Crosshairs (closed)

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Lips parted to speak, a feeble attempt to offer argument, but were promptly interrupted by another kiss. She obviously didn't protest. The warmth of his embrace washed over her. It ignited in her feelings similar to what she'd had earlier, but their encounter now seemed to have a different tone. The heated rush was buried and simmering softly, but more prevalent was the feeling of intense care for one another. It was safe and comforting and all enveloping. She fell into it easily enough, allowing herself to be wrapped up in his arms and the world to melt away.


It wasn't until the sizzling sound behind her started increasing and her keen sense of smell picked up the beginnings of a burn that she pulled away from him. It wasn't a full departure, but a graceful spin in his arms so that he still held her but her back was toward him. She reached forward to turn the burner off and allow the food to finish up without burning. Gripping the spoon, she gave everything another stir.


"How did it end up that I'm doing all of the stirring?" She asked, turning her head to look up and back at him over her shoulder. "I thought I was just helping."


It was clear she didn't mind, though. She was as calm as she had been in a long time. Everything felt so delightfully normal; it was hard to be anything but happy in the moment.

 

[Soliloquy]

The Alpha entered his comfort zone with his arms around her, feeling the heat within him rising as he tilted his head, deepening the kiss. As it ended and she was distracted by the food he half wanted to tell her to let it burn. He settled instead for letting his lips rest on the curvature of her neck while she stirred.


Once she turned back to speak, he seized the opportunity to press his lips back on to hers, his hands rest around her waist and on her hips. His wolf growled happily, enjoying the new angle he was able to bask in her aura at. Moist lips picked up speed as his hands grew brave, wandering along her stomach and keeping her close to him. At the same time his lips occasionally moved away from hers, playfully moving to her earlobes and then neck.


"Well, if you'd prefer I can go back to stirring," he offered quietly.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

The white wolf emitted a low, purr-like growl that transmitted itself into a content whimper from Elise's throat. Her hands, now free after releasing the spoon back into the pan, placed themselves on the strong forearms that were wrapped around her. The wine hadn't been opened and dinner hadn't even cooled, yet here they were. Elise found herself caring less and less about everything else. She couldn't remember the last time she'd been held, touched, kissed like this. Probably never, because she had never felt such intense sensations before. The bond between them ignited as both their wolf and human psyches connected.


"No," she protested softly. "I think I can handle it."


Her head naturally tilted itself to the side to allow more space along the curve of her neck. She felt warm and weak; thankful that his strong arms were there to support her. The last thing she needed was to have her knees give out on her like a complete idiot. A wistful sigh left her soft lips as she felt the warmth pulsate like a heartbeat around her.


"I can't remember the last time I felt happy like this," she admitted to him without shame or regret. "I wish every day could be like this."

 

[Soliloquy]

The hunger that had resided in his eyes earlier that day returned as he looked down at her smiling. Her taste and scent were intoxicating to him and he could feel himself growing restless against her. She pulled away and his eyes lit up looking at her. Her words pushed him even further but he grinned at her.


"Oh, you're not the only one," he agreed, releasing his hold on her to reach around her, nudging the pots off the stove. As he worked to finish cooking, still pressed to her, he occasionally paused, bending over to press his lips gently into her neck.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise allowed herself to remain in the comically domestic scene for as long as possible. She knew that if anyone saw her like this, it would be the most laughable situation ever. To see the ferocious she-wolf turned into mush at the hands of her Alpha... it was almost too good to be true. She thought that to herself quite frequently, actually. Life had hardly been a dream, but sometimes, like moments such as this, things didn't seem real. She had to keep telling herself to accept these moments, though. Accept the happiness because it wouldn't last long. It was hard enough convincing herself to do that, let alone think she deserved it.


"Let's make this simpler."


She peeled herself away from him, much to the Alpha's chagrin, and gave them both the space they needed to finish things up. Elise worked with opening the bottle of wine and finding some suitable glasses to pour the deep purple liquid into. It was a length process, what with the many breaks they took for stolen kisses and touches, but eventually the process had been managed. Elise hadn't realized how famished she was until she had worked her wary through to the bottom of her bowl.


"I think I have to relinquish the trophy back to you after this morning," she told him as she swirled a small bit of remaining wine around in her glass. "You're like the creation of one of those novels the Lifetime movies are based off of." She offered him a smile. "Smart, strong, a culinary guru... insanely good looking. Okay fighter." Her smirk grew, clearly teasing him with that last bit.

 

[Soliloquy]

As she pulled out of his grasp he furrowed his eyebrows at her putting distance between them. He muttered how he was decidedly no longer a fan of simplicity. The meal finished and he sat watching her, cheeks now flushed from his second glass of wine. Unused to drinking it, he had quickly swallowed the first glass, thus enticing a lecture from her on drinking it slow to savor it. Her compliments only added to the color of his cheeks but he nodded.


"Such a sweet tongue for a fiery woman," he commented, under the influence of both the alcohol and the atmosphere they were in. Standing he pulled her to her feet, both glasses in hand and leading her out to the now dark yard.


Stars littered the sky and illuminated the night. He settled himself on the wicker couch, gently pulling her down alongside him. He was silent, looking up at the sky with a peaceful look on his face.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Outside, the night was cold, still, and quiet. Their naturally elevated body temperatures, accompanied by their closeness and the wine kept Elise comfortable enough. She sat close to him and instead of watching the sky, watched his face for a moment. She wondered about who he was before he'd been turned. She wondered about who he might have been if he hadn't been thrust into his role as Alpha. The curiosity became too great to keep it to herself.


"What were you like... before all of this?" She asked before turning her face toward the sky. "What did you do? What did you want out of life?"


There was a deep desire inside of her to know everything about him she possibly could. While she felt like she knew him relatively well, Elise wished to learn about his past, his memories and experiences. She longed to be able to make connections on top of the ones that she felt she'd already made. She listened quietly, hoping he wouldn't be put off by her inquisitions.

 

[Soliloquy]

The Alpha wrapped an arm around his she wolfs shoulders, both to ensure she stayed warm and also for the sheer enjoyment he was given by her touch. He shrugged as she inquired about his past, as he personally didn't feel like he had one anymore. But, as she had been willing to divulge her past to him, he felt she deserved no less. Taking a deep breath, he dove into this own story.


"Honestly, I was too young to know what I wanted out of life," James admitted, turning his attention from the skies to her glowing face. "I was an only child, father was a heart surgeon and my mother was a nurse. You can imagine how they met. Growing up was probably the easiest a kid could ask for it. They loved each other and were good people."


He paused as he spoke giving her a small wink. "Maybe it's where I get it from?" he teased, but continued on. "Before being bitten I was just in high school, decent grades, good kid, voted prom king, but didn't go. I wasn't too awkward, but I didn't quite look like this. My biggest ambition was probably football. As I'm sure you can't guess, quarterback. It wasn't a selfless career goal like my parents had, but they supported me all the same. They were amazing like that. 'We may not always agree with you, but we will always support you.' I was lined up for Michigan State scholarships and all that jazz before shit hit the fan and I...well, y'know, ate my parents."


He shifted slightly under her, a topic he wasn't entirely in terms with, simply buried for the most part. One hand traveled mindlessly through her hair and he took a large sip of his wine, offering her his best smile. He hadn't let himself slip into a dark place, which he was pleased with. It was too good of a night to ruin it with shadows.


"And the rest is history. Running away, stumbling into this pack of dogs and then I got to finish growing into this," he gestured to himself, nearly tipping his glass in the process. "Your slightly awkward, but still adorable Alpha."

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise listened, enraptured, as James explained his story. She felt she could imagine it all in her mind's eye as he told his story. It actually wasn't surprising to picture him as the hot, popular guy in high school. Prom king, football star... it was all so painfully cliche, yet she found herself smiling at it. So different from her own childhood. She envied it in a way, but she couldn't say that she hated her upbringing. It had been difficult, but things had worked out for the best... for the most part.


She took a drink of her wine before leaning her head against his shoulder. A content look fell over her face as relaxation took over her muscles. She enjoyed this time of reflection and discovery. She felt it brought her a little closer to her Alpha. It was quite an enjoyable emotion. Her eyes watched him carefully as he finished his story. When he damn near spilled his glass, her far less clumsy fingers reached out to steady it.


"Adorable and surprisingly uncoordinated," she added with a smile.


When she was sure he had a good hold on the glass, she let her fingers slip away from it. Her eyes drifted to the forest, her wolf wondering about the things that were hiding away in the darkness.


"You know, I'm totally not surprised that you were Mr. Popular Quarterback. I can see it. You've got that... All-American look about you." She winked at him. "It's cute."

 

[Soliloquy]

James chuckled at her response, deciding to save himself from threats of further spills by finishing the glass in one gulp and setting it on a small table beside the couch. His stretched his arms out above his head with a sigh before returning one over Elise. The night was cool and calm and the faintest hints of the music still playing in the kitchen seeped through out of the house and to their ears.


"I can settle for cute," he decided, one hand rubbing her shoulder. "What else does the curious she wolf want to know?"


While the atmosphere was serene, the temperature was beginning to pass a comfortable chill. The night was now in full force and the winter wind nipped at their faces.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

With their glasses of wine finished, the warming effect was no longer winning out against the winter chill. As the wind picked up occasionally, Elise felt the goosebumps begin forming on even the skin that was covered by her clothes. She shuddered slightly.


"Plenty," she answered. "But preferably inside. By the fire."


She lifted herself off of the bench and reached a hand out for James. She tugged him gently inside, and was immediately greeted by the relief of warmth that flooded her body. One last shudder left her. Setting her empty glass on the counter, she led him into the den where the fire still crackled in the hearth. The she wolf sat down on the large sofa and pulled him down next to her.


"Much better," she said with a content sigh. "Now," she turned on the sofa so she could sit facing him. One leg was curled up underneath her body while the other extended itself off the side of the couch. "How did you make it to this place? I'm assuming you aren't from the area. I can't imagine much of anyone being from this place."

 

[Soliloquy]

He agreed with her on the return inside, letting her lead him in. He enjoyed the way he was leading her around, not a force instruction, but still compelling to follow. Situated on the couch leaning up against the corner, he felt heat creep back to him from the nearby fire. The scent was a favorite of his, bringing back memories of camping growing up, and it always soothed the Alpha.


James shrugged his shoulders at her next question. "I suppose a lot like Angel did," he offered, watching her thoughtfully for a moment. "I was right around her age, no guidance or anyone to talk to. I ran because I couldn't stay, but unlike her I had no idea where to run to."


His gaze drifted to the fire, happily devouring the logs that were nestled in the hearth. "I was from a suburb of Indianapolis and I guess I thought if I could make it to a big city I could get lost again, not have to worry about anyone looking for me. I think part of me was planning on going to New York City and starting over there. I hitch hiked and walked along the way. Thankfully, I never made it that far."


"I hadn't changed for a couple of weeks and when it happened for the second time, it wasn't my choice and I couldn't really control it. I was causing some mischief a few hours from here when word must have spread. Alexander, Angel's brother and the last Alpha, fortunately picked me up before I caused too much damage and drug me kicking and screaming back. A few months of Robert and them beating some sense into me and I was as well-behaved as a wolf can be."

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise leaned the side of her head against the couch, one arm bent and placed between her head and the couch. Her hand, behind her head, idly played with her own blonde curls. She was completely engulfed in James's story, and slipping into a natural comfort zone. They didn't often have the opportunity to just talk about things, without the dark undertones, like this. It was nice to feel that, although his history wasn't exactly easy, he didn't seem to harbor heavy feelings in regards to it. He had accepted it... something that Elise had yet to learn to do.


"I can only imagine what those few months must have looked like."


The idea of Robert and the others whipping him into shape was a less-than-pleasant thought. She knew how tough the tough love act could be among those guys. Her eyes stayed on his face. The firelight danced on the side of her own face as she watched him, giving her a warm sort of glow. Already, she was defrosting.


"Why you?" She asked suddenly. "When everything... happened. How did you become Alpha and not Robert, or Tony, or any of the others?"

 

[Soliloquy]

He looked back at her from the fire, unable to hide a smile to see how consumed she was in his tale. Her fingers twisted through her hair and he silently longed to have his hand in place of hers. Deep in his own wishful thinking he nearly missed her question.


"Well to be honest, there wasn't much competition," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. "After the smoke cleared and it was just the four of us left we were all so exhausted, so tired. Nearly about to give up and go our own ways. But in the end we didn't, and I was the only one who offered to step up. Although, if you ask me, Robert or Anthony would have been better for the role. I think they were just too shaken up, though."


As he finished talking, James rolled his neck back once before looking fully at her, entering the haze he often did in her presence. The happy aura was present, even speaking of less-than-happy topics.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

"The whole place would have crumbled and fell under one of their supervision," Elise said with a smile. "It was supposed to be you. I'm glad it was."


She spoke with full certainty. Robert and Tony were strong and capable, but they lacked the tact that was necessary when it came to leadership. Marcus was smart, cunning, and likable, but he was too enigmatic to be counted on enough to lead others. James was a perfect balance of both. He seemed to have been doing a good job of it. Even though he had a small pack to manage, he was working on making it bigger, and so far he had. His pack had grown by two in just a matter of months. That was something to be proud of.


Elise let comfortable silence wash over them. She turned her head toward the fire and allowed her gaze to linger there head on. The heat radiated evenly throughout the room, and she could feel her cheeks flushing from the temperature. The music still played in the kitchen and carried its way softly to the den. That and the cracking of the logs in the fire gave a peaceful ambiance that Elise found herself getting quite easily lost in.

 

[Soliloquy]

He glowed under her compliments, her words heavy in weight and honest to him. The room was cozy and he felt his thoughts mulling back over the day and the earlier events. While his wolf had been behaving, its ears perked up at the memory of their encounter that afternoon in the study. Rolling onto his back, the wolf watched her playfully wagging his tail.


James agreed with his wolf, eyes traveled along Elise's body while the light of the fire danced on her. He watched her thoughtfully before shifting from his seat closer to her. A look of excitement had begun to shine.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Without looking at him, Elise was able to sense the change in James's mood. She could feel the pull, the wolf begging for her attention. It caused her to turn her head and look at him. Her cheeks, flushed from fire and wine, gave her face a welcoming glow, as did her eyes. She canted her head to the side and regarded him with a small smile. She sensed the excitement that was exuding out of her gaze. It made her blush deepen.


"Yes?" She inquired with a perk of the brow. "You look like you just remembered it was Christmas Eve or something."


One hand reached forward to find him. It placed itself on the side of his face, fingers curling gently along his chiseled jawline. There was an outpouring of emotions coming from her gaze. True, deep seeded care and compassion was accompanied by want and a mischievous sort of playfulness, all a result of the mixed emotions of both woman and wolf coming together.

 

[Soliloquy]

He chuckled at her remark, feeling it was uncannily accurate. He felt a lot like Christmas was approaching, or something even better, feeling on the edge of his seat. He let his shoulder rise and fall as a sheepish shrug.


"Something better," he said, his voice suddenly quieter than it had been previously when they were simply speaking. "You're so beautiful.."


His hand came to rest on top of hers as he dove into the lavender pools of her eyes. He lingered in her gaze for a time frame he couldn't determine. It could have been a minute or an hour, he was lost. Pulling himself back out, his free hand wrapped around her waist, pulling her up off of the leg she was sitting on and instead on to his chest as he laid back against the couch, his head propped up on a pillow as he looked up at her, his aura seeping out and around both of them.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

His compliment caused her gaze to drop in a slightly bashful manner. The delicate area of feelings was all such foreign territory to her. It had been a very long time since she'd let someone in like this. It had never been an issue of physical intimacy before. It was when the complications of feelings got involved that she began to feel a little out of her element. Now, she knew that the forces at work were far beyond just physical attraction, and it was that, that made her feel timid and a bit bashful.


"Thanks."


Was a quiet response given. It was hard for her to sit under his deep, intense gaze without squirming away from it. At the very least, she had to avert her gaze for a moment before she caved under his. She had been looking at the fire when he reached for her. Her body moved with a fluid grace in response to his, falling on top of him easily enough. She looked down at him with a small smile. Her golden mane curtained both their faces to one side. Their proximity, the lingering effects of the wine, and today's conversations had a rush of butterflies causing havoc in her stomach.


"Hi," she whispered down at him with a slight twinkle in her eyes. Her lips fell upon his in a slow kiss, just taking a few moments to taste him and breathe him in. When she pulled away, she found that the butterflies had only gotten worse.

 

[Soliloquy]

Her body melted into his as their lips melt. One hand drifted to the small of her back, resting in place while the other shifted from his face to hers, cradling her face in his palm. James felt his body temperature rise, the connection from their lips warming him and riveting through his body. As she pulled away he gave her a soft grin.


"Hello," he breathed, stroking her cheek. His voice had shifted into the deeper tone he always had in these situations with her, looking up with hungry eyes into hers.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Anticipation and nervousness built up inside of her. Her wolf grew hungry and impatient. Elise knew what she craved, and she also had an inkling as to how intense it was going to be. Given their bond and the sharing of feelings and emotions, she was sure it would be like anything she had ever experienced. That, in itself, was enough to make her nervous. Throw in the feelings she had developed for her Alpha and it was a whole different ballgame. She looked down at his hungry eyes with ones of her own that were slightly nervous.


"This is crazy, right?" She asked as her eyes flickered back and forth between his. "These feelings. And the fact that we've been left alone with them?"


A nervous chuckle left her. She couldn't help but to lean into his touch, feeling like it simply wasn't enough. Her wolf growled softly and closed her eyes in an attempt to remain patient. It was becoming difficult, though. Elise sat up, still resting comfortably atop of him, and slowly pulled his upper body so he was sitting up as well. She wrapped her arms loosely around his shoulders and neck and looked into his eyes, looking for some sort of assurance or safety net to catch her.


"Should we?" She canted her head to the side. "We should... right?"

 

[Soliloquy]

James found that his ability to speak was limited severely, distracted by the allure of her presence and the longing that surged inside him. His brain worked hard to form sentences but in the end found that it was a waste. Sometimes you don't need to say anything, echoed in his mind. Instead, he found that he was taking to parroting the things she said back to her in his deepened, almost throaty tone.


"Crazy," he murmured back, fixated on her gaze, emotion pouring from his own into her eyes. As they shifted to sitting up, he let her scent float into his nostrils and he smiled. Her soul throbbed in front of him and it was exhilarating. He was a pile of dry kindling and she was the hot match dropped in the middle of him, igniting his passion until it shone in his eyes.


"Is it what you want?" he managed to muster an entire sentence, hands sliding down to her waist, guiding her legs until wrapped around his torso. He watched her quietly, his wolf whining as it was told to wait patiently, caging the desire for her until her command.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

The she wolf found that she was also having a hard time forming sentences. It wasn't due to the contagious nature of James's own condition, either. Nor did it have to do with her wolf. It was just her and her nervousness at the hands of someone so impeccable. Someone that she actually felt was too good for her. She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat when he had guided her legs around him. Her eyes were locked on his.


"Mm... mhm... she nodded fervently, unable to actually speak words of affirmation until she cleared her throat. "Yes. So much it terrifies me."


Elise had no idea how much time had gone by since the others had left. It could have been hours; it could have been one. But she didn't care. She found that absolutely nothing else was important. Her wolf scoffed at everything that wasn't the Alpha and could not be bothered to be interested in it. Elise fell into the deep pools of James's eyes. Unable to contain the ache in her heart, she crashed her lips into his in a passionate, fervent kiss. She felt like her very soul was slipping from her mouth to his; like she was breathing her life force into him. She kissed him with everything she possibly could, and still felt like it wasn't enough. After what felt like an eternity, she pulled away if only to come up for air. Her eyes danced not only on his, but all over his face, soaking up as much of him as she could.

 

[Soliloquy]

Her words were like gasoline, turning what was a small flame into a roaring fire within him. When her body jumped into motion against his, their hearts quickened and he released a deep, primal growl. As their mouths essentially attacked each other, his hands snaked around her body, slipping beneath her shirt and removing it during an intermission to breathe.


Their lips danced and bodies wove together frantically, as if in a race to know the others body more and faster than the other. Occasionally their skin would brush in a spot and he'd release a soft noise, against her skin, lips, or just aloud. After sometime he rose from the couch, his arms easily lifting her with him and shifting their bodies to the floor, hovering above her. He gazed at her, illuminated by the crackle of the fire, before moving slowly toward her body, pulling them both past the point of return and into the depths of their desires...


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Miles away, the small troop of wolves were comfortably nestled in the enveloping darkness of a movie theater. Their dinner was a low-grade fiasco, what with the brothers being their usual selves, accented with the beauty of alcohol. Marcus was nominated to wolf wrangler as they were drug away from what could have been an interesting fight and to the movie theater instead.


Angel seated herself comfortably between Robert and Marcus, Anthony on Marcus' other side. The theater was relatively packed, so their choices of where to sit were limited. They were about ten minutes into the movie when a favorite actress of hers appeared. The young wolf leaned over, whispering loud enough for Marcus to hear over the sound of the movie.


"That's her! She's been nomina-" she was cut off by a swift kick to the seat by a college kid sitting behind her. He seemed to be unhappy with her speaking for the eighth time.


"Hey, sweetheart," he snapped, "Can you shut your trap so the rest of us can enjoy the movie? You're hot, but I can only take so much, doll."


She spun in her seat to glare at him, pushing his foot off the back of her chair. "I am not a doll, and you need to calm your tits," she hissed. With a smug look he kicked her chair again, this time with enough force to shake it.


"Or what, doll," he pressed, his friends snickering in agreement.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

The brothers were still in a relatively salty mood, but the popcorn and dim lights had been bringing them back down to normal. Marcus's denying them of a brawl had sent them pouting like children. The Brit had even gone as far as to separate them in the movie theater, which they agreed was a bit much but whatever. They settled in anyway and hoped for the best, mainly because Marcus was about two seconds away from a heart attack if they didn't. As the movie started, the Brit held out hope that things would go smoothly. Unfortunately, this wasn't the case.


Angel, per usual, could not stop talking. Her attempts at being quiet in the theater had resulted in that loud, raspy whisper that people often exhibit when they are failing miserably at being quiet. With her latest outburst that was accompanied by the kicking of her chair, Marcus closed his eyes and released a sigh. He knew, beyond his hopes, that this was not going to end well. Angel's inability to apologize and be quiet only spurred the boys on more. The kicking of her chair echoed into Marcus's, which meant it was probably doing the same to the far less pleasant individual on Angel's other side. Robert.


At the second kick, the Enforcer placed one large arm on the back of his chair and turned his torso around to glare up at the boys.


"Or," he said before Angel could, "I'm gonna pull your spine out through your throat."


Hearing this gruesome threat, Marcus audibly groaned. Anthony, on the other hand, laughed. The bigger of the Kistler siblings also turned around and looked at the boys. Even sitting down, it was easy to see that the brothers were huge.


"See those seats down there?" Tony said, pointing a finger to the very front row of the theater. "Go sit in them."


"What?" One of the boys gawked. "No way, man! I ain't sitting down-"


"Go sit in them," Robert said, "or you're going to spend the next hour and fifty two minutes afraid for your life."