Sweet Caroline

Andrew watched Caroline hug the human male, and he growled. He couldn’t help it; she was meant to be his and only his. Andrew was the only one she was meant to be hugging on. Of course, Caroline didn’t know that yet, but still… Another growl slipped out, and he quickly covered his mouth, hoping nobody had heard him.

He’d gone to school with Caroline for as far back as he could remember, but he’d never given her more than a passing glance. That had all changed suddenly after his eighteenth birthday last week.

Leaning back into the corner, he began to remember how his birthday had started.

“Good morning, son, and happy birthday,” Dad had said to him that morning as he’d walked into the kitchen.

“Thanks, Dad. Where’s Mom?”

“She should be down in a moment. Your brother is giving her fits this morning,” Dad had answered.

Andrew had laughed. His, late in life, little brother was only four, and he hated clothes! He was forever telling them that wolves didn’t need clothes because they had fur. Therefore, he didn’t need clothes and forgot that he didn’t have his wolf to shift into yet.

“But I managed to get him dressed anyway, despite his argument. Now, whether he’ll stay dressed, that is the question,” Mom had said as she walked into the kitchen. She had kissed Andrew on the cheek before adding, “Happy birthday Andrew.”

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Today could be the day. Are you ready for the responsibility of a mate?” Dad had then asked.

Andrew had looked over at Dad, where he now had Mom on his lap. He’d always wanted what his parents had, so he had nodded and said, “Yeah, I think so. Although, if I’m honest, I am hoping that she’ll be a werewolf, so I don’t have to explain everything to her.”

The look that passed between his parents had him frowning and asking, “What?”

Mom had shaken her head. “It may be nothing, son. If it is, I’ll let you know. Until then, happy hunting!”

So, Andrew had shaken his head and headed for school. He arrived much earlier than his usual time because he had to talk to the coach that morning. When Andrew had walked in, he’d noticed a strong cherry smell and silently began to look for its source. What he’d found was Caroline leaning up against her locker. She was on her phone texting and giggling.

As he’d watched her, his wolf had awakened inside his mind, and he’d whispered, “Mate.”

Caroline had glanced up, almost as if she’d heard him, which he knew she hadn’t because she was human. She’d focused in on him, though, and had given him a shy smile before turning back to her phone.

Stunned that he had a human mate, he’d walked off down the hallway to the coach’s office. He had received some strange looks, possibly because of the huge grin on his face, but he hadn’t cared because he was a happy man.

Now, he just had to find a way to talk to her.

Pulling out of his memory of that day, Andrew sighed heavily. Talking to her is a big problem for me. I’ve never spoken to her, or any girls for that matter, much. So, will she think it odd when I suddenly start talking to her? Will it make her wary of me, or will she be okay with it?

He’d always thought of Caroline as pretty, but at a young age, he’d put girls on the back burner. He’d decided to wait for his mate, and that’s what he’d done. Now that he knew she was his, he found her beautiful.

The evening after his birthday, Andrew had gone to the Tasty Treat just as they all did on Tuesdays. That night had been unique because Caroline had touched him, it had just been a light tap on the arm, but it had made the hair on his arm stand up because it was his first touch from her. It was a reminder that he needed to do more than stalk her in the halls at school. Andrew needed to find a way to talk to her effectively. He’d hoped to start that night and had waited for her to leave and then had ‘conveniently’ seen her while out jogging. It hadn’t gone too well, though. Instead, Caroline had gone quiet on him.

Now I find her here hugging another male, and I don’t like it, I don’t like it at all!

He gave a slight growl as he came out of his thoughts, noticing a tiny red-haired girl had joined them. Watching the interaction, he soon realized the boy only had eyes for the ginger. This gave him a little more peace of mind, but he still let out another low growl.

My sweet Caroline still shouldn’t be touching someone who isn’t me.

“Watcha’ lookin’ at bro?”

Andrew tore his gaze from the now, leaving Caroline to look at Darryl. “My mate.”

Darryl grinned. “Eh, she’s not my type, but she’s pretty enough, I suppose.”

“She’s not just pretty, Darryl. She’s beautiful.”

Darryl laughed at him. “To you, she is, just not to me, and that’s a good thing, my friend. So, why are you standing here and not following her?”

“Because the coach has us practicing tonight.”

“Therefore, the reason I don’t play sports,” Darryl informed him.

“No, you don’t play sports because, as our next alpha, you have too much else to do.”

Darryl smirked and agreed, “Yep, that too.”

Then he walked off, leaving Andrew to head for the locker room.

Lying in bed that night, all Andrew could think about was Caroline.

Her beautiful blue eyes.

Her long curly blonde hair.

Her feminine curves.

Her pink lips he badly wanted to kiss!

He groaned as he rolled over and punched his pillow.

If I keep thinking this way, I’ll never get to sleep tonight, he thought. As his longing for her continued to grow, he whispered, “I should go see her. If I were to see her for just a little while, maybe I would be able to come home and sleep.”

He and his wolf were pleased with that idea. So, climbing out of bed, he walked across his room and opened his window. Then he pulled off the pair of shorts he had on before jumping out his window, shifting in mid-jump into his wolf. Pausing for a moment, he gave a low growl before taking off toward town.

Once he was at Caroline’s house, he sniffed around until he found her room. Thank goodness it’s a one-story house. That makes my life so much easier! Now standing at her window, he shifted to human form and quickly pulled on his shorts.

“Please don’t have your window locked,” Andrew begged in a whisper. He quietly pulled out her screen, then hands flat on Caroline’s window. Andrew shoved upward. He gave a silent cheer as the window moved.

Slowly easing it up, Andrew listened, but all he could hear was Caroline’s gentle breathing; this let him know she slept. So, he very carefully eased his body up and into her room. Then he just sat for a few moments on the window seal, looking at her.

She lay on her side facing the window, one hand curled up under her cheek and the other hanging off the edge. Her mouth was slightly open, and with each puff of air, she blew a strand of hair.

Walking over to the bed, he knelt next to it. Propping his chin in one hand, he reached over with the other and brushed her hair back. As he brushed it back, he felt the strands between his fingertips so soft.

“Being here is probably wrong of me on so many levels, but… I can’t help myself,” Andrew whispered as he brushed his thumb over her cheeks. She sighed lightly, and he stilled, holding his breath.

Her eyes fluttered a bit, and he feared he’d awakened her, so he pulled back. Once she’d settled, he began to breathe again. Leaning in and taking in a big breath, he gave a happy sigh at the smell of her sweet cherry scent.

“So, so beautiful, and you smell so good. Oh, Doll, I want to kiss you. That wouldn’t be fair, though, would it? Maybe I’ll just kiss your cheek. I think that would be alright.”

Leaning in once more, unable to resist the temptation that was his mate, he brushed his lips chastely against her soft cheek. That wasn’t enough, though, and he found himself placing soft kisses all along her jawline, up toward her ear. Catching her earlobe with his lips, he lightly suckled, and she whimpered. Her whimper had him pulling back just as her eyes fluttered open. He froze as she lay staring at him.

“Never have my dreams looked so real,” Caroline whispered as she reached out and ran her fingertips through his hair. “Never have they felt so real.”

“But aren’t the most realistic ones the best kind?”

Caroline slowly smiled and nodded.

Andrew leaned in and whispered, “Can I kiss you, Doll, please?”

Caroline’s eyes widened, but she nodded.