Finn wished he would’ve just come to class that morning, though.
“Wanna partner up?” Finn found himself asking Lea as they both were instructed by Britta, who was bouncing with too much energy for seven thirty in the morning at the front of the room, to find partners. Finn couldn’t help himself. When he saw Lea looking around for someone new to partner with, he didn’t even realize that his legs were moving towards her as his brain was telling him that he should probably stay away.
Finn hated it when he heard Lorelei’s distinct laugh from across the room. He refused to look in her direction, and instead just paid close attention to what Britta was telling everyone.
Britta specialized in human hand-to-hand combat. Finn was also training in his wolf form in one-on-one sessions with Lukas, one of the only shifters that had been openly friendly to him when he first got to Maine, as that was the given way most shifters would prefer to attack and fight in. However, there were fears that these rogues that were forming uprisings around the world would attack shifters in any way that they could. Hence, the human training that everyone was grasping to understand.
Shifters found they didn’t do as well in fighting as humans. That was something they were all trying to change.
“Sure,” Lea responded, pulling Finn back to the present. He smiled at her as they walked to a clearing on the huge mat that everyone was on. While Britta’s class had originally started with only four other people, now there was a lot of shifters crowded into the room. Everyone wanted in on the class, especially as more and more shifters came to help out and learn from the strongest pack in America.
Now, while the Moonlight Pack was still evident in the room, Finn could see the different shifters from all the other packs that had traveled to Maine.
“Okay, guys!” Britta yelled in order to be heard over the clashing voices in the room. Her voice echoed against the high walls and vaulted ceiling. Some of the shifters calmed down and stopped talking, all of them swiveling to see what their instructor was going to say. “We’re gonna practice some defense moves now.”
Britta launched into the techniques that she wanted everyone to practice. With a shifter’s help, Britta showed the room exactly what they should practice. The shifter that was helping Britta, a Moonlight Pack shifter named Vincent, became the “attacker” of the scenario. Britta waited as Vincent attempted to attack her from behind, but he never got the chance. She instantly had him with his back on the ground, her foot on his neck holding him in place, and her fists up and ready to fight.
“When you have them down, if you can’t finish the job, you should try to shift into your wolf form so that your full strength is available to you,” Britta explained to them as she helped Vincent up from the floor. Vincent rubbed his neck, and Finn could see that he was going to have a bruise there for a few hours. Thank God for shifters’ speedy healing. “Now, the main technique here is being able to sense that someone is behind you, even when you’re surrounded by shifters and people like we are now.
“That’s why I’m going to be passing around blindfolds to you all. Each of you will take a turn being blindfolded while your partner tries to attack you. You need to focus on just your senses. And you need to hone those skills while you are in your human form as best you can.”
Britta walked around with thick black blindfolds, and Finn could see the nervousness as the shifters tentatively took the pieces of fabric. Shifters didn’t like to have even one of their senses cut off, and now they had to act like they had no sight? Everyone was on edge. Especially the Moonlight Pack shifters.
After a few minutes of everyone joking and each partner getting adjusted, the mood began to relax slightly as everyone focused on what they were supposed to do. Finn helped Lea tie the blindfold around her eyes, tying it softly, yet securely, around her head. His mind was definitely not acting PG-rated at this point. He pulled himself together, even when his fingers lightly brushed her blonde hair as he tied the blindfold.
Yep, he knew this might end badly.
He tried to focus on what they were supposed to do, and he supposed he did alright. Lea was actually pretty good, and he was only able to take her down a few times. He jumped off of her each time in rapid speed, afraid that if he lingered, things might get a bit out of hand. He didn’t seem to have much control over himself as of late.
And Lea’s whole good girl attitude, persona, and look, were not helping his control. Which began to really surprise him.
Chapter 4
Lea knew she had a slight crush when she was on her way to Hazel’s house after work with Chinese takeout for both of them to eat for dinner, and all she could think about was Finn. It was a problem, but she couldn’t shake it. She had thought about him all day, and she knew that their hanging out today was turning into a full-blown crush scenario.
Which was weird. Because Finn was so not Lea’s type. He was very obviously the type of guy that knew exactly how hot he was. His body was well-sculpted, and Lea didn’t think she’d ever find him in a library reading for fun. No, that wasn’t the type of personality that Finn had. Finn was someone that looked like he was a bro–and a bad boy. And those two things weren’t anywhere near the type of men that Lea normally went for.
She liked the bookish type. Guys who were intelligent. Even nerdy. She wanted to get lost in a conversation about medicine, history, or literature with the guys she fell for. Maybe she wasn’t giving Finn enough credit, but she felt like Finn wasn’t the type of guy who would have those conversations with her.
As she walked up to Hazel’s front door, the colonial architecture greeting her like an old friend, she was bursting with anticipation. She couldn’t wait to laugh about her ridiculous crush with her best friend. Hazel would find the humor in it. Lea just hoped that she was a bit better; not as hungover as she was when she left this morning.
“Is that dinner?” Hazel yelled from her kitchen as Lea let herself in without knocking, yelling hello while slamming the door shut with her foot. Lea walked towards the kitchen, her tennis shoes barely making a sound on the dark hardwood floor. She’d managed to go home and change out of her scrubs from work before she picked up the dinner, and now she wore basic blue jeans with a hoodie. Even though it was spring, the weather in Maine was still pretty chilly–especially at night.
Hazel was setting out some silverware and pouring some drinks for them when Lea walked into the kitchen. In no time, the girls were in the living room, trashy reality TV on, and digging into the huge order of Chinese food they had both splurged on. It was a great meal for the end of the day–especially because they both had started their day in the worst mood possible because of their hangovers.
“You’re never going to guess who I have a crush on,” Lea finally said, jumping into what she’d been dying to tell her friend all day. “You know him. He’s one of the original Britta training members.”
“Oh, my God, Ethan?” Hazel all but yelled in her face. Lea looked at her best friend, confusion on her face from the small outburst.
“Ethan?” Lea asked, a smile forming on her face as she realized what her friend had just revealed. Hazel liked Ethan; that much was evident. “No, it’s not Ethan. Evidently, someone likes him, though.”
“I do not.” Hazel pouted, though Lea saw the gleam in her eyes. Maybe it was the way Hazel’s face turned red, or maybe it was just the glimmer in her eyes, but Lea didn’t want to push the topic. She didn’t want to embarrass her friend any more than she had to, and she didn’t want Hazel to feel ashamed or anything about who she liked.
Though Lea was surprised she hadn’t seen the crush Hazel obviously had for Ethan sooner than that moment. Hazel wasn’t someone that could keep secrets.
“Wait, so who is this person you have a crush on?” Hazel asked, confused, once she got over her beet-red face and was willing to put the whole Ethan thing behind them.
“Finn,” Lea told her, almost in a “duh” voice. If it wasn’t Ethan she had a crush on, the only other
option would be Finn. Hazel wasn’t the brightest sometimes. Lea would let it slide, considering Hazel had had to drink some wine earlier because her hangover was still so bad.
“Finn is a bad boy waiting for a good girl like you to settle him down,” Hazel laughed with a glimmer in her eye. “When are you gonna ask him out?”
“What?” Lea looked at her friend, disbelief on her face. Hazel was absolutely crazy. “I’m not going to ask him out. It’s just a crush, Haze. Plus, he’s not really my type. He’s so handsome, obviously, and his body makes me get shivers down my spine no matter where I am, but he’s just . . . not my type, I guess.”
Lea didn’t know how else to tell Hazel. Plus, there was the thought that Finn would laugh at her, pat her on her head like she was a child, and reject her. And Lea really didn’t want that to happen.
“Come on, Lea. You have to at least try to ask him out. When was the last time you had any fun?”
“I have fun all the time!” Lea couldn’t believe Hazel was telling her to do this!
“It wouldn’t hurt to at least try to make nice with him.” Hazel took a bite of her sesame chicken, a knowing look in her eye. “You never know where it might lead. Trust me when I say that even on your bad days, you’re gorgeous. And Finn is probably falling all over you as we speak.”
“I doubt it. And there’s a lot to lose. My dignity for one. But today, we actually talked and hung out a little, so at least I have a new friend from this.”
A new friend that she could dream about, that is.
Lea launched into her story of what had happened–starting with the coffee she gave him, and ending with the way his body felt against hers as they practiced together as partners in class. She blushed and laughed the whole time.
“Are you going to the bar tonight?” Hazel asked after Lea was finished with gushing about Finn in her wide-eyed, full-on crush way.
“Oh, crap,” Lea replied, realizing what was happening tonight. It was Britta’s birthday, and Grant was throwing her a surprise party, expecting the whole pack to show up. “I completely forgot. Are you?”
“Yeah, we should both try to make it. Maybe then you can hang out with your new lover.”
Lea threw a piece of orange chicken at her, laughing along with the ridiculous idea that she would ever have the confidence to hang out with Finn in any other way than friendly.
The girls quickly finished eating, and Lea left to go back to her place to put on something a bit nicer for the evening. She was exhausted, with her morning class and her constantly stressful day job, but she wanted to make sure that she was there to celebrate with Britta. Britta had been through a lot recently–she’d almost been killed by a rogue!–but you would never guess that by looking at her.
Lea aspired to be that level of badass. She knew she never would, though. She would always just be plain old Lea. Stable. Reliable. The good girl.
Lea quickly showered the grime that working at a hospital seemed to leave on her skin when she got home, perfectly applying some light makeup and slipping into a cute little white dress.
Lea picked up Hazel about an hour and a half after she left her. Lea made sure to whistle as Hazel walked up to her car, making her friend roll her eyes and laugh. When they got to the party, they realized that the celebrations were in full swing. Shifters were everywhere, and the majority of them were pretty tipsy.
Lea noticed that there were shifters on duty, guarding the entrance and keeping watch, completely sober, to make sure that nothing out of the ordinary happened. She felt a deep pain in her heart as she realized that this was just normal protocol now. Before, they never would’ve had her pack mates on duty. But now, because of recent events and the high threat level, they had to have guards on duty almost every hour. And when there was a lot of shifters in one area, they needed to be protected.
Lea and Hazel each grabbed a cold beer from the bartender by the door, who stood by a cooler and handed everyone a drink when they walked in. Lea could see her alpha, Hann, standing near the actual bar, a smile on his face. His flannel shirt was unbuttoned, showing a white t-shirt on underneath, and he was laughing with Ethan and Kato. Lea and Hazel made sure to wave at him as they walked into his line of vision, and they both felt satisfied when he nodded and waved back at the girls.
As Hazel and Lea mingled with people, stopping for small talk here and there, Lea couldn’t help but find herself looking for Finn in the crowd. Every now and then, she would think that she saw his blond hair pop up behind someone, only to find out that it wasn’t him at all. She didn’t know how she got like this so fast, so she, instead, just blamed the beer that she was taking tiny sips of. She didn’t feel the alcohol at all, but she didn’t want to admit to herself that this was her being crazy on a sober mind.
She kept telling herself, over and over again as they hung out with friends, that Finn wasn’t her type. He just simply wasn’t. And she didn’t understand why she couldn’t convince herself of this.
“Britta!” Lea yelled as the birthday girl came into view. Britta had her long black hair down and in waves that cascaded down her back. She was wearing all black, which was usual Britta style, and Grant was squeezing her hand as if he never wanted to let go. Lea loved those two together.
“Happy birthday, girl!” Hazel yelled behind her, both of them pulling their friend into a bear hug. Britta’s smile on her face reached her ears, and Lea hoped that she would have the time of her life tonight. She deserved it and so much more. Before Lea could tell her this, Britta was pulled away by some other shifters, all of them wishing her a happy birthday.
Lea turned around and stopped in her tracks, her smile frozen on her face, as she finally saw him. The crowd parted slightly so that she could see him for just a second, leaning against the wall with a beer in his hand, a smile on his face. He looked lovely. Only a guy like him could look so lovely and sexy in a seedy bar like this.
Lea turned her attention back to Hazel and her little group of friends that were talking about the latest pack gossip. She didn’t want to seem too interested in him. She knew that if he caught her staring at him, she’d die of embarrassment.
For the hundredth time that day, she reminded herself that Finn really wasn’t even her type.
She began to think that was a joke, even to her ears.
Lea quickly stole another glance in his direction, her heart quickening in speed as she saw him laugh. She felt like she could hear his laughter from where she stood with her friends. And then, she noticed who was next to him. And she noticed their proximity.
Tatiana, one of the shifters from the same pack as Finn, stood close enough to touch Finn. And when he said something funny, envy blossomed in Lea’s heart as she saw Tatianna squeeze his arm, both of them laughing and sharing a glance. Yep, envy was blossoming in rapid speed, and Lea was sipping that beer in her hand a little bit more as she turned her attention away from the man that was so not her type.
Lea didn’t know why she was so surprised, though. If anyone was going to be Finn’s girl, it would be Tatiana. She was just his type. She looked like a little demented princess, and Lea didn’t know if she’d ever seen her in anything other than black. Heavy makeup was a plus in her fashion style, and even with all the gaudy jewelry, Lea couldn’t help but admit that she was gorgeous. Finn was a bad boy. Weren’t bad boys into bad girls?
From the way the two were talking, Lea found it safe to say that yes, bad boys were very much into bad girls.
Lea made herself turn her back on the two, instead trying to join the conversation that she had mentally checked out of a few minutes ago. Finn wasn’t her type, and maybe if she told herself that just a few more times, it would finally start to sink in.
Chapter 5
Finn managed to find out where Lea was when he first arrived at the bar. He refused to go over to her, though. Instead, he found himself keeping a bit of a distance from her. He found himself watching her every move. He kept on waiting for her to catch his eye, but she n
ever seemed to be looking his way.
He knew that he was falling into a pit of lust and desire, and he didn’t want to. He needed to get in good with the Moonlight Pack. He needed to defend the shifter society. He needed to defeat the evil in the world. If he used and bailed on one of the loveliest shifters around, he was quite sure he knew how the pack around him would react.
He would be sent back home in no time. And he really didn’t want that.
So, he had to be on his best behavior. After confessing to Tatiana that he was feeling some type of way about Lea, he made her promise that she wouldn’t let him leave with her. Even if that meant cock-blocking him in the worst way possible, he knew that she wouldn’t let that happen.
When Tatiana noticed his longing stare at Lea, and his lust ramping up big time with each new beer he opened, she began to pull him back to reality with a slight grasp on his arm. It was almost like she was holding him in place and holding him back from making a huge mistake.
He felt like if he didn’t have her constant touch, he would be running straight into Lea’s arms. And that wouldn’t be good for anyone.
“Look at you, being on your best behavior and everything,” Tatiana whispered to him, a smile on her face. Finn rolled his eyes. When Finn and Lorelei had gone home after practice, Lorelei had told all to Desmond and Tatiana. Finn could still hear the cackling from Tatiana and Lorelei. For some reason, his little crush on Lea was something they thought was hysterical.
If he wasn’t so bent out of shape over the woman, he’d probably find it pretty funny, too.
“Let’s just get this whole thing over with before I embarrass myself,” he told her, not willing to say much else. They had already said hello to Britta and hung out with her a bit.
Finn laughed to himself a little bit as he thought how much things had changed since the first time he came to Maine. When he first arrived, he’d had a thing for Britta. Not necessarily a huge thing, as it was quashed by the realization that she and Grant were more than just friends–even though neither of them knew it at that point. But he liked her; thought she was cute. Britta was the complete opposite of Lea, and he found it funny that his type had so obviously, and drastically, changed in such a short amount of time.
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