Exile (ON HOLD)

Chapter Four

Kirstie's POV

  The proceeding couple of weeks continued to fly by almost as usual, other than the increasing absence of my girlfriend Emilie in my life. She had slowly cut down on her school visits in the afternoons and I reluctantly admitted that I missed her dearly.

  It was 3:00pm, Thursday, and I was impatiently awaiting the bell so I could get out of class and call Emilie. All of our exams were finished for good, which was a huge relief but I hadn't seen my girlfriend all week and I graduated tomorrow. Graduation wasn't all that important; the only thing it would give me was a Christmas of mental, physical and spiritual training in preparation for my Ritual.

  I knew Emilie wasn't working that day because the adult pack members were attending an all-day meeting. (My parents included.) My Ritual was scheduled and approaching in less than a month's time and I was finally feeling the pressure of the occasion. The fact that frightened me the most was actually that Emilie could only put off getting married and mated for so long. She never wanted to talk about it; never let me know what was going on and how long we had left together. It always upset me. Her birthday was in a measly six days' time, (the 30th of November), putting me on edge.

  The school day ended slowly and my mood continued to plummet as I exited class and found no sign of Emilie. I surpassed saying goodbye to any of my friends and simply drove straight home. The roads were reasonably busy and I felt irritation ticking and increasing within the confines of my mind. It only took about fifteen minutes due to the traffic but it felt like a lifetime until I was able to shut off the engine and step out of the car. I slammed the front door with a huff of anger, and noted the fact that nobody was home yet. My fingers itched to call Emilie again and I chucked my phone into my bag, slumping onto the couch instead. She probably didn't have it on her anyways. 

"Hey Kida..." I murmured as I stroked the orange tabby cat beside me, wallowing in my misery. Trudging through the house again I kicked off my shoes and melodramatically threw my body onto my firm mattress. My head was soon buried beneath a pillow and I released a loud groan of irritation at the world.

--

Emilie's POV

  By the time I arrived at the Vilder household, the sun was well hidden behind the trees on the horizon but the summer's air had yet to begin cooling down. The pack meeting had gone on far longer than previously thought and Kirstie's parents were both still required there. My borrowed key slid effortlessly into the slot before I realised the door remained unlocked. Rolling my eyes, I turned the handle and snuck in, toeing off my worn-in boots and making my way through the hallway to the dining area. The younger girl was hunched over and scribbling in rapid, cursive writing on a notepad. 

  My sensitive ears picked up on the soft scratching of the ink as it scrawled into the lined paper. The dining room light illuminated the thick strands of hair that trailed across the sheet whenever she moved. I could sense the tension lingering in the air and my wolf whimpered at how stiffly her mate was sitting. She urged me forwards and I had little say in the matter as my legs carried me forwards.

"Hey sweetie..." My cool fingers connected with the hot flesh of her shoulders and they slowly dug in, attempting to massage the tension away. I gradually moved downwards, a smile playing on my lips when she unconsciously shifted forwards to grant me more access. The younger girl shivered slightly when my fingers kneaded her lower back and stopped writing altogether when they crept upwards to brush over her lacy bra. Feeling slightly rebellious, I gently dragged her chair backwards, hearing the pen drop discarded onto the table.

  I shifted around, grasping her cool hands in my own and pulling her to her feet. Kirstie avoided my eyes as I stared straight at her and after a few tense seconds my hand moved to brush her hair back and for the first time in weeks, my lips pressed against hers. My wolf growled in contentment and we inhaled her sweet scent, tingling all over. Soft hands worked their way through my hair and down my spine as our tongues met. I sucked her lower lip in between my teeth and gently grasped it, the wolf part of me releasing a low growl.