Accept Me

12: "Who is she?"

We swim for about an hour before I start to become wrinkled, the weird feeling pushing me to get out of the water and dry out on my towel. I lay on my stomach, my arms crossed under my head as I rest my face between my arms to keep the Sun from my eyes. I can hear Tristan splash around in the water, mumbling to himself about complete nonsense.

I find myself dozing off from the heat of the Sun, the warmth lulling me into a sense of security. I lay in a half conscious state, my mate's ruckus welcome background noise. I'm not sure how long I lay there before I hear and feel others join us at the the lake to cool off some. My ears perk up at the sound of loud and slightly obnoxious giggling coming from somewhere to my left. I nearly tune it out before the person stops giggling and begins talking.

"Hey Tristan."

"Oh, hey Bianca, when did you get back?"

"Earlier this morning."

"Did you have a good time?"

"Meh, it was fine, but nothing beats being home."

"I completely agree." He chuckles.

"So, did you find your mate in any of the other packs?"

"Well, no-"

"Oh, I'm so sorry! I know you were really hoping to find your mate." She says, but there's something off about her tone.

"Actually-"

"I'm sure you'll find her soon." She giggles.

"But-"

"I mean, my birthday is next week." She giggles some more, making me roll my closed eyes.

Is that actually possible? Whatever, I just did it.

"Excuse me?" Tristan's voice gains a hard edge.

"Unless I'm of age then neither of us can tell if we're mates, but after last Summer I'm sure we are." Her continuous giggling grates my ears.

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't act like you don't know." She giggles again. Goddess, does she ever stop giggling?  "I know most of the pack choose to wait for their mates to have sex, but I'm sure they won't mind with us since we're mates anyway."

The silence is deafening as I hold my breath, waiting for his response. 

"What the hell are you talking about?" Tristan nearly growls out. "I have never had sex with you, or anyone for that matter; not that it's any of your goddamn business."

"Yes we did. Last Summer at Patrick's going away party we went into one of the rooms and had the best sex I've ever had." She explains as if he should already know this.

"You must've been extremely drunk or high off your mind because I never went to Patrick's party. In fact, I wasn't even invited down to the cabin."

"What?" Her shaky voice is nearly drowned out by the moving water.

"I'm sorry you've had the wrong impression, but I suggest you try and find whoever you had sex with and talk it out."

"But, my mate-"

"Better not make you feel any less of a person just because you had sex with someone else. As long as you stay faithful to your mate after finding them, then that's all that should matter."

"Thanks." She whispers, and I can hear the sniffle she tries to hold back. They're silent for a long moment before she starts up another conversation. "So, how long will you be here before you go back to searching?"