Strings of Fate

Gifts and guards Here.” She hands me a folded square of paper. | unfold it and read.

*Ryann, Since you will be attending my sister's engagement party and will be assistingwith the matter we previously discussed, it is only right that | provide you with the appropriate attire for the occasion. As such, | hope that while you are shopping with Megan today you will choose a dress for yourself which | will pay for.(Megan has my credit card )

Bellamy | am gaping at the note, totally confused. What the actual hell is this? Is Bellamy just super generous all of a sudden? Or maybe he is trying to bribeto cooperate more or something. Either way, it is completely unacceptable. He might be my fate but that doesn’t mean I'm comfortable going around spending his money.

Particularly since we aren't actually together yet. | drop the note and turn to Megan, about to voice my objections when she handsa phone. My phone which she apparently took from my bag while | was reading.

“I added my brother's number. | figure you're planning to call him now right?” she grins atas | roll my eyes but nod. | flick through my contacts and find his name. | hit the call button and wait. It rings only a few times before he answers.

“Alpha Kane speaking.” he says formally.

“You can’t just buya dress.” | state firmly, not bothering to say who is calling or anything. It should be obvious, well unless he often offers to buy random women dresses which | suppose is technically possible. But it doesn’t seem likely.

“Good morning Ryann.” he responds, keeping his tone pleasant.

“You can’t just buya dress.” | repeat stubbornly.

“Of course | can, | gave Megan my credit card. What's the problem?” I roll my eyes.

1/570 13- Gifts and guards “I mean that | won't accept it. There is no reason why you should pay for a dress forso | can’t accept it. It feels like you're trying to bribeor something.” “Ryann.” He responds, his tserious.

“I am not trying to bribe you into cooperating with me. You wouldn't even need a dress if it weren't for my sister andso it is only right that | provide it for you. Benides that, | want to pay for you. Think of it as a thank you gift for the assistance you are going to provide and for the information you have already given me.” | am mott convinced.

“I didn’t do that to help you, it isn't right. | feel like | ove you and | don’t want that.” | complain. Bellamy is quiet for a moment.

“How about a compromise?” he suggests..

“What did you have in mind?” | ask, curious..

“I'll pay for your dress and-“I cut him off.

“That's not a compromise, that's the exact sthing!” object.

“You didn’t letfinish.. I'll pay for your chess and you helpwith something later thin 2012 MOOT “That depends on what you want help with | suppone.” “You'll have to wait and see. Textwhen you finish shopping and I'll cmeet you. | hear a click and realise that he has hung up on me.

Megan is looking atexpectantly.

“I suppose | can get a dress, but nothing too pricey.” She practically squeals in delight. The car door swings open. | hadn't even realised that we had panked. | was too dimacted willing to Bellamy. | climb out. We are at a cute little cafe and | know there is a huge mll only a few sineers away. We pide a table and sit. Dumien sits with us but angles himmelf away a little aus if trying to give un sore privacy. | appreciate the effort, even if it gives only the slight illusion that he in ‘t watching on. Aber a quick glance at the menu, we order hot chocolate as well as

Gifts and guards scones with whipped cream and jam.

“We need to stick to a light breakfast if we're trying on dresses, it's annoying trying clothes on when you feel all bloaty, don’t you think.” Megan comments. | nod my agreement. | wouldn't really know, I've never really had the increquired to spend much ttrying on dresses. Half the t| order my clothes online or pick them up from thrift stores. Neither of those options tend to leave much opportunity for finding a perfect fit. It takes only a minute. for the food to arrive and we dig in. | notice Darrien eyeing off the scones and | quickly stick one on a plate and place it on the table in front of him. He givesa grateful smile before taking a bite. I've never been particularly good at making new friends, but giving them food seems like a good place to start.

“So, you and | are fated to be friends or something right? | guess that takes the pressure off a little. | already know that | can trust you. Which is nice.” Megan comments. | smile at her.

Yep, you are totally going to be stuck with me.” | inform her. We chat for a little while getting to know each other.

It seems we like all the sshows, although in my opinion she ships all the wrong couples in everything, which is fine | guess, she is entitled to her own opinions. Even if they are wrong. | am polishing off my second scone when my phone chimes informingthat | have a text. | glance at the screen, prepared to ignore it if it's just the phone company or something. | only bother checking in case it's work. No one else ever messages me. | am surprised to see that it is from Bellamy.

Bellamy- Hope you're having a nice time. Don’t forget to ask Megan about the issue from last night.

| type out a quick reply.

Ryann- Okay.

Megan leans over to glance at my phone. She seems to be the nosy type.

“Oh yeah, you mentioned last night that Bels said you should asksthings. So shoot, you said there was a disagreement or something?” | nod.

“Yeah, he was basically being a bossy, overprotective, jerk. It is incredibly irritating and I'm no good at taking orders so it was causing some... friction. Bellamy said it was a Shifter thing but

Gifts and guards that he was having trouble explaining it and that | should ask you. The entire debate was something about him offeringhis arm and needing to protectfrom things which is totally ridiculous if you ask me.” | complain.

Megan looks contemplative.

“So | take it you and my brother have been arguing a lot?” she questions. | nod.

“Yeah, definitely. Hey, is it justor is he really bad at saying sorry?” Megan laughs.

“Bellamy pretty much never actually apologises. He can be awkward like that. When he feels bad he just acts repentant and then tries to give you a gift or something. It’s a little annoying, but at least when he does apologise you know he really means it.” she comments. | shrug.

“l guess so. P anyway, can you explain why he keeps acting all overbearing all of a sudden?” Megan smiles.

“Okay, so basically he is right in saying it's a Shifter thing. Shifters have really extrprotective instincts.

They're born that way and the more dominant they are the more responsible they feel for those in their care. As Alpha, Bels is basically stressed out all the twith responsibility. But anyway, because of these instincts, Shifter men can get a little overprotective. If they don’t feel like they are doing everything in their power to protect those in their care they basically freak out. They get all nervous and paranoid about every single potential threat and basically drive everyone around them crazy.” She explains. | shake my head.

“But | don’t actually need protection, there aren't any threats toso it’s just too much. Besides, | can take care of myself.” | point out. Megan shakes her head.

That's not how it works. When they offer you protection, like how Bels offered you his arm, they are basically promising you can trust them and that tenth corer ypu 0 yQualdhn d to have any worries while you are with them. If you refuse their care or demand to take care of yourself it is sort of like a slap in the face to them. Like you are telling them that they aren't good enough to protect you and that they P aren't worthy of your trust or capable of keeping you safe. They might 3 , q know rationally that you don't mean it that way, but their

instincts, the animal part of them, tells them that you don't feel safe with them and that they should do more to ensure that you do. Which basically results in ssuper overbearing behaviour. The easiest way for a Shifter male to feel like he is keeping you safe is for him to feel like he is in control of the situation.”

“But | don’t want to be controlled!” | object.

wy .

It's not being controlled. You have the control. You control his over protectiveness by letting him protect you. It's kind of doing him a favour.

she seems a little frustrated that I'm not understanding her point. | glance away and she groans. “Darrien, helpout here, I'm having trouble thinking of another way to phrase this.” Darrien turns and angles himself to face me.

“Miss Gale, we don’t take control. You do us a favour by giving it to us.” he states simply.