The Alpha's True Love

Portland's Finest

"Portland is known for its strip clubs."

I watched as Megan's eyes grew.

"Julian," she breathed, "Tell me we are not going to a strip club."

I smirked, wanting to see how far I could take this before she realized I was joking. "Why not? What better entertainment than a striptease act at 10 in the morning."

She balked. "That's disgusting. And so incredibly piggish! I thought you were better than that!"

My wolf purred, liking the spark I saw in my little spitfire's eyes. She was not amused. 

I chuckled. "We're doing it. I wanna see twirling tassels. Some pole work. Maybe you could learn a thing or two." A brief image of Megan in stripper apparel made my heart burn.

Her cheeks were on fire now. "Ab. Solutely. Not. Julian Walker! I do not want to see a woman dancing on a stage with her boobs on full display for a bunch of washed up, body hungry, deadbeat men."

"Who said anything about the strippers being female?" I quirked an eyebrow, watching her face morph from livid, to confused, to stunned.

"B-but," she sputtered, "You said tassels a-and- pole. Not female?" She sucked in a breath. "Male?! You want to watch MALE strippers? No! Take me back to Grimfur!"

The joke had gone too far now. People were beginning to stare as they passed us on the sidewalk. I grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her close enough to clamp a hand down on her mouth. When she stopped sputtering and quieted, I whispered against her temple, "I'm kidding." I waited until she relaxed to add, "We'll wait until our next visit." I felt her tense again before I released her.

She adjusted her cardigan, throwing me an annoyed glare.

"So," she exhaled, "What's first on our list to do today?"

I smiled and pointed behind her. We were just outside of a park that was lined with cherry trees. A row of bikes sat in racks, waiting to be rented out.

"A bike tour. There's an app I can use that will give us directions to all the major sites in the city. It'll take an hour or thereabouts. After, we can get lunch and maybe do some window shopping?"

I watched with satisfaction as she nodded, starting off toward the bikes.

"How did you know I love to bike?"

I blinked at her as she mounted her bicycle. "Lucky guess?"

We were mates though. Maybe instinctively knowing what your mate likes was just a part of it. But we hadn't mated yet. I don't think that kind of sense and perception worked until mates marked each other.

After mounting my own bicycle, I pulled up the app and pressed play on the directions. The automated female voice started us off in the direction of the Portland Art Museum. 

While we rode, we discussed different things. I told her about my childhood and how, even though Portland wasn't that far away, I never came here until I was a teenager sneaking out with my friends. I in turn learned that she was the opposite of me when it came to risk. She never snuck out as a teen or did anything overly reckless. Sometimes I marveled at the people the Moon Goddess paired together. It gave life to the idea that opposites do attract. 

Our tour of Portland included the museum, cycling through the zoo, going down an alleyway path that showcased several murals, and finally going through the entirety of the park we departed from.

Lunch turned out to be ice cream at a little shop two blocks down. While we were waiting in line to order, Megan leaned over to whisper in my ear.

"Don't order the hard chocolate."