re not wearing anything warm.” Laurie asks, shaking herself from her apparent obsession for Kate’s arms.

“No, I’m used to it.” Kate swallowed a lump in her throat. She didn’t have use for more clothing than what she was wearing now and had forgotten that to a human, it would be weird to be walking around in these temperatures wearing jeans and a tank top.

“Okay.” Laurie spots Kate’s house and taps the woman on her lower back. “I see your place. You can put me down now.”

Kate was enjoying carrying Laurie, the woman was smaller than her and she could tell that her close proximity to Kate had warmed her up a bit. Nevertheless, she gently set her mate down, instantly missing her warmth as she did. Laurie steps back, brushing herself off and Kate did not think that simply a foot of distance would bother her, but it did.

They walk towards Kate’s porch and Laurie takes time to look at the house. It was relatively big and had a cabin-like feel to it. There was a wrap-around porch and Laurie could see a large shed just behind the property.

“Alright. Let’s get you warmed up.” Kate opens the door and they step through the door. She leads her towards the living room, walking down to her fireplace and getting to work on setting a fire. Laurie made herself comfortable on the couch and took a look around. She could spot the kitchen on her left and a hallway that she presumed would lead to more rooms. Kate’s house was warm and it looked unbelievably cozy. The fireplace mantle was filled with pictures of Kate and other people she assumed were friends and family. 

Silence stretches across the room and Kate starts shifting wood around, using this time to settle herself and relax. She had started the night tinkering in her workroom and now, not hours later, her mate was sitting on her couch nervously fiddling with the ends of the throw blanket draped across the back of the couch. 

Unbeknownst to Kate, Laurie had been watching her. Kate was quite possibly the most intriguing person Laurie had met. There was something about her that was pulling Laurie in. She found herself wanting to be near her and if Laurie was being honest, she wasn’t even upset about not being able to get home. She had a deep unexplainable feeling of trust for the other woman that should have made her uncomfortable since she had just met her, but instead she felt something she had not felt since her family had died; safe. The thought made her feel unsettled.

Kate stole a look behind her and noticed the smaller blonde looking a little uncomfortable. Maybe she’s hungry. Should I offer her food? She’s probably still cold. Kate thought. 

It was then that Kate remembered why she had met Laurie in the first place. She had woken her up. In the middle of the night. 

She’s probably exhausted! Kate wanted to hit herself. She had spent the night-morning? dragging her mate through the forest and having her nearly freeze to death. Add the fact that she had woken her up after what must have been an exhausting day of moving and Kate was sure her mother would have a fit if she ever found out about this. She would. Her mother had an undeniable ability to know everything almost as soon as it happened. It was a wonder she wasn’t busting her front door open and handing Laurie a collection of wedding binders.

Kate got up and walked towards the couch, taking the blanket and draping it around Laurie’s shoulders.

“Thanks.” Laurie says, smiling and tugging the blanket tighter against herself.

“You must be tired.” Kate says, holding her hand out. “It’s gonna be a few hours before the sun’s up. You can take my room.” 

Laurie shakes her head, grabbing the hand in front of her and letting Kate pull her up. “Oh no, I can just wait. I don’t wanna bother you more than I already have.” She takes note of how close Kate was to her now. She was between the couch and Kate and the taller woman made no move to step back.

“You could never be a bother.” Kate says in a whisper. She was looking at Laurie with an intensity that made the other woman feel warm all over and Laurie was suddenly aware of just how close she was to Kate. Kate’s hand slides down to Laurie’s forearm and for a moment she forgets how to breathe. The effect Kate had on her was both amazing and completely terrifying. She had only just met the woman for god’s sake. 

Kate hears the hitch in the smaller woman’s breath and takes a step back, letting go of her arm and giving her space. She probably thought Kate was a creep and the last thing she wanted was for Laurie to be uncomfortable or god forbid scared of her. “I-uh, technically I’m the reason you’re even here this late so it’s the least I can do.”

“Really I’m f-”

“Please.” Kate cuts Laurie off. 

If Laurie was being honest, she was exhausted. The move was not easy and she had spent hours lugging boxes into her house and the lack of sleep was catching up with her. “Yeah, okay. If you’re sure.”

“I’m sure.” Kate says with a small smile. She leads Laurie down the hallway and into her room, standing near the doorway as the shorter blonde looks around. It wasn’t anything special. There was a queen size bed in the middle of the room with nightstands on each side. There was a window to the left of the bed that filtered light into the room. A dresser was on the opposite wall and a large rug was positioned at the foot of the bed. 

Laurie strips off her coat and places it on top of the bed. 

“I’ll get you something more comfortable to wear.” Kate walks towards the dresser and takes a shirt and a pair of sweatpants and hands them to Laurie. “They might be a bit big on you.”

“They’re perfect. Thanks.” Laurie says with a smile.

Kate smiles back and Laurie stands there for a second before looking down at the clothes in her hand and back at Kate. 

“Oh, right! I’ll just-I’m gonna go get you some more blankets.” A light blush colors the taller woman’s cheeks and she walks out of the room, closing the door behind her and heading towards the closet at the end of the hall and loading her arms with thick blankets. She hardly ever slept with a blanket since her body ran hot. She had virtually no need for them but she knew Laurie would need them. 

She makes her way back, knocking thrice and coming in after hearing muffled ‘come in’. Laurie was standing at the foot of the bed folding her clothes and neatly setting them on top of the dresser. The clothes she was wearing were oversized on Kate and being shorter, Laurie was practically drowning in them. The sight was adorable and Kate chastised herself for feeling satisfaction at her seeing her mate in her clothes. 

“Woah.” Laurie mutters out as she notices the mound of blankets in Kate’s arms. 

“Is it not enough? I can get more if you want.” 

“No no this is okay. Really.” Kate nods and sets the pile of blankets on the bed.

A yawn escapes Laurie’s lips and Kate is reminded of how late it was. “I’m going to let you get some sleep. I’ll be right outside if you need anything.” Kate walks towards the door.

“Goodnight.” Laurie says.

“Goodnight, Laurie.” Kate gives her slight nod before heading out of the room, closing the door behind her.

Laurie makes herself comfortable on the bed, burying herself in the blankets Kate had brought her. The blankets smelled a lot like Kate and for some reason it made her feel more comfortable than she already was. That seemed to be a reoccurring feeling she was having around the other woman. She had been here for less than a day and already she seems to have found herself in a situation; one she didn’t hate. She shakes herself out of her own thoughts and lets herself fall into a deep sleep.