Kara found Ryker sitting on the floor by her door, his head resting on the wall and his eyes closed. They came open and wrinkled when a smile made it to his face.
"Good morning."
She returned the smile and ran her hand through her hair. She'd dropped her beanie again. Some days she wanted to be covered, some days she didn't. Most days she didn't understand herself.
"Hey. How long have you been here?" She asked with an embarrassed smile, she'd kept him waiting... not her fault though.
He shrugged. "Not long, wanted to ask you to eat breakfast with me."
Kara shook her head to stop herself from staring at his dark intimidating yet intriguing eyes.
"No?"
"No.. I mean yes. Just let me bath and change my clothes." She told him and hurried into her room.
She was out fifteen minutes later. He was still in the position she left him.
Ryker stood up, excitement dancing in his eyes. Kara almost laughed, it was only breakfast.
"Are you always this excited about breakfast?" She teased.
"Nop. But I'm eating with a pretty girl so." He grinned and stuck his hands in his pocket.
Kara chuckled. "Well, it's good to be pretty then. Where is Ezra though?"
"Went home briefly." Ryker answered. "So how has the school been? I understand that you are new."
"Been a while so I can't exactly still be classified as new. But... it's been something. Typical high school in a way but also not. It's hard to explain." Especially when she felt that there was more to everything than whatever this school was meant to be for her.
They got to the cafeteria and settled into their seats after getting their food.
He studied her. "That doesn't sound encouraging. You've made friends haven't you?"
Kara twirled her fork. Friends. "Yeah sure... I guess so." Honestly she didn't know what to think.
Was Liv her friend or obligated to be? Klaus was her step brother. Adrian... complicated. Ezra... she didn't know. The Winterly boys.... not so much. Mara... complicated. Theirs was almost love and hate, which was also a bit ridiculous.
"Has anyone been giving you a hard time?"
She didn't missed the spark in his eyes as everything steeled. His face turned serious and his fists were clenched.
"Why? Are you going to rough em up for me?" She pointed her fork at him and raised an eyebrow, a smirk on her lips.
He blinked, then blushed. "If necessary, yes."
"Uhuh, are you a knight in shining armor to every pretty girl in distress?" She laughed.
Ryker stared at her. "For you, yes."
"Uh uh." Kara leaned in. "A clueless person might think you have fallen for me."
"Why is that so hard to believe?"
"You just met me."
"Love at first sight..."
"... doesn't exist." She finished for him.
They stared at each other. Kara daring him to argue with her. It felt like he was searching for something on her face.
"Ever had your heart broken?"
"Can't break what you don't have." She grinned .
They finished their food in silence with Kara playing their conversation in her head, wondering what she had said wrong. She raised her head up and watched him. He pushed his sausages aside and stared at his apple thoughtfully.
"Show me your shadow thingy." She said out of the blue.
He frowned. "What?"
"Show me your..."
He shook his head and tapped his finger on the table. "I mean why?"
Kara shrugged and picked his sausages. "I'm curious. Didn't see much of Ezra's considering I was being flung halfway across the room so.."
"People go their entire..."
"...lives without seeing a shadow blah blah blah. Do they program all of you to say this?" She pointed her fork at him with her eyebrows raised.
He looked at her.
At first nothing happened, then she felt it before she saw it. A black smoke in the shape of a human, of Ryker, stood behind him. It was chilling. Every part of her wanted to run. Yet...
"Does he scare you?" Ryker asked.
Kara looked at her hands and saw she had frozen them together under the table. She drew in a breath before looking back at him.
"Why do you ask?"
Ryker leaned forward. "Your ears are alert."
He raised the silver tray and turned it to her so she could see her reflection. Her white ears were straight and the tip of her hair had turn totally black.
"A wolf thing." She answered with a shrug. "It IS my first time seeing a shadow so..."
The shadow disappeared and everything seemed bright again. Her hands melted and became warm again.
"What do you think?" He asked, a curious expression on his face.
She leaned forward and tilted her head slightly to the side.
"I think you are showing me a side of you people rarely see." She leaned back and her expression turned into a glare. "So cut the bullshit, what is this about?"
Ryker was startled. He didn't know what to say.
"What do you..."
They turned when Destiny walked in. She looked at their expression and gave them a mischievous grin.
"Did I walk into a lover's spat?" She clicked her tongue and sat beside them. "You move fast Ryker."
"And you've never been to Oakley?" Kara asked mockingly.
Ryker looked from one woman to the other, completely short of words.
"Oh, you haven't told her?" Destiny stood up slowly. "I'll leave you two to talk."
She turned to leave but couldn't move. Her feet were frozen to the floor but Kara wasn't looking at her. Her gaze was on the boy in front of her who would rather be anywhere else.
"My patience is waning."
Ryker ran his fingers through his hair and cleared his throat. "I don't know where to start."
"Start from the fact that as much as you are annoying me currently, I don't find your presence repulsive." Her claws came out and she drew a line on wooden table.
Destiny groaned. "Do I have to be here? Besides, this is preposterous. I'm old enough to be your mother."
They ignored her. Destiny tried not to let her grin show. She'd made a bet on how long it would take Kara to find out but had taken matters into her own hands. Ezra owed her a favor.
"I didn't want to just tell you. I- there isn't a right way to say it. I- maybe I should just come out and say it-"
"You are rambling Ry. Cut to the chase."
He sighed. "We are mates."
The ice melted. Kara rolled her eyes.
"I'm being serious here lover boy." She tapped her fingers on the table.
Ryker sighed, stood up and walked around the table, to her. Her breath hitched with every step he took. He leaned, his galaxy eyes focused on hers. Kara stood up abruptly and stepped back with her hand in front of her.
"Too close, I already know your scent is intoxicating." She sniffed. "If you don't want to tell me, that is fine."
She didn't realize he was walking towards her and she was walking away from him till she hit a table and sat on the edge. Ryker placed his hands on either sides of her, still saying nothing.
Kara placed her palms on his chest, ready to push him away.
"You feel it too. You are drawn to me. Even though we've just met, you feel the urge to protect me. To make me happy. To touch me. It's a feeling you didn't have with Adrian." He told her in a low tone. "It's a feeling you try hard to deny but just feels right."
Kara thanked the fates for their timing when Reginald walked in. Ryker still had his eyes on her but let her push him away. She hurried towards Reginald, pretending all that had happened hadn't.
When they left, Destiny came to stand beside Ryker.
"My my my, I had no idea you could purposely make a girl melt." She said and turned to look at his face.
He looked embarrassed.
"Too much?"
Destiny smirked and patted his shoulder. If only she was younger. "Just right."