❦ღ❦

I know that I'm definitely confused of what's been going on between Easton and I.... but I would be in utter denial if I wasn't something along offended of seeing Easton kissing Leo the way he was. With such desperation.

What few times we've been making out hasn't gotten out to anyone, so I couldn't blame Valentine when I heard the confusion in his voice when asking, "You alright, Kale? You look a little pissed."

My jaw clenched tighter, eyes narrowing when Easton apparently used his Were hearing and could hear from the distance he was at. He pulled back suddenly, his head turning as his gaze locked with mine and his eyes widened a little. He blinked a few times, not sure what to do, seeing how his Adam's Apple bobbed up and down with the hard swallow he did.

My eyes shifted in a glance to Leo whose brown eyes were now on me. From going to a stunned look, now there was that smug look of his with a raised brow and pursed mouth to the side that irked me even more. Leo scrunched his nose just to add a little more to insult.

Deciding to ignore that puny Werewolf, I looked back to Easton who was still looking like a deer in headlights.

Shutting my eyes with a frown when Valentine asked if I was alright again---even placing a hand on my shoulder--- I shook my head and barely shot him a glance when muttering, "I'm fine!" before shrugging his hand off.

I turned turned away to round the corner to head back to the entrance. I heard the fading, "Red! Red, hold on! Dammit, wait!" but my feet kept moving, rushing me towards the door and shoved it open with more force than necessary. It slammed to its extent and someone inside shouted, "Easy, kid!" before the door shut behind me.

I shook my head, grumbling how stupidly hard this friendship thing with Easton was going to work when he was making it difficult for me to keep things platonic. I'm not going to say that I have strong feelings, but there was definitely something that I felt during the few times that I've kissed Easton.

It was really God damn frustrating was what it was! How was I supposed to follow through with my scolding to Valentine of not giving up on Easton when he seems to just be using my friendship to take advantage and makeout with me?

I couldn't tell you what direction I stormed off in, to be honest, because I was just too annoyed to pay attention.

My eyes squeezed shut, my thoughts rushing back to when I was in my room with Easton and how damn good it felt with his fingers against my skin, and even more when they were drifting downward.

"Argh!"

I let out another frustrated cry as I whipped around and used a fist to punch against the trunk of a tree nearby.

"Fuck!"

I retracted my hand, holding it to my chest as the throbbing was pulsing up my arm. Gritting my teeth, I looked at my hand to see that I ripped the skin of my knuckles. I glanced up at the tree bark where I'd hit it at, then back to my hand that was red, shaking slightly, and bleeding a lot more than I expected. But with the force of the punch, I could see why.

I lowered my hand, wincing as I tried to stretch out my fingers but it hurt too much. I already knew it'd bruise, not for as long as Thea would since I was a full-blooded Advanced Hunter, but I did still have human qualities, and bruising was one of them.

Muttering under my breath, I looked around me, noticing that I walked about a block and a half from the diner. Frowning, I tried to figure out where I could go to just think for a while. I remembered Thea had pointed out all her favorite spots as a kid growing up.

Studying where I was, I tried to remember the layout of the town map so that I could head in the direction of the park. I really didn't want to talk to anyone, but it looked like I was going to have to settle for some human interaction since I was lost. I didn't think it'd be true that you can be so angry about something and not be able to think straight.

Apparently I stand corrected.

Huffing a breath, I decided to just walk into the small shop in front of me and glanced up at the bell that jingled when I pushed the door open. There was a man behind the counter who looked up at me and smiled as he lifted the strange eyewear that made his eyes look a lot bigger than they actually were.

"How may I help you, young man?"

I looked around the shop as I made my way to the counter and just let him know that I needed directions to get to the park.

"Oh! Well that's just around the corner at the end of the street. You really can't miss it since there's a garden festival that is being set up for."

"A Garden Festival?" I asked, frowning as I looked down at the book that was on the counter and he'd been trying to apparently fix its spine.

"Sure is! It's new this year, something about wanting to make the town a little more of a place that tourists could come to."

My nose scrunched, lowering a brow as I mentally wondered how a Garden Festival was going to make an unknown town like Blood Moon Falls become some tourist attraction. That better be a fucking fantastic festival is all I'm saying...

"Oh... I see. Well... uh... Thanks, I guess."

"Sure thing! And have a look around at the books! There's a few on clearance over in that corner," he pointed to the opposite side of the store where a pile of what looked to be untouched books sitting on a table.

I nodded, "Maybe next time," before heading straight for the door. But then I glanced to the left at a shelf, and stopped.

My hand lifted, picking up the book that caught my attention, and I stared at it for a long while. Narrowing my eyes as I pulled the book closer to inspect the cover, I was startled when the man chirped, "That's a new one I just got! It's the only copy though! Not very popular if you ask me."

I looked at the man, frowning as I lifted the book and pointed at the cover, "Is this a fiction book?"

The man frowned back, shaking his head, "Why no. According to the seller, it is supposed to be non-fiction."

I stared down at the book, blinking at it a few times, then muttered back to the man, "Non-fiction? You sure?"

"That's what I asked, but nowadays I don't know what's real and what's not when it comes to creatures like that. Though the seller said that eventually---one day---the world would realize that that book was telling the truth about Werewolves existing... and other things in there apparently."

I blinked, licking my lips and stared at the cover of the book where it was a parchment looking book sleeve, and there was black gothic lettering as the title A World Unknown was scrawled at the top. My gaze dropped to the bottom of the book cover where the initials E.G. Hollow were printed.

After a moment, I opened the book and flipped through a few pages in the middle where there were drawn depictions of creatures that I had no idea about. Other than the Werewolf that was on page a hundred and fifty with a whole chapter on the topic. I frowned, tilting my head as I looked over the print of what was described for Werewolves and it was really confusing since just reading a few lines and I thought this writer was a little off his rocker.

Expect for the part where Werewolves did exist. So then did that mean the others did too?

I bit my lip, walking over to the counter where the man looked up from the spine he was still fixing.

"Do you think..." I placed the book on the counter, tapping it with my finger. "That I could purchase this, but keep it here to read?"

The man frowned, his eyes looking down at the book then up at me.

"Uh... that's quite an odd request, but uh... I'm sure that'd be fine. I could always keep it right behind this counter and you can just pick it up."

I grinned, "Oh great. That'd be helpful."

He took the book, glancing at me and asked if I was into reading 'stuff like this' as he lifted the book. I shrugged a shoulder, replying that it was something new to me but that it was a more comfortable world than the human one.

The man stared, blinking a few times before giving me a small smile, "You don't have a lot of friends, do you kid?"

I laughed, shrugging as I replied in agreement that I didn't.

As he was ringing up the book my eyes admired the shop for a moment then I glanced at the man who stared at me after I cleared my throat and asked, "Say, uh... You don't have any books on how to make apple pie... do ya?"

❦ღ❦

With my new book on how to make different kinds of pie tucked under my arm, I made my way to the park. It was exactly where the man said it was, and I looked up and down the street before crossing it to get to the park entrance.

There wasn't a lot of traffic in the park, luckily, other than the two large moving trucks that were opened in the back and workers were coming in and out with large wooden frames. Others were pulling out large displays of flowers from the smaller trucks nearby.

I walked past them and stopped in front of the fork of two pathways. Looking down both, I wondered which would be a better route to take. I noticed that if I took the right one though, that I'd head towards the bridge that arched over the pond running underneath it. You could barely see the bridge with the tall willow strands curtaining around it, however.

Deciding on that being my destination, I started walking and looked around. It was a quiet park other than the voices from the male workers. But the further I walked the path, the more their voices faded out.

I looked up at the bridge that I started walking up; seeing how specifically designed it was with the stones pathway being smoothed down and then the stone railings on each side of the bridge had what looked to be colored glass wedged into the stone that glistened with what sunlight could breach through the willow strands above.

I placed my book on the railing's flat platform then peeked over the edge to the water. There were ripples from the leaves that swirled down and broke the still surface, and then there were the few ducks that were quacking and dipping themselves into the water.

Pulling back, I sighed and decided to pull my book towards me. I admired the front of it where there was a photo of different kinds of pies displayed nicely on the cover. I'd only wanted one that had the instructions to apple pie but the man at the book shop said that this particular book was the best. That there was a recipe inside for apple pie that was easy to understand and turned out delicious.

He knew this because his wife had tried it once.

I opened the book up, scanning the table of contents until finding the page I needed and flipped to it. At the top of the page was a picture of the finished product of an apple pie and underneath it was the list of ingredients followed by the instructions.

Studying the instructions, I mentally was checking off in my head my previous attempts at this pie that matched each step. It wasn't until I got to the part where I'm supposed to add the egg and stir the dough that I noticed something. It stated in parentheses that if the dough was dry, I had to sprinkle up to a tablespoon (which I now know is 'tbsp' by the way) more of cold water.

I grumbled under my breath, grimacing as I thought of how many poor pies that suffered because of this one step.

But I was determined to get it right at least once. I apparently had a lot of determination for things lately, and this pie sure as hell better be one of them!

I leaned on the railing, flipping through the pages just to see what other pies could be of interest once this apple pie thing was accomplished, when I turned to the sound of my name being called.

I blinked, frowning a little as Thorton was making his way up the bridge.

I straightened, turning to face him as he slowed. He glanced at my book, asking what I was reading, but I slammed it shut, pulling it closer to me and muttered to not worry about it. As annoyed as I was with Easton, I couldn't forget what Valentine told me. I couldn't forget what Easton went through as a kid because of someone who was supposed to be his friend.

Thorton frowned, tilting his head as he asked if I was alright.

"No." I answered, shaking my head and snapped that I was upset. Not only at Easton, but at him too.

"I know what you did to him, Thorton. I heard what happened when you were kids, and why Easton hates you so much."

Thorton stared, his jaw tightening before his green eyes lowered to the ground between us. He closed his eyes, squeezing them shut while shaking his head. He ran his fingers through the front of his hair, tightening his grip a little before dropping his arm to his side.

I glanced up at the way his hair stuck up but then narrowed my eyes when Thorton pleaded, "Kale... you don't know the other side of the story."

"What do you mean?"

Thorton groaned, turning away to rest his arms on the railing as he looked straight ahead. His shoulders slumped, giving himself a moment before nodding, "I don't blame Easton for hating me. I don't. I can understand because of that day when I just stood there and did nothing as Trent and his friends strapped Easton to that flag pole."

I felt my face grow hot, but only because hearing what happened to Easton was pissing me off again.

"I should have done something. I know that. But I didn't."

"Why not?"

I wanted to know. I wanted to know what could have possibly prevented Thorton from sticking up for Easton who was supposedly his friend.

Thorton looked down, his jaw slanting to the side, and I noticed that he kept trying to look away to discreetly rub his eye against his shoulder. I narrowed my eyes, wondering if this was just some tactic for me to feel sorry for him, but then Thorton turned his gaze to mine and those green eyes of his started tearing up.

"I'll never be able to forgive myself for what I did to Easton, Kale. That was a low blow on my part..." He paused, swallowing hard. "But I... I didn't know what else to do. I couldn't do anything because I didn't want anyone to know."

Thorton turned away, shaking his head and I stepped closer, tilting my head so I could try to catch his eye. I glanced at the way his hands clasped together; to keep them from shaking as hard as they were. Frowning, I put a little more sternness in my voice.

"Know what, Thorton?"

He dropped his head a little, breathing out breath after breath and then grit his teeth and he looked at me with tear-filled eyes.

"What my brother had been doing to me."

My eyes widened, my neck craning back a little. I swallowed, lowering my voice though no one was around and asked what his brother had been doing exactly.

Thorton shut his eyes, chin trembling as his tears finally fell down off his cheeks and stained onto the railing.

"It was all I knew. Since I was six. It was all I knew because my parents weren't around and I was always with Trent. And... and I didn't understand why he would touch me or... or..."

Thorton looked upward, shaking his head when he stared at me.

"Kale... My brother was trying to make a point across to me when he humiliated Easton as he did. It wasn't even for Easton that day, but more me, because he found out that I'd been friends with Easton. He found out that I'd been kissing him, and---and I..."

Thorton covered his face, shoulders shaking and I stood there, waiting patiently for him to calm a little.

He lowered his hands, staring at them as he sniffled, "I used to journal a lot because that was the only way I could keep my thoughts safe. Or at least I thought it was until I caught Trent reading it and he read in my journal that I had liked a boy at school. That I figured out that there was such a thing as a good feeling when kissing someone... a good feeling when that person actually cared about you... actually looked at you like you were worth something."

Thorton choked on a sob, as his eyes became tearful again, "Kale... Kale, I'm sorry! I didn't know what he was going to do to Easton! I promise you, I didn't! And I---I wish I could go back! I could go back and tell Easton what my brother was doing because he was my best friend at the time!"

The Were turned away, shaking his hung head and sobbed, "But I can't! Every time I see Easton I know he hates me. And I wish I could just make everything okay with him again but I can't do that. I know he won't believe me! And I wouldn't blame him!"

I stood there, watching the Werewolf hunch over and cry. I'd never thought that would be the reason why Thorton would let Easton suffer as he did. It was hard to believe that someone could---especially as at a middle school age---step up to say something to stop someone's suffering... when they were suffering themselves.

How had Thorton kept this all to himself all this time? How did he think that he couldn't say anything?

I licked my lips, biting my lip before leaning against the railing and lowered my head closer to Thorton's who was still crying.

"Thorton..."

He shook his head, turning away and I sighed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. I tightened it when I felt him trying to pull away and I huffed, "Stop. Stop, Thorton." I could feel him shaking as he kept turned away, and so then I sighed again. I tried to mentally piece my next words.

"Are you safe now, Thorton? From... from your brother?"

Thorton let out a shaky breath, biting his lip before nodding slow. He slowly turned towards me and his green eyes teared up again.

"He's in Europe. He's part of an organization there so I haven't seen him for years. Since I was nineteen."

I nodded, frowning a little and then raised my hand from around him to help wipe his face. Thorton sobbed out a smile before looking away to wipe his own face. He sniffled, shaking his head as he let out a long breath.

"Kale..."

"Yeah?"

Thorton swallowed, smiling weakly as he looked at me.

"I don't think I've ever felt this free in a really... long time."

I felt my eyes water a little as Thorton fell into crying again, shaking his head before I pulled him closer so that he wrapped his arms around me to cry some more. I stared ahead, listening to Thorton let out the relief he had held in for so long.

It was so unfair to hear two friends be torn apart because of someone vicious like Thorton's brother. What was he thinking doing that to his own flesh and blood? His own younger brother who was supposed to be protecting him... not hurting him... emotionally and sexually.

I squeezed my eyes shut, jaw tightening as I held Thorton closer.

Shaking my head, I sighed out, "You're going to be okay, Thorton. I promise. And like you told me... I'll be there to help you clean up the water that is spilled over."

That only made Thorton hold me tighter and cry harder. But I took it as his silent way of understanding.

❦ღ❦

Thorton and I ended up staying at the park all morning and most of the afternoon.

We walked down the bridge to sit beside the pond under the shade of the willow tree and just sat there, taking in everything. Every once in a while I'd glanced at the Were beside me and ask how he was doing.

Thorton's brows furrowed as he slowly nodded, "Good... Yeah... I think good."

I grinned, turning back to the pond and wondered if maybe I could get his mind off what he'd shared with me. I noticed the pile of rocks near the edge of the water and an idea popped into my head.

"Hey Thorton...?"

He had his head tilted back, eyes closed as he let the light breeze hit his face.

"Mm hm?"

Watching him be a little more relaxed than earlier, I raised a brow as I asked, "Do you think you could teach me how to skip a rock?"

Thorton's eyes opened, frowning a little before he turned his eyes to me. He looked confused, asking if I'd really never skipped a rock before. When I admitted that I really did not know how to, Thorton blinked a few times.

"For being Advanced Hunters, you guys sure missed out on a lot growing up."

I laughed lightly, nodding as I shrugged a shoulder.

"I really did. My childhood wasn't the norm at all. Everyday I was being drilled into that Werewolves were the enemy. And how to exterminate them when the time called for it. And then there was the other thing of having to learn to live and be with my link, Ahn."

"What's that?"

I sighed heavily, explaining to Thorton about what a link was and the intention for such a link. By the time I finished telling him how much lack of emotion goes into a relationship with a link, Thorton raised his brows, turning away and let out a low whistle.

"So it was a hetero thing all the way around..."

I nodded, sighing through my nose, "Yep."

"But you're not..."

I glanced at him, lowering a brow and Thorton sighed, grinning a little.

"C'mon, Kaaaale..."

He pushed himself up, waving me to do the same after he was on his feet then walked to the edge of the water. I followed him, frowning at him as he shook his head that it seemed that he wasn't the only one who was struggling internally with something. He glanced at me, muttering that perhaps mine wasn't traumatic, but it still mattered.

He bent, picking up a rock and held it between his pointer finger and thumb at me with raised brows. I grinned, nodding silently, then watched him turn away to demonstrate to me how to throw his arm at the right angle, and when to release the rock from his grasp.

I watched his rock hit the water, skipping three times before sinking.

"That's pretty neat," I admitted, grinning to myself.

Thorton bent to grab another rock and handed it to me.

"Now you try."

I nodded, taking the rock and tried repeating the same motions as Thorton had. My rock hit the water and sunk. Frowning at the water, mumbling under my breath, I looked at Thorton who laughed that I got most of it down, but that I just needed to twist my arm a little more. He tossed me another rock, nodding, "Try again."

Taking a deep breath, I repeated the process and kept in mind about twisting my arm before letting the rock go and watched it skip against the surface twice. I laughed in delight, looking at Thorton who raised his brows and nodded, "Not bad, Kale."

I shrugged, both of us falling silent again while I was watching the way his green eyes stared at the rock he tossed. It went skipping across the water with light pats. He then met my gaze and offered a small grin. He turned his body slightly, crossing his arms over his chest as he tilted his head. His casual posture sending out a sign that he was going to say something.

And I was right.

"You shouldn't have to feel so confused, Kale. It's not fair. Especially when this side to you is all new."

I frowned, scrunching my nose that I didn't know what he was talking about.

Thorton rolled his eyes, grinning out a small huffed chuckle before tilting his head a little when looking back at me.

"You'd be a God damn liar, Kale, if you stood here and said that when Easton kisses you... you feel something."

My eyes widened a second then I relaxed, my shoulders slumped in defeat; knowing that I definitely couldn't hide it from Thorton who seemed to be able to read my like a book the few times we've spoken so far. It didn't feel as embarrassing as I thought it would. I kind of felt relieved that Thorton knew instead of me having to admit it.

But I think it was what made us even since he admitted to me something personal about himself.

"I'd hate to say you're right, Thorton," I sighed, staring at the pond. "But I do. I really do. And I think it's only going to get worse from here on out."

"I wouldn't doubt it."

I looked at him, seeing how he was staring at the pond too.

"I did mean what I said before, Kale, about being patient with you."

Waiting for him to clarify, Thorton nodded that he could tell that I needed to experience this new side to me on my own. Sort of. He mentioned that he'd be willing to be a friend I could talk to regarding what I was feeling for Easton, and that I should try to be a little more patient. Moreso than I have been.

"Easton's a hard nut to crack, Kale." The Were sighed, shrugging, "For now anyway. That is until you hit him in the right spot."

He grinned a little and I narrowed my eyes, turning my head away slightly.

"Are you suggesting something, Thorton?"

Thorton laughed, shaking his head. "I'm sure you'll figure it out if you let him explore with you a little more."

I grimaced, feeling my face grow hot and grumbled to myself. Thorton wrapped his arm around my shoulders and raised a brow, "But even though I respect Easton's unknown feelings for you, Kale, that doesn't mean that I'll still not hold out hope for you."

I nudged him playfully that made him smile, and he went on saying, "I'm slightly kidding because I have a feeling that Easton Quinn is going to have a strong hold on you, Kale. Just like he unknowingly does with you."

"You make it sound like this is going to be easy."

"It can be... if you learn to stop being so uncomfortable with the idea that you might be like any other Advanced Hunter as you thought. That perhaps when you were born, the Society might have missed the gene that makes you attracted to overly-protective, moody as hell blonds who happen to be male."

"Alright, alright..." I nudged him, feigning a frown. "I get your point."

Thorton smiled and looked out at the water.

"Hey..."

I nodded, and Thorton asked as he looked down at the book that was still on the floor a few feet away.

"Do you think I could try your apple pie some time?"

He glanced at me and I lowered a brow, feeling uneasy as I shrugged, "I don't know... Not a lot of people volunteer to try my baking. I haven't exactly gotten it down quite right."

Thorton nodded to the side, "Well then consider me the official taste tester. I'll help you out even to make sure that you are baking it the right way."

"Really?"

He nodded, smiling, "What do you say? I teach, you bake, I eat?"

"I feel like you think you're going to come out as the winner in all this when I've already mentioned that I'm terrible... at baking."

"Ah... But you doubt yourself, Kale, my redheaded beautiful friend."

I rolled my eyes. I didn't know who had the worse descriptive names for me; Easton or Thorton.

"So what do you say?"

He held out his hand that I stared at for a second then groaned through a grimace before shaking his.

❦ღ❦

I ended up getting home around six-thirty, and when I walked in all the lights were off. So I automatically knew that my dad was still with my aunt. He'd even left a note on the table for me to say that he'd be back late.

Making my way to my room, I didn't bother turning on my lamp since there was still light outside that lit up my room. I walked over to place my cookbook on the desk, then reached over for the fish food to feed Bodhi. I grinned as he rapidly swam back and forth to catch as many of the leafy food he could.

Glancing at my bed, I sighed when my body seemed to feel so tired just looking at the comforting bed calling to me. I didn't bother kicking off my shoes as I climbed onto the mattress, face planting into my pillow and groaned.

This friendship thing was a lot of work... I'm tired from working on a friendship that wasn't the main one I wasn't supposed to work on in the first place!

Either way, I lifted my head and turned it rest comfortably on the pillow. I could feel my eyes start to droop, the side of my room I faced starting to look fuzzy. I wanted to fight my sleep, I really did, but it was looking quite close to impossible with how difficult it was to keep my eyes open long enough without blinking hard so many times.

I decided that maybe shutting my eyes for a little bit wouldn't be so bad. So I slowly let my eyelids shut and started to feel the numbness of sleep take over.

It only felt like a few seconds that I let myself close my eyes. I could swear it. But apparently not, because when I peered an eye open, my room seemed a lot darker. Frowning as I lifted my head, I groaned; rolling onto my stomach... or I had tried to.

My eyes opened wider, blinking a few times to see that it had definitely darkened since I first closed them. I glanced at the clock on my desk a few feet away where Bodhi was swimming around happily. It was now almost close to nine fifteen.

Blinking away my sleepiness, I raised my arm and looked down at the restraint I suddenly became away of around my waist. I frowned at the flannel covered arm and immediately knew who it belonged to.

Narrowing my eyes, I looked over my shoulder to---sure enough---find Easton spooning me! I growled a little, shaking my head as I shoved off his arm and leaned away enough where accidentally rolled off my bed and landed on the floor. It was better than being near him however.

When I sat up, scowling at the blond who was startled awake, Easton blinked a few times, frowning a bit before looking at me. His face looked a little worried, for whatever reason, and he swallowed, "Red... Are you okay?"

Raising a brow, I ignored his question and instead snapped at him that the better question was me wanting to know why he was in my room.

"Better yet," I frowned, standing up, "How... did you get in my room?"

Easton sat up, brows furrowing as he made a weak gesture towards the window as he verbalized that I had left it open.

"And that automatically gives you permission to come on in?"

Easton sighed, looking down for a moment. "Red... C'mon... I'm sorry."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head, "What are you talking about?" as I made my way over to flip on the light to see better. I turned around, the Were still on my bed, and watched the way he raised a hand behind his head and winced, "Look... I was being an asshole again, okay? I didn't mean to leave you hanging this morning as I did. I shouldn't have..."

"No shit."

Easton sighed again, looking up at me. He frowned a little, shaking his head, "I couldn't find you."

My brow shot up, the other lowering as I tilted my head. "What...?"

The Were nodded, reiterating that he'd been looking for me all morning and afternoon but couldn't find me anywhere. He said that he'd spoken to Valentine at the diner who mentioned to Easton that I'd been worried about something wrong with him and went looking for him.

Easton winced as he sighed, "And then I saw you at the diner and I... Sigh... Red, I'm really sorry."

I stood in the middle of my room, frowning without a word. I wasn't going to just let him think that it was okay to treat people like they don't matter. Like he could come in here as he did this morning, rile up my confused ass feelings to begin with, and then run off when something makes him upset to make out with someone else. And that someone else being Leo of all people.

"What the hell happened this morning that made you run off like you know how?"

Easton stared at me, his blue eyes blinking a few times. He ran his fingers through his hair, wincing that my dad walking in this morning to find us kind of set him off. He wasn't expecting for, A, my dad to walk in, and then, B, for my dad to be like it was nothing for him to see his son getting caught in the middle of a make out and fondling with a guy.

I grimaced, grumbling, "There was no fondling." but Easton shrugged, "Because he walked in."

I rolled my eyes, shaking my head and sighed, "Is that really it? Are you seriously going to get that upset every time? I just want to know so that I don't feel bad when I think I'm doing something wrong."

"It's habit."

"Yeah, well, you need to cut that shit out."

Easton stared at me, biting his lip, and frowned again that he was sorry, and that he didn't mean to make me feel weird or upset. He mentioned how he ran into Leo on his way to the pack grounds and it was Leo who suggested to go eat breakfast so they could talk. Easton shrugged a shoulder that he was really upset and didn't think about it until he was sitting in the diner.

"I felt really guilty---"

"Yes, I could see that while you were swapping saliva with your Favorite Flavor."

The Werewolf growled, shaking his head as he demanded for me to stop calling Leo that.

"He's not my favorite, okay!?"

"No. He's just one of the many you are collecting apparently. You seem to like to jump from one to the other."

"Red..."

I waved my hands up, shaking my head, "Whatever! I don't care anymore! It was stupid to think that maybe the clarification I got today was pushing me in the right direction, but now that I know that you don't care who you make out with as long as you do, I can stop worrying about that side of this friendship I'm working on."

Shaking my head again, I kicked off my shoes and tugged off my socks and tossed them away with agitation. I walked over to my dresser, pulling open the top drawer and pulled out some sweats.

I roughly slammed my drawer closed, walking back to my original spot and I felt Easton watching me.

"Red..."

"What, Easton?"

"Sigh... Where were you? I was worried."

"You? Worried? What for?"

"C'mon... That's not fair. I'm just trying---"

"I was with Thorton," I spoke bluntly.

Easton's eyes widened before narrowing his eyes as his jaw clenched and I rolled my eyes, shaking my head while unsnapping my jeans. I shot him a look as I huffed, "I should let you think that I did something with him---" I glanced at the Were, "---like I do with you."

When I saw the way his blue eyes brightened at my not-having-made-out-or-anything-else with Thorton, I sneered at him as I turned away. I shook out the sweats I was going to change into, placing it on my desk chair and tugged off my jeans before pulling my sweats on. I threw my jeans into my laundry basket, still facing away from the Were I was annoyed with.

"I don't get you," I muttered, reaching behind my head and yanked off my shirt. I was still speaking to Easton that he was so damn confusing; so hot and cold with everything while shaking out my t-hirt but then cursed because it slipped out of my fingers.

I bent to grab it, straightening up but only because I ended up against a hard wall behind me.

Spinning around, I frowned at Easton; snapping at him to back up.

"I hate it when you do that!" I told him, using my hand to shove against his chest as I repeated for him to give me room to breathe.

Easton's eyes were studying me as his hand rose to use a finger to trace my jaw. I frowned, glancing at his hand move upward to brush back the front of my hair that fell back into place anyway.

"Wh---what are you doing?"

The Were didn't answer me. He was still studying me, his eyes squinting as he did, and then I felt myself trembling when his fingers that had been brushing against my jaw now were gently caressing down my neck to my chest. The corner of Easton's lips twitched up a bit.

"You're trembling, Red," He spoke so softly that I was having a hard time hearing over the pounding in my ear drums. "And I haven't even kissed you yet."

I swallowed, frowning at him as I stammered out that maybe I didn't want him to kiss me.

Easton's brow rose, grinning a little as he stepped closer. I stumbled back but his hands shot up to take hold of the sides of my face and had muttered, "We'll see." before actually closing the distance between us. I felt my body relax for a second at his lips taking mine, but then I tensed up with my hands reaching up to pull him closer.

A small moan escaped between me kissing him as he was leaning me back a little, his hands now curved behind me on the small of my back. Easton broke from our kiss, eyes still closed, and bent his head to bury his face in my neck. I swallowed, panting out a breath from the biting kisses which made me wince.

I opened my eyes, glancing down at Easton still tending to my neck as he was shrugging off his flannel. Swallowing my nerves, I shut my eyes again; groaning out his name when his thumb brushed the part of my skin above my sweats. It made me tilt my head back for a second then straighten again before I felt his lips against my ear.

I shivered when he whispered through a growl, "Give into me, Red." and I pulled back a little to meet those blue eyes of his slowly seep away into the blanket of gold that I had gotten quite familiar with. Hesitating for a moment, I remembered what Thorton told me at the park. That I had learn to stop being so uncomfortable with this new experience.

To break the stare down with Easton, I reached up to pull him back to me; taking his mouth for my own and I even pushed myself a little further to lightly nip at his lip that had the Were growling. It was enough, even, for him to lead us back to my bed where I laid back and nervously watched him hover over me.

He straightened, but only to reach behind him to tug off his shirt and tossed it aside while keeping his gaze on me. My eyes fell from his to the broad chest that my hand subconsciously reached up to touch. Easton's abdomen tensed, and i glanced up at him before watching my hand again as it slid downward.

Easton's eyes shut, growling through grit teeth, and I grinned a little until his eyes snapped open with this hunger in them that I'd see before this morning. He bent, cutting me off from trying to say something and I moaned at the tenderness that Easton was showing. It was definitely unlike him.

Either way, I got lost in it.

Again, Easton broke away from our kiss, dipping his head to kiss from between my collar bones and down my chest. He took his time, pausing in between, and I felt myself arch a little when his lips were just below my belly button.

"Easy, Red," Easton chuckled, when my hips couldn't help but lift a little. Easton had to gently push a hand down on my stomach and I winced, grumbling that it wasn't my fault.

He nodded, kissing a line straight across my stomach, "I know..."

Easton rose upward, tending to my neck again. It was apparently a way to keep me distracted from his wandering hand because I gasped, arching again when feeling his fingers slip under the band of my sweats. The Were groaned into my neck how much he's wanted to touch me, kiss me, and hear me---

I let out a half grunt, half gasp sort of noise that made Easton nod, "That's it, Red. Just like that."

I bit my lip, so hard that I thought I'd sink my teeth in completely, and I gripped so tightly to my bed sheets that I felt them trembling. Again, Easton was making a trail of kisses downward, and I lifted my head, panting with a worried frown, "Wh---what are you doing?"

Easton glanced up at me, grinning as his golden eyes lit up.

"Making up for this morning, Red."

Frowning deeper, I realized what he meant when his fingers dipped behind the band of my sweats and was starting to slide them down. I glanced at my door, wincing out that maybe this wasn't such a great idea. When Easton looked at me, seeing where I had been looking, the Were grinned instead of getting upset like I expected.

He rose up, pecking me on the lips as he nodded, "It's kinda hot to think we'd get caught, but I kinda was looking forward to seeing what it looks like when you reach your breaking point... so..."

I blinked a few times, watching him slide off my bed and over to the door where he locked it and then flipped off the light. I saw him point at the fish as he gave it a stern look.

"Look away, Bodhi! This is about to get real."

I felt the slight tug of my lips grin but then Easton climbed onto the bed again which made my nerves shoot back into my system. His lips pressed against my stomach, whispering for me to just breathe and close my eyes. When I started to protest, Easton shook his head kissing me hard then pulled back to repeat, "Just breathe... and close your eyes."

I followed with letting out a slow breath before shutting my eyes.

It was unnerving to not see what was happening, but then I felt his fingers taking hold of my sweats again and I tensed up. Easton muttered for me to keep my eyes closed and I nodded since he had better vision in the dark than I did.

"Shit!" I tensed up, gripping onto the sheets again while fighting to keep my eyes shut. It was definitely not something I was familiar with. And yet, I found that this actually felt hella good. I never thought that---

"E--Ease... Ease..." seemed to be the only thing I could say the entire time, which was no bother to the Were as his mouth worked wonders until I couldn't take it anymore.

It felt like my brain stopped working. All I could feel was this intense, and satisfying, sensation rush through my body as it trembled. My head tilted back, gasping out panted breath after breath. When I opened my eyes, Easton was hovering over me; his gold eyes slipping back to the normal blue.

Easton reached up, touching the side of my face, and bent to kiss me. It was a soft kiss, one that I moaned into before he pulled back a little.

"Tell me, Red," He whispered, "Tell me that you'll give into me."

When I frowned in confusion---partially because I was still trying to come down from my intimate high---Easton clarified, "I can't do this alone."

Sighing, I nodded after a moment, assuring Easton that I'd help him. That he didn't have to close up because I would be there.

"But you have to trust me."

The Were looked hesitant, watching me carefully, and instead of getting upset about this---I remembered about Valentine telling me about Middle School Easton, and what happened that broke a lot of trust for him. I reached up, taking hold of his face and pulled him down to meet my lips.

Easton sighed into the kiss, his back tensing from my hand slipping onto it.

"Okay, Red... I trust you."

Words that would be tested, I'm sure.

Easton rolled onto his side beside me and pulled me to face him. He looked down to adjust my sweats back properly onto my hip, then looked up at me. He grinned a little, sighing out that earlier when he was laying with me that he'd been able to sleep a lot better than usual. Then he inched closer, kissing the tip of my nose, and shut his eyes after resting his head on the pillow we shared.

"You just make me feel better, Red..." He muttered quietly as he was drifting off. "So much better."

I stared at Easton fall asleep, seeing how---again---he looked so boyish when he did. I probably stared at him for a while before shifting onto my back and stared up at the dark ceiling. So many thoughts ran through my head, wondering if maybe it wasn't just Easton who needed guidance. Maybe... maybe in a strange way... Easton would be helping me too.

Because I've realized the problem with trying to mend Easton's broken heart. The issue that I didn't really pay any mind to because I never thought it would be a problem to begin with.

I think I more than liked Easton.