Chapter 5: The Cold Light of Day

Elias

The sound of rustling wakes me as I open my eyes to the soft glow of dawn. As I slowly pull myself from the fog of sleep, I see the nascent sun casting a warm light on Amy, who's scrambling to get dressed. For a moment, I pause, staring at her lithe form as she pulls on her shirt. The sun and shadow cast a gorgeous silhouette of her curves, reminding me of the ridges and valleys I explored last night.

She looks more beautiful than ever, her tousled red hair and the remnants of a smile playing on her lips. Suddenly though, I wonder why she's in such a rush to leave. I hope she doesn't regret what happened last night.

"Hey," I say softly into the silence of the cave. 

Amy stops suddenly and, although I can tell she's in a hurry, she takes a moment to lean over and kiss me.

"Hey," she breathes as she pulls away, evidently surprised by her own forwardness. "I'm sorry to wake you."

"It's okay, " I tell her, sitting up and stretching. "I was hoping maybe you'd stay a little while though. Maybe get some breakfast. Or you could just come back to bed."

I give her a flirtatious smile and she blushes. This time, I lean in to kiss her and the taste of her lips again drives me crazy. Even the wolf in me is excited by her touch.

Suddenly she pulls away though.

"I wish I could," she tells me, a guilty look crossing her face. "But I have a class at nine and I need to go home first."

An idea crosses my mind then.

"I live just at the edge of the woods," I tell her with a grin. "And I have a car. How about we go to my place for a quick breakfast, and then I can give you a ride home and to college?"

Amy breaks out into a smile. "You're quite the gentleman," she tells me coyly. "And here I was thinking you were just the animal I met last night."

She gives me a knowing grin but I'm suddenly struck by the fact there's so much she doesn't know. I'm not about to tell her though.

"I'm a man of many mysteries," I reply jokingly, though I wish I could tell her how true that really is.

Once I'm dressed, we emerge from the cave, the bright light of day a welcome change from the dark of the cave. The sun shines warmly on my skin, but it's Amy's hand in mine that truly warms me. That same strange heat spreads up my arm from where she touches me and I can't wipe the smile off my face.

As we walk through the woods and toward my place, I can't help but steal glances at her, my mind replaying the moments we shared in the cave. I can't shake the feeling that I've stumbled upon something profound. The forest, once a place of solace, now echoes with the memories of our stolen moments.

Soon, the trees give way to suburbia and the familiar streets of my neighborhood greet us. I'm busy telling Amy about my signature French toast and promising her she'll love it, when I stop dead in my tracks.

"What is it?" Amy asks. She follows my gaze as I stare at the figure leaning against my door.

"Wait here," I tell her, my voice suddenly devoid of the mirth it had carried just a moment before.

Without another word, I let go of Amy's hand and stride forward, never taking my eyes off my father, whose deadly stare is equally fixed on me.

 "I guess it's clear where you disappeared to last night," he spits as I approach him. His eyes finally leave mine for a moment, but only to shoot a venomous look over my shoulder at Amy.

"Leave her alone dad," I warn, my voice edged with a sudden protectiveness.

"She's none of my concern," he replies, his blue eyes flashing with anger as he meets my gaze again. "And she's none of yours either, Elias. You're only making a fool of yourself, and of me, by galavanting around with some human hussy."

"Watch your mouth," I snap, stepping up to him. My wolf is suddenly raging inside me, itching for a fight, and my dad knows it.

"You watch yours, son," he snaps back. "You better remember your place in this pack. I'm the elder here, or did you forget?"

I scowl at him, my wolf still riling inside me, but I know he's right. If I dared to step up to my father, nobody would have my back.

For a moment, the tension between us hangs in the air, until Dad shakes his head and scoffs.

"That's what I thought," he tells me and I know he's won this round. "Now get rid of her. The bonding ceremony is tomorrow and I won't have you embarrass me a second time."

With that, he shoots one more dirty look at Amy and stalks away, leaving me shaking with rage. I know I have to steady myself before I turn back to Amy, and with a deep breath I try to calm my wolf. When I finally feel the anger subside, I turn back to see a look of deep concern etched on Amy's face. 

"Who was that?" she asks, looking over my shoulder to where my dad walked off, even though he's long gone now.

 

I sigh, a dark cloud settling over me as the weight of my reality makes itself known. The conflicting emotions of the morning and the weight of pack expectations converge. 

 

"That's my dad," I admit, with a grimace.

 

Amy's face carries the same shadow as mine now. 

 

"Oh," is all she can manage for a moment. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble between you."

 

I shake my head, wanting to reassure her, but the whole story is far too complicated, and there's so much I can't tell her. Instead, I give her a sad smile.

 

"It's not you," I say gently. "But maybe it's better if we skip the French toast for now."

 

She looks up at me and nods, but the warmth and tenderness we shared last night and this morning have been replaced with a stiffness that neither of us seems to be able to shake.

 

With a tense silence, we climb into my truck and barely speak during the drive, except for her to give directions to her house. It turns out she lives just near the college and when she suggests I just drop her at home, I reluctantly agree.

At her door, she thanks me, but the awkwardness is palpable. Before she goes, she looks at me with a sincerity that tugs at my heart and once again the rage toward my father flares.

"I don't know what happens now," she tells me, with a slight shrug. "But I'm really glad we met."

"Me too," I tell her, and through the rage something else blossoms. Happiness maybe.

"I hope it's not the last time," she adds.

Before I can respond, she leans forward giving me a deep, lingering kiss that sends a wave of warmth through me.

And then, she's gone, the door to her house closing with a soft click and leaving me to process everything that's just happened.