True Nature

5

"Crap." The swear slipped from my lips easily as the cup I was holding slid through my fingers and shattered loudly on the tile floor. Wincing, I turned as the customer I was serving jumped in her seat in fright at the noise, and quickly muttered my apologies. "Oh, now really!" The lady, not a local but a prissily dressed newcomer with the poshest way of talking I had ever heard, glared at me as every eye in the cafe turned towards the commotion I had caused.

"I'm so sorry! I'll be right back to clean that up." I apologised again, ignoring her scowl, and scurried around back to the utility room to search for a dustpan and brush. Leaning against the door in a quiet moment of solitude, I took a deep breath. First, mistaking orders and serving customers the wrong dishes, and now this. Today was so not my day. Running into Ms Hudson just as I was shutting the utility room door, she gave me a worried glance. "Are you ok dear? You seem a tad out of sorts today." she lightly patted my arm.

"Oh, I'm fine Ms Hudson! I'm so sorry for making a mess." I laughed nervously, wringing my fingers. It was a wonder she hadn't sent me home yet. Or fired me for that matter.

"No worries dear, it happens all the time. If you need to take some time off though just let me know." she smiled sympathetically.

"No, no, I'm fine!" I flattened down my hair and straightened my ponytail hastily. "I'm really sorry for all the commotion. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." I dashed back out front before she could try to convince me to take any time off and kneeled down to sweep up the broken porcelain. 15 minutes later, I was back standing behind the counter in a daze, staring off into space. 

"I'm pretty sure it was dry the 10th time you wiped it." Claire walked up behind me, gesturing to the jug I was holding and drying with an old towel. "Is everything ok?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Just peachy." I sighed warily at the disbelieving expression on her face. "I'm sorry I've not been very good company today. I just have a lot on my mind." Giving her a puppy dog look, I laid the jug down finally and picked up another wet mug.

"If you have anything you want to talk about, I'm here." she said kindly. I gave her a small smile and thanked her, trying again to concentrate on small talk, but I just couldn't focus. My mind had been occupied all day with yesterday evening's theatrics and began, once more, to replay what happened for the hundredth time.

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"What exactly are you"? The words seemed to be resonating around the room. His muscled arm trapped me against the wall, stopping me from escaping as his large physique blocked out the rest of the room. Did this guy lack all spatial awareness? I smothered a moan. I sent a longing glance towards the direction of the door before looking up and catching his eyes. My heart was beating rapidly in my chest as he gazed down at me, waiting for an answer, and I was almost sure he could hear it, judging by the slightly amused expression on his face.

"Ahh, um, what do you mean?" I whispered finally, glancing to the side briefly every few seconds for a moment of respite from his intense gaze, before my eyes were inevitably pulled back to his. He tilted his head to the side, his moss green eyes regarding me thoroughly, and I could feel my cheeks slowly start to burn at the attention. He really was beautiful. I wondered whether he knew I had a pale complexion or if, at this point, he just thought I lived life perpetually red faced. 

"I've never seen a wolf do that before." He finally answered, reluctantly.

"I'm sorry?" I blinked, confused, trying to figure out what he was talking about.

"In the woods." he stated as if that was enough explanation. "When we made eye contact..." He seemed reluctant to go on, frustrated at my blank look. I frowned, still not following his train of thought, when my brain clicked into place at long last. The onyx wolf in the woods. He was Tobias.

In a state of shock and growing dread, I realised he was looking for an explanation as to our little stare off in the woods earlier. "Ah, well, actually..." I swallowed. "My wolf is very submissive." I explained hurriedly, just trying to piece some kind of sentence together. "Your wolf probably just didn't see her as a challenge. It happens all the time to us submissive wolves." I trailed off, chuckling pathetically and hoping like hell he'd let it go as I watched him slowly shake his head. "I don't think that's it." He murmured contemplatively. "It should have felt like you were challenging me but..." I felt a cold sweat slowly build at the back of my neck as he paused for a long moment.

"It's getting late. My friends are waiting for me, so I really need to get going." I stuttered, perhaps a tad too desperately. I reached up and touched his arm as if to gently push it down when suddenly his muscles tensed, and he took an abrupt step closer, forcing my back tighter against the wall. Goosebumps spread up my arms as our clothes brushed and my eyes closed involuntary at the feel of his breath hitting my forehead, my face now almost buried in his t-shirt. Any closer and we would practically be on top of one another.

My wolf was ecstatic at his nearness whilst I just focused on taking deep breaths and trying not to pass out. This close, his scent was overwhelming. A smoky, wild hint of the woods and underneath a hint of soap and his own natural musk. He smelt amazing. I tried to discretely inhale it again without being too creepy. A shiver ran done my spine as I glanced up involuntarily meeting his eyes again and almost immediately got lost in their depths. I watched his gaze getting darker, his breath heavier, as a look of surprise flitted across his features. The tension between us was so thick, it felt almost like a physical barrier existed separating his body from mine. Suddenly his expression hardened. "Your friends aren't here." The intrigued tone of his voice was abruptly gone leaving him sounding almost bored. "I think we need to talk a little longer."

"Look, I don't know what you want me to say but-" he interrupted me mid-rant which was fortunate as I had no idea what my panicked brain was going to come out with next.

"How much did you hear?" His voice got darker; his expression impassive. "The other day when you were standing in front of the door." He clarified at my lost look. I cringed internally at how moronic he must think I am.

"Oh, that." I cleared my throat. "Nothing at all, really." His finger began steadily tapping against the wall next to my head as I shuffled uneasily about in the heavy silence, groping for something to say. "I was actually just admiring the paintings on the wall in the hallway if you must know. Our Luna is a fantastic painter. Oh, and her watercolours are particularly lovely! Have you seen them?" Shut up, shut up Ivy. I internally groaned at myself, having somehow said all that in one breath, and instead decided to just pray for someone - anyone- to come rescue me from this humiliation.

He stood watching me ramble like an idiot with a bemused look on his face for several seconds before slowly pushing up off the wall. "What did you hear?" He asked again, softer, but still insistently, his mouth set in a hard line.

"I- not much I swear." I lifted my chin slightly, braver now that he had put some space between us. "I could only hear that you were arguing." I flicked another wistful glance towards the door again. I could feel his eyes scanning my face for signs that I was lying, his face skeptical, and it took everything within me to keep my expression neutral. After several more strained minutes of silence, he sighed and glanced away, dismissing me.

"Don't mention this again." His voice held a hint of a warning. I nodded once hastily and then dashed for the door.