Mated

Six

"Diana, they're still out there," Mary said behind me as I shut the door. I turned and squeezed her hand.

"As long as we're together you have nothing to worry about," I smiled at her trying my best at reassurance and hid the fear in my voice. The moon outside shone through a sliver of gap between the curtains, lighting up the fear in her dark eyes.

"We won't get far," she insisted. I reached down and moved the hair from her eyes.

"You have nothing to worry about," I repeated. She nodded and we walked over to Mel, who was now fully clothed and ready.

"It'll be over before you know it," I whispered to myself.

I woke to the sound of the pack on the first floor. They may be floors below my room but the booming voices of werewolves go through walls unless sound proof. I searched the closet and found something to wear, suitable for the cool weather of Stratton, usually a pair of thick jeans, a sweater and tall boots.

Everyone was gathered in the living room. I walked in and caught the bagel Mike threw at me as I walked in.

"Well, good morning to you too," I said walking to the coffee table that held a tray of bagels.

"Are you going downtown with us?" he asked. I swapped the raisin bagel he'd thrown me with a muffin and poured myself a cup of hot tea. When I finished, only Nad and Evangeline were still in the room waiting for me.

"Okay, let's go!" Nad exclaimed and ran past me and out the front door. We all followed him out.

"This baby's mine," Mike patted the hood of a glossy hot pink Ferrari parked near James' car.

"I wouldn't doubt it," I said.

"Get your paws off my car, Michelangelo!" Eva called from behind us. I snorted. He narrowed his eyes at me and slipped into another car, a dark orange Jeep wrangler.

"You're coming with us," James said walking past me, without so much as shooting me a glance.

"Shotgun!" Nad called ripping open the passenger door.

"Yeah right, buddy," James shook his head. Nad whined but reluctantly climbed into the back seat.

We drove in silence until Nad began bombarding James with facts about a video game he wanted that one of the stores downtown promised him they still had in stock. I stared out of the window during the ride, familiarizing myself with the roads of my new home.

When we reached the shopping district, Evangeline and Mike pulled in after us. I surveyed our surroundings: it was an outdoor shopping mall. It smelled safe enough, we were the only wolves in the crowd of pedestrians going in and out of the stores. And though it was a cloudy day and smelled of rain, the stores appeared to be busy.

"Can we go to the game store first?" Nad was frantic to get the game he'd talked our ears off about. He grabbed the edge of James' shirt and yanked hard on it, attempting to lead the way though James' tall frame didn't budge. I smiled at his composure. If he was ever worn out by his energetic little brother, he never showed it.

"You guys can go, I have some of my own shopping to do," Evangeline piped up.

"Yeah, I've got to run. I'm meeting someone," Mike said and left our small circle.

"Malia, come with me?" Eva asked. I looked to James and a very impatient Nad. I didn't exactly know if James' invitation for me to join today was a way to apologize for how he'd reacted toward me as his mate, but I didn't want to be in his way. Though, I didn't want to be alone with Eva either.