HSDWM, a fanfiction

Chapter 19

I shrugged and climbed into the car.

It was now Raven's turn. He'd drive for three hours and then they'd switch again. I felt kind of bad I couldn't drive because I didn't have my license, but Jenna wasn't driving, either, and she had her license.

I watched the landscape change until it was too dark to see, then hunkered down and let sleep take me.

*********

I woke up to the car rolling to a stop the next morning. Looking out the window I could imagine being able to see for miles out here when you were at the apex of a hill. There was no shade anywhere other than the buildings and an occasional stand of trees. The land had a barren appearance to it under the onslaught of the sun. We were stopped outside a fast food place. One that had a breakfast menu.

The others were awake, probably had been for awhile, judging by the slant of the sun.

Raven looked at Jenna beside him and back at Xavier and I over his shoulder saying, "I don't know about the rest of you, but I need to use the bathroom and I wouldn't mind stretching my legs a bit."

"Sure," Jenna and Xavier both said as they stepped out of the vehicle. They all paused waiting for me.

I got out of the car and followed Jenna to the ladies room. I was happy to see it was clean. We each went into a stall.

Jenna said, "Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but you need to snap out of it."

"Nothing's going on with me, Jenna."

She scoffed, "Oh please. You know, you might have Raven's wolf fawning over you, but Xavier just pities you and I see through this little act of yours."

"What act would that be, Jenna?" I flushed the toilet and walked to the sink to wash my hands.

"You're trying to get Xavier's attention, but you won't because he loves me. He always will. Raven does, too, you know," She flipped her hair triumphantly.

"Of course they love you, Jenna. You and they have been friends since childhood. That's a strong bond. I have similarly strong bonds with my friends from childhood, but it's not the mate bond. I don't feel my friends sleeping with other people like I do with my mate," I opened the door.

"I have a mate bond, too!"

"Yeah, one that you've been willing to break from the moment you felt it. I'm being forced to break mine against my will. After being marked. Which strengthens the bond. I'm not putting on an act, Jenna. I was when I was pretending to be unaffected for your sake, but not anymore. I'm done pretending. You're not worth it. I'm sorry if you're feeling affected now. I truly don't wish this on anyone. It's horrible," I turned and walked out the door.

I walked straight into a wall. I looked up and the wall peered down at me. With beautiful gold dusted dark blue eyes. There was concern in his eyes, but I could also see anger flickering.

I swallowed down tears and stepped around him. He put his arm in front of me to halt my progress to say, "Raven is getting us all food. Go sit with him and please eat something. Jen and I will be there in a minute." Then he let me go.

I found Raven setting two trays down at a booth, and there was a worker following him with another tray that was also placed on the table.

I slid onto the bench opposite Raven and let him place a breakfast sandwich, two hash browns and a large orange juice with the straw already in it in front of me. I picked up the orange juice and took a small sip. Somehow it seemed to settle my stomach.

"Are you going to tell me what happened or do I have to beat it out of the hybrid?"

I shrugged and continued to take small sips of the orange juice. "I guess I can't hold it in any more."