Strings of Fate

106- Settle and stay | pull away from Bellamy and stare. He wantsto stay... like forever stay? That's why he’s so anxious forto settle in more? Well... | don’t know how to answer that. I like my home, and having Maggie for a neighbour, seeing Logan regularly and being able to walk to work. | couldn't do that from here. Although | know that Bellamy is also hoping I'll accept being his mate completely at which point I really can’t imagine I'd be able to keep my job and still fulfil all the new responsibilities that would be expected of me. Not sure how | feel about that either. | mean it’s not like I've ever wanted to be a waitress together. But it's my job. | applied, interviewed and got the job all on my own. Having a new job with new responsibilities when my only qualification is that I'm seeing the Alpha seems a bit like... cheating? Then again, isn’t dating someone like a really long interview anyway? Like Bellamy is interviewing for the job of his partner. It’s not like he hasn't had other ‘applications’ so to speak. | saw how girls treated him at Megan's engagement party. But he picked me, even before he knew about our ties. So maybe it makes sense after all? “Ry? Sweetheart you aren't saying anything...” Bellamy prompts and | startle a little.

‘Sorry, | was lost in thought. Uhm... I'll... think about it?” Somehow my answer comes out as a question.

‘Sure, and in the meantime, | am going to do whatever | can to help you get more comfortable here.” He winks atand gives the most cheerful smile I've seen from him in days.

“Starting with, helping you unpack your bag. Con, let's head upstairs and we can work out where you want to keep your stuff. Maybe later we can go shopping and get any other stuff you might need.” He suggests. | laugh and let him leadupstairs to his room.

“I don’t suddenly need new things, | have stuff Bellamy.” | point out. He pullsthrough his door then grabs my bag and places it on the bed.

You “Well yeah, but there must be other stuff you would like to be more comfortable here always seem to get cold when you're sleeping. We could get swarmer blankets? We have a bath here, so you could get stuff for that.

We could get whatever food, drinks, snacks or whatever else you like to keep on hand. I'm sure we can think of more things as we go.” 1/5 106- Settle and stay “Bellamy” | say with a raised eyebrow. He just laughs at me.

“I want to spoil you. You make it difficult, you know. Always refusing to letget you gifts.” He pokesin the side.

“I know, | know. I'm awful like that. Refusing to let you waste money on me.” Bellamy starts moving clothes around in his closet. It’s one of those big ones with the rolling doors and a mirror on the front. A rack either side for hanging clothes and the centre section is shelves and drawers. He moves all his hanging items to the right and clears off the left rack. He also re-stacks his shelves and re-arranges his drawers. His closet is the most organised thing that | have ever seen. Everything is perfectly folded and organised. It doesn’t take more than a few seconds for him to redistribute his things, clearing out half the shelves and drawers. It's a big closet, he clearly wasn’t using most of the space.

“Buying you gifts isn’t a waste. Not if you enjoy them.” He points out. | start pulling things out of my bag. | would put them away but to be honest I'm starting to think that Bellamy would do a better job of it. Actually his whole house is far tidier and more organised than mine. | originally assumed that he paid someone to cin and clean but I now suspect that he maintains it himself. Everything has its place. | suppose that makes sense for a control- freak like him. Bellamy starts putting my stuff away but stops halfway through and curses.

“Dammit. | don’t have enough hangers for your things. Well, that’s something we can get at shopping.” He points out. | roll my eyes.

least. A good reason to o “I thought you hated shopping.” | remind him. He shrugs.

“It was more fun with you.” I've moved to sit on the bed but Bellamy comes and grabsby both hands pullingto my feet..

“Con. We need to get more hangers, when you bring more clothes here we need a way to put them away.” He seems ridiculously pleased with himself for unpacking my bag. With that done, or mostly done at least Bellamy pestersinto putting on my shoes and dragsout. the house. Apparently his ‘stay hand out of trouble’ rule doesn’t apply when he’s with me. Why do | get the feeling that this is the last outing I'm going to have for a while? | am surprised when Aaron meets us though.

“I thought you said it would be insulting to have a guard when you're with me?” | question.

2/5 106- Settle and stay “Maybe, but | would rather be over cautious than risk you getting hurt.” Still he giveshis arm and we head out. We spend the afternoon getting not only hangers, but new blankets, bath products, snacks and anything else that Bellamy can sneak into the cart when I’m not paying attention. My head darts around to catch him adding stuff when | paused to talk to (at?) Aaron. Actually... are the two of them working together? Aaron keeps getting my attention but not actually needing anything. But is it intentional or is Bellamy simply taking advantage of my distraction? Well... not much | can do. He's apparently much sneakier than me. Not that it's hard. Crowded shops like this are hard to see through. Too many strings. floating around everywhere obscuring my vision. Still, it's a fun afternoon.

When we get back, Aaron excuses himself, apparently he has plans. Bellamy heads upstairs to start putting things away. | think he doesn’t wantto see all his purchases because he doesn’t askto cwith him. | decide to make something for dinner. Megan had classes today but she should be hany tnow. | go through the fridge and find what | need to make a stir fry dish. Easy, but then again, I'm not the best cook so it'll do. I'm almost finished cooking when Megan gets back.

“Something smells good!” She calls out as she heads down the hall and joinsin the kitchen.

“Oooh, sfor me?” She asks.

“Of course!” | laugh.

“You're in a good mood. Can | assnothing else awful happened today then?” She asks. | nod happily.

“Yeah, it was a good day.” | smile.

“Reaaaallly. What did you do?” She asks, her tone suddenly teasing. | narrow my eyes at her and point at her with the spatula I’m using to stir the food.

“Nothing that interesting. Bellamy and | went shopping. That's all.” | explain. She grins.

“He got to you didn’t he? How much did he get? | bet he went totally overboard.” | glare at her.

3/5 106- Settle and stay “No! Well... maybe a little. | don’t think | actually saw all the stuff he got. He sneaked it all upstairs before | could see it.” | admit. She laughs at me.

“Male Shifters can get a little carried away with the gifts, particularly when things are starting out. Something about the whole ‘protect and provide’ thing that they're all so obsessed with. Don’t worry about it too much.” She advises. Well, at least | know that Bellamy won't be obsessively buyingstuff forever... | hope. | start serving out dinner. Megan yells out for Bellamy to cdownstairs.

“He should hear as long as his door is open. If he doesn’t cin a minute or two we can go get him.” She informs me.

2 “Well, what about you? Did you have a good day?” | ask. Megan shrugs.

“It was alright. But pretty much everyone was too focussed on the murders to get much work done.” She comments.

“Murders?” | ask.

“You didn’t hear? | guess you didn’t read the paper then. There was a double murder last. night. Two people, a married couple were murdered in their home. Even worse their child is nowhere to be seen, she’s probably been taken, likely she’s dead already. A little girl. It's so sad.” Megan sighs and pokes at her dinner before taking a bite. A little girl... why does that makefeel so afraid? Sad would make sense but afraid? And why does it ring so familiar? Maybe I'm overthinking it. Still, | hope the girl is alright.