Howler

Chapter XLIII

New Years came and went and eventually we all all had to go back to school and like the New year there was change in the air.

"WHAT?" Evie and I were sitting in my backyard the day after New Years and Evie was blushing and shushing me. "Yes, yes we finally completed the mate bond, it was after the Christmas ball and it was...wonderful and a bit awkward but other than that it was perfect" Evie sighed contently and I nodded understandably, Jem and Evie were both virgins before that night and so obviously that night would be special.

When Harry and I would eventually complete the mate bond I would be terribly inexperienced compared to Harry who had slept with three people prior to me (yeah we had discussed it briefly). "I could tell something was different about you" I said to Evie "maybe it's that your scent is different or your glowing" I said and Evie blushed. When wolves mate their scent usually changes as it's supposed to be a marker to other unmated wolves to back off.

"Abby are you okay?" Evie asked me and placed a hand over mine "yeah I suppose so...I mean Harry has been with more people than me and well you know..." I didn't particularly want to say that I was self conscious. "Abby you'll be okay...I mean it has to happen eventually and what you and Harry have been dating for what? Three months?" I nodded that was about right because Evie and Jem had been dating for four.

"Abby you just need to remember that Harry loves you and that one day he will be by your side for eternity and it doesn't matter how many people he's been with before because just know it ends with you" I nodded gratefully at Evie's words because that was something I really needed to hear.

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There was a rumour amongst the pack. Tia Summers was hanging around with the mysterious Hugo Johnson. Although I remember him front the ball I also remember him saying they were merely acquaintances. "Isn't he a little old for her?" I asked Evie as I began getting some books out of my locker. "Well no... he's only twenty that's one year older than Jem" Evie explained as she leaned against a locker and I couldn't help but agree.

But something about Hugo made me feel uneasy. Perhaps it was his strange ability to get anyone to do what he wanted without even raising the tone of his voice. Perhaps he could command a room the way I could but still something was off about him.

"Abby I think your just being paranoid that whole thing with Harry and your bond thing might be making you a little wary of boys" Evie smirked and I couldn't help but glare. Issuing my insecurities against me was a low blow and she knew it. "Remember who your talking to Eve" I said through gritted teeth as I slammed my locker shut

"you'd do well to remember that"

Since it was the end of the day I marched out the school and once I hit a further enough destination ( a bench that overlooked the park) I sat down and placed my head in my hands. "Abigail?" I looked up and speak of the devil.

It was Hugo.

"It is Abigail right?" He asked me and I nodded. "Yeah Hugo right?" I mimicked and he smiled "what's wrong you seem troubled" he sat down next to me and I wasn't going to tell him my problems about Harry so I said the next best thing "just pressure I guess...to make certain things occur" I confessed and that wasn't a total stretch of truth.

"Oh?"

"Well there's just people that I need to keep away because of the interests of my pack" I said as I leant back and Hugo followed me "family putting too much pressure to step into a role?" He asked me and I nodded "yeah I guess so...your family ever put pressure on you?" I asked him and Hugo's face darkened "my parents abandoned me when I was three, I was taken in by others" and without thinking I placed my hand on his "I'm sorry Hugo..." I began but he waved me off "don't be, I believe that justice comes to all in the end"

Those words put my slightly on edge but I ignored it.

"Hugo can you do me a favour?" Hugo looked up at me and seemed a bit taken aback but nodded. "I know that you've been spending a lot of time with Tia lately but can you please be careful?" I asked him with a touch of protectiveness but I still couldn't be sure where it was coming from.

"I'll remember that" he gave me a wary smile and I returned it. My hand still placed on his arm and it felt like it was eternity since I moved it. "Your a nice person to talk to Miss Gilbert" he said suddenly and I couldn't help but feel a little warm at that.

It was only a few seconds later that Hugo hugged me a little awkwardly at first but I returned it.

"Abigail?"

That voice did not belong to Hugo but someone else I knew. "Harry!?" I turned behind me and saw Harry standing on the pathway behind the bench and looking between me and Hugo distastefully

"sorry to interrupt" and with that he began to walk quickly away. "I'm sorry Hugo..."

"No go and fix it. I know all too well about losing loved ones" I ignored his strangely personal comment and ran after Harry.

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Wow this chapter took me almost a week to write. Also I would like to tell a story quickly which wanted my heart. My best friend and I were chilling and she asked how to make a wattpad account and I was like "random but okay" and showed her on my laptop and she proceeded to make an account and then actually went and voted on all my stories chapters which she had read previously when I ask her to see if my ideas work.

It's people like that that make my life a little brighter and I hope that kind of shows how much every vote, read and comment means to me and that my friend took time to make an account just to vote on stories so I could get recognition (even though my writing isn't just about that) thank you so much

L xx