The Exiled Alpha

Chapter twenty

The days are becoming a little bit colder, but still warm enough to have only a thin jacket over a t-shirt. A silent breeze plays with my hair as I drive in the SUV. My head is leaned against my open palm, my eyes focused on the road ahead of me. I don't usually drive myself anywhere, but I really didn't want to be with the twins and Sam at home. Plus, I felt guilty for ignoring Natalie for the whole day yesterday.

I park into her driveway, closing the driver's door and locking the car. I glance up at the blue sky, pressing my lips tightly together. Only two more weeks before the full moon. I tighten my grip on the paper bag in my hand, before I head to the front door.

I ring the doorbell, hearing Padva bark from behind the closed door. They are going to have to start teaching that dog some manners, I think, hearing the lock turn. Natalie's figure stands in the doorway, holding Padva by the collar, so that she doesn't run outside. I give Natalie and apologetic smile, lifting up the paper bag.

"I brought McDonalds as an apology." I tell her, seeing her light brown eyes glance from the paper bag and to me. "You are forgiven." A smile breaks onto her face and she pushes the poodle backwards to get room for me to enter. I hand her the paper bag filled with food, so I can get out of my worn out sneakers.

"I'm sorry for not answering your calls the whole day yesterday. We had some family matters and I had to get away for the day." I tell her after I throw the shoes into the corner of the hall, where her family's shoes are located as well. Natalie's expression softens as we head up to her room. "You want to talk about it?" She asks and I shake my head, feeling dread to talk about Elliot's evil witch of a mom. "Not really. I want to turn off my mind from all of the problems." I answer, closing the door of her room.

Nat's room was a medium sized room, with mint green and white walls. She has a queen sized bed in the middle, her wardrobe is made into her wall and she has a dresser facing her bed. A television is set on top of the dresser and her walls are filled with pictures from her polaroid camera.

"Well, you came to the right place. This is where your mind shuts down completely." Natalie grins at me and I can't stop the smile that tugs at my own lips. We get onto her bed and open up the McDonalds bag, while Natalie starts up an old cliché movie for us to watch.

"How's Mr. Sexy?" Nat asks me with a mouthful of fries. My smile tugs further up my face when I notice how disgusting she looks. "Swallow before you talk, jeez!" I tell her. A glint of mischief appears in her eyes and she opens her mouth to show me the chewed fries on her tongue. I almost gag on the Coca Cola that I was drinking, tears forming on the edges of my eyes while I cough. Natalie laughs at me with her mouth still full of chewed up fries.

After we finally stop laughing and she gets to swallow the fries, my human best friend repeats the question.

"How's Mr. Sexy?" Her brown eyes turn to look at me. I glance down at the chicken nugget I have in my hand, remembering the moments from yesterday. How his lips ghosted over mine and how he stilled for a few seconds, his golden eyes staring into mine. Then he pulled away.

To some point, you can call Natalie my safe haven. She doesn't know what's going on in my wolf life and that you are practically supernaturally attracted to your mate and nobody else. I can confine in her, without her asking me about the mate bond. And even though I hate the double life I am living, it sometimes comes in handy.

"Well... I have to be honest with you..." I pause, seeing a little spark in Natalie's eyes. "When I said I needed to get away yesterday..." I notice how her eyes grow wide. "Oh my god, you ran into his arms for comfort." Natalie figures out, before I could actually say anything. I tilt my head from side to side, weighting her words about falling into his arms, while she eats a few more fries.