A Wolf and His Claim on Her Broken Heart (Raivh & sydnie.cherie)

[Raivh]

He hadn’t bothered with classes that day, didn’t need to. Besides, the rain had a tendency to make him drowsy, bored, and sometimes irritable. Yet he’d been running for some time in the rain, and was now soaked to the very bone. Still, his skin was heated, steaming even. Slowing his pace, he rounded a corner, his long stride carrying him swiftly over the pavement. There weren’t as many cars on this road, not as many people around or houses. A woodsy park wasn’t too far away. Just a few more blocks and he would turn around, head back home. Feet gliding over the hard ground beneath his feet, water splashed up around his ankles and over his calves, drenching his already wet flesh. Another week or two and that wouldn’t be rain; it would be snow, cold, wet, white snow. Exhaling, he slowed to a halt, chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm, each breath escaping in a long opaque stream that dissipated within seconds.

A crease formed between his eyes. Up ahead, at the end of the block, was a parked car. From where he stood, he could make out two figures inside. Keen ears picked up muffled shouts, and he began slowly pacing toward the vehicle. As he drew closer, the passenger’s side door flew open. A male voice bellowed out into the cold air, and then the male himself appeared, shoving a young woman out the door and onto the side of the road. All Chase caught was a glimpse of her, but it was enough for him to recall she went to the same university. He’d seen her around campus more than once, walking with her friends, chatting and laughing, and had even seen her wandering around in the city before. The passenger’s door slammed shut, and then the car took off, tires squealing over the wet pavement.

“Hey!” Chase shouted after the car. It was a futile attempt, and the girl was probably better off sitting on the side of the road in a puddle of muddy water than she was with whoever had pushed her out of his car. Long legs brought him to her side, his brow furrowed, and bright green eyes flitted over her face. There was a cut under one of her eyes, two bruises on her face—one on her cheek, the other on her chin. She looked like she’d been grabbed and forced to look at someone. His gaze fell to the corner of her mouth, noting a small cut and the puffy red look of her lips. Or maybe she’d been forced to kiss said individual.

Bending over, he slipped his hands under her arms and helped her to her feet. “What the hell just happened?” he asked, scanning her over once more. His eyes slid over a torn portion of her top, and he frowned. The pit of his stomach started to turn, feeling as though it was on fire, and the burning sensation soon spread to his chest—anger. A growl rumbled low in his chest, so deep a tone that only ears as adept as his could pick it up. Inhaling a deep breath, he caught the smell of the male’s cologne, and recognized it almost as immediately as he had the young woman. He’d seen her with him on more than one occasion. The man looked rough, smelled vile. The moment the scent began to work its way to the back of his sinuses, Chase snorted, expelling it before it could poison his lungs.

“Smells like shit,” he muttered under his breath. “Like cheap shit.” Coughing, chest convulsing once, he released his hold on her and stepped back. He caught her gaze and held it. Her face he recognized; however, her name he couldn’t recall. Licking his lips as thunder rolled in the sky above and lightning flashed somewhere in the distance, Chase shifted his weight. His eyes plummeted to her shoeless feet, and then his nose caught the smell of alcohol on her, however faint. Either she’d been drinking or her date had been, and the next words out of his mouth were related to this observation. “How much have you had to drink tonight, anything?”

 

[sydnie.cherie]

Leighlah followed Spencer out of the bar, grabbing at his right hand to try to take the car keys away from the intoxicated hand and batting at the left hand that tried to keep her away so he could get his drunk ass behind the wheel of his car. She knew two things were going to happen. One, he was going to get his car twisted around a pole. Two, he was going to blame her for allowing him to drive under the influence. The only way she could think of to bypass the drama was to drive him back to campus herself, but that obviously wasn't working. Even drunk he was determined not to let her have control of his "baby". Evidently he loved that car more than life itself.

"Spencer, give me the keys." She huffed, growing frustrated as his hand across her face. One of his nails slipped and cut her below her left eye. She swatted his hand again, this time closing her fingers around his wrist and holding the arm in place.

"Chill, Leigh. I got 'dis." He slurred, jerking his wrist out of her grip with little effort. It was times like this when the size and strength difference between them so glaringly obvious. Leighlah stood at five feet and six inches whereas Spencer, with his oversized football physique, easily cleared six feet. Was one of the things that had attracted her to him, but she found herself resenting his stature more often than not as of late.

"You're going to get yourself killed." She said, grabbing for the keys once again. He stretched his key-holding arm as high above her head as he could without standing on the tips of his toes. Leighlah looked up at the silver object, not about to embarrass herself by trying to jump for it. "You know what, fuck this. Have it your way. I'll see you at your funeral." With those words she stormed off, walking towards the campus in the pouring rain. She hadn't expected Spencer to follow her and he didn't disappoint, which was so unlike him. Spencer was nothing but a huge disappointment to her. She couldn't, for the life of her, figure out why she stayed. Stupidity most likely...

Leighlah had been so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't realize how far she'd gotten. She looked up at a line of trees so thick she couldn't see through them even as the odd car passes by, illuminating the woods with its head lights. Fear gripped her, making her sweat even though she was freezing. She wrapped her arms around herself, only keeping her head up so that she could see what was going on around her. Her senses on high alert, Leighlah walked as fast as she could without breaking into a sprint.

The honk of a horn behind her brought a scream tearing past her lips. She turned, her eyes as big as saucers as the light blinded her and panic froze her. The car kept moving until the passenger side window was directly in front of her. The thing rolled down and Spencer leaned over to look up at her. "Get in the car, Leigh." He yelled over the sound of the rain pounding against metal.

"No." She protested, taking deep breaths to slow her heart as it beat so hard she was surprised she couldn't see it moving though her skin.

"Look at where you are. You're just asking to be a serial killer's next victim." He replied nonchalantly, as if it didn't matter to him whether she got in the car or not. Leighlah looked around, her eyes scanning the woods. She knew there was a park in there somewhere, and wooded parks seemed to attract predators. At least according to the movies, since she didn't follow the news. So it was like choosing between two ways to die. She chose a hypothetic quick death by car accident over hypothetic slow death by psychotic murderer. She nearly jumped through the window as she entered the car, slamming the door behind herself so that he'd know she was still upset.

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Spencer pulled over. Leighlah turned her body halway around, looking through the rear windshield. She could still see the woods through the windshield. "Why are we stopping?"

"You owe me your life." Spencer said, turning the car off and focusing his glassy eyed stare on her.

"Seriously, dude?" Her voice took on a patronizing monotone as she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Hell yeah. You could've been killed. I saved you. You owe me." Spencer replied, his voice dripping with sincerity.

Leighlah barely fought the urge to laugh and crossed her arms over her chest. "What do I owe you?" Between one blink and the next, Spencer unhooked his seat belt and was on her. Leighlah brought her hands up and pressed them against his chest. He gripped both wrists in one hand, pulling them over her head as his weight pressed her into the door. "Get off me!"

"You owe me." Spencer pressed, digging the fingers of his free hand into her cheeks as he kissed her. Leighlah shrieked into his mouth, trying to turn her head and succeeded only in hurting her own face. Keeping her head in place with the pressure of his lips, he let go of her face and ripped her shirt in an attempt to get at her breasts. When he was blocked by a bra he gave up, deciding to just go for what he wanted as his hand moved towards the button of her jeans.

"Spencer, stop! Please stop!" She screamed, sheer horror emanating in her voice. He lifted his head, looking into her teary eyes. Silence filled the space between them for a moment before he cursed and peeled himself off her.

"Get the fuck out of my car." He said, his voice so low she barely heard him. "Get out of my car!" He yelled again as if she had asked him to repeat himself. He reached by her and jerked the door open, pushing her out before the thing even swung on its hinges. Leighlah collapsed on the pavement, her body landing in a puddle of muddy water as Spencer slammed the door shut and drove off.

Next thing Leighlah knew she was being hauled to her feet by another person. Another male. Oh, dear God, not another one! "What? Nothing!" She snapped in response to his first question. when he released her she swayed on her feet, taking a moment to steady herself. Then she dusted herself off as if the motion was going to remove the saturated dirt from her body. She looked up and narrowed her eyes at his second question. "Excuse me? That is none of your business. None of this is. So if you'll pardon me, I'll just be on my way." Leighlah looked around, orienting herself, then started walking towards campus.

 

[Raivh]

Her snappish response hadn’t been expected. He was trying to help her, and he wasn’t a moron. Whatever had just gone on in that car was more than nothing, or she wouldn’t look as she did. Watching as she teetered, her weight shifting, he furrowed his brow. The way she reacted to his question about her alcohol intake gave him enough reason to deduce that she had, indeed, been drinking. She wasn’t drunk, perhaps, but he could smell it on her. Alcohol had a pungent scent, and it was radiating from her. Whether it had been her boyfriend who’d been the big drinker or not, he wasn’t going to be the responsible party that left her on the side of the road. He wasn’t going to take the blame for her death when she wandered onto a busier street, got hit by a car, or passed out.

Striding after her, he did the unthinkable to her, as a stranger, and wrapped one strong arm around her. In an unbelievable, effortless, fluid motion, he lifted her off the ground and tossed her over his shoulder. “Then I’ll make it my business so I don’t feel guilty when I see your face on the front page: ‘College girl dies because she passed out on the side of the road;’ or ‘College girl hit by truck, killed instantly.’”

With one arm locked around her legs, he began trekking back in the direction of his apartment. Let her kick, scream, cry—whatever it was she wanted to do. He was positive he could find someone on campus who knew her, after he got her cleaned up, and they could see that she made it safely back to her dorm room. She had friends; that much he knew. One person he wouldn’t be letting take charge of her care once he released her from his sight would be that guy he’d seen her with before. She smelled of him, a vile scent. Whatever cologne he wore was cheap. Snorting, he jerked his shoulder and arm up, adjusting her weight as he walked.

Saturated brown locks drooped over his forehead as water droplets pelted his face. “I’ve seen you around before. What’s your name?” he asked, glancing over the shoulder he had her body draped over. Chase wasn’t entirely sure whether she would grant him that bit of information.

This was taking too long. Walking was something he hated because it was so time consuming. His legs were strong enough that he could have run while carrying her weight, but he didn’t. More than one block and she’d be interrogating him about more than why he’d hauled her all the way back to his apartment. Splashing through a puddle, he snarled under his breath.

Fifteen minutes and two blocks later, Chase was fumbling with his, cursing as he struggled to shove the right one into the lock. A large male opened the door, and Chase stuffed the keys back into his pocket. “Great timing.”

The girl stays outside, the blonde’s thoughts echoed into his mind. Gritting his teeth, Chase shoved past the male, his strength enough to cause the blonde to stumble back.

“Go get her a change of clothes,” Chase barked, stalking across the carpeted floor. The bathroom door slammed a moment later. His shoes squeaked over the tile, and he set her down in the tub. “Cold at first, then hot. Sorry.” Slapping a lever, water poured forth from a silver showerhead mounted on one of the white tile walls. Frigid water blasted her, spattering him, and he watched as muddy water flowed to the drain in a seemingly endless stream. A minute or so later, the water sputtered and then shot forth hot and steaming.

No reservation about him, his eyes roaming wherever his hands did, he set about undressing her. His subconscious registered bare skin with each shred of clothing he peeled from her body. A bulge formed at the front of his shorts, an involuntary reaction to the female body. “Finish getting that mud off,” he commanded, green eyes locking on her face. He was busy balling the bundle of soaking wet, dirty clothes he’d stripped her of, and took a step back. A knock on the door caught his attention, and he turned, tossing her ruined outfit in the trashcan.

“Chase, you better have a good fucking excuse for this,” the blonde from before snapped, entering the room. His eyes, a light shade of grey, fell on the woman. Chase jerked the shower curtain shut. “Well, shit, if you were planning on—”

“No, now get out, Vince” Chase replied, cutting him off and scowling. “Why don’t you and Jared figure out something for dinner. I’m starving, and your lazy asses haven’t done anything all day.” Shoving him back out the door, Chase shut it, and then set the change of clothes he’d been handed down on the counter. He turned his head, ears and eyes homing in on the sound of running water behind the drawn curtain. All he could see was a blurry, naked body. His nostrils flared. It wasn’t hard to lust after someone with a body like hers, but he hadn’t helped her in hopes of a reward of any kind for his chivalrous behavior.

Dropping his gaze to the floor, he fixed it on the cabinets below the bathroom sink, and lowered himself to a squat. The doors opened with a creek, and after digging around for a moment he produced a tube of ointment and a bandage. “You’ve only got the one cut under your left eye, right?” he inquired over the sound of cascading water. Shutting the cabinets, he straightened his spine and stood upright. He crossed over to the closed curtain and pulled it open with a flick of his wrist. The hooks slid easily over the silver rod, and within moments her bare flesh was open to his scrutiny once more.

His green irises were locked on hers, mouth straight, and expression casual. “There’s that one on your lip, too, but I don’t think a bandage will do it much good. What did he do? Bite you?” He cracked a smile then and chuckled. “Got a drunken vampire bastard after you? I’ve never heard of any leech creature sucking on a girl’s eye, or her lips. Wasn’t even aware that they knew what lips were for.”

 

[sydnie.cherie]

The road ahead seemed to stretch on for miles, and Leighlah had no idea how far she'd gone. Probably only a few paces. Her legs felt like lead and she didn't think she was actually lifting them, just sort of dragging her lower limbs along because the rest of her body couldn't go on without them. All of a sudden the world shifted and she felt like she was falling up. Her "fall" was broken by shoulders digging into her stomach and she realized that this strange man just picked her up and draped her over his shoulders like an old rug.

"What the hell, mister!" Her first thought was that maybe she should put on some weight, make it a little harder for people to manhandle her like this. Her second thought was to thrash and scream and hope his grip on her body would break. Unfortunately he turned and started walking. Suddenly she realized was too tired to fight. If this man was going to kill her, at least she was finally going to get some much needed rest. All the rest she would ever need, in fact. Even now she found it nearly impossible to keep her eyes open. If he did murder her, she hoped he had the decency to let her sleep through it. What killer ever did something like that though?

She barely opened her eyes as spoke. She didn't so much hear the words as feel them as the vibrations of his voice tickled the cheek that touched his back. It sounded like he asked her his name. She told him on the basis that, if he killed her and the police apprehended him, he would know the name of the woman he murdered. "Leighlah." She replied, not sure if he heard her over the exhaustion and the rain, and then closed her eyes once again.

She woke up to the sound of keys jingling. Leighlah attempted to lift her head and felt like she was moving a sack full of bricks. At least her eyes remained open at this point, and she took in as much of her surroundings as she could. She was still too disoriented to pinpoint their exact location, but if she survived and was asked to describe the place she would be able to. The door opened and Leighlah stared at the light that illuminated the ground as the man began moving once again. She continued with her observations, looking up at the back of a blonde haired man as the two men moved in opposite directions. A door closed in her face, reducing her line of visibility to white panels, white tiled walls, and tiled floors. Obviously a bathroom. The fact was man even more obvious as she was dumped in a tub.

"Seriously!" She hissed, closing her eyes and lifting her hands to offer some sort of protection against the water as it landed on her skin. She shrieked at the shock of cold water, tensing her body against the chill that threatened to turn her blood to slush in her veins. She stepped back, trying to escape the stream of freezing water until it heated up like he promised, only stepping forward again when she saw steam. She didn't think she'd ever been so grateful for hot water as she was at that moment. Her core temperature rose, and the steam helped clear her head.

So she was completely cognizant when he ripped her shirt the rest of the way and peeled it off her body. "Hey!" She protested, covering her essentials with her arms as he continued down her body, stripped away the rest of her clothes and stared at her as she went. She found that she wasn't as alarmed as she originally was. Obviously this man had no intention of hurting her, or he wouldn't tolerate her talking to him the way she was. So when he told her to clean herself, she focused on the stream of water and getting the dried mud off her body. Especially out of her hair. A knock on the door brought her head up and turned in that direction as the man answered it.

Leighlah didn't bother to look away as the two men conversed, only resuming the task at hand when Chase- that was what the blonde called him- yanked the shower curtain closed. Whatever. Leighlah grabbed the bar of soap that rested in a tray and proceeded to scrub her hair and body clean. She gently skimmed over her face, the cut under her left eye smarting slightly as she got soap in it. That was going to leave one hell of a nasty bruise. How was she going to explain this to her friends?

She jumped when Chase opened the shower curtain, not because she didn't know he was there, but because of how quickly he moved. Everything he did was quick and Leighlah found herself wondering if he did everything post haste. Quickly putting a damper on that thought, she touched her lip with the tip of her tongue, searching for the cut he told her was there and retracting the thing when it moved over a swollen area.

"No, I think leeches would have been gentler." She replied, smiling wryly at his joke. She turned to face him, not bothering to cover up what was already seen as she allowed him to treat and bandage the wound under her eye. "Anyway, the eye thing is just a really bad scratch. I could have you arrested for kidnapping. I mean, I won't. But I could." Leighlah said, the words escaping before she had a thought to stop them.

 

[Raivh]

He made half-snorted, half-grunted at her retort, finding it amusing and irritating that she thought a bloodsucker would have been gentler. Clearly, she’d never met one, or at least hadn’t had the pleasure of one revealing its true self to her. His strong, rough fingers worked in a gentle manner to apply the ointment on the cut below her eyes, and then to place the bandage over it. By the time she finished her next string of bullshit, he was trying hard to stop the twitching corners of his mouth from turning into laughter.

Green eyes on hers, he took a step back. Furrowing his brow, every cog in his mind spun, working to recall the name she’d muttered before passing out cold on the trek to his apartment. “Thanks for your gratitude, Leighlah,” he said, cracking an almost pleasant grin. She was feisty, to say the least, more than a handful. His tongue passed over his lips as he took a step back and turned from her. Reaching for a towel draped over a silver rod running along the wall, he turned to face her once more.

He closed the space between them, the only divider between them now the edge of the tub, separating his clothed body from her nude figure. “I’m glad you at least have some sense to recognize that I only kidnapped you to help you out. Arms up.” His arms stretched over the short barrier with much ease, lifting the towel over her head and wrapping it around her slender form. “I’ll take you back to campus after you’re dressed in something in one piece and dry.”

Meeting her eyes, he flashed her one of his lopsided smiles as his hands fell away. His green irises were devious, but rather than drop his stare to the portion of her breasts he could see, he fixed it on the tiled wall behind her. He exited the room without another word so that she could put on the change of clothes Vince had brought in. Wandering out into the living room, Chase passed through the large open way to the kitchen. Both of his cousins were seated on the couch, staring at the television, but the moment he opened the refrigerator Vince spoke up.

“She’s not staying here, Chase.” Vince had turned and was staring at Chase’s from over the back of the couch.

Shutting the door to the fridge, an apple in one hand, a bottle of water in the other, he looked to where his cousin sat. “You don’t have much of a say on the matter. She’s not staying, though, so chill out and watch your fucking program.” He took a bite of the red fruit before chucking it at the back of Vince’s head. The man snarled and said something under his breath. “What makes you think that?” She’s not my mate. I’m not fucking her, either. If I was, you’d know, wouldn’t you. Chase’s expression was hard as he shot that thought into both Vince’s and Jared’s mind.

He shuffled toward the front door, calling toward the bathroom door, “I’m going to warm my car up. Come out when you’re ready, and don’t talk to the assholes sitting on the couch. Their minds are both somewhere you don’t want to be.” Shooting a glance to the two males now staring in his direction, Chase smirked, and stepped outside.

Rain was still pouring in torrents from the sky, flooding the grass and the streets. He walked with ease to his car and opened the driver’s side door. Slipping inside, he unlocked the passenger’s door, and started the engine. It roared to life, and he leaned back in his seat, staring at the front door.

 

[sydnie.cherie]

"I have plenty sense." Leighlah grumbled, lifting her arms so that he could wrap the towel around her body. The tenderness of the action seemed out of character for him, and she wondered if he realized that. Then again, who was she to make that judgement when she didn't really know his character to begin with. Something tightened in her chest at that lackadaisical smile, and she wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing. She didn't have much time to contemplate the feeling as he turned around and walked away.

Leighlah stared at the pieces of clothing as she stepped over the rim of the tub, her warm feet feeling tender and sensitive against the cold tile. A black tank top, a pair of blue jeans that had no doubt been peeled off the body of another woman, and oversized black sandals waited to find a new home on her body. She dropped the towel, forgoing one cloth barrier for another. She moved slowly because her body still ached all over from the tension and the fighting. She still couldn't believe what had happened. Even for Spencer, that was a new low. She briefly entertained the thought of going to the administration about this, but she knew they would fight tooth and nail to protect their star quarterback and the sterling reputation of the school. There was no justice to be found there. And honestly, Leighlah didn't want justice. She just wanted to forget.

Chase's voice at the door was just the distraction she needed. Pushing the thoughts from her head, Leighlah turned and faced the mirror. She lifted her arms, separated her hair into two parts, and then braided them. She braced her arms on the side of the sink, staring at the bandage below her eye as she touched the cut on her lip with her tongue. How was she going to explain this to her roommate, who had never liked Spencer and had attempted to warn her away from him multiple times. Seriously, she was not in the mood for I-told-you-so tonight. Maybe she would just tell the girl that she bumped her head trying to get her drunk ass into Spencer's car. It was a long stretch since Leighlah never imbibed to drunkeness. It was improbable, not impossible and that would just have to work.

Satisfied that she had a plan, albeit a lame one, Leighlah opened the bathroom door and slowly walked out. The two men sitting on the couch turned and looked at her as she moved towards the door, and she found herself gazing at her moving feet to avoid their gazes. "Grab that umbrella by the door on the way out." She didn't look up to hear which one had uttered the words, but she thanked him as she grabbed the umbrella and yanked the door open. She opened the thing ahead of her, holding it out into the rain as she shut the door and then throwing herself under its protection. Her barely protected feet were soaked instantly as she plop-plopped towards the passenger side of the only car on the block that was active. She quickly retracted the umbrella, opened the door, and jumped inside.

This car ride was uneventful compared to the last one she'd taken, though it was not without its awkwardness. Leighlah stared out of the passenger's side window for most of the car ride, watching the droplets of water as they raced down the glass. Eventually the car stopped in front of the dormitory and Leighlah shifted her body as she prepared to get out of the car. "Thanks. For saving me and all. Thanks, Chase." She waited a moment, and then pushed the door open. "I'll see you around, I guess." She opened the umbrella, climbing out of the car under its shelter, and then closed the door behind herself. She could almost swear she felt his eyes on her as she walked away, but she didn't look back to verify. She ran along the pavement until she came to the transparent double doors, pulling them open and walking into the illuminated hallway that led to her first floor dorm room.

Realizing she'd forgotten her keys, Leighlah sighed and knocked on the door. When there was no answer she simply reached out and turned the knob. Thankfully it was unlocked. She slipped inside, flicking the switch just inside the door. The light revealed an empty room with two larger-than-twin-smaller-than-full sized beds. Hers was the one closest to the window. Leighlah placed the umbrella and the man-sized sandals in the corner behind the door, hitting the switch again so that the light went out before she dragged herself across the room and collapsed on her bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

 

[Raivh]

“No problem,” Chase replied with a slanted smile etched over his strong countenance. His voice was deep as he spoke. The leather protested his movement as he shifted in his seat, watching as she opened the umbrella and then climbed out of the car. “Sure, see you later.” The slight grin on his face faded as his eyes trailed her from his car to the entrance of her dormitory. Once she was inside, he turned his head away from the building, shifted into drive and pulled forward.

Back at his apartment, he shut the door to his car with a shove and jogged to the front door. His clothes were still wet, having not changed before taking Leighlah to campus. By no means was he cold, but the fabric of his wet boxers and shorts rubbing against him was beginning to chafe his skin. When he stepped into the entryway, he was accosted with the smell of pasta and meat. Wandering toward the fragrance of food, he found himself face to face with Vince. The tall blonde male smirked when he saw Chase, and Jared maintained a vacant expression, keeping his focus on the plate of spaghetti before him.

“Your girlfriend make it home okay?” Vince inquired, chuckling to himself. Chase snarled, walking into the kitchen to retrieve something to eat. Setting his plate down on the counter, Vince shook his head and stepped in Chase’s path. “Didn’t save you any. Figured you’d be dining with the human girl.” A flicker of anger appeared in Chase’s green eyes, darkening them. He could feel the challenge radiating from his cousin.

“Then I’ll just take yours,” Chase snarled, snatching the plate from the counter and wandering into the living room. He flopped down on the couch just in time for the impact that sent him crashing into the coffee table. The wooden piece of furniture splintered under both Chase’s and Vince’s weight. With a roar, Chase shoved his laughing cousin away, and rose to his feet. Jared was moving into the room, standing back a ways as Vince straightened his spine. Tension swirled in the air between them before Chase lunged, pinning his cousin to the wall, forearm pressed to his thick throat.

Vince stared at Chase, a daring sneer on his lips. Oh, come on, Chase. You can’t expect me to believe you won’t see that woman again. What do you think she’ll do if she finds out what you are? Grey and brown fur covered Vince’s body; a muzzle jutted out from his face, two ears from his head. Claws dug into Chase’s arms, forcing Chase to shift.

--advance two weeks—

Just as he had suspected, the cold rain that had been around two weeks before was gone, in its place a white blanket of snow. It crunched under his feet in patches on the sidewalk where the grounds keepers had failed to shovel and scrape it away. The white crystals were slick, but he had no concern of slipping and falling. His long stride carried him quickly across campus, his breath streaming from between his lips in one long, transparent cloud that dissipated almost as fast as it took shape. Not once since the day he’d encountered Leighlah had he seen her wandering around campus. Smelling her in common areas such as the library, however, he had; her scent was sweet, crisp, and anytime he caught a whiff of it, he knew she’d passed through not long before him.

Pushing past a set of doors, he entered a large lounge area and sank down on one of the couches. He unzipped his jacket and tossed it on his bag, having admitted defeat to making it to class on time. Already late when he arrived at the school, class had begun half an hour ago. His stomach growled, reminding him of the fact that he hadn’t bothered to eat that morning or at lunch. Glancing around, he pushed off the couch and wandered over to a vending machine positioned in a corner of the room, and stuffed a dollar in the slot. When the machine refused to drop the bag of chips he’d purchased, he gave it a kick.

“Hey! You break that damn thing again, you’ll be the one fixing it!” shouted one of the maintenance employees. Snapping his attention over his shoulder, eyebrows raised, Chase muttered something under his breath.

“It’s already broken,” he returned, shuffling back to where his bag and jacket were near the couch. Flopping down once more, he fixed his eyes on the television, unsure of what was even playing on the screen. Whatever it was, he didn’t like it, and got to his feet to go change the channel. When his stomach rumbled once more, he gritted his teeth and pulled back from the television, cursing under his breath.

 

[sydnie.cherie]

"Please? You haven't gone out with us in the last two weeks." Leighlah's roommate and best friend whined as she followed her out of the auditorium from which her French IV class had just been dismissed.

"Nah, I think I'll take another rain check. I've had enough going out for a while." Leighlah shook her head.

"Why, because of what happened with Spencer?" Her roommate, Ashley, pressed.

"I told you that had nothing to do with Spencer." Leighlah snapped, finally turning her head and narrowing her eyes at the woman. She was lying, of course. But if she told the lie enough, maybe she would begin to believe it. Which, in turn, would make others believe her. Believing the bullshit that spews out of one's own mouth is a great way to add to credibility.

Ashley glared right back, her footsteps sure enough that she didn't have to watch where she was going. "Whatever." She rolled her eyes, not wanting to get into that argument again. Whenever Leighlah was ready to share the true details of what happened the night Ashley found her sprawled across her bed bandaged and bruised she would. Pressing the issue got her nowhere, as Ashley had discovered.

"If I go out with you, will you leave me alone? At least until the new year." Leighlah sighed, stopping and turning her whole body to face Ashley.

"Yes!" Ashley leapt and threw her arms around Leighlah's shoulders. Leighlah rolled her eyes as she embraced the bubbly brunette. Eventually they released each other and continued to their destination, finally coming to a stop in the main lounge area. "Ahh, some poor sucker tried to use the vending machine." Ashley tsked. Leighlah glanced over, wondering why her friend would take notice of something so unimportant. Then her own stomach rumbled and she realized that Ashley, like her and whoever else had put money in the machine hoping to be rewarded with sustenance, was probably starving and wished to some higher power that stupid thing worked.

Leighlah's eyes landed on a profile that looked oddly familiar, even from her vantage point. In her mind she pictured an irritatingly lackadaisical grin that barely reached beautiful green eyes, the same smile she'd been seeing in her dreams for the past two weeks. "Chase." She murmured to herself.

"Who?" Ashley furrowed her brows as she followed Leighlah's gaze. And then her brows lifted. "Ooh! Cah-yoot-ee. Do you know him?" She said rather loudly. Leighlah slapped her palm on her forehead, dragging down her face as she stared at her friend and wondered why she allowed herself to be seen with her.