Black River Daughter

Little Red Riding Hood

It has been almost five years since Demitri told me that I am an immortal. I was about to finish my bachelors degree, and celebrate my twentieth birthday. I worked my butt off to get done with school early, I dual enrolled my last two years of high school, and instead of going home during spring and summer breaks I took more classes. The council was fully funding my education, and I felt that I owed them in return and got the best grades that I could. I Had a lackluster social life, but didn’t really care too much. Kayliegh and Hannah followed me to the University of Maine campus, and my dad arranged that the three of us would share a room. His council connections paying off.

Hannah and Kayliegh spent time on school work, but did make time to party and hang out with friends. It’s not that I was antisocial or shy or anything, and I wasn’t really lonely either, I just wanted to get school over with. My hair was now permanently white, and gained a lot of attention, because of my unique look I was somewhat popular, but I tried to avoid getting close to anyone that wasn’t in my tight circle. I saw how the upperclassmen would chase after the eighteen and nineteen year old freshmen girls because they thought they were easy. I didn’t want any of that attention. A lot of the guys that I was in class with would call me the ice queen, because of my hair and lack of interest in dating. The only time that I would interact with a male in school was to complete a project with my assigned partner. 

Happily the supers from the New Moon pack kept the more aggressive human guys away from me and the rest of the girls. The ones that didn’t find their mates in school with us treated us all as their little sisters. I didn’t really care that I never bothered to date, it just didn’t interest me. I wasn’t trying to save myself for my mate or anything, purity culture was stupid in my opinion, the condition of my body was my business alone, and if my mate couldn’t accept me in the way that he found me then he wasn’t for me. It was that no one appealed to me. 

I was cleaning out my room, getting ready for the end of the term. I wasn’t bothering applying for graduation, I would rather just have my degree mailed to me next month after grades were posted. Demitri was ready for me to return home to complete my training anyways. He felt that I needed better control of my unique abilities. After my first pack run he became more interested in my growing powers. After Dad started working for the council directly I had monthly training classes with Demitri all through the rest of high school, college gave me a two year break from that.

 Kayliegh and Hannah still had two more years before completing their programs. “Who are they going to put in the room with us?” Kayliegh moaned stretching out on my bed. 

“Probably someone lame.” Hannah grumbled. 

“Doesn’t your sister start here next month, Kayliegh?” I asked

“So yeah, someone lame.” Kayliegh snorted. “And your dad would totally do that to us, just to babysit her!” I was hit with a pillow in the back of the head. 

“Oh cool I need to pack that.” I grabbed the pillow deflating Kayleigh. 

“Well we at least get to ride back to town together. Your parents are picking you up from Frankie’s house right Hannah?” Kayleigh asked. 

“Yeah they are already there. I’m just taking my backpack, Aunt Samara would strangle me if I brought another load of dirty clothes back.” Hannah shuddered

“Owch, why would you think that, that was a good idea?”

“Because Mom is the ‘cool’ aunt and couldn’t possibly care if she didn’t bother washing three weeks of stinky dirty clothes at our house before her parents came to get her.” I snarkily informed Kayleigh, to which she laughed hard clutching her sides at the thought.

“Well I hope they are all washed up now, I will kick your ass if we come back after a month with the room smelling like rotting underwear.” Kayleigh finally forced out between guffaws. I smiled knowing that even with my lack of spare time I was going to miss their company. 

I had two more days of exams, so I had a little time to make sure that I was able to tell all the friends that I had made farewell. I would miss a lot of them, but a good chunk of my friend group were from the two packs that I associated with. After turning in my last paper, and completing my last exam we all met at the pizza place just outside the campus. For my going away dinner. Twelve of us crammed into two large tables and just ate and joked until the next time I saw them again. I made sure they all had strict orders to take care of each other, study more, and party less. “Yes, Mom! Gosh the ice queen thinks she already rules the world!” Jesse my lab partner for the last semester joked.  

“Hey, you would be graduating with me if you didn’t have to retake micro biologie!” I hit him in the arm chastising him.

“What ever, you aren’t even attending the graduation ceremony, you’re just skipping out and having your degree mailed to you.” he shot back at me. 

“Really? Why the heck not? You worked your ass off to throw your cap?” Charles, a member of New Moon asked.

“You know you have to pay extra to attend the ceremony? I would rather just get the degree, I hated listening to the lectures in class already, so why would I bother paying for something that boring. It’s almost a scam!” I ranted between bites of spicy pepperoni. “I’m sure I’m going to be inundated with celebrations once I visit both packs anyway.”

Hannah nodded in agreement as Kayleigh added. “Yeah that’s right, your parents throw a pretty good party, and Alpha Drake likes to host a gathering for all the graduates once we get back.”

“I think it’s because he never got the chance to attend college himself, dumped right into leading a pack at seventeen.” Charles said.

“Maybe, he still can go to college, online courses are pretty good if you can focus. He’s what twenty five  now?” I asked.

“Yeah, and that just means he can ascend to his dragon, so he’s going to be wrapped up in that.” he answered.

“Wait, your pack alpha is a freaking dragon?” Jesse dropped his pizza 

“Man, I keep forgetting that you aren’t New Moon, yeah, he’s a hybrid, dragon, and wolf.” Kayleigh answered. “You're from a Toranto pack right?” she asked

“Yeah, but my family has worked with Black River a lot, so that’s how I met Frankie.” He answered.

“Yeah we met at the summit the summer after my first shift.” I added. “So I’m sure we will meet up next year for the summit. You should be done with school by then.”

“Yeah, yeah long as I don’t have to repeat another class.” He smirked at me. The rest of the group laughed at us as I hit him in the arm again. I’m going to miss them all. 

The next morning Kayleigh, Hannah and I piled into my Jeep Wrangler and set off to home. It was roughly a four hour drive from campus back to the house, we did that ride every long weekend that we had, but knowing that it was the last time I would be making the drive left me somewhat wistful. “Gods and planets you two have two more years before you’re done. What am I going to do without you?” I moaned looking at the road in front of me.

“Hey we’ll be back every weekend, and besides I’m sure the council is going to keep you busy, the golden child is returned and all that nonsense.” Hannah said, trying to comfort me.

“Don’t remind me of all that crap. I get to go back for more training, and now that I have no obligations it’s going to be everyday.”

Kayleigh grimaced. “Ouch, that is going to be rough. Are they going to relocate you and the family?”

“They better not, I do not want to have to learn a whole new city right away.” I spit out. “Hey who’s car is that? I asked as we pulled into my driveway.”

“It doesn’t belong to Hannah’s parents?” Kayleigh asked.

Hannah snorted “Like my parents would have an Audi? Come on you know us better than that. Dad still drives that minivan.” 

“Probably a council member’s then” I sighed, turning off the ignition. We walked into the house finding my mom in the kitchen making coffee.

“You’re, early baby!” Mom hugged me tight then turned giving hugs to my friend and cousin. “Sit girls, I have sandwiches.” 

“What’s that smell mom? You get a new air freshener?” I noticed the house was filled with this inviting comforting scent. It reminded me of running in the woods in autumn, mixed with sandalwood. 

“No, haven’t changed anything.” she had a worried look on her face looking at the others, then back at me.

“Hmm weird.” I grabbed a sandwich from the stack that Mom made. “Oh hey who’s car is that? Uncle Hank finally join modern society?” 

“No, Dad has visitors. Demitri and Drake showed up to discuss the pack boundary.” She replied. 

“Guh, he’s here already? I guess I’ll get this over with.” I put my sandwich down and headed to Dad's office. The smell was getting stronger as I headed down the hall, when I popped my head in the smell hit me full force as my eyes landed on the most beautiful thing I have ever seen in my life. And I just groaned knowing what it was. “Not You!”

My dad raised his eyebrows as he looked up from his stack of papers. “Well nice to see you too cupcake!” he laughed and stood up to give me a hug, the same time Drake and Demitri left their seats. 

“Welcome back Miss Francesca.” Demitri greeted. “Ready to start training?” Dad came around the desk and wrapped me in a hug, and Drake growled.

“Excuse me?” My dad bristled at Drakes display.

Drake cleared his throat, but his eyes kept shifting colors from brilliant green to his normal brown. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean any disrespect sir.” Drake sighed, then said the words that I was expecting and dreading since my eyes landed on him. “Frankie is my mate.”

Dad stiffened and looked down at me still wrapped up in his hug. I nodded with tears already threatening to spill down my cheeks, I wasn’t ready for this. I’m a freaking immortal, this could have happened a hundred years from now and I wouldn’t be ready. “Oh baby girl. What’s the tears for?” I could hear mom walking down the hall, Dad must have linked her to join us.

“What the hell do you mean mate?” She screeched slamming open the door. Drake recoiled from mom’s intensity. 

“Ah Ms, Samara, Frankie is my mate.” He shuffled in his spot, not sure if he should run from an irate mother or not. 

“Oh baby, why are you crying?” mom stepped up to me wiping my tears away from my cheeks. “I knew it had to be one of those two when you asked about air freshener.”

I began to sob hugging her. “I’m not ready! I thought I had time, still!” Drake flinched not wanting to hear even a hint of his mate rejecting him. 

Demitri cleared his throat. “This is going to make some things more interesting, and possibly more complicated.” Drake and Dad focused on him, knowing what this would mean for claiming the Pack land now. “You and Alpha Drake should talk about how you want to go forward, before we make any other decisions. You have the rest of eternity to think about your training.” He said to me. 

I nodded and wiped my cheeks. “Let’s go sit outside.” I said turning to lead him to the back yard.

Once the back door closed behind him he grabbed my hand sending bolts of energy under my skin. I knew the mate bond would feel like sparks, but this was intense. He grunted, dropping my hand to look at his. “That is a lot more than I expected.” 

“Probably the immortal thing.” I sat down on the bench leaving room for him.

“I never imagined that I would ever find my mate.” He muttered taking the seat next to me. “My mom was the last dragon of her line, there aren’t a lot of us left, and I thought my mate would have had to be a dragon as well.”

“Where do we go from here?” I asked. “I’ve never had a relationship before, never planned on how to handle having a mate.”

He smiled at me. “I guess we will have to learn together then huh? If you are willing to that is.”

I stared into his brown eyes fighting an urge to brush my fingertips across his perfect pouty lips. “I haven’t scared you off with my hysterics?” 

“Not at all, I can handle being emotional, I don’t think that I could handle being rejected though.” he leaned in staring at my mouth. He caressed my hand again, sending sparks under my skin, less intense than before. “May I kiss you?”

“Umm hmm.” I answered leaning into to let him claim my mouth. His breath fanned across my face sending chills down my spine before his lips pressed gently to mine. His hands wrapped around my waist pulling me closer as he deepened the kiss nibbling my bottom lip. I had no idea what I was doing, but I wanted to taste him. I opened my mouth to lick at his lips and tongue needily, running my hands up his arms and shoulders. He moaned into my mouth as he broke our kiss looking into my eyes.

“So, where do you want to go from here?” he asked, resting his forehead against mine. 

“I don’t know.” I whispered thinking for a moment. “I mean I’m done with school, so I don’t have to worry about that anymore. What do mates normally do when they imprint?”

He chuckled “A lot, and it’s not exactly PG.” I turned red and my heart began to race. “Am I scaring you already?” He flashed a wolfish smile as his eyes flashed green again.

I swallowed, and leaned back. “Can we start with dating?” He laughed again. 

“I’ll follow your lead my queen. I’ve waited twenty five years for you, the last thing I want is to chase you off.” He smiled and rested his arm around my shoulders playing with my curly white hair. We sat comfortably listening to the birds and bullfrogs in my mom’s koi pond. I guess no one is going to disturb us for the moment.

“So we should probably get to know each other, besides the obvious stuff, like pack politics.” I finally said.

“Okay, what do you want to know?” he grinned and sat back propping his feet up on the coffee table.

“Well we can start with the easy stuff like favorite color, ice cream, food, comic book character. You know stuff you would put in a dating bio.”

He snorted “Comic book character? That goes in a dating bio? Are you a little nerd?” A mischievous look flashed across his face.

“Look if you can’t handle me spending a ton of money on comic books and cosplay then you might want to leave now.” I stated, folding my arms over my chest. 

He raised his hands in surrender. “Okay, okay, nerds are great! My favorite character is Storm.”

I snorted “Is that because my hair is white?”

“Yeah a little, but I did love the Morlocks story line.” He grinned “my favorite color is green, I prefer moose tracks, and I love Asian food. Now your turn.”

I smiled “My favorite color is teal, I like cherry vanilla ice cream, and Asian food too. My favorite Comic book character is Hank McCoy, Beast.”

“You like em beastly eh.” he smirked, leaning in for another kiss, when I put my hand on his chest, with our faces inches apart.

“I like em smart, but at least you are nerdier than you pretend to be.”

“Ouch, that hurts right here.” He said covering my hand on his firm chest. I closed the distance kissing him. He smiled as I began nibbling his lips. I could feel a need rising in me, I wanted more of his kisses, I could become drunk from them.

He had one hand wrapped in my hair while the other traveled down my back to rest on my ass. Our kiss began to heat up more as he grabbed my waist to transfer me to his lap so that I could straddle him. His tongue explored my mouth, my face and chest flushed red and my heart felt like it was going to explode out of my chest. My hands began to roam over his black t-shirt and over his heavily muscled chest. I felt bold as I began pulling the bottom of his shirt up so I could press my palm to his bare skin. He growled in excitement breaking our kiss to trail nips down my chin and neck. I hummed my delight as he pressed my body closer to his, my breathing became more erratic. I wanted more, running my hands under his shirt I left sparks across his pecs and abs, making him rumble. He grabbed my hands right when I started to get carried away and started to unbutton his jeans. “Are you sure?” He asked, pulling away from my neck. 

I was shaky and dizzy. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, my body was in control at this point, and the mate bond was working on me hard. “How are you the one with a level head?” I quietly asked.

“Because I promised that you would lead this. I don’t want you feeling like we rushed anything.” he gazed into my eyes with his face full of concern. I felt cherished in that moment. I felt like he wanted to take care of my needs even though his needs were about to burst out of his jeans. 

I took a moment to steady my breathing. “I know my body is telling me that I want more. But I know I just told you I wanted to date first.” I leaned my forehead against his.

“Do you want me to stop you next time? Because it is taking everything in me to restrain myself right now. I want to behave, because I want to earn you, and your love. If you want to keep going I want you to make the decision before we let our bodies get carried away.” 

“Oh Goddess, you are amazing.” I more chastly kissed his lips before getting off of his lap and straightening my clothes. I checked my watch, “Okay, it’s only three, why don’t you pick me up at six and we can go to dinner?”

He beamed at me and stood pulling me into an embrace. “Sounds like a plan.” He kissed my forehead and leaned down inhaling my scent, I knew mine was as unique to him as his was to me. “I’m going to grab your ass now” I squeaked as he squeezed my butt. “I even warned you.” he laughed into my hair.

“You jerk!” I smacked his chest knowing that it wouldn’t do anything. He laughed and let go of me to hold my hand, we walked back into the house and into the kitchen where Mom, Dad, My aunt and uncle, cousins and sister  were sitting around the table. s**t I forgot the family was in town.

Drake stood in the doorway like a deer caught in the headlights. He sheepishly kissed my temple and headed to the front door. “Uh I’ll be back at six.” I smiled. As soon as the door closed behind him everyone erupted in clapping and wolf whistles, I know he could hear them from the other side of the door. That’s going to make him picking me up more awkward.

I just shook my head and pulled up a seat. “So judging by that hickey things went well.” Hannah asked, causing me to slap my hand to my neck and turn beet red. 

“Frankie and Drake sitting in a tree!” Justine began to chant. I groaned and rolled my eyes.

“Well they are still wearing all their clothes, so it looks like he’s a gentleman.” My mom commented. My dad just growled staring darkly into his coffee. 

“Did Kayleigh and Demitri already leave?” I asked, trying to change the topic. 

“Yeah, I dropped them off after you and Drake went out back for you little ‘chat’” My dad said. So much for trying to change the topic. I blushed.

“Your daddy is just going to have to get over that you are an adult and have a mate now.” Aunt Kim smirked.

“No I don’t, she’s five years old and pigtails are still the coolest thing ever!” My dad shouted, making all of us laugh at his pretend hysterics. 

I leaned over hugging him. “Daddy, I’ll always be your little girl.” he smiled hugging me back, "I know, at least he’s someone respectable." He sighed. We chatted for a little bit before I left the table with Hannah to get ready for my date with Drake.

I started going through my closet, knowing that I didn’t have anything that was really date worthy. Maybe I should go through my costume box. I pulled out the plastic box at the back of my closet with all my cosplay costumes and started sorting the more acceptable items out. I laid out three dresses on my bed that I could alter quickly enough to make them presentable. A black one, a brown one, and a red one. 

The brown was part of my steampunk outfit and had some ugly poofy sleeves, the black one was my Morticia Adams replica, and the red one, was a modern impression of Jessica Rabbit. “Okay, I can cut the sleeves off the brown one and wear a wide belt with it, or I can cut the bottom off the red one and Iron the hem, and pair it with a lacy slip to make the split up the side look intentional. I really don’t want to mess up my Morticia dress because I haven’t worn that one yet.” I explained my options to Hannah. 

“I like the red, cut it to the knee, and you can pair it with a black cardigan. You have black thigh high stockings right?” She started getting the hem tape, iron and scissors ready. 

“Yeah and a black slip too. I can pin it to the split to keep it from moving.”

“Perfect, now what shoes have you got?” 

“Well if I’m wearing stockings, I’ll have to go closed toe, and I have those elf boots, or my doc martins.” I held up the black boots against the rest of the outfit. 

“Hmmm. Go with the elf boots, you would need a leather jacket for the punk look to be complete.” Hannah began Cutting the bottom two feet of length off my dress. 

“True, Okay, thin off the shoulder shawl, or the one my mom crocheted for me?” I held the sweaters up on the hangers. 

“Let’s go with the crocheted one, the dress has straps so off the shoulder would look out of place.” I could smell the iron heating up as Hannah pressed it to the acrylic fabric. I watched as her expert hands fixed the hem tape into place and finished the dress. She held it up checking her work one last time. “Try it on.”

I undressed and pulled the material over my head not caring that she was in the room, we shared a room and bathroom for two years, and modesty wasn’t a problem with my cousin. “How does it look?” I asked spinning. 

“Well It’s my work, so it looks amazing.” she grinned smugly. “Oh and your banging bod helps too.” she pointed at my curvy figure, admiring the shape of the dress.

“Like I know I’m the one that got you into Cosplay in the first place, but damn you are an artist when you put your mind to it.” Hannah bowed in receipt of the compliment. 

“Yes, yes, I’m a master, now hurry up and finish dressing, I need to do your hair.” I pulled the stockings and boots on, and picked out a simple chain with a glass pendant, then sat on the stool in front of my vanity. “Thank goodness your wolf healing is faster than average, I would have hated to have to cover that hickey.” she said as she worked my white hair into a bun wrapped in a braid with tendrils curling around my face. “I’m putting your hair up so he has better access to your neck.”

“Hannah!” I screamed shocked at her cheekiness. 

“Okay hair is done, now for some wing eyeliner, but that’s it, because I know the lipstick is going to be smeared.” I groaned in response. But I was very happy with the look she completed for me. My cousin is an expert.

I was putting in my earrings as the doorbell rang indicating that Drake had arrived. I grabbed my wallet and slipped it into a small clutch purse, before running down the steps. My dad intercepted me, and opened the door greeting Drake. “This is already hard enough for me, Just don’t hurt my baby.” I heard him say as I reached the bottom of the steps.He looked over his shoulder at me and smiled broadly. “You are gorgeous honey.”

“Thanks Daddy” I hugged him “And if it makes you feel any better just remember that you taught me how to kick anyone's butt.” He perked up with a devilish glint in his eye.

“Uh well I don’t plan on being on the receiving end of that beating, so I will do my best to make Frankie happy.” Drake said to my dad, extending a hand to me. “The way you two are talking you make me sound like the big bad wolf.” He smiled as I grasped his hands welcoming the tingles and sparks that danced under our skin.

“I feel like I’m overdressed now.” I commented, admiring his button up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his muscled forearms, and his jeans that hugged his butt oh so well. 

“Well I figured we could do something different for dinner.” He said as he led me to the red Audi that was in my driveway this afternoon. 

“Oh really?” I glanced into his face as he opened the door for me. I waited for him to walk around to his side to get in before adding. “Love the car by the way.”

He laughed “Well it isn’t your dad’s Hellcat, but she’s peppy.” he started the engine and put it into gear, driving away from town. 

“You either have a picnic planned or are trying to find a place to stash the body.” I joked.  

“I’m not going to be able to surprise you ever, am I?” He looked glum.

“It’s okay, I don’t like surprises. Even if it’s something that I can’t control I would rather know what’s coming.” 

“Well how am I supposed to propose to you if you don’t like surprises?” I snorted, and he looked over at me. 

“Dude we are on our first date. I know we are mates and all, but isn’t it a bit early to talk about marriage?” I ask dumbfounded, well he’s going to keep me on my toes that’s for sure.