Anna

The date of our friendly date arrived pretty fast. Probably, because of the excitement or maybe because he had just asked me yesterday. I would go with the former. It was 2:56 pm and the constant banging on my door was annoying me. Caleb had been here since 2:25 pm. 

I was not ready yet. I was not a punctual person. What did he think he is doing coming here so early? I finished putting on some light makeup at exactly 2:59 pm. I looked at myself in the mirror. I was satisfied with my look. 

Today was not as freezing as it has been lately. He had told me to wear something comfortable, but he hadn't told me what we were doing. You could never go wrong with comfortable jeans, right? I was wearing some ripped dark jeans with a light grey sweater and a scarf.

I rushed to open the door and took a look at my watch, exactly 3:00 pm. I found a very annoyed Caleb at the door.

"Were you here? Why did you not answer?" he said between gritted teeth.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I was distracted getting ready. You did tell me to be ready by 3:00 pm." I whined and showed him my watch. "See, 3:00 pm and I am ready."

He huffed and frowned. "Seriously? But I felt like coming earlier. You should have opened the door for me at least."

I stepped out of my apartment and locked the door. I turned to face him. "You have my number. Don't you? It is on the syllabus I gave you. You never called me to let me know you wanted to meet earlier." 

We walked to his car. He hopped in the driver's side without even looking at me. I couldn't help but compare his actions with Xander's. I shook my head. No, Anna, they are two different people. Caleb also has his moments... Sometimes.

"I do, but I thought that just dropping by would be easier," he said. "I do not usually call people with my cell phone. I mindlink my friends and pack members. I cannot mindlink you."

I glared at him. "You do have a cell phone, don't you?"

"Yes I do, but as I told you. I do not like calling people. It is annoy--"

"I do not care if talking on the phone is the most boring activity in the world for you. If you want to meet me earlier you call me and ask if I am okay with that. You do not get to drop by my apartment whenever you feel like it."

He growled at me and his knuckles turn white as he grips the steering wheel. I scoffed and crossed my arms. I rested the side of my head against the window. We drove in silence for about five minutes. 

Caleb sighed loudly. His right hand moved to through a lock of my hair and caressed my cheek. I tilted my head toward his hand and rubbed my cheek against it.

"I am sorry, Anna. I will be more considerate next time," he said.

I did not feel like arguing anymore. He sped off clearly over the speed limit "You should not be driving," I say.

He slowed down and looked at me tilting his head, a small smile spreading across his handsome face. "Oh, do not worry so much. It was just a little fast. I have good reflexes... That, and the head of the police department and most police officers are part of the pack."

I just nodded. I may die today. I wasn't feeling talkative. Caleb, however, did not get the memo. He kept talking about everything from the weather to video games. I did not answer most of the things he says but I did save everything in my memories. He is my soul mate.

We arrive at an all too familiar place. I stepped out of the car and crossed my arms again staring at him with an arched eyebrow.

"The Flowers park? Really, Caleb? Do you even remember what happened last time?"

He looked away and put his hands in his pockets. "I do remember, but it is nothing like that I promise. Let's go." He began walking and I rushed to his side.

I kept on getting distracted by the flowers around the trail. They were so pretty. There was a red Hydrangea, and that one was a yellow... flower. Oh, I was at least twenty steps behind Caleb, now.

Caleb seemed to realize of my struggle and slowed down. "We are going to the East side of the park. Most parents get out of work at 3:30 pm and it is pretty empty until about 5:00 pm. Now, as it is getting cold, parents do not bring their kids as often. You look like the kind of girl who enjoys playing on the swings."

I stopped walking and my jaw dropped. "Are you for real? Oh my gosh! I love the swings! Thank you! I love you so much right now."

I jumped into his arms stepping on my tiptoes and hugging him tightly. I inhaled his sweet scent. He had stopped smelling like other girls since that day I told him off. Almost immediately, I realized what I was doing and pulled away. "Sorry."

He gave me a weird look but remained silent and kept walking.

 As we walked down the empty trail he wrapped an arm around my back, placing his hand on my hips. I snuggled up against him. 

He sighed and shook his head. "Why are you always like this?" 

I looked at his face. There was no mockery in his expression. I decided to play coy. "What do you mean?"

"You know exactly what I mean. You act like you do not care about anything I do and stop me every time I try to kiss you. But, whenever I touch you like this you respond to me. You get drunk and tell me you love me. Heck, you jump into my arms and tell me you love me. You keep giving mixed signals and I am going crazy."

I smirked. "Maybe, I want you to go crazy about me."

I took the hand he had around me and move it off me and toward my face. I placed a lingering kiss on the back of his hand and smiled at him sweetly. Then, I took off down the trail until I reached the playground. 

He caught up to me a moment later, breathing heavily.

"How can you run that fast and look as radiant as ever," he said between gasps.

"Someday you will be as strong as I am." I smiled and patted his back before sprinting again - This time in the direction to the swings. I began swinging on one.

Caleb sat next to me on another one and smiled. "I had never seen you like this. Happiness suits you."

I grinned. "Caleb this is how I am." I sighed, remembering how I promised that I was going to be myself in front of my mate. Can I still keep that promise? I will at least try. "It is not fun fun acting all serious all the time, but I have to. We all have a role to play."

He stared at me. "So you are forcing yourself to be boring?"

"Gee. What a sweet thing to say to a girl on the first date." I began swinging faster. 

"So this is a date? That would be a first for me." I stopped and eyed him. 

"You have never been on a date?" 

He began to swing slowly keeping his head low. "Nope, never done the whole dating thing. I have never had a girlfriend."

I gasped. I know I am being dramatic. "What about the girls you... you know?"

His gaze met mine. "The girls I fuck, you mean? They are just that. An older girl took my virginity when I was almost fourteen. We did it just once and I thought I was in love. Then, she found her mate and moved far away without even considering my feelings. I promised I would avoid doing seconds as much as possible after that. But with you, I think that even if we only dated like this, it would be fine." He looked at me earnestly. 

I burst into laughter. "What a load of bullshit." I roared and sank off the swing. I was on the grass clenching my stomach and laughing in a silent laugh.

I felt like there was no more oxygen left in my lungs. I gasped for air and laughed until I was breathless again, and repeated the process for a couple of minutes. He just stared at me shocked and probably feeling second-hand embarrassment. There were some people around - Not a lot, but enough to get weird looks.

 I finally composed myself but stayed on the grass. "Oh, boy. It has been so long since someone applied the I-am-a-player-but-you-are-oh-so-special card on me. You even threw the someone-broke-my-heart-so-I-must-sleep-around card in there, as well. Not that I blame you for the later. Been there, done that. Works like a charm most times. I now understand why your lady friends fall so easily."

I stood up wiping some tears off my cheeks and some dirt off my clothes. I went back to sit next to Caleb.

He stared at me with raised eyebrows. "The story is true."

"I know it is. That is what makes your tactic even better. Isn't it?"

He smirked. "I should have guessed you would not fall that easily."

I giggled. "If you want to sleep with me so badly just wait until you are 18. I would gladly agree then and we would save all your bullshit pick up tactics." I realized quite late of the implications my words carried. "I mean. That is inappropriate, Mr. King."

I tried to keep a straight face but lost it when I heard his melodic laugh. We continued laughing for a couple of minutes.

"I am still not sleeping with you while you are my student. So do not pull any other silly move on me, OK?"

"I cannot promise anything, Ms. Amores. Maybe you will drive me crazy putting my hopes up and shutting me down so often. You break my heart little by little each time."

I chuckled. "I am sure your precious loving heart will be able to deal with it."

I was tempted to mention how he sleeps around but I know better than that. Showing jealousy was a double-edged sword. A small mistake and he would realize how much he affected me. 

The rest of the afternoon we played around the playground and talked about many topics. It was quite enjoyable. We were laughing the whole time. I was drinking water from the water fountain and Caleb was talking about the wonders of having voice-controlled TV's.  

A small human girl approached us. "Are you two married?"

I choked with water. I coughed trying to go back to breathing normally and Caleb patted my back.

"Why would you ask that?" I asked back wiping my mouth with the back of my hand. 

"You look like you love each other very much," she said. "And my mom said that when people really love each other they get married and have children."

I began talking, "no we actually," but I am interrupted by Caleb who placed a hand on my shoulders and kisses my cheek. 

"This is actually our first date," he said. "But I sure would love to practice how to make children with her." He gave me a dazzling smile.

The girl cocked her head to the side. 

"How do you practice to make children," she asked. 

Caleb knelt in front of her. "It is really fun." 

"Caleb, stop that right there," I said.

He chuckled and shrugged. "Sorry kid, I cannot tell more. The boss has spoken."

Boss? I like how that sounds.

The girl went back to playing and we began making our way back to Caleb's car.

"Did you pay someone to do that?"

"What? Why would I do something like that?" He looked at me as if I had just grown another head. 

"I don't know, but that was too cliche. Too cliche, dude, almost ridiculous."

He chortled. "I do not know. I had nothing to do with that." He showed me the palms of his hands. 

"I will trust you, but just on that one."

We kept walking side by side. At some point, he took my hand, and I did not push him away. I enjoyed the comfort his touch gives me. He walked in silence with a broad smile on his face. It seemed that he finally gets it. He just needs to learn to shut up for this to work.

We got in the car and drove back to my apartment. Halfway there, though, Caleb invited me to the pack house to play video games with the guys. I do miss playing video games with Elena and Alexander. It will not kill me play with the guys, right?

I agreed and we drove there listening to the music on the radio and singing. I am not a very good singer, but I know I at least do not sound like tortured kittens. Caleb is a great singer. Even better than Xander. I rolled my eyes. Just another thing to add to the list of reasons why Caleb is an arrogant little Alpha.

We arrived at the pack house and the guys were already playing. They looked at me up and down probably surprised that I look like a girl and not a teacher.

"So what are we playing?" I asked sitting next to Samuel. Caleb sat next to me.

"Mortal Kombat," said Samuel with a sweet smile on his face. "You want to go first?" He offered me a control. 

"Sure." I smiled warmly at him.

He turned to watch the TV and began explaining how the game works. I wanted to tell him to shut up and that I already knew all that but I decided against being a smartass.

I played against Matt and, of course, I crushed him and his ego... Eight consecutive times. Lucky for me, they had chosen a fighting game, the only kind of video game I do not suck at. I am pretty good, actually. I had trained seriously for a long time to shut my annoying brother up.