Kissed by Fire (Book 5 of Wolves of Milano)

14.Day off

Lyana is at home today. She has earned a free day this week. She laughed her head off when Mateo insisted on going to the fire station covered in bruises. It was probably his ego that got hurt more than his body. He will heal in a day or two. Most of the bloody red has turned to violet green overnight. He looks like someone used him for a punching bag. After he admitted to her that it wasn't a bar fight, but a practice session with Elio, she had real trouble not to laugh at him. Everyone knows what Elio is capable of. He proved it to the smug guys on the enforcer payroll countless times. Why had Mateo thought he might be better? Or was it an experiment on his part? Whatever it was, it’s entertaining as hell.

Should she call Elio and invite him over for lunch? He’s earned it. She could thank him for teaching Mateo a lesson in humility. He was surprisingly great to talk to last night. They have discussed favourite books and some of his own creations. She knows she will read for most of the day, because she has nothing else to do. Mateo is at the station more and more lately. Is he getting more involved? Is that a step towards a full time job? But what would an economist do there full time? He has nothing to do in the office on a part time job as it is. He’s a volunteer firefighter like most of the pack, but that part is not paid. Well, he earns with the books, but is that enough? He didn’t tell her an exact number. She can only guess about the income based on the number of books he wrote. That could be anything. She just doesn’t know.

She looks out at her small garden, but there is nothing to do there, it’s winter. The evergreens don’t need care, the roses are all wrapped up and the lawn is brown and half dead. Milano winters can be whatever nature throws at them. It goes from dry frost, to snow, to storms. But lately it's been mostly rainy and cold. She can’t wait for the winter to be over. She really doesn’t like this time of the year. She shakes her head and gets another cup of tea. She’s got some time to read while she waits for the laundry to be done.

Lyana doesn’t mind being alone, but it bothers her today. She wishes to talk. She wants company today. Her wolf is restless and pacing. Reading the book is not calming her wolf. But she liked the story yesterday. What is wrong today? It’s a day just like any other. Nothing special about it at all. She is thinking what could it be, but the wolf doesn’t react to her thoughts. The animal doesn’t want to talk. Did she do something to earn her wolf’s resentment?

She thinks she might take some time off of being human and shift later. Maybe that will help the wolf find peace. But first she will enjoy the book. He’s really great at making it interesting from start to finish. She has devoured three books in the last few days. She can’t remember when she read this much, for fun! And actual books, comics don’t count. She takes the k****e and falls into the latest murder mystery.

The annoying beeping of the washing machine tears her away from the book. It’s time to face reality again. She would love nothing more than to read all day, but things are waiting for her. And she needs to go shopping too. The fridge is close to empty. Maybe she can delegate that to Mateo? She sends him a quick text and asks him to go grocery shopping. She can’t trust him with the laundry. The last time he tried, she needed four washes to get her uniform back to the right shade of light blue.

-The usual things? Can I splurge a little? Mateo

-You can change things, if you want to. Just nothing green. Lyana

-I know you well enough by now. Steak? Mateo

-Please. If it’s not too much. Lyana

-Deal. I’ll be home in two hours. Mateo

-Thank you. Lyana

- :)

He sent a smiley? That is new. She wasn’t aware that he knows how to make one. He never did it before. What is going on? And he will buy steaks? Maybe she should have been more demanding in the past? Pushed him more? Would he have told her anything before? She is not sure about that. She has been saying that she wants to go back to Avignon before, but this time she told it to an outsider. Has Elio done what she asked? Has he talked to Mateo? Only one way to find out.

“Who is this?” Elio answers on the second ring.

“Hi. It’s Lyana.” She says timidly.

“Oh. I did give you my number.” He chuckles. “Is something wrong?”

“No. I just wanted to thank you.” She tells him.

“Mateo started talking?” He inquires.

“Yes. He told me a few things. I never knew he had a passion for writing. He reads all the time. We have more books than we have room for them.” She laughs. “I’m grateful you opened his eyes.”

“You’re welcome.” He responds. “I hope you’re not mad at me for the bruises?”

“It was consensual. He told me so. I think his ego got hurt more than his body. Someone had to bring him down. He thinks he knows everything. Most of the time, he does. He never screwed up any repair he tried to do on his own, but you can’t learn how to fight by watching movies.” Lyana explains.

“But the wolves of this pack get training?” Elio forms it like a question. She knows he works at the martial arts school.

“Yes, they do. He just never went. He was full of excuses as a teen.” She chuckles. “Mateo has photographic memory. He was always top of the class. But, he’s also extremely lazy.”

“I thought he’s introvert. But he surprised me.” Elio admits to her.

“I know. He is quiet and just observes. It’s a conscious choice on his part. He’s always been like this.” She tells him.

“Makes sense.” Elio says. “I have to go. Was nice talking to you, but please go out, make friends, talk to other wolves. It’s not good to be alone all the time.”

“I will. Thank you.” She answers.

She already has a standing invitation for drinks with Nina. So that is a check on the friends list. But Nina is a human, not a wolf. She never had much contact with wolves. Not in her generation in school, not in the pack as is. It was always just her and granny. Mateo was the only exception. The only one who didn’t care about anything. Who wasn’t afraid to be seen with her. But she does know a few wolves. Would Alessio take pity on her and talk? She can try. He can’t say more than no. The few stuck-ups, who work with her at the hospital, have taken great pains to switch departments just to avoid her. She couldn’t care less for them. She can find honest friends, or stay without.

Lyana finishes the second round of laundry when the doorbell rings. She frowns, because she’s not expecting anyone. She opens the door carefully and laughs at the sight. Mateo is standing there with four shopping bags. He’s looking kind of lost. The expression on his face is funny. The swell of his muscles lets her know the bags are heavy. What did he get? She comes home with two bags for a week's worth of meals. She wonders if he ever went grocery shopping before. Probably not. She smiles at him.

“Let me help you with that.” She chuckles. “What did you buy? The whole shop?”

“Don’t make fun.” He whines. He looks at her like a little puppy. “I have no idea how much we need. You didn’t say anything specific. I just got what I’ve seen around the kitchen.”

“First time shopping?” She wonders out loud.

“Yeah. You knew it? Didn’t you?” Mateo laughs. “Next time, have mercy on me. Give me a list.”

“Agreed.” She smiles. “Let me see what you got.”

She is unpacking the bags on the counter. Mateo even helps put the things into the cupboard and the fridge. He bought provisions for two or three weeks. And he remembered that she loves tomatoes. But the things she is most happy about are two t-bone steaks and baby potatoes.

“Can we afford this? You went kind of overboard with shopping.” She looks over at Mateo.

“Don’t worry. I just got a contract for a new book. It’s going to bring a few thousand.” He smiles at her. “We can even go out if you want to.”

“Hm? I might hold you to that.” Lyana chuckles. He makes her happy just by standing close. Why doesn’t he trust her? What is holding him back?

“All right. Friday.” He beams at her. “I’m taking you out to dinner.”

“How do you come up with book ideas?” She asks him over dinner.

“They just come on their own. Or my wolf says something and it turns into a story. You would be surprised at the imagination our animal parts have.” He answers.

“Huh? My wolf hardly ever talks. She is complaining about the time I spend in animal form, but she never gives any ideas. Not at work, at least.” She chuckles. “Is your wolf talkative? Isn’t that distractive?”

“Sometimes.” Mateo laughs. “My wolf has an opinion about everything. It’s not always good or useful.”

“So, you turn bad ideas into good books?” Lyana wonders. She has a good relationship with her wolf. Her animal is her best friend, her comfort, her strength. She wonders what kind of a relationship Mateo has with his wolf? Does he ever let the animal out? She has never seen his wolf, but he played with her in wolf form before. She even bit him once in their teenage years. He just shook it off and never said anything about it.

“You can say that.” He chuckles. “My wolf’s ego just grew a notch. You have spurred his imagination. He’ll be bombarding me with new ideas.”

“Oh.” She smiles wickedly. A thought just sparked in her mind: “Do I get to meet your wolf?”

“You want to?” He gapes at her. “I don’t think that’s wise.”

“Why? What’s he going to do? Bite me back after twelve years?” She chuckles.

“I don’t know. I have to think about this. My wolf is not domesticated.” Mateo shakes his head.

“All right. Think about it. But I want to see your wolf.” She smiles. “I know our animals are not pets. I’m not going to rub his tummy and call him names. I just want to see the wolf part of you.”

He looks at her like she has two heads. What is he thinking over there? Is he talking with his wolf? Her wolf is quiet on the matter, she has nothing to say, but she is observing with mild interest. Maybe he can open up to her and show her the other part of himself. She’s not going to force him. The animal part of every shifter is a private thing. They don’t spend much time in wolf form as it is. The city just isn't the place for that. She knows that a few other packs own forests up in the mountains to have gatherings and runs. Her father’s pack in Avignon used to do it. She was just too little to attend. Some day she wants to go running in wolf form with her mate. It’s a wish for the future.