Butterflies and Hurricanes

[[Brian]]

I couldn't help but notice the look of complete approval in Mrs Baker's eyes as she studied Kirsty, compared to the look she had given Sarah, almost as if she could smell a bad smell. I scowled because I knew exactly what she would be thinking: how lovely she would look beside my son!

I was not happy.

"Why don't you ladies hurry along?" I said instead, wanting her as far away from Zack's mom's scheming mind. I would have to make it clearer Kirsty was mine. In fact, I would go in search of a ring for her as soon as I possibly could. That afternoon if I could get away from my many obligations.

Once Sarah and Kirsty had bustled away in one direction, Zack and I went another, the both of us silent for the longest of times. I don't know what he was doing, but I took my time to reacquaint myself with the drawing room. Dark red walls, dark panelled wood, grand book cases, blazing fire. Upon the walls also hung portraits of family from years gone by.

The most dominant hung above the door, with the brightest of colours. It stood out instantly, it didn't have to be pointed out. It was a scene from a woodland, a silver mountain rising through the deep green spruce into the dark blue sky. A white moon looked down upon the scene, whereupon in a clearing were depicted a pack of wolves.

My own home also had a painting with the wolves, but they were not there in the mountains. On my fathers, the generations of our families were gathered on some outcropping rocks in the middle of long grass, glinting golden in midday sun. Looking at Zack's one, I could easily pick out my grandfather. He was the deep brown wolf with golden flashes.

"My mother was scheming," Zack suddenly spoke up, frowning darkly. "No offence to Kirsty, but I don't want her."

"Well no offence to you, but you're not having her."

"Well that's settled then isn't it?" Zack now grinned and we both chuckled. Then I let out a long sigh and slumped right into the sumptuous cushions of the chair I'd picked to sit in. I even eventually moved my feet up to rest them on the stool within my reach which added to the comfort and I closed my eyes.

"I'm so glad we're back here, now," I murmured.

"Me too, I hated London," Zack grumbled. "I mean, only a place as nasty as that could let two women as beautiful as Sarah and Kirsty live the way they did, regardless of their history."

"Kirsty doesn't like it here, though," I then mumbled, feeling a note of sadness creep into my voice. I wanted so badly for her to like it here, and I had thought she would. I mean, she had lived in India which is so far from London so why not California? It was hot here and she could have people grant her every wish.

Zack raised his dark eyebrows in surprise. "Really?" His voice was full of surprise. "Sarah loves it. Really loves it. Did Kirsty actually tell you she doesn't like it?"

I shook my head no. "I can just tell," I added. "She just seems...unsettled by something."

"I suppose it is a big change," Zack reasoned. "I mean clean air, clear skies, beautiful scenery, warm weather, peace and quiet. It doesn't feel dangerous here like it did there."

"But why should that make her so rattled?"

He frowned once more. "It's calm isn't it?" I don't know whether this was his answer or whether it was a new question to draw me away from that subject but I nodded my head. Maybe that was it, maybe she needed a balance of the two. She had gone straight from immediate danger to somewhere so peaceful she would feel it boring.

Perhaps we should live in Los Angeles, that was the most middle ground I could afford to give without compromising her safety and she would like it, I had no doubts. But then I had thought she would like it in Huntington Beach. I sighed. I wanted nothing but her happiness and safety, but they don't always go together. So how was I supposed to make her happy and keep her safe at the same time?

I suppose love was a lot harder and a lot scarier than you were led to believe before you found it.

"I think I preferred it more when I was single," I mumbled. "I didn't have to worry if my parents liked her or whether she was suitable. It was just go in, do your job, and get out. But no, I had to fall for her didn't I? Stupid me couldn't just keep myself focused, I let myself be distracted by my emotions."

Zack's eyebrows knotted together as I continued to stare glumly into the bookcase at nothing in particular.

"Is she not your mate?"

"I think so," I shrugged almost helplessly. "I hope so. That would crush me if she wasn't, I love her so much."

Suddenly Zack chuckled, then he broke out into louder laughter. I frowned, sitting straighter as I looked across at him, wondering why exactly he was laughing. As far as I was concerned it wasn't anything to laugh about. But he was laughing all the same and I wasn't surprised when a growl ripped from my throat.

"We're hopeless, absolutely and utterly hopeless, you know that?" He grinned. "We used to act like the hardest motherfuckers America ever knew and now all our time is consumed by these two women. How dare they change our way of thinking, our priorities? But they did, so we're hopeless."

At first I didn't react but then I felt my lips tug up and finally I was laughing too. We were still laughing when our other halves walked through the door, both of them smiling as manically as they usually did when left together for long enough. I knew they were probably gossiping about us two but I didn't mind.

"Wow, you two are happy," Kirsty commented first, taking the seat I vacated for her. "May I ask why?"

"No reason," I smiled, quickly brushing my lips over her cheek, inhaling her sweet smelling scent deeply. I could never get enough of that. It made things seem much brighter already and I relaxed so much internally I felt lighter. Which sounds stupid but I know what I mean. "What are you two up to this afternoon?"

"Beach," Sarah instantly replied looking at me pointedly. "I do believe you haven't taken your beloved to see it yet?"

I shrugged, digging one hand into my pocket to produce my pocket watch. "I do not feel it is overly important to my beloved's existence that she sees it immediately," I explained. "There are much more pressing matters to settle first, Sarah."

Their eyes widened in horror, though Kirsty's looked far less surprised than Sarah's and I realised what they thought I meant. And suddenly several things clicked into place at once. They thought I meant another monster and they were of the belief the werewolves went where the danger was.

Was that why Kirsty was so unsettled? Not because she didn't like it but because she suspected something?