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xxiii. smoke signals

AURORA SAT SQUASHED, uncomfortably, between Paul and the hard arm of Sam's couch. Paul was extraordinarily warm, as per usual, and was giving off so much excess body heat that it was causing her to start to sweat.

God, werewolves are the worst, Aurora thought to herself as she looked around the room. On the couch across from her sat Liam, Ethan, and Josh— all three of whom were smushed in tightly like Aurora. Jared was crammed in on the other side of Paul, sitting uncomfortably as he watched the front door where Sam and Kaleb had disappeared out of. Sitting in an armchair was Kayla, making small talk with Emily who sat in a chair next to her.

"Are you always this hot?" Aurora asked quietly, turning her head to look up at Paul.

He looked down at her with his brow furrowed. "What?"

Aurora maneuvered her left arm out from between them and held it up for him to see. It was coated in a thin sheen of sweat. "See? You're making me sweat. Can't you cool down or something?"

Paul's mouth quirked up. "No."

Aurora huffed as she shoved her arm back in the crevice between them. "I'm taking a shower when this is over."

"Wanna go to the beach?" Paul asked, still looking down at her.

"The beach?" Aurora exclaimed, looking back up at him with an incredulous look on her face. "The water is way too cold now!"

"For you, maybe," Paul grinned. "Not me. Remember? I'm hot."

Aurora pulled her right arm around and thwacked Paul's head as he snickered. She huffed again, crossing both her arms in front of her as she stared straight ahead of her. Boys, she thought to herself as she shook her head. She still barely knew Paul, but she did know that he was similar to Jared in the fact that he bullied her. And teased her. And was mean. Ugh.

Aurora felt the eyes of the Wolves on her, prompting her to look across the table at them. The three boys were watching her and Paul with an intense gaze, which, if Aurora was honest, kind of freaked her out. She glanced over at Kayla just in time to see her gaze shift away and back to Emily.

Aurora was about to open her mouth and ask what their deal was when the front door opened back up. Immediately Jared and Josh stood. In walked Sam and Kaleb, smiling as they finished up their conversation. Aurora felt her body relax as she saw that they were getting along. That was a huge relief.

"Who's up for the beach?" Sam asked the group as he stopped in the living room.

Paul nudged Aurora with a grin on his face, causing her to nudge him back even harder in annoyance. "I'll stay back," she replied. "I don't feel like getting hypothermia today."

"I'll stay, too," Emily agreed.

"You're missing out," Sam said as the rest of the wolves started to get up. "It's not even that co—"

He was cut off by his phone ringing. Stepping back, Sam pulled his phone out of his shorts pocket and answered. Aurora watched as the grin on his face slowly melted off, making way for a oh fucking shit look.

"We'll be right there." He said quickly before hanging up. Sam looked back around the room grimly. "No beach. Jake's finally turning."

The relaxed air in the cabin suddenly grew tense. Paul immediately stood up from next to Aurora, finally giving her reprieve from his abnormally high body temperature.

"We'll leave, then," Kaleb said, nodding to Sam as he held out his hand for him to shake. "Hey, remember what I said, man. You got this."

Sam shook his hand and nodded. "Thanks for coming."