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School had gone into full swing. Rose, Cora Lee, Tommy, Billy, Atif, Ashley, and Malcolm were all busy with making sure that their college applications had been submitted and were starting to review their acceptance letters trying to weigh their options. Tommy had already accepted a spot for the next fall semester to start at the New York Film Academy to study film making. Malcolm had received an acceptance letter to NYU for Chemistry having gotten a scholarship for science. Which Cora Lee was thrilled when she got her acceptance letter from NYU which would mean she’d get to go to the same college as her high school sweetheart, just she’d planned to go for Business and Music. Ashley had nailed her audition with Julliard and had been offered to come in the full for Dance and using the sister program from Columbia get her degree in Art History. So as the acceptance letters were rolling in it looked for sure that Landon and Lily would only have their freshmen year of living in the large house in Manhattan together.

However there was still three wild cards in the group, Rose, Billy and Atif. Atif had applied outside of the country decided to use his dual citizenship to his advantage. And since Atif applied Billy did as well. Rose had applied to really any college that Mikali had recommended for her medical aspirations be them near or far, though she mostly applied for far wanting to put as much space as she could between herself and the memories that Bayville held for her. Atif and Billy received letters from Cambridge in the United Kingdom, which Atif was thrilled at the prospect of getting his psychology degree from Cambridge where he knew his cousins Skye and Donovan were attending at the moment. Rose had gotten a number of acceptance letters from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Yale, and even Columbia but none felt far enough away. But she’d also applied for University of Toronto and McGill University in Canada, Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, University of Melbourne and University of Sydney in Australia, and University of Tokyo and University of Singapore all in an effort to escape in a more literal way. She’d finally gotten an acceptance letter from Cambridge which her family fully supported her decision to go across the ‘pond’ and she at least knew she’d have Atif and Billy there to keep her company. But she’d have to wait till after graduation to get that distance. So for the last four months she’d found a different kind of escape in the arms of the least likely of men, Merrick Bryant-Frost.
Tonight happened to be one of those nights that she’d called Merrick to meet her. So she braved the winter cold and drove the abandoned XC castle to find Merrick who’d said he’d meet her. With the old winter starting in the small bayside town Merrick had made sure to get to the castle earlier than the agreed upon time to get at least one of the bedrooms, or it probably would have been a bedroom minus not having a bed in it, warm with a decent fire in the fireplace. Meeting in the run down castle meant luxury items like heat and lights weren’t readily available. Which meant the fire was necessary to keep the room warm and even provide light. Merrick had brought a heavy blanket with him and was sitting on it as he waited for her. He still couldn’t really figure why he kept coming back. He had a list of numbers in his cell phone of girls who he could hook up with an get a lot further than he did with Rose. Yet here he sat waiting for Rose knowing that he wasn’t getting too far off first base. He blamed his animal nature and that with the way she could claw and he was able to claw back made even just first base fun. Just sucked that he was pretty damn certain beyond first base was never going to be on menu.
Rose smiled as she walked inside the castle and caught hit scent in the air and could also smell wood burning. She headed up the stairs taking off her winter jacket as she climbed the stairs and made her way to the door where the light was flickering under and his scent was coming from. She pushed open the heavy door and walked inside and as she leaned against the door it closed behind her. As she stood there looking at him sitting on a blanket near the fire a smile spread across her lips. “Hey.”, Rose greeted walking over and sitting down on the blanket. “Didn’t keep you waiting here long did I?”, Rose asked. Merrick shook his head. “Hi. And not really. I got here early for the sake of getting the fire started so it wasn’t freezing in here. I can grow fur you can’t little wolf.”, Merrick greeted. “How nice of you. Guess I owe you for that consideration.”, Rose teased. Merrick smirked, an expression Rose was becoming familiar with because the smirk always was with a glint in his green-yellow cat like eyes. “Well come here and you can pay your debt.”, Merrick said bringing his right hand to the back of her neck and kissing her firmly. Rose smiled a little into the kiss he never was one for words. She let her arms slip around his neck as she kissed back deepening it as her mouth opened a little and like clockwork so did his in response and their tongues were able to mingle.
It didn’t really take long before that simple kiss lead to them laying on the blanket in front of the fire Rose’s sweater off in a pile with his long sleeve shirt, though Rose was still wearing a tank top and both had the rest of their clothes on. Their claws were already out, scratches of varying depths and lengths were all over his back from their making out. Merrick’s hands wandered down and were working and unbuttoning her jeans, even though he was sure he’d get told to heel. And he was right Rose’s hands moved down and stopped his bringing them back up to her back as she continued to kiss him. It was a tightrope they walked every night she called him. Both wanting more, but Rose not willing to let it go that far. The pulled back from the kiss as Rose’s phone started to beep as she generally set an alarm so she’d know it was time to leave to be back in the dorms on time. Merrick sighed and sat back up and grabbed her sweater tossing it to her as he started to carefully pull his long sleeve shirt on over his open wounds on his back. Rose sat up frowning as she pulled her sweater on and tried to fix her hair. She looked over at him and sighed. “Merrick?”, she asked breaking the silence.
“Hmm little wolf?”, Merrick asked looking over to her as he pulled on his boots. “We’ve been doing this for like four months now. Just randomly meeting and making out. We don’t talk very much or go any further than kissing.”, Rose said. Merrick nodded as he put on his second boot and started tying it. “Yeah. And?”, Merrick asked. “Well I don’t know, I guess I feel bad.”, Rose admitted. Merrick rolled his jeans down over his boots now that they were tired and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “What exactly do you feel bad about Rose?”, he questioned. “Well I fell bad that I don’t really take the time to get to know you or you to know me.”, Rose said with a shrug. “What’s there to really know? You are Roselyn Elizabeth Howlett. You were born June 15, 2008. You’re codename is Lycan, you have accelerated healing, thank god for that, enhanced senses, wolf claws and fangs, and bone claws. Your dad is James Logan Howlett aka Wolverine and your mother is Aurelia Faith Christian Howlett aka Dirus. You play guitar that you learned how to play from Mikali Hamilton. You have an incredible singing voice with a natural growl to it that is insane. You’re smart given you’ve skipped a grade and have never gotten less than an A on an assignment. You are a bad ass fighter. You want to save lives when you grow up which is why you are an X-Men and want to be a doctor. You intern at the Hamilton Medical Center as your part time job and to give you a leg up when it comes to medical school. You love the ocean and windsurfing or just surfing. You are a Duchess of Mandripoor. Because of your healing you can’t have a tattoo or piercings but you really want one. You never wear perfume but you always smell like shea butter soap. You like the color dark green, iris is your favorite flower, and disgustingly you love rare steak. You never half do anything, you are passionate about the things that matter to you and you are fiercely loyal to those closest to you.”, Merrick said rattling off a long list of things he knows about her.
Rose blinked in shock at how much detail he knew about her. “Did I miss something? I can list your family beyond your parents too.”, Merrick offered. “N..no you didn’t. Just…how the hell do you know all that? Like my favorite color and flower?”, Rose questioned. Merrick shrugged. “You are best friends with my twin and my cousin. Both date guys I live with. I also live in the house you spent most of your childhood in, not to mention my brother runs a flower shop.”, Merrick replied. “So they just talk about things I love, including flowers?”, Rose countered. “No not really.”, Merrick said with a smile. “No one has ever bought me irises but my mom.”, Rose said still in disbelief. “Yeah, from my brother. He has a planter of ‘Rose Irises’ in the garden at the Haven.”, Merrick explained. Rose blinked shaking her head a little. “Rose Irises?”, she asked. “That’s what the label said. White irises with a green design on the petals instead of the generic yellow center.”, Merrick said with a shrug.”Alright…what about the tattoo?”, Rose questioned. “That I heard years ago at school. Landon had gotten one of his and your lunch table was talking about it. You were pouting and shoved Landon calling him lucky because no matter how bad you want one, you can’t because of your healing.”, Merrick answered. “And you remember that?”, Rose asked confused. “I was academy. It was my job to remember the most obscure things about the enemy.”, Merrick explained. “Not sure how me wanting a tattoo would make you a better enemy.”, Rose said shaking her head. “Head games. You never know what tiny thing can be leveraged.”, He advised. Rose shook her head. “God that is almost creepy, Merrick.”, she said. Merrick chuckled. “Wanda was a creepy woman. But she taught me that no tiny detail about someone should escape me. I should document it and store it for later.”, Merrick explained with a shrug.
“Just wow. I seriously didn’t think you knew that much about me. I still kind of feel like I don’t know you well. I know your Merrick Edward Bryant-Frost, your birthday is June 10,2006, your biological dad was Calvin Shadow and your mom is Kim Bryant. Which I know your name because I’ve heard your mom yell it at you and the other stuff I know because I’m friends with Lily and you are triplets. I know you are an animal shape shifter who can either fully transform or just call upon certain aspects of an animal, like your claws you tend to use on me. You never did really good in school, which I think isn’t because you aren’t smart but because you just didn’t care. You’re a vegetarian, which is common knowledge. You like playing video games with Sebastian, since that’s generally what I see you doing when I’m at the Haven for any reason. You went by the name Changeling, which again common knowledge for an X-Men. You volunteer at an animal shelter because you have a soft spot for animals. And you have a strong sense of duty to your family. But like I don’t know what your aspirations are or your favorite things like you know about me.”, Rose said with a small frown. Merrick laughed a little shaking his head. “You know plenty about me. In regards to my grades. I am not smart and I also don’t care. My sisters got the brains and I got the brawn in the triplet deal. And hey you know about the animal shelter even Malcolm doesn’t know that.”, Merrick commented. “So I know more about you than your best friend?”, Rose asked. Merrick shook his head. “Just the animal shelter part. Otherwise Malcolm knows everything about me including things you don’t. But anyways the way I see if for people that just meet up to make out we know more than enough about the other person. Not like we are trying to be friends or more.”, Merrick said with a shrug.
Rose shrugged. “I guess you’re right. We do already know enough about each other. So guess I shouldn’t feel bad that we don’t talk when we meet up.”, Rose said. Merrick nodded and leaned over kissing her. “Exactly. Why waste time with words when there are so many better things to do with our mouths.”, Merrick said with a smirk. “Mmm. That’s true. Which I do feel bad that I basically leave you with blue balls every time we meet up. I know you want to do more.”, Rose admitted. Merrick laughed. “Well of course I want to do more. I’m a guy with hormones after all. And you’re an attractive woman who I can get a bit more rough with and gets rough back. But you shouldn’t feel bad about it. You don’t want to do more so we don’t. And really my blue balls are generally temporary.”, Merrick said. Rose rolled her eyes. “Right because you just call one of the numbers in your little book and get that taken care of?”, Rose asked. Merrick shrugged. “Basically. Though I don’t tell them that you’re who got me worked up or are the reason that I’m a tad more aggressive on nights we’ve been making out.”, Merrick answered with a smirk. “Tad more aggressive?”, Rose questioned. “Just a tad. After all they can’t heal like you so I do have to hold back some of the animal side you bring out. Haven’t really had any complaints about being a little more rough in bed.”, Merrick explained with a shrug. “Uh huh. Guess they should thank me. And maybe…”, Rose said standing up. “Someday I’ll see exactly how aggressive you can be.”, Rose said with a wink. “Mmm, look forward to that. But I won’t be holding my breath for that day either.”, Merrick commented leaning back a little. Rose laughed a little leaning down and kiss him again. “Bye Merrick.”, Rose said pulling back heading for the door.
She stopped for a moment at the door and looked back at him. “Kind of looking forward to it too.”, Rose commented. Merrick raised an eyebrow when she stopped and laughed a little getting up from the floor and walked over to her. “Well little wolf…”, Merrick said leaning in kissing her again pressing her against the wall next to the door. Rose blinked a little but found herself returning the kissing anyways letting her arms wrap around his neck. Merrick reached down and gripped the outside of her thighs tightly picking her up deepening the kiss. Rose growled a little into the kiss letting her nails change to claws as they ran through the back of his hair. Merrick let the kiss run a bit longer before pulling back. “You’re the one that sets the date on that. Now don’t you have to get home?”, Merrick teased setting her back down. Rose frowned a little as he put her back down and reminded her she was supposed to get back to the institute. “Why did you do that?”, Rose asked. “To remind you that I’m not the only one being left wanting and certainly not the only one with hormones.”, Merrick stated stepping back. Rose narrowed her eyes and growled a little. “Yes well I don’t exactly have a list of people that I can call up to resolve that for me like you.”, Rose countered. “No you don’t. But you do have me little wolf. So when you decide you want that resolved…”, Merrick said with a smirk. “I’m a call a way. Now go home before you hastily make a decision you might regret in the morning.”, Merrick stated with a wink. Rose growled again grabbing her jacket. “You are such…god you’re an asshole.”, Rose cursed. Merrick laughed. “I know. So see you next time?”, Merrick answered. “Yeah, see you next time.”, Rose grumbled walking out of the room.
Rose drove back to her dorm frustrated and in her mind cursing Merrick’s existence. While Merrick put out the first in the room and grabbed the blanket he’d brought leaving the castle but tonight decided to not call one of the girls in his phone. Rose grumbled as she walked into her dorm and unintentionally slammed the door in her frustration. Why was it bothering her that he could so casually go from making out with her, wanting her and then like a switch go give that attention to one of the girls in that stupid black book? She shouldn’t care who he was sleeping with. They weren’t together, they just made out…often. And even if she did go further with him, would it change anything? It’d change her leaving him frustrated and not fully satisfied. But she didn’t want to date him, and he’d made it clear he wasn’t looking to be serious with anyone. Rose sighed and slumped down onto her bed looking across the dark room where Cora Lee was asleep with her headphones on. Rose was rather grateful that Cora Lee slept with headphones on blasting music. Made getting into the dorm that much easier. She certainly didn’t want to and couldn’t talk to Cora Lee about this. Since really what was she supposed to say ‘Hey Cora Lee, remember when I kissed Merrick in the cave? Yeah well I’ve been regularly meeting him in secret to make out. Oh and I’m seriously considering giving into my urges and fucking his brains out’? Yeah that would not go over well. No this was something she had to keep to herself. But she needed to talk to someone, anyone even if she didn’t say Merrick’s name. But who was she supposed to talk to? No one could really understand her wanting to have a physical relationship with Merrick of all people. Plus the whole someone that would not tell anyone else, since information like this wasn’t something she wanted leaked.
Monday during a study hall Rose was sitting in the library near a window flipping through a book she was supposed to write a report on but she found herself looking out the window instead. It was the last period of the day and all she wanted was to just get out of the school and get her time in at the clinic then call Merrick. Blaire happened to be in the library as well getting books for an assignment she had for her English class when she saw Rose sitting alone starting out the window. She considered going over to talk to her, but first she’d finish gathering her books she needed. Rose raised an eyebrow as she looked at the parking lot seeing the beat up shell gray 69 GTO of Merrick’s idling in the parking lot. “What the hell is he doing here?”, Rose wondered aloud as she watched him get out of the car. He leaned against the trunk and just sat there like he was waiting for someone. Rose was trying to figure out who he could be waiting for and found herself getting angry her nails starting to change to claws as she considered that one of his black book girls was probably still in high school and he was there to pick her up.
Blaire noticed Rose looking out the window and claws starting to form and decided she should say something. Blaire sat her books down taking a seat across from Rose. “Hey ya Rose.”, Blaire greeted with a smile. “There a particular thing you are looking at that’s got your claws out?”, Blaire asked leaning to look out the window. “Merrick?”, Blaire questioned. Rose snorted and looked away from Merrick to Blaire letting her claws change back to regular finger nails. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Blaire.”, Rose said sternly. Blaire raised an eyebrow. “Right. No clue. You just dug some marks into the top of the table for nothing. Merrick do something to piss you off?”, Blaire asked. “There’s nothing to talk about Blaire.”, Rose said. Blaire sighed. “Look Rose I know I’m not like best friend close to you like Ashley, Cora Lee, and Lily are. But I still think of you as my friend. And it’s not exactly a secret that at the end of summer party, for those who were at the party, you and him at least kissed.”, Blaire said. “That was months ago. It was a lapse of judgment.”, Rose stated. “Lapse of judgment or just listening to hormones?”, Blaire asked. “Well you’d know all about listening to hormones huh Blaire?”, Rose teased trying to get the subject off her. “Yup. I don’t regret for a millisecond any bit of time I spent with Tristan while he was in town. I knew what I wanted and I went for it.”, Blaire said glancing to the window and Merrick waiting at his car.
“Just so you know he’s here every school day at this time. Sebastian has a level 10 AP Calculus class he takes so Merrick drives him from the middle school to the high school for that class and just sits there waiting for his brother.”, Blaire explained. Rose raised an eyebrow and looked from Merrick outside waiting back to Blaire. “How do you know?”, Rose questioned. “Simple Sammy Boland is in the AP Calc class with Sebastian this period. I generally leave with Sammy after school since he has his license and he drives me to the clinic for my shift there. And Sebastian walks out with us and heads straight for Merrick’s car.”, Blaire answered. Rose snorted but smiled a little. That just again showed that duty to family attribute of Merrick’s. “So Blaire, can I ask you something perhaps personal? And also anything we talk about can stay between us?”, Rose asked looking up from her book to Blaire. “Of course Rose. I do know how to keep things to myself. And you know me I’m open book so nothing is really too personal for me to answer.”, Blaire said now intrigued. “Why did you sleep with Tristan? I mean I know he’s a great guy and such. But he travels for his job and in his travel he flirts and does who knows what with men and women that catch his fancy. Just why decide to have your first time be with a guy that you can’t fully have to yourself?”, Rose asked.
Blaire smiled. “Asking the hard hitting questions huh? I slept with Tristan and will again any time he’s in town, because I wanted to. I know I can’t have him just to myself, I’d never dream of trying to make him change who he is for me. Plus really it wouldn’t be fair me being here and him traveling. He can kiss and more with whoever he likes in his travels as long as when he comes here I’m the only one he’s with. Just like I can kiss or do more with whoever I want while he’s away but when he’s here he’s it for me. We agreed to those terms.”, Blaire answered. “Alright, but why him? I mean why not like Sam Boland? You spend lots of time with Sam and have known him forever.”, Rose questioned. “Sammy is sweet and really good looking that’s for sure. But that spark isn’t there with Sammy like Tristan. I kiss Tristan and I want more of him. Call it hormones if you want. I just know that no boy can make me feel what Tristan does when he touches me, kisses me, heck even when he just talks to me. It’s like a craving. I got that first kiss in when he was here for the rodeo when I was 14 and I was hooked and I craved more. We talked and I just kept craving. Then he was here this summer and I got all of him. And unlike a food craving where once you finally get what you wanted you are good, I still crave him. Have you ever had that feeling Rose? Where a boy just drives you wild and you just crave more?”, Blaire questioned.
Rose thought about the question and what Blaire had described. About craving someone, just wanting more of them. She nodded a little glancing out the window briefly before looking at Blaire. “Yeah I’ve had that feeling. I definitely know about someone driving one wild.”, Rose admitted. “So you asked this to be between us. I am going to guess it’s not because you wanted to talk to me about my sex life with Tristan, directly at least. I’ll go out on a limb that there is a guy who’s gotten your attention and has you craving more.”, Blaire concluded. “Something like that yeah. Just I’m not like you Blaire, no offense. I just can’t decide that this guy is who I lose my virginity to. I can’t just decide a guy that could never and will never be mine alone is who I want to be intimate with. I don’t know if I could share at that level. I mean how can I detach my emotions from something like that? How did you detach your emotions from it?”, Rose questioned. “I didn’t detach my emotions. At least not during the actual act. I don’t know if it’s love or what it is. But I know that I care deeply for Tristan and there is just something that connects me to him and draws me in that I can’t and won’t fight it. You can’t choose who you are drawn to, it’s nature. And fighting nature doesn’t go well for anyone. I won’t ask who the guy is, my only advice is go with your gut. You’re the daughter of Logan and Aurelia, animal instincts will tell you what to do. I should get back to class. See ya Rose.”, Blaire said gathering her books heading to the counter and checking the books out before leaving. Rose looked back to the window and saw Merrick playing on his phone while he waited for Sebastian.
She went back to looking at her assignment when her phone buzzed in her bag. She quickly dug it out and smiled a little seeing it was a message from Merrick. ‘You going to just keep staring at me from the library or cut class and come down here?’ Rose read the words and of course her mind placed Merrick’s voice and his signature smirk with it. She looked around to see if anyone was really around and gathered her books into her bag and stood up from her table and ducked out of the library. It was only study hall and it was the last period of the day. So she made her way through the halls avoiding the hall monitor, Anne Green a large and nasty woman who took crap from no one, as she stopped at her locker to get her jacket and then headed outside to the parking lot. Merrick smirked pocketing his phone when he saw Rose coming out the doors. “Afternoon little wolf. So what class did I just convince you to ditch?”, Merrick teased greeting. “Study hall so not a huge loss. I can finish my report at home anyways.”, Rose commented walking up to him. “So here to pick up Sebastian?”, Rose asked. Merrick smiled. “Blaire tell you that?”, Merrick asked. “How’d you guess.”, Rose responded. “Because a window works both ways little wolf I saw Blaire talking to you. And she is usually walking out with Bastian and that Sam townie she spends her time with while your rodeo clown is off on the other side of the country.”, Merrick answered with a smile. Rose shrugged. “So what did you want Merrick?”, Rose asked.
Merrick smiled and grabbed her waist pulling her to him and kissed her firmly holding the kiss for a moment or two before pulling back. “That.”, He said simply. Rose rolled her eyes but smiled. “We shouldn’t be seen doing that. My friends will flip their lids and your little sister Emma would lose it.”, Rose said stepping out of his grasp. Merrick shrugged. “You’re the one with a reputation to protect not me. But as you wish.”, Merrick conceded. Rose smiled. “I should go back inside before someone sees me with you.”, Rose said. “If that’s what you want to do. Or you could just get in the car where no one is really going to be able to see you.”, Merrick offered opening the front passenger door. “Front seat huh? Here I thought you’d be trying to get me into the back seat.”, Rose teased. “If that’s an option, though we don’t exactly have enough time for that kind of fun little wolf. But it’s warmer in the car and no one will recognize you. After all you have already ditched why go back in now.”, Merrick said. Rose laughed a little and got into the front seat. Merrick closed the door behind her and got into the driver’s side. “And now what? School ends in twenty minutes.”, Rose asked. “Twenty minutes is at least enough time to kiss some if you want.”, Merrick offered. Rose rolled her eyes but leaned over pulling him closer. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”, Rose teased before kissing him. There was something about the whole possible getting caught not just ditching class but the getting caught with him in such a public place that Rose was liking. The windows of the GTO fogging slightly during the twenty minutes that they spent kissing, Merrick’s hands finding their way under her jacket and her shirt but stayed just at her sides scratching with his claws which he knew drove her nuts.
They pulled back hearing the bells of the school. “I should go before everyone starts filing out of the school.”, Rose said breathlessly. “Right. Something I want to say though.”, Merrick said. “Hmm?”, Rose asked. “The other night, after you left the castle.”, Merrick said. “I know you called one of your list to resolve your ‘problem’.”, Rose said casually. “No. That’s what I was about to say, I didn’t. I actually went home to see how it felt to actually be left wanting. Not really a fan and commend you for dealing with that unless you just been going to the dorms and masturbating in your bathroom and not telling me.”, Merrick admitted teasing a little at the last comment. Rose rolled her eyes. “You mean my bathroom where my best friend is right on the other side of the door?”, Rose asked shoving his shoulder a little. “Cora Lee sleep listening to like death metal from what I understand. So unless you are seriously that loud.”, Merrick teased. “I…well..”, Rose frowned. “I don’t know how loud I am.”, she admitted. “Alright so masturbation isn’t you how handle it. Fair enough. Though say the word and we can see exactly how loud you can get.”, Merrick said smirking. Rose chose to ignore his comment. “How many of the girls you see tell you to stop?”, Rose inquired. Merrick raised an eyebrow. “Counting you?”, he asked. “Counting me.”, Rose answered raising an eyebrow curious. Merrick thought for a moment. “One.”, he stated. Rose blinked in surprise at him. She was the only girl he hooked up with that didn’t let him get past first? “Wait. Really? I’m the only one that..”, she said shaking her head. “Why put up with it then?”, Rose questioned. “Now give the other girls some credit. Some of them have been on that list since I was a sophomore and none of them gave a green light from the start. And why do I put up with not getting past first with you? One word little wolf, claws.”, Merrick explained with a smirk.
“Uh huh..”, she said looking at him before smirking softly. “Yours?”, she asked letting her claws grow out and ran them down his shirt, gently as to not rip the shirt. “Or mine?”, she asked. Merrick smirked with a small laugh. “Both. Can’t exactly use mine on townies.”, Merrick answered. “You know, some might find it rather wrong that one of the things you like me for is as a scratching post.”, Rose said. “Then again..”, she said bringing a claw up to run lightly up his throat. “you usually have blood on you too when you walk off.”, Rose smiled as her claw was pressed against his adam’s apple. Merrick raised an eyebrow still smirking. He tilted his head up not even flinching having her claw against his throat. He trusted her, which getting his trust was rather rare. :I don’t have your healing and Kisa seems to think I need to stop getting into fights with whatever wild animal I keep getting messed up by. But what can I say my mutation makes an animal of me.”, Merrick answered. “And how hard do you like bites?”, Rose asked, her hand sliding down his shirt. She let her hands slip up under his shirt slowly pushing the shirt up to get at his chest. “Bites? Much like claws I don’t mind blood or marks. However, little wolf.”, Merrick said pulling his shirt back down. “We are in the high school parking lot, and very soon your friends are going to pile out along with my siblings. So unless you are looking to have that pristine reputation tarnished, save that for next time you call me to meet up.”, Merrick suggested.
“You’re right, I really should go. Meet me tonight say 8 at the castle alright?”, Rose requested. Merrick nodded getting another kiss in. “I’ll be there little wolf.”, Merrick agreed. Rose smiled and got out of the car and made her way to the front doors so she could head to the institute with the others like nothing had happened. She did pay more attention to the other people walking out and smiled a little as she saw Sebastian walking out of the school with Sam Boland on his right who had an arm around Blaire’s shoulders. She wondered how Sam dealt with it. Knowing that Blaire was never really his and that she had such stronger feelings for Tristan. It was certainly an odd situation, though she knew Blaire was completely up front with Sam so he wasn’t in the dark about how she felt in regards to Tristan. Rose figured Sam must not care because he was always smiling when he was with Blaire. Rose smiled and waved when Cora Lee walked out with Malcolm, Rachel, the Alston twins and the Maximoff twins. The group left together and all Rose could think about was that later that night she’d be with Merrick again.
Blaire walked with Sam not even thinking twice about his arm being around her shoulders, he made a good block from the winter’s wind. The pair walked with Sebastian over to the parking lot. Sebastian smiling seeing his big brother leaning against his car waiting. “Hey Merrick! You realize I could always get a ride with someone else like the other haven boys.”, Sebastian said still uncertain why his brother insisted of driving him from the middle school to the high school and then home every day he had this AP class. Blaire smiled. “Hey Merrick.”, Blaire greeted. “Jail bait, Jail bait’s townie.”, Merrick greeted. “I know I don’t have to Bastian, but I do it anyways. You’re my little brother so it’s my job. Come on get in. I’ve been keeping the car running so it’s warm. You only just got over a cold don’t need you getting sick again.”, Merrick instructed opening the back door for Sebastian. Sam raised an eyebrow at being called ‘jail bait’s townie’. Sam considered questioning it but what he knew about Merrick Bryant-Frost he knew that was probably a bad idea. Sebastian rolled his eyes. “You sound like mom. Bye Sam. Bye Blaire.”, Sebastian said getting into the car. “Bye Sebastian.”, Blaire waved. “See you at next class Sebastian.”, Sam said with a smile.
“So what’s this you slumming the high school trying to pick up young girls?”, Talia asked walking by holding hands with Alex. Merrick growled. “I’m here to pick up my little brother cunt.”, Merrick replied. Blaire grabbed Sam’s arm pulling him a little closer. “Come on Sammy you can drive me to work.”, Blaire said nudging him in the direction of his truck. Talia snorted watching the two humans walk away. “Merrick?”, Emma questioned catching up with Talia and Alex who’d walked off ahead of her and the twins. “Hi Emma.”, Merrick greeted his sister with a smile. Sebastian turned in the back seat of the GTO and waved at his sister. “Oh you are picking up Sebastian.”, Emma said waving to her little brother. “Yeah I’m driving him home before I go to work. Do you need a ride home?”, Merrick offered. Apollo walked up with his sister putting an arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Emma rides with us.”, Apollo explained. Merrick growled. “Keep your filthy hands off my little sister. And last I checked free country if she wants to ride home with her brothers she can. After all we are Haven so we’re neutral.”, Merrick countered narrowing his eyes at Apollo. “I’m sure mom would like to see you.”, Merrick added. Emma thought about it and stepped off the sidewalk away from Apollo. “I’ll see you guys back at the Academy. I’ll ride with my brothers.”, Emma said getting into the front seat of the car. Merrick smiled and flipped Apollo off. “Now go fuck off.”, Merrick said getting into the car and leaving the parking lot.
Apollo glared back and went to step off the sidewalk but Alex grabbed his arm. “You are not going to touch Merrick. As he pointed out they are Haven. And unless you are looking to take on that house alone, because the Demon King will not sanction or support that you better just leave it be.”, Alex stated. Talia snorted a little but nodded. “Alex is right, let’s not anger my father.”, Talia said heading to Alex’s Ford explorer. Apollo grumbled but listened and the four Academy students got into the suv and Alex drove back to the Academy. “We can’t stop Emma from having contact with her brothers and mother. It’s the point of the Haven. To offer neutral ground where sides no longer matter. You really need to learn to respect that Apollo. I get that you find Emma attractive. But you seriously need to get over that because we all know that will never happen. Emma will never want you that way. Sorry to be harsh man, but you need to understand that.”, Alex said as they drove. Apollo shrugged a little grumbling under his breath in Russian. Talia simply rolled her eyes as she never really understood why boys at school even gave Emma the time of day. There wasn’t anything special about her appearance. She was just another blonde with blue eyes far too standard in Talia’s mind. While the others went to the Academy Emma was at the Haven with her brother Sebastian and mother as Merrick had left almost instantly after getting there to work. Malcolm ended up driving her back to the Academy since Merrick was at work.

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School had gone into full swing. Rose, Cora Lee, Tommy, Billy, Atif, Ashley, and Malcolm were all busy with making sure that their college applications had been submitted and were starting to review their acceptance letters trying to weigh their options. Tommy had already accepted a spot for the next fall semester to start at the New York Film Academy to study film making. Malcolm had received an acceptance letter to NYU for Chemistry having gotten a scholarship for science. Which Cora Lee was thrilled when she got her acceptance letter from NYU which would mean she’d get to go to the same college as her high school sweetheart, just she’d planned to go for Business and Music. Ashley had nailed her audition with Julliard and had been offered to come in the full for Dance and using the sister program from Columbia get her degree in Art History. So as the acceptance letters were rolling in it looked for sure that Landon and Lily would only have their freshmen year of living in the large house in Manhattan together.

However there was still three wild cards in the group, Rose, Billy and Atif. Atif had applied outside of the country decided to use his dual citizenship to his advantage. And since Atif applied Billy did as well. Rose had applied to really any college that Mikali had recommended for her medical aspirations be them near or far, though she mostly applied for far wanting to put as much space as she could between herself and the memories that Bayville held for her. Atif and Billy received letters from Cambridge in the United Kingdom, which Atif was thrilled at the prospect of getting his psychology degree from Cambridge where he knew his cousins Skye and Donovan were attending at the moment. Rose had gotten a number of acceptance letters from Harvard, Johns Hopkins, Yale, and even Columbia but none felt far enough away. But she’d also applied for University of Toronto and McGill University in Canada, Oxford and Cambridge in the United Kingdom, University of Melbourne and University of Sydney in Australia, and University of Tokyo and University of Singapore all in an effort to escape in a more literal way. She’d finally gotten an acceptance letter from Cambridge which her family fully supported her decision to go across the ‘pond’ and she at least knew she’d have Atif and Billy there to keep her company. But she’d have to wait till after graduation to get that distance. So for the last four months she’d found a different kind of escape in the arms of the least likely of men, Merrick Bryant-Frost.
Tonight happened to be one of those nights that she’d called Merrick to meet her. So she braved the winter cold and drove the abandoned XC castle to find Merrick who’d said he’d meet her. With the old winter starting in the small bayside town Merrick had made sure to get to the castle earlier than the agreed upon time to get at least one of the bedrooms, or it probably would have been a bedroom minus not having a bed in it, warm with a decent fire in the fireplace. Meeting in the run down castle meant luxury items like heat and lights weren’t readily available. Which meant the fire was necessary to keep the room warm and even provide light. Merrick had brought a heavy blanket with him and was sitting on it as he waited for her. He still couldn’t really figure why he kept coming back. He had a list of numbers in his cell phone of girls who he could hook up with an get a lot further than he did with Rose. Yet here he sat waiting for Rose knowing that he wasn’t getting too far off first base. He blamed his animal nature and that with the way she could claw and he was able to claw back made even just first base fun. Just sucked that he was pretty damn certain beyond first base was never going to be on menu.
Rose smiled as she walked inside the castle and caught hit scent in the air and could also smell wood burning. She headed up the stairs taking off her winter jacket as she climbed the stairs and made her way to the door where the light was flickering under and his scent was coming from. She pushed open the heavy door and walked inside and as she leaned against the door it closed behind her. As she stood there looking at him sitting on a blanket near the fire a smile spread across her lips. “Hey.”, Rose greeted walking over and sitting down on the blanket. “Didn’t keep you waiting here long did I?”, Rose asked. Merrick shook his head. “Hi. And not really. I got here early for the sake of getting the fire started so it wasn’t freezing in here. I can grow fur you can’t little wolf.”, Merrick greeted. “How nice of you. Guess I owe you for that consideration.”, Rose teased. Merrick smirked, an expression Rose was becoming familiar with because the smirk always was with a glint in his green-yellow cat like eyes. “Well come here and you can pay your debt.”, Merrick said bringing his right hand to the back of her neck and kissing her firmly. Rose smiled a little into the kiss he never was one for words. She let her arms slip around his neck as she kissed back deepening it as her mouth opened a little and like clockwork so did his in response and their tongues were able to mingle.
It didn’t really take long before that simple kiss lead to them laying on the blanket in front of the fire Rose’s sweater off in a pile with his long sleeve shirt, though Rose was still wearing a tank top and both had the rest of their clothes on. Their claws were already out, scratches of varying depths and lengths were all over his back from their making out. Merrick’s hands wandered down and were working and unbuttoning her jeans, even though he was sure he’d get told to heel. And he was right Rose’s hands moved down and stopped his bringing them back up to her back as she continued to kiss him. It was a tightrope they walked every night she called him. Both wanting more, but Rose not willing to let it go that far. The pulled back from the kiss as Rose’s phone started to beep as she generally set an alarm so she’d know it was time to leave to be back in the dorms on time. Merrick sighed and sat back up and grabbed her sweater tossing it to her as he started to carefully pull his long sleeve shirt on over his open wounds on his back. Rose sat up frowning as she pulled her sweater on and tried to fix her hair. She looked over at him and sighed. “Merrick?”, she asked breaking the silence.
“Hmm little wolf?”, Merrick asked looking over to her as he pulled on his boots. “We’ve been doing this for like four months now. Just randomly meeting and making out. We don’t talk very much or go any further than kissing.”, Rose said. Merrick nodded as he put on his second boot and started tying it. “Yeah. And?”, Merrick asked. “Well I don’t know, I guess I feel bad.”, Rose admitted. Merrick rolled his jeans down over his boots now that they were tired and looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “What exactly do you feel bad about Rose?”, he questioned. “Well I fell bad that I don’t really take the time to get to know you or you to know me.”, Rose said with a shrug. “What’s there to really know? You are Roselyn Elizabeth Howlett. You were born June 15, 2008. You’re codename is Lycan, you have accelerated healing, thank god for that, enhanced senses, wolf claws and fangs, and bone claws. Your dad is James Logan Howlett aka Wolverine and your mother is Aurelia Faith Christian Howlett aka Dirus. You play guitar that you learned how to play from Mikali Hamilton. You have an incredible singing voice with a natural growl to it that is insane. You’re smart given you’ve skipped a grade and have never gotten less than an A on an assignment. You are a bad ass fighter. You want to save lives when you grow up which is why you are an X-Men and want to be a doctor. You intern at the Hamilton Medical Center as your part time job and to give you a leg up when it comes to medical school. You love the ocean and windsurfing or just surfing. You are a Duchess of Mandripoor. Because of your healing you can’t have a tattoo or piercings but you really want one. You never wear perfume but you always smell like shea butter soap. You like the color dark green, iris is your favorite flower, and disgustingly you love rare steak. You never half do anything, you are passionate about the things that matter to you and you are fiercely loyal to those closest to you.”, Merrick said rattling off a long list of things he knows about her.
Rose blinked in shock at how much detail he knew about her. “Did I miss something? I can list your family beyond your parents too.”, Merrick offered. “N..no you didn’t. Just…how the hell do you know all that? Like my favorite color and flower?”, Rose questioned. Merrick shrugged. “You are best friends with my twin and my cousin. Both date guys I live with. I also live in the house you spent most of your childhood in, not to mention my brother runs a flower shop.”, Merrick replied. “So they just talk about things I love, including flowers?”, Rose countered. “No not really.”, Merrick said with a smile. “No one has ever bought me irises but my mom.”, Rose said still in disbelief. “Yeah, from my brother. He has a planter of ‘Rose Irises’ in the garden at the Haven.”, Merrick explained. Rose blinked shaking her head a little. “Rose Irises?”, she asked. “That’s what the label said. White irises with a green design on the petals instead of the generic yellow center.”, Merrick said with a shrug.”Alright…what about the tattoo?”, Rose questioned. “That I heard years ago at school. Landon had gotten one of his and your lunch table was talking about it. You were pouting and shoved Landon calling him lucky because no matter how bad you want one, you can’t because of your healing.”, Merrick answered. “And you remember that?”, Rose asked confused. “I was academy. It was my job to remember the most obscure things about the enemy.”, Merrick explained. “Not sure how me wanting a tattoo would make you a better enemy.”, Rose said shaking her head. “Head games. You never know what tiny thing can be leveraged.”, He advised. Rose shook her head. “God that is almost creepy, Merrick.”, she said. Merrick chuckled. “Wanda was a creepy woman. But she taught me that no tiny detail about someone should escape me. I should document it and store it for later.”, Merrick explained with a shrug.
“Just wow. I seriously didn’t think you knew that much about me. I still kind of feel like I don’t know you well. I know your Merrick Edward Bryant-Frost, your birthday is June 10,2006, your biological dad was Calvin Shadow and your mom is Kim Bryant. Which I know your name because I’ve heard your mom yell it at you and the other stuff I know because I’m friends with Lily and you are triplets. I know you are an animal shape shifter who can either fully transform or just call upon certain aspects of an animal, like your claws you tend to use on me. You never did really good in school, which I think isn’t because you aren’t smart but because you just didn’t care. You’re a vegetarian, which is common knowledge. You like playing video games with Sebastian, since that’s generally what I see you doing when I’m at the Haven for any reason. You went by the name Changeling, which again common knowledge for an X-Men. You volunteer at an animal shelter because you have a soft spot for animals. And you have a strong sense of duty to your family. But like I don’t know what your aspirations are or your favorite things like you know about me.”, Rose said with a small frown. Merrick laughed a little shaking his head. “You know plenty about me. In regards to my grades. I am not smart and I also don’t care. My sisters got the brains and I got the brawn in the triplet deal. And hey you know about the animal shelter even Malcolm doesn’t know that.”, Merrick commented. “So I know more about you than your best friend?”, Rose asked. Merrick shook his head. “Just the animal shelter part. Otherwise Malcolm knows everything about me including things you don’t. But anyways the way I see if for people that just meet up to make out we know more than enough about the other person. Not like we are trying to be friends or more.”, Merrick said with a shrug.
Rose shrugged. “I guess you’re right. We do already know enough about each other. So guess I shouldn’t feel bad that we don’t talk when we meet up.”, Rose said. Merrick nodded and leaned over kissing her. “Exactly. Why waste time with words when there are so many better things to do with our mouths.”, Merrick said with a smirk. “Mmm. That’s true. Which I do feel bad that I basically leave you with blue balls every time we meet up. I know you want to do more.”, Rose admitted. Merrick laughed. “Well of course I want to do more. I’m a guy with hormones after all. And you’re an attractive woman who I can get a bit more rough with and gets rough back. But you shouldn’t feel bad about it. You don’t want to do more so we don’t. And really my blue balls are generally temporary.”, Merrick said. Rose rolled her eyes. “Right because you just call one of the numbers in your little book and get that taken care of?”, Rose asked. Merrick shrugged. “Basically. Though I don’t tell them that you’re who got me worked up or are the reason that I’m a tad more aggressive on nights we’ve been making out.”, Merrick answered with a smirk. “Tad more aggressive?”, Rose questioned. “Just a tad. After all they can’t heal like you so I do have to hold back some of the animal side you bring out. Haven’t really had any complaints about being a little more rough in bed.”, Merrick explained with a shrug. “Uh huh. Guess they should thank me. And maybe…”, Rose said standing up. “Someday I’ll see exactly how aggressive you can be.”, Rose said with a wink. “Mmm, look forward to that. But I won’t be holding my breath for that day either.”, Merrick commented leaning back a little. Rose laughed a little leaning down and kiss him again. “Bye Merrick.”, Rose said pulling back heading for the door.
She stopped for a moment at the door and looked back at him. “Kind of looking forward to it too.”, Rose commented. Merrick raised an eyebrow when she stopped and laughed a little getting up from the floor and walked over to her. “Well little wolf…”, Merrick said leaning in kissing her again pressing her against the wall next to the door. Rose blinked a little but found herself returning the kissing anyways letting her arms wrap around his neck. Merrick reached down and gripped the outside of her thighs tightly picking her up deepening the kiss. Rose growled a little into the kiss letting her nails change to claws as they ran through the back of his hair. Merrick let the kiss run a bit longer before pulling back. “You’re the one that sets the date on that. Now don’t you have to get home?”, Merrick teased setting her back down. Rose frowned a little as he put her back down and reminded her she was supposed to get back to the institute. “Why did you do that?”, Rose asked. “To remind you that I’m not the only one being left wanting and certainly not the only one with hormones.”, Merrick stated stepping back. Rose narrowed her eyes and growled a little. “Yes well I don’t exactly have a list of people that I can call up to resolve that for me like you.”, Rose countered. “No you don’t. But you do have me little wolf. So when you decide you want that resolved…”, Merrick said with a smirk. “I’m a call a way. Now go home before you hastily make a decision you might regret in the morning.”, Merrick stated with a wink. Rose growled again grabbing her jacket. “You are such…god you’re an asshole.”, Rose cursed. Merrick laughed. “I know. So see you next time?”, Merrick answered. “Yeah, see you next time.”, Rose grumbled walking out of the room.
Rose drove back to her dorm frustrated and in her mind cursing Merrick’s existence. While Merrick put out the first in the room and grabbed the blanket he’d brought leaving the castle but tonight decided to not call one of the girls in his phone. Rose grumbled as she walked into her dorm and unintentionally slammed the door in her frustration. Why was it bothering her that he could so casually go from making out with her, wanting her and then like a switch go give that attention to one of the girls in that stupid black book? She shouldn’t care who he was sleeping with. They weren’t together, they just made out…often. And even if she did go further with him, would it change anything? It’d change her leaving him frustrated and not fully satisfied. But she didn’t want to date him, and he’d made it clear he wasn’t looking to be serious with anyone. Rose sighed and slumped down onto her bed looking across the dark room where Cora Lee was asleep with her headphones on. Rose was rather grateful that Cora Lee slept with headphones on blasting music. Made getting into the dorm that much easier. She certainly didn’t want to and couldn’t talk to Cora Lee about this. Since really what was she supposed to say ‘Hey Cora Lee, remember when I kissed Merrick in the cave? Yeah well I’ve been regularly meeting him in secret to make out. Oh and I’m seriously considering giving into my urges and fucking his brains out’? Yeah that would not go over well. No this was something she had to keep to herself. But she needed to talk to someone, anyone even if she didn’t say Merrick’s name. But who was she supposed to talk to? No one could really understand her wanting to have a physical relationship with Merrick of all people. Plus the whole someone that would not tell anyone else, since information like this wasn’t something she wanted leaked.
Monday during a study hall Rose was sitting in the library near a window flipping through a book she was supposed to write a report on but she found herself looking out the window instead. It was the last period of the day and all she wanted was to just get out of the school and get her time in at the clinic then call Merrick. Blaire happened to be in the library as well getting books for an assignment she had for her English class when she saw Rose sitting alone starting out the window. She considered going over to talk to her, but first she’d finish gathering her books she needed. Rose raised an eyebrow as she looked at the parking lot seeing the beat up shell gray 69 GTO of Merrick’s idling in the parking lot. “What the hell is he doing here?”, Rose wondered aloud as she watched him get out of the car. He leaned against the trunk and just sat there like he was waiting for someone. Rose was trying to figure out who he could be waiting for and found herself getting angry her nails starting to change to claws as she considered that one of his black book girls was probably still in high school and he was there to pick her up.
Blaire noticed Rose looking out the window and claws starting to form and decided she should say something. Blaire sat her books down taking a seat across from Rose. “Hey ya Rose.”, Blaire greeted with a smile. “There a particular thing you are looking at that’s got your claws out?”, Blaire asked leaning to look out the window. “Merrick?”, Blaire questioned. Rose snorted and looked away from Merrick to Blaire letting her claws change back to regular finger nails. “I don’t know what you’re talking about Blaire.”, Rose said sternly. Blaire raised an eyebrow. “Right. No clue. You just dug some marks into the top of the table for nothing. Merrick do something to piss you off?”, Blaire asked. “There’s nothing to talk about Blaire.”, Rose said. Blaire sighed. “Look Rose I know I’m not like best friend close to you like Ashley, Cora Lee, and Lily are. But I still think of you as my friend. And it’s not exactly a secret that at the end of summer party, for those who were at the party, you and him at least kissed.”, Blaire said. “That was months ago. It was a lapse of judgment.”, Rose stated. “Lapse of judgment or just listening to hormones?”, Blaire asked. “Well you’d know all about listening to hormones huh Blaire?”, Rose teased trying to get the subject off her. “Yup. I don’t regret for a millisecond any bit of time I spent with Tristan while he was in town. I knew what I wanted and I went for it.”, Blaire said glancing to the window and Merrick waiting at his car.
“Just so you know he’s here every school day at this time. Sebastian has a level 10 AP Calculus class he takes so Merrick drives him from the middle school to the high school for that class and just sits there waiting for his brother.”, Blaire explained. Rose raised an eyebrow and looked from Merrick outside waiting back to Blaire. “How do you know?”, Rose questioned. “Simple Sammy Boland is in the AP Calc class with Sebastian this period. I generally leave with Sammy after school since he has his license and he drives me to the clinic for my shift there. And Sebastian walks out with us and heads straight for Merrick’s car.”, Blaire answered. Rose snorted but smiled a little. That just again showed that duty to family attribute of Merrick’s. “So Blaire, can I ask you something perhaps personal? And also anything we talk about can stay between us?”, Rose asked looking up from her book to Blaire. “Of course Rose. I do know how to keep things to myself. And you know me I’m open book so nothing is really too personal for me to answer.”, Blaire said now intrigued. “Why did you sleep with Tristan? I mean I know he’s a great guy and such. But he travels for his job and in his travel he flirts and does who knows what with men and women that catch his fancy. Just why decide to have your first time be with a guy that you can’t fully have to yourself?”, Rose asked.
Blaire smiled. “Asking the hard hitting questions huh? I slept with Tristan and will again any time he’s in town, because I wanted to. I know I can’t have him just to myself, I’d never dream of trying to make him change who he is for me. Plus really it wouldn’t be fair me being here and him traveling. He can kiss and more with whoever he likes in his travels as long as when he comes here I’m the only one he’s with. Just like I can kiss or do more with whoever I want while he’s away but when he’s here he’s it for me. We agreed to those terms.”, Blaire answered. “Alright, but why him? I mean why not like Sam Boland? You spend lots of time with Sam and have known him forever.”, Rose questioned. “Sammy is sweet and really good looking that’s for sure. But that spark isn’t there with Sammy like Tristan. I kiss Tristan and I want more of him. Call it hormones if you want. I just know that no boy can make me feel what Tristan does when he touches me, kisses me, heck even when he just talks to me. It’s like a craving. I got that first kiss in when he was here for the rodeo when I was 14 and I was hooked and I craved more. We talked and I just kept craving. Then he was here this summer and I got all of him. And unlike a food craving where once you finally get what you wanted you are good, I still crave him. Have you ever had that feeling Rose? Where a boy just drives you wild and you just crave more?”, Blaire questioned.
Rose thought about the question and what Blaire had described. About craving someone, just wanting more of them. She nodded a little glancing out the window briefly before looking at Blaire. “Yeah I’ve had that feeling. I definitely know about someone driving one wild.”, Rose admitted. “So you asked this to be between us. I am going to guess it’s not because you wanted to talk to me about my sex life with Tristan, directly at least. I’ll go out on a limb that there is a guy who’s gotten your attention and has you craving more.”, Blaire concluded. “Something like that yeah. Just I’m not like you Blaire, no offense. I just can’t decide that this guy is who I lose my virginity to. I can’t just decide a guy that could never and will never be mine alone is who I want to be intimate with. I don’t know if I could share at that level. I mean how can I detach my emotions from something like that? How did you detach your emotions from it?”, Rose questioned. “I didn’t detach my emotions. At least not during the actual act. I don’t know if it’s love or what it is. But I know that I care deeply for Tristan and there is just something that connects me to him and draws me in that I can’t and won’t fight it. You can’t choose who you are drawn to, it’s nature. And fighting nature doesn’t go well for anyone. I won’t ask who the guy is, my only advice is go with your gut. You’re the daughter of Logan and Aurelia, animal instincts will tell you what to do. I should get back to class. See ya Rose.”, Blaire said gathering her books heading to the counter and checking the books out before leaving. Rose looked back to the window and saw Merrick playing on his phone while he waited for Sebastian.
She went back to looking at her assignment when her phone buzzed in her bag. She quickly dug it out and smiled a little seeing it was a message from Merrick. ‘You going to just keep staring at me from the library or cut class and come down here?’ Rose read the words and of course her mind placed Merrick’s voice and his signature smirk with it. She looked around to see if anyone was really around and gathered her books into her bag and stood up from her table and ducked out of the library. It was only study hall and it was the last period of the day. So she made her way through the halls avoiding the hall monitor, Anne Green a large and nasty woman who took crap from no one, as she stopped at her locker to get her jacket and then headed outside to the parking lot. Merrick smirked pocketing his phone when he saw Rose coming out the doors. “Afternoon little wolf. So what class did I just convince you to ditch?”, Merrick teased greeting. “Study hall so not a huge loss. I can finish my report at home anyways.”, Rose commented walking up to him. “So here to pick up Sebastian?”, Rose asked. Merrick smiled. “Blaire tell you that?”, Merrick asked. “How’d you guess.”, Rose responded. “Because a window works both ways little wolf I saw Blaire talking to you. And she is usually walking out with Bastian and that Sam townie she spends her time with while your rodeo clown is off on the other side of the country.”, Merrick answered with a smile. Rose shrugged. “So what did you want Merrick?”, Rose asked.
Merrick smiled and grabbed her waist pulling her to him and kissed her firmly holding the kiss for a moment or two before pulling back. “That.”, He said simply. Rose rolled her eyes but smiled. “We shouldn’t be seen doing that. My friends will flip their lids and your little sister Emma would lose it.”, Rose said stepping out of his grasp. Merrick shrugged. “You’re the one with a reputation to protect not me. But as you wish.”, Merrick conceded. Rose smiled. “I should go back inside before someone sees me with you.”, Rose said. “If that’s what you want to do. Or you could just get in the car where no one is really going to be able to see you.”, Merrick offered opening the front passenger door. “Front seat huh? Here I thought you’d be trying to get me into the back seat.”, Rose teased. “If that’s an option, though we don’t exactly have enough time for that kind of fun little wolf. But it’s warmer in the car and no one will recognize you. After all you have already ditched why go back in now.”, Merrick said. Rose laughed a little and got into the front seat. Merrick closed the door behind her and got into the driver’s side. “And now what? School ends in twenty minutes.”, Rose asked. “Twenty minutes is at least enough time to kiss some if you want.”, Merrick offered. Rose rolled her eyes but leaned over pulling him closer. “You’re lucky you’re cute.”, Rose teased before kissing him. There was something about the whole possible getting caught not just ditching class but the getting caught with him in such a public place that Rose was liking. The windows of the GTO fogging slightly during the twenty minutes that they spent kissing, Merrick’s hands finding their way under her jacket and her shirt but stayed just at her sides scratching with his claws which he knew drove her nuts.
They pulled back hearing the bells of the school. “I should go before everyone starts filing out of the school.”, Rose said breathlessly. “Right. Something I want to say though.”, Merrick said. “Hmm?”, Rose asked. “The other night, after you left the castle.”, Merrick said. “I know you called one of your list to resolve your ‘problem’.”, Rose said casually. “No. That’s what I was about to say, I didn’t. I actually went home to see how it felt to actually be left wanting. Not really a fan and commend you for dealing with that unless you just been going to the dorms and masturbating in your bathroom and not telling me.”, Merrick admitted teasing a little at the last comment. Rose rolled her eyes. “You mean my bathroom where my best friend is right on the other side of the door?”, Rose asked shoving his shoulder a little. “Cora Lee sleep listening to like death metal from what I understand. So unless you are seriously that loud.”, Merrick teased. “I…well..”, Rose frowned. “I don’t know how loud I am.”, she admitted. “Alright so masturbation isn’t you how handle it. Fair enough. Though say the word and we can see exactly how loud you can get.”, Merrick said smirking. Rose chose to ignore his comment. “How many of the girls you see tell you to stop?”, Rose inquired. Merrick raised an eyebrow. “Counting you?”, he asked. “Counting me.”, Rose answered raising an eyebrow curious. Merrick thought for a moment. “One.”, he stated. Rose blinked in surprise at him. She was the only girl he hooked up with that didn’t let him get past first? “Wait. Really? I’m the only one that..”, she said shaking her head. “Why put up with it then?”, Rose questioned. “Now give the other girls some credit. Some of them have been on that list since I was a sophomore and none of them gave a green light from the start. And why do I put up with not getting past first with you? One word little wolf, claws.”, Merrick explained with a smirk.
“Uh huh..”, she said looking at him before smirking softly. “Yours?”, she asked letting her claws grow out and ran them down his shirt, gently as to not rip the shirt. “Or mine?”, she asked. Merrick smirked with a small laugh. “Both. Can’t exactly use mine on townies.”, Merrick answered. “You know, some might find it rather wrong that one of the things you like me for is as a scratching post.”, Rose said. “Then again..”, she said bringing a claw up to run lightly up his throat. “you usually have blood on you too when you walk off.”, Rose smiled as her claw was pressed against his adam’s apple. Merrick raised an eyebrow still smirking. He tilted his head up not even flinching having her claw against his throat. He trusted her, which getting his trust was rather rare. :I don’t have your healing and Kisa seems to think I need to stop getting into fights with whatever wild animal I keep getting messed up by. But what can I say my mutation makes an animal of me.”, Merrick answered. “And how hard do you like bites?”, Rose asked, her hand sliding down his shirt. She let her hands slip up under his shirt slowly pushing the shirt up to get at his chest. “Bites? Much like claws I don’t mind blood or marks. However, little wolf.”, Merrick said pulling his shirt back down. “We are in the high school parking lot, and very soon your friends are going to pile out along with my siblings. So unless you are looking to have that pristine reputation tarnished, save that for next time you call me to meet up.”, Merrick suggested.
“You’re right, I really should go. Meet me tonight say 8 at the castle alright?”, Rose requested. Merrick nodded getting another kiss in. “I’ll be there little wolf.”, Merrick agreed. Rose smiled and got out of the car and made her way to the front doors so she could head to the institute with the others like nothing had happened. She did pay more attention to the other people walking out and smiled a little as she saw Sebastian walking out of the school with Sam Boland on his right who had an arm around Blaire’s shoulders. She wondered how Sam dealt with it. Knowing that Blaire was never really his and that she had such stronger feelings for Tristan. It was certainly an odd situation, though she knew Blaire was completely up front with Sam so he wasn’t in the dark about how she felt in regards to Tristan. Rose figured Sam must not care because he was always smiling when he was with Blaire. Rose smiled and waved when Cora Lee walked out with Malcolm, Rachel, the Alston twins and the Maximoff twins. The group left together and all Rose could think about was that later that night she’d be with Merrick again.
Blaire walked with Sam not even thinking twice about his arm being around her shoulders, he made a good block from the winter’s wind. The pair walked with Sebastian over to the parking lot. Sebastian smiling seeing his big brother leaning against his car waiting. “Hey Merrick! You realize I could always get a ride with someone else like the other haven boys.”, Sebastian said still uncertain why his brother insisted of driving him from the middle school to the high school and then home every day he had this AP class. Blaire smiled. “Hey Merrick.”, Blaire greeted. “Jail bait, Jail bait’s townie.”, Merrick greeted. “I know I don’t have to Bastian, but I do it anyways. You’re my little brother so it’s my job. Come on get in. I’ve been keeping the car running so it’s warm. You only just got over a cold don’t need you getting sick again.”, Merrick instructed opening the back door for Sebastian. Sam raised an eyebrow at being called ‘jail bait’s townie’. Sam considered questioning it but what he knew about Merrick Bryant-Frost he knew that was probably a bad idea. Sebastian rolled his eyes. “You sound like mom. Bye Sam. Bye Blaire.”, Sebastian said getting into the car. “Bye Sebastian.”, Blaire waved. “See you at next class Sebastian.”, Sam said with a smile.
“So what’s this you slumming the high school trying to pick up young girls?”, Talia asked walking by holding hands with Alex. Merrick growled. “I’m here to pick up my little brother cunt.”, Merrick replied. Blaire grabbed Sam’s arm pulling him a little closer. “Come on Sammy you can drive me to work.”, Blaire said nudging him in the direction of his truck. Talia snorted watching the two humans walk away. “Merrick?”, Emma questioned catching up with Talia and Alex who’d walked off ahead of her and the twins. “Hi Emma.”, Merrick greeted his sister with a smile. Sebastian turned in the back seat of the GTO and waved at his sister. “Oh you are picking up Sebastian.”, Emma said waving to her little brother. “Yeah I’m driving him home before I go to work. Do you need a ride home?”, Merrick offered. Apollo walked up with his sister putting an arm around Emma’s shoulders. “Emma rides with us.”, Apollo explained. Merrick growled. “Keep your filthy hands off my little sister. And last I checked free country if she wants to ride home with her brothers she can. After all we are Haven so we’re neutral.”, Merrick countered narrowing his eyes at Apollo. “I’m sure mom would like to see you.”, Merrick added. Emma thought about it and stepped off the sidewalk away from Apollo. “I’ll see you guys back at the Academy. I’ll ride with my brothers.”, Emma said getting into the front seat of the car. Merrick smiled and flipped Apollo off. “Now go fuck off.”, Merrick said getting into the car and leaving the parking lot.
Apollo glared back and went to step off the sidewalk but Alex grabbed his arm. “You are not going to touch Merrick. As he pointed out they are Haven. And unless you are looking to take on that house alone, because the Demon King will not sanction or support that you better just leave it be.”, Alex stated. Talia snorted a little but nodded. “Alex is right, let’s not anger my father.”, Talia said heading to Alex’s Ford explorer. Apollo grumbled but listened and the four Academy students got into the suv and Alex drove back to the Academy. “We can’t stop Emma from having contact with her brothers and mother. It’s the point of the Haven. To offer neutral ground where sides no longer matter. You really need to learn to respect that Apollo. I get that you find Emma attractive. But you seriously need to get over that because we all know that will never happen. Emma will never want you that way. Sorry to be harsh man, but you need to understand that.”, Alex said as they drove. Apollo shrugged a little grumbling under his breath in Russian. Talia simply rolled her eyes as she never really understood why boys at school even gave Emma the time of day. There wasn’t anything special about her appearance. She was just another blonde with blue eyes far too standard in Talia’s mind. While the others went to the Academy Emma was at the Haven with her brother Sebastian and mother as Merrick had left almost instantly after getting there to work. Malcolm ended up driving her back to the Academy since Merrick was at work.