Chapter 7 #4
I let out a soft humming noise and stepped forward, my eyes instantly drawn towards a bright blue and vibrant purple comforter that had small silver stars on it.
I ran my fingers over the plastic wrap surrounding the bedding and smiled softly, noticing the moons that were printed on it as well, in all different phases.
As wolves, we were naturally connected to lunar shifts and cycles.
Although, unlike popular culture denoted, it had less to do with the moon causing our shifts and more because of the Goddess that many shifters, like myself, worshipped.
I really didn’t have enough information on the mythology behind it, none of our pack being religious, but I couldn’t lie, I’d always been more attracted to the moon than the sun.
I had adjusted my bed’s placement at home so that I could watch the moon most nights, and I had even begun praying to the Goddess, often.
They weren’t the formal prayers or services I knew probably existed, but I hoped the intention counted for something.
I flipped the bedding package over, my lips dipping slightly as I saw the price tag. It was nearly forty dollars, and that was about all I had left. That wasn’t going to work.
Schooling my features, I stepped away from it, not willing to let myself overthink it too much. One day I would be able to buy bedding like this. I had no idea when, but I would make it happen.
“What was wrong with that one?” Julian asked curiously, standing next to me. He had probably seen me look at the price tag. No point in lying to him, right?
“I don’t want to spend that much money.” I shrugged casually. “I only have forty something dollars right now. That’s all I have left from what my Alpha gave me before putting me on the train.”
A scowl slipped onto Julian’s face as he grabbed the bedding and lifted it over my head. I frowned, arching a brow and looking up. “What are you doing?”
“I’m getting you this. You clearly like it. Consider it a ‘welcome to campus present’ or something.” He flashed me those dimples as my mouth popped open.
“That isn’t necessary, we can totally find something—”
Suddenly, Julian tossed the bedding package over my head, and I turned to watch Caedmon catch it. He winked at me, carrying something else under his arm, as he walked back towards the front area without a word. I frowned, looking back at Julian in confusion.
“Save your money for something fun.” His lighthearted attitude was infectious and had me almost instantly agreeing before thinking through his words. “Better yet, save it for when you want to buy something to wear out when we go to dinner this week.”
“Dinner? Together?” I asked curiously, because call me crazy…
but wouldn’t that be a date? That sounded like a date.
The Hallmark movies I watched would suggest that was the case for sure.
Was it weird that that was my main pull of knowledge when it came to romance?
Clearly, it wasn’t very realistic since Theresa and Gerald’s type of relationship seemed to be far more common.
“Yep.” He popped the ‘p’ and led me towards a different section of the store. I followed after him, not bothering to fight the urge. Although, I couldn’t help the small sliver of doubt that began to sink in.
Why did he want to buy me something? Did he want something?
It didn’t feel that way, but I couldn’t help but question it.
I’d heard Gerald’s friends talk about how they would buy ‘forgiveness’ presents for their wives when they cheated on them.
But the guys weren’t my husbands, so that didn’t make sense.
We were just friends. They didn’t need to ask for forgiveness, they’d done nothing wrong.
“Do you have a bag for class?” he asked, coming to a stop in front of backpacks and purses. My eyes were naturally drawn to the wallets as well, noticing that they were far prettier than the secondhand one Gerald had tossed to me on my way out.
“No.” I shook my head, feeling stupid for not thinking of something like that. “Actually, I don’t have books or anything…”
“We can pick up your schedule and books tomorrow,” he assured me. “I can even show you around campus early, if you don’t mind getting up before class a bit.”
“I don’t usually sleep super well,” I admitted quietly.
Mainly when Gerald’s friends came over to drink.
I would lock myself in my bedroom and listen at the door, making sure I wasn’t brought into the conversation at all.
The few times I had been, I’d pretended to be sleeping when they tried to get me to come out of my locked room.
Unfortunately, the stuff I’d heard while leaning against that door had skewed my view on a lot of stuff throughout life.
Looking through the backpacks, trying to shake my thoughts, my eyes almost instantly gravitated towards a beautiful geometric patterned bag that had silver lines against the navy material. I ran it between my fingers and then looked towards a line of other, more plain, ones.
Except before I could move, Tore appeared behind me, causing me to jump. I looked up at him with a small smile, thrilled to see him. Julian reached over and grabbed something behind me, but I was far too caught up in everything that was Tore.
“Hey you,” I offered. Was it normal for a man to be this distracting?
“Want to go look at the discount stuff?” he asked curiously. I felt my chest relax. It was almost as if he knew that these prices were stressing me out. I nodded as he continued, “Julian, you got this?”
He shouted, ‘yep’ while walking away as Tore gently led me towards another bend in the store before we reached the now discounted holiday section.
I mentally noted to return to make sure to get a backpack at some point when I had more money.
I had no idea how expensive things could be, and it made me want to get a job more than anything.
Nearing the discount area, almost instantly my eyes were pulled to the beautiful collection of snow globes that seemed to be teasing me.
Hadn’t I said this entire experience felt exactly like that?
I found myself stepping forward to look at them as I picked up a stunning blue and silver one, my lips pulling into a smile at the castle inside.
“You like snow globes?” Tore asked, his voice rough.
He grabbed a random one and handled it with extreme care, making me smile at how soft the man could be.
I looked at the discounted price of ten dollars and brought it against my chest, realizing that maybe this was a small gift I should treat myself to.
I had been ditched by my family and dropped in the middle of nowhere—a ten-dollar gift wasn’t that much to ask, was it?
I twisted my lips as a rough, warm hand tilted my chin up.
I stared up into Tore’s eyes, loving the warmth there.
“What?” I asked softly, feeling embarrassed at the way he was looking over me.
His throat produced a soft sound. “What were you just thinking about?”
I opened my mouth and answered honestly. “I was just debating getting one.”
His brow dipped, as if confused. “You should get all of them. If you want them.”
I leaned my cheek into his hand. “I think one is perfect. We can always come back and get more.”
“Which one?” he asked curiously.
I offered him the one I was holding, and he swallowed. “I don’t want to accidentally break it, little bit.”
Little bit? That was cute. I liked that name.
I shook my head. “You won’t.”
He took it and looked it over, his smile growing slightly, as if not meaning to. “I love it.”
My chest warmed as I leaned into him further, wanting to rub against him affectionately. Tore made me feel like a kitten, needy for affection. The way his eyes heated on me made me think that he knew the effect he had on me, at least in part.
“Are we ready to go?” Dakota’s voice called from somewhere nearby, making Tore tense slightly.
The snow globe jostled, but he held onto it.
I closed my hands around his as I offered him a smile, proving my point that he hadn’t broken it.
His eyes flashed dark as he handed it back to me and wrapped his arm around me, covering me further in his warm scent.
“Almost!” Tore shouted back before looking down at me. “Do you need anything else?”
I shook my head. This was far more than I could have asked for from today… these men, bedding, and a snow globe? That seemed perfect for me. I just wondered how long this moment would last until my own snow globe broke.