My One Exception - Book 1

My One Exception - Formality

Peter stayed quiet and urged her to continue. "He said he had a meeting at this abandoned distillery with an alpha. I was so curious, I followed him. He had no idea. I let him get about twenty minutes heads start. What I found horrifying - I heard screaming. There was a man laying there with his eyes gouged out. He was in so much pain. I ran over to him, not caring who or what he was. He told me to get his phone and call someone named Talia-"

Peter quickly cut her off, "You're the girl who called Talia?"

Charlotte looked surprised. "Wait, you know her?"

"She was my sister, Derek's mother. Sorry, keep going" he said.

"The man I helped told me to get out of there in case Gerard came back. I looked inside the distillery before I left and almost threw up. I couldn't believe what he had done. Gerard beat me home and I was scared. He knew I had followed him. He said sometimes sacrifices need to made. He told me that if even attempted to to tell anyone what happened, there was an unmarked grave waiting for me. I went along with it so I could live. But from that day on, I didn't consider myself an Argent anymore."

Peter didn't know what to say. This girl was threatened by her own family to hide a hideous massacre.. "Tell me where you want to go and we'll go. Tell me what you want to do and we'll do it. No more Argents, no more living in fear. I will protect you....I promise" he said quietly. Charlotte blinked and tears streamed down her face. Peter got up out of his chair. "Come here"

He took her and gently pulled her up and into his arms. He stroked her hair while she open cried, letting all the years of fear out.

"You're the only one I've ever told" she said between sobs. After a couple of minutes, she calmed down. "Ok, I don't want to ruin lunch. Sorry." she said, wiping her eyes.

"Sweetheart, you have nothing to apologize for." Peter said lovingly. He kissed her cheek and they both went back to eating, talking about life after Beacon Hills. Once they were finished, Peter paid the check in cash and the went back to the mall.

"Do we have to go dress shopping? Charlotte whined.

Peter laughed it off. "You know, Dearest, most girls love it when their boyfriends take them shopping"

He led her down the mall to a store called "Officielle".

"Oh look, appointment only, Guess we can't go in." she said, grabbing Peter's hand to lead him in the opposite direction.

He pulled her back "What are you afraid of?" he asked. "I just....I haven't done this before and I'm nervous. I don't know type of dresses look good on me, I don't know what color I should go with, crystals or no crystals-" her rant was stopped by a gentle kiss on her lips. He pulled away and she exhaled "Thanks."

"You are going to be fine, and don't worry about the appointment. I'll take care of it."

Ten minutes later, Charlotte had eight dresses to try on, varying styles, lengths, materials, etc.

Peter made himself comfortable on the couch, flipping through a magazine while drinking champagne.

Charlotte came out in the first dress, it was hideous, they both knew it. "No" they said in unison and she went back. The second dress was very old fashioned. "You know, I think my grandmother had dress just like that" Peter told her.

"Uh-uh" she said, turning around.

The third dress was pretty, just not suitable to be around young, hormonal boys. Fourth dress was too preppy, fifth dress too boring, sixth dress took too long to get on and she got frustrated, seventh dress was way too short.