Chapter 24

"Please tell me." I finally said after a minute. "I'd love to know."
"Your father would ask me to marry you."
I laughed out loud. I wonder what fairy tale made him do that, but I couldn't think about it any longer because he interrupted my thoughts.
"And then you'd blossom like a flower. The whole community would rejoice and they'd all embrace me."
If only they'd see him with me. It was a shame that I could only have one of them, and I dreaded the day when the decision would have to be made.
"And how do Phyllis and Stephaney fit into this happy ending?"
"Oops," he said meekly. "I forgot about those two. Phyllis would eventually sleep with all the women, even the mated ones -"
"Except my mother ..." I interrupted him.
"Yes, yes. We don't want to upset the in-laws ..."
"And my sister," I said, enjoying his joke more than I should. "Only the devil knows what he'd do to you."
"He?" he asked, confused.
"Silas, my sister's buddy. He's very unpredictable and sometimes he's anger issues. Well, that's what happens when it comes to Callie."
He laughed. "My poor brother, he's supposed to be with Callie." He said in a fake Scottish accent.
"Sorry." I said, joining in his laughter. "She's taken."
"Wait." Said he more seriously. "I'll get one of my Wendigos to kill Silas, and your sister would be heartbroken, and guess who'd heal her broken heart?"
"Stephaney, of course," I interjected cheerfully.
"Well, that's impressive. You know the story."
"So tell me what happens to your pack."
He didn't pause to think about it, he said it like he knew I was going to ask, or maybe he did. "Well, my pack would find out about this upsetting news and they wouldn't be happy about it..."
"Oh..." I said, blowing away a yawn. "You just couldn't make it a happy ending, could you?"
For his wealth, he ignored me and cleared his throat before continuing in a warm voice. "They wouldn't understand why I joined the enemy, and the whole army would come and attack. The werewolves would fight us all and then the hatred between werewolves and Wendigos would start all over again..."

"What do you want to do?" asked I.
"I want to stay in your arms forever; I want you to need me. I want you to..."
"Peter?"
He frowned. "I want to stay with you, like now."
"No, I mean in the future."
"I still want you."
I sighed. "Okay, let me rephrase, what do you want to do without involving me."
"Nothing."
"Let's try again." I kissed the base of his neck. "What do you want to do that you've never done before?"
"Fall asleep in your arms and wake up with you against my chest."
"Maybe I'm asking the wrong questions." I turned and my accusing gaze fell on him. "...Or maybe you're intentionally giving me the wrong answers."
He smiled. "They must be the wrong questions."
"Then tell me, before you met me, what were you going to do?"
"That's still the wrong question." He told me smugly. "I wanted to meet you."
I smiled. "I'm getting closer, aren't I?"
"Maybe."
I smiled mischievously. "So, is there anything else you'd like to do besides the obvious?"
"I'd like to write a book."
"Hmm, what would it be about?"
"Back then it would have been a memoir called - Memoirs of a Wendigo - now it would be a classic romance novel called - The Story of Us." He laughed. "Although it's better to start with your MC, I'd start with the description of your eyes, and then the second chapter would be...."
His voice faded in confusion. I fell asleep with the sound of the rain beating down on me some more.
In the morning, I woke up to the smell of eggs. I followed the smell outside to the vicinity of the creek. The place was even more beautiful in the light of the rising sun. I could see a lake in the distance and clearly make out Peter's tall figure.
I crept up behind him and hugged him. I'm sure he heard me coming. When it came to him, nothing went unnoticed. I kissed his bare back and he turned me toward him in his arms.
"Good morning."
"It's indeed a good morning," I said.
"You know I didn't mean that." He complained.
"I know." said I, standing on my tiptoes and pressing a kiss to his chin. That wasn't where I wanted to place it, but it was too big. Dejectedly, I sighed. "Are you ever going to kiss me?"
Then he met my gaze. "Weren't you listening?" he didn't wait for an answer. "I don't have enough control not to drain you of your life essence."
"But you said ... that's why you didn't tell me what you needed to survive."
"Now do you understand why you should leave me?"
"I'm not going anywhere."
"But I could never give you a normal relationship."

"That's enough for me."
"You don't sound so happy. I thought you were going to spend the night."
I gave him a dirty look. "You know that's not why." I looked at his lips for emphasis.
He smiled and flashed a straight pair of white teeth.
He helped me to my seat.
"Why don't you praise my gentlemanly skills?"
I laughed. "Oh, that's why you've been spoiling me lately. You want me to compliment you?"
"At least tell me I'm doing something right." He sounded so hurt. I almost fell for his game. He smiled. "I'm good at it, I just know it."
"Anyway. What did Stephaney make for breakfast?"