Insider by Micalea Smeltzer

and was just finishing buttoning my shorts when Caeden’s shaggy gray wolf appeared.
     
    “Gosh, you’re so slow,” I joked.
     
    He barked a laugh before nudging my leg with his wet nose. “Ew, Caeden! You got wolf snot all over my leg!” I left him behind the bush as I stared at the wet mess on my leg. His barking laughter quickly turned to human laughter.
     
    “Wolf snot?” he grinned.
     
    “Yes, and it’s all over my leg. It’s gross,” I complained. “Just because we can change into wolves doesn’t mean we need to act like them all the time.”
     
    “You’r e so cute when you’re mad,” he zipped his jeans.
     
    “Caeden!” I stomped my foot and clenched my fists. My nails dig into the skin.
     
    “You are,” he shrugged as he pulled his shirt over his head.
     
    “I guess we’ll be old and gray and you’ll still be telling me I’m cute when I’m mad?”
     
    “Most definitely,” he said and came out from behind the bush. He wrapped his arm around my waist. He pressed his lips to mine and I pushed at his chest. He chuckled into my mouth and only kissed me deeper. My fists soon stopped beating his chest and instead grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer. Pulling away and breathing heavy he said, “And that’s how I plan to end all our spats.”
     
    “It certainly works,” I breathed. “What were we arguing about again?”
     
    He threw his head back and laughed. Taking my hand he led me through the woods. “Nothing important.” We strode a few more feet before he said, “Ready to put your stuff in my room? I promise to give you a whole drawer.”
     
    His grin was contagious and I foun d myself smiling back. “My bag is still in your car.”
     
    “Well, let’s get it,” he smiled. “It would be a shame for you to cart all that home.”
     
    “Most definitely,” I played along.
     
    His Jeep was parked outside of the garage. He unlocked it and it chirped happily. I opened the door and grabbed my bag.
     
    Caeden took my hands and pressed his face against my hair. “I love you,” he said, just outside the door.
     
    I stopped and looked up into his cerulean eyes. “I love you too, more than I ever thought it was possible to love someone.”
     
    He grinned and opened the door. We were about halfway up the twisted staircase when his mom saw us.
     
    “Is Sophie staying the night?” she asked, noticing my bag. She stood at the bottom of the stairs with some papers in her hand.
     
    Caeden blushed and stammered. Composing himself he said, “Sophie’s going to leave some of her things here and I’m going to keep some things at her house.”
     
    “Oh,” Amy nodded and her eyes glittered, “I see.” She smiled and presumably went back to her office.
     
    “That was awkward,” I said.
     
    “I think it was worse for me than you,” he rubbed his face.
     
    I laughed. “I think you may be right. Your face is the reddest I’ve ever seen it.” At my words it got even redder. I giggled.
     
    “Stop laughing at me,” he pushed open the door to his bedroom.
     
    The warm blue gray color instantly calmed me. I sat down on his bed and placed my bag beside me. I fingered the soft quilt that was varying shades of blue and gray.
     
    Caeden proceeded to open the various drawers of his dresser. “This one should work,” he muttered to himself as he dumped the contents of the top drawer, out on the floor. Once the drawer was empty he turned to me, “All yours.”
     
    I laughed and shook my head. “Thanks but you didn’ t need to make such a huge mess,” I nodded to the basketball shorts and socks littering the white shag carpet.
     
    He sighed and looked at the mess on the floor with his hands on his hips. “Oh well,” he said. He grabbed a few articles of clothing and started towards his bathroom. “I’m going to shower. Make yourself at home.”
     
    I nodded and proceeded to unzip my bag. A strong scent of wood and stain wafted from his dresser and nearly