Protected

Safe

I haven't been able to sleep at all.

It's midnight. I'm laying on my bed. Lucas isn't home yet, or he would have come to see me. What happened to him? Is he okay?

Just then, something tapped on my window.

I jumped up, thinking it was Lucas, but it was just a leaf that had blown between the houses.

I huffed and threw myself back down on the bed.

Riley stuck her head in.

"He's still not back?" she asked.

I shook my head.

She came and sat down on the bed next to me.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," she reassured me.

At that moment, there was a knocking at my window. I ran over and threw it open, and Lucas fell in on top of me.

I hugged him as tight as I could, burying my head in his shoulder, and he wrapped his arms around me. We lay like that for a solid minute, before he helped me up.

I punched him in the arm, "Don't ever do that to me again!"

He smiled, then noticed Riley.

Riley jumped forward and enthusiastically shook his hand.

"He-lloo! So, are you the famous Lucas I've heard so much about?" she said.

Lucas raised his eyebrows at me.

"Yes... I'm Lucas. Maya talks about me?" he asked.

"Yes, of course, it's all she's done for the past twenty-four hours!" Riley said. 

I look down, the blood rushing to my face.

"Lucas, this is Riley. My best friend. Riley, Lucas." I introduced them, still covering my face.

They shook hands again. I shot Riley my death glare. She took the hint and left.

"What happened, Lucas? Zay and Josh were all worried, and then you shoved Josh against the wall. You told me to 'stay safe,' which wasn't exactly reassuring, and then you just leave for a whole day and don't get back until midnight! I was worried!" I said, the words all rushing out at once.

He hugged me again. I felt safe and secure when I hugged him, like nothing in the world could hurt me.

"I'm sorry, Maya," he mumbled into my hair.

He pulled away, "The pack is generally stable. There's me, Zay, Josh, Charlie,  August, and the Pack Leader, Corey. Zay, Josh, and Charlie are pretty cool. August is the Pack Leader's son. The Pack Leader has always been unstable, but we can't blame him. He Morphed onto someone, they got married and had two kids. Then, his wife divorced him. With Morphing, you have no idea the excruciating mental and physical pain it causes to stay away from your mate for a long time. He hasn't seen his mate in fifteen years, and his mate was pregnant. He became brutal, angry. No one else in my Pack has Morphed. He made it clear that he hates it." he looked me straight in the eyes, and his face was full of so much sadness and fear that I felt sad and afraid, too, "I don't know what would happen to you if he found out."

"Forget it," I said, trying to make us feel better, "We'll be alright."

He pulled me into his arms again.

I knew that, whatever happened, I would always be safe in his arms.