Chapter 26
-Farley-
I woke up to Pax's arm wrapped around me, his head snuggled into my chest. My heart warmed as I looked down to his angelic face. Angelic wasn't a word I used very often. Yet it represented Pax perfectly at the moment. The white of his shirt reflected off his pale skin, making it look like it was glowing. His hair was a mess, but when wasn't it? He could really do with a haircut, that's something I wasn't going to be suggesting anytime soon.
I jerked as his eyes opened, he stared at me intensely. I held my breath until I remembered that he couldn't see me.
"At least I didn't wake you up this time," I told him with a smile on my face. It was an attempt to keep myself calm, as opposed to how I felt just a few minutes before.
Pax sat up, cheeks becoming cherry red. He rubbed his fingers together, of the hand which had been hugging me.
"Sorry," he said so quietly I had to lean forward to grasp what he said.
"No need to be sorry, you looked comfortable." I crossed my legs and rested my head on the palm of my hand. "I don't have work today, but I do have studying to do."
I didn't know why I was telling him this so early, I could've at least waited until we were ready or had breakfast.
"Studying, for school?" Pax asked.
I nodded even though he couldn't see me. "Yeah, I still study even though I'm not at university. I'm still not sure what I'm doing with my life, but I think Caspian's going to sign me up for A-level exams soon."
Pax's eyebrows were furrowed, and his head tilted to the side. "I'm just going to go with whatever you say."
His words made a chill go down my spine. He shouldn't have to just go with anything that I say. What gave me the right to have that authority?
"Careful," I told him. "I might be a rival pack member who only wants you for your heritage."
Pax bit his lip and let out a sarcastic laugh. "Whatever would I do if that happened? I'm helpless."
I got up and put a t-shirt on which was hanging on the side of my wardrobe. "And we're going to change that," I told him. "You could at least run away, there's no chance of me catching you if you sprint."
His spine straightened, a proud smile curving on his lips. "Really?" I wasn't sure if he actually wanted confirmation or not, but I hummed in confirmation. "With what you did yesterday, I'm sure you're faster than me."
I shook my head, glancing over at Rowan, who was still sleeping. "I might show you the park later," I told Pax before leaving the room.
I had a quick shower and then brushed my teeth. I got ready and moved back to my room where Pax was still sitting in the same spot, but he was talking to Rowan this time.
"You have to try her fudge," Rowan said. "It's the best thing you'll ever taste."
Pax was just sitting and nodding politely with a smile. "Is it?"
Rowan nodded, unaware of the fact that Pax was struggling to converse. "Farley, you took your time." Rowan walked past me and into the bathroom. "Been waiting a good half an hour."
I furrowed my eyebrows and looked towards the clock, scoffing when I saw I wasn't even gone half an hour. "He likes to exaggerate," I told Pax, once again with no particular reason in mind.
"I think I understand that," Pax said.
I took a bag from the corner of the room and held it out to him. "Your clothes are dry."
He blinked and lifted a hand, coming into contact with the bottom of the bag. He jumped backwards at the feeling but took the bag into his arms. He reached in and pulled out his t-shirt and shorts which he wore when he first came here.
"Thank you."
I smiled and shook my head. I really should get used to speaking, my gestures are useless. "No problem, though the person to thank is Clementine."
Screaming came from the bathroom. Pax scrambled backwards after nearly dropping to the floor. I ran out of the room and over to the bathroom door.
"Rowan?" I asked in a normal volume. "Are you alright?"
"Devil woman!" he screeched, coming out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist. His teeth were chattering, and he was slipping every few steps. "I'm gonna kill her."
"Who? Nobody's around yet." I crossed my arms. "You've got to apologise to Pax."
"I'll do that when I've had my revenge." He raced past me and into the girls' room.
I shook my head and moved to my doorway. "I'm guessing breakfast is up to us."
I didn't do a bad job at making breakfast. It was quite enjoyable showing Pax how to make pancakes. He wouldn't touch the pan in fear of messing up, but I let him whisk the ingredients together. The two of us sat in the living room whilst shouting continued from upstairs.
"What happened? Are those pancakes?" Were the first two questions Caspian asked as he entered the room.
"Good morning to you too," I greeted. "They're on the bench. As for what happened, I just know that Rowan's shower was interrupted."
Caspian's lips twitched into a smirk. "That would be Clementine. She was telling me about that yesterday, she knows your schedules all too well."
I pouted. "It could've changed. We have a variable in our midst." I nudged Pax. He had been a little too transfixed on his food. The sight was adorable. I watched him as he took his first bite. His eyes lit up like a child who hadn't had sugar before. He ate slowly, savouring each mouthful.
"That's why I was involved," Caspian said, sliding into the kitchen. "I guess everyone's awake now. Not bad for a school day. At least Rowan won't be tempted to sleep away his studies."
I shook my head; I doubt that'd ever happen.
"So, what do you do when you have these school days?" Pax asked.
I raised my eyes to Caspian.
"It's basically days reserved to learning. I do business all the time, but it's an attempt to encourage the others to read and learn about the world, human and werewolf."
"It's working for some of us," I said. "Iris really loves her school days. It's basically every day for her. She's constantly studying or doing something sensible."
"She said that she liked to read." Pax nodded. "So, a lot of reading and thinking?"
"Pretty much."
"But I would like to have a word with you alone," Caspian told Pax. My head eyes narrowed on Caspian's figure, trying to figure out what he wanted to discuss with Pax. "I don't think it's anything too serious. Just needing to know what to say in the emails."
"Why do you want to speak to him alone for that?" I had to ask. "I could help, I'm sure I know more about what to write in an email."
"Because I do," Caspian replied. It was unlike him not to give an actual reason for things such as this. "I would like to discuss some other matters as well."
He did not say any more to my quizzical expression.
"I don't mind," Pax said. "I'd like to get to know more. And I don't want to interrupt your studies."
I huffed and stood up, taking my dishes into the kitchen, passing Iris on my way. "Good morning," we greeted in unison.
I couldn't concentrate on my studies. I was sitting on the settee downstairs with my laptop on my knee. My leg wouldn't stop bouncing and I wanted to listen in on the conversation in the office upstairs.
Iris was outside, lounging in the garden with a notebook in hand and a box of papers. They were from old textbooks which she had read to death. She was comparing them with another book. I'm assuming it was something to do with literature.
Rowan was doing something in our room. I didn't know if he was studying or if he was just messing around, but Clementine had given him the promise of tasting his knowledge on whatever he was doing, or else he'll have more mornings like this morning. That's what happened whenever he seemed to be slacking. We had tried many things in the past to help, but all of them were fruitless. The occasional harmless prank showed to him that the adults could and would go out of their way to make sure he studied.
The ticking of the clock was getting on my nerves. The numbers on my screen were beginning to vibrate and became jumbled together. I sighed and shut the lid of my laptop. I stretched and groaned, leaving the room and then leaving the house.
I stood in front of the house facing the road. We didn't have much of a garden, but the pavement that we did have was growing weeds. I wouldn't usually mind the weeds, but it was glaring at me, giving me something that I could be doing to distract me. So, I gave in.
I got my phone and headphones from the living room and grabbed some gardening supplies from the cupboard under the stairs and got to work. I listened to a random history podcast about the wives of king Henry VIII.
The sun was glaring down at me, mocking me for doing such a task in the middle of the day. Iris came out to see how I was doing, bringing me a cup of lemonade out and talking to me whilst I had a five-minute break.
By the time I was finished, the clouds had taken over the sun and the weeds were all inside the respective bin. My hands were hurting significantly from the work, but I'd get over it soon.
"Farley?" Pax asked as soon as I opened the door. I chuckled when I saw him sitting on the stairs. His knees were nearly reaching his ears.
"Pax," I responded in a similar tone before ruffling his hair. "Have a good talk?"
He nodded and stretched his legs out, unknowingly trapping me. "I learnt what a computer is really like." I snorted at the statement. "I think that emails are pretty neat, but we did have a little conversation about history too. Like the relationships between humans and werewolves."
It just occurred to me how much less educated Pax could be. If Kian didn't talk about humans; Pax could've assumed that everyone in the world had the capability to turn into a wolf.
"Learn anything interesting?" I asked, both arms on the banister whilst leaning over him.
His cheeks tinged with pink. "He told me a lot about human society. Some things are still very strange. I don't quite like the government, or the idea of it, but I suppose-"
He was cut off by my laughter. His cheeks became darker.
"Don't laugh at me," he whined. "Why are you laughing at me?"
I shook my head and ruffled his hair. "Welcome to human society. Enjoy your stay."
He pouted at me and lifted his legs up to rest them on the stairs again. "I'm guessing that's a common view? It's a very strange system when you're used to a pack's hierarchy."
"I do see your point." I sat next to him on the stairs, the banister dug into my thigh, but I didn't mind. "So, I guess that you've sent the emails out?"
Pax nodded and Caspian's voice came from upstairs. "I'll let you know when we get a response."
I rolled my eyes and looked towards the gardening supplies on the floor. "Do you think that we could have a picnic today? Since a picnic blanket would be able to lie flat now."
"Yes," Rowan answered.
I rolled my eyes whilst Pax laughed.
"It seems like we will never get any privacy in this house," I joked with a shake of my head.
Hello!!
Okay being honest, don't actually know if I've edited this chapter-but I hope that it makes sense all the same!
QUESTION OF THE CHAPTER!
What are you reading at the moment?
I'm up to the last book in the 'How to Train Your Dragon' series. It's so different to the movies-and I love David Tennant's voice acting- and honestly it's both inspiring and heart-breaking.