DESIRE

17

Her heat hadn't lasted long, only a short fourteen hours and Jace was spent. Although he knew he was lucky, some shifters get their heat for days and days. 

His friends hadn't returned home that night, Jace had no idea where they went but he had heard them come home about hour three before quickly leaving. 

Thank God Liv hadn't heard as that would've scared her so much, she may have forgotten about her heat.

 "What was that?" Her eyes felt like they were glued shut with exhaustion as she pried them open to look up at him. He looked worse for wear; his neck was covered in dark hickies with claw marks down the front of his chest. 

She was more animalistic than he was. 

 "When I marked you it sent you into heat." Jace cleared his voice "that's what happened to you."

 "Oh," Liv whispered, "I didn't think it'd make me so wild."

He laughed, the sound of his laugh calming her instantly.

 When she had first awoken, she thought he would hate her but knowing that he was okay made her feel ten times better. "Stop stressing." He poked his fingers into her sides making her kick his legs and giggle. "I can feel your emotions through our bond."

 "You might be stressed out a lot then," Liv sighed shaking her head "I'm always stressed out."

Pressing his lips to her forehead he stroked her back soothingly. He would make it his life's mission to try and help her not stress out over every little thing in life. It was something he hated how she overthought everything, and he knew that the situation with Kennedy was eating her up inside. 

 "Maybe I'll buy you a candle, or a yoga membership." he joked grinning widely when he saw a smile stretch across her face. He stood up not feeling ashamed when he felt her eyes trail down drinking in every part of him. "Get dressed." He threw his shirt at her "I'll make us something to eat." 

She slipped on his t-shirt grateful that it fell to her knees. She didn't want to accidentally flash someone. "Did Damon and Marcus not come home last night?" Liv frowned gripping Jace's hand in hers. Her legs were shaky when she stood up, not used to the exertion of the night before.

 "No," Jace chuckled "they left us the house to ourselves." They walked downstairs and into the kitchen where Jace pulled open the fridge as Liv sat down on one of the barstools. 

She watched as he prepared them both an omelette sitting it down in front of her sitting beside her once it was done. They ate in silence. Liv took the opportunity to trail her eyes around the room landing on the photographs on the fridge. 

She hadn't expected to see so many photographs that you could barely see the metal, she stood putting her plate in the sink before looking at one of the photographs.In it, was the three boys and a petite redhead who had her arms wrapped around Damon's waist grinning widely at the camera. Hell, even Damon was grinning at the camera. Liv didn't think she had ever seen Damon smile before. 

 "Who's this?" She turned holding the photograph in front of him. She wasn't jealous in the slightest, Jace was stood the furthest away from the girl, but she had never heard any of them mention a girl before never mind being so close to her that her photograph is on their fridge.

 "That's Hope," Jace's voice was thick as he swallowed "She was killed by rogues three years ago,"

She hadn't been expecting that. Liv looped her skinny arms around Jace's shoulders hugging him. "I'm sorry." 

 "It's okay," He pressed a kiss to her hand "She was one of my best friends, our best friend. But she was something different for Damon, he was in love with her. The two of them were convinced that they were mates, but she went missing before he turned sixteen, so they never knew."

Her heart broke into tiny little pieces like china on a wooden floor. Poor Damon, that explained his cold demeanour, he had lost his soulmate. The thought of losing Jace made Liv feel physically sick and she had only known him for around a month.

 "How did he get through it?"

Clenching his jaw, Jace shook his head "I don't think he ever will. He doesn't have a soulmate, but he also doesn't have the clarity that she was his. They done everything together Liv, convinced they would be together for the rest of their lives."

A stray tear slid down her cheek, but she wiped it away quickly before he could notice. This wasn't about her, but she couldn't help but feel so sad.

 "Let's talk about something else." Jace stood placing the photograph back onto the centre of the fridge before turning reaching his hand out for Liv to take. The two of them sat down in the living room, their thighs pressed together as they sat in silence. 

The events of the day before had grasped Liv by the throat as she stressed over ever returning to school. She knew that Kennedy would continue to make her life a living hell. 

 "What am I going to do?" Liv whispered "My mum probably already knows and she's going to be furious that I've gotten myself entangled in this drama. I'm meant to be this ambassador for unity and now this has happened." 

Her eyes stung as she spoke, furious at herself she blinked her tears away. She didn't need to play the victim in the situation, she understood that she had messed up. Now was just a way to find a solution and move on. 

 "We're going to solve this," Jace cupped her face in his hands "I've been thinking...clearly the merger wasn't the best idea in the first place and as soon as the new school is built you can transfer over." 

 "But that's not going to solve anything right now!"He rubbed away some stray tears that had fallen down her cheeks .

"I know that freckles, right now I'll talk to the pack, and I'll explain everything that has happened. They'll understand that you were younger, and you don't share those views anymore."

 "Okay," Liv gulped "I only said it because Kennedy told me to, God! I'm such an idiot to not notice how evil she really is."

 "How far along is the new building?" Liv asked, she was desperate to know how soon she'd be able to move schools and get out of the hellish land she was currently living in.

 "C'mon," Jace reached his hand out for her to take "let's go see."