I shot up from my chair. "Are you hurt?"
A long, heavy pause. "No. It's Elle."
Icy dread flooded my veins. "Is she okay?"
Nathan let out a weary sigh. "She's fine, but it's, uh, girl stuff."
I blinked, and then realization struck me. "Oh.Oh."
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yeah. She's locked herself in the bathroom, and I have no idea what to do."
I pressed my lips together, smothering a laugh despite the situation. The powerful alpha wolf, completely out of his depth. "I'm on my way."
I snatched my purse and a bag of supplies from my bathroom and ran out the door. As I drove, worry gnawed at my gut. Poor Elle, going through this alone, too embarrassed even to talk to her father. I knew that feeling all too well. I hadn’t even wanted to talk to mymomabout it at that age, much less my dad.
I pulled upto Nathan's house in record time and let myself in. He stood in the upstairs hallway, arms folded tightly across his chest, staring at the closed bathroom door like it might bite him.
"She's in there," he said uncertainly, pointing into her bedroom.
Elle’s room was surprisingly neat. I looked back at Nathan, and he pointed at a door across the room. “Bathroom,” he mouthed.
I approached the door and knocked softly. "Elle? It's Rissa."
Silence stretched out, broken only by a tentative, "You came?"
I leaned my forehead against the wood, my heart clenching. "Of course, sweetie. Can I come in?"
Another long, heavy pause. Then, finally, the click of the lock. I glanced back at Nathan, who gave me a grateful nod, then I slipped inside, shutting the door behind me.
Elle sat hunched on the edge of the bathtub, her arms wrapped around her middle. When she looked up, her young face was flushed with embarrassment and unshed tears. A wave of protectivenesssurged through me, surprising me with its intensity.
I crouched down to her level, offering a small, understanding smile. "This sucks, huh?"
A strangled laugh burst from her, edged with a sob. "You have no idea."
"Oh, I do," I assured her, settling beside her on the tub. "And so does every woman you’ll ever know. It's annoying and unfair, but you'll get through it."
Elle fidgeted, twisting her fingers together. "I just didn't want to tell my dad."
I nudged her gently with my elbow. "I think he figured that out."
She sniffled, swiping at her damp cheeks. We sat in companionable silence for a moment, the weight of her emotions filling the small space.
Finally, Elle turned to look at me directly, her brown eyes, so like Nathan's, filled with a tentative vulnerability. "I've been kind of awful to you."
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Yeah, you have."
She hesitated, seeming to wrestle with her thoughts. "I didn't know how to handle… this whole thing. You being around. My dad clearly likes you."
My breath caught in my throat, a lump forming that I couldn't quite swallow past. "Elle..."
"I guess I just wasn't ready," she continued, her voice wobbling. "But I think I am now."
Warmth bloomed in my chest, spreading outward until it filled every part of me. I had to blink back the sudden sting of tears. "Good. Because I'd really like to get to know you."
A small, shaky smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Me too."
I reached out, slowly so she could pull away if she wanted, and tucked a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. "You know, the first time sucks for everyone. But it does get easier."
