Into The Unknown World

Grayson just stared, no one asking before to meet his wolf. In fact, every vampire he had ever encountered was terrified of him. And yet, here he was being asked; and in his mind, Midnight was jumping for joy, eager to get out and show himself to his mate, which still played with his mind.

“Uh, have you meet wolves? Have you seen the shifts?”

“Yes to both and no, not by choice. There was an attack on me, a rather big one and I was sent home after I bit some and they had shifted to help heal. Nor, have I ever asked or wanted to meet one as bad.” Grayson smiled at that and took my hand.

“Okay, he would like to meet you too. But outside would be better for me to shift.” With that, I smiled and led him out the back door, glad no one was about today, or there would be many questions. Grayson looked around and then tugged off his shirt and tossed it my way. My eyes trailed over his chiseled chest filled with quite a bit of black ink and I had to swallow hard. A man with tattoos and muscles had always been a weakness of mine, and knowing, by their law, he was mine did even more numbers to me.

“Uh,” I started, not sure what the hell I was going to say. He smirked at that.

“You keep gawking at me, I don’t know why, but I take it that you like what you see.”

“You do look okay.” He rolled his eyes and started to pull down his shorts.

“You are welcome to watch the show but I don’t think you want to yet, so…” he trailed off and made the motion to turn around with his finger. I did as he said and felt his shorts hit me on my shoulder. “I don’t want to rip the only clothes I have here, so can you hold on to these please?”

“Oh, yeah, sure.” I pulled my lip between my teeth and cringed as I heard the bones crack and shift and then a soft whimper. I turned around and stared at the tallest, and darkest, wolf I had ever seen. And his eyes were just as black as Grayson’s, and just as mischievous.

I carefully held my hand out for him to sniff, thinking about what he would with the stench. His nose stuck against my hand, a playful sneeze and sneer coming out before I felt the light nip as he playfully bit at my hand.

“No biting Midnight.” He pulled away from my hand and gave me a wolfy grin and I had to laugh, his playfulness matching Grayson’s. I moved my hand over his nose and snoot, up over his head, lightly scratching his ear, seeing a patch of light gray right behind it. “You have this very odd patch, guess that means you two match well after all.” I moved my hands over his back and then down his leg where he lifted a paw and placed it on my leg. “Okay, I guess a mutt describes you well after all.” He growled and launched at me, making me fall on my back, causing me to laugh the whole time. His nose went to my neck and he sniffed causing me to shiver at the feel of it, which caused him to lick the spot and I nearly groaned. “Well Midnight,” I started as I sat up and brushed his fur again, “you are a glorious wolf. I really don’t think I’ve seen a coat as rich as this one.”

He howled his response and I smiled as I watched him. In the sunlight, you could tell just how royal of a coat that was, and that was highly not normal. I quickly leaned over and kissed the side of his neck, getting a grin and another lick in return and then I stood up, allowing him to shift back.

“I don’t think I’ve ever had that damn wolf that fucking happy,” Grayson said and I tossed his clothes to him over my shoulder. “I also don’t think I’ve ever been jealous of him before either.”

“You poor baby,” I said as I turned around, catching him as he slipped his shirt on. “Midnight truly is a unique wolf. Everything about him is so rich, strong and even…royal in a way. Grayson, I have seen a lot of wolves; Alpha’s, Beta’s, warriors and various others, all throughout my time, but none have ever looked like him. He would stand out among any of your brethren; and by his look alone, he commands respect.”

“You can stop boasting his ego. He has tried shifting again just so he can kiss you more.” I laughed and without thinking, I took his hand. “I wasn’t around when I was young, I would come back every year for my birthdays, but I lived with Dylan someplace else, some place very remote. I was so different as a kid, never wanting to play games but always wanting to learn, and not just school work.

“The normal shifting age for a wolf is usually 18; I shifted at 14, and not on my birthday. They had to call my dad in to help me and he was just amazed as you. My dad knows there is something else to me but he doesn’t know what.”

“Who is they?”

“They are witches. There was a man and a woman who would care for us; their families lived a few miles away. My dad said that it was the only way he could help me, for who would think to look there? And it was the only people he trusted of their kind.”

“Don’t you find it odd, maybe even more of a coincidence that you and I were both raised by witches?” Grayson tilted his head as he thought that over; it hadn’t clicked before but I was right, it was odd.

“What do you make of that Fire?”

“Honestly, I chalk it up to this…relationship. Many pieces of a puzzle that I can’t make heads or tails off to see how they fit.”

“Is that why you were in the library?”

“I was hoping that some title would jump out at me; or that maybe some book would click. I have so many over my many years, but nothing made sense, nothing jumped out.”

“I know you are curious about us, about this, and needing answers.” He took my other hand in his and turned me to look at him. “I’m there too, quite confused. But I know I enjoy spending time with you and that’s what I’d like to do. How about we go on a date? As…a fling, not a couple?”

“What the hell is the difference?”

“A fling means that could be sex afterwards and it won’t be awkward.” I rolled my eyes at him and laughed. But, I couldn’t deny that I liked being around him too.

“Fine, a date. Pick me up at 7.”