The Beast

Chapter 6 - Movie Night

I kicked my thick grey comforter off my body and huffed in annoyance. I couldn't sleep, and I knew exactly why. Those stupid eyes on that perfect face haunted my mind whenever my eyes closed.

My walk was supposed to clear my head, but it only seemed to make it worse. I didn't even get any of my questions answered. I was too busy fawning over a killer to find out why he had even come back.

Sun streaked through my sheer grey curtains draped over my large window just over my glass desk, brightening the dull black colors of my room. My steel bed frame matched the black color of my vanity and dresser, and the fuzzy grey rug across the floor broke up the otherwise darkened abyss of my plain bedroom. The only splashes of color were the few books sprawled across my desk and picture frame that housed one of the few semi-current pictures of me and Maia in front of her newly renovated home. It was delicately preserved in a dusty green frame that she had gifted me for insisting on helping her with her project.

I stretched my long legs over the edge of my bed and flinched at the coolness of the wood floors. I needed to get out of this house and talk to her about Arias without coming right out and telling her.

I braided my hair loosely and changed into a pair of faded tight blue jeans and a blue long sleeve shirt that clung to my toned muscles in my arms.

After lacing up my sneakers, I jogged past my mom who was reading a chapter book in her lounge chair in the living room and out the back door, avoiding my father at all costs. Lucking, he seemed to be out at the moment doing who-knows-what, so I was safe for now.

I waved at the few pack members I passed on my way to Maia's house and forced myself to stop thinking about a certain wolf-at least until I could release my pent-up confusion on my best friend.

Maia was just getting home from a morning run when I reached her cottage. She slid off her navy blue hoodie and let her black sports bra and matching exercise shorts show.

"What's up?" She asked, her lungs expanding to bring in more air. I just groaned and dropped my tensed shoulders.

"I really need a movie day." Her face lit up, and she threw her front door open, shoving me inside.

"Well why didn't you say so?" She loved any excuse to indulge in excessive sweets.

***

"Are you okay? You've been quiet for a while." Maia paused the action movie she chose after I made her sit through a musical. What? I like the stories.

I hummed and popped another piece of popcorn into my mouth. Usually raiding her kitchen made me feel better, but I couldn't get rid of the big, gaping hole in my stomach today. "I just feel weird." I set the bowl onto the coffee table and wrapped the crochet blanket tighter around my body.

She looked at the rejected food with wide eyes. "Something has to be wrong for there to still be something left in there." She pointed at the large yellow bowl and raised a groomed eyebrow. "Usually you're licking it clean."

She slid closer to me, abandoning her cushion on the couch. "I-" Should I tell her about last night? I mean, she's my best friend. I trust her with my life, but would she judge me for being connected to a monster?

Marcus barged through the front door, welcoming himself into our conversation and making himself comfortable on the ottoman.

Maia scoffed and grabbed one of her decorative pillows, chucking it at the side of his head. We both laughed when he barely dodged it and teetered onto the floor with a loud crash.

"Hey!" He protested, crawling up off his rear. Maia glared playfully at him and crossed her arms.

"Who said you could come in here?" She scolded, but the lightness in her voice gave away her feigned anger. He just shrugged and reached for the popcorn, whining when I swatted his hand away from my snack.

"Make your own." I pulled the bowl into my lap and watched my twin stick his tongue out at me, reminding me of the annoying child he had physically grown out of. Mentally, he was still that same eight year old that pushed me in mud and replaced my sugar in my cereal with salt.

Maia had started the movie up again some time during our sibling hash, and the sound of gunfire drowned out our breathing.

Marcus leaned back against the wall and glanced between me and my friend, smirking menacingly. "So, what were you girls talking about?"

I growled at him to change the subject. He knew exactly what he had walked into, and I wanted him to drop it before the topic got misconstrued. He pretended like he didn't see my fiery glare and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Could it possibly be about someone's mate?" His smirk grew into a sinister smile when Maia's eyes widened and snapped over to me in disbelief.

"What?" She shrieked, shooting up to her feet. "You found your mate?"

I shook my head frantically, mentally cursing my brother. How did he even figure it out? He checked his wrist as if he were reading a fake watch. "Would you look at the time? I gotta go." He scrambled out of the room, sending me a wink before he slid through the front door.

"Damn you, Marcus!" I called after him, flashing my middle finger even though I knew he was too far gone to catch it.

Maia stood in front of the couch, tapping her foot impatiently on the floor. "When were you going to tell me about this mate?"

I scratched the back of my neck and looked everywhere but in her eyes. "Um..."

She scoffed and smacked my hand down, forcing it into my lap. "Don't 'um' me. Do I know him? Is he from this pack?"

My body and mind were conflicted on how I should react to the topic of Arias. My body was so drawn to him, and it wanted nothing but to be in his strong arms and never leave. My mind, however, was the voice of reason. It knew it wasn't a good idea for me to fraternize with the enemy, no matter how compelling his jeweled eyes and strong jaw were. He's dangerous, and it's best if we part ways before anything happens between us.

"No, you don't know him." I tried to think of a way out of telling her any specific details for now.

"Well when can I meet him?" She seemed much more chipper now that I was willing to talk to her about this. She didn't know that my vagueness gave absolutely nothing away.

"I don't know if that's a good idea. I've only met him once." I couldn't help but think back to my walk in the woods, and our encounter. Technically, we met twice. I don't really know if I count the fight a 'meeting' if he never shifted from his wolf.

Maia groaned and drooped her arms at her side, pouting with her bottom lip stuck out. "Why not?" She cried, dropping into the seat next to me. "I promise I won't do anything to embarrass you."

I snickered. Even if I agreed to let them meet, and I had a normal mate under a normal circumstance, I know for a fact that she was lying. She lived to embarrass me.

I sighed. "Maybe. I still have to see how I feel first." She squealed and clapped her hands together energetically.

"That's great! Ugh, I'm so jealous!" She grunted and wrinkled her freckled nose. "I wish I could meet my mate already. It's like he doesn't exist!" She threw her arms in the air and fell back into the pile of decorative pillows.

I only hummed. I felt uneasy having her know about him, even if I left the important details out. It was like I was a step closer to accepting him, and I hated that.