Shield's Devotion: Book One

Chapter 8: Aurora

"I was thinking about having y'all over after school. I can cook some dinner and we can watch some pre-season Houston Texans football. If y'all are up for it."

"Hell yeah, I'm up for football watching any day," Carter pumps his fist in the air, making me smile.

Nate agrees and sits down as the rest of the class piles in the room. Serena walks in dead last and shoots me the nastiest glare imaginable and I can't help but smirk at her ridiculousness. It's almost like everyone in the classroom saw her glare and turned their heads to look at me. It's only my second day here and I've already attracted more attention to myself than wanted. I decide to shake it off and turn my attention back to the guys.

"You okay?" Aiden asks, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm good," I give him a half-ass smile and turn my attention to Mrs. Miller.

Class seems like it takes forever to get through, as do the rest of them today for some reason. Lunch rolls around and I relay my question to the rest of the team and, as I predicted, every one of them agreed. By the time the last bell rings I'm ready to sprint to my car. Aiden and Carter follow me out and I almost feel like they're being my bodyguards. Once everyone is in their cars, they follow me all the way home.

I make sure everyone gets parked in the driveway before we all go into the house. As soon as I open the door, I hear the dogs bark and I know they're running to us by the clicking of their nails on the marble floor. I lead them to the living room and as soon as the guys start sitting down, my two huge Great Danes jump on the couches, begging for attention.

"Athena and Atticus get down," I call to them but their excitement has a firm grip on them.

"Holy shit these dogs are massive," Chris pets Atticus as he lays in his lap.

"Great Danes. They're not even fully grown yet, but they're totally friendly. They just want some attention," I crouch next to Aiden where Athena is and scratch behind her ears. "Athena is my baby," I coo and let her lick my cheek.

Aiden starts to rub her head and she licks his face, making him scrunch his nose and laugh at her.

"She really likes to lick people doesn't she," he points out.

"Those are doggie kisses! You have to love them." I pause before changing the subject. "Alright so I'm going to make dinner. Y'all okay with shrimp fettuccini alfredo or do you want something else," I ask.

I get a unanimous vote to stick with my original dinner plan and I'm overjoyed because it's one of my favorite dishes to make.

"Awesome. Well I'm going to change and start cooking. Y'all can do whatever you want. There's a wicked cool swimming pool out back, a basketball court in the left side of the house, and I've got an archery practice room about four doors down that way," I point down the hall in front of me. "Or the game room is upstairs. So make yourselves at home," I turn my back to them and walk up to my bedroom, locking it before stripping and changing into some frayed denim shorts and my "Houston Texans" tee shirt.

Once I'm back in the kitchen I wash my hands and get started cooking. Turning my playlist on, I start dancing and singing to the song playing over the surround sound speaker. I bed over one of the huge countertops, reaching for my pasta maker but I come about an inch short.

"Need some help?" Aiden's voice startles me.

"You scared me," I place my hand on my heart. "Yes I need help. I'm trying to reach my pasta maker," I point to it.

"Sure," he doesn't even have to reach to grab it.

"Thanks," I take the machine from him and set it on another counter.