Temper, Temper: Chapter Twenty Nine: Surprises
"Wow"
Standing in the kitchen doorway Paul leant on the wall with his mouth slightly agape while he appreciated the surprising view in front of him. There were several reasons the view surprised him:
Number one – Alex was in it. Alex never woke up before Paul, they were either waking up together or he was out of bed way before him.
Number two – There was food in it.
With puffier hair than usual, Alex flicked the stray locks out of her eyes as they bloomed out with the motion of her surprise at Paul's presence. A tinge of red stained her cheeks, she shut the oven door without looking back and placed the large metal tray onto the counter before pulling off the oven glove on her hand and toying with it. A shy smile came over her face.
"Now this is a sight I thought I'd never see, fair play baby cakes I didn't have you down as a domestic goddess" Paul slickly commentated before sitting himself on the bar stool opposite the beautiful girl living with him.
"Yeah well, I thought I owed you a bit more than an apology and we already had sex so I thought breakfast would be the next best thing"
Simultaneously the two reached into the hot baking tray and juggled the hot pastries as it burned their skin before it cooled to an average heat and allowed them to take a sweet bite. The mirrored movements made Alex smile.
Paul's grin didn't falter even when he started to devour another pastry, this was a perfect start to the day. The outfit choice Alex had on didn't go unnoticed by Paul either; a simple t-shirt and underwear. But it was one of his t-shirts and he loved seeing them on her.
Despite that he couldn't help the cheeky comment that escaped him,
"I thought there was going to be tits and ass everywhere" He said, referring to her earlier comment which had stuck with him and made him smile whenever he thought of it.
Leaning on the counter Alex polished off her second pastry and smirked at her imprint before in one swift motion she had pulled the shirt over her head and tossed it like a basketball at Paul.
With that she slowly sauntered out of the room and called back to Paul with a cheery tone, "Eyes up buddy, you have work in ten minutes"
Despite making breakfast this morning, Alex wasn't one to stay at home all day, since she didn't have patrol and Paul was at work there was nothing to do. Especially since her young amigo was giving her the cold shoulder. Alex must have really upset Seth if he chose not to forgive her and give her such a hard time over this.
"This is so boring" Alex declared to the empty room before she rolled off of the sofa which she decided to sit on upside down before deciding to go for a walk.
Unusually, Alex kept her wolf alias under wraps and walked around the La Push greenery. Delicately she tip toed her own path like a ballet dancer along the forest outskirts but stopped when a small voice plucked Alex from tranquillity.
"Awix!"
"Hey Sweetie" Claire raced from her companion and straight to Alex who lifted her up easily and placed her on her hip lightly. With a huge smile Alex watched as Claire communicated in the cute childlike babble that most four year olds have mastered.
"Has mean man been back for you yet?"
It took Alex a small pause to remember that Claire would be referring to Felix who she had fortunately managed to push to the back of her head.
"He's not coming back…Now we never got to have our milkshake and burger right?"
"Enforcing healthy eating ideas then Alex?" Quil joined the pair and beamed at the toddler in Alex's arms.
"Qwil we eat chocolate now" With anger that made her look hysterically cute, Claire slammed her fist into the air with force.
"Nice one Alex, its eleven thirty am!" Quil reprimanded her for bringing unhealthy habits to the forefront of Claire's mind.
"Oh please pup, the speed you walk we won't get there till at least half past twelve" Alex teased before reaching out for Quil's hand as she turned her body away in the direction of the nearest burger joint. The prospect of cheesy fast food pulling her away.
Shaking his head Quil accepted the gesture and allowed the two women to pull him away with easy laughter.
It was nice spending time with Claire and Quil, not to mention the hot food was amazing and like any werewolf Alex couldn't help but wolf down – excuse the pun – her plate's contents in a quick minute. Despite that though Alex left them to it after lunch, and continued making her way across every metre of the La Push land.
The bray of a horse caught Alex's hearing when she was walking. Overcoming curiosity was never a strong point for her, so she made her way down the small dirt track she'd been travelling on and crossed the tarmac road.
Quaint buildings were a dime a dozen in La Push but the long barn which came into her sight reminded her vaguely of the one back home. Only, this was far more earthy and suited its environment perfectly rather than Mrs Gaudy's place – which echoed the owner's name perfectly. Rich oak fencing and nature's own flooring was in place here, instead of dull white stone.
To the side of the farm and its adjoining barn, a small circular wooden pen was the source of excitement as three men stood with worn out, practical clothes spectating. As Alex neared she saw a fourth man. He was in the pen itself, sharing company with a huge, brown horse that run in a frenzy of haphazard circles.
Getting closer Alex made out their conversation,
"It's no good" The fourth man said with shaky breaths as he wiped a layer of sheen off his brow with an already dirty sleeve of his denim shirt. "We won't be able to sell him like this"
"God knows we can't use it either, what paying customer would get on" The more rotund man of the group replied as he stepped away from the fence with a sigh.
"I'll get on" Alex said determinedly when she got close enough for the men to look up and take note of her presence, though they did with more humour than anything else. The smiled at her like she was a small toddler barely able to understand the words she spoke.
"Look, you're gonna shoot him or sell him for barely a penny. Either way you'll lose nothing by me trying" The plump man swung his arm in gesture of the pen as signal for her to proceed,
"Knock yourself out kid" He said mockingly,
Not even waiting for him to finish the sentence, Alex sprang over the handmade fence and smirked when another quickly spat out,
"Well that's what she's gonna do…and then bingo, insurance claims! Just what we need" The owner of the voice left then, she heard his dogged footsteps walk away from them.
"What's his name?" Alex said quietly as she confidently walked up to the horse which was now settled into the far right of the pen and stared at her with wide eyes.
"Oscar"
She started to click her tongue then, alternating between that and hushing the animal whilst reaching out her arms to get closer to him. To the men's surprise she got right up to his shoulder and stroked it firmly. As she tried to touch his face, Oscar backed up and raised his head out of the way.
Alex took a step back and put her arm over his back instead, allowing it to rest heavy so the animal felt the weight that was there.
"He's frightened" She narrated, not even bothering to turn her head to get the reaction of shock she knew was there. In a quick, fluid motion Alex moved her grip to Oscar's mane and lightly jumped onto his back. Keeping her one hand on a lock of mane, Alex moved her other arm out to keep balance.
At first the horse objected and reared up high before agitatedly walking side to side with bouncy, energy filled steps. It only lasted a few moments before he landed solidly on the ground and remained still.
"I'll be back by six with him, if I'm not I'll pay for the horse and wasting your time" The three remaining men said nothing, but the labourer swung the gate off its latch as Alex instructed.
In the instant the animal saw the escape he pelted forward with Alex still in seat, she crouched low to his back and smiled – this was something Alex really could say she was good at.
Paul greeted Alex internally as she pounded into the forest later that day, a wolfy grin on her face and positivity radiating from her figure.
'Guess what you're amazing, fabulous, stunning imprint did today?' Alex thought cheekily as she pushed her muzzle into Paul's soft fur.
When Paul responded she strut away from him, wagging her tail from side to side,
'I…got job' Alex answered before dashing away, enticing Paul to give chase.