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HAVEN POV It had been several months since the wonderful evening I spent at the ballet with Mom and Dad. I still couldn’t stop thinking about the magical experience. I could still picture the beautifully detailed costumes, still hear the wonderfully elegant sounds of the full orchestra, and still feel the butterflies swarming in my stomach. I could still feel the tears of joy flooding my eyes as I sat on the edge of my seat the entire night, watching the pristine and exquisite dancers on the stage of the darkened theater. I even remembered a decent amount of the choreography. Well, that might be due in part to the fact that Mom purchased a video of the performance and I watched it at least once a week since. Dad even suggested we turn one of the empty bedrooms into a ballet room for me. He said it’s so he didn’t have to listen to classical music constantly, but really it was because he wanted me to have a safe place to practice. I had learned almost every routine for every role, b
HAVEN POV The waiting room at the hospital was cold. Cold, and white, and clean, and filled with the scents of disinfectant, stale coffee, and anxiety. I sat quietly in place in my chair with my book bag, scanning the room, watching the waiting family members of the other patients in this wing of the hospital. I also watched the nurses as they came and went from the unit. The amount of people in the waiting room dwindled, and the darkening sky outside signaled the approaching end of visiting hours. And, yet again, they had not allowed me to go back to see my dad. “Come on, kiddo,” Scott said as he walked towards me from the restroom. “It’s time to head home.” “Mom?” He grimaced. “She’s staying here again. I guess they’re giving her a few more nights of it before they tell her she can’t anymore.” I nodded and grabbed my bag and followed him out to his car. It had been the same routine for several weeks. School, hospital waiting room, home, repeat. Except, “home” kept changing. S
Dear Haven, I don’t know about you, but I am so ready for Spring Break! One week of no school, no teachers, and no homework? Yes, please! Do you have any plans for the week off? My family and I are heading to the beach to go camping for a few nights, and Reid is coming with us. Then, our town has its annual spring festival. We plant trees and there is usually tons and tons of food and pies and freshly squeezed lemonade. Also, I know it’s a ways away, and I know my parents will be talking to your parents about it soon, but this summer I was hoping we could meet in person? I mean, if you want to. I thought it would be fun. We’ve mentioned meeting in person before, so yeah. Anyway… read you later! Your friend, Wes P.S. Reid says hi P.P.S. Damn it, I am so sorry! I TOLD him to leave my shit alone! ********** Dear Haven, Hey! It’s been a minute. Usually you’ve written back by now, but maybe you’re busy? I know you were going to be starting more ballet classes and private lessons
WESLEY POV “Have your parents said anything?” I asked Nolan as he walked up to me before training. “Have they heard anything?” “I don’t know if they’ve heard anything, and no, they haven’t said anything to me,” Nolan sighed. “And I am sure my answer will be the same tomorrow,” he added as he bent down to stretch. I huffed in exasperation. The same answer. The same fucking answer every day since my parents told me Felix and Fiona were trying to adopt Haven. And that was several weeks ago. I tried to be patient, but patience had never been one of my strong suits. I was more of a “right now” kind of male. That restlessness inside me stirred again, but I pushed it down, tempering it with my breathing and my stretching. It had been happening more and more in the weeks since I learned of Haven’s situation with her family. This fierce, feral thing inside of me would rear its ugly head any time I would think about Haven, or someone would mention her, and I would have to refocus and recen
11.5 YEARS LATER HAVEN POV “Let’s run through that last section one last time, Haven,” Peter called to me from the middle of the darkened house. “I really want you to imagine you’re floating on those sissones. Remember, you’re a fairy.” I nodded to him as I turned away from the seats of the theater and grabbed my towel from the floor of the stage to dab at the sweat on my face. Rehearsal had been grueling. Peter was picking apart every step and transition of my interpretation of the Lilac Fairy. Not that I minded. He was a genius when it came down to the nitty-gritty details of nailing Nureyev's choreography. Even in the short months I had been with this new company, I had already seen an improvement in my technique and my performance quality. But damn, were my feet feeling it. I would need an extra long Epsom salt soak over the weekend. Thankfully, it was my last rehearsal for the week, aside from the optional barre class on Saturday morning. Well, optional for everyone except m
WESLEY POV I stared out the window above my kitchen sink, sipping my beer as I looked at the view of the lake from my house. Soon, I thought to myself. Soon this will all be mine. Well, provided I found my mate. Or chose one. And, since it had been 3 years since I’d turned 21, the idea of having to take a chosen mate was becoming more appealing. I let out a sigh and set my bottle down on the countertop, my hands gripping the edge and my chin dropping to my chest. Exhaustion hit me like a freight train, the same as it did every day at the same time. My Lycan grew more restless and agitated by the day. His constant irritation wore me out, to where all I wanted to do after working all day was come home, have a beer, and turn the TV on, only moving to tell N*****x that, yes, I was STILL watching. The only reprieve I got was the early morning workouts every day, and the interrupted sleep each night. His attitude was becoming a distraction even at work, and unless something changed — a
WESLEY POV “Haven?” I took a small, hesitant step towards her. I wanted to touch her, to put my hands on her and check if she was real. But I stopped in my tracks when she crossed her arms and tugged her leather jacket tighter around her body. As if it was a shield. Why would she react like that? Like she needed to protect herself. How could she think I would hurt her? Had someone else hurt her? My Lycan did not like that idea. I pushed those thoughts away as she shook her head again, her loose curls swaying with the motion. Her face scrunched up in confusion, and she looked up at me and said, “I’m sorry, I — this is—” “It’s me. Wesley,” I told her, taking another small step forward. “We used to—” “Yeah. No. I mean — I know who you are, I just — how?” she stammered. “How is this possible? How are you here?” she asked, gesturing wildly with one hand. “I could ask you the same question,” I replied with a laugh. She tilted her head to the side, and the movement was so wolflike I h
HAVEN POVMy phone buzzed against the wooden floor near the mirror of the dance studio. Again. I’d lost track of how many times I’d heard it go off.I knew who it probably was. A small twinge of guilt flickered through me as I ignored it again, but I kept at my cool down stretches without moving to check it, and pushed the negative feeling to the side.I was alone in the studio. Class was over, and the few dancers who had attended had already left, making their way back to their apartments or heading out for a late breakfast with other members of the company.They had extended a courtesy invitation to me, as always, and as always, I turned it down.I didn’t come to California to make friends. I came to dance, to improve, to boost my chances of becoming a principal somewhere, eventually. Plus, forging connections and making friends remained hard for me, even as an adult. It didn’t help that the one and only friend I’d made as a child had hurt me, kicking me when I was already down.I sw