Dollhouse

Chapter 15

Taito was ready to drag Ana downstairs and throw her in the car. He never realized just how long it took women to get ready. He stood, preparing to take her now no matter what she was wearing when she and Sherry walked down the stairs. His breath caught. She was dressed in an off the shoulder black crop top with the word punk stretched enticingly over her chest. She'd paired it with distressed jeans and tan ballet flats. Gold bangles matched the gold lettering on her shirt and the medium sized hoops in her ears. Her makeup was light – deep red lipstick that accentuated her full lips and eyeliner to bring attention to her naturally sultry orbs. Her natural curls had been left alone. He realized he'd been staring when she began to rub her arm – a sign of nerves.

"If I look weird, I can go change – "

"No way!" Sherry and Taito shouted at the same time. Taito grabbed her hand and walked out, growling at the cat calls from his pack.

"You look amazing. Now get in the car we have places to be and I'd rather not be old and grey by the time we get there." Ana grinned and slid in the car, noting how he opened her door for her. Not bad, but knowing him I should wait before getting any more excited.

"Oh wow." Taito had taken her to a park. She'd been skeptical at first – she wasn't much of an outdoors kind of girl. He'd lead her down a worn path that emptied out into a beautiful clearing. There was a hill at the edge of the clearing, overlooking a distant town. The trees were an array of oranges, reds, and yellows. They'd stopped along the way to get picnic supplies, and by the time they'd gotten there the sun was setting.

While Ana had been admiring the view, Taito had set up the picnic, discretely patting his pockets once he'd finished. Ana sat down after she was done taking in the scenery, gasping again at the way he'd arranged everything. It was mostly simple food; the fanciest thing they had was sparkling cider (Taito had wanted wine but Ana didn't drink). Somehow, everything had been arranged like a buffet, with the appetizers first. Ana grinned again, fully relaxing for the first time since she'd been taken. They talked and laughed while they ate, getting to know the basic things about each other. This is what we should've done to begin with. I probably would've warmed up to him faster. Oh well. Better late than never. Once they finished they cleaned up, opting to stay a bit longer. Taito cleared his throat, gaining Ana's attention. He took a deep breath before beginning.

"We're not a normal couple, and I realize I did a few things out of order and without your consent. I apologize, but I don't regret my actions. However, I want you to remain by my side by your own choice, for the rest of our lives, and so I want to ask you something." He reached into his pocket and gestured for her to stand. Ana was so stunned she did so without complaint. He pulled out a long box and opened it, revealing a breathtaking sapphire pendant on a simple gold chain. He stood up and moved to stand behind her, the pendent in his hands. "This has been passed down through my family for generations. It's given to the Luna, or alpha female, and is a sign of true acceptance of the bond. Will you accept this, Ana?" He stayed still behind her, letting his words sink in. Tears gathered in her eyes as she processed all he had explained to her.

"Will you put it on for me?" The pure joy on his face when he did, turned her around and spun her cemented in her mind that she'd made the right decision. He set her down and cupped her face, leaving forward until their foreheads touched.

"One day I'll give you a matching ring. You'll be mine in every sense of the word." Her watery laugh was her only reply.