"So what have I miss? Mac asked. As soon as she got home she gave Blake, Allen, and Phoebe hugs and kisses and then she switched into her pj's happy to finally be able to change clothes after so long.
"Allen beat Trent in sparring the other day," Ethan said.
"Wow that is amazing, I'm so proud," Mac said giving him a kiss on his forehead. Allen really has changed quite a lot since she has last seen him, he shot up four inches and now had muscles on his muscles. He was no longer her little wolf boy.
The room got quiet all of them staring at her.
"Will you tell us what happened?" Jason asked he reached the kitchen table giving her hand a squeeze. They were in the old kitchen and even though it was crowded, Mac was enjoying the closeness.
"I don't really want to get into it," Mac said, her grimacing slightly to the memories that were suffocating her thoughts.
"Why can't we feel your bond?" Trent asked, he seemed worried, they all did.
"I wish I knew, but I have a theory. Probably the same reason my arm isn't healing fast."
"OMG is your wolf dead?" Blake asked panicked.
"No, well, I don't think so," Mac said. "Zane, kept pumping me up with wolf's bane and palladium?" They give her a confused look. "It is some rare metal. You know how werewolves hate silver, well, vampires apparently hate palladium and ecstasy which is made of fairy dust, apparently." She shook her head remembering the strange week where she was tripping out non stop.
"He gave you fairy ecstasy?" Trent said.
"Don't worry it wasn't weird, well it was kind of weird. But nothing sexual just another experiment."
"Strange," Justin said giving her a weird look.
"How is that supposed make me not worry?" Jason asked.
"Anyways long story short my wolf is suppressed, I think," Mac said with a shrug. She missed War but it was kind of nice to feel human again, like reliving an old memory.
"What happened to your arm?" Susie asked her and Phoebe have taken to drawing on her cast with a sharpie.
"You don't want to know," Mac said.
"Come on," The group moaned.
"Um, well, um hecutoutmybone." Mac said in a rush.
"Did you just say he cut out your bone?" Allen asked eyes wide. Mac slowly shook her head.
"I think it almost killed me because next thing I knew I woke up in the hospital with a cast on. I like that they chose blue." She said trying to find something good. "It is healing, at least the doctor said it will. I have to wear the cast for about four to six weeks and hopefully, at that point, it will be back to normal."
"How are your fingers moving without the bone?" Jazz asked staring at her fingers that were twitching.
"They didn't at first, but now they can. So, I guess that is a good sign." Mac said. "Look I don't want you guys to worry too much, I mean just yesterday I couldn't use any of my powers now if I concentrate I can disguise myself." She could barely control it, but it was enough that she felt comfortable enough with it to go to the school that morning. That still didn't make any of them smile. "Also I still have my mark." She said reaching over to touch it.
"Werewolf or not, you are still our Alpha, forever and always," Ethan said walking up and placing a kiss on her forehead. The rest of the room joining in on a group hug.
"Stop being so cheesy," Mac said, but she didn't let them go. "Let's have a movie night okay?"
The group all agreed running into the living room to grab a seat.
"So when are you going to tell him?" Katie asked leaning against her locker. Mac was shoving her book in her locker. She took another two days off but finally, she decided to go back to school.
Mac looked over to see Gage staring at her, Sandy glaring at her, and Collin, Matt, and Chloe waving at her. She waved back with a half smile.
"Well on the count right now I get winded going up a flight of stairs and I can barely hold a pencil in my hand. I'm not really rushing to get in a fight with Sandy." Mac said.
"But he is your mate, he will protect you," Katie said.
"Shh...They can hear you and Gage hasn't protected me for shit why would it change now?" Mac said. Katie was going to protest but then she nodded slightly. Mac was right Gage was kind of worthless when it came to protecting her.
"Hi," Gage said surprising both Mac and Katie.
"What did you hear?" Katie blurted out worried she may have just ruined Mac's secret.
"Nothing, why, talking about me?" He said in a flirty way, wiggling his eyebrows.
"We were actually talking about how huge of an ass you are," Mac said jokingly.
"Sure you weren't talking about my ass?" Gage asked.
"Sure you aren't staring at my ass?" Mac said watching his eye line.
"Maybe," Gage said not denying it. He looked at her and could tell something about her was different today. She didn't seem that intimidating, more innocent like.
Mac laughed closing her locker, leaning against it to look at Gage.
"I have to go," Katie said nonchalantly leaving.
"So I'm glad you are feeling better," Gage said, he had his hands in his pocket clenched in his pockets with his head slightly down to maintain eye contact with her.
"Yes, and look." She said wiggling her right-hand fingers.
"With a broken wrist isn't that painful?" He asked she forgot that he didn't know the true story, but she just smiled nodding.
"It means it is getting better, which is great. I miss the use of my hand," Mac said.
"I'm so glad to hear that." Gage said, "So I was thinking if you need any help catching up I am more than happy to help out." Gage jumped when he heard a scream down the hallway, Mac just looked bored. Of course, it was Sandy.
"You little bitch," Sandy said, she rushed over pushing Mac against the locker her forearm pressed against her throat.
"Ouch, that actually hurt," Mac said. A small headache started to form in the back of her head where it hit the latch of the locker.
"Let her go," Gage said confused on why Sandy was attacking her.
"You asked her out and now you are protecting her? Are you kidding me?" Sandy screeched. "You know what fine, enjoy today because your dad is coming home early and he won't stand for this. His son with a human, disgusting." She wasn't letting go of Mac's neck only pressing harder, small little black dots started to cloud her vision.
"Fuck this," Mac said, with her left hand she jabbed Sandy in the ribs. With her human strength, it wasn't enough to knock her out, but she did drop her arm from Mac's neck.
"Bitch," Sandy said, she sent a punch into Mac's stomach and she fell over coughing.
"Get off of her," Gage said stepping in front of Mac. "You can't hit her, she is human. The wolf Council won't stand for it."
"Get away from her," Collin said walking over to them protecting Mac.
"Are you really choosing her over me?" Sandy asked angrily.
"Of course," Collin said without hesitation. Gage didn't say anything, just looked down at Mac who was looking at him, waiting for the answer. He looked back at Sandy still not answering.
"Gage," Collin said when he didn't answer.
"No," Gage said in a monotone voice, Sandy smiled. When he said no something burned in Mac's heart, she wasn't sure but she thinks it was the first time she felt War in a long time. She clutched at her chest taking deep breaths to ease the fire.
Collin, Chloe, and Matt all looked over at Gage with disappointment.
"You should go," Chloe said in a soft voice. She bent down helping Mac off the floor. He didn't question it, just walked off. He brought his hand to his head pressing on his temples. Sandy followed slightly behind.
"It's just his dad, it isn't you," Collin said wrapping his arm around her shoulder.
"Gage is 21, at this point he should be making his own decisions," Mac said, she was rubbing at her throat trying to ease the pain of Sandy's elbow being pressed into it.
"He just.." Matt started to say but dropped the sentence.
"He just becomes a different person around his dad." Collin finished for him.
"Are you going to be okay?" Chloe asked, Mac, looked up at her and smiled.
"Why little old Chloe, you think that a boy can keep me down? Trust me many have tried and none of succeeded." Mac said, the bell rang and she picked her books up off the floor. "Come on Collin, we have history."
"Are you sure?" Collin asked.
"I have missed too many classes already," Mac said she started to walk away but stopped turning towards the three of them. "Thank you guys, for standing up for me. It really means a lot."
"No problem," Chloe said pulling her into a hug. "It isn't like you haven't done the same thing for me."
"Come on let's go before we are late for class," Collin said, he gave Chloe a quick peck on the lips before throwing his arm around Mac leading her to the classroom.
By the time they got to class only two seats were left, one right next to Gage the other next to that one. Mac went to the one farthest from Gage and closest to the windows and Collin just shrugged plopping in his seat.
"Who are you?" an old lady asked in the front of the class.
"I'm Mac," Mac said looking over at Collin to explain.
"Oh, I thought you dropped out." The old lady said, "I'm Gertrude your sub until Brody gets back. Now here is right where we left off yesterday." She turned the smart screen on, Twilight popping up, she hit play and sat back in her chair falling asleep.
"Are we really watching Twilight?" Mac asked Collin.
"We already saw all of the Harry Potters," Gage answered. Mac turned her head looking out the window. "Are you really ignoring me now?" He asked when nobody said anything.
"If she is, then you deserve it. I'm not, but that is because you are my Alpha." Collin answered.
"What did she expect Sandy is my mate?" Gage said, Mac, clutched at her chest the fire coming back to life. Some snores echoed through the classroom and she looked up to find the teacher dead asleep against the desk.
"Is she though?" Collin asked.
"Yes, she is," Gage said.
"You were asking Mac out on a date when Sandy interrupted you two," Collin said.
"No, I was asking if she needed help catching up with what she missed," Gage replied trying to defend himself.
"We haven't had homework in two months," Collin said causing Mac to chuckle.
"Oh, so you can hear us," Gage said getting annoyed.
"Of course I can hear you," Mac said. "You are sitting right there."
"Well, you don't have to get angry about it," Gage said, he was smiling happy Mac was talking to him again. Even if it was just for a minute he still wasn't happy about it.
"Sometime Gage you drive me crazy," Mac said. "I mean you flirt with me one moment, prank me the next, and then throw me under a bus? What is wrong with you?" Gage looked shocked, most of the class did all staring at her rather than the TV. The only one who wasn't was Stephanie who was still asleep at the desk.
"I don't know okay," Gage said, "Sometimes I want to kiss you and other times it is like you don't even exist to me."
"You what?" Mac asked turning to look at him, did she hear him right?
"I want to kiss or...." Gage said, he stood up walking over to her. She stood up. Her heart was beating fast, her palms clammy, and her eyes went wide.
He stared down at her lips, she was softly biting the bottom one. He slowly lifted his hand gently placing it against her cheek, his thumb tracing lightly against her bottom lip. Her bring brown eyes had small blue, green, and grey flecks in them. He never noticed how bright and unique they were.
She growled a little, not controlling War who was coming back to life. She leaned up centimeters from his lips, his big red lips. She was lost in his eyes though, the bright blue eyes that she had countless dreams about while she was kidnapped. She could slightly feel the tingles brush against her lips where his thumb traced, War trying to crawl out of her and take over.
"Mac." He whispered so close she can feel the breath on her lips.
"You two sit down right now." Echoed through the room. Gage and Mac jumped back, completely forgetting that they were in a classroom with a dozen or so eyes on them.
"Come on," Collin shouted slamming his hands on the desk.
"If you don't stop talking right now all of you will have detention," Stephanie said.
Mac couldn't help but smile as she took her seat. Gage wouldn't look away just kept smiling at her.
As soon as the bell rang Gage was instantly at her desk.
"Can I carry your books?" Gage asked a little blush on his cheeks.
"Thanks," Mac said. Collin followed with a huge smile on his face, he couldn't stop grinning from ear to ear.
"I'll walk you to class," Gage said. He half turned the corner but stop pulling Mac back against his chest. "Shit I forgot about Sandy."
"Yes we all try to," Collin said causing Mac to laugh.
Mac peered over to see Sandy pacing around Gage's locker. "Yes, I kind of forgot about her too," Mac said sighing.
"I should talk to her," Gage said, "You know to break up with her." He sighed a million thoughts running through his head, he turned and smiled because when he saw Mac everything was forgotten.
"How about you walk me to class and then go talk to her. I really can't miss anymore." Mac said, Gage, nodded following her to the other end of the school.
"I'm going to go find Chloe and distract Sandy for a while," he said turning down the hallway. Sandy jumped on him with questions as soon as she saw him.
"So, I'll talk to Sandy during lunch and then how about I pick you up for dinner around six," Gage said handing her, her books.
"Sounds great," Mac said a small blush growing on her cheeks. He leaned down placing a small kiss on her cheek. She shivered feeling the tingles rush down her body.
"I'll see you later," Gage said rushing off once the bell rang.
"Bye," Mac said smiling while walking into her classroom.