Millie couldn't get out of the school fast enough. All day, the conversation with Eben had haunted her. She couldn't get it out of her head, especially his last words, which only made her chronic headache worsen. Millie had tried not to let him intimidate her, but it was hard. He reminded her of something she couldn't put a finger on, but it raised the hairs on the back of her neck. When she finally made it to the Bronco, she was less scared and more angry. She wished she had reacted better. The door to the Bronco was reefed open by her iron grip. Her bag was launched into the passenger seat as she climbed in and locked the door behind her.

Again, it took a few cranks to get the bitch of an engine to turn over and even when it did, it whined about it. She was grumbling to herself, rubbing her hands together as the Bronco warmed itself to life, when a knock on her window nearly made her scream.

Rolling down the window, she held her chest to contain her heart and looked over at Tara's beaming face peering into the musty cab.

"Coffee?" The blonde grinned.

"Absolutely."

Wordlessly, Tara whirled around the car and climbed into the passenger seat, shoving her bag over on the bench. She filled the car with the scent of vanilla body spray and cherry lip balm. Millie put the truck in gear and pulled out of the lot, headed downtown the little coffee shop they frequented. It was off of main street in a old corner building that was almost a hundred years older than she was. The white paint was redone on the wood siting, black trim giving it a more modern appeal. Sapher Coffee Co. was lit up in swirling red font, hanging above the front door. Inside, there were plush red couches, tables, and a vast bakery case. The stained wooden flooring still smelled like fresh cedar. The warm smell of ground and brewed coffee enveloped her like a hug as they entered.

Behind the counter, the shop owner Winona smiled brightly at them, tightening the bun that held her wild red hair away from her face. "Why hello, ladies. Done with school for the day?"

Millie wandered in behind Tara who sparked up immediate conversation. Winona knew everyone who drank coffee in town and she knew all of the circulating gossip and histories. Her eyes found Millie, and by her gaze that lingered on the bruise on her forehead, she had already heard what happened.

"Double coffee day, huh? Are we getting our usuals?" Winona smiled her bright, friendly smile. Millie did like her though, she was sweet and good at listening to other people's problems. There was something to be said about a woman with communication skills like hers. Sandra would have told Winona she should have been a nurse.

"Of course, right Millie?"

Millie nodded and smiled back at Winona. "And I think I need a vanilla scone."

Within five minutes, Millie was sitting on a soft red chair with her americano and a vanilla scone. Tara sat across from her with a blueberry muffin and a vanilla latte. Winona had made a swan out of the foam on top.

"You feeling okay?" Tara asked, her eyes roaming Millie's face. For someone who was typically kind of a bitch, she sure had a soft spot for the people who were close to her.

Millie shrugged, "I've been better. Just have a headache today."

"What else?" Tara narrowed her eyes at her.

Rolling her eyes, Millie laughed a little. Tara's gaze hardened like she knew better and finally Millie caved. "Eben Welch approached me at lunch."

"What the fuck did he have to say?" Tara's face scrunched up, she hated the prick.

"He asked me to come over. I dunno' it was weird." Millie sighed, her thumb rubbing over the edge of the coffee mug. "The whole interaction made me feel sick inside. He had this look in his eyes..."

"I don't blame you, he's terrifying. Ryan too. I heard a rumor that they cornered a girl at a party last year."

"That makes me feel better," Millie rolled her eyes. "What happened?"

Tara shrugged, "Nothing good."

The girls quickly switched away from that topic and pulled out their notes to catch up on some studying for their math test the following week. Before long, it was time for them to go, Tara had her brother's basketball game to go to and Millie supposed she had to make dinner.

"Call me tonight, we can go over answers to the last quiz." Tara said as she hopped out of the Bronco. Millie was dropping her back off at her car. "And don't stress about the whole Eben thing, I've got your back." She smiled her wild grin and slammed the door before running over to her little Honda.

Despite everything that had happened that week, Millie felt a little better than she had that morning. Especially since the embarrassment of the passing out thing was fading since she had returned to school. She decided to take a long route home along the North side of town closest to the Sapher lake. She had yet to actually see the lake since it was mostly private property unless you wanted to hike out to the other side. It was fed by the Salmon river that ran along the North edge. One of the smaller backroads crossed it on the way out of town. It would be sunset soon. Millie detoured towards the bridge, hoping to catch it.

Pink was just starting to tinge the sky when she pulled the Bronco over against the narrow embankment on the South side of the bridge. She stuffed her keys in her pocket and pulled her coat tight around her. Dully, her head throbbed, but she ignored it. Below her, the river roared as she walked out to the middle of the bridge.

Millie stood in the brisk wind that tried to take the strands of her dark chocolate brown hair south with it as it whipped across the river gulch. Her large brown eyes, almost black in the dimming afternoon light, watched the dark water hiss below her. She stood twenty feet above the gushing river that was bloated with early spring snowmelt. It was an ugly gray, almost silty looking. Morbidly, and for no reason at all, she imagined falling in, and a shiver ran down her spine. Cold, pale fingers curled around the railing and clutched tightly, anchoring herself in place as if afraid she might actually do it.

Her thoughts drug her back through her last week at school, the Eben thing, her subtly worsening condition, and her stint in the hospital. She was so lost in her recollection that she didn't realize the man was approaching her until he was right behind her. She whipped around, her dark hair casting into her face and obscuring her vision.

"Wolf," he growled. She tried to respond, call him crazy, anything. But her mouth only popped open and no words managed to escape because the man before her was more beautiful than anyone she had ever met. His hair was dark like her own, long enough to see that it was wavy and curled away from his forehead and around his ears in perfect unruliness. And his eyes, they were hazel but filled with so much green and gold. The man was tall and built like a tank, his muscles bulging beneath his black tee that was not very fitting for this weather. His gaze was hard, solid on her own. Millie knew that he was drinking her in the same way she was drinking him in. His eyes rolled over her body before landing on hers.

The breath sucked from both their lungs as their eyes met.

The man took a step forward, almost subconsciously. Millie took one back, her spine pressing into the railing of the bridge. She noted the way his jaw was clenched, the muscle in his cheek flexing as his brows pulled tighter together. Her mouth was dry, almost in anticipation. In her gut, her stomach was fluttering and nervous.

"What are you doing here, trespasser?" His voice was serious, deep, the sound waves making shivers run all the way down her spine. Despite his tone, his eyes were wide, almost in wonder.

Millie seemed to snap out of her trance at the way his smoky low voice pricked the hair on the back of her neck. Warmth curled in her belly and spread from her crown to her toes. "This is a public road!" She responded sternly, taking a step towards him. Her surprise at her own boldness only further encouraged her. "And what did you call me?"

The man narrowed his eyes at her, he looked sort of confused, maybe angry. Slowly, her crossed his arms over his chest. Millie's eyes couldn't help but follow the movement, admiring the way his biceps flexed and the veins of his forearms popped. He had working hands, she noticed. Her eyes snapped back up to his and she swallowed rather loudly. The man couldn't help but smirk. This infuriated her.

"What did you call me?" She repeated.

"A trespasser?" He offered, that stupid smirk still on his face.

"No," she huffed, feeling her brows pull together. "You called me a wolf."

"Well aren't you?" He wondered, a small smile playing on his full lips, almost teasing. The man took a small step into her space, his nostrils flaring as he took a deep breath through his nose. This time she didn't step back, she wouldn't give him another inch. She wasn't afraid of his challenge.

But his words shocked her. Something seemed to click in the back of her head. Like a forgotten thought almost on the tip of her tongue. But who was this strange man, approaching her near dark, and what did it have to do with him? Or wolves? Millie had trouble believing in coincidences. Wolves were a sensitive subject for her. They were the star of her nightly dreams that tortured her. She had a sickening pull to wolves fand the woods that started in the marrow of her. She figured she was going crazy. Her mind spun with how much weirder this interaction had just become. Maybe she did hit her head pretty hard.

"Aren't I what?" She blinked, her brain slowly processing his words, his features, the situation. "What do you mean?"

"Come on," he shook his head, his eyes still alight with humor. "I see what you're doing. Drop the act."

Millie's mouth fell open and she slowly shook her head. She really was going crazy. Everything felt suddenly off, her head pounding. The want to leave was present, but her feet were rooted in their spot, somehow, not from fear. "I don't know what you mean," she whispers.

The way something disconnected in his eyes made her freeze. The man became very still suddenly, his face expressing his shock better than words ever could. He took a deep breath through his nose once again, his nostrils flaring as he took in her scent.

"Are you smelling me?" Millie whispered in shock, her eyes going wide. She was itching to run away from him. Itching to run into his arms. The world spun around her and her breathing hitched. "Who are you?"

"I'm your mate, can't you tell?" The man spoke, his dark eyes burning into her. He was almost pleading with her, begging her to understand him. She just wasn't sure how. His voice lowered to a murmur, "Are you okay?"

What the fuck was a mate? The word drew up so much nameless emotion inside of her, she had to blink away tears. "I'm fine," her breath hitched again and her heartrate increased. Her hands rose up, palms towards him, urging him to stay back. "Don't come any closer. Tell me what the hell you mean."

The man growled lowly at her and Millie froze. Something inside of her bucked at the animalistic sound that came from him. She had the urge to curl at the sound, her spine spasming to get her down. She fought the urge and instead, turned and ran as fast as she could towards her truck.

Icy puffs of air huffed from her mouth as she ran hard down the bridge. Millie screamed as large arms locked around her waist and pulled her back into a warm, firm chest. And then she noticed the feeling of his skin on hers. Warmth and electricity spread from everywhere his fingers touched. Fire coursed through her veins, twining around her central nervous system and electrifying every nerve fiber from her crown to her toes. And his scent, it made her mouth water. Like fresh rain, sandalwood, and soil with a hint of musky undertones. Millie's head lulled back into his chest without her permission. She couldn't help the way just his hold made her feel safer than she ever had in her life. Especially since the accident.

"You do not run from me, mate." He said, and it was stern, but it was so gentle. Millie tried hard to be fearful or angry that he had grabbed her. But with his hands still grasping her, no such feelings arose. He turned her around and their eyes locked. The man's large, rough hand aimlessly came up to hold her face, his thumb tracing over her lower lip. She let him, hypnotized by his touch. It lasted a second before he pulled away, both of them internally wanting more. "I will always catch you."

With the spell of their touch broken, Millie's eyebrows furrowed together in anger. "Who do you think you are?" She scoffed, folding her arms over her chest in a way that conveyed all the stubbornness in the world.

The man once again folded his own arms over his chest, quirking an eyebrow up at her.

"You can't just man handle me like that, you're fucking crazy!" She stuck her finger in his face, his eyebrow jerked up higher. She was scolding him. This time, he didn't growl, but his lip curled slightly into a snarl. She was beginning to hate the men of Sapher based on her experiences that day. However, she was waging a war inside of herself, because everything in her wanted to be close to this beautiful man. And she didn't know why. "I don't know what's wrong with you. First you call me wolf, and then a trespasser on a county road, and then you grab me? Tell me! What the hell is the matter with you?"

"No, tell me what's wrong with you?"

Millie's mouth popped open. The look on his face said he knew he fucked up by the way the heat rushed to her face like a hot wave of anger. He gulped. "There is absolutely nothing wrong with me. It's you. You're the crazy one."

"Are you trying to put up a show?" His brows furrowed and Millie's confusion mirrored his. His smoky voice lowered once again, "Are you in danger?"

"Seriously? No? I don't think so. I am not playing pretend about anything!" Millie squinted at him. "Honestly, I don't even know why we're still talking."

The large man sighed and rubbed his temples with his large fingers. This was a mess. Finally, he spoke up, dropping his hands to his sides. "Then why do you not understand what I am to you? You're obviously a wolf, I don't know why you bother denying it. Why are you here?"

Millie's mouth popped open, heat flushing her cheeks. Slowly, she shook her head. "Wow," she sighed.

"What?" His exasperation was palpable.

"You really are fucking crazy." She folded her arms over her chest once again.

The man growled, throwing his hands up and turning around. He linked his fingers behind his head, pacing away from her. She didn't know what to tell him, she wasn't lying. And quite honestly, his words were beginning to scare her.

Despite the utter confusion, a slight bit of fear, and the lust she was feeling with regard to this man, she couldn't help the sensation of rightness. Something about what he said sat well in her head. There was too much in the right place at the right time for this whole situation to be coincidental. Millie wasn't one to waste time, nor was she one not to trust her gut. And her gut told her that this man was inherently good. Despite the odds, the common sense, she decided to trust him. The fact solidified something she didn't realize she was missing. That was enough to make her step forward.

The stranger's eyes came back to her. He took a few deep breaths and settled down. Millie looked up at the man. He really was beautiful, in a rugged, dangerous kind of way. His earthy eyes were narrowed, lined with dark lashes. Cheekbones protruded from his face, sloping into a line that cut down to his jaw that appeared it might be able to cut glass. When she looked into his eyes, her stomach fluttered and her cheeks warmed. No one had made her feel that way. As if her heart might just expel itself from her chest. There really was something inside of Millie begged her to trust him.

"Tell me what you mean," her voice had softened. It was scared, hesitant. The man stepped forward. The sky behind him was quickly darkening. "Why are you saying I am a wolf?"

"You're telling the truth? You really don't know." He had to clarify.

Millie shot him a withering look.

"It's a long story, then. And it probably won't be easy to hear." A frown twisted his full lips. "And I don't think I have all the answers for you." 

"Okay, well I'm all ears." Millie sighed.

His eyes cast around; they were still near her old Bronco by the bridge. The sky was nearly dark, casting them in the deep shadows of the mountains. "It is late," he said softly. "We can meet here tomorrow, in the afternoon."

"Seriously?" Millie's brow furrowed. "After all of that? Nearly tackling me?"

"Sorry," he muttered. "Really just don't run. It's... Instinct."

Millie's eyes became very round.

The man sobered, stepping into her space as she let him. "This is all going to be a shock. I am not quite sure what's going on myself. But I didn't mean to scare you. I'm sorry about that." The large male held himself back from taking her hand, figuring it might just be too soon. "My name is Beck."

Millie swallowed, even his name was beautiful. "Millie," she murmured in response.

"Drive home safe, Millie." He whispered. A shiver shot down her spine at the sound of her name on his lips. Once again, he moved his hand to caress her cheek. She was amazed to find that her headache dulled to a minor throb at his touch. She couldn't help but lean her cheek into his calloused palm.

And then he was gone. 

happy friday! 

LS