*9 hours before*
Devyn's been acting really weird, but every time I ask her what's wrong, she says it's nothing and changes the subject. There's definitely something going on and it's driving me crazy that she won't tell me. Have I not proved she can trust me?
"Honey, why don't you go hunting with the rest of the boys?" I turn to my mother and give her the are-you-kidding-look and she quickly continues. "I'll be here to watch Devyn. Plus, it will give us a ladies day." I roll my eyes, but after a minute I sigh and give in. My mom's been begging to hang out with Devyn and since she won't talk to me, maybe she'll talk to my mother. I head upstairs to change and find Devyn laying across out bed, reading her Econ textbook and taking notes. I can't help the smile that forms on my lips. She truly is beautiful. She doesn't have to try.
"Hey beautiful." I walk up to her and kiss the side of her head before walking over to my closet. I hear her sit up and I know she's facing me. I peer over my shoulder and find her smiling at me. I smirk and she rolls her eyes. "My mom wants to have a ladies day with you, so I'm going to hunting with Spar and my brothers." I grab a shirt and my jacket before heading over to the bed. I can tell she's upset, but she's also nervous. Very nervous. "What's wrong?" She doesn't look at me and I sigh. Not this again. I kneel down in front of her but she turns her head to the side ignoring me. I lift my hand and gently turn her face to me. "I don't know what's going on but it's going to be okay. I'm not going anywhere." She rolls her eyes.
"Says the boy who's leaving to go hunting." I scuff as a smirk plays on my lips. I quickly push her back on the bed and lay next to her. She lets out a squeal of surprise and I can't help but laugh. She has no idea how beautiful she is.
"I'll be back before you know it." I lean down and kiss her forehead. "You'll have so much fun with my mom, you won't even notice I'm gone." I kiss her cheek, her eyes fluttering closed. "You can't get rid of me that easy." I kiss the side of her mouth and she sighs.
"You don't play fair," she huffs, her eyes still closed.
"Where's the fun in that?" I whisper in her ear before kissing her shoulder. She lets out a small moan and I smirk. She groans pushing me away, sitting up. She glares at me, but her eyes twinkle with mischief. I lean back and put my arms behind my head, a smile on my lips.
"Don't you act all innocent now, Lucius."
"What? I didn't do anything," I say, feigning innocence. I close my eyes and wait for her to make the next move. She tries to move quietly, but I knew from the very start what she would do. She quickly straddles me, her hands next to my head. I keep my eyes closed and smirk. She leans down until our bodies are flush together, her lips next to my ear.
"Be careful Lucius." I can't help the goosebumps that form on my arms. "I can easily fight fire with fire." She grabs my earlobe between her teeth and pulls gently. I try to hold back, but a soft moan escapes my lips and I sigh, giving in. I feel her smirk against my neck before placing a soft kiss on my jaw. "Have fun hunting." She quickly jumps off me, giggling as she leaves my room. She is something else.
*7 hours before*
"What do you think they've been doing all day?" Nik asks from the backseat. He's been listing off ideas this entire trip.
"Why don't you ask them when we get home?" Spar asks, his words dripping with annoyance. Nik huffs in the backseat but remains quiet. I'm about to sigh in relief when I get a text message. Devyn's name pops up and I smile, but that quickly fades when I read what she sent.
I don't think I can do this. You have your whole life ahead of you and I'm just going to hold you back.
What the hell is she talking about? I quickly respond with the first question that pops into my mind: Are you breaking up with me?
My heart rate accelerates as the three dots form. Why is she taking so long to respond? I'm about to break into a sweat when her response appears.
If I told you I was leaving would you stop me?
Oh hell no! I quickly type in her number, my heart ready to stop with each passing ring.
"Hello?" I internally sigh. She at least didn't send me to voicemail.
"Where the hell are you going?" I can hear the hurt in my voice, but Mikhail must have picked up on my anger because he places one of his hands on my shoulder, trying to calm me.
"I...I think it's time I let you go. We're too different." What is she talking about? Is that what she's been nervous about this entire time? She didn't know how to tell me she doesn't want to be with me? I should have known this would happen. I should have known she couldn't accept me for what I am.
"I'm on my way back now. We can talk about this." She doesn't say anything. Instead I hear her steady breathing. "Devyn?" I can't stop the panic that is rising within me. If she can't accept me, who will? "Devyn, talk to me." My heart stops as I wait for her reply.
"Would you stop me?" What kind of question is that? Of course I would freaking stop her. If only Spar would drive faster, I'd be there by now. "Look on your bed." And with that she hangs up. I keep the phone to my ear, my eyes wide. Mikhail was about to ask me something when Spar stops outside of the house and I sprint inside. I run past my mother up to my room. I throw open my door and see a letter sitting on my bed.
When twilight comes you'll hear my call.
Come find me when you're ready, suit and all.
What the hell? I have to wait until the bloody sun sets for her to tell me what the fuck is going on? I'm pacing back and forth in my room when an idea comes to mind. My mom said they were going to have a ladies day. What happened? I sprint down the stairs, a glare on my face as I walk up to my mom.
"What happened?" She doesn't even look at me as she continues to peel potatoes. "Why did Devyn leave?" She sighs and turns to me.
"Be patient, Lucius. She'll call you when she's ready. She just needs time to think." And with that she turns back to the potatoes. She's still preparing food for tonight, so her birthday party is still happening, That's a good sign right? I now I could follow her scent and find her right now, but that's clearly not what she wants. God, please grant me strength.
*Twilight*
If I told you I was lost in the woods, would you come find me?
I look down at my phone and see a text from Devyn. My heart stops. I read her message and then immediately call her. It goes straight to voicemail. What the hel- is she out in the fucking woods? I run down the stairs, Mikhail throwing my suit at me before I burst into wolf form, howling. I grab the suit in my mouth and book it into the trees. I immediately recognize her scent and run faster than I ever have before. As I get closer I see lights shinning and decide I should stop and put my clothes on. When I'm ready I start walking closer. I make sure to step on branches so she hears me coming. I see her body tense when she hears a branch crack under my weight.
"You left." Devyn jumps to the side and looks at me. Her eyes roam up and down my body and it takes everything I have not to smirk as she checks me out. I take a step closer to her as she responds.
"I had to know if you'd come for me." She shrugs as I stop a couple feet from her.
"You could have just asked." I try not to sound annoyed as she shakes her head in response.
"I've been lied to more than I'd like to admit and I was afraid that if I asked you, you'd lie." She looks down at the ground and I close the distance between us, making sure I don't touch her. She looks up at me and I know she can see I'm pissed. Wouldn't you be, if I left you? "Lucius, no one knows me as well as you do. No one knows the secrets that you do. No one has ever taken the time to actually get to know me like you have and in the beginning I was terrified. I was worried that you were just looking for a hook-up, but the more we talked and the more we hung out, the more I wanted to be around you. You're the reason I get up every morning. The thought of seeing you there next to me," she touches her heart. "fills me with a feeling I've never felt before." My eyes widen. "Lucius, I love you." She says, her voice falling into a whisper. My heart stops as everything around us falls silent. What the hell? She did all this bullshit to tell me she loves me? Oh I'm so pissed right now, but I leave my face expressionless. If she wants to fight dirty, than so will I. She runs her hands through her hair and I can smell the panic, fear, and hurt radiating off her. "Oh god," she says as she backs away from me. "I knew I shouldn't have told you. I knew I shouldn't have listened to your mother, but no she convinced me that you had to know." She turns her back to me and I roll my eyes. Of course my mom had something to do with this. She's always had a thing for drama. The smell of salt hits my nose and I know she's started to cry. I take a step forward and lift my hands to her shoulders. I should stop prolonging this and tell her. What the fuck is wrong with me?
"Lucius if you don't feel the same way, please, don't lie to me and say that you do." Her voice cracks and it takes everything inside of me not to turn her around and kiss the living crap out of her.
"Devyn, the truth is..." I break off, wanting to see her face. She sucks in a deep breath. "Look at me." She shakes my head as I become more agitated. "Devyn, please."
"I can't," she chokes. I can't help myself. I reach over and pick her up. "Lucius please put me down." She keeps her face looking away from me and my eyes become hard. "Look at me." It comes out a little harsh and I mentally slap myself, letting the anger fade from my eyes as she turns to face me.
"What?" Her cheeks are stained with tears and my heart breaks. I lift one hand and wipe away one of her tears. "Show off," she whispers and I can't help but smile.
"Devyn, you are the most infuriating, crazy, smart, beautiful woman I've ever met, but it would be a lie to tell you-" before I can finish she breaks out of my grasp falling to the ground. I reach for her, but she waves me away. The saltiness in the air hits me once again as her body starts to shake. Fuck. I've fucked this up. "Please don't say it," she whispers. My heart breaking into a thousand pieces. What the fuck was I trying to prove? "I know what you're going to say, so please just save me my last bit of dignity and walk away." And with that, she puts her head into her hands and sobs.
"I love you," I say before I can stop myself. She stops crying and looks over her shoulder at me.
"What?" She whipsers.
"I'm in love with you Devyn." I take a deep breath as her eyes narrow. She stands up glaring at me.
"Then what the hell was that?" She nearly screams as she points to where we had just been.
"Devyn, I just spent the last eight hours scared as hell that you left me and I'm sorry, but I had to know if you'd really care. You hurt me and-"
"So you wanted to hurt me back." She finishes for me, crossing her arms. "Well congratulations it worked. I hope you're proud of yourself." She looks around, everywhere but at me. Lucius, you're an idiot, my wolf chastises me. It was your idea, I say back. "Why would you do that?" she whispers, finally turning back to me. "It took everything I had to tell you and you had to scare the shit out of me?" She punches me in the arm, but before she can pull away, I grab her wrist, pulling her to my chest and wrapping my arms around her.
"I'm sorry I scared you, but I honestly wanted to see what you would do and you didn't disappoint."
"You're such an asshole." She mumbles into my chest and I can't help but laugh. I trail my hands up her arms until I'm cupping her face in my hands. I can't let her look away from me. I need her to look at me when I say what I need to.
"I've never felt like this about anyone before." She finally smiles at me. "You know what I am yet you still love me."
"It's not what you are, it's who you are. It doesn't make you an abomination." I raise my eyebrows. "Well, not to me." I can't help but laugh as I lean down and leave a soft peck on her lips. She groans in frustration as I smirk down at her. What in the bloody hell? My smirk falls away.
"Where's your jacket?" I look down her body until I get to her feet. "And where are your shoes?" She shrugs. What the hell?! That's all she's going to give me?
"Your mother didn't give me any. I think it was part of the plan to make me look innocent." She shrugs again. Oh I'd be so mad if I knew my mom didn't do this on purpose.
"Well, it definitely worked." I say as I look her up and down, smirking. She blushes but doesn't look away from me.
"What?"
"Devyn, you look gorgeous. You chose a hell of a dress and I'm honestly lost in thought about-" She cuts me off.
"You won't have to imagine for long." My eyes widen and then she winks. I'd take her right now if I wasn't such a sucker for a good girl. I smirk leaning down and kissing her. I deepen the kiss as her hands slide up my chest and into my hair. God, what this woman does to me. I hear a car honk in the distance and I pull away. Her party.
I start to walk away, her hand in mine when her grip tightens. I turn around and see she hasn't moved. I lift my eyebrows, curious.
"Just let me enjoy this for one more minute." I smile, taking a step back towards her. I lean down until I capture her lips with mine. Her arms circle around me and tightens, so I wrap my arms around her and hold her tight against me. After five minutes, we pull away, breathing heavy.
"Okay, I'm ready." I smile at her as we head back towards my house. When we exit through the trees, Devyn sighs as she takes in the music and the lines of cars.
"Happy Birthday." I whisper in her ear. I want today to be perfect. We walk up the stairs and she takes a deep breath, squeezing my hand. I give her one last smile before opening the front door.