Frolic

The hands of the clock edged slowly onward and time had seemed to be creeping backwards. After yet another toss she figured sleep was not about to come easy. Throwing off the blanket she clothed herself in what she felt passed for decent enough winter attire, tied up her curls and tiptoed out of the house. Funny enough it wasn't long before she met her next hurdle. He had hidden himself in the shadow of the timber logs piled up back. The shared axe was buried deep in a nearby stump, the dull metal glowed next to Arc's dark figure.

Arc stood in the freezing cold forgoing his winter jacket. Clad in just a pair of jeans and a flimsy T-shirt. Unlike his wolf form his eyes were jade green and fixed on her. "We haven't really been introduced properly. I'm Arc." His extended hand seemed to cast a claw like shadow on the muddy snow around him. She looked from the pacing marks that circled the house and back at him.

"Just Arc? Or Arc the stalker?" She folded her arms across her chest and took a step forward. Her stance echoed her thoughts. She could not yet trust this guy.

He gave a dry snort of laughter at the sight of her arched brow. "Funny. Is that blood I smell?" He said as he moved around her like the predator he was. One wound was obviously the one he had caused but the other was new. Only Mike had been around her since… So much from him having the 'best control'.

The very mention of blood had Cara reaching to press a hand against her wound involuntarily. "It's really none of your business. What did they ask you to do? Guard me?" she snapped at him, feeling more and more like they were trying to restrict her.

Arc sighed as if he found her childish. "You didn't stay to become one with the pack. We have to make sure they don't target you. And trust me… This pack is the better option." His last sentence hung in the air. "And leaving next week is not going to happen." What was it with these people thinking that they could dictate her life?

Cara stared at him pointedly. "My flight is booked. Deal with it." Tiring of the pointless conversation she spun on her heel ready to leave him in the dust when she felt something cold and wet hit the back of her neck. She twisted sideways to glance back at Arc. He was whistling and looking at some invisible pinpoint in the distance. "Did you just -?"

A quickstep and he was behind her. Unable to resist a challenge she shadowed his move, equally as fast. Another snowball hit her right leg and she found herself retaliating with her own snowball knocking him back. She feinted and dodged moving like liquid fire across the yard, carefully taking in his trudges through the snow. The dense weight of his body had almost surely secured his place in the snow. He was slower but bigger hands made larger snowballs and greater impact. But she was faster at making them her aim was spot on. Soon Arc found he couldn't keep up.

His hair was a slushy mess as he clambered for higher ground and soon Cara was laughing. "Admit it. You lost!" Feeling more than a little smug she grinned at him, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

He snorted, folding his arms. "I let you win."

"Oh really?" she eyed the slippery blank of wood he stood on. "If you insist…" With a tug meant to propel him backwards, she watched as he lost his balance and pitched head first right at her. Cold snow blanketed her head as Arc's body hit her. He was annoyingly warm despite wearing so little. Her curls had sprung out of her hair tie, framing her face. Her breath sped up-or perhaps it was knocked out of her-and her cheeks suddenly burned. Arc bent his head closer to hers until she could feel hot air on her lips. "I win."

Cara snorted and raised a single brow. "So you've pinned me by being a heavy oaf. How does that count as winning?"

He grinned like a Cheshire cat as he pulled her to her feet. He took a few steps back. "Glad you asked. See this?" With a flourish he whipped out something palm sized and held it high in the air. A small jingle rang through the air, the distinct sound of metal on metal. "This says winner to me."

Her eyes widened . "What the- MY HOUSE KEY." If my mom found out that I had snuck out at night I'd never hear the end of it.

He flashed her a haughty grin. Velvety smooth he bounded across the thick snow to the other side of the lot. "Catch me if you can blondie."

Not to far away in a noisy pub, Cara's father sat nursing a warm mug of beer by the fireplace. One hang was propped under his chin as he gazed into the frothy liquid as if it held the worlds answers. "She's so much like you Louise. Just as strong, crazy and stubborn as hell."