the date part two

Connell's driving is much more responsible than mine, but that also means it takes forever. It took an hour to get to our destination, which was a few towns over from home.

"Please tell me," I whined for the 18th time, putting my feet up on his dash. Connell looked at me out of the corner of his eyes, before he leaned over to swat my feet down.

"It's a surprise for a reason Ruby, if not, it would be boring," He answered me. I puffed my cheeks out, looking away from him in distaste.

Childish, yes. Surprises and me never went together. When I was a kid, Zach surprised me with silly string a few too many times, and my liking for surprises flew out of the window.

"You'll like it," Connell promised. I looked at him apprehensively, but could only figure he wouldn't mess up our first date. That would be a bad idea.

Laying my head back, I closed my eyes. The sky was darkening rapidly, putting me in the mood to take a catnap.

I felt a nudge at my shoulder, and swatted it away, crinkling my nose.

"Ruby darling, wake up," Connell said gently, picking up my hand. I opened my eyes, and was surprised to see a vast array of lights.

In front of me was an opening to.. something. A large arch of twisted wood indicated the entrance, and a sign next to it indicated what it was.

Serenity Light Garden?

There were tall green hedges blocking my view of the inside, but I could see that it was lit up. Soft white lights hung down the hedges, illuminating the sidewalk.

"What is this place?" I asked, rubbing my eyes so I could focus.

"It's a light garden. They put lights everywhere and you can eat outside, then you can walk around when you're done."

I looked at the entrance, and the various people entering at their pace. A small smile found my face, and I looked at him.

"You're right, I do like this," I told him.

A relieved look crossed Connell's face, before his normal calm look came back.

"Come on then," Connell said, getting out. I followed in suit, leaving the warmth of the car to meet him. He waited for me at the sidewalk, taking my hand once I got to him.

As we walked to the entrance, he wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me close to him. Dottie flourished in the closeness, howling so much I had to block her out.

As the walked through the entrance, I could finally see the inside a bit better. Though the inside was sectioned off into different seating areas, it was well lit with different colored lights. Most we white, with a few pastel lights in other sections.

Straight back, there was an exit, which led to a much bigger areas, with no tables, and just flowers and lights.

There were all types of flowers- these purple ones that looked like starfish, small little white ones that jut out of a stone wall at the far side of the establishment- near the kitchen. Big puffy pink flowers, and little pink flowers, that I recognized as pansy's.

"They replant flowers every season, to keep up with the weather," Connell whispered into my ear as we walked up to the Host Stand.

"Sounds like a pain in the ass," I whispered back, and Connell pinched me in the side, watching the hostess with a smile.

Once Connell had worked out the reservations, we were led back into a small area near the back of the front garden. Where we were sat, there was large window-like openings, so we could easily see into the immense garden.

"What would you like to drink?" The waitress asked after she introduced herself.

"A Chardonnay," I responded quickly, leaning back in my seat with a smile.

"She means a sprite," Connell said quickly, giving me a look. I frowned, crossing my arms.

"I'll have an Old Fashioned," Connell told the waitress. After he showed her his ID, she left to go get the drinks.

"You're so boring," I pouted, looking at him with dark eyes.

"I'm not breaking the law for you just yet."

"How meritorious," I quipped, putting my chin in my hands.

"Big word," Connell said, surprised.

"I know, I've been wanting to use it for so long," I grinned.

Looking at the menu I had been given, I was taken aback to see that most of it was in a foreign language.

"I'm not smart enough for this..." I whispered to myself, glancing up at Connell who was reading the menu with ease.

At my gaze, Connell looked up.

"Having trouble?"

I bit the inside of my cheek, before nodding. It looked like French- and in school I took (and failed), Spanish.

"They are in this section," Connell told me, pointing to a section on the second to last page.

There was no use, I still had no idea what anything was. Even the description was in French.

"Connell," I pleaded, kicking him lightly to get his attention.

At my face, he let out a chuckle.

"Get the Poulet á La Moutarde Et Au Miel," Connell told me in a perfect French accent. I blinked at him, before looking at the menu.

"What's that?" I asked.

"Chicken, it's good I promise"

I decided to take his word for it, since there was no way I would figure out what the other items were. Other than a few odd words that were similar in English, most of it was out of my knowledge.

Once the waitress had come back, Connell ordered for us. He ordered the chicken thing for me, and some other complicated sounding dish for himself.

I was given a sprite, whilst Connell was handed an Old Fashioned. I wasn't entirely sure what it was, but it looked much better than a Sprite.

As Connell took a sip, he watched me, watch him.

"How did you learn French," I asked when he put his drink down. Connell tapped the sides of the glass, tilting his head at me.

"Politics mainly. We had a few French Packs we were allied with, and they'd come and visit frequently. That's how I learned most of the languages I know," Connell answered smoothly.

"Most?"

"I know a few. Spanish, French, German, Russian, Italian, and Swedish," Connell told me, taking another sip of his drink.

I blinked at him. "Over Achiever", I whispered in my mind, whilst Dottie just snorted.

"You uncultured swine," She laughed, thinking it was funny.

"I'm not very good at languages," I said to Connell, ignoring Dottie whilst I stirred my sprite with my straw.

"I'm aware, I've seen your Class History," Connell responded.

I laughed nervously, thinking of my rather messy class history.

"Yeah, that happened.." I said slowly. I only passed, Spanish 2, which was what I needed to get my Degree, because I bribed my teacher with buying him breakfast. He willingly agreed, and I got a C, a passing grade.

Connell had a thoughtful look on his face as he watched me, making me self-conscious. What was he looking at?

"We should go to France," Connell said, watching me tear up my straw wrapper into small pieces.

I looked up, surprised.

"Like... now?"

Connell shook his head and chuckled. "No, when you've graduated. Perhaps as a honeymoon."

I tilted my head, tapping my chin.

"Only humans get married," I said to him. Connell lifted an eyebrow at me.

"So you don't want to?" He asked.

"Oh no, I didn't say that, I like parties," I said quickly, sitting up. Connell smirked at me, taking another sip of his drink.

We talked quietly as we waited for our food, going from topic to topic. Connell was insistent on talking about my English grade, which I insisted was a rather bad topic to talk about on a first date.

"You don't even remember to indent- you learned that in 5th grade!" Connell interrupted my denial.

"It's not my fault, it's hard to remember!" I defended weakly. Just as Connell was about to say something, the waitress came back up, food in hand.

She laid the dish in front of me, saying a few words before leaving. Connell didn't take anytime to start into his food, the conversation from before long forgotten.

Cutting into the chicken, I tried a taste, and was taken aback by how tangy it was. It was just mustard, I realized, with a bit of sweetness.

"This is good," I told Connell, taking a few more bites. I hadn't realized how hungry I was, since I had failed to eat both Breakfast and Lunch.

We ate in mostly silence, save for a few words every once and a while. Nearing the end of the meal, I swiped his drink, taking a long sip.

"Hey hey hey!" Connell scolded, reaching for the drink. It was just out of his reach, and he would have to stand to get it.

"Let me have some fun," I whined, pressing the toe of my shoe into his knee.

Connell gave me a look. "You have school tomorrow," he said plainly.

"So do you," I snubbed back, taking a big gulp of the drink. It was too sharp for me, and as I started to cough, Connell grabbed the drink from my hand.

"Honestly, If I didn't know better, I'd think you were an alcoholic!" Connell replied, putting the drink out of my reach.

Giving him a sweet smile, I leaned back in my chair. The waitress came soon after that, unaware of the events that had happened. Connell handed her his card, watching me with a glare in his eyes as she left.

"Are you mad at me," I asked, tilting my chin up, the same smile still lingering on my lips.

"Not as mad as I should be," Connell answered, putting his wallet back into his jacket.

I said nothing, watching patiently for the waitress to come back. One Connell was given his card, he stood. He took one last sip of his drink, before putting his hand out to me.

"Come on, time to go through the garden."

I let him lead me to the exit, which just exited into the bigger garden. Rows after rows of autumn flowers, shrubs, trees, and lights met us. It was all lit up in a beautiful glow, just enough that you could see everything, but not enough that it was too much.

I wrapped my arm around Connell's as we started to walk, looking at the flowers.

"Connell?" I asked, hesitating.

Connell looked down at me, curiosity in his eyes.

"Yes."

"Were trained in pack politics?" I asked.

I knew he hated when I pried about his past, but I was inexplicably curious- all the time. He knew far more about me than I knew about him, and though it didn't bother me directly, it did interest me.

Connell paused, before nodding.

"Why?" I asked, looking up at him through my dark eyelashes. Connell looked back down at me, meeting my stare.

"My brother and I were both in the running to become Alpha," He said. It seemed like it hurt to say- like it was equivalent to him stepping on nails.

I said nothing for a few more feet, before my curiosity once again got the best of me.

"Wasn't one of you older?" I asked, looking at some of the small purple flowers the we were stopped at.

There as a quiet moment, before Connell nodded. "Yes, he was older, by a few years."

"Then why wasn't he immediately put into the Alpha position?"

"My parents thought he was unfit to rule," Connell answered honestly.

"Why?"

"Because he was unfit to rule," Connell reiterated. I looked up at him, at his strained expression. My stomach pitted with guiltiness.

"They though I would do a better job," Connell continued. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders, pulling me to him.

"Why aren't you then?" I asked.

Connell had a thoughtful look on his face. Leading me to a bench, he sat me down so we could continue talking.

"It's hard to explain," Connell said slowly. "My brother is a vicious man."

"I wanted to travel, I hated being tied down. When I was young, I wanted nothing more to go places, and meet people."

"You couldn't do that as Alpha?" I asked.

"I thought I couldn't, but I was young, and incredibly stupid. I gave up the title, and my brother sunk his teeth into my pack," Connell responded. I could sense him getting angry.

My pack.

"You can't get the title back now?" I asked. Connell sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"If I even show some interest, it will cause an outcry and a war between packs will be started. My allies, and his." Connell told me.

I felt sorry, but was unsure what to say. Sorry you lost your entire pack and there's no way of getting it back?

Connell down at me, his eyes changing the slightest bit.

"Listen to me Ruby- my brother takes. He doesn't ask, he does. If he knew you were a thing..." Connell sighed, taking my hand in his.

"He'd take me?" I asked. I could feel my voice quiver, even though I tried to not let it.

Connell opened his eyes, and he shook his head.

"I won't ever let him near you," Connell said forcefully, and I could see the way his eyes shift with his wolf. It was both him, and his wolf speaking, in harmony.

"He rules by fear, by power. He changed the pack into something evil, something it was never meant to be," Connell said slowly.

I wrapped my arms around his neck, pulling down to me so I could hug him completely. Connell got quite, and just sighed as he hugged me tightly back.

"I really like you Connell," I said into his shoulder, my grip tightening. Connell chuckled, and it vibrated through his body.

"I really like you too," he responded.

We stayed like that for a few minutes longer, ignoring any odd stares that came are way. Connell only pulled away too tell me we had to leave- and that it was getting close to curfew.

"You should learn to live a little," I began to complain as we walked back to the car.

"I did that, when I was young. I don't need to live anymore, I need to survive," Connell responded, and I rolled my eyes.

"You're only 26- and apparently dramatic," I jested.

Connell looked at me, stopping at the front of the car.

"Do you ever stop complaining?" He inquired, lifting his eyebrow. I stopped, looking back at him.

"Nope," I responded. "Better get used to it."

I left him standing there, and all I could hear before I got into the car was, "What have I gotten myself into?"

Authors Note

Hey guys! Sorry I haven't posted in a long time, in fact i've not posted in so long i've finished the story! So i'm gonna go on a posting spree, and probably post the last few chapters in a few days!