The Monsters We Hide

Chapter 13

I woke up late and once again, I was worried about being late for school, but then I remembered what happened. I was still suspended. I groaned inwardly. This was going to be a long week. 

       Gage and I ended up staying home last night. We spent all night watching movies, cuddling, and sometimes making out, but I wasn't going much further than that. 

       The way it worked was, when you had sex with the person you wanted to mate with, you could easily bite their neck in the process and then they're all yours. I felt like if I ever do that, I would lose control and bite him on instinct, even if they weren't the one I wanted.

       There were three parts of the mating process. First, you do the "big deed". Second, you bite each other at the curve or hollow of the neck. Lastly, you must perform the binding ritual. Not necessarily in that order though.

        The binding ritual is a ceremony that is held in front of the entire pack. You must take the knife of power and slice your palm just enough that blood will trickle. The mate will do the same and then you join hands and say your vows, stating your promises to your pack and your mate, thus completing the entire mating process.

       I got up from the bed, pushing all the thoughts about mating away, and went to take a shower. I took my time, lathering the soap all over my body and slowly rinsing it off. I started humming a random melody and added words to it, making a mental note to pull out my guitar later and figure out the notes. 

        When I finally stepped out, I went into the closet and pulled on a pair of black leggings with a frilly light gray, off the shoulder crop top. I put on my black ballet flats again and walked out after brushing my long hair.

        I walked down stairs, feeling refreshed and happy, thinking about last night. I had thought I was alone until I heard someone clear his throat when I stood looking at the food in the fridge for a few moments too long.  I turned my head to see Logan come into the kitchen. He was smiling at me and I was already smiling so I let him assume that it was for him.

       "Someone's in a good mood today," he said. I smiled wider and turned to look back in the fridge.

        "That was a beautiful song you were singing by the way. What was it called?" I felt my cheeks flush, embarrassed that he heard me in the shower.

       I wasn't really a shy person. I could handle dirty jokes and inappropriate language and compliments pretty well, but I was a little hesitant to let other people hear my music. 

       "Um… thanks," I mumbled, burying my head in the fridge. I grabbed the milk and decided that I'd eat a quick bowl of cereal. I grabbed the Lucky Charms from the cabinet and poured it into a bowl and drowned it in milk.

       I sat at the counter and a moment later, the chair slid back and Logan sat beside me. We sat in a comfortable silence as I ate my breakfast.

       Logan's velvety voice sliced through the thick silence in the room. "Will you go somewhere with me?" I cocked an eyebrow and stared at him quizzically.

       "Where?" 

       "I just wanted to drive around and see if we could find anything interesting to do. We have nothing better to do. Unless you were going somewhere again." His eyes darkened for a fraction of a second, but after he blinked, they were a clear blue gray color once more. 

       "Sure," I said. Once I rinsed my dishes in the sink, we headed outside and he got in one of the cars that the pack shared. Most of us had our own cars, except me, but the pack had two extra's for backup situations.