Pathways

He smiled at me slightly, leaving me breathless. Every time he looked at me I swear my heart froze inside my chest and I couldn't breath. He was just so beautiful, heart breaking. What would I do if he decided to simply laugh in my face at this moment? Would be return my words or was I crazy? Was I going to be that poor little wolf who actually fell for her mate and let him walk all over her? Lets me honest it would crush me if he said he didn't, but I would still follow him around like a lost puppy dog. I really did love him, I don't know why but I did. 

Darren pulled my face to his and gave me a gentle kiss once more. His lips were warm against mine and I loved it. I still wasn't use to kissing back right away so he waited and gave me my chance, I loved him for it. I was silly worried though. What if this kiss meant that he was sorry that he didn't share feelings for me as well. Then again it could mean that he's getting ready to tell me he shares the same feelings. Its a fifty fifty chance that is leaving my heart pounding and my anxiety going over the edge. 

I gave him a concerned look when he pulled away. It was probably a look that told him I was regretting what I had just said, I didn't want him to run away from me. Did I just screw everything up? Was I moving to fast? GOOD GOD! I don't know anymore, I've never don't this! I'm not cut out for this romantic stuff, I don't know what to do!

He chuckled at the look and pressed his lips to my forehead. "I'm glad you feel that way," Relief seemed to wash over my entire body. I'm surprised that I didn't sigh in content. I thought for sure he was going to run for the hills and leave me here. "but I don't think that sums it up. I already love you, I'm not in love with you yet I'll admit. I've only known you for a week, but I know that without you I would feel empty just left I did before I met you. I'm surprised to find myself wanting to wake up to you and spend time with you. I don't want to leave you to work and I don't want to see you in danger. I'm falling for you as well." 

I was taken back for a second. He was like a character form my book, he was seriously to perfect. When was I going to find that one thing that made him not perfect, what if he didn't have one? No wonder so many people like him in his pack, he was the ideal leader the ideal mate. How did I get so lucky?

"What?" He mumbled, I snapped out of my trance and found I was looking at him with a dumb founded look on my face. "Was it something I said...do I sound like a creeper?"

"No!" I cried louder then I meant to, he jumped a little. "It's just that...your so perfect, Darren. When are you going to do something wrong so I don't feel like I'm standing next to a god or something." that sounded completely selfish and I didn't want it to sound that way. Thankfully he just started laughing out loud. 

"It's just because I'm your mate, darling. If you were anyone else my imperfections would jump out at you. You were kidding when you said that you didn't know anything about this mate thing were you?" He took a step back from me and sat down in the cold looking grass. 

I shook my head and bit my lip as I looked down at him. God he was gorgeous, how could I be placed with him? "Roe never thought it a high priority, we were kind of worried more about surviving." 

He nodded and thought to himself for a few minutes, running his fingers thought his hair while he did. As I watched him I wrapped my arms around myself and looked up at the sky. It was turning grey, signaling that a storm was coming, I've never really seen a true storm down here, but the cool breeze made me think it was going to be a snow storm. Even though I was use to the cold that breeze still bothered me in my naked human form. I wonder why it didn't bother Darren. After a few moment of him still thinking I found that I was getting to chilly to just stand here and wait for him so I simply changed back into my wolf. The sound of my skin ripping echoed through the woods, it made Darren cringe and I felt bad for that, I didn't meant to scare him. 

Slowly I moved over to his side and curled up in the grass, pressing my head lightly against the side of his leg. He was quite warm and he seemed to block the wind. He rested his hand against my back and gently stroked it. I sighed in content and cuddled deeper into the side of his thigh. Surprisingly that didn't both him. 

He sighed a little himself. "My mom always told me that if I felt like I was in love with my mate that I should never let her go, she always regretted loving my father. It killed her that he never loved her back. Then he found Gwen's mother, they weren't mates but he was head over heels for her. The day that she died he came crawling back to my mom, but I wouldn't let him see her. I regret that now, maybe she would've been happy with him. I was just scared that he would hurt her like he hurt me, I was scared that he would try to mold her into his image of a perfect leader. She was just so sweet and innocent. I'm scared she hated me for it." 

Obviously I couldn't say anything to him about it in this form, and I'm kind of glad I'm changed. I don't know what I would say to him, I can't see his mother hating him for that but I never met her. I think he was glad that I changed as well, I don't think he really wanted to hear me say anything. He just wanted to talk, at least he trusted me for that. What other fears was he hiding from me?