Cold Kisses

30. Out for a day

Verity

I woke up sore the next day. Hunter lay next to me, his arm draped over my back toward my ass and his fingers were gripping my skin rather harshly. He looked exhausted, even though he was sleeping, but had a pleasant smile dancing over his lips. His body was like a picture. Marks from my nails decorated his back, glowing red. New hickeys painted both of our bodies. 

I tried to sit up, but every time I moved pain shot through my body. It took several tries until I managed to scuff to the edge of the bed. Slowly, I planted my feet on the floor and stood up. Pain attacked every fiber of my body almost immediately and I bit my lip to stop a groan from erupting. 

With small and careful steps, I forced myself to walk to the wardrobe. As quiet as I could be, I got dressed in a pair of sweatpants and one of Hunter's few long-sleeved shirts. Before I snook out of the room, I placed a gentle kiss on his cheek - soft enough not to wake him, but hard enough for his face to lit up in a small smile. I tiptoed out of the room and downstairs, heading outdoors. 

I breathed in the fresh air with a sigh. Whatever happened last night was long forgotten - I had been feeling weird, missing Hunter's touch all day. It was beyond bizarre. But today, that feeling was gone and I was feeling like myself again. 

The clock was only seven in the morning, so imagine my surprise when I saw a sand-haired child run around in the snow, playing for dear life. I recognised him after a few seconds and I smiled. 

"Tristan!" 

His head turned in my direction and he looked scared for a second, before he sniffed the air. Almost immediately, a smile grazed his lips and he made his way towards me as fast as he could in the deep snow.

"Hi, Luna. Good morning!" He shouted as he stopped in front of me, almost tripping in the snow.

"Good morning, Tristan. Shouldn't you be in bed? It's very early, you know."

He shook his head so hard his curls bounced around. "No, Aunt Keira tells me to go to sleep early every night, so I won't be tired when I wake up. Oh, I need to go back. You wanna come?"

I laughed and nodded. "Sure. I could use some company."

He smiled again and took my hand in his, leading the way. 

"We're going in to town today," he informed. "Aunt Keira is going to make some Christmas cookies and she needs ingredients, so I'm going to help her get them."

"Really? All by yourself?"

He nodded. "Yes, she said I'm a big boy so I might manage to do so."

"Absolutely. It's kind of you." 

His eyes suddenly lit up. "Can you come with us?"

I hesitated. "Um, I'm not su-"

"Please?" He looked at me with big eyes. "It'll be fun and I haven't seen you for so long. I'm sure Aunt Keira will say yes - especially if I use my puppy eyes. She adores those."

It's not her approval I need - it's your Alpha's.

"Well, we can always ask and see what she says."

"Yey!" He shouted as he pulled me with him, heading for his home. 

X

I ended up convincing Aunt Keira to let me come with them to the supermarket. Hunter knew nothing, but I did not tell her that. Besides, his mark on my skin was evidence that I could not leave, though she did not know that either. Other wolves would stay away from me; Hunter's mark would tell everyone to keep their distance or they would witness his wrath. 

Now I was seated in the car in the backseat, eyes eagerly taking in every tree we passed by. About one and a half hour later, I started to see houses and humans. My ears perked up when we entered the town. I stared with wide eyes at the many humans walking around, the green trees decorating the town's centre, and the many shops that littered the streets. 

Aunt Keira drove towards a supermarket on the outskirt of the city, parking the car near the entrance. Tristan hopped out and I soon joined him. I walked close to Aunt Keira and Tristan, making sure I didn't loose sight of them once we entered the massive building. Different scents, both from humans, werewolves, and the products, hit me at full force. I coughed. It was a bit overwhelming. Aunt Keira and Tristan waited for me to adjust to the new environment. It had been awhile since I was surrounded by the smell of humans. As I calmed down, I gave them an assuring smile and we began to walk again. 

She grabbed a trolley. Tristan happily sat in it, exclaiming in glee every time we passed food he liked. I laughed at him and helped Aunt Keira get all her ingredients. While we walked through the store, I got this strange feeling. There was a sudden tightness over my chest and I halted my steps. It hurt. I furrowed my eyebrows as another wave of pain struck me. What was this? I had never felt anything like this before.

"Verity?" Aunt Keira turned to face me. "Are you alright?"

"I don't know," I confessed. "I have pains in my chest."

She looked at me in concern. "Have you and-" she glanced around to make sure no human was near enough to hear her "- Alpha mated yet?"

I nodded and pulled the collar of my shirt down, showing her my re-made mark and the many hickeys that painted my neck. 

"Good, then the pain is not caused by your separation. Do you think you can hold out for a few more minutes?"

I nodded again, holding back a groan. "Don't worry, I've been through worse. I will make it, there's no reason to turn back now."

She gave me another concerned look, but nodded hesitantly, letting me have my way. We continued on our trip, grabbing ingredient after ingredient as we made our way to the cashier. Successively, the pain intensified in strength. I managed to keep any indication of my pain from my face, forcing a smile whenever Tristan or Aunt Keira gazed at me. We were soon done and I quickly packed our things into the bags Aunt Keira had taken with her. Tristan helped me while she payed for our groceries. To my delight, she had let me grab some cherries to bring back home and liquorice for Hunter (she mentioned that it was one of his favourites sweets). 

I grabbed the bags, letting Tristan carry a small bag with little weight. We walked to the car and I loaded the trunk, before jumping inside the car. To my dismay, the pain was on its peak now. I curled up in my seat, gritting my teeth. 

"Try to focus on something, dear," Aunt Keira instructed me. "It will help during the time."

I did as she told me to, staring at the dashboard while I tried to ignore the clock in my head. The way back seemed to go faster. Thank Goddess for that, I don't think I would have endured it any longer. But the closer we got to the territory, the pain started to fade away. 

Whilst Aunt Keira drove us to her house, I noticed how empty it seemed to be in the village. I tilted my head in question but paid it no further thought. We got out of the car and unloaded the car. I carried the bags to her kitchen and helped her, with the assistance of Tristan, to put it away at their right place. 

They invited me to eat late lunch with them, but the clock was around two in the afternoon, so I had to decline. It would be best for all if I returned to Hunter's house. I took my cherries and the liquorice, thanking both of them for a wonderful day. It was nice to finally be outside for a long period of time, to walk among other beings and smell new scents. Goddess, I had missed being out for so long. 

I made my way back to Hunter's house, humming during my walk. The sun shone and warmed my skin. I smiled and dragged a hand through my hair. It was a nice day today. It was warm, despite it being near the end of December. 

My ears picked up the sound of screaming and cursing when I was only a few kilometres from Hunter's house. I frowned and quickened my pace, basically dashing through the trees. When I exited the forest, I came to a halt as I stared at the scene in front of me in confusion. 

What the hell is going on?