A Wolf's True Mate

Chapter 4

CHAPTER FOUR

The cobblestone streets of Golden Paw are alive with colors and laughter, the festival in full swing. Lanterns sway overhead, illuminating a myriad of stalls that line the town square, each one bustling with shifters in their human forms, celebrating the unity of the pack. The scent of roasted meats mingles with the sweet aroma of candied fruits, and music weaves through the air like an enchanting spell.

"Skye!" I turn towards the voice and find Luca grinning at me, his golden hair catching the lantern light. His blue eyes sparkle with mischief, a look I've come to know well over the years. "We're playing hide and seek. You in?"

I can't help but smile back; his enthusiasm is infectious. "Sure," I reply, feeling a flutter of excitement in my chest. Hide and seek is child's play, but with Luca, it's bound to be an adventure.

"Great!" he exclaims. "You'll never guess who's 'it' first." He points a thumb at his chest, dimples flashing as he beams.

"Alright, seeker," I tease, taking a step back into the crowd. "Count to a hundred!"

He closes his eyes, leans against the old moss-covered fountain, and starts counting aloud. I dart away, weaving through clusters of chatting shifters, the hem of my dress swishing against my legs. Laughter bubbles up from within me, a rare sound that feels liberating in the open air. I duck behind a food stall, peeking out to see if Luca has started his hunt yet.

"Thirty-seven... thirty-eight..." His voice carries over the chatter, steady and rhythmic. I move again, slipping between lovers locked in a dance, their eyes only for each other as they sway to a lilting melody. My heart races with the thrill of the game, and for a moment, I forget all my worries about being discovered for what I truly am—a telepath among shifters.

"Seventy-nine... eighty..." I hear him getting closer to one hundred, and I dash behind a draped banner, pressing myself against the cool stone wall of a nearby building. The shadows enfold me, offering a secretive embrace as I stifle my giggles.

"Ninety-nine... one hundred! Ready or not, here I come!" Luca's voice, now infused with challenge, echoes through the square.

I press a hand to my lips, suppressing the urge to laugh out loud, my eyes scanning the festival-goers from my hidden vantage point. Children chase each other with sparklers in hand, their delighted shrieks cutting through the hum of conversation. Elderly couples sit on benches, watching the festivities with contented smiles. And then there's Luca, moving with purposeful strides, his gaze sweeping over hiding spots with impressive focus.

He checks behind food carts, under tables laden with crafts, even peering into large, decorative urns. Each time someone is found, a cheer erupts from the crowd, followed by good-natured groans from the ones caught. It's a simple pleasure, this game, but it unites us all in a moment of pure, uninhibited joy.

"Gotcha!" Luca calls out, his voice triumphant as he discovers another hider. The crowd laughs along, but I remain still, my heart pounding with exhilaration as I watch him search, so close yet so unaware of where I am. It's a strange and thrilling sensation, to be invisible in plain sight, sharing a secret with the night itself.

In the midst of the revelry, I realize how much fun I'm having—how much fun we're all having together. It's moments like these that make life in the Golden Paw Pack something truly magical.

My breath hitches as I move to a new location, this one more secluded, and crouch in the shadow of an old oak, the rough bark pressing into my back. A giggle almost escapes me, but I stifle it with my hand, reminding myself that silence is my ally in this game. The festival's lanterns cast a warm glow over the cobblestones, but here in the dark, I feel like a whisper in the wind – unseen, but very much present.

Luca's footsteps grow louder, and my pulse quickens. He's close now, so close his scent—a mix of pine and something uniquely him—tickles my nostrils despite my attempts to shut out the world around me. I bite my lip, fighting the smile threatening to break free as I imagine his golden hair catching the flicker of the torchlights, his blue eyes scanning for movement.

"Come out, come out, wherever you are," he teases, his voice a playful challenge that sends shivers down my spine. I can tell from the timbre of his words he's enjoying himself as much as I am. This isn't just a game; it's a dance, and we're both in step.

Then, as if by magic—or maybe because of it—he stops right in front of my hiding place. My heart thunders against my ribs, betraying my stillness. Has he seen me? Can he hear the frantic drumming beneath my chest?

"Found you, Skye," Luca whispers, and before I can wonder how he managed to detect me, he reaches in and pulls me gently toward him. Startled, I stumble forward, nearly crashing into his solid frame.

"Luca!" I exclaim under my breath, a mixture of mock indignation and real surprise coloring my tone. "How did you—"

"Shh," he says, placing a finger over my lips, his dimples making an appearance as he grins. His other hand comes up to cradle my cheek, and the warmth of his touch sends a jolt through me.

"Let's just say I have my ways," he murmurs, leaning in until our breaths mingle. The festive noises of the crowd fade away, replaced by the sound of my own racing heart.

And then, without another word, he kisses me. It's soft and tentative at first, like a question hanging in the air between us. But when I don't pull away, when I kiss him back with equal parts surprise and certainty, it deepens. The kiss becomes an answer we've both been seeking, a secret whispered not with words but with lips and longing.

Time seems to stand still as Luca and I explore this new territory, our kiss a silent conversation filled with the promises of what might be. In this moment, hidden from the world at the heart of the Golden Paw Pack's festival, I find a truth I hadn't even realized I was searching for: sometimes, being found is the most beautiful thing of all.