Completely drained and exhausted from this breathtaking night, I opened my eyes and first stretched my limp body extensively. The slight pain in the crook of my neck made me smile happily and while I carefully stroked the wound, my mind drifted back into the past.
These intense feelings, the pleasant tingling on my skin and the fireworks that took everything inside me at the end… The word perfection took on a whole new meaning for me from that morning onwards.
I immediately wanted to snuggle up to Silvan’s chest, but when I turned to the side a bit too irascibly, I fell off the bed in shock and stared at the ceiling in complete confusion before I got up again and looked around the room.
I was probably alone and when I curiously put my nose up in the air, I noticed immediately that unfortunately he wasn’t in the house.
But there was something else that suddenly came deep into my consciousness and made me reach for my hair in fascination…
My new smell…
I looked at my hair between my fingers, smelled it and then sniffed my hands and arms. It surprised me that there seemed to be nothing left of myself. I had completely absorbed the smell of Silvan and had to laugh out loud when I got goosebumps from it.
Now I would be able to turn myself on…
Still naked, I then danced around the bed to his closet, grabbed my panties from the floor and then put on a large white t-shirt and dark blue pajama bottoms and then walked to the window. I opened the curtains and happily watched the rain take over everything out there.
I just felt good… as if everything bad had disappeared overnight without a trace. Only he was in my head. Him and his dark eyes…
Smiling to myself, I stepped sideways in front of his mirrored cabinet and looked at myself with red cheeks.
I had changed and by that I didn’t just mean the almost blue wound on my neck or my smell, but also my whole inner being, because suddenly I wasn’t a stubborn child anymore.
Last night had shown me only too well how seductive I could be and it was Silvan who brought out that side of me I didn’t know. Just like Devin had always claimed my childish side.
I had really become someone else…
After looking at myself in the mirror for a while and grinning at myself like a lunatic, I decided to look for something to eat.
My reserves of strength were slowly coming to an end and despite all these feelings of happiness, I couldn’t forget everything around me.
Looking at my bare feet, I padded down the stairs, ran straight to the fridge and immediately grabbed the two pudding cups.
“Good morning,” I heard a voice behind me that immediately made me roll my eyes. I opened one of the drawers and didn’t even bother to turn or answer. Much rather I took a spoon, opened the first pudding and calmly shoveled it into myself.
“Do you think I’ll just walk away if you so brazenly ignore me?”
“I hoped so, so yes,” I replied to Viola and then turned to her annoyed.
Where did she even come from???
“Oh my god,” she then breathed, wide-eyed, and came around the kitchen island to just put her hand on my shoulder.
“Are you okay?” I hissed at her immediately, looking at her exaggerated getup. She had turned her black curls into an updo and the blue dress wasn’t bad parents either.
Why was she already dressed like that in the morning???
I glanced at the clock above the front door to check the time and then widened my eyes in disbelief when I realized that it was already 5 p. m.
How long had I slept?
“Get ready,” she snorted disdainfully, still staring at the bite and I could almost feel how much she was bothered by the fact that Silvan had tagged me.
“For what?” I asked completely indifferent and then finished my pudding with relish.
“Pack meeting. There’s drinking, eating and then a huge fireworks display.”
“Aha,” I just said and then looked at her confused. “Why are you here to pick me up and not Silvan?”
“My God! He might have better things to do than play babysitter!”
“But apparently you don’t,” I retorted provocatively, reveling in still being myself. Even Silvan couldn’t get my sometimes childish, provocative side out of me.
“You know what! If I didn’t know that you mean so much to Silvan, I would have left by now at the latest, but he wants you with me,” she explained, looking me up and down. “So please put something nice on and then come out!”
She practically growled those words at me and then stomped out of the house, slamming the front door hard.
“Stupid goat,” I whispered, and then reluctantly, I ran back to the stairs and padded upstairs to disappear into my room.
If it was important to Silvan to have me there, then I would do him the same favor, even if I didn’t feel like the people there at all.
There was only one dress hanging in my closet and when I took it out I actually thought it was really pretty.
It was light blue and when I took off my clothes and put it on it came down to my knees. Even so, it just fitted my body perfectly and since it was strapless, I rejoiced in the thought that everyone would see my beautiful wound.
I tied my hair in a high ponytail, took a few deep breaths and then slipped on my white sneakers.
I didn’t need make-up. After last night I felt like Silvan only wanted me and I didn’t have to please anyone else there.
Satisfied with myself and my looks, I then ran down the stairs, left the house and saw Viola leaning against a white convertible next to Igor.
“Finally,” she snapped at me stupidly and got in on the passenger side while Igor looked at me, glanced at my wound and then nodded at me with a smile.
Here we go ….
****
I enjoyed my first drive in a convertible and for a moment was really thankful that the rain had stopped.
The sky above us was grey, but not a drop came down and happy about it, I closed my eyes to only be able to feel the cold wind on my face. It was really a nice new experience to drive without a roof. You immediately felt freer…
When we got to a busy parking lot, the first thing I noticed was the huge gym, which didn’t look like one at all because of all the decoration.
Colorful garlands hung everywhere and the lights inside weren’t as bright as is typical in gyms. Rather warm and insulated, which was immediately inviting.
“Have fun then,” Viola said with an annoyed undertone and then hurriedly got out of the car to walk over to the wide staircase that led up to the entrance.
Up there were several men in suits, smoking, chatting happily, glasses in hand.
There were still enough people in the parking lot between the cars. There were women, men and even the children romped here extensively.
“Igor?” I then addressed the bald guy who was sitting in the driver’s seat in front of me and who also seemed to be looking around. “What is the reason for this celebration?”
He turned around to face me a little and then laughed and shrugged.
“There’s no reason. Every two weeks, Silvan’s father gives these parties to keep the pack together. It’s these evenings where we’re all just together and happy.”
“Aha,” I mumbled, confused, thinking about the fact that we underlings never had anything like that. Well, we were just the scum.
“Let’s go in,” he then said and got out to hold my door open for me.
I nodded to him gratefully and also got out to look around again.
A little further away, Bene immediately caught my eye, leaning alone against a car and seeming to be looking up at the sky.
“I’ll be right behind you,” I turned to Igor, who immediately shook his head.
“Silvan specifically said to stay with you and he’s waiting for you inside.”
I raised an eyebrow and looked Igor up and down, then tapped my wound and grinned.
“Do you know what that bite means?” I smiled triumphantly, to which he just nodded sadly. “Like I said, I’ll follow.”
When Igor then, after a moment’s hesitation, finally disappeared to the stairs, I turned my gaze back to Bene and walked towards him through the cars.
“Bene?” I spoke to him calmly and he immediately turned his gaze to me. His eyes seemed full of tears and he took a deep breath as he looked at me wistfully. “Can we talk for a minute?”
“Of course, but not here,” he replied, looking around briefly before leading me to the forest that bordered the gym.
Great… Now I ran into the forest with someone who was apparently in league with the hunters.
Typical for me…
We stepped deeper and deeper between the trees until after a while I couldn’t hear the voices or see the lights behind me, which sent chills down my spine.
If he did anything to me now, no one would be able to help me, but I trusted him… which might have been a mistake…
“So,” he then said, leaning his back against a tree behind him. “So you saw me.”
I faced him and glanced behind him into the darkness, from which I thought I heard noises, but it was probably just my heart beating way too fast.
“Yes, I have,” I replied and then looked deep into his eyes. “What do you have to do with these hunters?”
I didn’t want to play cat and mouse or stay here longer than necessary, so I just asked straight out.
“Nothing,” he said shortly and looked at the ground. “So only with the one…”, he added quietly.
I suddenly felt pain inside me, but it wasn’t mine, it was his, tearing me apart as if I could feel it. A terrible feeling that took my breath away for a moment.
When I heard him start to sob quietly, I took a step closer to him and carefully placed my hand on his trembling shoulder.
“Bene…” I breathed softly and then waited until he looked at me again. His eyes were full of tears and they reflected pure desperation.
“His name is Miguel and he’s my mate, Jade,” he whispered and then threw himself into my arms for comfort. I really didn’t know what to think or say at that moment, so I just gently stroked his back and tried to put myself in his shoes.
He was having a hard enough time being gay and had to keep it a secret. What’s more, his mate was one of the men who executed us wolves…
How was he supposed to live with all that shit?
If he felt the same way about his mate as I did about Silvan, then I could understand him only too well that he was secretly meeting him in the forest, but I’m sure no one else would understand, which was really frustrating.
“I know I’m gambling with my life when I meet him and he’s aware of that too, but Jade, I can’t help it,” he sobbed, then pulled away from me to wipe away his tears.
“Calm down, okay?”
I took his hand, looked deep into his eyes and tried to calm him down. I had no other choice.
“No one will ever hear a word from me and together we will find a solution,” I whispered and looked at him with a smile, which also brought his smile back into his eyes.
But then his radiance faded and only fear was reflected in his face while he stared behind me, which made me freeze as well.
“What will no one find out?” I heard Silvan’s angry, ice-cold voice and I immediately widened my eyes in shock and let go of Bene’s hand to turn around with bated breath.
fucking shit!