Everything

12

"Mr. James." I called, cringing at the hoarseness of my voice. He spun on his heel and faced me.

"How can I help you, Miss May. It's a very busy day." He said, adjusting his tie.

"I just came to say I can't do my speech today, I have a family emergency."

"Yeah, I heard about your father."

"Look, Mr. James, I also came to ask if I could pick up my diploma now and just go home." Mr. James sighed, and nodded.

"Come with me, I'll get you your diploma." He started walking towards the auditorium where graduation will be held in a few hours. He climbed up on stage and reached behind his podium and pulled out a stack of diplomas, opening a few, and handing me one.

"This is your diploma, I wish you the best of luck on your future endeavors. It's been an honor being your principal the last four years." He stuck his hand out to me, and I shook it.

"Thank you Mr. James." He nodded at me and I walked back out to Ben's Hummer.

"Did you get your diploma?" Ben asked as I climbed into the passenger seat.

"Yes. Can we go home now? I want to take this off and lay down."

"Sure baby." The rest of the ride was silent, Ben occasionally glancing at me. When we arrived back at home, I slipped my heels off and walked into the house barefoot. I made my way up the stairs and slid the dress off. I tossed the dress and the shoes into the closet and I threw one of Ben's shirts on. I climbed into bed and got comfortable by curling up into a ball. I felt tears rush to my eyes, but I didn't bother fighting them. I let all the tears I'd held in from leaving the hospital fall onto Ben's white pillow. I'd worry about the makeup stains later.

"Charlotte?" Ben asked, sitting next to me on the bed. I looked up at him and turned away from him.

"Just leave me alone, Ben." My voice cracked. 

"No, I don't want to lea-"

"Ben, leave me alone." I growled, feeling anger spread through me.

"Fine." Ben said, getting up from the bed. His footsteps faded out the door and disappeared. 

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Ben's POV

I walked out of my room, leaving my crying mate alone.

You're stupid. Go comfort her. Xavier, my wolf, growled at me.

She wanted to be left alone, Xavier. I responded, boiling some tea to bring Charlotte when she calms down.

I don't care, she needs to be comforted and you left her there. Xavier angrily snapped.

Fine. I pulled the tea off the burner and turned the stove off. I walked back up the stairs, pushed open my bedroom door and sat next to Charlotte on the bed.

"I thought I told you to-"

"No, you're my mate. I'm not going to allow you to sit up here and go through this alone. I want to make you feel better because Xavier and I can't stand to see you in pain." I pulled Charlotte into my lap, her head instantly resting under my chin.

"I understand that your father is important to you, and that seeing him in the hospital can't be easy for you, but almost falling into a depression and pushing people away isn't what he would have wanted for you." I wiped away a few tears that had fallen on to her cheeks and hugged her tightly to me.

"You're right." She breathed, her voice shaking.

"But, you should give me a few minutes to clean up, I bet I look like a total mess." She said, pulling away from me. I pulled her back, looking down into her blue eyes.

"I don't care that your hair isn't what you call perfect, I don't even care that it's a tangled blonde nest. I don't care that your mascara is running, or that your eyeliner is smeared from you undoubtedly wiping away your tears. I don't care that your red eye shadow is all over the pillow case and your face. I don't care that it's evident you've been crying, you'll always be nothing but beautiful to me." I said, leaning down and kissing her softly on the lips. She wrapped her arms around my neck and kissed me back. She pushed us down onto the mattress and straddled me.

"I love you." She said, kissing my jaw. I shivered beneath her and caught her lips with mine again.

"I love you too." I whispered against her lips. Her hands found the hem of my shirt and she tugged lightly. I sat up and pulled my shirt off, breaking our kiss momentarily. Her hands traveled from my shoulders and rested against my chest. Before her hands could go any further, a knock sounded at the door.

"What?" I snapped, pulling away from Charlotte. She ignored the knock and trailed kisses from my lips to my cheek, and then across my jaw.

"Ben, we have visitors." Michael said through the door.

"Can't it wait?" I asked, shuddering as Charlotte kissed my neck. 

"I don't think so, they're from the Blood Moon pack." I stiffened, causing Charlotte to pull away from me.

"I'll be right down." I said, lifting Charlotte off of me. I placed her gently on the bed beside me and reached for my shirt.

"What's going on?" Charlotte asked.

"Nothing, baby. Just meet me downstairs when you're cleaned up. We have guests." She nodded and I kissed her forehead. She crawled off the bed and walked into the bathroom, shutting and locking the door. I slipped my shirt on and fixed my hair before walking out the door.

"Why are they here?" Michael asked as soon as I opened the door.

"I don't know. Get Dylan to stand guard at this door. I don't want them to come up here while Charlotte's unsupervised. She'll meet them with us when she's ready." Michael nodded and ran off to get Dylan. They came back and Dylan stood right outside the door.

"I'll bring her down when she's done." I nodded to Dylan and started walking down the stairs. I took a deep breath in and stepped into my living room.

"Alpha Eric, Beta Andrew," I greeted. "How may I help you?"

"Andrew said he found his mate, and he tracked her here." Eric said, stepping forward.

"Alright, I'm sure we can help you fi-" Andrew cut me off, sniffing the air.

"She's close. Her scent is all over this house." I sniffed the air, catching the scent of only one girl. Charlotte.

"I don't thi-"

"Sorry it took so long, Trying to fix my face was a struggle." Charlotte said, entering the room. Before I could tell Dylan to take her back upstairs, Andrew had scooped Charlotte up in his arms.

"Mate." He said, inhaling her scent. 

I don't think I've ever growled louder in my life.