“It isn’t so bad. You get used to it. It’s an acquired taste.” Chasen grinned.
“I’ll stick with my chocolate.” Jin shuddered as she tasted a bit of the bitter remnants in her mouth.
Chasen paid for the chocolate Jin had chosen and carried the large bag full of goodies for her. She wrapped her arms aroundhis free hand and smiled up at him brightly. “Thank you so much. I’d much rather have the chocolate than the clothes.” Jin giggled to herself.
“You have to have clothes. What would you wear, then?” Chasen smiled and looked down at her.
“I’d be fine wearing chocolate.” Jin shrugged and looked ahead.
Had she looked up at Chasen, she would have seen his chocolate eyes darken. The thought of her wearing chocolate made his mind drift to removing the chocolate she would be wearing. Her soft hands were gently wrapped around his arm, and his mind focused on the slight heat she was giving off.
Her fingers tightened and she stopped abruptly, turning to look behind her. He watched as she closed her eyes and held a hand up to her chest.
“Jin! There you are!” Susan yelled, waving her hand, Renee following right beside her.
Jin smiled. “Sorry. I got distracted and lost you guys.” She giggled, feeling a bit silly. Even after the girls approached, she kept her arm linked with Chasen’s.
Susan held up several bags. “We still have more shopping to do. We only have six bags here.”
Jin smiled and shook her head. “That is plenty for me. Shopping isn’t really my thing. Unless it’s back in the candy store.” She looked up at Chasen and smiled.
“OUCH!”
The group turned their gaze toward one of the secluded halls.
CHAPTER TEN
Acouple of older kids took off running and laughing, while a younger boy was on his knees behind them. Jin immediately released her grip from Chasen and ran up to the young boy. She reached her hand down and smiled as she helped him up. “You okay?”
“I’m fine, thank you.” The boy smiled, looking in the direction the other boys had run off. “One day, I’ll be bigger than them and then they won’t pick on me,” he said confidently before running in the direction the other boys disappeared.
“That is so mean. Why would they knock him down like that?” Renee said with a frown, watching the boy leave.
“You make it sound like people need a reason to mistreat others,” Jin said as she walked back up to them.
“Don’t they?” Susan turned and looked at Jin.
“Not in my experience.” Jin’s voice trailed off quietly. She felt their sympathetic gazes on her, but she didn’t want them to feel bad for her.
She looked around and caught sight of a familiar figure walking their way. “Hunter!” She bounced over to him. Grabbing onto his arm, she stopped, tilting her head to look up at him. She leaned in closer and closer, gently breathing in his scent.
Hunter chuckled at her. “What are you doing?” He glanced up and caught Chasen with his fists clenched, his eyes shooting daggers at Jin.Now, isn’t that curious?
“You smell different. You feel different. Chasen, come here. Hunter has a new smell.” She turned and beckoned Chasen over. He joined them, tilting his head thoughtfully.
“What is all this, Hunter? Your scent is way stronger. It’s more?—”
“Werewolfie.” Jin replied, giggling at the word Chasen was searching for.
Chasen chuckled. “Yeah, what she said.”
“We have a lot to talk about, actually. It isn’t really a public mall conversation. So, if you two could quit sniffing me in public before we start getting weird looks, that’d be great.” Hunter chuckled as he glanced around.
Jin shrugged, only to perk up a moment later. “Hunter, guess what? Chasen took me to the chocolate heaven store. It’s amazing. I got everything. Well, almost everything. They had your nasty coffee beans dipped in chocolate. What an abomination. I can’t wait to try everything else!” She bounced up and down as she held onto Hunter’s arm.
“What did you get me from there? You going to share with me?” Hunter teased her.
“Chasen said I didn’t have to share.” Jin stuck her tongue out at Hunter as he looked up at Chasen curiously. “Maybe I’ll give you a taste.” She bit on her bottom lip and furrowed her brow. “It’ll be hard to share, though.”
