"Where are we going?" Her voice was small, shaking ever so slightly as Finn dragged her through the streets of a nearby town. "Alpha?"

"Don't call me that." He turned to her, his oddly soft grey eyes locking with hers. "My name's Finn. Surely you know that by now."

"I..." The words died in her throat.

"Come on." He pulled on her arm. "We've got a reservation to make."

"A reservation?"

"What do you think I meant when I said I was taking you out?" Finn smiled. "I'm taking you out on a date."

"A date?" Warmth blossomed in her chest, a strange sensation building inside her as her mate led her down the road, stopping only once they'd made it to a small, quiet restaurant. "You mean like an actual date?"

"Are there fake ones?" His smile was tentative, his eyes scanning her face for any sort of a reaction.

He was nervous.

Just like she was.

"You didn't ask me..." She mumbled, staring at the ground. "I thought you were supposed to ask a girl before dragging her out onto the streets."

"I don't want to waste any more time, Genie." He said, his eyes overshadowed with grief.

"You could've at least let me get dressed."

"I..." His cheeks reddened, staring at the pyjamas she was still wearing. "I thought you'd disappear again if I let you out of my sight."

"People are staring."

"Let them." He said, leading her inside. "They're probably just staring because of how pretty you are."

A blush tinted her cheeks. "You shouldn't say stuff like that."

"I can, and I will." He glanced back, pulling her along by the hand as they strode to their seats. "Come on. It's OK." He took his seat, staring expectantly at her, indicating for her to do the same.

Hesitantly, she took her seat opposite him, merely watching as he ordered their drinks, trying to conceal the redness of her cheeks as she felt all the questioning stares directed her way. The menus offered some sort of distraction, but all too soon they'd decided on what they wanted to eat and they were gone. "I need to use the bathroom..." Genesis mumbled, standing suddenly.

Finn's hand closed around her own, jerking her to a halt. "Stay."

"It hurts..." Tears leaked down her face. "Just staring at you."

"C'mere." He sighed, yanking her back around the table and onto his lap, cuddling her as she cried. "It's OK, Genie." He whispered, rubbing her back soothingly. "It's OK."

***

Crying had put a bit of a damper on what was supposed to be a relaxing dinner break, so, instead of going for the little stroll Finn had planned, they went back to Stonewall. Blaze drove them back, having snuck along to watch them along with his partner in crime, leaving the two of them to their own devices in the backseat.

Green eyes met the grey ones, silently telling him to hurry up and do something but he didn't. He just simply sat there, holding her hand, even as they climbed out of the car.

Blaze rolled his eyes, pushing open the doors to their current home. "Amateur."

"Shut up." Finn grumbled, pulling Genesis along and up into an vaguely familiar room. His room.

"Umm..."

"Relax." He sighed, sinking down onto the bed. "We don't have to do anything if you don't want to... I just want to stay with you for a little while longer."

"Well... It's not that I don't want to... It's just-" Two things happened one after another at that moment. Genesis stepped forwards, intending to sit down next to him. Fate seemed to have other plans though, since she tripped over the rug, ending up sprawled out on top of him. "Uhh..."

An arm wrapped around her almost instantly, seemingly having moved of its own volition. "I'm not letting go." Finn whispered, his eyes darkening as he stared up at her. "Not now, not ever."

"Finn..." She tried to make her voice strong, but all that left her lips was a whisper. Her eyes shut, embarrassment staining her cheeks.

Finn rolled over, straddling her instead, his lips hesitantly pressing against hers, his tongue brushing against her lips, asking for permission which she soon granted.

"Finn..." She stared up him, catching her breath as they paused there, for a few minutes, both of them panting like wild dogs.

"Why do you make me feel this way...?" His tongue traced circles on her neck, teasing her as she lay there, eyes wide in apprehension.

"Finn?"

"If you keep saying my name, I'll assume you're asking me for it..." Sharp teeth pierced her soft skin, branding inky black markings into her skin, causing her own wolfish fangs to appear. "Do it, Genesis..." Intent grey eyes met her purple ones.

"Are you sure...?" She whispered.

"Stay with me forever." He said, making her heart beat faster as her face buried itself in the crook of his neck, sharp fangs drawing blood as they sunk into russet skin. "I get it now..." He closed his eyes, continuing. "The overpowering thirst that comes with this Gift..."

"But your parents..." She flinched. "You can't have forgotten about what happened to them..."

"Then just think of this as your punishment." Finn looked away, the tips of his ears burning a dark red.

"Don't be stupid." She sighed, her shoulders sinking. "I could never think of this as a punishment..."

"Well... Now that we've got that sorted..." He smiled ever so slightly. "Shall we move on to the next item on the agenda?"

"Next item?"

"I'm supposed to be treating you tonight." He said, climbing off her.

"And?"

He scooped her up, placing her head on the nearest pillow as he set her back down on the bed. "Is it wrong of me to want this so soon after...?" His voice trailed off, swiftly finding himself back on top of his mate, staring down at her rather flustered expression as his hands fumbled with the buttons of her pyjama top.

"I'm not ready for another child..." Genesis closed her eyes, tears threatening to spill down her cheeks. "We haven't even buried our first one..."

"It's OK." His smile was somewhat strained, his hands quickly pulling out a foil lined sachet from his bedside cabinet. "We can use this, silly... if you still want to, that is..."

"Fine by me."

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