Chapter 3
1512 Words
Kris couldn’t help the pep in his step. Being immortal and finding one’s mate is supposed to happen early on in a were-species’ life, Kris fought his frown.
“Do you think she’s got the same jitters?” Kris tried to ask casually to combat his failure.
“I mean, maybe?”
“What do you mean, maybe?”
Kass sighed as they made their way down the hall.
“Look, we can stop in at my mom’s after to know for sure, but I’m pretty sure if it was just a quick collision, like those cheesy holiday movies, she may have just started your cycle.”
It seemed like complete nonsense but Kass’ mom ran their pack’s mating ceremonies.
She’d be the one to know, Kris told himself, which in turn gave Kass his edge.
“All of it’s speculation though, man. Until we find out who she is.”
“How quickly can we proceed on that?” Kris asked, undeterred.
“You said she came in with a team?” Kass gritted his teeth, worried.
“Yeah…”
“If she’s a minor we can’t search for s**t,” Kass replied.
“Well, let’s just hope she isn’t a minor then.”
The two rounded the corner, passing the main desk as they went. Scents began waging war with his nose. Every breath, something new. Faint stabs of perfume mixed with cleaning supplies drowned thereafter by chlorine the closer they got.
Kris’ over eager heart urged him to keep searching, separating only more until a pungent sliver of sulfur hit his pallet. Kris’ eyes widened, wary of the creature just beyond the corner.
“Ya know, I never really consider swimming after a workout,” Kassian winked at Kris, nonverbally telling him to play along.
“Yeah?” Kris failed to keep the ball rolling.
“Yeah man. You know I go hard here. Can’t be losing strength seeing my girl through her heat n’all.”
“I guess not,” Kris agreed as they turned the corner.
The being he scented sat in the dark lit back lobby, watching the team intently. It made him shudder. Not even parents did that, Kris noted as he averted his gaze.
“Jaelyn has bitten my balls for resting… the last thing I need to do is over do it here ‘n go limp.”
Kris forced himself to laugh despite the dangerous situation they found themselves in.
“You would even consider it for a warm down?” Kris asked, amused, as he scanned the full pool. “It seems like they allow one lane for members.”
“Nah,” Kass replied, folding his arms. “Don’t need to be causing a panic by becoming a hairy jellyfish or anything.”
The image struck Kris as hilarious for a brief moment, making him grin. It was not enough, however, to let down his guard around the demon in the corner.
“Lifeguard doesn’t need that,” Kris conceded, still searching for his girl.
He watched arguments over lane positions, the way they used double teams: the young special forces that swam specifically under the water like surface swimmer’s shadows. Just watching brought him back to the days he enjoyed human’s organized sports with Kass and his friends.
“Do you think you’ll ever get back into it?”
“I mean… yes but no?” Kass replied. “I’d have to want to only do that but right now I’m really enjoying benching Jaelyn,” he grinned.
“Nothing would change your mind?”
“Why? You wanna go in?”
“How many are sharing the lane now?”
“Enough to have to circle swim, it looks like,” Kass replied, swirling his finger around.
“Do you have any extra shorts?”
“Not today man. Look, if you really want to go, we’ll pick a day.”
Kris nodded, giving nothing else away.
“Alright, I better get going. Crystal’s gonna be on my case if I don’t call her back.”
“Hah, I get it. I should get going too. I’ll be over later if you’re not in trouble.”
“Come anyway. It’s not like she lives with me.”
“Hah, that’s right. Alright, yeah. I’ll give you a call when I’m on my way.”
“Alright, later wolf,” Kris smiled as they separated, not bothering to acknowledge the other male in the room.
Kris made his way out to his truck, devastated he couldn’t find the girl. It went against his gut, his wolf, to leave without at least locking eyes with her.
The demon sitting there pitted his memories though. Hope could have been ripped right out of his soul for ushering a single word of finding… Kris’s thoughts trailed, remembering himself. His proximity to the beast had to change. Kris had to think of something else, something mind numbing… like Crystal!
Kris pulled out his phone, not missing the amount of last paw emojis she sent him for his delay. Kris sighed long and loud before dialing her.
The phone didn’t even ring. She was just there. Like she was getting ready to give her another piece of her mind.
“Oh? Now you know how to use your phone?” Crystal’s attitude rang through loud and clear.
She was pissed.
“Did you listen to any of my voicemails?” she added.
“Nah I just called,” Kris replied hastily.
“What happened today?” she bit out. “I thought we decided to go to the west territory. What did you call it?”
“Verrin Ridge?” Kris questioned, putting the words in her mouth.
“Verrin Ridge,” she whined right after.
Kris blinked, trying to jog his memory of such an event. He wouldn’t deviate from work during the school year.
“I thought you wanted to go,” she continued.
“I wouldn’t have suggested it unless we were off,” he assured her.
“But you did!”
Kris put his phone down in his lap so that he could scrub his face with both hands. She was loud enough off of the speaker phone so he didn’t bother turning it on.
“Are all of your calls complaints?” unsure if shutting her down was the right move for the moment.
“What?”
His question clearly caught her off guard.
“What do you mean by that?” she snapped.
“You just sound like a brat right now.”
If dread had a color, he certainly turned it. Calling Crystal a brat was one of her many “wrong words”.
“Excuse me?”
And, that was a taunt.
“You sound like you’ve been drinking,” Kris rushed out.
He could imagine the way she doubled back, her usual injured stance but this had to stop. It was embarrassing.
“I wouldn't have made plans if I was under the influence…”
“But you did!”
“Whatever you’re on, get to a medic and go home,” he continued.
Her gasp echoed out into the cabin of his truck as if Crystal was right there with him.
“Are you breaking up with me?” she interrupted.
“…And get some rest,” Kris finished.
He bit his tongue, trying to ignore her question. He needed space right now after what transpired and her bellyaching was the last thing Kris wanted to deal with.
“Are you?” she persisted.
“Do you want me to?”
“No,” she replied softly.
“Well?” Kris’ answering question regained control over their argument. “Go home until you’re fully sober. I don’t want any extra drama setting foot in my home.”
“A-alright…” she seemed to bend for him.
“I mean it, Crystal,” he paused for effect. “Nowhere near me until you’re better.”
She didn’t say another word confirming she heard him, or at least respected his wishes. Instead, she hung up. The only sound to meet him was that of the dial tone. The odd sound felt refreshing in his ear.
If their end was met the same way, it would be a miracle.
Kris situated his set up, pulled his seat buckle into position, then started his engine. January in IV was usually mild enough to be fine on his motorcycle, but this morning’s temperature hit differently. That, and the need for his own space after what they ran into.
Kris fought himself to stay singly focused. The last thing he needed was to tempt, what thou shall not be named, into the passenger’s seat with him. Drowning out his anxiety with Crystal’s tantrum was an easy enough fix, even though it burned.
The further he could get away from the gym the better. His eye drifted then to the time on the dash.
"This is not how I thought this day was going to go..." he muttered to himself.
- Writer
