I stretched fairly well as I was getting ready for my run. Being a werewolf, I stay in pretty decent shape but I like the adrenaline rush so I run on a daily basis if I have the time.
I ran past Adam's house along the riverfront. I saw him watching through the front windows as I went by. Deciding to be cheeky, I waved to him, noting the tic in his jaw as he shook his head. He really wasn't happy that I decided to run without a male present but I didn't want to wake Sam up. He had enough on his plate at the moment and was sleeping that off back at home. I'd be fine on my own so I refused to tell him I was going running. But he knew so that was the reason he was waiting at the window.
I heard the front door open and the pounding of feet. I turned around once to see Jesse, blue hair and all, came running at me. The cold made her cheeks flush with enough blood to make them red. She was dressed in a tracksuit which meant she had been waiting on me.
I turned around and continued on. She fell into step with me and we ran along the river in silence. The fact that Adam had allowed her to run with me was a testament to the fact that he trusted me enough with his only child. In all actuality Jesse and I spent more time together than I did with any other female besides Mercy. The other woman was her mother/friend; I was just a friend. It didn't matter to me. I couldn't have children anyway, unless I adopted them. That was the curse of a female werewolf. We were sterile.
Jesse slipped and I automatically grabbed her upper arm to keep her steady. She laughed then smiled up at me. I shook my head, trying to quell the urge to send her back. She wouldn't listen anyway so there wasn't a point to waste my breath. This was a severe case of like father, like daughter.
I stopped when we came to the turn off to Mercy's shop and sat down heavily on the bank. I usually run to clear my head but having Jesse around meant I had to be careful or Adam would lay into me. She was also a catalyst to have my previous thoughts return.
Jesse sat down beside me and let out a happy sigh. I never brought water with me because I didn't usually need it. Now I was wishing I had.
"Dad told me what happened last night.' She said as she watched the water run.
"I can only imagine what he said." I replied. I actually knew what he had said because they were out on the back patio when he told her. Super hearing allowed me to hear them.
"He was really vague, but he said there might be a new mating bond established in the future. I think he was talking about you." I looked over at her but didn't say a word. "Did you wolf finally call?" She was well aware of my predicament and was broaching it carefully.
I looked back at the water. "Yeah, it happened.'
She became excited then. "Who is it?" I shrugged. She let her face drop. "You don't know? How do you not know?"
"It just happened last night and I didn't stay at the house long enough to figure out who it was."
"So?"
"So what?"
"So I would have been kissing every single male until I found him."
I rubbed the back of my neck. "Every one of them would be dead by the time you found him.'
"You're right. Dad would kill them just for that." She cringed at the thoughts that obviously played through her mind. "That's scary." I laughed at the thought as well. If anything, Adam was extremely protective. Then again, what would Gabriel, her current boyfriend, say if he found out about her kissing another guy? That boy was too nice to be hurt.
Laughing at the thoughts that really came to mind, I stood and shook the chill of the water off. Jesse extended her hand for help. I took it and hauled her to her feet. We walked half the way back to the Finley border. When we crossed it, we started running back to the house. After we tapped the side of the adobe, we took a few extra minutes to stretch out the run.
"Jesse." Adam called from the doorway. He was dressed in jeans and a light sweater that his daughter had given him for his birthday. "Come inside."
She turned to from the railing to look at him. "All right. Can Kaden come in as well, Dad?" she asked.
"If she wants to. But I want you inside now."
Without asking if I wanted to, which I always did, Jesse grabbed my hand and led me inside. She suddenly shivered as the warm air of the house hit her cold skin. She turned to me. "Stay here. I'll be right back."
I watched her fly up the stairs to change into warmer clothes and had to laugh at her. She was forever my shadow. "She knows it's cold out. Why did she wear shorts?"
"You were. She follows your lead." He replied as we walked into the kitchen. It was clean which meant Mercy was at work and it smelled like cornbread, and I don't mean the northern type. I mean the good ole southern type. He looked at me over the island he was currently leaning on. "Sam asleep?"
"Yeah, it's his day of considering he has to work Thanksgiving."
"You're more than welcomed to join us for dinner."
"Thanks." I stopped as I heard a car pull out front. I knew the engine. "Ben's here."
"Good. He's bringing the extra turkey for tomorrow.' I laughed and shook my head as the door opened. Ben and turkeys had me laughing. "Hey, Ben."
"Hey, Boss. Brought the extra turkey as you asked." He looked over at me as I sat on the counter between the refrigerator and stove. "Kaden."
"Ben." I replied, giving him a curt nod.
He looked at me for a few moments, seemingly forgetting the turkey and Adam. My wolf lurched. Adam looked at me sharply as I shrunk back on the counter. I liked it better when he was looking at me with a half-lidded gaze that meant he wanted to antagonize me.
Ben looked as if he'd been shot; he was somewhat dazed. I decided I needed to move but the way I did it could have gone better than it did. I slid off the counter too close to Adam because the idiot moved around the island.
Ben snarled viciously, his fingers digging into the turkey.
I stopped where I was and Adam stepped back around the island. Ben took the two steps needed to get to my side and tossed the turkey onto the counter. I stood still to make sure his wolf calmed down enough to be rational.
"Dad? Kaden? Are you in the kitchen?" Jesse's voice filtered to the kitchen as she came through the living room and dining room to us. She was coming right into the middle of the situation.
I jerked Ben past the refrigerator before he attacked the girl and Adam attacked him. Attacking Jesse would only get him toss out faster than he could realize what he was doing. I felt Ben's nose in my hair as I stood in front of him. Adam nodded his approval as Jesse came in and looked between us.
"What's going on?" the seventeen-year-old asked.
'Ben dropped off the extra turkey for tomorrow." Adam replied. "He's getting something to drink at the moment."
"Oh. Kaden, Dad made hot chocolate. I can't drink it all. Care to share with me?"
"Okay," I allowed her to drag me into the living room.
We flopped out on the couch and turned on an old black and white movie. We could have gone into the media room, but that was too close to the kitchen and I wanted Jesse out of there. She was engulfed in the movie, mouth hanging open over her mug. I could hear Adam scolding Ben in the room we just left. I fought my instincts and stayed in my seat. Adam was the Alpha and I had no right to interfere.
Ben was stalking out when he saw me. We looked at each other for a few moments. His shoulders dropped as the anger left him. His face darkened with red before he continued out the door. I heard his truck peel away before I shook my head and turned my attention back to the television.
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I stayed a few more hours at Adam's before heading home. He actually booted me out when I told him his making crackling cornbread for Thanksgiving was stupid and to leave it with the regular stuff. Don't ever tell a werewolf how to cook.
I walked slowly across the yard to let myself think. This was going to be interesting. Luckily Adam was the only one who had been able to sense anything. He wouldn't tell unless I did or asked him to.
I went in through the back door. Sam was sitting at the table with his cup of coffee and a newspaper. He looked up as I was taking off my shoes. He didn't say anything as I slumped down across from him and let my head hit the table.
"Your run went well, I see." He said, letting his eyes go back to his paper.
"Yeah, Jesse joined me.' I replied. I lifted my head when he didn't respond immediately. "Sam, my wolf chose a mate."
He nodded. "I know. I was there."
I shook my head at his stupidity. For a man who had three medical degrees, he really was slow. "Sam, my wolf chose Ben as my mate."
