Werewolves of New York: Nathaniel (10 page)

E
li was
awake when Michelle and Nathaniel walked in. On the walk up, Nathaniel warned her about their superior hearing and sense of smell, that Eli would know who was there before they’d even stepped foot in the two bedroom apartment. If he couldn’t smell them right away, he’d surely hear them. Sure enough, he called out from living room, right as the door opened, “Well, well well! Can’t wait to hear what you two have been up to.” Then, “Shit. Nathaniel! Why do I smell blood?” He appeared at the end of the hallway, his brown eyes searching the couple.

“We went for a walk just now and got into it with a couple of low-lifes.” Nathaniel dropped his keys in a pretty wooden bowl and took Michelle’s hand. “This is our home,” he told her with a welcoming smile. “Come.”

Eli shook his head and his demeanor shifted to a friendlier one. “Welcome! Let’s give you the tour!” It was a larger apartment than hers by far, but not obnoxious. They pointed out the changes they’d made to the place after moving in, both of them overlapping their explanations like two friends totally comfortable with each other would. The last stop was the living room after explaining the dividing screen used to keep the kitchen more separate and give the illusion of two rooms rather than one.

She sat on their long, modern couch and watched as Nathaniel recounted the events of the fight. He wasn’t proud of the story, and had no idea how much he’d impressed her back there. She was a bit stunned by all that had happened in so quickly a time, and being here in their home, she felt very humbled.

It was beyond her amazement to watch them talking, knowing now that they were both werewolves. Eli, too! Their gestures and movements fascinated her. They looked like normal men save for the fact that they were both more masculine than a lot of the skinny-legged hipsters that seemed to be taking over the world. They were more like the men of Cary Grant’s era, the kind who wore suits as comfortably if not more so, than jeans.

“Michelle?” Nathaniel said, and from the tone it wasn’t the first time he’d tried to get her attention.

“Sorry. I must have been daydreaming,” she smiled. “Yes?”

“Come to me.”

A wave of happiness drifted through her and she rose from the couch and crossed to where he stood by the bar. Eli was on the other side, holding a drink. She slipped her arm around Nathaniel’s back and he around hers. “I’d like to formerly introduce you to my oldest friend, Eli Jackson. Eli, my future bride, Michelle Nero.”

She held out her hand and he clasped it in his and shook it firmly, his dimple deep as his eyes danced. “Pleasure to meet you, Eli.”

He laughed, let go of her hand, picked up his drink and shook his head. “So, from the way she’s looking at me…?” he trailed off, not wanting to say it aloud if he was wrong.

Nathaniel gazed down at her with love. “She knows. Yes. I showed her.”

Surprise exploded on Eli’s face and he whooped. “Wow! You SHOWED her? That’s a first right there.” To her, he asked with his eyebrows up high. “What’d you think?”

She grinned and shrugged one shoulder. “No big deal.”

He guffawed and hit the bar-top. “No biggie. Yeah, same shit different day. I hear ya.”

Michelle laughed with him, his wonderful personality infectious. Already she was thinking of setting him up. But with which friend? “It’s amazing, actually. Thank you so much for trusting me with this. Although, I’m still mad at you for that interview debacle.”

He made a face and brought up two more glasses. “No, you’re not.” Glancing to his friend, he asked, “We have to drink to this fucking miracle right here. Nathaniel tied down by a ball and chain. I never thought I’d see the day!”

“Hey!” Michelle objected with laughter in her eyes. “I resent that term.”

Nathaniel picked her up, kissing her deeply as though they were alone. She returned the kiss with equal passion. If he didn’t care about the audience, neither did she. And she felt so good in his arms! He set her back down and stared at her. “Don’t listen to this shithead. He’s just jealous.” Picking up the glass offered him, he held it up.

Michelle did the same and Eli announced, “To love.”

As she clinked her glass to theirs, she’d never felt so happy. “What is this?”

“Scotch,” Eli said, drinking a hefty gulp.

She took a small sip and felt the warm sting, wincing accordingly. “Oooo, that burns. I like it.”

“Here they come,” Nathaniel said, ear perked. “You called them?”

Eli shrugged. “I didn’t know you were coming back here, but I had to tell them your declaration.” He glanced to Michelle. “I’ve got a big mouth. We don’t keep any secrets. Be warned.”

Michelle smiled, but looked at Nathaniel, wondering what they were talking about. He led her to the side as the sound of the front door opening reached her ears, the voices of Darik and Dontae growing louder. Oh no! She didn’t want to see those guys right now. That Dontae was a little intimidating.

Michelle straightened her spine and watched the two men…two werewolves…give her the once over as they entered the room. From their faces, Nathaniel had been right about their senses of hearing and smell. They knew she was there before they’d walked in. Dontae was as intense as always, but Darik had a gleam in his eyes that was pure excitement and curiosity. His lecherous smile was gone, just like Nathaniel had told her it would be. Then frowns creased their foreheads at the exact same time.

“You smell like blood again,” Dontae growled.

“What the hell?” Darik exclaimed, staring at the dark haired wolf at her side.

Eli came out from the behind the bar to stand between the two pairs. “Alright, alright. No one’s killed. Calm down. He just did what we do practically every week. It’s just bad timing is all, since after what happened,” he glanced to Michelle.

“It’s alright. You can talk about it.” She eyed Dontae, wishing he wouldn’t glare at her like that.

Darik expressed loud relief, heading for the bar. “Thank God for that! I need some peace and quiet again.” Then he muttered, “I never thought I’d hear myself say that.” Looking to Dontae, he asked. “What do you want?”

Michelle slipped her hand into Nathaniel’s and held the bold stare of the blonde wolf.

“Dontae, Darik asked you what you’d like to drink,” she smiled.

He blinked and glanced over. “Whatever. I don’t care.” He headed for the balcony and opened the curtains, looking at the city with his back to the room.

She shared a look with Nathaniel and he squeezed her hand, saying to the others, “I’ve asked Michelle to marry me.”

Dontae flipped around, his eyes wide. Darik’s smile betrayed his shock, but he was clearly happy. Michelle’s heart was beating fast and she remembered that Nathaniel had told her he’d need to be patient with his pack. He’d meant Dontae; that was plain. But it made her feel like she was coming between them. She wanted to be a part of what they had.

“Congratulations, man!” Darik came forward and hugged his friend. He looked at Michelle like he didn’t know what to do. She held out her arms. He laughed and gave her a huge bear hug. “Wow! That’s incredible news.”

Michelle was hyper-aware of the silent wolf to her right and she couldn’t take it anymore. She walked to him and held out her hand. “He told me.”

“I showed her,” Nathaniel added, from behind her. She glanced over to him and he gave her an encouraging nod. This wasn’t easy, but it was worth facing her nervousness to try. Knowing there was a wolf inside the intense blonde man made him all the more imposing.

Dontae looked past her to Nathaniel, eyebrows lifted slightly. “You showed her,” he whispered, taking it in. He met her hopeful eyes, but his wall was up.

Michelle continued with as gentle a voice as she’d ever used, “You can trust me. I will never tell your secret to anyone. It’s yours to tell, and I promise you that I will keep it safely guarded in my heart.”

Dontae huffed through his nose, not knowing what to believe. She could see doubt on his face. She kept her hand out for him and he looked down at it. “We are all vulnerable now because of you.”

There was something in his voice that hurt her to hear. Empathy pulled a soft smile from inside her and she shook her head just a little. “No, you are stronger. With more members to your pack and one of your own happier because of it. Give me time, you’ll see who I am.”

He blinked, struck by her logic. She felt the three behind her relax. Then Dontae surprised her by pulling her in for a reluctant hug. It was tense and more than a little awkward, but she appreciated the effort, and squeezed him back.

He released her and took the glass Nathaniel walked over to him. “Are you done glowering so I can celebrate?”

Dontae smiled despite himself. “Oh, alright.” Then with exaggerated defensiveness meant for comedic effect, he muttered, “I said in the interrogation that I liked her.”

Michelle cried out, “So it was an interrogation!” She threw an amazed glance around the four. “I’m glad
someone
isn’t calling that shit-show an
interview
!”

They all laughed. She smiled at Eli who was the loudest by far. Nathaniel’s proud appraisal of her overjoyed her and she knew he approved of her handling of Dontae. The five made themselves comfortable and spent the next hour talking, with much laughter, each sharing stories about their Friday night, the other wolves censoring their tales slightly out of respect for the female company.

After that hour, exhausted by the hour, the little sleep and all that had happened, Michelle found she couldn’t keep her eyes open anymore. She excused herself to sleep in Nathaniel’s room. He kissed her goodnight…or good morning… “I’ll be in a little while.”

“Okay,” she said sleepily, leaving the four of them to talk, and probably about her, she guessed, smiling to herself as she walked down the hall and into his room.

His pillows smelled like him and she buried her face in one of them and breathed in the wonderful scent. She could hear their muffled voices far off through the walls and as sleep took her over, she couldn’t help but think this might all be a dream.

She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep when she felt him climb onto the bed, the heavy mattress giving slightly to his tall frame. “Is the courthouse open on Saturdays?” he asked.

She blinked in the gray morning light, the curtains halfway open. “Why?”

“I want to see what paperwork has to be dealt with.” He pulled the covers up over his naked body and let his muscles go lax as he sunk into the comfortable bed.

She rose up on her elbow and looked at him. “Wait, you’re saying we’re doing this soon?”

“Monday too soon?”

Michelle yelped and covered her mouth. “Are you serious?”

He shrugged and smirked at her. “I keep surprising you.”

Her eyes were wide as dinner plates as she stared at his calm face. “Of course you keep surprising me! We just…”

He touched her lips to quiet her, pulling her to lie on his warm, muscular body. He felt so good that her objections felt silly. Could she really take this great a chance?

“Look woman, we will have plenty of time to get to know each other when I’ve got a ring on your finger. Why do you want to wait?”

She sputtered quietly, “I didn’t say I wanted to wait…I’m just surprised!”

He laughed and kissed her, dropping his head back on the pillow, green eyes shining. “You are only surprised because you can’t believe it. You’ll believe it when you’re married to me and when I’ve said
I do
.” She was unable to argue with that. He was right. He rubbed her back absently as he continued, “I’m going to see if they’re open. I’ve already set my alarm and told the guys. They’re coming with us. Hope you don’t mind. Then on Monday, if I’m able to take care of the legalities properly, I will make you my wife. Do you have any friends you want to invite? That drunk one, maybe?”

She burst out laughing, half from his calling Rose that, half from shock. “Of course I have friends I want to invite. But be prepared for them to think we’re crazy.”

“I don’t care what they think.” He grabbed the back of her head and kissed her. She melted into him.

“Okay,” she murmured against his lips, surrendering completely to the power of her feelings.

He rolled them both over so that he was on top of her and moved open her legs with his knee. She gasped as he filled her with one thrust, encasing her mouth with his own. She sucked on his tongue as he groaned with pleasure. The soreness down there made her smile. It had been so long since she’d been with anyone, and here she was, three times in one night with a man who wanted to marry her, and who she couldn’t wait to call husband. They made love quietly after Nathaniel whispered, “Eli’s probably listening.” The way Nathaniel looked at her made her feel truly beautiful, something she hadn’t ever really felt before now.

Love has a way of opening the mind as well as the heart and right then, in the brightening light of a city morning, Michelle felt hope spring to life and take root in her soul.

O
n Tuesday morning
, D.D.E.N. Inc. didn’t open its doors. Its four partners instead walked up the stone steps of City Hall on Worth Street, Nathaniel with marriage license in hand. They all wore black suits. Not quite matching, but it would do. His three packmates had no ties, their shirts unbuttoned one button down. Only Nathaniel wore a tie, a slender black one, so that he was distinguished from them. They turned quite a few female heads walking in, and even some male ones.

“Having to wait twenty-four hours after obtaining the marriage license was bullshit,” Nathaniel muttered.

Eli hit his back and gave him a shake as their footsteps echoed off the marble tile. “She’s going to show.”

Nathaniel grumbled, “I’m just saying.”

He ignored the look Eli threw Darik and Dontae. He was just happy they respected his anxiety enough to keep their traps shut, unlike his roommate. He didn’t want it voiced aloud; it made it more real.

Nathaniel wanted to lock this down because he was afraid she’d wake up and realize he wasn’t good enough for her. That he was a just a monster from some horror film, and to marry such a thing was ludicrous. Fear had him in its unforgiving grip. All his veins were tight and his jaw hurt again from trying in vain to relax. It was no use. He was a mess on the inside.

“Your heart is racing abnormally fast,” Eli warned.

“Shut up!”

As they neared the doors of the City’s Clerk’s office, he looked around for her. Appointments were not needed, but they’d agreed to be here at 10:00 a.m. sharp. He flipped around and stuffed his hands into his slack’s pockets. “What time is it?”

Dontae looked as nervous as he did. He pulled out his phone and said with sobriety, “Nine fifty-five.”

Nathaniel tried to inhale patience, but oxygen seemed to have left the room. Like a statue, he stayed staring at the hallway where they’d just been, his packmates at his side. People walked through the halls for different purposes and when up walked a bride and groom, grinning from ear to ear, Nathaniel thought he might explode.

“Excuse me,” the groom asked him, and Nathaniel moved aside, not realizing he was blocking the entrance. “Thank you. You ready?” he asked his bride-to-be.

“I can’t believe we’re doing this!” They opened the doors and went in.

Nathaniel couldn’t look at his friends. “Time?”

Dontae grated through his teeth, “Ten.”

“Where is she?” Darik groaned, tapping his feet.

Just then, he heard her voice and his hands escaped his pockets as he took a couple steps toward the welcome sound. There were other female voices with her, and their heels clicked speedily along the floor, a clear sign they knew they were running late.

Dontae sighed out all of his tension and Eli chuckled. “You guys should see your faces.”

With nervous laughter in his voice, Darik said the obvious, “Here they come.”

Around the corner appeared his future wife wearing a white floor-length spaghetti strapped dress that hugged her in all the right places. Her hair was in loose, long curls and she wore no jewelry. In her hands was a bouquet of the orchids he’d given her, the resilient flowers beautiful still. She’d brought them all, and the effect was kind of funny since there were so many.

She had two friends with her, the woman who was drunk at the club, now sober and with light dancing in her blue eyes as she tended to her friend’s hair and kept talking non-stop. She wore a blue dress that complimented her eyes. The other was a redhead with wild wavy hair and chic wardrobe. The women didn’t match, but it didn’t matter. The redhead was looking at Nathaniel’s party. She smiled at the males en route to them, and her eyes paused a moment longer when she saw Dontae. She glanced back quickly to Michelle.

Nathaniel walked to meet them and he felt as though he could finally breathe. He gave her no sign he’d been nervous and when he stood before her, she and both her friends stared up at him. “You are so beautiful.”

She blushed and held out her hand. He took it and was about to walk away with her, but she tugged on him. “This is Rose,” she indicated the woman with the light-brown hair, who he’d seen before.

“Rose, nice to meet you.” He nodded, not willing to let go of Michelle’s hand.

“And Laura,” Michelle smiled to the redhead. “She’s a newer friend, but I thought I’d invite her anyway. I have others, but it’s a work day, so…”

“I wouldn’t miss this!” Laura grinned, clearly thrown by the swiftness of the courtship.

Rose rolled her eyes, clearly indicating her disbelief that any of this was a good idea, but kept quiet. Nathaniel could see that took some doing, and he imagined she must have given Michelle quite a bit of grief over this decision. He was just glad she hadn’t talked her out of it.

With his future wife’s hand tightly held in his, he turned and introduced his packmates. “Ladies, this is Eli, Dontae, and Darik.” He turned back as each one inclined their head in respective order. Locking eyes with Michelle he saw love gazing up him. “Come with me.”

She nodded and let him lead her to the door. He listened through it and heard the previous ceremony coming to a finish. He paused with his hand on the doorknob. When he knew it was time, he walked her in just as the other couple was leaving.

The city workers smiled at the large party’s arrival. Their friends stood back a few steps as Nathaniel and Michelle walked to the front and faced one another in front of an older man in a tired suit, who waited to perform the ceremony. He went through the normal verbiage without much romance, and when he started to give them the usual vows, Michelle shook her head.

“I want to say my own. Sorry, I should have warned you. I just thought of it, though,” she said with a shaky voice. “Just now. I don’t want the same old thing.”

He smiled at her. “I don’t need time to prepare. I know what I want to say to you.”

She flushed happily, a small shy smile on her lips. Taking a deep breath, she began, “Nathaniel, I promise to love you every day for the rest of my life. I promise to always be loyal and to treat you with the utmost respect. I vow to you today to work through whatever problems we may encounter as the years go by and when we change and grow. I promise with all of my heart to truly love you in the deepest sense of that word.” There were tears in her eyes and he squeezed both her hands and kissed her.

“Not yet,” said the County Clerk.

Throwing him a sideways smile, he cleared his throat. Looking into Michelle’s soft brown eyes, he told her, “Michelle, I promise to love and protect you every day for the rest of my life. I promise to support you in whatever you do and to be your greatest friend. I vow to take care of you and treat you with the respect you deserve. I promise to make love to you with passion and commitment from this day forward.” She chuckled and a tear escaped. He bent down and kissed its trail, this time uninterrupted, as there was not a dry eye in the room. “I promise to grow and change
with
you, and to share everything I am, to be honest and have no secrets. I will work through problems. I will be on your team. I promise you that. You have my word.”

The County Clerk cleared his throat. “Nathaniel Jacobs, do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”

Nathaniel said, firmly, “I do.”

“And Michelle Nero, do you take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

She gazed up at him, and choked, “I do.”

“Then by the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride…again.”

Nathaniel crushed her to him and kissed her deeply as her arms swung around his neck. She pulled him close and they kissed until their friends were whooping and hollering, the clapping echoing loudly off the sparsely decorated room.

The newly married couple separated, laughing, and shook the clerk’s hand before they turned back to grin at their friends. Michelle threw the bouquet without warning and it hit Rose in the face. Rose laughed and held the flowers, rolling her eyes at them and not seeing what Nathaniel had, that Eli had a special gleam in his eye as he looked at the blue-eyed female.

“Now what?” Dontae asked with pretend gruffness. “Move to Brooklyn and buy a house? Ridiculous. All of this!”

Nathaniel threw his arm around his new wife. “We’re staying in Manhattan.”

She nodded beaming at him. “It’s been decided.”

“Well, with the rate this is going, she’ll be having his child by Thursday,” Laura quipped.

“Right?!” Rose said dryly. She pointed her finger at Michelle. “Don’t you dare!”

Nathaniel exchanged a look with his packmates. All of them knew from her scent that his bride wasn’t fertile just yet, but that would soon change. He smirked and started for the door, his arm still around her. “Let’s go eat!”

Cheers from the group as they followed them out, their footsteps echoing loudly off the hard tile. Nathaniel heard Eli asking Rose, “So, what do you do?”

“I’m a lawyer,” she said with casual lightness.

“Hot.”

Darik’s voice rose over the clattering heels. “No dating, remember?!!!”

Nathaniel grinned over his shoulder to see Eli throw up his arms in mock-innocence. “What? I’m just asking the pretty lady a question!”

Sunlight burst onto them as the double door swung open. Michelle whispered up to him, “Hey husband.”

“Yes, wife?”

“I just had to say it.”

He stopped at the top of the steps before the group descended, and kissed her again as though no one was watching. They heard the voices of their friends fade away. They’d given them a moment alone. Nathaniel felt such a rush as he held her, knowing she was here to stay. He looked at Michelle and he said in a husky tone, “Remember I said, no secrets?” She nodded. “I have to confess something then.” Her eyebrows tilted up. “I didn’t think you were going to come.”

Tenderness warmed her eyes and she rose on her tiptoes to kiss him before saying, “And I didn’t think I’d ever meet the one. See, we were both wrong.”

He grinned, grasped her hand and led her down the steps. Their friends waited at the bottom, talking amongst themselves. They turned to watch them coming down, and broke into applause.

Nathaniel called out, “Alright! Enough! I’m starving! Let’s do this!”

The seven walked into the city feeling their lives were changed, and changed forever. You just never knew when a path would turn and take you where you never thought you’d go.