We entered the restaurant and was seated in a nice booth. I looked around at the rustic aesthetics of the place as Dean excused himself and darted of to the restroom. It had a stone floor and wooden walls giving off a hunting lodge kind of vibe. Most of the electrics were of an industrial nature and leather furnishings topped off the look. In all a very masculine den.
Dean returned and smiled sitting opposite me. He seemed in better spirits than when we were walking here.
"I didn't expect someone like you to like this kind of place." I looked at Dean over my menu and smirked.
"Why?" He shrugged.
"Well…" He placed his menu down. "it's rather manly and expensive." He looked me over. "You seem like a hotdog and beer kind of girl." I grinned.
"I won't say no to your hotdog, Rover." I gave him a wink. "But tonight, I want steak." I could see his cheeks flush slightly as he turned his gaze to the menu.
"Rover?" He managed and I grinned.
"I've made up my mind. How about you?" I watched as Dean took another glance at the menu and seemed to be hesitating, looking at the cheaper section of the menu. He nodded slowly. As I placed my menu down the waiter came over in his sharp crisp shirt.
"What can I get you guys tonight?" He looked from me to Dean.
"I would like the jumbo prawn cocktail to start, he'll have the Chicken strips, followed by two of the 12 oz porterhouse steak with the salad and two sides of fries and Onion rings." I grinned as I saw the look on Dean's face. "a bottle of the house wine, one large cola and extra gravy."
"Good choices." The waiter nodded as he finished jotting down the order. I handed him the menus and smirked at Dean. When the waiter had left I tilted my head slightly as Dean seemed to be panic stricken.
"What? Don't tell me you'd rather the kids portion." He shook his head.
"This place is expensive…" I waved him quiet.
"Don't worry about it. I wanted to eat here. I'll pay." He blinked in surprise and gave me another look over. "I may dress cheap and comfy, but I make good money or are you uncomfortable about me paying?" He lent back in the booth his broad shoulders seeming to relax slightly.
"It feels a little weird… but I don't mind." I nodded as I placed my elbows to the table and leaned my chin on my palms.
"To tell the truth I often forget about all this social standard crap. I never fit in anyway, so I never bothered to pay much attention." He frowned and looked over his shoulder to where I was staring. There was an old broken guitar mounted to the wall like a trophy next to a steering wheel. I snorted. "Why put broken things on the wall?" He shrugged.
"I think they call it kitsch." He turned back. "Why don't you fit in? If you don't mind me asking." I shrugged.
"Half wolf." He nodded.
"Sounds like there's more to it." I nodded and grinned.
"There is, but that's for another time." I leant back as the waiter returned and placed our drinks to the table.
"So what about you? Have you lived here long or moved about?" He shrugged.
"I've lived around here my whole life." I nodded and listened as he talked about growing up in the pack. With an inwards sigh I began to feel a strange emotion creeping over me. Was I jealous? I was. Listening to him and the story's he had to share made me realise just how much I had missed out on not having a pack. No security, no one to have my back, no one to come home to. I let a sad smile cross my face and began to think about the offer the Alpha had extended to me.
We had just started on our main course when Dean waved a finger at me and frowned.
"Why do you were that choker thing?" I raised an eyebrow.
"It was a gift from a friend." He nodded and took a sip of wine.
"Really, a friend gave you a scent blocker." I nodded.
"I stink." He choked on his wine as I began to eat and smiled. "Oh… I'm definitely coming back here." I savored the taste and prepared my next mouthful.
"Seriously?" He wiped his mouth with a napkin. "That can't be the reason." I rolled my eyes.
"I have a unique sent. I have to be careful living alone. Having people following me can get messy… Although the Watchdogs usually deal with that sort of thing." He nodded.
"Do people follow you a lot?" I shook my head.
"Not until recently." He nodded.
"The incident with the hunters." I nodded. "Who are the watchdogs?" I began to enlighten him about the Watchdogs and their pets in the sewers. He seemed alarmed at first but hearing more about them he seemed impressed.
"So, basically the cities own pack." I nodded slowly as I hadn't thought of it that way.
The rest of the meal went well. Dean was surprisingly easy to talk to and the plates were emptied then dessert was brought. It wasn't often that I went out for dinner so I decided to splash the cash and Dean didn't seem to mind that it took twenty minutes for my sticky toffy pudding as he had the chocolate crepes with caramel sauce.
The meal finally came to an end, and we were both stuffed. We walked slowly through the streets heading back to the office. I had checked my phone but I had no messages.
"I must admit. I didn't think someone as skinny as you could put all that food away." I patted my stomach.
"Anything you eat I can eat more." He grinned.
"Sounds like a challenge." He stopped and turned to look at me as he realised, I had stopped. With a swing in his step he turned and came closer. "Something wrong?"
I shook my head. Music had caught my attention and I looked down the street to my left. A carnival was in town and has set up in the large empty plot next to the carpark. I grinned and grabbed Dean.
"Come on!" I giggled excitedly and looked at the rides. Dean laughed and followed without protest. We slipped into the busy show grounds the smell of popcorn and cotton candy invading my nose.
An hour slipped by then two and three. It was now really late and we sat on the Ferris wheel for the last ride of the night. I held a stuffed teddy bear and a large bag of butter popcorn, while Dean held a pink sparkly unicorn and a bag of cotton candy. He looked at the Unicorn and smirked.
"Are you sure you don't want to keep it? After all you won it." I giggled.
"It's a gift. You won that white one for that little girl and that massive crocodile for her brother." He let a happy chuckle leave his lips.
"If I had known you were so good with those little dart guns I would never have bet with you." I nodded and leant against him.
"Tough shit, you lost… but I won't tell." He wrapped his arm around me and his cotton candy landed dangerously onto my lap.
"Good, don't want my image ruined." He looked at the unicorn again and shook his head.
"Who would believe me?" We fell silent as I looked out over the river from the top of the wheel. We came to a stop as the next lot of people got off.
"Can I ask you something?" I frowned.
"Just did."
"No, I mean… could you do something for me?" I frowned.
"Depends," I looked down. "Is it time sensitive?" He nodded then shook his head.
"Would you… would you take off that sent blocker please…" I saw him blushing and I frowned.
"What?" He rubbed his face and the unicorn nocked his hair over his face.
"I…" He shook his head and fell silent as we moved downwards slightly. My mind raced to find an answer but nothing came to me. I reached up and pulled the clasp on the choker open. Dean's eye opened wider and I watched as his pupils narrow then grew wide when he caught my scent. We moved down again, and I slipped the choker back on. Slowly he turned his head and leant forward, and our lips came together.