Violet
Normally Mondays are bad. Of course when you were kind of gone, expecting to never come back, kidnapped, then marked by the 'technical' Alpha of the pack...well I am not looking forward to it.
"You're doing it again," Peter said in my ear.
I pressed my lips together. Apparently my thinking was a little loud. I've haven't figured out how to block all of my thoughts from Peter since he's mark me and the mate bond strengthened at least not all the time. Peter's been enjoying it a little too much. The way he sees it is that this makes up for the past eight years. It's become a nuisance.
I flipped the hood on my green hoodie over my head with a huff. I miss homeschool. Peter made me rejoin the pack. At least those mental blocks are still easy to keep in place. Peter parked the car and we got out. I sighed as the murmurs started up. Wolves are quick to spot what they consider gossip.
Peter barely made it around the car to me when Cynthia was already storming her way across the courtyard. "Move! Move the hell out of my way!" she yelled. I cringed and Peter put his fist in his mouth to muffle his laughing. Cynthia reached us dusting imaginary dirt off of herself and smiled at me as though nothing strange or unusual had just happened. "Hey Violet."
I shook my head. "No," I murmured to myself. "Not even going to touch this one."
Peter put his arm around my shoulders and we started for class. "Good morning Cynthia," he greeting in a voice that was way too happy. I don't trust it.
Cynthia narrowed her eyes, only not at him but at me, or my neck. I raised a hand to the mark self-consciously even though my hoodie definitely covered it. "You're mark!" she said in shock.
"How do you know," I hissed out looking around positive that people were trying to eavesdrop.
"Well there's Mr. Happy-Go-Lucky over there but also your scent," she answered.
"My scent," I said to myself. "I completely forgot." When a female is marked a bit of the male's scent is infused with her own and likewise for the guy.
I narrowed my eyes at Peter and he scratched the back of his neck sheepishly. "I guess I also forgot to tell you."
"Uh-huh, I'm sure."
Cynthia just laughed at us. "Come on. We have a class to attend."
Peter let out a growl and Cynthia both snapped our eyes to his confused. He had a frightening glare on his face, I followed it to some boys from the pack. Of course. I put my hands on his chest pressing down lightly to get his attention. "Let it go Peter. Please."
His eyes were dark when they flickered down to mine. I tried to beg him silently with the contact and he pressed his nose into my hair. As his mate my scent will calm him down. "I'm good," he murmured. "I'm good."
I stepped back, "You do realize you can't growl at every guy who looks at me." His eyes bore into mine challenging what I'd said. I sighed. "Come on you over-possessive log."
He laughed once at my reference to a couple of nights ago. "I'm still not happy about you being around these animals."
"Of course not," I said lightly as we walked. "You seem to believe that I should just be locked in your room all day. Eventually I will have to go back to my own."
"Not if I have anything to do with it," Peter said more to himself. Peter never used to be this possessive of me. Or maybe he was but he's just now showing it. It's amazing how I'm just now beginning to see what Cynthia says that everyone else has seen for years.
No one said anything as we walked into class. I mean literal silence. It's eerie. I sat in the back and Cynthia and Peter took the seats next to me. I was surprise when Mark sat on Peter's other side until I remember that Mark is his best friend. He seemed tenser though, and so was Cynthia. It may be me, I may be too close, but it felt like she was making a point of never actually looking at Mark. Mark's eyes on the other hand seemed to pass over to where Cynthia sat too many times to just be casual.
Peter was oblivious of course. I may be surrounded, or what passes for surrounded with me, by people but I was still observing in the shadows. The way Cynthia's hand white knuckled her pencil but she wasn't taking notes.
I won't pry. It's not my business. But when the bell rung Cynthia pulled me out of class. I looked over my shoulder at Peter who'd grabbed my bag because Cynthia hadn't given me time. He looked upset. 'I'll see you in class,' I told him.
His frown deepened but Cynthia pulled me out of view. People moved out of her way almost on instinct and then stared at me. I felt like my hood wasn't big enough and people could see through the fabric. Cynthia pulled me into the bathroom and scared a couple of freshmen girls out of it. She slid down against the wall and covered her face with her hands.
I knelled down. "Are you okay?" Stupid question Violet. Does she look okay? I rubbed her shoulder unsure of how to proceed.
"I'm okay," she said dropping her hands. "Sorry I pulled you away from Peter."
"Don't worry about it," I said. "I'll deal with him later. He needs to get over his separation anxiety anyways. I'm more concerned on if you're okay."
She grimaced. "I don't really like that class." I gave her a look. Like I buy that. "My mate's in that class and I sort of hate being around him."
"Don't you sort of hate being around most people?" I asked. She rolled her eyes and pushed my shoulder lightly. I grinned and pulled her up. "Look Cynthia, whomever your mate is, he's an idiot. Don't let him control your life. You've always been yourself, I've always like that about you at least. Don't let him change you."
She look at me in slight awe. "You know I've wondered what you're thinking about when you're watching everyone. You're hiding a big brain beneath that hood."
"Or maybe the hoodie is the source of all my secret intelligence," I said and rolled her eyes. We both fell silent though when the door opened and Lana walked in flanked by two of her friends, Toni and Heidi.
"Well, well, well," Lana said to her friends way too loudly. "Look, it's the Runaway Luna." I blinked in surprise while Cynthia got a look of anger. Runaway Luna? Is that what people are calling me? "It's like she keeps coming back for the attention to run away again for more."
"I wouldn't run away from someone that hot," Toni joined in and I tried to push down the flash of my own anger.
"Think of it this way Toni," Heidi said. "When she runs away again Peter will be all alone and just ripe for the taking."
I growled lowly and the girls seemed shocked. No one is ever used to hearing me say anything, let alone growling. Cynthia looked proud. I glared at the girls and Lana took a step back. "Touch Peter," I growled at them, "and you will get to see what happens when you piss off someone that you nothing about. And trust me, you won't like it."
I stalked out of the bathroom while Cynthia followed me with a smug smile. "That was badass!" she laughed while I stormed to class still majorly pissed.
Peter was waiting for me at the door, he wasn't surprised to see me angry, he probably felt it through the bond but he did seem confused. "What happened?" he asked.
"Our little Violet here is badass," Cynthia said chipper.
"It's nothing," I lied sitting down.
Peter frowned and made me look at him, I could see our classmates trying to look like they weren't listening when they were. "It's not nothing Violet. Tell me."
I shook my head. Peter turned to Cynthia but she shrugged. "If the girl wanted you to know she'd tell you."
"You think being Alpha would get so loyalty," Peter muttered.
I jerked my chin to Cynthia. "Cynthia tell him about your logic."
She sighed as if the task required some great deal of effort. "You may technically be my Alpha Peter, however that also means that Violet is technically my Luna." Not a fact I'm happy about and one that I'll complain to Peter about later. I don't want to be anyone's Luna. "While I have a duty to tell you I have a duty to Violet to not tell you. And because Violet is my best friend and sisters come before misters I'm more obligated to Violet."
I watched as Peter digested that. His frown turned into scowl. "That's the type of logic that only a girl could come up with. It's very twisted." Cynthia shrugged and started doodling in her notebook. 'I still want to know what happened,' Peter said.
I pretended I didn't hear it even though it'd be impossible not to. It's still instinct for me to keep my problems my own and it doesn't matter. I know I won't leave Peter again. I also know that the Runaway Luna thing hit too close to home for me. My mother was going to leave, she was going leave me with my father but when she broke their bond my father lost his mind.
What if do the same thing to Peter? What if I'm the thing that makes him snap? I looked at Cynthia. She grabbed my hand squeezed it. She could probably tell where my mind had gone. "Are you okay?" I asked her.
She shrugged, "I'm fine." I know she's lying but how many times have I said I'm fine when I was anything but?
For the rest of the day I couldn't stop my mind from focusing on the whispers. Lana and her posse weren't the only ones calling me the Runaway Luna or wondering how long I was staying this time.
Peter did his best to distract me but it didn't really work. By the end of the day I was ready to ask Alpha George to let me homeschool for the rest of high school. Peter rubbed my back and led me outside. I wrapped my arms around my stomach and my head was ducked so the hood blocked out everyone as we walked.
This day has been horrible. Everyone focused on me, and since Peter rarely left my side everyone could obviously tell we were together, and the wolves know we're mates. I felt like I'd been shove out into the spotlight and I didn't even know there was a play.
I took a deep breath in to my nose and my head shot up at a set of very familiar scents. I grinned despite everything. "Kaylie, Jared, Cole." Everyone was giving them a wide berth while murmuring about the Alphas and Beta of the violent and anti-social Blue Thorn pack. And they looked the part. Kaylie's multicolored hair and dark makeup and the boys wearing dark clothes, all three held scowls that threatened anyone who'd dare go up to them. Well anyone but me. I ditched Peter and ran towards the three. I hit Jared first because he was closest and he laughed and hugged me back.
"Hey little girl," Jared greeted and spun me around before Kaylie literally pulled me out of his arms and carry me a few away.
"Mine," she told him.
Peter cleared his throat, "Actually I believe she belongs to me."
Kaylie scowled and I detached myself. "I believe that I'm not a possession." I walked over to Cole and hugged him. "Hey Cole," I murmured knowing that even though Peter isn't happy about me hugging a guy we both know likes me Cole is still my friend.
"Hey Violet," Cole said back. "You're marked." I was unsure of what to say until he whispered in my ear, "You did the right thing. Choosing your mate."
I smiling at him softly, "You'll find someone, someone who's better than your mate. Someone who deserves you."
"I'll take your word on it," he said.
I went back to Peter. "Peter, this is Kaylie, Jared, and Cole. Guys, this is Peter. I'm told that last time you guys met he was rude."
Peter gaped. "It's dinner all over again."
I chuckled and patted his shoulder then grabbed Cynthia. "And this is Cynthia."
"The one who drinks juice boxes like a bad ass?" Cole asked and she nodded proudly. "Not an easy feat."
"I know," she said nonchalantly. "You the people that let her get kidnapped?"
It went silent. Now it's awkward. Cole bit his lip then grinned. "I like her Violet. She's got a lot of spunk in her."
"Oh she's got a lot of something in her alright," I said and she gave me a mock glare. I gifted her with a smug smile. "Love you," I sang chipper.
"Uh-huh, I'm really feeling it over here," she said sarcastically. She turned back to Cole. "What did you guys do to her? She wasn't this sassy when we sent her to you. You don't give a toy back damaged."
"Toy?" Peter and I said together.
Cole being Cole and Cynthia being Cynthia they just disregarded us. "How do I know you didn't just do that to her and you're trying to blame it on us?"
Cynthia slapped a hand over her heart. "Why I have never been so offended in my life!"
"Please," Cole said, "how do imagine I feel with your outright accusation that it was us."
"I imagine that you've had worse," she said without missing a beat, "looking the way you do."
"Oh?" Cole said faking being taken aback. "Really? You're going for the looks? If I did that it'd be completely different."
"Yeah," Cynthia agreed. "Because it'd be completely wrong. I'm adorable."
Kaylie, Jared, Peter, and I stood back watching the two go back and forth like it was a ping pong match. "My God," Kaylie said in horror. "What the hell have you done?"
"I don't know," I replied in a numb tone. "I don't know how this can possible turn out well."
Jared cleared his throat and needless to say we all looked uncomfortable. "Uh guys, while your guys'... whatever the hell is going here is thoroughly creeping us all out I'm hungry."
Both looked disappointed. "Are you guys okay with following us in Peter's car?" I asked.
"Of course, where to?" Kaylie asked.
"There's a diner about ten minutes away," Peter said.
"Cool," Jared said. "Let's go."
"Ah Jared," I smiled, "you and your food."
They got in Jared's jeep and I was forced to look at the people in the parking lot. At this point I'd had enough. "I swear if you people don't get lives and back off I will make you!"
Everyone stared at me in shock. This was probably the first time any of them had heard me say anything in years. I turned away and storm to the car. Peter stopped me before I got in to kiss me on the lips forcefully. "You are so hot," he murmured.
I blushed and Cynthia cleared her throat loudly. "Make out later. Let's go people."
"Pushy," I laughed and got in.
"So that was them," Cynthia said.
"You and Cole seem chummy," I said grinning.
She rolled her eyes. "Tell your boyfriend that he could be a little less happy about it."
I glanced at Peter who was failing at trying to do what Cynthia said. "Really Peter," I asked. "I told you that Cole and I are just friends."
"I'm possessive, I'll admit," he shrugged.
I huffed. "You weren't like this before we became mates."
"Yes he was," Cynthia cut in. "Only difference is I was the once stuck listening to him nag and complain and whine. It was dreadful. He was like a chick but he never got off his freaking period."
"Hey!" I bit my lip to avoid smiling. Peter noticed. "And you're not going to say anything."
"Honey," I started, "Take a deep breath or you'll smudge your makeup."
Cynthia laughed and Peter frowned. I reached over and rubbed his leg. 'I'd stop that if I were you.'
I looked at his face and his jaw was clenched and his leg tensed. 'What's wrong?'
'You're making concentrating on driving very difficult,' he replied and I felt my face flame. I slowly slid my hand back onto my own lap. 'You're beautiful when you blush.'
'Focus on the road,' I mumbled back hiding my face with my hair.
Cynthia sat in the back seat oblivious to what was going on with us. Peter was smirking at the road. I hate how easily he's able to get me embarrassed. I opted to change the subject. 'What are they doing here Peter?'
'I called them,' he admitted sheepishly. 'A couple days ago. I thought that if we were coming back to school today you could use something to cheer you up. Am I in trouble?'
I shook my head. 'Of course not, Peter. It's really sweet. Thank you. I'm surprised you brought Cole here.'
He shrugged. 'I trust you, Violet. And I know how hard it is for you to let people it. If you think he's worthy of your friendship then there must be something redeemable about him and I can't blame anyone for not falling for you. It's impossible not to.'
After all these years and I can't help but feel like I'm only now starting to really see Peter for who he is. And for once, I wasn't scared about being in love with him in the least.