I wake up the next morning to a knock on the door. “Wake up Laila! You have to cook breakfast!” Nonna shouts. I sit up quickly, looking at the clock. It’s only eight o’ clock. I groan and drop back onto my bed.
“It’s too early Nonna!” I reply, covering my eyes with my arm.
“Don’t make me come in there, Laila!” Nonna warns. I then sit up again. If Nonna comes in, she’ll definitely smell Day’s scent all over the place, and know what we were doing last night.
“I’m coming Nonna! Give me ten minutes to shower!” I shout, and I hear her disappearing down the stairs. I quickly run to the bathroom and start spraying Lilac Febreeze all over my room. Soon, I can’t smell Day’s scent at all, and I sigh in satisfaction. I hop into the shower, going fast and dressing into a blue tank top and cargo shorts. I run downstairs, putting my hair down in the process. My mark still hasn’t completely healed, so there is a little hickey where Day bit me still. By today it will be completely gone, but his scent will be on me. I jog into the kitchen.
Papa and Nonna are sitting at the table, and I start making pancakes for us. I can see Nonna sniffing the air, and she turns to me. “Did he mark you, Laila?” I tense a little. I turn and smile at her.
“Right after he found me in the woods. He just leaned over and marked me, and then we shifted and came back to the cabin.” The lie smoothly rolls off my tongue. Nonna nods in understanding, and then turns back to her gardening magazine. Papa shows no emotion as he continues reading his newspaper. I finish making breakfast, and then serve everyone. Nonna makes small talk, catching us up on the latest gossip. I just nod and smile at the appropriate places in the conversation, my mind elsewhere.
I wish we hadn’t stopped. Like so bad.
I was scared, but I wanted him, and it wasn’t helping that I saw him every day. I was ready; I couldn’t wait for the binding. The pain of being apart from him would lessen, and I wouldn’t need him so often. As if right on cue, my cell phone rings, and I dive for it on the counter. “Hello?” I say a little breathlessly.
“Hey Laila!” Ria exclaims.
“Hi Ria.” I say, a little disappointed it wasn’t Day. I can almost see Ria’s smile on the other side of the phone.
“Sounds like you were expecting someone else, hmm?” She asks slyly. I walk out of the room, and blush a little even though no one can see me.
“Not really.” I lie. Second lie this morning related to Day. We already are going to get in trouble.
“Mmhmm,” she says skeptical. “Anyways, Luke said that you should come over to the pack house. We’re having a pack bonding thing or something. Mostly, it’s an excuse for all the guys to hang out and play video games. I need someone to help me make food, so will you come over?” she asks. I nod, and then remember she can’t see me.
“Yeah, I’ll be there in twenty.” I tell her, and we hang up. I jog into the kitchen. “Ria said that we’re having a hangout at the pack house, can I go?”
“Sure, go ahead. Just make sure you come back early enough to finish your chores.” Papa says. I smile, remembering the promise Day made me.
“Oh, Day will be coming in to do them later. He promised me he’d do my chores for the rest of the week.” I grin, and then run upstairs. I put my hair up in a messy ponytail, and some light-make-up. I slip on my black Toms, and then grab my sunglasses, phone, and keys. I yell goodbye and climb into my Mustang, heading towards the pack house.
