Werewolf and Vampire Mate [Book 1 Complete]

chapter fourteen.

April

The kitchen in the farmhouse is unbelievably big. It has a rustic feel with a long stone bench and six stools. Open shelving made from reclaimed wood houses various plates and glasses.

I look over my shoulder—the living room is empty now and no one is around—then I pull out a plate and some fresh bread that smells delicious. I'm so hungry.

The stainless steel fridge is stocked full of an enormous amount of food. I find ham and lettuce and make a sandwich.

Just as I'm cleaning my plate and finishing off a glass of water, Lark comes out from the hallway. She's dressed in a big sweater and pajama shorts. Although she looks fine physically, her cuts and abrasions completely healed like they were never there, a haunted look lingers on her face.

"April," she musters a small smile. "Just the person I wanted to see."

"Really?"

I put my plate and glass on the drying rack and go over to the counter, where Lark is pushing herself up onto a stool. "Yeah, I wanted to thank you again."

"You don't need to." God, you really don't. I already feel guilty for being asleep in Nik's bed whilst she was suffering two stories below me. "Are you ok?"

She nods, though not very convincingly. "All healed up."

"Right. But...that must have been really scary," I say hesitantly.

She looks away, resting her chin on her hand. Her long, pin-straight hair falls over her shoulders. "It wasn't fun."

"Sorry. The last thing I'm trying to do is pry."

A big sigh leaves her and she rubs her face. "No, it's ok. I'm just trying to be fine. Heath was...freaking out. I don't want to make things worse for him."

"You two seem close," I note, leaning down on the bench. Her eyebrows furrow and then she laughs, like I've said something funny. "What?" I'm confused.

"Close? He's my mate, April," she says. Oh. "So, yes I suppose we're close. There's no one else in the world I could ever be closer to."

I look down at my hands. "You feel that strongly about him?"

"Strong doesn't even begin to describe it. Being mated to someone is like...they become your oxygen. Living without them doesn't feel possible. It's part of why I was so scared. If I'd died last night, then...Heath probably would have died too. And I love him so much that all I want is for him to be ok."

"He would have died too?" I question incredulously. That's a bit over the top, isn't it?

"It's almost impossible to live without your mate. You're human so you don't feel it as strongly yet. But you'll understand it after the mating ceremony."

"The what?"

"Orson hasn't spoken to you about that yet?" she questions and I shake my head. "Shit. I probably shouldn't have said anything. I'm sure he'll explain soon."

"Yeah, well...maybe not. He's taking me home tomorrow."

She stands up abruptly from the stool. "What? What do you mean?"

I shrug. "I have a life to get back to."

"But your life is here now." She seems genuinely baffled.

"No...I go to Yale. I have a degree to finish."

"What's Reed going to do? Is he going with you? Is he leaving the pack?"

"No, of course not. He's coming back here. Where he belongs."