"No, you don't understand, my little sister is in there, she's not even sixteen yet, and may be drunk. You just let a minor into the club," I scream at the bouncer, my anger levels rising as bouncer's face is stern. "You've got to understand, she-
"Listen, asshole, if you don't let us in I won't have a damn problem suing this club for more than it's worth," Nixon interrupts, his voice deep and threatening.
"Sir, I don't-
"My name is Nixon Maxwell, and I bet you've heard not to mess with me," Nixon snaps, and instantly the man's face turns pale. "You go that?"
The bouncer nods, pulling the door open for us as my hand is grabbed and I'm led through the building, pushing past bodies of people as Nixon holds me close. I make sure that my arms are around him, not wanting to get lost as we both look for my sister.
As we push past some people dancing, I'm brushed up against, and just as we pass a group of guys, my butt is slapped. Before I can even respond with the middle finger, my eyes go wide.
Nixon is growling, the group of three college guys instantly backing up, apologizing profusely as they see him. "A-Alpha!" One of them comments, bowing his head right away as I see Nixon shaking.
"You dare disrespect your Luna! I swear if I wasn't on another task here you'd be rogue right now."
Instantly I place a hand against his chest, trying to clam him down. Only, Nixon is still shaking in anger, his eyes glued to the male who apologizes to me, not even daring to look at me. "Nixon, forget it, he apologized and didn't know, let's leave it at that," I express, running my hands over his back. "I'm yours, okay, I'm no one else's, I'm only yours," I comment, remembering how Emily told me if he's ever jealous or something like that to tell him those words. If she said that didn't work, well...my response to her next words had me blushing.
"Nixon."
He snaps out of his daze, looking into my eyes deeply as I run his back. "Let's just find Taylor."
He nods, holding me close, not before growling at the poor souls behind us as we try to find my sister. The whole time we scan the club, my heart is pounding within my chest as I scar over every face. "Where the hell is she?" I groan, starting to hyperventilate as Nixon holds me closer, trying to calm me down.
Just as I am about to head towards the bathroom to check there, I see her, dressed in a tight red dress and her hair pulled back, my blood boils. "She's there."
"I'll stay close, just nod to me when you're leaving with her," Nixon replies, kissing my forehead as I make my way over to my sister.
Right before she can take another shot of whatever is in her cup, I grab her arm, hitting he glass out of her hand.
Right before Taylor swings at me, she notices it's me, her face growing pale. "L-Lily."
"You're in one hell of a place, Taylor," I snap, grabbing her arm as I begin to pull her out. "Underage drinking and a fake ID, what kind of person are you?"
"Stop, Lily, I'm having fun!" Taylor hisses, ripping her hand from my grasp. "I'm trying to live."
"We'll try and live at home, doing safe things with good friends," I yell over the music as I see her eyes hardening.
"You don't have a say."
"I'm your older sister, I'm watching out for you," I snap, grabbing her shoulder.
"No, you're not. You're always too gone to watch out for me," she yells back, drawing attention.
Just then, I see the bouncer from before walking towards us. "Is this her?" He asks and I nod. "Group of friends?" I look back to a group of girls with blond hair and your typical daddy girls.
"Yes, sir."
I watch as he drags Taylor and her friends out of the club, making sure they don't think about running away. I'm quick to follow the bouncer out as I nod to Nixon, letting him know I'll be going.
The second Taylor's friends and shouting vulgar words and I exit the club, they turn their attention to me. "You bitch!" One screams, throwing her bracelet at me, hitting me in the forehead. I jerk a bit, the metal pinching my skin as they shout words at me. "You've got some nerve, you-
"I'd advise you not to insult me. I will find out your names and tell your parents. You'll be wise just to go home and I won't tell your parents you were allowing older men to buy you alcohol as you're at some club," I threaten, watching many of the barbies shutting their mouths straight away. "I'm driving all of your four home and that's it. I'll let you crash at our place and go home tomorrow so you don't have to wind up home in a tipsy state in those clothes."
As they are now under control, I get them into my car, making sure that they put on their seat belts and from my rear view mirror I see Nixon's bike starting up.
I drive out of the city, Nixon following me the entire time as my emotions are going haywire. For sure this night has got me mixed in emotion. All those things the girls told me, it hurt me, it made me feel bad, it made me feel low, but I was in the right.
Taylor sits to my left, moping as she stares out the window at the lights. "I won't tell mom and dad," I promise her, watching her only flip me off.
As we reach the town, I see Nixon take the turn to his home, yet, as he disappears from my view, a part of me tells me that he'll be back, that I'll see him soon again.
Once at home, I see my parents have left me messages that they'll be gone for the night, booking a room at a hotel, having taken the car and gotten drinks, they don't want to drive home with alcohol in their system. At least they are responsible. As the girls enter the house, I set them up in Taylor's side of the house, down a different hall from my room and my parent's.
They're loud until twelve, soon all quiet, and as they are, I go to Taylor's room to see the girls passed out, just sleeping as I shut the door.
"Foolish," I mumble, only to hear the doorbell ring.
Walking to the living room, I already know who it is as my body begins to heat up with tingles. As I open the door, I see his eyes cold. "It's not the best time," I yawn, stretching my arms out, only to regret that as his eyes shift to my stomach as some skin is exposed.
"We can make it a good time," Nixon states and I shake my head.
"Taylor's friends are here, I'd rather not have them see a man in the house with an underage girl."
Nixon doesn't take that as a no, directly walking in as he walks down my hall. How does he know to take that turn?
The second he pushes open my room door, he takes in the room, the cream walls, wooden floor, double bed with a white duvet and accent pillows, some clothes on the floor, and school papers covering half the floor. "You're messy."
"I'm not a perfectionist like you," I mutter, shutting my room door as Nixon looks out my window. "Nixon, I'd be best if you left."
"You don't want me."
His eyes are icy blue, one that sends chills up my spin and a feeling in my soul that makes me want to run and hide. "You want me gone." As if he's changed into a whole new person, his voice is barbaric and angered.
"No, Nixon, that's not what I mean. There are five teenage girls across the house that could wake up at any given-
"That's why there's a lock on your door."
He's being a smart ass now, not caring about my decisions as my palms become sweaty. "Nixon, I need to spend some time with these girls, I was with you today anyway."
I've come to believe he's remembering the events from earlier as his eyes turn pitch black in a mater of seconds, causing me to flinch. "Yes, you did," his voice is rich now, making me want to fall to pieces and kiss his feet.
"Then you'll see me tomorrow, now, I've got to shower and sleep."
He shakes his head.
"I need you-
"You had me earlier," I explain, trying to keep him as calm as I can. "Do you respect my decision?"
He approaches me, his chest flush against mine. He's debating his decision as I plead that he leaves so I have some time to reflect on the day. "I'll come to your place tomorrow, just let me have some alone time."
"You don't enjoy my company."
I back up, my back hurting the wall as he approaches. "That's not what I meant."
A hand grabs my arm, tightly wrapping around as I gasp in pain. "Nixon, that hurts," I explain, the pain making my nerves become set on fire. "Nixon, please." His whole body is rigid as I pray he listens to me. Suddenly, I'm thrown onto the other side of the room, my feet stumbling over the other as I try to keep my balance.
Right before I fall, he grabs my arm, pulling me into my bathroom, farther from the girls at the other end of the house. My clothes are pulled off as my skin pales and I become afraid.
Nixon kisses my lips softly, making me close my eyes as tears want to break through.
The shower is started as a tear slips from my eyes and I hear him remove his clothing, pushing the two of us into the shower as I try and comprehend what is about to happened. This isn't rape. Nixon would never do that to me. I want this. That's what this is. I'm probably just to tired to see that.
I want this.
"Hands on the wall," he whispers with a deep voice in my ear and I nod, placing my hands on the wet wall and he grabs my hips. "And try to stay quiet."
I nod, shutting my eyes tight as it begins. I want this, I tell myself. And I do, leaning my head back as I moan in pleasure. It's not rape, I want it and am enjoying it.
I just pray this sin will be worth it in the end. And in the end, it won't end in darkness.
<><>
"How was it last night?" I ask the two of them as they walk through the door. I already know how mom will respond as she smiles and goes off on a romantic gesture my dad did. I try to keep focused on her words, but I can only think about last night, how Taylor made me mad, how Nixon wouldn't leave.
Nixon.
His name makes me want to drop to my knees and confess every sin I've done, yet I don't want to, I want to keep up the lies and stay with him every second.
"That's adorable," Taylor comments as dad smiles shyly at what my parents say. Her friends went home early this morning after I basically told them never to drink again at a club until of age. Nixon left early in the morning, way before the sun had even come up. The last thing I remembered was finishing up a show with him and falling asleep as he collected himself and vanished.
He left me with a sore back, not from the intimate actions, but from when he threw me into the wall. He left me with light bruises upon my wrists that are now covered by my jogging jacket.
"Did you hear that?"
I snap out of it, shaking my head as my mom sighs. "Your father and I talked, you can take that job you were talking about."
Nixon will be happy.
But will I?
I get to spend time with him, I get to be around him, I get to uncover more of him. He's barely told me anything about him yet I've let him know so many things about me. Hell, he even knows my sister was raped and that she went drinking at a club.
Letting out a deep breath, I thank my parents as they smile and head into the kitchen, laughing about something a waiter did last night. As I grab my phone for a run, Taylor steps in front of me.
"Who was here last night?"
My face turns pale.
"What do you mean?" I ask, crossing my arms as Taylor makes sure my parents are out of hearing range.
"Someone else was here last night, Lily, I'm not dumb."
I head towards the door. "Spill."
"There's nothing to spill," I snap. "Emily was here last night," I lie, watching as Taylor raises an eyebrow. Again, Emily is my escape. Emily is my safety card. "Do you believe me?"
She doesn't respond as I exit the house, right away starting into my run as the cold air nips at my nose.
I run for however long I please as my music plays and I zone out of the world around me. For my sake, I drown out the thoughts of Nixon, of school, of my friends, and most of all, of Taylor.
I think about my future, how my dreams are only months away when I throw my cap up in the air and smile.
Another block passed and I'm at the outskirts of town, the first shop you see to my left as the road ahead looks bare and stripped of population. For thirty minutes I just jog around the center of town, ignoring some fellow student stares. Most bow their heads, letting me know that they are shifters. I know most don't respect me, and I don't blame them. I'm a human, a new person to the town, and just suddenly happened to be marked by a man they respect and is way older than me. I've heard some rumors, ones that I used a potion to get their Alpha, others that I am pregnant and that's why he marked me.
I ignore them for the most part, but they still go behind my back when Emily says that they should treat me with as much respect as Nixon Maxwell.
Instead of heading home, I head down a street filled with suburban houses, all neat and perfect as they all possess the same features. I jump over the white picket fence and find myself ringing the doorbell to be greeted with a Emily clothed in nothing but snowmen pajamas. "You're a morning person," she groans, opening the door for me as I step in.
For two hours we just watch some TV as we cool and eat breakfast. Another commercial and Emily flips to the next station. The news. "Can you change the-
"Hold up, that's Adam Kenner!" Emily blurts out, cereal falling from her mouth.
My eyes go wide at the picture of Adam Kenner from this past school year. For sure he's a good looking guy, no doubt I see why Taylor went after him. But he's a disgusting male.
"The victim's body was found just this morning, and what it appears to be is an attack by a deranged animal. The authorities have released that his body was found clawed..."
I zone out, thinking of Nixon, how he can shift. He told me he didn't murder Adam. He told me he didn't do anything about it. Do I believe him? Why would he lie to me? I trust him, he's won that from me. I couldn't have done that.
"That's horrible," Emily comments, her face pale as she watches the news and the reporter before the police line tap, being asked to stop filming. "Maybe a rogue."
Rogue, as Oliver says, are wolves once part of a pack that left or were banished.
"Maybe so," I mutter, looking at the time.
Maybe Nixon's heard the news already. Was Adam a wolf? If he was he could have defended himself better against another. "Was he a shifter?"
She shakes her head no.
That answers my question.
He must have just been at the wrong place at the wrong time.
"I've got to go."
"To your sugar daddy?"
I scowl and Emily laughs her butt off. "Have fun."
I leave, letting a smile show from her comment. Instead of just heading for my car, I decide to just get in some exercise as I make my way across town.
The more I run, the heavier my heart feels, and as I reach the hill, a deep feeling settles in my stomach.
Last night.
No, I wanted it. I wanted what he did. Sure, he may have thrown me a bit, but I wasn't careful with his wolf like Emily has warned me of. I forgave him after all.
I push open the front door and already know where to look for him. I've discovered that he sleeps in these days, getting in the much needed rest. Approaching the door, I open it softly to peek my head in, and there he lays, so vulnerable, and the covers wrapped around him like a cocoon.
He's too tired to interfere as I shut the door and look down the other side of the hall. There, one of wall, sits a security camera.
He only has security around that office, George's words slip into my mind as I remember the night I took the dare. I remember them telling me the only place to avoid is the office.
So, that room must be it, the door that has a small lock and security code. If he spends all of his time at his office, why does he need one here too, and locked up. Pack things is probably why.
Walking towards the door, I stare at the wood, wondering what kind of office was behind the door. Modern? Homy? Old? Did it have bookcases? Filing cabinets? Wooden floor? Carpet? I doubt windows.
"Little girls who go around exploring usually don't end their story well."
I jump, shrieking as I'm turned around by a forceful hand. "Do we understand?"
I nod, my hands shaking as Nixon's eyes are ice blue and his shadow looming over my small frame. A hand cups my cheek, a bit harsh, warning me almost. "I understand. I was just curious."
Nixon walks towards the stairs, looking over his shoulder back to me. I follow quickly, descending the stairs after him as another light layer of snow begins to fall.
For another hour I sit with Nixon in the kitchen, looking out at the snow as we chat. He's going over some Christmas plans, how his pack house is putting on some massive celebration.
"What do you think?"
"What?"
Nixon crosses his arms, leaning back in his chair as a I realize I zoned out on him. "I want you to meet the pack this Christmas somewhere between Christmas and New Years."
The whole pack? Everyone from school who either disrespects me or respects me, older people who will judge the underage girl who is somehow mated to their Alpha, and all the rest.
"Nixon, is that...am I...ready?"
He gets off of his chair, walking forward, cupping my chin as he looks deep into my eyes. "Do you trust my judgement?"
"Yes," I breath out as his thumb traces my lower lip.
"Then you're ready."
Dear Lord.