Dont own the series. I hope you like this.
Weeks passed seamlessly as Piper began a routine in Aspen Creek. She'd become quite close with both Anna and Charles in the extended time. Also, thanks to her candidness at Tag's party, she had won the admiration of Aspen Creek's male population. Even Tag, who'd acted blissfully forgetful of her panic attack, had become a constant companion. However, with her new found friends and notoriety in town, Piper had also earned a reputation.
The barflies and baptists whispered as she walked by. Some deemed her Mercy Jr., in reference to the troublemaker Bran had previously took in. This especially fit with all the attention Bran seemed to pay her, so they said. Other people, simply whispered whore as she passed. Piper would usually flash a suggestive finger to these lucky individuals. Once, when Mrs. Locke had caught her on a very bad day, Piper may or may-not have brought out her gun.
Piper was sure the worse rumors had been started by Leah. No one else would know that Van and his wife divorced around the time she'd become a fixture in the Detroit pack. Of course, Leah had lied claiming Piper was the reason, instead of the many affairs Mrs. Bodekin had participated in.
Despite the repetitional warfare occurring in the creek, Piper found herself happy. Time spent with Anna settled her. The woman reminded her of Mac more than any other wolf she'd met. And Tag's constant teasing at the Sporting Good Store, where he'd thankfully employed her, made it impossible to stay in any other emotional state beyond immaturity and bliss.
Running had also added to Piper's new found happiness. The exercise had once been her outlet. In fact, up until Mac's death, she had run every morning. It wasn't until a morning after the loss, when she'd flown into a panic attack mid-run that she'd stop. She had just been too emotionally constricted to let herself feel free in such a basic way. Plus, the extra thinking time only lead to more destructive thoughts.
For some reason, neither of these problems plagued her while in Aspen Creek. In truth, Piper wasn't even sure how it had started. One morning she had simply woken up, walked toward the woods and started jogging down a trail. The next morning, she had found herself doing the same thing.
Unfortunately, this had been how she'd found Bran's house, as the trail started right on the other side of his property. She had run the path for two weeks before even finding it out. Before that point, Piper had managed to avoid Bran Cornick, despite always feeling his eyes on her while in public.
The particular morning of the run-in, she had been so surprised to see him, she'd accused him of stalking her. He had, helpfully, pointed out the house they were in front of, was his own. Her mouth had formed that little "o" and she'd mumbled something about a lovely lawn before jogging onto the path.
Afterward, Piper had tried to run the road instead of the trail, but she found herself hating it. She longed for running wildly in the woods, specifically, on the trail next to Bran's. Piper had decided the chance of a Squints-run in was worth the risk.
Unfortunately, accepting that cost made it even more difficult to forget the yummy man. Piper had promised herself, since her panic attack, to avoid him like the plague. Bran had a mate, a fact that was made painstakingly clear when he left her blubbering against the cold-brick wall. Just so his precious she-bitch wouldn't be upset, Piper grumbled.
It was also unfortunate that the man who she was infatuated with happened to be her good friend's father-in-law. The idea altogether is not so kosher. Anna was always arranging group get-together, at which Bran, his pshyco and Piper would all attend. She usually just stuck to Tag's side or left early, but Anna's recent invitation made both strategies impossible.
"Letmegetthisstraight….you want me to sit down to dinner, with that crazy bitch, and break bread?"
"Yep."
"Did Charles finally share some of that Peyote?"
"Piper, i'm serious!"
" I don't care who you are," she demanded, "'m not breaking bread with Fatal Attraction at her own house, Anna."
"It's not her home…it's Brans."
"There's no way I'm going."
"Piper," she whined. "It's Thanksgiving and you promised me you'd come."
"I thought you meant at your house, with you and Charles and Tag…not at frickin' Squint's!"
"It doesn't matter, you promised."
She huffed. Her friend had no doubt done this on purpose. Just as every bit scheming as that mate of hers. "Fine. But Tag better be there," Piper grumbled but with Anna's wince she was sure the woman's next words would not be "yes, of course".
"...Well-" Anna began
"Forget it, I'm not going!"
"Tag is going to his neices." Anna pointed a finger at her, ".!"
"Fine, Fine! Just put that thing away before you hurt somebody." Anna waggled her finger again before breaking into a smile.
"Don't worry. Just remember," Anna winked, "be thankful!"
Piper snorted, "yeah, i'll be thankful for the alcohol and psycho-Barbie can be thankful if she makes it through dinner without getting shot."
Piper was absolutely sure she must have gone insane. Here she was, standing on Squint's stoop with the customary "i'm a stranger here's some pie" dessert. She grumbled, thinking that she wasn't very thankful for anything at the moment. Mac wasn't here. Her best friends were three tricky wolves and the woman of this house hold would love to see her on this dinner table, roasted to a spit. This can only end in disaster, Piper decided. An image of herself jumping on top of a turkey-and-stuffing-filled table, with her gun aimed at Leah's head, came easily to mind. Yup. I'm leaving.
She was already two steps away from the door as it cracked and swung open. "Shit" was all she mangaged before dropping into a crouch and rubbing her fingers together, "here, kitty, kitty!" Piper pretended to search for a phantom cat and decided she had never felt more rediculous in her life.
Somone cleared their throat from the doorway. Please be Anna or Charles. Please be Anna or Char-
"Oh! Hulllo Bran."
Bran stood in the doorway of his stupidly-perfect house looking stupidly-perfect. She could tell he didn't buy her charade. Not caring, Piper cleared her throat and marched toward him. She shoved the cardboard container into his not-outstreched hand. "A feral cat just ran by," she chirped, "nearly took off my fingers!" Piper stepped into the house, taking off her coat.
Bran looked amused. "Do you often call out for feral cats?"
Piper couldn't stop herself from being amused at his amusement. His face really did transform when he smiled. She studied his jeans and blue button-down, the same shade as his eyes. Dam, he looked good.
"trust me, I do all sorts of things that aren't good for me."
Piper barely held back a wince. She hadn't meant that to sound so suggestive. Bran only glanced down to what was in his hands.
"A birthday cake?" He sounded confused.
"Nope, it's a pie in disguise."
Piper had hoped, in the sake of the holidays, he wouldn't mention the cake. The store had run out of pie so she figured scraping of parts of 'Happy Birthday Mary Elizabeth' would make it at least acceptable. It now said
'Happy -day
Bran smiled, as if the whole thing were some private joke. "I'll put this in the kitchen...Anna, Charles and Leah are in the den."
She nodded and stumbled further into the house. Her first impression was... Bran. This house was solid, practically completely made of wood. The walls were dark green with splashes of brown, for good measure. Only a few pictures lined the walls. Some of them were of places, one, of a collection of houses and another of Bran, Charles and a third smiling man. From the glint in his eyes, Piper would guess he was Samuel. She noticed he was quite attractive. Piper also noticed, with an immature glee, that no photos contained Leah.
She found Anna, Charles and Leah gathered on two large couches in front of a fireplace. Leah had her arms crossed and Anna and Charles sat close.
"Hello."
They turned, Anna calling out, "Hey. Happy thanksgiving!" Charles only smiled and Leah glared daggers.
"Happy thanksgiving Anna. Indian, isn't this holiday kind of offensive to you?"
He chuckled. "Good to see you to, Pips." She grimaced at his atrocious nick-name for her.
Piper turned her attention toward the blonde. She sincerely hope the woman's face wouldn't get stuck like that, or maybe she did, she thought, as Bran in all his Thanksgiving-glory came to mind.
"Lovely to see you, as always, Leah. "
"Go Fuck youself."
"Well," Piper chuckled, "aren't we just a ray of freaking sunshine."
The blonde grumbled as she plopped down on the brown thick couch next to Anna and Charles. She remarked the couch smelled of Bran.
"Want some wine?" her friend asked.
"I'll take the whole bottle."
HA. Probably some of you saw the Chapter title 'sex' and were like, YES!
Alas, that is the latin numero 6
GET YOUR MIND OUT OF THE GUTTERS