Furry Humans | ✓

side story - Samantha

This wasn't how I imagined meeting my mate, my other half, my soul, the one who completes my being. I imagined meeting him on a run or a quick stop in the city and we'll spend our time getting to know each other which will lead to more — I didn't imagine or expect my mate to have already been "bounded" and given the false hope that the girl he was with was me.

I didn't push him. I didn't hover. I left him alone knowing that finding the one who he thought was destined to be with was not will take some time to heal; so, I gave him two and a half years. Two and a half years all by myself, watching my friends mingle and spending their time with their loves, it hurt to watch knowing that my own was so far from my reach.

I wanted his touch. For his eyes to feast on me like one would a diamond, his love to surround me, and his voice to travel through my ears with the promise that he loved me and waited as I had— I just wanted him. The sound of London coughing and gagging pulled me away from my thoughts as I immediately started patting his back and rubbing in circular motion as I reached for his cup.

"Careful," I mumble, watching his mouth close around the bottle, his throat working to swallow down the liquid contents. "You need slow down, the food isn't going anywhere."

The sound of feet thumping against the floor reached my ears as Abigail passes under the archway threshold, a worried look in her eyes, her attention immediately flickers to London then to me.

"Is he okay?"

I nod, bouncing my knee, "He was just eating too fast." I tell her, pushing his plate away as she walks over.

Her hand rests on top of his head, her fingers sliding through his hair, after a moment her shoulders relax and London places his cup down, reaching for her. I lean back as Abigail picks him up and places him on her hip, he leans his head against her shoulder as he sucks on his thumb.

"I'll take over now," Abigail says, rocking from side to side to soothe him further. She turns to look at me, "Thanks again, I hope you didn't have any plans?"

I shake my head while rising to my feet, "I didn't, I was just going to go for a run," I tell her with a smile. "And I like spending time with him."

She returns the smile, looking down at London before kissing his head. "I know, thanks again."

"No problem, you know where I'll be when you and Xavier need to. . ." I trailed off and wiggled my brows.

I laugh that's followed by a snort when her cheeks begin to redden, "Sam!" she hisses, quickly glancing at London then back at me.

I back out of the kitchen, a smile still playing on my lips, "What? That's how you got pregnant in the first place."

Before she could hit me, I dash out the kitchen and down the hall with my laughter following behind me. The mirth-filled moment lasts for a short while as I exit the packhouse and head towards the forest, the smile slips from my lips and the laughter fades as I reach the edge line and stare out into the trees.

The sun was starting to set, the time being around seven in the evening as the color in the sky change, I take in a deep breath of the changing seasons, the cold coming back in full circle. The sun shined through the tree leaves, glittering and sparkling while my eyes follow a leaf slowly fluttering before me as it dropped to the ground.

With another breath, I jog further into the forest, continuing on a path I've taken so many times before, the grass has worn down over the years I've raced back and forth on. The walk was like my own therapy for the past couple of years, being surrounded by trees and covered in their shadows was a comforting solitude for me to live in my thoughts.