And Then There Were Four novel Chapter 201

Chapter 201: Kitchen Chaos

Cassie.

The afternoon spent with Finnick wasn't one I had expected. We walked around and talked about a variety of different topics from the way his realm worked to whom his family members were. The way Finn acted was completely different from the type of person I had thought him to be, but I was still on my guard.

From the garden through the fields that surrounded the various pack houses and by the new elementary school, Finn and I ended up at a path that led through the forest back towards the backside of the pack house.

We walked side by side as if there was no care in the world and more than once this man at my side had me laughing at the stories he told. Finn was far different from Silas and Lucas. He wasn't brooding like the other two, and he didn't have an attitude as if he was pissed off at the world—which was refreshing.

“A penny for your thoughts?" Finn's words pulled me from the thoughts drifting around my mind like a gentle breeze. Looking up to him, I smiled softly before I shrugged my shoulders.

“There is nothing but darkness and confusion there. Not sure you really would be interested in what's in my mind."

“You'd be surprised," he replied, causing me to laugh, “plus, I've never been afraid of the dark."

Stopping in my tracks, I turned to face him. The shadows of the forest cast around us under the canopies as the moon slowly began to rise up into the sky. Most would call this a romantic situation but I found it comforting.

The darkness was nothing but a safety net I had ignored for years.

“You should be."

“And why is that, Cassie? Why should I be afraid?" he replied, stepping closer towards me.

My breath hitched in the back of my throat at the close proximity of Finn. Everytime he was close to me like this, I couldn't think straight. I knew he called me his fated and though I refused to believe it, part of me wondered if it was true.

Was he really my mate? Was I following in my mother's footsteps with my mate bonds?

“Because I'm not…"

“You're not what?" he muttered, his hand reaching up to cup my cheek as I closed my eyes, relishing in the feeling of his skin upon mine. As much as part of me wanted to pull away from him, I couldn't and because of that, I allowed myself to feel things I didn't know I could.

“Normal…" I whispered softly before he leaned forward, his lips brushing against mine as he kissed me softly. The swipe of his tongue crossed my lips, begging for entrance. I parted them and let him in. Allowing him to deepen a kiss I hadn't expected but was glad for.

The soft moan that escaped me as he pulled my body tight against his was only the start of what would more than likely be an eventful evening. Or that was what I thought until low whistling in the distance quickly ripped us apart.

“Get a room!" The unknown voice called out as others whistled and hollered at the interaction between Finn and I. My cheeks instantly turned red as I tried to hide my face, biting my bottom lip only to have him grip my chin with his thumb and forefinger with a smile on his face.

“I didn't take you for being shy."

“I'm not… typically." I smirked before pulling away from him, walking further down the path towards the pack house. I didn't have to worry about him not following because the moment I got ten feet away from him, his footsteps resonated behind me, and I knew he would quickly catch up.

Kissing Finn was fun, and though Lucas and Silas were exhilarating and full of fury when I spent time with them, with Finn it was different.

The dimly lit lampposts at the end of the trail came into view and as I approached them, a firm grip on my arm stopped me in my tracks, leaving me once again to look into the eyes of Finn. Something about the way that he was looking at me made me wonder what he was thinking.

I had many men look at me with hunger in their eyes before. I wasn't naive to the idea of s*x and love, but the way that he was looking at me was something much more. As if he had waited his entire life to stand before me.

“What is it that you're hoping for, Finn?" I asked him, hoping he could shed light on why he was so adamant in being around me. Why he looked at me with such an intensity made me unsure of myself.

“I'm hoping to get to know you more, Cassie. That's why I brought you here."

Brought me here?

I didn't understand what he was talking about. I had thought that my grandfather had allowed me to come home but now he is telling me it was him that had brought me here. Puzzled for a moment with a dumbfounded look on my face, I processed what he was saying.

“You talked to Odin and asked him to let me come?"

“Yes," he replied with a small smile. “I did."

“But why? Why would you go against Odin's wishes and discuss with him letting me come back here?" I watched as he opened and closed his mouth. Finn was thinking over his next words carefully and as much as I wanted him to just spit out the truth, I also wanted him to be completely honest.

“Because I want you to be who you were always meant to be, Cassie. No one properly explained how these things work. Nor did anyone take into consideration that you needed proper guidance to reach your potential. They just threw you into something you weren't ready for and it wasn't fair. I figured coming back here could give you clarity."

Shocked by the honesty from him, I stood there with my lips parted, staring at him for what felt like an eternity. No one had ever been as forthcoming to me about their agenda as Finn was, and I didn't understand why he was being so truthful.