HE'S MINE

The next morning…

"Hello! Darla, Darla! Good morning, are you in?! Hello!" Was the alarm that woke the both of them up.

"Who could it be this early?" Muttered Darla as she stood up staggeringly. Wolf immediately helped her to her feet to prevent her from falling.

"You sit, I'll go check it out." Said Wolf as he made his way to the door.

"What do you want?" He asked unhappily when he opened the door.

"Who are you? Where's Darla? What are you doing in her home?" Queried the creature at the door.

He raised his eyebrows at the defiance and agitation with which he was questioned. Suddenly he felt arms go around his waist just from behind him, turns out sweet Darla was clingy after waking up.

"Oh Shane! It's you, I was wondering who it was looking for me this early. Is anything the matter?" She said to the creature apparently called 'Shane'.

Who even names another Shane, sounds like an alternative for 'Shame', wondered Wolf.

And he found himself getting increasingly annoyed at this Shane, why was he staring at Darla like she was the answer to his problems.

"Oh, we didn't get the flowers yesterday hence, I was asked to come check on the situation. Is everything okay? Who's this guy and why are you holding him? Is he threatening you?" It seemed other than asking foolish questions there was nothing else that could come out of this Shane's mouth.

"Oh, it's nothing. I'm not being threatened Shane, and I was occupied with other things yesterday. This is Rhode, he's...he's mine." Darla replied laughingly.

She said he was hers?

Was he?

Then, is she his?

"Come in, let me prepare today's set so you won't have to come back to get them", was the next thing he heard as Darla ushered 'Shane' to the backyard garden.

Why was she letting in this 'Shane', he could help her in his stead, Wolf thought, but he held his peace.

The next few hours of the morning went by agonizingly slow as Darla had to accompany this 'Shane'. They were gathering flower orders, or pre-orders. Turns out Darla had a flower business, where she sold flowers to households in the surroundings and Shane happened to be the one that delivered them to the houses that had need for them. In short, he was the dispatch man. Did that mean he, 'Shane', was here at Darla's home every morning before he got here?

"Oh, get that for me…, and we're done!" Sounded Darla's voice from the back garden.

"You don't have to come for the rest of the week right? Let me get you some things from the kitchen!" Came Darla's voice yet again.

'Why was she giving Shane things?' He wondered. Why were they so familiar too, it seemed Shane was only there to deliver flowers to the clients.

After they had finished, Shane approached him with a distasteful look on his face.

"Who are you? What are your intentions in living with Darla? Let me tell you, you can't…" This 'Shane' seemed to want to threaten me but Darla came back out. Turns out he was right, this 'Shane' could only ask foolish what. It seemed funny to him how a stick like creature wanted to rough him up.

"I'll be on my way, thank you Darling!" Said Shane, he obviously couldn't continue his bluffing with Darla around so he chose to abscond instead.

That 'darling' ticked Wolf off for sure, only he was allowed to call her darling.

"It's Darla to you, Shame, it'd be a real shame if you left here injured now wouldn't it?!" He snarled at Shane who got frightened at his aggression.

He scurried right out.

"You didn't have to do that, you know? Shane's a blabbermouth. Now everyone's gonna know there's a man that threatens people at Darla's place, I rather prefer a low profile." Commented Darla.

"Everyone? Aren't I yours? Are you afraid of introducing me to people now? Tell me, darling, how and when did I become yours? Are you mine then?" He questioned her pressingly, almost desperate for answers.

"Well, I saved and brought you into my home. In that moment you became mine, why? Did you already belong to someone? Or are you planning on being someone else's? Let me tell you, the moment I decided to save you on that street I claimed you, you owe your life to me, or did you think you'd have survived otherwise? You're mine, Rhode. Especially from the moment you woke up and decided to stay!" She spoke with a fire he had never seen before in her. She looked like she wanted to burn him with her gaze, daring him to defy her in that moment.

He chuckled, sweet Darla.

Fortunately enough, he chose to stay otherwise, he'd have missed getting to know her fiery side.

Oh Sweet Darla!