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written-within-the-stars · 3 years

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Words Come Easier When Your Eyes Don’t Distract Me – Part Three – Together

Continuing on from

Collin

I smiled at the way she reacted when I told her about the medicine, and the praise and affection she showed Nova. Harper really had a capacity for caring beyond what most people were capable of, and I so longed to be on the receiving end of her affection.

I heard her whispers to Nova, and I pressed my lips together to keep myself from smiling, my heart sputtered. She was feeling it too, she was feeling something... but did she think she was going mad? Or was she just saying that the way people did when what they were thinking, or feeling was just too unexpected to believe?

I smiled at her. "It can get cold out here when the sun gets low." I heard her heartbeat faster when my fingertips brushed against her hand. I hadn't had many girlfriends in my life... people told me I was fussy, but mostly I was just awkward, and I needed to feel a connection with people. Obviously, none of them ever came close to the connection I had to her. But that... the heartbeat thing, that didn't happen from that kind of accidental touch. That was another sign that there was something deeper happening for her too. "I would never say no to hot chocolate." I chuckled.

She was beautiful, her features were so delicate. I couldn't help but laugh when she almost poked herself in the eye. "I think this is the first time I've seen you without your glasses on."

We headed towards the beach; the crunch of the gravel softened to the sound of ocean worn stones on sand.

I cleared my throat a little and tried my best to act natural. "Yeah, there normally would be a few more people around on a sunny day. It's like I said, it's rare we get a sunset that's not blocked by the clouds or fog."

I set the blanket and flask down on a thick driftwood log. "But we have a little time for a scavenger hunt before the show if you're up for it?" I motioned to the driftwood lining the beach. "Do you believe in magic, Harper?" I asked the last question with a smile, watching her closely for her reaction.

Harper

Willing myself not to prove my lack of concentration as my feet moved over the gravel. I was distracted by being close to him again, and the last time I’d been here, I had to walk over these in my flipflops which had been a bad idea.

“I have experienced that cold out here. Char and Jess invited me to join them some time back to surf. I was frozen. I have no idea how they did it.” My shoulders shook at the memory of the ice-cold water hitting me from all around, while #Charlie tried his best to keep me from drowning under the large swells. Even in a wet suit, it hadn’t helped to keep my body heat up.

My feet were moving one before the other and I couldn’t help but smile seeing Nova’s tail wagging from side to side. This was a good sign; she was excited and wanted to play after the day she’d had.

My eyes kept stealing glimpses of him, and I couldn’t stop that stuttering of my heart. It was unlike anything I had undergone before. I tried to concentrate on the moments, the time in the now. And yet I found my mind wondering towards my heart and chest and the reactions they had when he was by my side. That sensation of something missing I’d always had was slowly closing its gap. I could feel an allure towards him without knowing why or how it was possible.

The voice in my mind telling me this was insanity. It had to be. How could I have been so lost all my life, the nomadic pull to never stay in one place too long. Then show up in a small town like this by mistake and now it was over night starting to feel like a place I was meant to have been? 𝙏𝙝𝙞𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙮, I was never one of those who jumped in with both feet. And here I am.

“Deal, on the hot chocolate, I promise to make it especially for you.” Nova’s head popped around and I shrugged my shoulders. “No Baby girl, you cannot have any. Maybe a nice healthy cold carrot for you?” I laughed softly and then bit my lips to stop myself. “Here I thought you would most definitely be a coffee man.” My cheeks were burning now. What was I talking about? he could like coffee and hot chocolate at the same time! I did... ‘Such a fool.’

I smiled nervously and gazing over the sky and the sea to hide my reaction. Then to the rock faces in the distance as the wind picked up and blew my hair. Thankful now that I dried it and then tied it up and out of the way.

I could feel his eyes glancing over towards me, and I was so grateful that he’d not caught me looking at him. How could I ever live such a thing down?

“Sorry?”

The words he said bringing my attention back. He had noticed that I’d forgotten my glasses.

“Oh, they are in the car. I don’t need to wear them all the time, however with work being so busy of late. I never seen to take them off.”

Did I really have to give him such a detailed answer? Could I not be such a nerd and say something simple in my reply? I closed my eyes and shook my head. ‘Oh lord.’ I whispered to myself.

As the hardness of the gravel turned into a much softer feel and sound below our feet, he cleared his throat and now had my full attention once again.

I stood beside the thick driftwood log as he set the blanket and the flask down on top of them. My glance following him up the beach, I could see the smaller broken branches of driftwood scattered over the sand.

"A scavenger hunt?” Looking around us. “Would you like to collect the wood?” I asked pulling my hands out of my pockets to step around the log. However, I came to a stop at his question.

My eyes found his and found myself tilting my head to the side. ‘𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘, 𝙃𝙖𝙧𝙥𝙚𝙧?’ A sense of déjà vu penetrated the moment. And in my mind, I was stood in my practice with #BillyBlack asking me this very same question. ‘𝘿𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙗𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙚𝙫𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘, 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙩𝙤𝙧 𝙅𝙚𝙣𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙨?’

“Uhmm.. You… I.. Well.. You are the second person to ask me such a question today.” I smiled slowly starting to walk up to the driftwood on the ground.

“It would be a lie to say no, there has to be a little magic in the air for us to be here, doesn’t there?”

Did I sound unsure of myself?

“I mean.. All these beautiful things in the world… The sky, the sea, the sand even the pebbles.”

Add to it all the unanswered questions I was trying hard not to tell him as I had told his uncle the chief of the tribe when he came to see me today.

Collin

I laughed at the idea of her surfing. “You need to invest in a pretty good suit, but even then… the chill gets to you.” I chuckled. As we walked, I was sure I felt her eyes on me, but I told myself I was imagining it. But my wolf lifted his head, reminding me we had finely honed senses. I let my eye flicker just barely, using my heightened peripheral vision to glance at her and caught her looking, heat rushed up the back of my neck… creeping towards my ears.

Her heart was doing that thing again and it made mine do the same… and smile like an idiot too.

Nova gave a little tug on the leash at the mention of her nickname, but she settled quickly. It was almost like she was trying to impress Harper by being on her best behaviour. Not that it mattered Nova was always pretty impressive to anyone she met.

“The magic word!” I chuckled. “She loves carrots more than dog biscuits.”

I knew better than to try and tell her she looked amazing with or without her glasses. I would stammer and ramble and somehow manage to insult her. Like that time, I accidentally told a girl she looked better before she did her make-up… thinking it was a genuine compliment. You know… her natural beauty and all that. Needless to say, I spent the next twenty minutes talking to a bathroom door.

I nodded at her when she assumed correctly. “We are looking for something about the size of your hand or bigger.” I took her hand and laid it flat on top of mine, that held Nova’s leash, and held my free one about two inches above hers. “At least this thick, we only take what we can use.”

My smile widened when she told me she was already asked that. “Uncle Billy.” I chuckled and dropped my eyes to the sand. “I should have guessed. But this place… Is full of it. It’s in the air, the water, the trees… that land.” I pointed to each as I spoke.

“It will show itself to you a little at a time. Let’s start with this, just take a look around and see what feels right or different.” I smiled at her. “You don’t need to be able to explain it, you’ll just know.” I realised all my awkwardness vanished when I told her this… because there was no doubt about what I was saying. I knew it was true, that magic was in my blood, it was probably the only reason I was still alive. I believed it to my core.

I grinned, that was almost verbatim something #Billy had said to me when he was teaching me to carve wood as a kid.

“Then I’ll tell you that story I promised… if you’d like.”

Harper

“Oh, I don’t have a suit, I’d never really thought myself as a ‘surfer chick’ in my life.” I made quotation marks as I said the words. “Char had borrowed one for me when Jess told him I was coming down to the beach. I don’t think Char believed I was going to be as bad as I was.”

I was smiling at the memories of that day, the way I was about to turn back and drive off. However, all in all it had been the first time since I’d moved into town that I had allowed myself a little fun.

Tapping the side of my nose. “We Vets know all the magic words, don’t you know.” I teased a little, this time when I glanced towards him, I noticed the reddening of his ears. With his hair pulled back there was nowhere for him to hide really. About to move away from him for the scavenger hunt, I stopped when he took a hold of my hand.

My eyes widen, and that pull was back telling me to step into him. The way his hands took a hold of mine had my heart racing and my breath caught in my chest. A new flush of blood flowed into my cheeks and my stomach filled with sensations I could never explain even if I wanted to.

I had to chastise myself, he was trying to explain something to me. And all I could think about was how him taking my hand sent a rush of excitement in me. I took a few slow breaths, I blinked myself free of the whirl wind taking place in my mind.

“Big as my hand. Okay. I believe I can do that.” I looked up into his eyes, but I didn’t pull my hand free from his hold. I could feel Nova’s lead under my hand, the roughness of his skin was something familiar to me. It was how my father’s hands always felt too.

He smiled at me and again my heart fluttered, there was something so sweet about the way his smile made his eyes crinkle in the edges. “You guessed correctly; it was Billy who asked me that very same question today.” My voice sounded like mine, but I was sure that it was a pitch higher than my norm.

Clearing my throat, I licked the edge of my lip. He sounded a little like #Leah now too. She always told us that we had to respect everything that was around us. The air we breathe, the water that brings life, the trees who give us oxygen, the earth and the animals who feed us. “Everything around us has a touch of something in it. A pull, a desire to protect.” I said it without really thinking of the words.

I shifted on my feet, slowly taking my hand back I stepped backwards. “I best find the right amount of wood so that I can hear this story you want to tell me.” I smiled, tucking a free strand of hair behind my ear as I turn walking towards the first few broken bits of wood to collect them. So aware of his eyes on me and how I had to stop from making a fool of myself now.

Collin

I chuckled when she said #Charlie didn’t believe how bad she’d be. “A lot of people around here think it’s instinctual… they all started learning when they were young. I mean when you have the surf right on your doorstep why wouldn’t you?” I gave her an understanding smile. “I didn’t really learn until I was fourteen. I snuck to the beach a few times to try it out. But after a few cases in pneumonia, even pre-teen boys will start telling you it’s a stupid idea.”

Of course, I didn’t tell her when I finally learned to surf that I was a shapeshifter, unaffected by the cold and had agility and strength that humans could only dream of. “It’s a little in the season.” The words caught in my throat. “But maybe next summer I could try my hand as your teacher?” My heart thundered. Oh, damn! That was stupid! You just met this woman! You can’t make plans for something a year away. You idiot!!! I berated myself before my wolf needed to. “I… um… I mean… if, you know. You’re still in town. And, um….”

‘Nudanvdvna’ (Fool) My Wolf growled, low and gravelly. ‘Stop talking!’

I cleared my throat and got back to the topic of Uncle #Billy. “Um… yeah. Every bonfire… when he would gather the little kids up to tell them the stories, he would always start with…” I mimicked his serious tone.

‘Do you believe in magic?’ I guess it kind of stuck. And when we came here… or went into the woods looking for something for him to carve. He would tell us to find the magic, feel what was inside waiting to come out.”

Her heart seemed to be in a constant state of changing rhythms, the corner of my lips pulled up on one side. I could listen to those sounds forever. I stepped between the logs and occasionally glanced down even though I wasn’t looking for anything, I just wanted her to find something. I didn’t know what the plan was for it yet exactly, but my hands would be guided when the time came.

I watched her closely; even if she wasn’t as clumsy as she made it sound when she was talking about walking into and tripping over the flat packs in her house… it was still easy to trip and stumble here. The tides didn’t exactly leave the trees in neat rows when they washed them up. The wind was blowing her hair across her face and I was close enough to catch her scent; it was clearly cutting through the salty air. It filled all my senses, my wolf practically purred, his previous irritation was completely swept away now.

I had never seen this kind of beauty before, from the tiniest detail of her face to the tiniest her. I wanted her to know everything about me… and not be afraid. Please, don’t let her be afraid of me. I sent the silent prayer to the Ancestors, the Spirits… anyone that would listen.

Harper

Bending at my knees I started to collect broken branches of the drift wood from the beach. His voice was so easy to listen too, but my outstretched hand stopped for a moment at hearing him. “You suffered from pneumonia from surfing in there?” I was now looking back over my shoulder to him and pointing out to the sea.

“No sport is so great that we would allow ourselves to become so ill.” Picking up a few branches I stood to move on to the next lot a few feet away from me. But then my mind went back to something he’d told me a few times. How he’d been a poorly child when he was younger and how his mother had been worried about him.

“Summer plans for the coming year?” Was this something I could even think about? what was I to say to him? ‘Yeah sure, if I don’t get the itch to run and leave town before then.’ Only I didn’t know what my plans were for that far away.

I twirled around on my feet and my footing was a little unbalanced, but I fixed it before anything came of it. I’d never have thought myself clumsy at all, but the way things were playing out with me of late I had to take a little better care of my footing.

“Do you really have seasons here? Is it not just rain and a little sun now and then?” I couldn’t help but smile.

Those were the only weathers I had witnessed here since I came into town. I tilted my head a little to the side, holding the wood in my arms close to my chest. He was doing this thing where it looked as though he was in the middle of some mental debate. I had to smile a little, it was something I’d seen him do before.

“I have heard these bonfires are something amazing. Seth always said he could eat the most burgers and still be the best-looking guy around the fire.” I smiled as I collected a few more branches before walking back towards him and Nova.

She was sniffing the sand, and I could see that look in her eyes. The one that said, ‘I’m thinking about doing something you don’t want me to.’ Then right away, her head went down followed by her shoulder and she rolled herself into the wet sand.

“Oh Nova!” Both of them, Nova into her mischief, and Collin mimicking #Billy and his voice made me burst out with laughter.

“You sound like the Chief.” Holding out the wood I ask.

“Where are we setting this down?” I smiled up at him

Collin

I laughed softly; my eyes kept moving to her. “Not exactly.” I pressed my lips together. “Remember I told you I was a pretty sick kid… Well, I was also a bit of an idiot. I’d sneak out to the beach to go swimming or surfing and I’d end up with a cold or something. Sometimes it was fine but others… it would get worse and worse… and then it was another trip to the hospital.”

As an adult now, I knew I’d kind of put my parents through hell. But at the time all I wanted to do was be with my friends. “I completely agree, now… But when you’re ten and listening to all your friends talking about their surfing skills. You can convince yourself you’re immortal.” I laughed again. “Foolish… But I think I’ve mostly grown out of it.”

When she asked about the seasons, I just made a non-committal sound. “I mean the trees lose their leaves in the fall… the flowers bloom in the spring. But the rain never really goes anywhere… It means when we do see the sun, we appreciate it more.” I was hoping not to put her off staying here. “And when it snows… It’s so beautiful.” I watched her stagger, but I held back from going to her, she managed to catch herself and I tried to act like I hadn’t noticed.

I knew what was coming before she even did it. Nova started rolling around in the sand. I shook my head at her. She was wriggling and showing us her round belly, I wondered if she’d had the chance to grow up before this, would she be showing yet? The sound of Harper’s laugh had my heart skittering again. I could listen to that sound all day long, every day… My wolf reared his head and reined me in. I was definitely getting better at talking around her. The stammering seemed to disappear sometimes, depending on what we were talking about.

“As you can tell Nova 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙮 likes the beach.” I chuckled and glanced back up the shore. Still not spotting anyone from the pack, did Rachel really ask them to stay away? Or was it a coincidence? I took some of the wood from her and smiled, pointing back up the way we came. “Back where we started. Are you feeling the cold yet?” I asked as we headed back to where I had left the blanket and the thermos of coffee.

Harper

I couldn’t stop the sensations of my emotions Yoyoing. One moment this all felt right, and I felt like I was home. And then the next I was questioning if I could or would stay and truly make a home and a life for myself. What was it with being here in La Push? Or was it from the habit of a life time. The not fitting in anywhere I went that got me to rethink these feelings which were showing themselves for the first time? I glance down to Nova, and then Collin and the questions to pop into my mind were:

Could it have something to do with him?

The pull I have towards this man?

A man I don’t know, and yet it feels like I’ve known him all along at the same time?’

I let go of some of the wood when he reached for it, I lent down on my knees and rubbed Nova’s belly. “So cute baby girl.” I whispered, my eyes wondering over the rounded pot belly, which was a tell tail sign of her being pregnant now. She twisted to stand up and shake. I quickly turned my head away and stood up to glance up to the sky once again as Collin spoke of the seasons. Summer, winter, spring, and fall. All the seasons were to come with a side of rain with them.

I licked the corner of my lip following him back up the beach the way we had come, with the cold wind blowing all around us. The shiver in my body started from my shoulders and made its way down through my legs. “I’m… I’ll be okay... It’s only cold when the wind kicks in.” Which was every few minutes. However, I was thinking about all he’d said of his time as a child.

“If… it’s not too rude… or intrusive… of me to ask...” I was stumbling on my words once again. Why was it that I was so lost when I was with him? “And you know you don’t have to answer….” Now I was rushing through the words to a point I wasn’t even sure he heard me, or could make any sense of what was being said. “…I mean… Would it be okay for me to ask... What was the cause of your illness as a child?” There... I finally asked. And now I felt my cheeks burning, was it any of my business to ask him such a personal question?

Collin

I couldn’t help but smile at the way she was with Nova. No matter how many times I saw them together I always remembered my dad saying; you could tell a person’s true character by the way they treat their animals. Okay sure, Nova was mine… but the concept still applied. Then, of course, she decided to shake wet sand all over Harper, I just shook my head and laughed. “Sorry.” I said quietly.

She was stammering almost as bad as me. I pressed my lips together trying to hide a cheeky smile. She was adorable when she did that. It was strange that she didn’t want to pry… but it wasn’t really, that was normal, she’d only known me a short period of time… there was hardly anyone in my life I hadn’t known for most of it. But that wasn’t normal either. I guess maybe for La Push and definitely for the Packs, she came from a different world.

That thought both stung and intrigued me… I wanted to know all about her and the world she came from, but would she like this little patch of the world, the one that exists in the small little bubble of La Push?

“Oh...” I looked over at her, picking up the blanket and the Thermos. “No… not intrusive. You can ask me anything… I mean… We’re getting to know each other, right? So… ask away. If you have… You don’t have to…”

‘Answer the question!’ My wolf yawned; he was unimpressed.

“Anyway… um…” I cleared my throat and headed further down the beach to find a spot halfway between the bank and the water. “I was born really premature… I was in the hospital for months before they would let my parents take me home.” I put everything down and handed harper one corner of the blanket to spread out on the ground. “I mostly had problems with my lungs… Even after I got out of the hospital I was a lot smaller and more sensitive. Anytime the flu or a stomach bug was going around I always ended up catching it, and my immune system wasn’t like everyone else’s; so I got sicker. My mom kind of… hovered.” I laughed. “She eased up a tiny bit when my sister was born, but not by much.”

I stepped onto the blanket, keeping my shoes on because I didn’t want her to take hers off and freeze. I grabbed the flask and motioned for her to sit down.

Harper

“Oh please—” His laughter was contagious “—There is nothing to apologise for at all. A little sand is nothing compared to what I have thrown at me on the best of days.” I waved my free hand in the air. It was forgotten the moment Nova was done shaking. But the hilarity of it would stay with me that was for sure.

I still felt that fluster, pushing my shoulder up I leant in wiping my cheek to the cold outside of my coat. Hoping it would help to cool down the burning sensation which had engulfed me in the moment. A small smile played on my lips quirking up one of the corners as a flash of a moment in the past came to mind. But it was of me watching #Kenz and #Jenna sat in a coffee shop.

#Jenna always full of confidence, her eyes on every person coming and going. #Kenz shy and a little lost in any moment, needing us to pull her in when she floated too far. And then there was me. The one to do all the pulling. Pulling #Jenna back from any trouble she happily dived into head first. And then pulling #Kenz out of her mind into the now whenever she was too lost. That Harper would look at me now and for sure want to shake me. What would that Harper say to this one? ‘Just be who you are in the moment.’ It was good advice.

We walked part way down to a spot he was happy with. Setting the wood that I still had in my arm down to the side, I took the edge of the blanket without needing to ask why I pulled it out and lay it down over the sand. I was about to step out of my boots not wanting to spoil his blanket. I blinked seeing that he wasn’t doing the same. My lips curled in and I pursed them tightly before I followed suit to sit myself down to face him, with the back drop of the ocean behind him. ‘He is extraordinary to see.’ That voice in my head had said and I agreed with. His black hair pulled back, his ears showing a light tinge of red to them. His face almost like a child with a smidgeon of innocence to it.

Imagining the early years of this strong man who was sat before me, a premature baby who’d needed help. Who had to be so careful when all he wanted to do was be like the others around him. To play in the water, but it would end up being so dangerous for him.

“Not sure we can hold that against Mrs Littlesea for caring about her baby boy.” Pulling my knees up to my chest, Nova dropped herself with her body pushing into my side. Even with the cold around us, I still felt an element of warmth. My hand moved to rub her head as she settled herself, another sign that she needed a rest.

“This is why you weren’t allowed out to play as much I take it? How are you now? I bet you still have to be careful of the changes in the weather and if there are bugs around?” I glanced around “Should we be out here?” My eyes once again moved over him. To look at him I’d never had guessed such a thing. He was tall, muscular, healthy and strong by the way he picked Nova up and moved her around. And yet there was still a look of concern filling my expression a little worried for him.

Again, there was a realisation of this worrisome emotion I felt for Collin. A guy I hardly knew. ‘Is that not what you are doing now, getting to know him?’ Yes this was what we were doing. Getting to know one another just as he’d pointed out.

“You have a younger sister, how old is she? Is she a younger version of you?” Another Collin walking this earth? My mind was picturing her and him as children playing, laughing, and joking together.

I wrapped my free arm around my legs as I sat there looking at him again, the other rubbing Nova’s back slowly to help her relax ( not that she needed it ). ‘Don’t stare, it’s rude.’ I could hear myself thinking. However, it was hard to take my glance away from him. He was calm and relaxed, and I felt warm whenever he was close by.

Collin

I laughed and nodded. “I can imagine that your job is a lot messier than mine… And if you don’t count my co-workers, I bet mine smells better most of the time, too.” I teased her. I would imagine the family pets were fine but… the farm animals. Oh no! Did I just… accidentally tell her she smelled bad? “Uhm…” I stammered. “Not that eh… I mean… You smell great, just that… you know livestock and… eh…”

A growl in the back of my mind stopped me in my tracks, heat flared up the back of my neck and my ears burned red.

“I get it now, but back then…” I shrugged. “It seemed like she was trying to keep me from living my life; but now I know she just wanted to make sure I had one. I see some of my friends with their kids now and how much they worry over the littlest things.” I sighed a little. “I try to imagine what it was like for my Mom when I was so small, I fit in the palm of my father’s hands.”

I set the two plastic cups on the blanket and poured us both a cup. “Coffee? At the very least it will keep your hands warm.” I smiled at her and tried to be subtle as I shifted closer so she could share the heat coming from me.” I laughed, licked my lips, and dropped my eyes for a second, then moved them back to hers. She was concerned about me. “I haven’t been sick since I was thirteen… I guess despite all my efforts to sabotage her, being my mother’s son really paid off in the end.” I chuckled. I felt a pang of guilt, it was the truth… but it was only half the truth.

It was because my Mom is a Black that I got the gene and joined the pack, the only reason a kid as small and weak as I was, would phase in the first place was because; the threat to the tribe was so great and I happened to be the right age. But it still wasn’t the whole truth… and that felt no different than a lie to me. “Don’t worry, I outgrew all of that years ago, I’ll be fine. Promise.” All truth. I smiled at her, able to breathe a relieved breath.

“Yeah, I have a younger sister. She’s away at college now. People say we look alike… she refuses to accept that, of course.” I chuckled. “I guess she is a little like me… but recently I think I’m more like her.” I tried to hide a smile by taking a sip of the sugary coffee.

Harper

Shifting where I sat, I slowly without making it obvious bent my head down and took a sniff of myself. It was a mix of the Jojoba Shampoo, and the relaxing shower gel that #Jenna had put into the last care package to me. I liked the way they smelt, but maybe I still had the light residue of work still on me.

“Uhm… Well… Sometimes it’s not the nicest of smells to work on, and some of them do cling on for a few days. Especially in my hair.” Taking a hand, I curled it around the ponytail and glided it from the top all the way down to the bottom of my dark hair. Again, the scent of Jojoba filling my nose. Did I really smell bad? Maybe I should have stayed in the shower longer?

My eyes widened at the way he started to stammer, he was a little like me? This had me smiling. Trying to rectify and explain what he’d said. It made my cheeks burn and I felt a rush of something inside of me. “It’s okay… I.. uhm.. I understand... My friends used to tease me about it back in Thompson too. And Seth really had a sensitive nose. He could pick out animals a day later sometimes.”

Pulling my knees closer to my chest as he started to talk about his childhood again, the information piqued me. I was intrigued to learn more about him and his history. I watched him closely as he started to pour out the coffee.

With the blink of an eye the breath was knocked out of me, by such a small movement he made. My vision tunnelled down to only see him. The background a blur as my eyes widened slightly at the way he moved his eyes away from me to glance down. A bite of his lip and then his eyes were back on me. There was a hum of something playing around me, it felt like there was music, but I knew there was nothing. It was him. Nova and I. The sound of the sea, the wind mixed up with his voice, and the thudding of my heart in my chest as his eyes found mine again, that was it. And yet I could hear it. A whisper filled with joy and something more.

I finally saw his lips moving, the steam coming out of both cups as he held one out to me and I took it giving him a smile. “Thank you, this will help to stay warm.’ My fingers curled around the cup and I was lost in thought again. This time of him as a new born baby.

“You were so small.” Opening one of my hands up I tried to imagine the size of #Kevin’s hands and seeing his son fitting into it. The heartbreak and the joy all mixed together in one, how could his mom not want to protect and keep him safe? It was a given. “I’m glad you now see that your mom only wanted the best for you at the time. And I know it’s not easy when you are having to worry about breaking the rules, she may have set out for you when all you wanted to do was play..” My eyes didn’t move from him. “Dad always says It is like a double-edged sword to be a parent. They are damned if they do, and damned if they don’t.” How true he was, I only came to understand it when I saw #Jenna with #Carl in her arms.

“I will believe you, knowing that you will tell me if it becomes too cold for you out here.” The last thing I wanted was for him to fall sick because of me.

He moved in once he handed me the coffee. My blood rushed to my cheeks making me chastise myself. I really needed to get a grip on myself. Out of nowhere I started to feel warmer. When I would be close to Collin there was this sensation that overwhelmed me in the nicest possible way. I could not help but feel that he was a Sun, and anybody who came close to him, could feel the warmth from his kindness. Bringing the plastic cup up to my lips I blew on it a few times, before taking a sip. It was hot and sweet, making me smile. The taste of coffee was something I never really had gotten used to. So, shots of the sweet stuff and milk always made it taste that much better.

“Like brother, like sister? Or is it the other way around?” I asked taking another sip from the cup. “Do you have a picture of her with you?” He was a photographer, but more so it was the way he spoke of her looking like him which had me wanting to see if it was so.

Collin

I laughed awkwardly at her comment about #Seth. “He always was a little weird… in a good way, though.” It was true… #Seth would say the most random things sometimes. I pressed my lips into a tight line and dropped my eyes again. I could only tear them away from her for a few second at a time. She was incredibly beautiful; it was almost impossible not to stare.

Her heart started to pound, and she was looking at me… the way the other girls looked at the guys and nothing like them at the same time. It was completely unique to her, but my wolf instantly recognised it as the way an imprint looked at her wolf.

‘Tunnel vision.’ is what Emily called it. Nessie used the word ‘Spotlight’. Kim would say her world stopped turning. My heart pounded and I kept my eyes on hers… silently trying to tell her;

‘𝒴𝑒𝓈, 𝐻𝒶𝓇𝓅𝑒𝓇… 𝓉𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓁. 𝐼’𝓂 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒. 𝐼’𝓂 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇𝓈. 𝒟𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝒻𝓇𝒶𝒾𝒹.’

When she looked down at her hand, I tried to gather whatever was left of my senses, I took a deep breath and just focused on her words. “We can all be guilty of not taking our parents seriously, but I learnt…” I chuckled. “Eventually. And don’t worry… honestly. The cold doesn’t really bother me anymore… but I will let you know if it does. You have to promise me the same.”

I lifted my cup and sipped at the dark liquid. “She was always more of a people person… Like Jessica. She’ll talk to anyone… complete strangers like she’s known them her whole life. She has a really open heart, not afraid to jump in with both feet... you know? Even after she’s been hurt, she just follows her heart.”

I smiled when she asked to see a picture of her. “A picture of Ana? Of course.” I fished into my pocket for my phone, of course, I had plenty that I had taken but she had sent me one a few days ago so, I figured recent was better. I pulled it up and held it out to her. “She sent that a few days ago. She had a date with a guy from college.”

“She has barely broken up with the last guy she dated, and she was insanely excited about this date.” I shook my head thinking about her. She never let anything get her down for long. “She’ll be madly in love in a week.”

Harper

“I like weird, life full of normality is overrated if you ask me.” Blowing on the coffee before taking a sip.

The music still hummed in the back, I wanted to listen to it to understand it, but at the same time felt so unreal. Like a waking dream which would evaporate with the turning tides. I glimpse at him and I could sense the unspoken words. Or at least it felt that way. like his eyes, his lips, the aura around him was telling me.

“𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝒻𝑒… 𝒟𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝒷𝑒 𝒶𝒻𝓇𝒶𝒾𝒹”

And I really wasn’t, unsure, uncertain of what I could hear and what I was seeing… Yes. But afraid or unsafe? No… not at all. I knew I was staring at him, willing myself to stop. To Please stop before he thought I was some crazy bunny girl. And then he made me smile and then laugh.

“The cold doesn’t really bother you? I mean now I want you to jump up, start dancing down the beach singing Let it go.” Placing my free hand over my eyes I covered them and shook my head. There it was the nerd in me showing herself. In my mind’s eye I could see #Kenz and #Jenna, and #Teddy shaking their heads at me to stop talking now.

Nova’s head pushed up under my hand, she licked up the side of my face as I held the cup of hot coffee out of her way. “I am fine baby girl.” She must have thought I was upset or crying by the way she was licking my cheek. I rubbed her head, giving her a kiss over her nose. “I promise.” I laughed and glanced over to Collin. Patting Nova’s back, she finally lay back down pushing into my side and I could feel the sand in her fur.

Setting the cup of coffee down to the side and out of Nova’s way in case she moved again, I leant into Collin and then reached out to take the phone from him. My fingers grazed over his, and again that sensation of warmth and the shock of something sparked in my fingertips. I shivered from my head to my toes, but it wasn’t due to the cold. Now that I thought of it, I wasn’t really feeling as cold as I had before.

“Ana? Oh wow, she is beautiful!” Her complexion, her eyes, the nose, and the lips… All looked the same as Collin. I glance from the phone to him. My gaze moving from his deep brown eyes, his cute nose, and those lips of his. ‘Stop It!’ I scolded myself. “She sounds like the perfect younger sister to me. And you were not wrong, Ana really does have a strong resemblance with you. And I have a feeling she’d hate me saying such a thing.”

I held out the phone back to him again.

“Are you telling me she tells you about her dates, and you do not climb into your truck to go check the guys out?”

Smiling as I teased him.

Collin

I chuckled and nodded in agreement with her. “Definitely, and #Seth’s kind of weird is always something the world could do with.” The heat rushed up my neck and tinged my ears again; when she teased me. But I laughed and smiled… smiling around her felt different from every other time, as if there was so much more than happiness bursting to be shown in the expression.

I watched her hiding her face and teased her. “I’m not sure which one of us should be more embarrassed by that.” Nova licked Harper’s face and I laughed softly, again. I watched the two of them, the words " 𝐼 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓂𝒾𝓈𝑒." resonated in the air around us. I was thinking of the promises I could make her, the promises I 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 make and how I wouldn’t ever break a single one of them.

Her skin was cooler than mine, even cooler than when I touched her hand in the diner. Yet, her touch burned electric on my skin and sent skittering sparks up my arm. My heart thudded in my chest. It made me want to move even closer, I was glad nova was sitting right up against her; she would offer her some warmth. The light was creeping lower and turning a deeper orange with every passing moment. Harper’s gaze moved from me to the phone and flushed again, I was used to people comparing us even if she did insist, we didn’t look alike… the prevailing opinion didn’t agree.

“That’s her.” I smiled. A little twinge of guilt that I hadn’t told her about Harper yet crept in, but she would be on the first bus home and subtlety wasn’t my sister’s strong suit. “Ananya… Ana for short. But you’re right.” I laughed. “It drives her crazy when people point it out. So, when you meet her… please feel free to bring it up, often.” I gave her a cheeky smile.

“Um… I’m more likely to pull that with guys I know.” I chuckled. “But mostly no… Ana is a free spirit, she may fall in love easily, but she doesn’t really do heartbroken. She believes some people are meant to be in our lives briefly and others… Forever, but all of them leave an impression on our hearts.” I laughed again, dropping my eyes. “She’s a bit of a romantic…” I stuffed my phone back into my jacket and turned my gaze out to the rippling orange and red rays that lit up the dark waters, as the sun began to touch the horizon.

“It’s almost time.” I smiled and moved my eyes back to hers. Her beauty took my breath away, again. “Do you still want to hear those stories?” I smiled hopefully… I needed her to understand what the wolf meant to our people. I needed her not to be afraid of them.

Harper

My eyes zeroed in on the redness in his ears. I tilted my head a little wondering if it was a tell. And if so what to? Did he feel shy, or embarrassed? It couldn’t be. He looked so happy in the moment, he felt relaxed and his expressions were that of somebody who was content in their surroundings. So, was it due to what I had said, or did he feel this way with everybody? I don’t know why it was, but I wanted to be the reason for it. And I knew that was impossible.

“How about if we agree that this was all about being 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙩𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧, and it’s not embarrassing for either of us?” My eyes found his before I pulled them away to look down at Nova laying to my side. My cheeks burning hot, I’d meant to think those words, and now I’d gone and said them out aloud.

“Ananya” I allowed the name to dance over my tongue and lips. “What a beautiful name too.” I couldn’t help but smile again, pushing the fly away strands out of my face and behind my ear. There were things a parent wanted for their child the day they were born, selecting names always told a story in itself.

“There is a sure-fire way to make sure she doesn’t like the new vet in town. I could imagine she’d take Mr Custard all the way to Port Angeles if I were to tease her that way.”

Picking up the cup of coffee again, I took a sip, my smile seemed to be plastered in place as I listened. “I have one of those people in my life too. They are good and kind hearted. They help us to see the magic in the world around us. To believe when we may have lost our path. However, at her age to have such an ethos about life. She must be a lot more mature then the years she’s been here.”

I followed his glance out to the water, my eyes widened at the colours I was witnessing before us. the Reds. Oranges, Yellows all coming together at the heart of the sea, and with it there was a calming sensation to be had.

“All this time I have been here, I’ve only really seen the sun set once.” The memory of that run sent a chilled rush through me.

“Almost time?”

My eyes met his as the both of us bought our gaze back from the skies above or the water below at the same time. Licking the corner of my lip, I nodded my head slowly. The stories he had wanted to share with me. There was some pull and connection with him as my brown eyes couldn’t break away no matter how much I was willing them to.

My voice had come out in a whisper, unsure if he could even hear me over the waves. “Oh… Yes… Please… I really would like to hear them.”

That smile of his. it was a conversation all to its own I was sure of it.

Collin

“Excellent Idea!” I laughed when she suggested we file the whole thing under the 𝙁𝙤𝙤𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝 𝙏𝙤𝙜𝙚𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧 heading. She was blushing, her cheeks tinged a darker pink than the cold had made them… it took all my self-control not to reach out, touch her cheek and tell her how beautiful she was when she blushed. Or simply how beautiful she always was.

“She’ll like you.” I chuckled. “Just like everyone else around here that’s met you.” I smiled brightly at her. It was the truth, anyone I heard mentioning the new vet was singing her praises. I laughed at her assessment of my sister. But she was right, she grew up a lot faster than I did. But that was a girl thing too, they matured faster. “Yeah, my Mom always said it was clear from the day she was born; that Ana had been here before… But I was brand new.” I laughed. Considering I had inherited the gene it seemed more likely that I had been here before, more so than the other way around.

I smiled when she said she still wanted to hear the stories. I sipped my coffee and shifted closer to her, my leg pressed against Nova’s other side. She looked at me like she did not want to share her new best friend.

“I don’t know if you noticed around town… All the totems and depictions of wolves?” I raised a brow at her. “It’s because wolves are our protectors. But we have to go back a little further before I tell you that story. We came to these lands by sea and made them home.” I smiled. I hadn’t ever told the stories like this before. Normally I was the one listening to them.

“Years passed, new generations lived and died here. But then others began to covet the place the tribe called home. They wanted the harbour and rich fishing grounds for their own. We were small in numbers and couldn’t defend ourselves. So, we fled, the Quileute were great shipbuilders. We fled to the sea. Our ancestors were gifted with the ability to leave their earthly bodies and walk with the Spirits. The very first Spirit Chief Kaheleha called up the magic in our blood and the men left their bodies. Their Spirits returned to the land to drive out our enemies.

Without physical form the men couldn’t fight the enemy, but they could call up fierce winds and turn the forest against them. The invaders came on dog-sledges and since animals walk in both the spirit world and the earthly plane the Chief and his warriors promise the animals freedom if they turned on the masters that enslaved them… And so, they did, with the bats and birds. The enemy fled, believing the land to be cursed. The men returned to their bodies and reclaimed what was theirs.

Word spread to the nearby tribes that these were savage lands, protected by magic. They made treaties with the Spirit Chief. We lived in peace for generations. The men of the tribe would use their magic to protect the tribe from smaller threats. Walking in the Spirit world while the women, great warriors and protectors in their own right, protected their defenceless bodies, they became the tethers that guided the Spirit Warrior back to their rightful bodies. They were more than just protectors; the Warrior's spirits became intrinsically linked to the woman that protected his body and guided his Spirit back to where he belonged. And he protected her more fiercely than anyone else. They were connected by destiny. Soul-to-Soul, Heart-to-heart… so no one would ever be lost.”

I stopped and smiled at her. My tether… My kite strings. My whole world. I hardly noticed that the sun was half obscured by the boundless horizon, I was so lost in her.

Harper

Finding myself lost in the sound of his laughter, and the way his lips curled. There was a glint of something more in his eyes when he did it. I laughed too when he said that his sister Ananya would like me, just as all others in town had. But I shook my head, I knew there were at least a handful of men who wouldn’t agree with him. Here or back in Thompson. But for now, they didn’t need to be remembered or brought up.

Nova shifted a little glancing up as Collin moved in and started to tell his story, that sound of music on the air started to play along with his words. I was drawn into him, the sounds of his voice mixed with the waves and that of the air all around us. My hand lay over Nova’s side as she dropped her head again to rest and settling knowing that both Collin and I weren’t going anywhere.

“Fishers, I remember Seth saying that La Push was a fishing village?” I interjected when he asked if I knew about their past. But when I’d come to La Push a few years back, I hadn’t known that because the town was strongly surrounded by the idols of wolves.

Nodding my head to let him know that I had indeed noticed the Wolves, and of course Sue, Leah, Seth, and the Chief himself had mentioned it to me. The small carved wolf by my bed was a telling sign of such a past. But this?

My mind opened to the possibilities coming from the story he was telling me was slowly coming to life in my mind’s eye. Glancing back down to Nova who sat between the two of us I smiled, my fingers lost in her fur. I had always had a pull to protect the speechless souls in our world. The purest of souls, who wanted nothing more than love. To hear that these were some of the animals, who have been a part of a history that Collin and his people believed in shed new light on the reasons why the community wanted to do good by their animals.

My heart sped up a little listening about the Warriors of the tribe. These men who would fall asleep and wake to be free of their bodies? Wives, Mothers. Sisters of the tribe coming to stand all around their protectors as their souls walked and talked to the animals.

“So, the men would talk to the animals and work with them to protect the lands, but it was the women of the tribe who would shield their soulless bodies until they returned?”

Leah came into my mind. Her tall frame, the muscles on every inch of her body, that fearless look she got in her eyes when somebody endangered those, she called friends. #Jenna had once said that Leah was the kind of a woman, we all dreamed of being, never backing down, never apologetic for who she was and more so, when you were family, you were 𝙛𝙖𝙢𝙞𝙡𝙮. She was the embodiment of what Collin was saying.

“Like Leah? She is all that and so much, more right?” I hide my face. Once again, my thoughts were on my lips and not staying where they were meant to. “I just mean, that if we were back in those stories, I could see the likes of Sue and Leah as those women. But what did the men’s bodies need to be protected from? If they were spirits, why would they need to fear anything?”

He was smiling at me again, and I couldn’t help but feel that his wordless smile was saying something more to me.

Collin

I nodded as she spoke about the Spirits communicating with the animals. “Yeah, they worked together to protect the tribe and the land.” When she referred to Leah being like the women that stayed behind to protect the men’s bodies I smiled and dropped my eyes. I could see why she’d assumed that; Leah the strong and fiercely protective.

“I think if Leah lived back then… she definitely would have walked in the Spirit World with the others. She has always been deeply connected to our ancestors. And even though the women’s tasks were just as important as the men’s… She’d have gotten itchy feet at the concept of 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙚𝙝𝙞𝙣𝙙.” But Harper had no idea how close she was.

I fixed my gaze on hers; the plastic cup in my hand was completely forgotten. “The women that were chosen to protect the warriors… they were all very different; some of them were like Leah just as you described them. But every warrior was also a man, and their jobs weren’t done after his soul returned. As the generation passed they became so much more, they were their greatest love… soul mates. They were the thing that reminded them why they needed to return to their human bodies, they stopped them getting lost in the power and the trawl of the Spirit World. They were friends, lovers, wives… sisters… and so much more than anyone looking in from the outside could ever understand. It was their destiny to find one another, and the bonds were unbreakable.”

I wanted so badly to reach out and touch her. Her hand… her shoulder… anything. Before I knew it, before I could think to stop myself, I was resting my hand on the back of hers. Slipping my fingers between hers and feeling Nova’s soft fur between our hands. Nova didn’t even look up. She just watched the tide ebb and flow, the sun dipping lower with each passing moment.

Could she feel our unbreakable bond? Was there an invisible force pulling her towards me? Just like there was for me to her.

I chuckled softly. “And we haven’t even gotten to the good part yet.”

Harper

When he dropped his eyes like that, there was a pull to move into him. To tell him ‘𝐼 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊’.

My mind’s eye worked its own magic, as the words he was saying turned into images and colours for me. The ease of how I was transported from this beautiful beach with the sky darkening to times before.

˜”*°•. 𝓘𝓶𝓪𝓰𝓲𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓟𝓪𝓼𝓽 .•°*”˜

The sun was shining down on a small fishing village sat on the edge of the water front, the forest flowing all around the settlement, giving the village protection from three sides, with the sea, and its waves giving protection from the fourth.

The women in native tanned hide clothing, adorning all colours of handmade jewellery. Their long dark hair tied up in rawhide strings. They walk around the village laughing and singing, running after the children as they play. Working to keep the village together and their people of the tribe happy, as the men hunt and fish.

The spirit of the people full of joy and content with life and all that the world had to offer them. Until the sky darkened, then the energy changed from the joy and happiness into a deeper, darker and distress emotion engulfed all who were there.

The Warriors of the village came running out to watch the sky changing its colour, and then they fell to the ground, as their souls moved to walk in the world of the Spirits. The women rushed to their sides. Covering their men. Their friends, lovers, husbands … brothers… They stood tall over the sleeping bodies until one of the women Looked up to the traveling souls and then her body too fell to the ground.

Terror filled the other women at seeing this happen, but they moved to engulf their sisters’ body to protect it too. She was alone woman in the sky with all the men, and yet they saw the force she could fight with. When this woman turned to show herself, it was the eyes of Leah Clearwater looking back down over the village and her tribe.

˜”*°•. 𝓘𝓷 𝓽𝓱𝓮 𝓝𝓸𝔀 .•°*”˜

“Like a lighthouse calling them back…” I whispered.

A rush of electricity weaved its way up from the tips of my fingers, up my arm and into my heart. The beating of my steady heart started to rush and thump in my chest with a rush of blood heating me from within. My gaze found his, and I sat there taking in the look he was giving. There was that smile again, his fingers curled into mine with Nova’s fur beneath us.

Words rushed into my mind and then they were gone again. The whispers all around me once again felt like a song, but I couldn’t make out the lyrics, and yet I knew I wanted to learn.

“Are you leaving me on a cliff hanger here?” I couldn’t pull my glance away from his. Without thinking I squeezed his fingers to say. ‘𝓀𝑒𝑒𝓅 𝑔𝑜𝒾𝓃𝑔’.

Collin

She was lost in the world of her own imagination… and hanging on every word I said at the same time. I nodded at her words ‘𝐿𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝒶 𝓁𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝒽𝑜𝓊𝓈𝑒 𝒸𝒶𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓂 𝒷𝒶𝒸𝓀…’ A bright smile slipped across my face.

“Exactly!” I replied when she seemed to pull her mind back from her daydream.

I heard the rushing beat of her heart, and mine was galloping even faster. My ears and my cheeks burned, and I knew they had to be burning red. “I don’t know…” I teased her quietly and a gentle breeze swirled around us. The sun was almost gone. “The sun has almost set, and it will get very cold soon. Maybe I should save the rest for another day… so I have an excuse to see you again soon?” That wasn’t supposed to sound like a question, but it did.

Why did I keep doing that?

Should I wait… make another date with her to tell her the rest of the story? I met her eyes again, something in the way she was looking at me; gently pleading to know more. But something else too; something that told me I didn’t need an excuse; that she would want to see me.

‘Listen to her heart, child.’ My wolf spoke. I knew he was right. But was that cocky? Was I reading into it too much?

“Do you really want to hear the rest now?” I felt the squeeze on my fingers and the butterflies were back again, swirling in my stomach. If I told her about the great wolf it was the next step to telling her the whole truth. Our truth… Why her heart beat harder when she was near me. Why she felt like she could tell me things she’d never told anyone… and how fiercely I would love her if she let me?

So much of me ached to tell her everything right now and conversely… I wanted to make every second with her stretch on endlessly.

Harper

A smile crossed my lips, a little sense of pride at my ability to understand what it was that he was sharing with me. “What extraordinary women they would have been.”

The image of seeing #Leah in the middle of the story he was sharing, I knew was remarkable and silly all at the same time. But it had been a story I was sure she too had heard, and I was sure she’d have imagined herself in those times too.

His ears had changed to that deep red as had the apples of his cheeks. This was not the first time I’d seen the deepness of his shy persona come to the forefront like this. However, for some reason, here and now, just the three of us. It had taken on a different meaning. I wanted to reach out and touch his face, to feel it and see if it were burning the way mine felt like it was around him.

I shifted back, taking my hand off Nova and away from his, as he said that it was time to go. I didn’t want to break away. But I wasn’t going to out stay my welcome. My cheeks burnt from embarrassment that I had come so close, a desire growing in me to stay with him for as long as I could. And adding to that the fact that he was willing to share his history with me? These incredible tails could help me to better understand him, as well as the tribe’s people.

“I am sorry.” My gaze drawn towards the setting sun and the horizon which was stealing the light away from us. “I do” I answered his question on if I wanted to hear the story. “ However, I don’t want to monopolise all your time. I am sure you have to get Nova home. The poor girl has had a long and testing day.” Moving to sit up on my knees, Nova felt me moving and sat up to lick my face.

The cup in my hand was empty so I set it down and rubbed Nova’s ears, resting my forehead to her. “Thank you for letting me crash your evening. It’s been lovely.” My heart started to feel funny, and not in a good way. I took a deep inhale and then held it. What was wrong with me tonight?

Collin

I chuckled and nodded in agreement to her calling the imprints extraordinary women. “They still are.” I said without thinking. “Quileute women I mean. This place is overflowing with them.” I quickly corrected. “You’ve met Leah and Sue… My cousin Rachel and so many more I’m sure you’ll meet soon.” I smiled softly. My wolf hadn’t stirred at the subtle slip… I wondered if it was her that was keeping him quiet and calm.

I could see the red pool in her cheeks and my skin burned when her hand was pulled back from mine, already craving her touch again. I’d said something all wrong again. I rubbed my hand over my chin in the hopes of concealing a nervous expression.

“You have nothing to be sorry for.” I blurted out. I watched her with Nova. She was so, so beautiful. Her heart took on a strange new rhythm. “We have all the time in the world… If you want to hear the rest,” I smiled, and my cheeks and ears burned. “I guess… I can, um, always find another… excuse to, eh, ask you out again?”

𝔻𝕒𝕞𝕟 𝕚𝕥.

That sounded like a question too! I took a breath and zeroed in on her heartbeat; it made me smile a little more confidently. I reached back and grabbed the corners of the blanket. My heart was pounding so hard now I could feel it thump against my ribs. I held the blanket up and extended one arm out to her, inviting her to come closer and I could pull the blanket around us both… even though it was the last thing I needed. Who cared as long as it was with her?

“C’mon we can keep each other warm.” I smiled, swallowing hard. My heart was hammering now. “Besides it seems like the Spirits are smiling at us tonight. Your phone hasn’t rung… we should take advantage of it while we can, right?” I looked up into her brown eyes and all the tension and nerves melted away. “There’s nowhere else I’d rather be.”

Harper

I stilled myself from getting up, my head jolted up to meet his gaze. What had he meant by saying 𝙏𝙝𝙚𝙮 𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙧𝙚? As his smile returned, and he clarified his statement for me, I understood what he meant right away. “So far, the women I have met have been incredible, I can vouch for that fact. Leah, Sue and Rachel all exude those vibes.” The image of #Leah floating in the clouds I could tell was one I wasn’t going to forget.

Tilting my head to the side I found myself drawn closer towards him again. He was stammering, stumbling on his words as he spoke to me. Was I making him anxious? It couldn’t be so. He had nothing to be nervous about here. “You are going to look for an excuse to see me again?” I giggle a little, dropping my eyes to the blanket unsure how to answer him, or to understand if an answer was even needed right now? “I’m still here—” I teased pointing to myself and then to him. “—We don’t have to think up excuses for meeting even if we weren’t here now.”

Sitting back on the heels of my boots I watched him as he lifted the edges of the blanket. The rhythm of my heartbeat sporadic once again. He sat before me with one arm extended, welcoming me into his personal space. The wind blew in my face, pushing a few strands of fly away hairs into my eyes. It felt like a curtain shielding me from the question of if I should stay or if I should go?

My hand moved over my pocket where my phone had laid silent so far. At his mentioning that it hadn’t rang. I wondered if #Jessica had something to do with it. Had she diverted the calls ? “Tonight, has been the quietest evening I have had since moving into town.” I agreed with him “And you are sure you aren’t too cold?” I glanced over to the drift wood, considering if I should offer to start the fire for him?

But I thought better of it, shifting I brushed the hair back out of my way, my eyes lingering on his for a few moments before I pushed up onto my knees and then turned, sitting back into his arm and into the blanket. Pulling my knees up into my chest, I curled my arms around them to hold them in place. ‘Good move’, I could hear #Jenna’s voice chime into my mind, making me smile to myself.

“If I didn’t know better Mr. Littlesea, I’d say you were trying to steal me away from Nova.” The baby girl stood up and started to walk toward something that had caught her attention. “See, she’s going now.” I teased, my cheeks burning red hot again, at the fact that I’d allowed myself to say those words out aloud to him. ‘What was I even thinking?’

Collin

I smiled when she didn’t get up. I wondered if I was overdoing it… But it was like my Uncle and #Seth had said, I needed to trust my instincts; they were honed to pick up on her needs and wants. “They really are.” I chuckled. “They keep us all in line.”

The heat flared in my ears and face again when she said we didn’t need excuses to see each other. She wouldn’t have said that if she didn’t mean it, so there was something here for her to… even if she wasn’t sure what it was yet. “I’m not cold at all.” I assured her. “Are you?” I knew getting closer to me would fix that if she chose to.

She moved in closer and I froze for a second… This was what I was hoping she’d do and now I was stumped on what I should do next. I took a deep breath and wrapped my arm around her shoulder; the blanket I was still holding enveloped the two of us now. “I most definitely am, Dr. Jenkins!” I laughed, a little shocked at the cohesive statement and nodded to Nova sniffing around the beach close by. “But what hope do I have… I mean how cute is she?” I smiled. “She won’t go far.”

“Okay… you ready? Because this is where the story gets good!” I told her with a grin and continued with the part of the story that I hoped, would quell any fears she had about werewolf or shapeshifter legends. My hand lightly rested on her arm, and my heart pounded like it was trying to crack my chest open, just from being this close to her.

“Decades past and slowly the enemies of the tribe began to disappear. The greatest of the Spirit Warriors, Taha Aki was a great leader. But there was one man that believed the tribe should use their powers to attack nearby tribes, claim their lands as our own. One day when the men walked in the Spirit World Taha Aki heard Utlapa’s thoughts, they had grown dangerous. So, he banished him and forbid him from using his magic. He was enraged but outnumbered and he left, but he watched Taha Aki and waited.

The Chief hadn’t found his soulmate and he made the fatal error of leaving his earthly body unprotected. He left his body in a cave and entered the Spirit world. But Utlapa had been watching him, he followed him to his hiding place and entered Taha Aki’s body and murdered his own. By the time Taha Aki had returned he found only Utlapa’s dead body. And he was trapped in the Spirit World.

Utlapa returned to the village in the Chief’s body and delivered a grave warning, that he had been given a vision, and the Warriors were never to use their magic again or great sorrow would befall the Quileute’s. He knew the moment another warrior joined the Spirit World that they would see the Chief and learn the truth. But it also meant his dreams of conquering the other tribes were dashed. He began making great demands and changing the tribal laws, he even took two new brides.

Alone in the Spirit World, his magic wasn’t enough to kill the imposter, even though he knew the act would mean the end of his life; he knew he needed to protect the tribe from him. So, he summoned the Great Wolf from the mountains and entreated him to kill Utlapa.

But the Wolf was just that… a wolf. And when he first stalked into the village seeking out the one, they believed their Chief; the people fought back, and the Great Wolf killed a young warrior. Taha Aki realised that this task was too delicate for the wolf alone. So, he asked the animal to share his body with him and together they could end his tyranny. The wolf consented and they returned once more, to complete their goal.

Utlapa hid behind his warriors, but the men knew the behaviour of the animal was not that of a wild beast. He charged and retreated, searching for a way through their defences, but he hurt no one. A brave young warrior disobeyed his Chief and left his body to find this wolf, and immediately he knew that their true Chief resided inside the great animal.

When he returned to his body to tell the tribe what he had heard, Utlapa killed the boy. Taha Aki’s rage was too much for the wolf’s body to contain. The massive creature transformed from the wolf to the man. The whole tribe knew that the boy had been truthful, and they killed the imposter.

From that day on Taha Aki and his descendants shared their form with the wolf, able the change at will, into large wolves that protected the land and the people. That magic still lives on all around us… in the blood of the tribe.”

I turned to watch her, the wind blowing wisps of hair over her face. The fading light touched only some of her features, making them shimmer softly. My keen eyes could make out every detail, even those in shadow. I glanced around for Nova who was a few yards away happily digging in the sand, her butt sticking up in the air and her head was down in the hole… sand flying out behind her. I laughed at the sight.

Harper

“They keep us all in line” I repeated his words again, laughing now as the image of #Jessica flashed in my mind, to the night she was hunched over all the old files as we tried to update our records from hard copies into soft copies.

“Is it crazy to think that Jess is my soulmate?” I laughed again hoping I wasn’t offending him. “I just mean, you know. She is always keeping me in line, bossing me around. When technically… No actually I am her boss?” I thought for a moment longer. “Then again I wonder if it’s a Clearwater thing?” The last question to myself laughing with a shake of my head. “Could you imagine if it were possible?”

Sitting back, I moved into him, and then froze for a few moments as his arm came to rest around me. The cold chill that had started to push its way past my winter coat, slowly started to feel like a faded memory. “I was getting cold. However, now…” I smiled looking at him. “… I’m feeling warmer. I guess this sharing a blanket thing really works.” Biting my lips as soon as I said those words. This wasn’t my first time outdoors in the cold with a blanket around me, but I don’t remember warming up this fast ever before.

Tugging my eyes away from him, I laughed looking to see Nova lost in her little world, happy even after the testing day she’d had. “Poor soul. I’m not sure you will win this battle with Nova as your opponent at all.” I was truthful. “A soul who can’t speak in words, has other ways to connect with us. It makes the connection even stronger.” Smiling as the voice of my mother rang in my ears. Even after all these years, she was still my guiding star.

“Uhmm.. Ready” I shifted myself, turning to give him my full attention. My heart stammered once again as only now noticing just how close I was sat to him.

There was that voice in my head again saying, ‘Move away’, it was the voice of reason that I used with my friends to tell them all to slow down. However just as I was about to move, the wind around us picked up as it had before. And the music was back. Light whispers singing some song I did not know, and yet it felt like I knew the words in a past life. The world blurred out of my vision and only he was here. I could see him so clearly. His eyes, those little crinkles when he laughed and smiled, his nose and the way it moved as he spoke. His cheeks filled with a shade of pink and his ears, the tops of which matched his cheeks. The whispering song speaking to my heart telling me to 𝙨𝙩𝙖𝙮.

The song melted into the background as Collin continued with the tales from their history. Stories I was sure that were shared by all the grown ups at bedtime with their children. And once again my mind transported me back into the past. As his words were spoken the images started to come to life.

A Tall strong man stood before my eyes and I knew him to be this great Chief Taha Aki, and in the shadows another man hides, and I knew him to be Utlapa. Seeing the chief leaving his body with no one to protect him, and then fight in the world of the souls. I heard the words the chief would hear by listening to Utlapa’s mind, and how Taha Aki would urge Utlapa not to go through with his plans. And then there was the betrayal that took place.

The wolf came out of the woods, tall and strong just like the Chief. And in his eyes, I could see the face of Taha Aki, an animal sharing his body with that of a human. A soul which could not speak our language, stood ready to trust a man who was as pure at heart as the animal’s soul.

I closed my eyes as the blood of the young warrior fell for telling the truth. And a tear slipped down my cheek at the thought of an innocent young man losing his life.

The sound of laughter bought me back to the now and I smiled the moment my eyes opened to see what Nova was doing. Another innocent soul was right here before my eyes. Wiping my cheek with the back of my hand, so many questions bubbled inside of me.

“I do not like this Utlapa man, to betray his chief in such a way? I mean he needed two wives; this explains how wrong his intentions were.” I shook my head. “And the Chief, why did he not ask one of the other soulmates to look over him? Or is that wrong to do? To ask another’s soulmate to protect you?”

It was all coming into my mind and I was never one to just say what I was thinking. Until now. “It’s the connection they have, right? like you said before? Only one person can be 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙚? The true protector of their Warrior?”

I turned to look at him again. “And what did you mean by the chief could hear Utlapa’s thoughts? And the wolf! I mean… It shared himself with a soul of a human. Giving up a part of his being to share it with Taha Aki?” The questions didn’t stop coming until it occurred to me that I was going a mile a minute. “Sorry, have I become a little too invested?”

Collin

I blushed and dropped my eyes for a second. 𝐼𝒻 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝓈𝒽𝑒 𝓀𝓃𝑒𝓌. I thought to myself. But I got why she jumped to that conclusion. “I think that’s more of a Clearwater thing.” I laughed, I knew this theory would be easy to correct. I tightened my arm around her when she leaned into me, my stomach filled with those butterflies again. I turned my body the tiniest bit towards her to share more of my heat with her. “Anything is possible if you believe in it strongly enough.”

‘𝘈 𝘴𝘰𝘶𝘭 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘤𝘢𝘯’𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘴, 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘶𝘴. 𝘐𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘯𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘳.’ She said and I immediately thought of my wolf.

He could only speak through me, and the fact that he and I were one; was the sole reason I was utterly and completely hers, even though she didn’t know it yet. I heard her thumping heart and I had to fight to stop myself from smiling. I felt her body tucked gently against my side as I told the stories. I had always thought of La Push as home, I had always 𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕥 like La Push was home. Nothing had ever felt more like home than being here with her.

I finally understood #Seth’s choice to follow #Kenzi… Not that I’d ever misunderstood it. I had felt the imprint bond before… but that shared feeling was only a shadow compared to this moment.

I shouldn’t have been stunned that she’d have questions, she had listened so intently to every word. “Utlapa betrayed all the Quileute’s on that day.”

I thought about the second part of her question. It was one I had never thought to ask myself. The rest of her question came out in a rush and I smiled, she didn’t miss a single word. “Not at all; I’m glad the story touched you. You can ask anything you want and I will try to answer.” I paused. “Um no, it wouldn’t be wrong, they protected the tribe as much as the men did. But it would have been the physical protection only. The tribe had known many years of peace, so I suppose he just didn’t believe there was any danger on his own lands.”

I moved onto the third thing she’d asked. “In the Spirit World, the Warriors had access to the thoughts of the others. That gift passed on to the shape-shifting warriors too, and with that evolution, there were other changes. The Alpha’s orders were absolute and the others were bound to follow them, willingly or unwillingly. It was a sacred duty and only those that wouldn’t abuse the gift would be chosen by the Spirit’s.”

I kept moving my eyes back to hers, the urge to tell her it was all true swelled up again, and I battled the urge to reach up and brush my finger over the soft pink flush in her cheeks, but was that taking it too far? I did that would I be able to keep myself from kissing her? Would it be too soon to try and kiss her? Her heart was still beating faster than normal… But I knew that could mean a lot of things.

“So… does the idea of men that become giant wolves not scare you?” Her intrigue seemed to tell me the answer was no… but I needed to hear it.

Harper

His cheeks redded once again and I wondered if it was because of what I was saying or was there something more to it. The way he dropped his eyes, it was like he was hiding in plain sight. And yet, I found myself holding my breath until his eyes moved back to meet mine.

“There is so much more to the Warrior and their soulmates, that even if Taha Aki had asked another to help him at that time. What was to stop Utlapa from trying when the Chief was alone.” This was to myself as I processed what Collin was sharing with me.

I felt his arm around me tighten, and now the shaking in my body had all but gone. There was a warmth around us like something I had never felt before. I felt safe in a cocoon, and even with the wind blowing into my face from time to time. It felt nice now and not ice cold.

“I am sorry, did you just say that the gift passed down to the shape-shifting warriors?” Had I missed something in the story? “Taha Aki was the one to share the body of the wolf, and then the other warriors did that very same thing too? Or was it that the wolf was a shape-shifting warrior?”

I moved my finger to push the rim of my glasses up my nose, poking myself between my eyes only now remembering again that I’d left them in the car. Over the last months it had become a habit to keep them on all the time. And when I was trying to think of a solution, I would play with them. My eyes widened at his question and I had to smile.

“Let’s just say that I am not the kind of girl who stays in doors at a full moon. Anyway, these were stories, and I may not be great with horror movies or stories. But these tales of the warriors, and their protectors are not horror.. not to me anyway... It is not filling me with fear. They are tales of love, protection, loyalty, and a sense of belonging.” The last of which I’d never felt in all my life.

“I am more trusting of animals than of humans. Animals have limits, they have boundaries which they will clearly set, and show us. Telling us how far they are willing to go. It is humans, people... who wear masks, pull you in, and then they can hurt you deeply without any warning at all.”

I shifted, resting my chin on my knees as I thought about what I was saying. How life had taught me not to be so open and trusting. And yet, how people from this town had started to show me that not all people were bad.

But how would I feel if a man stood before me and turned into a wolf? I shook my head. That was crazy thinking. This was just a story. Right?

Collin

I smiled at her insight. "The Spirits are all about balance, they can't gift us with great strength without vulnerability. It’s why they're blessed with protectors of their own. But even men as wise as Taha Aki can stray from the wisdom of the Spirits.” I sighed contentedly, sitting here with her, talking about the legends like I never had before, there was a sense of wonder that she was giving out as she listened. “The bond they share is really something special. When you look around at all the epic love stories that this town has... You can tell that the magic of it is still all around us."

I chuckled at her question. She didn't want to miss any tiny detail. "Well, Taha Aki was the first, after that day he was able to change at will. But The Great Wolf itself was a mystical being. He wasn't like the other animals of the forest; he was one of a kind. But Taha Aki's son's inherited the gift, and the Wolf lived on in their blood. When they grew into manhood; then they too had the same ability to shift into the form of a wolf too. The way they found their soulmate changed as well." I smiled and let that new information settle in the air around us. I wasn't sure how much I wanted to tell her right now... but I was inching closer and closer to the whole truth.

I couldn't bring myself to hold back anything that she so clearly wanted to know. Before I needed to clarify my last statement she poked herself in the eye. Instinctively, I reached up and took her hand away from her face. The coolness of her skin was like a soothing balm on a burn. "So, the glasses are for your own protection and not your eyesight at all, right?" I teased.

I smiled when she answered the question about being afraid; my heart broken when she mentioned that people were the ones that hurt you. The way she spoke made it so clear she'd been hurt before. My hand moved soothingly up and down her arm. "You know a friend of mine has this philosophy, he describes it as '𝐿𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉' but when you talk to him about it one-on-one its really more about taking the opportunities that are in front of you... Or the ones that make you feel something at least. Not being afraid of what might hurt you, because wounds can heal. But time only moves forward and living with what-ifs..." I shrugged; #Embry had never gotten much further than that. "Uh... Well, I guess it just doesn't fit with the '𝐿𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉' lifestyle."

The way she sat with her knees pulled against her and her chin resting on them gave me the perfect view of her side profile, the dim moonlight started to illuminate her face and cast light shadows on her features. She was so incredibly beautiful that it completely redefined the meaning of the word in my mind. She looked far away again, I stayed quiet and let her imagination run its course.

Harper

“The Spirits” I smiled to myself hearing him say it brought a warmth from within, with the memory of the first time I’d met #Sue and #Leah. I sat and watched the way they both reacted to #Seth and #Kenzi that night. And those words were something new I heard for the first time when they spoke with one another. It was a new way for me to think, to understand life through the eyes of my new friends.

But now learning about the balance. My imagination took me back in time once again. But this time it was the tall, red brown skinned sons of the Chief who were stood in front of the tribe’s people. A Glint in their eyes showing the wolf within them all, and yet again there was no fear in the eyes of those who knew what they were.

“Without vulnerability people would think themselves too powerful.” I wondered now if that was what the Chief had seen in Utlapa in the first place. With him wanting Taha Aki and their tribe to fight others around them. “ Especially if they were given so much strength maybe?” I smiled and turned towards him, pulling my gaze away from Nova, she gave up on the digging and had come to lay down beside us again. My fingers moving over her lightly damp fur full of sand now.

“If Taha Aki was the first of his tribe to change, was it the same wolf… This Great Wolf who stayed with him forever? Or would the spirit of the wolf come and go between him and his sons?” What could that have meant for the generations to come? What was I even thinking here?

“There are epic love stories here? The only love stories I know are from books—” I stopped as it occurred to me. “—Unless Mom and Dad count? And then there is Damian and Jenn, and of course Seth and Kenz.” It was slowly coming to light there were love stories surrounding my life too, and I’d never taken the time to think of them. “But you say the way the warriors found their soulmates changed, how was that the case?”

Shaking my head, a little I rubbed between my eyes feeling the rush of blood coming to my face. I’d hoped that he had missed me making a fool of myself. However, Collin seemed to notice everything. He reached out his hand and took mine. Out of nowhere a bolt of magic shot through me. His hand was so warm that it felt like a comfortable blanket around me, and then as it moved over my arm it felt innocent, like I knew there was no underlining thought from him. What I saw was what I got with him so far.

“I don’t know, maybe you have a valid point there. The glasses mean I don’t poke at my eyes.” I curled into myself a little further wishing the ground would swallow me up.

'𝐿𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉'

“Now there are some words I know well. “I hope your friend isn’t as laid back as mine who has tried to make me live that way? I’m not against it. But up until now, life has been about the steps I needed to plan so that I could make it to the next.” Until it was time to run, then living in the moment without any foresight was my action plan.

I was finally looking at him now again, giving up on the urge to fight the need to see him. I smiled back catching his eyes on me. The night light had changed, and yet there was still something about looking at him. He was most definitely preponderate and again I questioned why I had this pull. “Magic.” I whispered and covered my mouth with my hand. What was going on with me?

“I mean…. Uhm.. You… You said that there is magic here? Chief Billy said the same thing to me before….” Hoping I’d managed to get out of that slip of my tongue.

Collin

𝘞𝘪𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘷𝘶𝘭𝘯𝘦𝘳𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘮𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘶𝘭.” She was very insightful, but of course, hearing these stories as an adult, their lessons were less sub-conscious. Her mind still picked out all the important parts and not just the idea of men turning into Wolves. “And that’s where Utlapa had it wrong; he thought their power made them better than other tribes. But that’s not what the power was for. It was to protect their people and their land.”

Nova came back to lay on the end of the blanket that wasn’t wrapped around us and I smiled as Harper automatically reached out to pet her, not so much as flinching at her damp, sand-filled fur. Spirits, she really was perfect.

“The Great Wolf stayed with Taha Aki, he became one with The Spirits and he is still with the tribe today. I guess it’s more like the two became this one great being and his descendants were gifted with the powers of their father both the wolf and the man.”

I laughed at her comment about epic love stories. “There are plenty around here, I hope you’ll get to meet these people sometime soon.” Those stories were better told from the points of view of the women involved, this was a lesson I learned when I asked #Paul about the first time he saw #Rachel after she moved back to La Push and then Rachel too. Her version was a lot different. “And Mom and Dad always count.” I added with a smile.

I laughed when she was talking about #Embry’s philosophy. “He does think it’s the solution to all our problems. But he’s too laid back to try convince us to live that way.” I chuckled. “I understand the need to plan, but I always try not to be too rigid about it… mostly I fail… but something comes along that makes it easy.”

There was something in the way she whispered the word 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 that made my heart pound in my chest. I didn’t look away when she caught me staring; I wanted her to know I was fascinated by her. “We’re surrounded by it here, always.” The words were softer than any I had ever spoken.

I reached over, turning my body slightly towards her; and brushed a strand of hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear, letting my hand linger against her cheek. I could hear her heartbeat, I wanted so badly to kiss her… but I didn’t want to cross any lines she wasn’t ready for. “You really are so beautiful.” The words were out before I could think to stop them… but I didn’t want to take them back. I wanted her to know.

Harper

“It has to be the principles behind the words that have come down over time. I mean to imagine these prodigious tales of Warriors who stood tall with the spirits of the wolves. Knowing they have this power, however choosing to use it for the good of those they protect... It is astonishing in so many ways.”

To share in the lives of these people today had been an experience from the moment I had arrived. They were a small town sure, with the norms of any town where the community was close nit. But unlike those places where an outsider had to prove themselves before being allowed in, I was welcomed with open arms. And then there was something more that I’d felt myself.

“Do you ever wonder what this magic is in the air that protects the people here? I know you believe in these Spirits and these Warriors in the past. But today. Here. Is it still them looking out over the people who live here?”

I couldn’t bring myself to say it out aloud like I had with #Char who had told me ‘𝒯𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝑒𝓈 𝓅𝒶𝓈𝓈𝑒𝒹 𝒹𝑜𝓌𝓃 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓎𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓈’.

And then there was the Chief #Billy who had said, ‘'𝒟𝑜 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒷𝑒𝓁𝒾𝑒𝓋𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒮𝓅𝒾𝓇𝒾𝓉𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒶𝓃𝒸𝑒𝓈𝓉𝑜𝓇𝓈 𝒸𝒶𝓃𝓃𝑜𝓉 𝓈𝑒𝑒 𝓎𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝒸𝑜𝓂𝓂𝒾𝓉𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝒾𝓇 𝓅𝑒𝑜𝓅𝓁𝑒? 𝒴𝑜𝓊 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝐻𝒶𝓇𝓅𝑒𝓇 𝐿𝑒𝑒, 𝓎𝑜𝓊 𝒿𝓊𝓈𝓉 𝒹𝑜𝓃’𝓉 𝓀𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝒾𝓉.’

And yet hearing Collin say 𝒲𝑒’𝓇𝑒 𝓈𝓊𝓇𝓇𝑜𝓊𝓃𝒹𝑒𝒹 𝒷𝓎 𝒾𝓉 𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒, 𝒶𝓁𝓌𝒶𝓎𝓈, rang true in my heart of hearts. I had felt this 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 myself.

His laughter made me smile, it was welcoming and drew a person in, and I found myself unable to look away again. ‘Pull it together Harper Lee Jenkins.’ I chastised myself for the umpteenth time.

“I am sure that once I start to meet these people and hear their stories if they wish to share them. It will be as fascinating as all the greats.” Of course, true love stories always had so much more to give then the novels I’d read. There was always a twist in witnessing the connection between two people with your own eyes. “And As for your friend, maybe the philosopher will be happy to share some wisdom of how one should ‘Live in the moment’?

I laughed softly as I was sure that the advice would be the same as #Jenna has given me for years, about letting my hair down, and not letting the small moments pass me by.

My fingers were still moving softly over Nova’s fur when she turned her head and pushed my fingers to a spot I had clearly been missing, and she wanted some attention on. I smiled glancing down at her, before I felt him move his body. My eyes linked with his and my hand stilled, a tranquil silence fell over the beach, even with my mind telling me that the sound of the crashing waves was still there. I was frozen in place as his fingers moved the fly away strand of my hair, and the warmth from the tips of his fingers brushed my cold ear. I swallowed hard, as my heart spun out of control with the blood rushing to the spot where he touched my cheek.

I blinked at hearing those words. It wasn’t the first time I had been told I was beautiful, however as it came from his lips. It felt like so much more. My eyes dropped to the blanket twisted around us as the beating of my heart felt like it was about to come crashing out of me. “Thank…. You….” I whispered so low.

Collin ( First Kiss )

“I mean… Maybe now, but even just a few centuries ago, people had stronger senses of loyalty and community.” I sounded like an idiot, but it was true. “But here there are quite a lot of people that think as they did… I mean, I’m not saying La Push is perfect but… its home.”

Her question was a deep one, but a deep one I knew the answer to instantly. “I do… The Spirits and our ancestors. The forest, the sea, the sun and moon… The magic is everywhere it runs through the people, the trees, all of the rivers. It touches all of us. They are all still with us. No one is ever truly gone; even when it feels like they are out of reach.”

I had to laugh when she called #Embry a philosopher. “Please don’t tell him that… He’ll refer to himself as one for years!”

Then we were so close, and her heart was hammering. I didn’t think it was possible for someone to be so still when their heart was thudding like that. Then again mine was the same and I froze, electricity jolted up my arm from my fingers. She didn’t turn away from my touch, even though she was looking down and blushing. The red hue in her skin was captivating and my eyes seemed to be naturally drawn to her lips. My pounding heart became erratic. The need to feel the touch of her lips to mine would not be denied.

“Harper.” I whispered to draw her attention back to me. When her eye’s met mine again, the moonlight glinted in them. I leaned in slowly. Giving her every chance to pull away. My eyes closed and my lips touched lightly against hers, all my senses heightened. Wave after wave of fulfilment flooded through me… I had literally been waiting my entire life for this kiss, just as I waited to meet her, and get to know her. Every decision I had made had led me here; the decision to stay in La Push, even my decision to get a dog… and hers too. Every choice Harper made all added up to her moving here.

My warm hand still cupped her cheek and I dare to move closer, my lips moving gently against hers. While my stomach roiled and my heart threatened to break through my ribs.

Harper

This had been something I could understand and relate to. My father would say as I had grown up that we had to hold on to old traditions, that new things weren’t always best. As I sat here now those lessons seem to ring true than I knew as a child. “No place is perfect, however sometimes there are things and people who help us look past those imperfections. Because those are the things that may make home special in the first place?”

I knew that was a very rose coloured out look on life, but there was a part of me that was trying to see the good in the world. To see the positives in what was on offer to us. I knew what he meant. Thompson Falls was by no means perfect, but it was a place with memories for me.

My glance moved over all that could be viewed with the moon lit sky, the wind, the sea, the rocks on the beach and the sand. The trees to the far ends, with Nova beside me. With Collin sat so close and I could imagine the truth in what he had said. That the Spirits were everywhere and in everything. The sun, the moon, the air and the water, the earth, and the fire, it was all a gift and so much more. ‘𝒯𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸 𝒾𝓈 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇𝓎𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓇𝑒 ‘ And yet I’d never thought of these things in such a way. And when he said ‘𝒩𝑜 𝑜𝓃𝑒 𝒾𝓈 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓉𝓇𝓊𝓁𝓎 𝑔𝑜𝓃𝑒; 𝑒𝓋𝑒𝓃 𝓌𝒽𝑒𝓃 𝒾𝓉 𝒻𝑒𝑒𝓁𝓈 𝓁𝒾𝓀𝑒 𝓉𝒽𝑒𝓎 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝑜𝓊𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒸𝒽.’ This was something I had indeed heard before from #Seth, when he spoke to me about my father.

I laughed softly again at the mention of his friend. My voice still low as I spoke. “I don’t know him, however if you don’t want me to tell him... I will see what I can do for you.” I was teasing of course. Unless his friend was walking into the practice, I knew there was no way I would walk up to him to tell him anything.

My eyes were glued down, hiding myself the best I could as the heat from my cheeks told me that my blush could be visible. However, I couldn’t have been more thankful for the night light changing on us. At least I was saved from the embarrassment of him seeing me. I glanced up a little lost in my thoughts as he said my name. My name, something I had heard so often and yet now as he said it, I felt the sensation of pure joy leaping out of me because when he said it just now, it sounded so different.

“Hmm?” My eyes discovered his right away and again, I found myself surprised at how close the two of us had moved. I saw his lips part ever so slightly, as he slowly moved into me. My mind went blank instantly as my heart still thudding in my chest told me what was about to happen. It was now? He wanted to kiss me? My eyes darting from his lips to looking into his dark eyes as they closed. And then it happened. His lips touched mine, and I hadn’t moved away. I had stayed there wanting this too.

I closed my eyes, my heart swooned, and I was floating free from all the thoughts that had been racing only a second before in my mind. The questions, the what if’s, the uncertainty of it all was gone. All I could feel were the soft lips of his moving over mine as a bolt of something strong washed over and engulfed me. My toes curled in my boots and right there in this blissful moment for the first time in my life, I let go. I let go of all the fears and all that I had been holding onto. I felt him move into me, his warm hands cupping my cold cheeks. His lips and mine dancing together and this moment, this 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝒾𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓂𝑜𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉. It felt 𝓹𝓮𝓻𝓯𝓮𝓬𝓽.

Collin

I heard her heart begin to pound and mine moved in time with hers. There was only one singular moment in my life that stood out as blindingly brilliant as this. It was that moment my eyes fell on her when she came into view that morning in the animal clinic; that all-consuming shift in the core of my being. The realization that every moment, every choice, every heartache and joy... that, all weaved together had brought me to this moment.

The knowledge that being chosen to protect my people by the Great Wolf I had spent the evening telling Harper all about; also gave me this profound ability to feel love more deeply than anyone outside of it, could hope to understand.

And she was kissing me back.

Her skin began to warm under my touch, my whole body was charged with an electricity I never thought possible from such a tender touch of lips. My eyes were closed, my fingertips caressed her cheek, and I swore I could feel the blood rushing into them, knowing they were tinted deep red now, without the need to look; much like my own must be too.

I moved not even a fraction of an inch and then took a deep breath, replenishing the air that she'd stolen from my lungs. A smile broke out over my face and again I pressed my lips to hers; a little more eagerly now… as she'd not turned away, her heart raced with the same anticipation as mine.

My fingers slipped from her cheek and trailed slowly down her arm, finding her fingers, and twining between them. A low hum spilled past my lips and I opened my eyes. I took her in; her flushed cheeks, those perfect lips that set a man's heart to the explosive rhythm mine was drumming right now. A dazed, excited sigh was the only sound that seemed to pass my lips; her heart beat was all I could hear.

The Spirits danced in the soft, salty air all around us.

"See." I finally gathered enough of my senses to be somewhat coherent. "I told you... Magical."

Harper

His lips moved over mine in the gentlest way, there was a heat radiating off the two of us and I was sure it meant that maybe he was feeling what I was too? My heart was racing a hundred miles a minute at the way it had taken a blink of our eyes and this was the outcome of it.

His fingertips caressed my hot cheeks, and I knew it, I knew if the night sky had not come down all around us he would have a front row seat to the blush that was covering my face, neck and I was sure body by now. But more so, as his lips kissed mine, the blankness in my mind changed into colour.

I was transported for a moment to the first time I saw his shocked face. He had been sitting in the waiting room of my practice, when all my attention had been on the baby girl. However, in the moment I had looked up to find his brown eyes looking down at me, I had smiled. I had felt something that I couldn’t explain. I had this pull towards him that I could never place into words. And This was the same pull my heart was feeling right now. That pull to him had been there when we met for hot chocolate too. The first time he reached across the table to take a hold of my hand. The warmth I felt then was the same that I was filled with now too.

My lung screamed out for air, just as he moved a little, giving me the time to pull in the cold sea air sending a chill down my spine before his lips were back once again. He’s hot and soft lips touched mine and there was an eager edge to it this time. The sensation of pureness engulfed me as his fingers left my cheek and a rush of cold air awoke me from the place, he had taken me to. His moved down my arm, I felt a shot of electricity through my coat, as his fingers found mine and without a word, I entwined mine with his. My cold chilled fingers curled around his and I felt that heat radiating from us again.

My lips tingled as he finally pulled back, I could feel his touch still as I kept my eyes closed. Savouring the moment, the feel, the sensations he had made me feel. Slowly opening my eyes when I heard him say ‘𝐼 𝓉𝑜𝓁𝒹 𝓎𝑜𝓊... 𝑀𝒶𝑔𝒾𝒸𝒶𝓁’. I wanted to say ‘𝘠𝘦𝘴, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘔𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭’. However, my words were lost to me, all I could see was him, I could hear that music in my ears all around us again. But he had taken my breath away.

That was until I parted my lips to try and say something, and out of nowhere Nova’s face and tongue pushed in between the two of us. Her damp body pushed to be in the middle, and she franticly started to lick both our faces one at a time. Giving both Collin and I kisses and sharing her love, making me laugh a full belly laughter. I rolled back a little to give her room, but she became even more animated in the love she was sharing with the two of us.

“Magical” I whispered between my laughter. Because this truly was.

Collin

The sound of her heart racing was the best thing I had ever heard. Kissing Harper was nothing like I had imagined it to be, and in the short time I had known her I had imagined it more times than I could count. But there was nothing in my life that could compare to this moment. Nothing else existed, time stopped just for us.

My lips hummed like they had when hers were still on mine. Already I wanted to kiss her again, but she’d completely taken my breath away. With the way she pulled in a deep breath of the cold air, even I couldn’t deny she lost hers too.

I watched her eyes flutter open and thanked the Spirits for blessing me with the gift of being able to see every delicate feature of her face in this fading light, as I could in full sunlight. She was astounding, my heart pounded again as she took me in now. I didn’t even sense Nova’s approach. No sight… no sound. Not until she was assaulting us with kisses, and I laughed right alongside Harper; her laugh, her smile and Nova’s pure joy in being the centre of both of our attentions. “Perfect.” I smiled, burying my fingers in Nova’s coat. My eyes glued to Harper, but that of course wouldn’t do... “Ugh!” I laughed at Nova’s assault on my face forcing me to close my eyes or get my eyeball licked.

Then she was right back in Harper’s face again. The perfect interrupted first kiss. My eyes moved out to the ocean; where the moon now shone on the water and I sent up another silent thank you.

“Completely perfect.” I whispered and found Harper’s hand again.

(Music: Daughtry - Start of Something Good )

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Harper

My hands were in Nova’s fur, rubbing her and patting her as she licked and kissed me. “I know baby girl, I know. How dare we...” I was laughing a real laugh again. The moment with Collin had been perfect in every way, unplanned, unexpected, however so right in every way possible. Until now. With Nova coming in and kissing us.

I shifted back a little, giving Nova some room as she moved to lick the full length of Collins face and he was laughing too. Sitting there, watching her tail waggling back and forth, her body shaking and moving to the same beat. It was something nobody could understand unless they took the time to really listen to her body language.

Nova moved her attention back to me and pulled me from my internal conversation with myself. “I’m right here Nova.” I giggled as her tongue worked over my face, and now I knew it was a good thing that I wasn’t wearing my glasses.

When she was done, she pushed her way to sit partly on my lap and partly on Collins. Unbeknownst to her she built a bridge between the two of us. Connected us with her body, and I wondered what these sprits of his would have to say about such a thing?

I shook my head. ‘What a stupid thing to think? You just met this guy, and you are floating on air?’ That voice in my mind said to me. But it was true, his kiss had made me feel some way I’d not felt before. I felt the warmth of his hand over mine, I felt that tingle shock me and this time it was riding up my skin and right into my chest.

He had been lost in his own mind as I had been in mine. However, when I glanced over to him his eyes were on the dark ocean. I wasn’t sure if I heard him correctly over the sound of the waves. Had he just said;

‘𝒯𝒽𝒾𝓈 𝒾𝓈 𝒫𝑒𝓇𝒻𝑒𝒸𝓉‘?

The End

==========================

-- 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙵𝚞𝚕𝚕 𝚃𝚎𝚡𝚝 𝙲𝚘𝚗𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 --

From HARPER: [ Hi there, I’m sorry it’s taken me this long to contact you. Just wanted to see how Nova and you are. HLJ ]

TO HARPER: [ Don’t worry. It’s that time of year, right? Lambs? You’re a bit of a legend with some of my friend’s parents right now. Nova is still running around like a crazy one, no matter how hard I try to keep her chilled out. She sleeps in the whelping box during the day now, after the advice you gave me. I’m doing good, keeping myself busy. I really hope you’re finding time to sleep. I hope I can see you again soon? When things aren’t as busy… My Uncle is planning on stopping by as soon as he can ]

To COLLIN: [ Yes, Lambing is coming to an end now thankfully, I just need to catch up with my other patients now. Nova after all is still a puppy and will be full of energy. As long as she’s not chewing on things which are bad for her. And it is good to hear she has taken to the whelping box already. Every little thing helps. And thank you once again for speaking with your uncle, I promise I will have my proposal ready and waiting now that things will slow down for me. I plan on catching up with sleep really soon, as long as the animals of La Push and Forks behave themselves tonight. Why would you need to keep yourself busy? Are you frightened of free time? I was hoping maybe that you maybe free next weekend for the… you know that ‘F’ word and pizza gathering you offered? It would be nice to see you again and catch up. HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ I wouldn’t say frightened… Averse, maybe. I tend to overthink when I have too much free time on my hands. Mostly projects for fun, my weekends are wide open. We can’t leave those “F words” lying around much longer. I’d love to help you out, let me know when and I’ll be there. I can’t turn down free pizza… or your company. }} I pressed send.

To COLLIN: [ I never thought that ‘Overthinking’ or just thinking was unscrupulous, however if you wish to keep your free time filled. I am happy to help on the weekend. I would have to agree with you about the ‘F’ Words, they are starting to hit back. They took my toes out the other morning, and a knee too. If they are left unloved, I’m worried they may take me out completely. It’s the Pizza isn’t it? It’s the deal maker? HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ Trust me… It can be hazardous. See, I was going to try and draw out the process, to try and sneakily make another opportunity to see you. But now that I know you’re a klutz I can’t do that! I’ll have to come up with another devious plan. }} I sent the text and grinned.

To HARPER: {{ I mean… yeah. Totally all about the pizza. }} I followed up quickly.

To COLLIN: [ Since when do friends need to have an excuse to see another friend? I mean to say, thank you so much for not wanting to draw it out and all, I believe my “F” words are trying to kill me. And I knew it!! It’s always about the pizza. The word is out! – Little Miss Klutz ]

To HARPER: {{ Wow! I made it to the friend’s category already? Such an honour! Don’t worry we’ll get those “F” words sorted for you and I’ll make it my personal mission to ensure you survive the night. I’ll even anchor them to the wall for you… because of the whole Klutz thing. Plus, if you ever want to rearrange the furniture, you’ll have to call me }}

To COLLIN: [ Would you prefer it if you didn’t make it to the Friends category. I know a certain woman who would say you should be down graded to an acquaintance for such a comment. And how thoughtful of you, taking on the responsibility of my life. It is a dangerous task you know, with this new found ‘klutz’ thing I seen to be picking up a reputation for. And are you turning into the guy who wants to leave the door open for the return visit? Always looking for a reason? I told you, friends don’t need them. HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ Hey, you can’t demote me just on Leah’s word. You are a strong, competent woman. Stand by your friendship decision! How About I withhold making a final determination on the ‘Klutz thing’ until I see you in action next weekend? Would it be bad if I were turning into that guy? I’ll remember that. But don’t worry. I’ll try not to abuse the privilege. }}

To COLLIN: [ Oh, I see what you did there, stoke my ego and hope I don’t take the wise one’s advice? Intelligent move there Mr Littlesea. It’s a shame I can see past it. And I only feel it is fair to hold on to all judgments until you see me in action. I could blow your mind with my skills. I am a carpenter’s daughter after all. As for turning into “That guy”, I’m not worried. I don’t know why, but I am not worried at all. – HLJ ]

TO HARPER {{ But I learnt something new about you now! You are so much more than book smart! And you aren’t as easy to catch off guard when we aren’t face to face. Using the nepotism argument? You’re still a carpenter’s daughter with boxes of “F words” lying around her place, trying to kill her. If I promise you had nothing to be worried about would you believe me? }}

TO COLLIN: [ Is that a kind way to say I am more than a Nerd? What can I say? There is always more than meets the eye, even with those who claim to be open books. They may not mean to hide, but life just makes it happen. Not sure what happened to me face to face. It’s not how I am. Or not how I ever knew myself to be. Let me correct you and/or myself. I stated I am a carpenter’s daughter, however I never said I was a good one. So ixnay on the “F words”, and let’s keep them a secret from you know who? As for believing you? I want to say I would, but I know that is foolish. I don’t know you. And yet. I still want to say Yes? - HLJ ]

TO HARPER:{{ What’s wrong with being a Nerd? I’m a bit of a nerd myself and proud! I’d like to say I’m not normally that nervous… But that evening was next level. Then I’d start to get myself together and you’d laugh, and I was a rambling mess all over again… and thoroughly enjoying every second of it. My mom always told me; “You will do foolish things but do them with enthusiasm”. I always thought they were wise words to live by. I may be a little biased, but I think Yes is the right answer. Just wait and see, in the meantime Let’s be “Foolish”.}}

To COLLIN: [ There is nothing wrong with being known as a Nerd at all. Proud member of the NA ( Nerd Association ) right here, I will have you know. The rambling was.. Cute.. and I joined a new club that evening with my own inability to string words together. Your mom seems like a woman with great advice. So, you know, I am stealing this advice, I am sure I will use it time and time again. How would somebody even begin to walk the path towards becoming Foolish? -HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ Cute and handsome! Damn, I’m a catch! She has her moments, but don’t tell her I said that. I think we’ve both passed the point of no return when it comes to being foolish. I’m already far too happy about seeing you again to even try to play it cool. }}

To COLLIN: [ The point of no return? You know this nerd would never jump without anchoring herself to a big strong rock at the top of the edge. And if this so called ‘Catch’ is nice to her, she may be willing to attach a line to keep him safe too. I’m not sure playing cool is something I can do; it would mean to hide behind something. Which I can’t seem to do right now. -HLJ ]

To HARPER:{{ Well… I’m pretty strong. One might even say ‘rock-like’. Just in case you find yourself in need of one. But I would let you save me if you let me return the favour someday. Hiding is very rarely an answer; I try to avoid it whenever I can. You really should get some sleep while you have the chance… as much as I would love to monopolise your time. But that would be selfish of me.}}

To COLLIN: [ How about we leave the door open with the knowledge that we are willing to save one another. Good Night Mr Littlesea, thank you for keeping me company tonight. HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ The door is wide open. I hope you’re sleeping well. And watch the clouds tomorrow, the sun will come out and if you pay attention you might see the silver lining shining through. }}

𝙽𝙴𝚇𝚃 𝙳𝙰𝚈

To COLLIN [ I see you had some words with the sun to ask him to come out to play for me today. Now I wish I had the time for a run. Good morning, I did sleep very well. I hope you and Nova did too. – HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ We had some words, I can be very convincing. I haven’t run in a while; I don’t want to wear Nova out too much. Pity you’re a big, important, busy doctor… you could join the baby-mama and me for a walk on the beach before work. It’s a perfect day for it.}}

To COLLIN: [ If you could maybe have the same talk with him on my day off? I would forever be grateful to you and your convincing skills. And that is a good idea, baby-girl needs to take it easy. Until her body is used to the changes. This VDM would like nothing more than to join you both, however work calls. Rain Check? – HLJ]

To HARPER {{ I’ll do my best; I may have to use up my last favour though. We go at the same time every day. Second Beach. Rain or shine consider this an open invitation. You’re welcome to join us. Nova would love to see her new best friend outside of the office.}}

To COLLIN: [You truly shouldn’t use up your favours for others, especially somebody you don’t know. And thank you for the open invitation, I don’t believe I’ve been to that beach. So, you may regret asking me to come. Have a lovely walk, I do wish I could be there with my new fur friend. HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ It wasn’t all for you. I rather enjoy the sun too. It’s beautiful here, and not normally as busy, the surfers don’t want to carry their board down the trails. I’m not big on regrets, how about this? If you join us and we don’t enjoy your company, I promise we’ll rescind the invitation. }}

{{ Have a good day at work. I’m looking forward to the weekend. }}

To COLLIN [I don’t feel as guilty knowing you enjoy the warmth, and now that you have an out. Thank you for the photo. It looks stunning there. You and Nova enjoy the walk and your day. Looking forward to the weekend too. HLJ ]

To HARPER : {{ I hope you’re having a great day… and enjoying the sun. }}

To COLLIN: [ Another beautiful sight and image. You have an eye that’s for sure. My day has been a little out there and indoors. Your uncle the Chief came by this morning. He is such a kind man and made me something. Thank you for making it possible. Hope your day is amazing. HLJ ]

To HARPER {{ #Billy is the kindest person you will ever meet... apart from #Seth. Did you know it’s the Spirits of the Wolves that protect us all here? It’s how our Protectors show themselves to us. I'd love to tell you the stories. Maybe I could even teach the Vet something she didn't know about an animal. }}

To COLLIN: [ I would have to concur, there is something about Billy that makes me feel at home. He told me that the wolf was a protector, and that my wolf would look after me. I’m not sure if I should take him home, or leave him here in the office? I would love to hear and learn more. But I wouldn’t want to intrude on your time. HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ Just take a moment and listen, he’ll tell you where he belongs. I could call you tonight if work doesn’t pull you away? Or would you rather hear them in person? And what happened to our little foolish agreement? You’re just making me feel greedy now because I fully intend to intrude on any spare moment, I can steal with you. }}

To COLLIN [ I will ask him and then listen to his reply. I am giving you outs from that agreement, and you don’t want to take them? So, Let’s be foolish together, if work allows for it. I would like to hear all about it. I don’t mind how you choose to tell me; I will listen as you find ways to become a little greedier. HLJ ]

To COLLIN: [ No more outs it is, I wish you luck! And One of those friends just told me I’m bad at taking hints, and that I am an overthinker. I may have missed the subtle attempts; however, we clearly have an audience guiding the way. My first impression of you is far from terrible trust me when I say this. I don’t wish to make you nervous, however it would be a lie if I didn’t admit to being the very same way. HLJ ]

TO HARPER : {{ I don’t know if it’s a case of you being bad at taking hints or not. I’m not great at dropping them… maybe it’s a foolish combination of both? I was never really for being the centre of attention, but I suppose it’s not necessarily a bad thing either. Do I really make you nervous? You are so beautiful… I find it hard to believe a dorky guy like me, could make you nervous. I know it shouldn’t… but that kinda makes me smile. Is that weird? }}

To Collin [ Finding ways to make me feel better at being blind to the world around me? There is a brownie point for you in there somewhere. I have to say that two alma maters like us from the school of Dork and Nerd should become really good friends. It’s written in the rules you know. As for the nervousness? Yes, you do. I seem to lose my words when you are looking at me. And you know there is nothing wrong in a little weird, normal is over rated if you ask me. HLJ ]

To HARPER :{{ As long as it’s the kind of nervous that makes you want to see me again. I like watching you scramble for words. It reminds me that I’m not the only one. I’m happy to hear that you think weird is good… Because there is a lot of weirdness in my life. But I have a feeling you may have figured that out already. }}

To COLLIN: [ I’m not sure I want to see you again. I’m going to put out a restraining order on you if you don’t stop being so kind. I mean who in their right mind would want to sit listening to my inability to string words together? HLJ ]

To HARPER: {{ See, now I’m questioning your membership to the nerd club. Because most people would wait until after their F-words were put together, to reveal that. Also, I never claimed to be in my right mind... Maybe that’s why it gives me butterflies when you scramble for the right words. If that’s true, then I don’t want to be in my right mind. I’m much happier this way. }}

To COLLIN: [ Questioning my life time membership to the Nerd Club? How dare you Sir! This calls for a Duel at Sunrise! This is me slapping my virtual glove at you as my challenge. Also, Nerds don’t really think of life in such a selfish way. We Nerds are happy to give, and we never wait to see what it is we will gain if anything at all. Do I really give you butterflies? Because you give me the same sensations too. HLJ ]

#HarperLeeJenkins #Harper #Harps #CollinLittlesea #Collin #TheNerd #TheGoofball #Nova #TwilightRp #AU #TwiRP #LaPush #Storyline #Storytime #Youtube

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