Astronomical (girlxgirl)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Chapter Twenty-Seven (Rose's POV)

As I walked to my car, Skye more quiet than usual beside me, Nate and Annie caught up with us.

"Shotgun!" They both yelled, racing to the Jeep, like children.

I heard Skye's soft giggle and smiled down at her. I lengthened my stride to pull my sister and best friend apart before they could get too physical and scare my mate.

"Skye is sitting in the front – so quit your bickering", I declared, opening the front passenger door for my tiny mate.

I contained my laughter at her awkward jump up the step, but Nate wasn't so polite; he fell into the car, roaring with laughter, "Oh my God! You're so short, Skye!"

I glared at him for making her feel uncomfortable, and Annie leaned over to smack his head, "We can't all be half-giants like you, Hagrid". I could tell that she wanted to laugh as well, but her persistent need to disagree with Nate won out.

I walked around the car to the driver's side and looked at Skye to make sure she wasn't offended. Her tinkling laughter and pink cheeks almost made me drop the keys as I fumbled to put them in the ignition.

I need to make her laugh more often; she is fucking stunning...

Stalker! Nate and Annie chimed from the back, and I realised I had let my mental barriers slip a little.

I glared at them in the rear-view mirror, warning them to be on their best behaviour around Skye. I had already spent twenty-minutes briefing my Mum through the mind link during Agriculture about respecting Skye's personal space, and not making any inappropriate comments. I was pretty sure that she was too excited to take in what I had said fully; I mind-linked Father and repeated my warnings to be on the safe side.

I glanced down to meet Skye's uber-blue eyes, "I think you should ride with us every day; with you, in the front seat Annie and Nate can't fight about what's playing on the radio". Play it off as a joking suggestion, I told myself – while holding my breath in anticipation of her answer.

Pussy-whipped, Nate commented at the same time that Annie thought, You softy, Rosie.

Get out of my head, I grumbled to them. If there is a Moon Goddess, she is a total cunt for pairing me with such assholes for packmates...

"I wouldn't want you to go out of your way to pick me up", Skye muttered softly – always disproportionately worried about burdening others.

"You really would be doing me a favour; most days, I can't stand driving these two idiots" I reassured her.

Annie reached forward to slap me – I ducked away while making sure the car didn't veer off the road. Skye is a fragile human; she could be seriously injured if we were in an accident...

When we pulled up at home, I say Skye's widen as she took in the size of our house. No, we aren't rich – there are just a lot of us, so we need the extra space, I wanted to say, but then that would mean explaining who 'us' was and why we spend enough time together to warrant building a house that size.

I expanded my senses, to make sure that only a few of the pack members were in the packhouse, so as not to overwhelm Skye and make her question pack life.

Nate and Annie waltzed through the door like they owned the place – that being partially true – but I lingered beside Skye as she took everything in. She turned towards me, raising her eyebrows, "If your house looks like that, why do you drive that?" She gestured to my faded black Jeep over her shoulder.