Wolf & Witch III: Oracle's Path

Ch. 29

Kaiden's SUV bobbed and rocked as he drove them down a dirt and gravel path so narrow that occasionally branches scraped along the windows.

"So, where are you taking me?" Anna wondered as Kaiden passed a spliff to her with his free hand.

"Well, I was thinking of the lake. Ron built a new dock last year but there's still a road leading to the far end where the old one—annnd you don't look thrilled," Kaiden said, accompanied by a nervous laugh as he caught the skeptical look on Anna's pretty face.

"No, no, it's cool. I mean, why wouldn't I wanna be the passenger in a car that's not mine, when it's getting dark, in the woods, with a guy almost a foot taller than me, that can turn into a big ass wolf?"

Despite her sarcasm, Kaiden could tell that there was still real concern there.

"Ah... Well, when you put it that way..." he trailed off.

"Look, Kaid, you seem like a really sweet guy, and I do like you, you just-"

"Make you nervous?"

"Yeah. I dunno how many girls you've dated, but when you offer to take a girl on a first date, it probably shouldn't be a place that she'd need to hear the sound track to figure out what kinda movie she's in."

"Haha! Okay, you got a point," the beta agreed and then took a moment to think before continuing. "How about the mall?"

"A brightly lit, public place, with heating?" she laughed, "Sold!" Anna exhaled smog before taking one more puff and putting it out, rather than passing it back to Kaiden.

The drive to the mall wasn't bad, but it was still well enough removed from the ranch. They mostly talked about music on the way; bands that they liked, the Red Rocks Amphitheater back in Colorado, where Anna insisted Kaid see a show at least once in his life... It was fun, and both of them were able to just relax while enjoying it.

Once they'd arrived, they were immediately greeted with the festive atmosphere that emanated from those types of places during the holiday shopping season. The mall was busier than normal, open a little later than normal, Halloween-themed everything sat in clearance bins, and "Happy Fall, Y'all!" signs were stuffed next to the overflow of new Christmas decor.

Anna couldn't help smiling as she noticed people passing in groups, pairs, and couples... They looked like a couple... A cute one, and she started trying subtly to catch their reflection in every window or chrome-sided escalator they passed.

"Oo! I'm gonna step in here real quick!" she said, parting with Kaiden slightly when she spotted a makeup store. "You have your phone on you?"

"Yeah, but I actually don't mind going inside, I have a few things I want to look at too," Kaiden said as he strolled closer to the front of the store. "Plus, I like the looks I get when I go into stores like this." Because, even though he clearly wore eyeliner and eye shadow, a makeup store wasn't the first place that people expected to see a punked-out guy.

Sure enough, the moment that they stepped inside, he caught the attention of some older lady, browsing the anti-wrinkle creams, who gave him a look as if he'd just invaded a women's bathroom. Despite this, he gave her an apologetic smile, that she turned away from far too quickly to probably notice.

Anna certainly noticed, though, and she snickered to herself before looping an arm with Kaid's. "Well, this is a new experience for me. I've never shopped for makeup with a guy before. I've tried to get Sean into it, but it's not his kinda thing."

"I like Sean's look without it, he's got the cute guy-next-door look," Kaiden commented as they ventured further in. Most of the shelves and aisles were low, making Kaiden's presence all the more obvious. However, with Anna by his side, Kaiden felt more like he belonged there at least. "I had to get used to coming into places like this alone once Nate started 'borrowing' my eyeliner," Kaiden explained.