Hiding My Heart

Chapter 22

Another runner up cover----> again sorry for whoever made this, i appreciate it and love it! sorry again that i can't say who made it because of the forum. but you are amazing!

I still couldn't believe what I had said to Preston the other day. All night I called myself stupid for telling him, even if he should know. My emotions were conflicted because so much happened in such a short amount of time.  

I finally wrapped my head around being Preston's mate this morning. There was no denying the connection I felt and I know his words were true, I can hear it in his voice. All the things he said before that also helped it click in place, him dancing around the subject, telling me she's complicated. Even the things Sasha and Scott would say, telling me not to worry about his mate. No wonder, it's because I am his mate. I couldn't help but laugh this morning as I remembered how much I despised his mate, so jealous of her only to find out I was upset over nothing. 

I have a lot of questions for him on the mate subject. I did some research last night on werewolves and mating. Apparently there are three steps in order to complete the mating process, every websites and every book said the same thing. Step one is recognizing the bond, Step two is either accepting the bond or rejecting it. And step three, the one I am hoping is wrong, the werewolf is supposed to bite his mate between the shoulder and neck during sex, making his mark permanent on your body. I'm not going to lie and say that it didn't scare me, but it did. I have to let him bite me when we are doing it? It sounds kinky to me. I'm not really sure how I feel about that. Wouldn't it hurt? 

No matter how much research I did on werewolves it all was too farfetched. So many websites said so many different things I had to stop before my mind exploded. I know some things about werewolves but not a whole lot and I figure I could just ask Preston about it. Get the information straight from the source.  

After coming to terms of being Preston's mate my mind thinks back to when I told him about my attack. I thought that he would have exploded, or get angry over it. He was angry, I could tell but he did a great job on keeping it hidden from me. But I could see he was scared for me, sad that something so horrible happened to me. I could tell that it bothered him, but he didn't go running for the hills. After accepting that I was his mate I couldn't help but wonder why he didn't run. I would think that he would, but he didn't. 

Another thing that bothered me was my mom's behavior the day before. I wouldn't talk to Preston or Sasha about what they saw, just continued with my day. Even though I can feel they both wanted to say something I wouldn't bring it up. They knew to stay away from the subject. I don't understand why she freaked out and said all those things. I don't understand half the things she said, protecting me, he's back I can feel it? Brayden is convinced it is the alcohol, but I know for a fact it wasn't. So why would she say all those things? I couldn't ask her about it since she locked herself in her room and wouldn't come out. 

I was hoping to ask her today but she still wouldn't come out. This morning Natalie and Luke had come over to open the small amount of presents that were under the tree. They didn't ask or talk about what happened yesterday either. After mom went back inside they took their leave immediately. I felt angry at first for their abrupt departure but I had to remind myself this is the life she never wanted. She walked away continent on never coming back. Natalie doesn't owe anything to us or to our mom. So I was surprised to see her come over to open gifts.  

Though they didn't linger longer than necessary. Just opened presents, talked for a little bit before heading back out to open presents with his family. They did promise to go on the sleigh ride with us later. Once they were gone I cleaned up the small mess that was made and took my gifts up to my room. I had gotten money and a hoodie from Brayden, a necklace and matching earrings from Natalie and a gift card from Luke. Sasha and Scott had given me some things also, Sasha mostly clothes, and Scott just money. Last night when we did our secret Santa's I had gotten a beautiful diamond bracelet from Preston, I was his secret Santa. I kept telling him it was too much, but he wouldn't take it back. And after some debate I finally just took it, thanking him over and over again for it.