Wolf & Witch III: Oracle's Path

Ch. 14

The black wolf with distinctive white toes was trotting up the drive and shifted just as he got to the front door. There was no knock, just the sound of the front door opening and then a few soft thuds as Nate tapped the toe of his boot against the floor to knock off any snow or mud. He did the same with his other foot as he flipped his hood back and then froze in place when he glanced up and noticed that it wasn't Kaiden with Dakota in the living room.

Nate's brain flat lined as he tried to think of what to say to Sean, but he knew he wasn't ready to face him yet. In fact, he debated just leaving all together before deciding that was for cowards.

"Morning, Nate," Dakota exhaled.

Sean's eyes were huge. Despite what Dakota had said, he just hadn't equated the sarcastic nickname to Nate. Maybe because he wasn't in a good place emotionally. Maybe it was because he just wasn't ready. Either way, he managed a meager, "Hi," accompanied by a small wave.

Nate's eyes seemed to look everywhere but directly at Sean as he tentatively made his way to the kitchen. "Uh, hey... Just pretend I'm, like... not here. Just need a place to crash for a few." He cracked open Dakota's fridge to look for something terribly unhealthy and hopefully full of caffeine.

Sean got up, rubbing his hands on his pants, as if he could simply wipe away the awkwardness or the uncomfortable weight that was suddenly hanging in the space. "I'll go."

"Alright," Dakota said, though the brief look he shared with Sean seemed to suggest that neither of them really wanted him to.

Once Sean had collected his hoodie and seen himself out, Dakota folded one of his legs up on the couch and turned so that he could get a more direct view of the kitchen and the back of Nate's head. "What the hell was that about?" he asked, trying to curb the accusation in his tone.

"We broke up...again," Nate said, picking his words about as carefully as he picked the root beer bottle out from between a shelf of juice boxes, likely intended for Karla, and actual beers, likely intended for Slade.

Dakota sighed, glancing towards his mess of legal homework. He'd tried to tell Byron that he trusted him to sign for him, but Byron wouldn't budge on the matter. Everything had to be "by the book" in case they were ever audited or some shit like that... "Was this a mutual decision, or...?"

"At this point, does it even matter?" Nate's tone bristled. "We should have just taken the hint the first time that we wouldn't work. He likes Kaid better anyway... and I—" Nate stopped himself. What was he going to say? That he and Axel were a better fit? That clearly wasn't the case. "I guess I'm just as fucked up as you and Slade when it comes to relationships."

Dakota let out an offended huff that immediately melted into a chuckle. It's not like Nate was wrong about him or Slade. Hell, Nate didn't even know the half of it. "Forget I asked," he said, briefly raising a hand in surrender. "Is there something wrong with Slade's place, though? ...Or was that too obvious a hiding spot?" he wondered as he pulled out his phone to check the time.

"Marcus and Rex are hanging out there," Nate murmured.

"And you'd rather hang out with me?" Dakota asked as he tried to re-stack the pages into some loose semblance of the order they'd arrived in.

"Yes?"

"I find that kinda hard to believe."

Nate's gaze met with his uncle's and he sighed. "No," he admitted as he slumped forward onto the kitchen island and walled off most of his face, except for his eyes, behind his forearms while he mumbled, "But the person I want to be around is an asshole."

This admission absolutely perked Dakota's curiosity. He got off the couch and made his way over to one of the stools, sliding it out and taking a seat. "Are you gonna leave me in suspense, or is there a part two to this?" he wondered, opening Nate's root beer and taking a drink before setting it down.