The Altered Mate

Chapter Eleven

"What are you doing?" I gasp as I turn around. Ekon is standing right behind me, watching as I scribble notes onto a small sheet of paper I found earlier in the night stand next to my bed.

"You scared me." My voice is small and quiet. I place my hand over my heart and feel the fast beating thundering in my chest. Ekon smirks at me and motions for me to scoot over on the chair.

"Well, what are you doing?" Ekon asks as he once again points to the paper clutched in my hands. I look to him and back to the paper. Do I want to show him what I am doing? I've never showed another person besides Papa what I have composed before.

Ekon is a friend though, at least I think he is. He has been really nice to me and done everything he could have possibly done to make me feel comfortable here. I've never really had a friend before. Maybe this could be my do over, maybe I could have a different life here. No longer would I be lonely Sven who relied to much on his Papa, now I am the confident Sven that can have any friend that he wants.

"I compose music. This is something I have been working on." I say quietly as I smooth out the crinkle paper on top of thr piano. Ekon hums in ackowledgement and jerks his head to the piano.

"Play it." He says simply. My cheeks heat. I don't think I'm really ready yet to play in front of everyone. I may be trying to start over in life, but some things will have to come slower than others.

"I want to wait until I've finished it first. I always seem to lose my inspiration if I hear the song before I've actually finish it. I hope you understand." I say softly as I look at him from the corner of my eyes. I don't want to look at him directly just in case he noticed my half lie.

Most of the time while I compose I don't even play the notes until I have completely finished the song. I have played piano so much that I know what a note is going to sound like before I even play it. I like making the music and then being ten times happier when I actually play it on the piano. It makes me feel like a better version of myself, knowing I made something so magical.

"That's okay, just tell me when you finish it. I want to be the first to hear it." Ekon smiles at me before standing up and placing his hand on my head.

"I came up here to tell you that we were planning on having a barbeque tonight for your arrival. Lawson wants to introduce you to the pack, if that is okay. He wants everyone to know that you are his mate." I frown at Ekon's words.

"He didn't seem like he wanted everyone to know that we are mates. He dismissed me as if I was his student. That isn't how you treat your mate." I say quietly as I play once again with the paper clutched in my hands.

"This is what I was afraid of." Ekon says just as quietly. I look over at him.

"What?" Ekon sighs a final time before turning to me fully.

"Lawson has a hard time expressing emotions. He might actually care about you, but dismisses you as if he doesn't. Don't be affended by it. He does it to everyone, I was hoping that he wouldn't to you, his mate, but it seems that I was only thinking wishfully." My own lips frown, so he was being a meanie because he cared about me? That doesn't seem right.

"Give him time, now come on. I'll show you around a little." I nod and follow after Ekon, slipping the piece of paper into my pocket as I close the door behind me.