Whisper For Me

Chapter 23

             He lifted my chin up and leaned in for another kiss. This one had so much more than the first kiss. It felt like he put all of his love into this one. I was breathless. I pulled back. Derek looked at me. He was grinning widely.

            “Whisper, words can’t describe how much you mean to me. Do you know how much you mean to me?”

            I was still trying to catch my breath. “If you put your words into that kiss, I know exactly how much I mean to you.”

            “I love you so much. I want you to remember that. Promise me that you will?” He asked.

            My eyes started watering. I was overwhelmed. I felt his love. I started blinking rapidly to hold the tears that were brimming in. “I love you too Derek.” I said softly.

“I know you do.” He said with a cheeky grin.

            “Way to ruin the special moment loser butt.” I retorted. I started on my way outside and felt him smack my butt. I glared at him. He smirked.

I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re so ugh! I swear I’m going to attack you.”

He growled and made fake claws and swiped the air. “Feisty. Just how I like them.”

            I groaned. “You are unbelievable.” I muttered.

“So I’ve been told Sweetheart. So I’ve been told.” He responded back.

            That boy really knew how to irk my nerves sometimes. I walked to the door and unlocked it. I turned on the backdoor light. It was already dark. I barely could see anything.      I spotted the trash can a couple of feet from the house and started making my way towards it. All was good until I heard a twig snap somewhere close by. I became tense, my wolf on full alert.

“Who’s there?” I called out.

            No reply.

             I quickly opened the trash can and dumped the popcorn into the trashcan and basically sprinted back inside the house. I locked the door and noticed Derek looking at me with a weird expression.

“Are you okay?”

            I quickly pastedon afake smile. He didn’t need to know that it felt like someone was watching me through the woods. “Yeah babe I’m okay. I just wanted to get back in here before the um… the popcorn got cold.”

            I knew he didn’t believe me, but he didn’t press the matter anymore. He finished making the popcorn and grabbed a bowl from one of the top shelves. He poured the contents of the bag inside the bowl and grabbed my hand. We walked into the living room and I put the movie into the DVD player.

He groaned. “Sweetheart, do we really have to watch this?”

            I looked over at him and smirked. “Yes we do sweetheart.” I took the bowl of popcorn from him and pressed play with the DVD remote. I glanced at him and he was looking at the TV miserably. I chuckled. He looked so adorable.

            He scowled. “It’s not funny.”

            I shoved the bag of popcorn into his chest. “Eat and be quiet the movie is getting ready to start.” I chastised. He mumbled something that I couldn’t decipher and grabbed a handful of popcorn and shoved it in his mouth finally silencing himself.

            The next day was school so Derek and I didn’t get a chance to sleep in any later. I hurriedly fixed us some breakfast and finally we were off to the school. We arrived in his Escalade and people were still looking at us in awe. I guess the fact that he had found his mate hadn’t sunk in yet. I stepped out and he came around and grabbed my hand. We walked together in the school hand in hand. I spotted Maddie standing in front of my locker looking highly annoyed. I let go of Derek’s hand.

I turned to her. “Maddie, what’s wrong with you?”

“What’s not wrong with me?” She rolled her eyes.

I scrunched my eyebrows together. “Tell me what happened.”

“Well, I was talking with Cecilia and all of a sudden her phone started ringing. Normally, she would ignore all of her calls, but when she checked the caller ID this particular time – she ran off. When she came back she told me that the team had cheerleading practice today! What kind of person has cheerleading practice on Mondays? I had plans and now they’re ruined!”

            I groaned. Derek and I were going to hang out after he was done with football practice. I turned to him he looked annoyed too. I put my hand on his shoulder. The bell rang and I told Maddie that I’d meet her in the gym after school was over.

            Derek walked me to class and we chatted along the way. School passed by uneventful and as soon as the last bell rang I walked to the gym. I noticed that on my way there that Derek and the boys were practicing. I felt a tap on my shoulder and saw Maddie.

“Looking at your man candy?” She teased.

“Oh shh.” I laughed, “Come on let’s go before Cecilia throws a fit about us not being there on time.”

            We arrived in the gym and we both changed. Cecilia was already on the gym floor giving out orders. Cecilia looked me. I almost had a heart attack whenever she smiled at me. She rounded up all of the girls who were still grumbling and complaining about their plans being ruined. We practiced for two hours and didn’t even learn any new routines or cheers. It seemed like Cecilia had us there for nothing. After practice was over with she came up to me.

“Newbie, I left the football game schedule in my car. I need you to go get it.”

I rolled my eyes. What a captain she was. “Send one of your minions to do it.”

She scoffed. “They’re not my minions and they are busy getting my other stuff.”

I growled.  “The key?” I held out my hand.

“The car is already unlocked.”

            I nodded my head and made my way outside of the gym.  

“Thank you.” She called after me with a sickly sweet voice.

            “Don’t mention it. Ever.” I mumbled. The last thing I wanted to hear was her telling people that I had done something for her.

             I rolled my eyes and looked up into the sky. It was unusually dark tonight. Plus, it was quiet besides the football boys’ grunts. I didn’t think anything of it as I made my way to Cecilia’s car. I was half-way there when I felt shivers go up my spine. Something was up. I stopped walking and didn’t miss the steps of someone who was following me stopping a half second too late. I had already heard them, I was being followed. I turned the opposite way and started running.

            I felt someone grab my arms holding me back. I started squirming to get away. “No!” I cried out. This couldn’t be happening now! I felt a cloth with a sweet smell being pressed against my face. I was being forced to inhale it. My eyes started getting droopy and I could feel my body giving up the fight. Tears were running down my eyes as I shouted one word before losing consciousness.

“Derek!”