I sniff the air discreetly while pretending to read my shopping list because I don't want the cashier to notice what I'm doing: it smells of fruit, of some kind of chemical product they use to clean the floor, of organic coffee I touched before, of lavender... I smile mischievously when realizing that my girl is in the next aisle and I walk through the supermarket slowly, standing on tiptoes, stealthily... Iselen is pacing up and down in front of the shelves where bakery products are piled up trying to choose the right flour to bake some vegan chocolate cookies for me, she promised me something sweet after we finished training this morning. I think she hasn't heard me yet...
"Don't you dare..." I stop immediately when hearing her whispering, I was about sinking my fingertips in her sides in order to tickle her.
"How did you...?"
"It's our bond, Ruby. If I concentrate on it hard enough, I can feel your heart beating at the same pace mine does, I recognize your perfume and your footsteps sound, my skin crawls when you're close... you won't be able to catch me off guard ever again. Sorry, you'll have to settle for squirrel hunting..." I sigh pretending to be annoyed while she drops a bag of flour in our basket. "Oh come on, don't be mad, I can start running and let you chase me when we arrive home if it makes you happy, but only if you promise me to be naked..."
"Where does this bold Iselen come from?" I ask smiling and she winks at me.
"I have no idea, I'm not like that... I wasn't... But when I'm close to you I feel better, prettier, stronger, more confident... Does it make sense?"
"Yes, babe, it does make sense," I answer cupping her cheek with my hand. My mate smiles and points at the veggies aisle, I nod and follow her meekly, watching her walking ahead of me and picking out some bananas and apples. My wolf purrs in my head when my girl leans forward to drop the fruit in the basket and her shirt falls open, showing me her beautiful bosom. It's amazing that the animal still wants to... we've barely left our bed during the last two days, only to go to the bathroom or grab a bite in the kitchen. Sex has become a mind-blowing experience since our bond allows us to share the pleasure, our newfound intimacy fuels our connection making it stronger... the more time we spend together, the closer we grow.
None of the conversations I eavesdropped during my childhood prepared me for this, no one talked about the "secondary effects" of having a mate in front of me... I even called my mum to ask her details about her experience with my father. She couldn't help me since she wasn't that jerk's destined partner but she's very happy for me, she confessed she always feared that I could end up alone and away from my people, wallowing in my hate and unable to trust anybody. Mum has talked with Iselen a handful of times on the phone but they seem to get on well and can't wait to meet each other. "You've fallen in love with a wonderful girl, sweetheart, congratulations." Her words left me puzzled and I've been mulling them over in my head, am I in love with my mate? I trust her, she makes me laugh, supports me in everything I could possibly need, she takes care of me and I take care of her, my pets adore her, I feel satisfied, sometimes ecstatic, and optimist... I know I can face anything as long as she's by my side...
"Ruby, I've forgotten chocolate drops for your cookies..." Iselen walks past me, rushing down the corridor, her delicious scent wakes up the wolf inside me and she stares at her with the eyes of a predator despite we're in a supermarket and there's nothing we can do here. I grow impatient if I can't kiss her, I'm anxious when she's not around me... Do I love her? This feeling, is it a consequence of the bond that binds us or am I truly head over heels for her? Does it even matter, anyway? The truth is that I can't live without her and there's no need to find a name for this feeling. The important thing is that we're together and will be back home soon where I can lie her down on the kitchen island and catch chocolate drops from her navel with my tongue...
