“He’s lying?” I asked Sam. “How do you know?” He seemed so certain that Alec was lying when he said that he was scared. “Maybe he is legitimately scared that something is going to happen to him, you know? It can get dangerous out there.”
Sam was shaking his head. “No, that’s definitely not it. He’s just a mooch. A giant mooch who just wants to be part of our pack so that he can take advantage of all of the stuff you can make for us for free.”
I shrugged. “Maybe you’re right, but I honestly don’t care if he goes with us or not, as long as Brice does. I want them to stay together if he still makes Brice happy, but I don’t think it’s gonna work out between them. I think they’re just too different.”
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After Joshua made his statement--that he didn’t love Melanie, and he had feelings for someone else, someone that was in a relationship already--he didn’t stick around. He took off, out the door, and I figured it was to go for a run.I turned around and looked at Sam, my eyes wide. “What the hell just happened?” I asked him.He was shaking his head. “I don’t know. I’m really not sure. But… I don’t think it’s you, if that’s what you’re concerned about.”I wanted to ask him why he was so sure and be offended that he didn’t think that Joshua was in love with me, but then I realized that was a good thing. I didn’t want Joshua to be in love with me. We’d tried that a bit last year and discovered we were much better off a
That night, I laid awake on my back in my bed, alone, staring up at the ceiling, wondering why I’d said that to Sam and what I was going to do about it. Outside of my window, I heard familiar howls and knew that a large part of my pack was out there roaming around, doing whatever it was they do at night.A thousand thoughts ran through my head, but mostly, I just kept thinking about what I had said to Sam and what it meant. I’d told him I loved him. I’d said it in a joking way. But I knew in my heart that I meant it.Did that mean I didn’t love Ben anymore?I couldn’t say for sure. But I felt like the more space Ben tried to give me, the more I found myself learning to live without him. That also scared me. I didn’t want to have to live in a world without Ben in it, and I di
The next few weeks dragged on, and then it was time for our big day. Graduation. A day I’d been looking forward to for as long as I could remember. As much as I enjoyed school, I was ready for it to be over with. I was ready to close this chapter in my life and start a new one. Even though I still wasn’t completely clear about what was going to happen next, I knew I was ready to get on with it.My parents were coming for the event of course. When they arrived at the house a few hours before we were due to arrive at the high school gym, where the ceremony would be held. My mom rushed up the porch steps before Max even managed to get the van in park, her arms open wide. It had been too long since we’d seen each other.“There she is!” Mom gushed, wrapping me up in a tight hug. “Oh, how I’ve missed you!”
I wanted to concentrate on all of the graduation speeches, but it was hard. I kept touching my earrings, twirling them in my ears, brushing my hair back behind my ears so that everyone could see them. They were a distraction, but so was the fact that I knew Sam was sitting in the bleachers with my parents. I wanted to turn my head and look at him, sitting there all handsome in his tie and suit pants.I kept my eyes focused on the dais in front of me, though. We were out on the football field that was never used for football because the town wasn’t big enough to have a team. I think they may have used it for soccer, and they used the track around the outside for the track team, but it probably shouldn’t have been called a football field. Nevertheless, the graduates were all sitting facing the stage, and the family members and guests were in the bleachers to our left. Eventually, all of the speec
Being out of school felt weird. I’d missed a lot of days of school that year, but knowing I never had to go back to high school, that I might never have to go back to a school building again to attend classes, seemed almost unbelievable to me.The night of graduation, I had spent alone in my bed, even though I wanted to be with Sam. My parents and Grayson were spending the night, and it just seemed weird to be sleeping with a guy while they were there. Especially since Sam wasn’t even my boyfriend.Saying goodbye to my parents the next morning was difficult. I wasn’t sure why it seemed so sad for them to be leaving this time any more than it was any other time, but I had to hold back tears when I hugged them goodbye. I hate crying because I think it makes me look weak, and I don’t like to look weak in front of my pack--or anyone else for
Joshua was ready to talk to me, to tell me what his big secret was. Of course, I wanted to hear, not just because I'm really nosy--which I am--but also because I wanted to be there for him. “Okay,” I said. “Where do you want to go?”“Let’s go back to your stump,” he suggested, running his palm along the back of his neck. I could tell that he didn’t want to tell me whatever it was that he was about to say.“You know, Joshua, if you’re not ready to talk, it’s okay,” I told him. “I know that you said this has something to do with what I just saw, but if it helps any, I have no idea what I was looking at.”Joshua turned and looked over his shoulder, smirking at me. “Just come on, Harlow,” he said, like he thought I was being
I didn’t need to stick around to hear the conversation between Brice and Joshua to know what they were going to talk about. I could tell by their faces what was happening, and even though I didn’t want to get my hopes up in case I was wrong, I had a pretty good feeling that it was going to all end up for the better.With a small smile on my face, I headed back to the house.I walked into the kitchen and heard sobbing coming from downstairs and wanted to beat my head against the kitchen wall. While I was ecstatic for what was likely happening between Joshua and Brice, it wasn’t good for everyone; it wasn’t good for Melanie.Walking briskly down the steps, I went to check on her. She had her face buried in a pillow on the couch, and Tony and Raven were with her. Raven was stroking her hair whil
It wasn’t difficult for me to find a new flight for Mel to take home, though it did cost quite a bit of money to reschedule her onto a flight that was leaving sooner, but hey, if that’s what made her happy, I was willing to do it. I still felt terrible for her.Tony and Raven offered to take her to the airport the next morning. I told her goodbye that night because I had a feeling I wouldn’t be able to drag myself out of bed and make coherent sentences in the morning. We’d both shed a few tears, but I knew I’d see her again soon enough. She intended to join us in Europe once the summer was over--if we were still there fighting Mage Grouse.I sort of hoped we wouldn’t be, though. I wanted this battle to be over quickly so I could reclaim my ancestral lands and then get on with my life. I was sure there would still be other bat