W I L D F L O W E R.

                                                                    ― Jack

Jack had lost count of how many times they'd ended up in bed together so far, but the last week had been a string of hookups and exploring each other's bodies like the night could never end, and sometimes the days. Monster Jam had only solidified that his attention simply couldn't be split, despite having plenty of opportunities. Even with Avery, he never felt as though he wanted to stay the night, but with Evie, he simply didn't want to leave. After a night of passion, the two of them hadn't expected to fall asleep together, but there they were, his arms wrapped around her and holding her tight against his chest as the moonlight seeped in through the windows, bathing their bodies in the light. With nothing more than a thin sheet covering them, it was probably the most comfortable he'd ever felt, so he didn't dare try to wake her and remind her what time it was, or that they weren't supposed to do this. He simply wanted to sleep beside her, and that he did, the rise and fall of her chest like a lullaby to him.

                                                                   ― Evie

She hadn't meant to fall asleep, but her body was spent. She'd spent the entire day on her feet, getting her tent and things cleaned up after Monster Jam. She had one more Mason free night and she was anxious, needing a distraction to keep her from driving to Ade's place and picking Mason up prior to their scheduled 2PM time the next day... so she made her way over to Jack's to continue their slow progression of getting to know every inch of each other's bodies. Being with him was unlike anything else she'd ever experienced, the emotions, the feelings, all heightened and shared between them as their bodies connected over and over again. It'd been a particularly acrobatic night for them, and as they lay comfortably within each other's arms, Evie had a fleeting thought that she needed to get up and go home before she fell asleep. Before the nightmares came. But she'd closed her eyes for a little too long and drifted off, falling into a light sleep.

It had been peaceful for a while, her chest rising and falling with her shallow breaths, until they started. She was back in that room, silver chains laced with wolfsbane binding her wrists and ankles as the Nik impostor stood in front of her holding Mason with a twisted grin on his face. As the nightmare began she began to mumble quietly in her sleep, incoherent words laced with fear and anger falling past her lips every once in a while. But as the nightmare progressed and Nik's face twisted into something she'd never seen before, something only found in nightmares, she began to toss and turn. Her words becoming more pronounced, "No", "Nik, please", "He's innocent", all leaving her lips as a layer of sweat formed on her body. In her mind she was fighting against the restrains, the metal burning through her skin but she gave everything she had to get to her son. In reality she was just flailing about, completely oblivious to where she was or who was next to her. It all came to a head in her mind as the twisted creature turns and began to leave the room that she was bound to. Her son crying in his arms, reaching for her. That was when she sat straight up, eyes open wide, shining the bright icy blue of her wolf form, as she screamed, "No! Mason!" Her voice full of anguish, an animalistic cry leaving her lips before as she looked frantically around the room. It only took her a few seconds to realize that she wasn't back in that room in New York and she was, in fact, safe.

Panting slightly, Evie slowly turned to look at the man next to her. "Oh, god..." She whispered, hands coming up to cover her mouth, "I'm so sorry." She said after a few seconds, the brightness of her cheeks now from embarrassment rather than the adrenaline that had been coursing through her veins a few minutes earlier. This was why she didn't ever stay the night.

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack was a fairly deep sleeper, so it took a lot to wake him. But when he felt the jostle in his arms, and her words reached his ears, he blinked awake, almost thinking he was dreaming for a long moment. When he realized it was actually her words, her voice, Jack reached out and touched her cheek, speaking gently so he didn't frighten her if she woke and forgot where she was. When he realized gentle wasn't going to do it, he shook her just hard enough to move her body, calling out her name, even if she didn't seem to hear it. When she jerked awake, Jack reached out to stop her from falling out of the bed, searching her gaze. "Hey hey it's okay, it's just me, it's just us," he said quickly, careful not to touch her until he knew she was awake completely.

"Don't apologize, it's okay," he assured her, placing his hand over hers to help calm her just enough to slow her heartbeat. "You're okay. It's just us here," Jack said again, searching her eyes as he reached up to cup her cheek, lifting her gaze to his. "Are you alright?"

                                                                   ― Evie 

She could feel the bristle of the wolf's fur beneath her skin and she had to close her eyes for a moment, willing her heartbeat to slow down before she completely lost it in front of him. She listened to his voice, his words barely breaking through the sound of her rapidly beating heart in her ears. She had to calm down, she couldn't shift in front of him. Inhaling deeply, Evie let out a slow, shaky breath as she sat up straighter, holding the sheet over her body with one hand and running her other hand through her messy hair. "I'm fine." She whispered, eyes avoiding his gaze until he placed his hand on her cheek and lifted her gaze. "I'm fine." She repeated, doing her best to offer him a reassuring smile as she placed a hand overtop his, patting the back of his hand gently before removing it from her cheek. "I should go, though."

Before the final word had left her lips, Evie was rising from the bed, taking the sheet with her, gathering it up around her small, still shaking frame, as she began to wander around the room, gathering up her clothes and dropping the sheet in order to slide her panties and t-shirt back on.

                                                                   ― Jack

He couldn’t read her mind, but he could read her body, her emotions, and right now she was all over the place. Her words did little to assure him of anything, eyes following her movements as she stood and started to get dressed. Jack following quickly, pulling on a pair of sweatpants before he followed her, stopping her movements before she had a chance to get very far. “Evie, look at me,” he said as he pulled her hands into his own, meeting her gaze. “It’s okay. It’s 3 in the morning, you don’t need to leave,” he said softly, pulling her face into his hands.

“Stay. Sleep,” he said softly, running his thumb across her cheek. “I’ll keep you safe. I’ll fight the bad dreams away if they come to get you,” he whispered with a small smile, searching her eyes. “I promise.”

                                                                   ― Evie

When he reached for her hands, Evie had to stop herself from actively recoiling from him. She couldn't look him in the eye, she was too embarrassed of what he'd just witnessed, an innermost part of herself she kept hidden away to any and all prying eyes. The only one who even knew about her nightmares and the events that lead to them were Wyatt and Nik. And only one of them knew the full details of what she'd endured. Evie had never been the type to put her troubles on other people, not wanting to burden those she cared about when she already knew their all had their own crosses to bare. And while Jack was still new to her life, she could easily see him becoming someone important, someone she'd truly care about, and because of that, she didn't want his view of her to change.

"Jack..." She said softly, voice barely above a whisper as she shook her head, disputing his request. "I just live next door, it's not far." Bright blue eyes finally meeting his, pleading with him silently to understand as she spoke. "But who will keep you safe?" She asked, knowing that she'd woken from nightmares identical to the one she'd just had and instantly shifted. At home, where it was safe, she knew she couldn't hurt anyone, but here? With him? She was afraid of what she might do if it happened and he'd unintentionally made a wrong move. Even after 20+ years as a werewolf there were parts of herself she still couldn't control. It came out the night of her first full moon when she'd attacked and killed her late husband, tearing the man's body from limb to limb with her newly formed claws and canine sharp teeth. And while the years had passed and she'd gotten control back when in her wolf form, she still wasn't sure how she'd react to him when she wasn't fully herself. "I really should go home..." She trailed off, hands coming up to gently remove his from her face as she turned and began searching fr her pants.

                                                                   ― Jack

The pain in her voice made him hurt for her, his heart dropping in his chest. He didn't know what she'd been through to make her hurt so deeply, and it was clear she didn't want him to know so he wasn't going to push. But he didn't want her to have to go home and suffer through it in silence, and alone. That kind of pain had taken stronger people, and he certainly wasn't about to watch it take her. "Evie..." he said quietly, searching her eyes. "I wouldn't let you hurt me," Jack said softly, although he let her move away from him. He wasn't afraid, mostly because he had a good handle on his own powers and he'd protected himself against worse. But she sounded more terrified of herself than of him.

"Hey," he said as he stopped her again, taking her wrists in his hands gently. "Stop. Just listen to me. I'm not letting you go home so you can feel like this alone. If I have to sit outside your house and keep the nightmares away then I will," he said as he searched her gaze, his own holding nothing but sincerity as he let the slightest bit of power seep into her from his touch. "I won't let you hurt me, or anyone Evie. I promise you that. You can trust me," Jack assured her in a gentle voice. His hands held nothing but a calmness that he knew she needed, opting not to convince her in other ways. He didn't want her to stay against her will, but he also didn't want her to think he couldn't handle whatever it was she was going through. "I'm not afraid of you," he said without a single skip in his heartbeat, a sound he knew she could hear. "I'm not. I know what you are, I know what you're capable of, so whatever it is that's making you this scared, I'm not afraid of it."

                                                                   ― Evie

Shaking her head, Evie found the yoga pants she'd worn over that evening and pulled them on, straightening up and pulling her shirt from beneath the elastic waistband before turning to make her way towards the bedroom door. She didn't get very far though, as his gentle grip was enough to sway her to turn back around and listen to his words. She could see he was sincere, she could hear that there was no fear in his voice, but that didn't stop her from wanting to flee. He may have thought he could handle her, but she knew when the type of fear she had buried deep inside came out, it manifested itself as rage, and Jack- as amazing of a man as he was proving to be- was not indestructible. He wasn't made to withstand the hurricane that she could become when the memories became too much and she was, more than anything else, afraid that if he was around during darkest times then he'd fall victim to her darkness, too; which was something he didn't deserve.

"Baby, I'm fine." She said, mustering up the brightest, most appreciative smile she could. A smile that didn't quite reach her eyes as she spoke. "It was just a nightmare. People have nightmares in their rooms all alone all the time. I'm a big girl, I can handle it." She said, trying to keep her tone light and convincing, the sudden feeling of calm that washed over her was foreign, and she furrowed her eyebrows slightly at the feeling. "It's not a matter of trust, honey." She said as she dropped his hands and placed her palms on his cheeks, stepping forward to press a soft, shaky kiss against his lips. "I just don't wanna wake you up again with my nonsense if I don't have to. You deserve a good night's sleep." Gently brushing her thumbs across his cheeks, Evie dropped her hands and took a step back from him. "I'm glad you're not afraid, but Jack... darlin', in a state like that? If I had shifted... honey, you really think you could have stopped me if I came after you?"

                                                                   ― Jack

He couldn't really blame her, because she didn't know what he was capable of. The darkest parts of his mind had been exposed long ago when he was only just discovering what and who he was, right down to forcing someone to put a gun in their mouth before he realized what he was doing. He was capable, of so much, but she didn't know that. All she knew was that she was a wolf, that didn't have control when she slept, and he could feel that fear coming off of her in waves.

"I don't believe you," Jack stated bluntly, studying her face. He didn't reach for her again, this time hoping his words could do more than his powers could. "Evie...I'm not being naive here," he said slowly. "I've been around your kind for a long time, and worse. This isn't...bravado, or some naive sense of protectiveness. It's...hard to explain," he said, sighing a little as he took a step closer to her, careful not to touch her until she made a move. "I know it's a lot to ask. But I just need you to trust me. Let me help you Evie. I can, I just...won't, unless you allow me to."

                                                                   ― Evie

She was taken aback by his blunt statement, an emotion that was written all of her face as her eyebrows raised slightly. With her arms coming up and crossing hover her chest, Evie looked at Jack for a few silent moments after he'd finished speaking. Head tilting to the side slightly as she processed what he said, Evie drew her lower lip into her mouth as she thought on his words. "Well, okay then," she said softly, unsure of how else to respond. He'd called her on her bullshit, something that didn't usually happen, and now she was essentially up a creek without a paddle. "Try." She said after a few moments of silence, hesitantly reaching out to cup his cheek lightly. "Try and explain," she swiped her thumb slowly along his cheekbone, eyes searching his for some kind of clue, some kind of reason. "Why do you want to help me? They're just nightmares." She was downplaying them, just as she did with Wyatt. Downplaying her own problems so that no one would worry about her. This time, though, she had a sinking feeling it wasn't going to work. Jack had experienced the aftermath of her nightmare, a bare and brutal time after her sleep ended but she hand't quite gotten back from the dream. He'd reacted well, sure, but that was this time.

                                                                   ― Jack

He hadn't meant it cruelly, only assuring her that whatever lines she usually fed to people wouldn't work on him. He could sense her pain from a mile away, something that only grew stronger the closer he got to her. It was...a strange feeling, but not entirely unwelcome. Usually he had to touch someone, or be fairly close to sense what they were feeling. But with her, sometimes he could feel it from across the room. She made it all the more intense, and all the more hard to read. When she touched him, Jack lifted a hand to cover hers, swallowing hard as he met her gaze. "Because anything that intense, something that makes you so scared that I can feel it in my bones, you shouldn't have to go through alone," Jack whispered. He could still feel the aftermath of her terror, so much that it had nearly made his own heart stop, and he couldn't imagine going through something like that repeatedly. "My abilities aren't...limited to feeling what you feel. I can make you feel anything. I can make you do anything, if I wanted to. I'd never use that against you, you have my word," he whispered softly. "But if you want me to...if you stay, I promise I'll keep both of us safe. I can keep the nightmares away."

                                                                   ― Evie

A frown came to her lips as he told her that he could feel her fear in his bones, shame washing over her as her head hung slightly. "I'm sorry... that fear, it's mine. You shouldn't have to carry it, to feel it, it is not your burden." Her voice was hushed, laced with the embarrassment she was feeling from being so vulnerable. Her gaze lifted, however, as he began to explain his abilities to her. She'd known about the feelings, it was a conversation they'd had after their first amazing night together, but she hadn't quite realized the extent of what he could do. She shouldn't have underestimated him, emotions were one of the strongest forces in the world, and if he had the ability to not only channel but to change them, then he was a lot more powerful than she was giving him credit for. "I know you wouldn't...." She said quietly, lips pressing together as she mulled over his next offer. She was absolutely terrified of another nightmare coming and her coming to in her wolf form, hovering over him and snarling, his body covered with bite marks. But on the other hand the promise of a good night's sleep (the first she would have had in ages), was something she was finding hard to deny. Finally, after a few minutes of silence between them Evie nodded slowly. "I don't want to hurt you, Jack. Don't let me." She whispered, eyes searching his for any indication of deceit or doubt.

                                                                   ― Jack

Most people had very simplistic emotions. Love, hate, jealousy, frustration. But Evie...she was one that felt so many things that it was almost overwhelming. She felt everything around her, on top of her own emotions, something that made her so incredibly difficult to read. But right there, with just the two of them, he could feel her apprehension, her embarrassment, even the slightest hint of relief when he told her what he was capable of. He was silent as she pondered his offer, an assurance that she could relax with him, that she could trust he wouldn't let he do anything to hurt either of them. He knew that if she were to hurt him, it would hurt her ten fold, and he never would have put that kind of burden on her. "I promise," he whispered with an assurance in his voice, leaning in to kiss her forehead and lingering for a long moment as his hand slipped into hers. Jack led her back to the bed, pulling her in close as he moved to one side, holding the blanket up for her to join him.

                                                                   ― Evie

She was taking a leap of faith on him, on a man who was practically a stranger, and that scared her. Before fake Nik, Sam's death, and her kidnapping, Evie had always been one who gave trust to everyone, under the impression that all deserved it until they proved to be unworthy. Now, however, she was more fickle with her trust, unsure of who she could count on to not only be there, but to show up as themselves. Not only that, but she also had Mason to worry about. However, there was something about Jack that Evie was drawn to, a light within him she was attracted to like a moth with a flame. Maybe it was prove to burn her, but tonight... tonight she was choosing to go with her instincts. "Okay." She said quietly, eyes closing slightly at the feeling of his lips on her skin before she followed him to the bed, slipping off her pants before climbing in with him. She could feel her exhaustion in her bones as soon as her body hit the softness of the mattress and a yawn fought its way up her throat. "Thank you," She said in a volume that was barely below a whisper as she curled up against him, arm draping over his chest and a leg coming to rest over both of his.

                                                                   ― Jack

He knew she was tired, in more ways than just sleep deprived, but that would be a conversation for another time, if ever. He knew trauma. He knew that she may not ever tell him, but so long as she trusted him, Jack would be right there whenever she wanted him to be to take that pain away as much as he could. In truth, there was nothing he wouldn't have done for her in that moment, a realization that made his heart clench in his chest, because he knew that kind of affection was dangerous. When she followed him into the bed, Jack didn't hesitate to wrap his arms around her, both hands touching her, one covering her own hand, while the other rested on her bare back. "Don't mention it," Jack whispered in response, holding her tight against his chest. The smallest ounce of power flowed from him to her, his words holding enough power to make her believe it, to hold her grounded to him. "You're safe with me. You're going to get a good night's sleep, and when you wake up, there will be breakfast, and not a single thing in this house will hurt you. You're safe with me," he whispered, kissing the top of her head. It was almost as if a barrier formed around them, blocking out everything else as he kept her present, right there with him. "Sleep baby," he murmured, partially as an instruction, and partially to let her know that it was okay for her to close her eyes.

                                                                   ― Evie

A soft yawn escaped her lips as she settled into his embrace, her head resting in the crook of his neck as she slowly inhaled his scent. It'd been a long time since she shared a bed with someone in this way. Sure, Wyatt had come to lay with her, help her keep the nightmares at bay, each holding onto the other in hopes that the familiar company would help quiet each of their demons long enough for the parents to get some rest, but it never worked. One would always wake, drenched in sweat and adrenaline coursing through their fears, unable to outrun their past even in their sleep. And then, of course, there was Nik. He'd find his way into her bed sometimes when he couldn't sleep in his own, his past staying with him in insomnia instead of nightmares. She was the most comfortable with Dominik, his arms feeling like a safe place to land after fighting so hard to stay airborne during a storm. However, as much of her heart as Nik was, he was still the antagonist in most of her nightmares. Even though the actions of the imposter weren't those of the man she cared so much for, it was still difficult to wake and see his face, having to remember that the man who lay so peacefully next to her, just as he'd done for the last 20 years, wasn't the same man as the one who haunted her dreams. But now, laying there with Jack... it was different. Her mind quieted as her eyes closed, a sense of calm overtaking her. She was unsure whether he was doing it with his powers or just by being there with her, but Evie didn't much care. She felt safe and secure and almost hopefully that maybe this time she'd be able to sleep through the night. So with a short nod of her head, she allowed her eyes to close and her body to relax, fully vulnerable, as her breathing slowed and she fell back asleep in his arms.

                                                                   ― Jack

It took some effort, but he managed to mirror his own calmness to her, bleeding into her until it was just an impulse and he didn't even have to think about it. Each time he felt her heart rate spike, he drew it out of her, calming her mind as he slept beside her in equal peace. When the sunlight came in through the windows, Jack woke before she did, and he didn't even try to wake her up, leaving her to sleep soundly in the bed and tucking her in as he got dressed. After a morning run and a swim, Jack got to cooking breakfast, the smell of bacon wafting through the house as he flipped blueberry pancakes in the pan.

                                                                   ― Evie

For the first time in months, Evie slept through the rest of the night peacefully, wrapped up in his arms in the tangled mess that was the sheets and their limbs. Even when he extracted himself from her and the bed, she'd simply rolled over and slept for another hour or so. It was the best sleep she'd had in so long that when she woke, groggy and well rested, she wasn't sure if it'd been a dream or not. After laying in the bed for a few moments, the smell of bacon filled her nostrils, causing a low grumble to roll through her stomach. At the realization of just how hungry she was, Evie slowly extracted herself from the warmth of the blankets and pulled on the shirt he'd been wearing last night and her panties before wandering out of the bedroom and towards the kitchen, yawn leaving her lips as she stretched her arms above her head as she walked into the room.

"Mornin'." She said softly, allowing her arms to drop back down to her sides as she stood in the doorway and looked around the kitchen. "Is there coffee?"

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack heard her enter, glancing up and fighting back the grin at the sight of his shirt on her. He hadn't expected things to get as intimate as they did. In all honesty, he'd expected a one night hookup and then awkward glances from across the lawn. But this was good too. This was great. His gaze drifted as the shirt rode above her hips, brows raising as he went back to whipping the eggs with a grin. "Of course," he said, setting the bowl to the side and reaching into a cabinet to pull down a mug for her, pouring coffee near to the brim. "How'd you sleep? Better?"

                                                                   ― Evie

Moving further into the kitchen, Evie looked around, fully taking in her surroundings. Sure, she knew quite a bit about Jack in the biblical sense and they'd had sex on the very counter he was currently whipping eggs on just two days prior, but she'd never taken the time to actually look around the house. It was, of course, the same as it'd been when her old neighbor had lived there, the familiarity of the house and all of the things inside contributing to her comfort within the four strange walls, but as she looked around she noticed little personal touches that hadn't been there before. "Uh, yeah." She said, gaze drifting back to him as she took the coffee mug from him with a soft smile, "A lot better, actually.... thank you." Blowing on the coffee slowly, Evie brought the mug up to her lips and took a small sip, wider smile coming to her features. "You make good coffee." She commented, setting the mug down to hop up onto the counter, perching herself in the perfect position to watch him cook, as she picked the mug back up. "How'd you sleep?"

                                                                   ― Jack

This felt different than when they were rolling around in bed together. It was more intimate, more dangerous. It wasn’t that he’d have minded intimate. But getting close wasn’t something Jack made a habit of, and Evie just seemed to be the exception, pushing past his walls and forcing her way in without even trying. When she took a seat nearby, Jack offered her a smile, wiping his hands on a towel before he turned to face her, reaching around her for a spoon. “Great. See, I had this dream that my cuddle buddy almost disappeared in the middle of the night but I charmed her into staying,” he teased, staying close as he met her gaze. “We don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to,” Jack assured her with a sincere smile, leaning in to brush his lips against hers. “As long as you got some sleep.”

                                                                   ― Evie

Evie leaned to the side, allowing him easier access to what he needed behind her, mug clutched gently between her two hands as she mirrored his smile back to him. She hadn't spent the night on purpose, not only because of her nightmares but because that's not what they were. At least that's not what they were before last night. Now, after she'd had one of the best night's sleeps she'd had in months, she wasn't sure if the swelling in her chest was from a budding feeling she hadn't felt in quite some time, or just the joy of being well rested. If she thought too much about it, she'd realized it was both. "Oh, you have a cuddle buddy?" She asked with a slight smirk, taking another drink from her coffee, "You sure it was your charm and not her sheer exhaustion?" She teased, grin forming on her lips as she wrapped her legs around his waist and playfully tugged him closer. Her grin faltered, however, at his words and her gaze dropped down to look into the black liquid in her mug. "Thanks." She said after a moment, gaze finally lifting to look back to him just as his lips brushed against hers. "Some of the best sleep I've had in months, thank you." She said softly, pressing a gentle peck into his lips. "And thank you for understandin', honey."

                                                                   ― Jack

"I do actually. You might know her. Tall, blonde, fondness for pie, loves to tease me," he grinned, leaning into her without hesitation when she pulled him in. He could sense the moment her mood shifted, but he wanted to make sure she knew that she wasn't obligated to tell him anything. Whatever caused her nightmares was clearly traumatizing enough to have a lasting effect, and he wasn't going to push her to talk about something that she may not have been ready to talk about. When or if she was ready, he'd be right there with open arms ready to listen. Until then, he'd hold her and make sure she slept, and keep the nightmares from overwhelming her. "Well I'm here anytime you need my special skills," he teased gently, reaching up to brush her hair back from her face before he pulled away, tapping her thigh. "Now get down, there's a dining table for a reason," he joked with a laugh, turning back to pour the eggs into the pan. It didn't take much more to have breakfast ready, doled out onto two plates before he set one in front of her, moving to take a seat beside her. "I hope you like your breakfast delicious," Jack grinned.

                                                                   ― Evie

"Mm..." Evie pretended to think about his words before a grin overtook her features and she shook her head. "Nope, doesn't sound like anyone I know." She mused with a smirk, soft laugh leaving her lips as she removed one hand from her coffee mug and placed it on his cheek, brushing her thumb over his skin slowly as she peered down at him. She held his gaze there for a moment before clearing her throat and looking away, as in that moment she realized that things were getting a little too domestic a little too fast. They'd barely just met, still getting to know each other, and while Jack had easily found his way into her bed, wiggling his way into her heart was quite a bit more tough... at least it was supposed to be. There was something about him that put her at ease and caused her heart to swell all at the same time. If she sat and thought about it for too long it'd concern her, which is why she simply didn't. "Careful what you say," She said softly, her own tone teasing as she playfully booped his nose, "You might have a cuddle buddy more nights than you're actually willin'." Smirk forming on her lips, Evie rolled her eyes as he told her to get down. "Yes, sir." She said with a mock salute, sliding down off of the counter, her bare feet hitting the cool wooden floors with a gentle thud. Refilling her coffee mug before making her way over to the table, she slid into a chair and pulled her feet up onto it with her. "I do... but I'm not sure how this breakfast is gonna hold up." She teased, nudging him gently with a grin. "It does smell amazin', though."

                                                                   ― Jack

The way she looked at him made him slightly uneasy, if anything for the fact that he didn't know how to feel for once in his life. He had always been a master of emotions, mastering his abilities early on, but with Evie, she made everything cloudy, and unreadable. At least when they weren't in bed together, when he could read her body like a book. "Hey nothing wrong with that," he shrugged, sincerity in his tone. "Sleeping alone's no fun. Besides, it could be worse. You could snore, or kick in your sleep," Jack laughed as he picked up a piece of bacon and bit into it, looking back at her. "You might be a master baker, but I have a few recipes up my sleeve. Just you wait, you're going to eat those words," Jack laughed, taking another bite of bacon. "Do you have to get Mason today?" he asked curiously, wondering if she had to go already so soon.

                                                                   ― Evie

She took another sip of the coffee, licking over her lips as she set the mug down on the table and leaned forward, pouring some syrup onto her stack of pancakes before picking up her fork and using its side to cut into the small stack she had on her plate. "Actually, I disagree." She smirked, "Because when you sleep alone you get to lay diagonal, take up the whole bed without anyone else complainin'." She nudged him gently as she took a bite of the blueberry pancakes, a satisfied smile coming to her lips as she chewed and swallowed the bite before speaking once more. "You only have one night under your belt, darlin'... besides, you snore." She joked with a wide grin, leaning over and pressing a kiss into his cheek. "Mm, we'll see. The pancakes are... you know... alright." She said slowly, grin showing that she was severely downplaying just how good the food in front of her was. "This afternoon." She answered, picking up a piece of bacon and taking a bite. "Me and Wyatt are gonna go pick him up from Ade's place. We have to leave around 1... why? You lookin' to kick me out?" She teased.

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack laughed and rolled his eyes. He had a feeling she'd gotten just as used to sleeping alone as he had, and there was nothing wrong with that. He liked sleeping alone, mostly because he could stretch out and not worry about pushing someone off the bed, but having someone next to him was a different kind of comfort. And knowing that the same someone needed him, it was a feeling he wasn't used to. "I do not," he said with a faux hurt expression, laughing as he picked up his fork and dug into his food. He could sense the lie in her words, but he didn't comment, just gave her a cocky smirk as he took a bite of his own pancakes and groaned with exaggeration as he chewed. "You're crazy, these are amazing," Jack grinned, looking back at her as she answered. "Well...I was actually thinking you could stay awhile if you didn't have plans. Throw a movie on, be lazy for the day.."

                                                                   ― Evie

Leaning back in her seat for a moment, Evie raised her arms up above her head once more and stretched once more. She'd gotten so much sleep last night her body, unused to the feeling, seemed to be having trouble waking up itself. It was a weird but not unwelcome feeling, one that she knew she could get used to which caused a tinge of nervousness and fear to run through her stomach. She'd only slept so well because of Jack, and getting used to the feeling meant getting used to spending nights with him, and while the idea in and of itself wasn't anything she'd shy away from, the feelings that came with it were the cause of concern. "How would you know?" She asked with raised brows, soft chuckle leaving her lips as she left her previous thoughts behind for the time being, taking a bite from the eggs on her plate. "You would say that, you made 'em." She teased, taking another bite from her food. In truth he was right, the pancakes and all of the food was amazing. He continued to surprise her. "So the opposite of kickin' me out." She mused with a gentle smile, "I could be convinced to hang around and watch a movie... might need to borrow your shower first, though."

                                                                   ― Jack

He didn't want to think too much about the way his heart beat a little faster with her around, or the way he knew he was going to miss her when she was gone. It was supposed to be just sex, that's what he'd told himself from the beginning, and yet here they were, enjoying each others company without the promise of sex. "Because I'm a genius and I know everything," he shrugged nonchalantly, though he broke into laughter seconds later as he took another bite. When she agreed to stay, Jack felt his smile grow, glancing over at her with an arched eyebrow. "I'm sure I can manage that," he grinned as he leaned over and brushed his lips against her cheek, one hand sliding up her thigh gently until he was cupping the inside of her leg. "I might just need a shower too," he smirked, kissing her jaw with a cocky grin before he pulled away and turned back to his food.

                                                                   ― Evie

"You're gettin' cocky now, darlin'." She smirked, taking another bite of pancakes as she shook her head with a soft chuckle. It was weirdly comfortable, sitting at a breakfast table, joking with him. The thought that she could get used to his flashing through her mind, quickly being stifled at the feeling of his hand on her bare thigh. Carefully taking another sip from her coffee mug, Evie used the tilt of the cup to hide the smirk that formed on her lips. Setting the coffee mug back down on the table, Evie's face leaned into the feeling of his lips on her skin, soft sigh escaping her. "Mm, you do." She mused with a teasing glint in her eye. "But me first." She grinned, picking up her final piece of bacon and taking a bite from it.

                                                                   ― Jack

"Maybe it's all that screaming you've been doing lately," Jack pointed out with an innocent glance in her direction. It was certainly no secret that the sexual attraction between them was off the charts, especially considering he'd already gotten a formal complaint from at least one neighbor. He didn't blame them though. They couldn't be having nearly as much fun as he and Evie were. Jack laughed when she brushed off his suggestion with a tease, rolling his eyes playfully as he finished off his bacon and picked up his plate, setting it in the sink. "Do you need me to go grab you some clothes?"

                                                                   ― Evie

"No more than normal." She teased with a playful wink, knowing full well that she'd been doing quite a bit more screaming than she'd had in over a year. Since the moment they'd met they'd had an insane sexual energy between them, but now, after some time had passed and they'd gotten to know each other, she was finding that the chemistry was there even without the sex. Finishing off her bacon, Evie gathered up the last bite of her pancakes on her fork and watched him rise and move to the sink, eating the last bite of her food and then getting up and mirroring his actions. Once her own plate was in the sink, Evie glanced around the kitchen, the offer to clean up on the tip of her tongue when he asked her about clothes. "Nah, I can run home and just shower there real quick?" She said, gaze turning back to him as she walked over to him, hands sliding up his chest to drape across his shoulders. "That way you can shower at the same time and we can meet back up for this movie. Both clean and ready to go." She grinned, leaning in to press a syrup flavored kiss to his lips.

                                                                   ― Jack

"Somehow I find that hard to believe," Jack pointed out, though they hadn't given each other much of an insight into their pasts. Part of him wanted to know everything about her, but another part knew that if he did, there'd be no turning back, and he'd never be able to wipe the memory of her. They were dancing around the subject already, but parts of it seeped in without either of them realizing it. "Or..." he said as he pulled her in by the waist, licking his lips as he let his gaze wander over her body. "You could shower here and let me wash your back," he grinned as he leaned in to kiss her slowly, his hands squeezing her backside playfully.

                                                                   ― Evie

"Fair enough." She chuckled softly, unable to refute his words without lying. In truth, it'd been quite a while since someone had made her scream the way he did, which was part of the reason she kept coming back for more. That and she found that whenever she was away from him she'd find her mind drifting back to the nights they spent together tangled in the sheets. "Mm..." She grinned slightly at his suggestion, hands resting on the side of his face as she returned his kiss. "Okay, but..." She began, pulling back ever so slightly from his lips, speaking between teasing pecks, "You gotta wash my hair, too." Smirking, Evie pressed her lips back to his in a deep kiss, body leaning into his as she sipped her tongue past his lips.

                                                                   ― Jack

Her agreement only proved what they both knew, and what they weren't willing to say out loud - that they were both so sated with each other that it didn't matter how loud they were. Jack hummed when she pulled back to speak, chasing her lips with every kiss that she offered. "You've got yourself a very wet deal," he smirked as he let out a breath through his nose, pulling her body up against him when she kissed him. The moment her tongue touched his, he let out a groan, turning them around and pressing her back against the counter as he pressed his body into hers, his own tongue tangling with hers while he momentarily forgot about everything else. After a few moments, Jack pulled away, blowing out a breath and licking his lips as he looked her over. "How am I ever supposed to stop trying to tear your clothes off when you do that?"

                                                                   ― Evie

"Great." She grinned, licking over her lips slowly before they found his again. Being around him was dangerous because if she got too close it was damn near impossible for her to keep her hands (and her lips) off of him. She was constantly chasing the high she felt when she was around him, and now with their bodies pressed against each other once more she felt almost satiated, hips pushing into his as she got lost in him once more. Lips sliding against each other's, tongues dancing a tango they'd only recently perfected, Evie reveled in the moment until he pulled away. "Do what?" She smirked, rising up onto her toes to trail a few hot kisses into the side of his neck, one hand coming to the opposite side as she zeroed in on a spot on his skin, running her tongue along it slowly before she ran her teeth along it, biting down gently to leave a faint mark before pulling back. "C'mon..." She whispered, slipping away from between him and the counter, pulling the top off and tossing it on top of his head before she began to make her way to where she knew the bathroom to be, "We have a shower to take."

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack felt like all the breath in his body caught in his chest as she ran her lips along his skin, lighting up each and every spot she touched. "That," he whispered, biting down on his lip. He'd never been with anyone that could give just as much as he did when it came to teasing, but with her, she gave just as much as she got, driving him completely and utterly insane. "Careful...keep doing that and I might have to explain where all these marks keep coming from," he murmured softly, groaning when she pulled away only to be greeted with the site of her half naked body. "Damn," Jack breathed, following her closely as she headed back for the bedroom and the best bathroom in the house. "You're so sexy, it's hard to believe you're real," he said as he pulled her back against him, eyeing her in the mirror as he ran his hand along her torso, then took hold of her panties and pushed them down just enough until they fell down her legs.

                                                                   ― Evie

The smirk that came to Evie's lips at his words was faint, but noticeable. "Who are you gonna have to explain to, hm?" She asked, tone light and teasing as she moved her lips to the other side of his neck, quickly leaving a matching mark before she pulled back completely and made her way to the bathroom. The inside of his home had become increasingly familiar, the amount of time she spent between the four walls much higher than she'd liked to have admitted out loud. Soft chuckle passing her lips, Evie leaned back into his embrace and watched him admire her through their reflection, goosebumps forming on her skin in the wake of his touch as she stepped out of her panties. "Better get that water goin'..." She breathed out gently, turning around in his arms and placing a soft kiss to his lips before gently pushing his body away from hers and towards the large shower with a smirk.

                                                                   ― Jack

"I do have other friends you know baby," he replied with a laugh, shaking his head. It was hard to take his eyes off of her, considering how well he already knew her body. They'd spent so much time getting to know every inch of each other, that he could remember every mole, and every scar on her slight frame. When she pulled away, Jack chuckled, tugging off his shirt and tossing it in the basket near the door, his sweatpants following suit. He moved to pull her into the shower, turning the water on just above warm so it rained down on them, his arms wrapping around her slender frame to pull her in close. "Better?" he murmured as he captured her lips in a slow kiss, moving to press her body up against the glass enclosure.

                                                                   ― Evie

Grin coming to her lips at his words, Evie simply shrugged her shoulders as she gave him her most angelic smile. "Just tell 'em you burnt yourself with your curlin' iron." She mused with a smirk, watching him undress as she licked over her lower lip slowly. She may have seen him more naked than clothed, but that didn't change the fact that she was completely mesmerized by him each and every time they were together. "Oh god, that's cold!" She said with a slight laugh, jumping against him as the water initially hit her body, cold and unforgiving for a moment before it turned warm. "Mm... now it is." She said against his lips, arms coming up to wrap around his shoulders as she returned the slow kiss, her body leaning into his as her lips slid slowly against his, the steam building up within the walls of the shower only aiding in the heat she was feeling radiating throughout her entire body just at his touch.

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack broke into laughter as the cold water hit them, the irony washing over him as the water warmed around them. "Well at least it didn't kill the mood," he joked playfully, running his hands up and down her back. For a moment he just kissed her, slow and steady, the taste of pancakes and coffee still staining her tongue. Any other time he would have lifted her up and had his way with her, but in that moment, all he wanted to do was look at her, admire her. There was something...intimate about being naked in front of someone without having sex, a thought that didn't escape him as he pulled away and met her gaze. "You...are an enigma to me, Evie Ducasse," he said quietly, brushing her wet hair away from her face. "I keep trying to figure you out and the moment I think I have it down, you surprise me."

                                                                   ― Evie

"You know, I'm not sure anythin' could kill the mood with you..." She teased with a soft chuckle, fingers running through his hair as they kissed. It was a bit of an odd sensation, this kiss. It wasn't rushed, leading to a fevered, more primal goal, but rather soft and sensual, a true testament to the growing feelings neither of them were willing to admit to just yet. It was still too soon, too new, for either of them to take that leap. "An enigma, hm?" She asked quietly with a soft smile, eyes watching his as they trailed along her body. Normally she'd shy away from something so intimate, but she wasn't embarrassed beneath his gaze. "Gotta keep you on your toes," She said with a soft laugh, head tilted up to look at him, "But I'm an open book, baby... what do you want to know?"

                                                                   ― Jack

"That's a very good point," Jack chuckled, humming a little as he pulled away and met her gaze. When she offered to tell him anything he wanted to know, he thought about all the questions he'd had, mostly from everything that had led up to this moment. There were things he knew he wouldn't ask because they weren't his business, and others that he figured she'd tell him in time. But he still wanted to know everything about her. "What was your childhood like?" he asked as he reached behind her to pick up a loofah, squeezing some body wash onto it as he turned her around and ran the sponge over her back gently.

                                                                   ― Evie

"I make those from time to time, you'll learn." She grinned, booping his nose gently as he took a step away from her. The shower wasn't small by any means, but she didn't want to be too far away from him. "My childhood?" She asked with raised brows, dipping her head beneath the water when he turned her, smile coming to her lips as she felt the loofah on her back. "Mmm.. it was unexceptionably normal." She chuckled. "Grew up in this little town, Breaux Bridge, in Louisiana. It was just me, mama and daddy... no siblin's. I took cotillion, dance classes, bake pies with mama on the weekends, went shootin' with daddy durin' huntin' season. Honestly, it was totally normal." Shrugging her shoulders slightly, Evie turned and looked over her shoulder at him with a warm smile. "What else you wanna know, baby?"

                                                                   ― Jack

It sounded like the kind of childhood people wrote about in books, a thought that made him smile. The idea of her being mistreated didn't sit well with him, but he didn't allow himself to dwell on it for too long. If he did, he might've realized why it bothered him, and he wasn't sure he was ready to face that possibility. "What brought you to Hollow Grove?" he asked, knowing the answer might be a bit more sinister than most as he scrubbed her skin gently.

                                                                   ― Evie

His next question caused her to pause, the memories from the past two years flashing through her mind as her body visibly sagged beneath the grief of it all. "The first, second or third time?" She asked with raised brows, glancing over her shoulder at him with a forced smile. She knew he'd be able to tell the shift in her mood, so she tried to keep her feelings in check as to not burden him. "Mm, it's actually kind of a long, long story. I came to town with my two best friends... my alpha, Nik, and Sam. It was Nik's choice, his family co-founded Hollow Grove and still live here today. That was his reasonin', at least. That we, as a pack, needed to stop movin' around and settle down. He'd said to look at it as a new adventure, that Hollow Grove would be our home now. Turns out, though, the Nik that brought me here was an imposter from the Clave. A witch who'd studied him and his family until he knew everythin' about them... they'd had Nik, then. For two years they had him." She couldn't keep the pain out of her voice at the memory, having to pause as her voice began to wavier. She hadn't known the imposter wasn't the man she loved, the man she owed her life to, and she still hadn't forgiven herself for it. Clearing her throat slightly, Evie turned to face him once he'd gotten all of the skin on her back with the loofah. "But that's neither here nor there." She said with a gentle smile, "I made a home here, made friends, and now I can't imagine livin' anywhere else."

                                                                   ― Jack

Jack listened intently as she spoke, not missing the way her whole affect dissipated into some kind of sadness, though he didn't question it. At least not yet. When she turned to face him, Jack kept his face stoic, allowing her to pour out whatever she needed to in order to get the story out. When she mentioned the Clave, his brow creased, face noticeably tensing. He knew of the horrible things the Clave had done, it was part of the reason he'd broken free of it all. His parents had brought him up to believe the Clave was right, and just, but he'd come to realize they were anything but. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, running the loofah over her shoulders absentmindedly. "At least you're happy here now. Can't really say I'd be the same if I hadn't met you."

                                                                   ― Evie

"Don't be." She said, head tilting back to look up at him with a gentle smile, hand coming up to rest on his cheek gently. "It's not your fault and I've got Nik back, the real Nik. He's a little worse for wear but he's still here. Benefits of being legitimately immortal, I guess." She shrugged, breaking his gaze as she glanced down to the shower floor. Nik may have come back to her in one piece but the same couldn't have been said for Sam. He was dead, never coming back, and she had to live with that guilt every single day. Her gaze lifted back to him at his next word, though, genuine smile coming to her features. "Yeah, you're right... I am happy." She paused, bright blue eyes finding his. "Really?" She asked, taking a step closer to him, "In a good way, I hope." She chuckled.

                                                                   ― Jack

"I'm not sorry because I did something wrong," he said slowly. "I'm sorry because you should never have had to go through something like that." The Clave ruined things, ruined people, a fact he'd come to face a long time ago, yet there was nothing he could do about it. He was almost sure if he set foot outside of the city, they'd surely shoot him down where he stood. "Well, I'm not hating the beautiful naked woman in my shower," he chuckled, tipping her chin up and leaning in to steal a kiss. "Something about you just...makes me want to be around you all the time," he whispered softly, his gaze growing sincere.

                                                                   ― Evie

"Everyone has their things," She said with a shrug, gentle smile on her face as she looked up at him. He didn't know the half of what she'd been through when it came to the Clave and Nik, but she wasn't going to lay all of that on him. For all she knew, he has his own sob story, one that could have been much worse than her own, so she wasn't going to burden him with her issues. It'd be unfair. Especially since that's not what they were supposed to be. "But thank you, darlin'. You're sweet." Tilting her head back as he tilted her chin up, the smile that grew on her face was genuine, her lower lip coming beneath her teeth to keep the expression at bay. "You don't wanna be around me all the time, baby. You'll get sick of me." She teased lightly, leaning up to press another soft kiss into his lips. Her heart was beating quicker than normal as their eyes met, knowing that she felt exactly the same way as he did. Suddenly it dawned on her that whatever they had intended for this to be might have changed into something more .

                                                                   ― Jack

She wasn't wrong, though some things tended to be much darker than others. He had some dark skeletons in his closet, but most were locked so deep that he didn't have to face them. It seemed as though Evie's were clawing at the door and begging to get out, and she was simply trying to keep them at bay. "Well I do try," he smiled, searching her eyes. When she warned that he might get sick of her, Jack laughed a little, running his thumb along her bottom lip as he returned the kiss with just as much fervor. He sensed the heat rising in her body, the way they felt about each other lingering in the air as he pulled away and met her gaze. "This isn't just sex anymore is it?" he asked quietly, almost prepared for her to refute his words, to assure him that he was wrong and there was nothing more to whatever they were feeling.

                                                                   ― Evie

"Oh, do you?" She asked, eyebrows raised as blue eyes sparkled with the smile coloring her features. She felt lighter around him, like the demons she was constantly trying to keep at bay, even in her sleep, fought a little less whenever he was around. "Well lucky for you, it's workin'." She grinned, going up onto her toes to press a few soft kisses into his lips, going back down onto flat feet once she pulled way and he ran his thumb across her bottom lip. At his next question, Evie's gaze moved away from his as she bit down on her lower lip, butterflies suddenly invading her stomach as the warm water beat down on her back. "Um..." She began, gaze slowly coming back to his, nerves causing her voice to waver slightly, "No." She finally said, letting out a soft breath, "No, it's not just sex anymore."

                                                                   ― Jack

The assurance that they were both feeling the same things almost made him nauseous, mostly because he didn't know what to do with it all. He could feel what she did, a mirror image of his own heart, but there were so many things they hadn't talked about yet, that they didn't know about each other. She had a kid, and a pack, and he was just a guy that strolled into town and couldn't seem to take his eyes off of her. His heart raced as he moved closer to her, biting down on the inside of his cheek for a moment before he leaned down and caught her lips in a soft kiss, one that wasn't laced with passion, or heat, but affection, and care. When he pulled away and met her gaze, he swallowed hard, pulling her body against his. "Every time...I think about leaving you, or you leaving, it makes everything dim a little," he admitted slowly, brushing her wet hair away from her face. "If I didn't know you weren't a witch, I'd think you had me under some sort of spell," Jack chuckled lightly.

                                                                   ― Evie

Her chest rose and fell rapidly with her quick breathing, her own heart racing as he moved closer to her. It'd been quite some time since she'd felt this way about anyone, since someone got her heart racing the way he did. It was terrifying. This was just supposed to be sex, a simply exchange of body heat when the mood struck them, but in such a short period of time it had turned into more. They'd actually spent the night together, had breakfasts together, met up for lunches, watched movies. It wasn't just sex and the realization, both internally and out loud, was both thrilling and terrifying.

Her eyes stayed connected with his until his lips were upon hers, only then did her blue eyes close as she returned the sweet kiss, the first of its kind between the two of them. Before it had been quick and passionate, a means to an end, but this time... this time she could feel it all the way in her toes. The affection causing a soft blush to form on her chest and cheeks as they pulled back and she wrapped her arms around his neck, one of her hands coming to rest on his cheek as her thumb slowly and gently ran along his skin as she nodded in agreement. "I uh, I think about you much more than I should." She admitted softly, going up on her toes to rest her forehead against his, soft chuckle of her own leaving her lips. "No spell... just lil ole' me." Pausing for a moment as she softly pressed a chaste kiss into his lips. "What... what do we do about it?"

                                                                   ― Jack

The last few weeks had been a whirlwind, and while most of it was spent doing things to each other, there were rare moments of clarity where they talked about their lives, about the things that made them who they were. He knew they were still holding things back, things they weren't ready to reveal, but the fact that he wanted to reveal them meant she was more to him than he ever thought she'd be. "Well...I know that I don't want to end this," Jack whispered softly, running his thumb along her chin gently.

The way those eyes looked at him, the way she made time stand still, it was almost overbearing in a way, because he could feel everything. He could feel the things she was trying desperately to hide, emotions he only knew because he could feel them in his bones. "You tell me what you want. Your life is far more complicated than mine," he said slowly. "You have a child, and a pack. I don't want to make you feel obligated to do anything."

                                                                   ― Evie

As she gazed up at him, Evie realized that Jack had become part of her daily routine and she hadn't even realized it. Sure, there were days that they only saw each other when he came to the pie shop or when she was carrying groceries into the house with Mason on her hip, but he'd always been there and she'd grown used to that, finding it harder and harder to be away from him. "Me either..." She said softly, hand coming up to run through his wet hair as the water from the shower continued to cascade down on their bodies. "But what is this?" She asked cautiously, teeth coming down to rest over her lower lip, anxious about his answer.

A soft sigh left her lips, fingers tracing the curve of his jaw slowly as she looked at him. "I don't feel obligated." She said, her tone rather stubborn as her eyes followed her fingers as they dipped down past his chin and slid slowly down his neck and then his collar bone. "I just know I like spendin' time with you... you uh," She paused, head lifting to look up at him, "You make me smile."

                                                                   ― Jack

When she asked the question that he knew neither of them knew how to answer, it forced him to think about it. He didn't want to be away from her, he didn't want to hold anyone else. She was it. "A...constant string of sex and reassurance?" he said with a small teasing smile, though his eyes were soft and filled with adoration.

Jack found that he echoed her sentiments, heart thudding a little faster with every word she spoke. "So...what if we were to stop....seeing other people? Not that I was, but...we could....only see each other," he said after a moment, searching her eyes. "Exclusively."

                                                                   ― Evie

A soft laugh left her lips at his words as she shook her head, smile on her face causing her eyes to shine. “Sounds like a pretty good deal to me... as long as the sex stays good.” She teased back, slight smirk causing the corners of her mouth to twitch upwards as her hands ran up and down his arms slowly. The more time she spent with Jack the more she didn’t want to spend time away from him. It was a weird feeling, the butterflies in her stomach and the way her heartbeat sped up when he was around, but it wasn’t unwelcome.

“Like... an actual relationship?” She asked, more for clarification than anything else as she felt her heart speed up. “Because...” she hesitated, her own eyes searching his as her breath hitched in her throat, “I wouldn’t be opposed to it.”

                                                                   ― Jack

"The sex will always be good baby," Jack said as he broke into laughter, running his thumb along her bottom lip as his grin set into place. He wasn't exaggerating, not as long as she had an energy that he could feed off of, and the two of them had sexual chemistry that seemed to light the world on fire.

"Like an actual relationship," he chuckled, tilting her face up slightly until their gazes matched. "Something...stable. Maybe even serious," he said, his smile fading to something akin to bliss. "I like you Evie. Can't even remember the last time I felt something like this with. I want all of you, Ducasse. Every single bit."

                                                                   ― Evie