Maxime P.O.V

The wind ruffled my hair, making it look like a bird nest, not that it really bothered me. I was never one to care about the appearance, each one of us was different and that was what made this world beautiful. Like the leaves' different shades of colour in autumn. I watched with interest as the landscape scrolled before my eyes, starting with some house, going to some trees and then to some house again. The wind entered my eyes, making them slightly dry. I blinked a few times to humidify them, surely reddening theirs rims, making it looks as if I was going to cry. I looked at my left, wondering if my mate was going to notice my eyes, but I saw that he was too concentrated on driving and not making us crash. What a relief.

We were on the way to our date, which I was strangely looking forward too. I had this little feeling in my lower stomach, as if butterflies were flying around and centipedes were walking on my inner walls. It was both a feeling uncomfortable and new to me. I never thought I would have this weird circus in my belly one day and even more that its origin would be the date that the boy at my side organized for us. My hands were moist, and I could feel myself shake a little. It was due to the stress of course, but I was also feeling a little scarred. I feared that I would enjoy this date and that feelings related to love would blossom in my heart, anchoring itself in my deepest being, to never go away. I was so scared of letting myself fell in love with him, to completely abandon myself to his hold and desires. Just to be deceived. To let myself fell backward, expecting him to catch me, but to fell on the ground as he was looking at a more beautiful person then me. A female with big curves and long hair. I would then break in one billion pieces and would never be able to scotch myself back in shape. Even if I could, I would never be the same, forever disproportioned. I would remain broken for the rest of my days. That was one of my biggest fear.

As if feeling my eyes on him, James turned toward me and gave me one of his cutest grins ever with just one side of his lips lifted. I instantly felt my worries disappear and the knot that was in my stomach untied itself. The tremors racking my body ceased and my tensed muscle relaxed. I guess they were right when they said that a smile was the best medicine. Worries would lead me to nothing, but despair. If we always second-guessed things, then we would never be able to live freely. In life, you had to take risks.

I felt the car coming to a stop, parking next to a cafe which contained many cats that I could see from the outside because of the large windows going all the way from the bottom to the top that circled the building. I watched, completely transmitted in another world, as my mate got out of the car and went to open my door, outstretching his hand for me to take. I was in a trance as I put my hand on his, going out of the car and walking toward the cafe's entrance, without noticing our still intertwined hands or the way James' hand tighten around mine as I didn't let go.

I only came back to my sense as the waitress came to our table and asked us what we wanted. I then only noticed that we were already sitting, more so in a private boot, and that there was already a cat on my laps which I was unconsciously petting and that was loudly purring. I rose my eyes to meet my mate's and begged for him to let me have a few more minutes to decide what to take. He immediately understood and told the waitress to come back later. I let out a sigh of relief and concentrated on the menu.

I was frowning in worry as I looked at the price, why was everything so expensive!? It looked all so delicious, but it would be too much for me to pay, I didn't have enough money to even buy a bottle of water…

"Don't worry, I will pay for everything." My mate said with a small smile, looking at me with eyes in a half crescent shape. I was going to refute but suddenly thought otherwise, why should I refuse free food? Even though it was quite embarrassing to rely on someone else, I didn't have enough money to buy anything, so it was better to let him pay for me. Moreover, it was him that asked me to go on a date so he should pay! I wasn't giving up on my dignity!

My head bobbled up and down before I could change my mindset and I went back to look at the things in the menu. Everything looked so appetizing, but it would be against my values to make James spend a lot. I would only get a few cakes and a drink! I thought it was pretty moderate, considering how much I usually ate.

The waitress came back a few minutes later and I spent the wait quietly petting the cat on my lap and other cats around us. The cats were really social and weren't scared to come near us which was pretty strange since we were werewolf. I looked up and saw that my beta was looking at me with fond eyes and a gentle smile hanging from his lips, while also petting a cat, more so, a white cat with blue eyes. I blushed after realizing the coincidence and looked back down to my laps, just to see that my cat was also a ginger with foggy blue eyes. The blood in my veins accelerated, producing a thumping sound between my two ears, and making those a scarlet red. I could feel every fiber of my being reddening in embarrassment and I bit my lips, a habit of mine which I did when I was nervous. It was such a weird coincidence; I wonder if he remarked? Did he intentionally choose a cat who looked like me?

By the slight grin on his face, that I noticed after peeking at him though my lashes, I could tell that the answer to both questions was yes. While waiting for our meals, my eyes stayed fixed on the cat purring on my laps and I rose them only after hearing the sound of my meals being put before me. My embarrassment completely disappeared after my first mouthful of chocolate cake, letting place to the pleasure of filling my stomach with delicious food. I was a great chief, but I wasn't even near this good in pastries. The cafe's cook was a god!

The rest of our date was spent in a comfortable silence, not awkward at all, just us enjoying each other compagnies, the cakes and the cats. After finishing our meals, the waitress came back and James paid for everything, much to my surprise. Even though he said that he was going to, I still doubted that he would really pay for me after seeing the bill. I guess he never stopped to surprise me.

We went back to the car after I said my tearful goodbyes to the cats, promising them to come back one day while James looked at me with love filled eyes which result in me blushing again. Currently sitting in the car on the way back to the pack's mansion, I couldn't help but feel a strange feeling settle itself in my stomach, slowly growing and spreading in all my body. A feeling that I feared all my life and that was going to change my life forever.

Its name was love.