I rub Gio’s arm and offer him a smile, wondering if he’s able to pick up on my emotions right now, as he always does. Right now, I’m overwhelmed by the happiness of seeing the two boys I love forging a relationship and creating a bond that’s deeper than just a blood relation.
That’s when another realization hits me, but I ignore it and choose not to dwell on that thought, and Dawson speaking up again is the distraction I need.
I can’t trust him not to hurt me again, and I can’t let down these walls just yet.
Besides, he’s only here for Gio, for his son.
“What’s your favorite pastime, Champ?” Dawson asks Gio, who mumbles something unintelligible as he swallows his mouthful.
His voice is still muffled when he replies, “I go running.”
“Running, huh? Like in an open field?” Dawson asks as he lifts a questioning brow at me.
I nod slowly, snapping out of whatever it was that almost pulled me into a daze. Perhaps it was the deep pools of Dawson’s eyes that I almost drowned in, or the thought that my feelings for him have returned.
“Y-yes,” I concede with a brisk nod. “Gio loves running through an open field or the forest. It’s something we used to do in Sunrise on Sunday afternoons,” I smile as I recall the memories of our time there. Even though it wasn’t pleasant because of the Moonshine Pack, at least we had a place to call “home” and had each other to lean on. “We haven’t done it here, because…” My voice tapers off to leave room for interpretation, which Dawson seems to catch as he nods thoughtfully.
“Ah, yes,” he says in agreement, but makes no mention of the demon that lurks in the forest and attacks lone wolves—sometimes even pairs. “Perhaps that’s something we should do over here. I can arrange to take you out running next week,” Dawson promises Gio.
“Thanks!” Gio beams with excitement, and I check the time to remind Gio that he has to get ready to go to bed.
“May I?” Dawson asks when I’ve cleared the table and nudges Gio to head to the bathroom.
Stepping back, I nod hesitantly, watching in surprise as Dawson takes Gio through his nighttime routine and then proceeds to tuck him into bed and tell him a bedtime story.
While Dawson recounts tales of mystical, fire-breathing dragons who save damsels in distress from towers, all I can think about is the werewolf who’d saved me from my own distress and brought me back to my home.
I’m just not sure if I’m ready to accept that “home” is wherever Alpha Dawson is.
***
“Mama! I ready!” Gio proudly declares as he steps out from his bedroom, geared up in a thick blue puffer jacket and tucking his carved elephant toy in his pocket.
I smile warmly at my son, offering out my hand to him before opening the door, only to find Dawson waiting on the porch for us.
It’s been a week since Gio figured out that Dawson is his father, and as promised, Dawson is taking him out to the forest to go for a run.
Seeing Dawson embrace Gio with warm, open arms of pure joy has me feeling things I shouldn’t be feeling, so I’m glad Gio is around so I don’t end up alone with Dawson. He hasn’t pressured me to speak about the undeniable attraction between us, or what knotting in that hut means for us going forward.
Though my heat is tied to him, I haven’t had an episode since the night of the bonfire when we acted purely on desire. Now, meeting with him is only for the sake of growing a relationship between father and son, and I couldn’t be gladder that I can keep my walls up.
It seems those walls have been hindering my progress when it comes to exercising my psychic powers; it’s something Luna Aurora made me aware of, since she’d been through the same stunt in her progress when she first discovered her gifts. But I don’t plan on letting my walls down yet.
Besides, I’m still convinced that I’m not going to be entirely helpful in the fight against the demon. Perhaps my mystical powers only go as far as getting visions.
“Ready?” Dawson asks as he straightens up after hugging Gio.
I nod hesitantly, still wary about spending time with Dawson, because it doesn’t make this easier watching the two of them together. As Dawson takes Gio’s hand to lead him toward the forest, I follow and can’t stop my mind from wandering.
He’s so attentive to Gio, answering all of our son’s questions with patience until we cross the Snehvolk border and head to a more secluded part of the forest. The spot Dawson picks isn’t too far from the hut, and he sets up a picnic on a level surface in the snow.
“You gonna run too?” Dawson asks me when we’ve tucked into the snacks I prepared for the day.
“No,” I shake my head. “You two go ahead.”
Dawson nods and gestures to the open meadow, and Gio is eagerly on his feet, ready to run through the snow. I sigh as thetwo leave me to the quiet of the afternoon sun, and I look up and close my eyes, allowing my cheeks to be kissed by the warmth.
Relishing in the softness of the afternoon just outside Girdwood, I try focusing on my breath while I have this moment of ease to myself. Gio’s cheerful giggles and delighted chatter prompt me to glance over at them as they prepare to sprint forward, and I smile to myself, allowing for this moment to just be what it is instead of paying attention to the feelings stirring in my heart.
