Rayonnante - Paul Lahote

Chapter 9

He was so attractive that she had trouble focussing on anything else. It had been like that since the very first moment she'd seen him. She'd instantly decided that he had to be the most handsome man in the world. He reminded her of these rugged movie stars who were always on the cover of some famous magazine. So stunning that he felt unattainable. She knew she wasn't the only girl who felt this way about him. She'd seen people turn around just to admire him. In fact, the cashier at the grocery store had tried to flirt with him as they were paying. Thankfully, he hadn't seemed to notice. Still, she'd found herself feeling pretty irritated at the pretty brunette eying him hungrily. She'd found the strength to remain just as nice as she usually was when they usually interacted with each other at the store but still, the small burst of anger that she felt almost scared her. She'd never really felt that kind of emotion before. Lena wasn't a jealous person. In fact, she was the kind of person who always rejoiced for others and what they had. Hell, she'd probably give the shirt off of her back if it meant that she could help someone else. But when it came to Paul, it just wasn't the same. She didn't want to share him with anyone. Simply put, she felt like he was hers.

"So this is where you live", he commented, looking around.

He'd never felt so interested by someone else's house. He didn't want to miss anything, any detail that could reveal something about his imprint and what made her happy. He took it all in, smiling as he noticed the small pops of color that were so inherently Lena he had absolutely no doubt that she was the one who put them there. His wolf instincts were in overdrive, the animal inside him appreciating the fact that he was in her space. Every room smelled like her delicious, fruity scent that made him dizzy. The only thing that could make this even better would be to mark the house himself by adding his stuff. He wanted that. Wanted to see her pillows on his leather couch, his shoes at the door with her rain boots.

"Yep! It's not much, but it's home. Want a tour?"

He nodded, grinning softly as he looked down at her. Gosh, she looked so small compared to him. It made him even more eager to protect her from everything that could possibly harm her.

She started by showing him the living room and the kitchen before inviting him to follow her down the hall, quickly brushing over her aunt's room and the bathroom, opening the door to the room that he was the most curious about : her bedroom. Instantly, he felt at home. It was everything he thought it would be, with the soft yellow comforter and sentimental pieces scattered everywhere. But what really made him hold his breath in wonder was the painting hung over her bed. A grey wolf that looked almost exactly like he did when he shifted.

"You like wolves?"

She lit up, nodding enthusiastically.

"I love them! Wolves have always been my favorite animal. Billy thinks it's because of the legends."

He almost chocked.

"The... the legends?"

Obviously, he knew that the legends weren't exclusive to the pack. A lot of kids of the reservation had heard them growing up as bedtime stories. But he also knew that, as time went on, a lot of people forgot about them or just didn't care enough to remember what they were about. Unfortunately, a lot of their heritage had been lost through the years, the younger generations often preferring to assimilate to the occidental culture and sometimes going as far as to hide their origins from others. Which is why he was so surprised to hear Lena mention them.

"Yeah, you know, the stories about Taha Aki and how our ancestors were able to transform from man to wolf! I've always adored them. And Billy is a really good storyteller. I'm always begging him to tell them to me again. He jokes that I probably know them better than him by now, but I know it makes him happy to have an audience."