Stronger than the Boys {1}

Chapter Thirty-Two - Messy Hair

When I woke up, a part of me felt so at home that I couldn't fully describe to myself how comfortable and relaxed I was. I tried to figure out the feeling, but I just think that was supposed to be how I felt when Jay was around.

His arms were around me and mine were around him and I felt so content finally, that was strange and I almost pulled away, but I realized that I wanted this. I wanted everything to go right for once. I wanted what I wanted and no one else. My family can want whatever they want and they can go out and get it. If mom wants a different life, then whatever. I'll make a life of my own.

This is my life to choose.

"You're awake," I heard Jay mumbled, and then at the same time - as if we both had the same beautiful thought - we pulled each other closer.

"Do you think it's early or late?" I grumbled into his chest.

"I don't care really."

I sighed, "I'm going to have to tell everyone about yesterday."

That made him stiffen. Last night we talked about everything except our families. We talked about our dreams and our ambitions. We talked about university on the mainland and life that might come afterwards. I told him about New York and other places I have seen and he told me about his one family vacation to Disney World and how it ended horribly because of a weird werewolf pack in the area. We talked about our hobbies and even about school tomorrow plus the homework we still might have to complete.

It was utterly and completely normal - well for our standards.

"I don't want to but if everyone is going to move ahead with their lives, it needs to happen."

Both of us unconsciously strained our ears to listen. I could tell because we both quieted our breathing and didn't say anything for a long moment.

"They're outside," I decided, "We should get this over and done with sooner."

"Do you want to change? Maybe brush your hair?"

I peeled away from him so that I could look at his face. "Why? Do I look that bad?"

He shrugged, "you smell like me and your hair looks like we did more than talk."

I frowned.

"I'm just saying that Jeremy will be mad."

My frown deepened, he was right. Jeremy would be pissed. But that was because I thought of Jeremy as my brother, my twin, and underneath that Jeremy had fallen for me in a way that siblings don't feel. We weren't siblings, we shared no DNA other than the fact we were both Legions. We had traced our parent's family trees back centuries between Legions and humans and looked through all of the different people and lines and not once had they crossed.

It wasn't going to start now either.

"Jeremy is my brother," I declared, "you are..." I trailed off at that and Jay's eyebrow raised as my cheeks heated up.

"Mate is the appropriate term," Jay grinned at me.

I rolled my eyes, "I don't know, it doesn't have that much weight to it because it's a new term for me."

"It has weight to me," Jay said quietly. Then he spoke a little louder, "are you saying you want a different title? Like boyfriend and girlfriend?"

My cheeks got even redder. That was exactly what I was saying but mostly because soul mate - or mate - seemed like an obvious general term to me. Boyfriend and girlfriend was a title and a term that I could get behind and could really mark Jay as mine. I just didn't know how to describe that importance to Jay. Maybe it was because he had grown up with this term and surrounded by werewolves who all wanted the same thing when I grew up around humans and witches who were more obvious to the soulmate world and just wanted someone to call their own.

"Are you asking me to be your boyfriend then?" Jay grinned again.

"Maybe..." I said quietly. This made me more nervous than it should.

"You should try actually asking," Jay had such a stupid rin on his face now.

"You don't want the title though, you just said that."

Jay then pulled me closer to him in almost a bone-crushing embrace, "Raven I want what you want. And if you feel better with a title between us, claiming each other as belonging to one another in the human and supernatural world, then I'll be more than happy to hold a title for you."

I just rested my head on his chest while we held each other tight. How can someone be so good to me after I treated them so terribly? I know I apologized and he told me I didn't have to, but that won't mean I'll try my best to make up for all of it for the rest of the time I'll have Jay with me.

"Do you want to be my boyfriend then?" I finally asked just loud enough so that he would hear.

I could feel his chest rumbling in laughter, he was going to make fun of me now.

"Of course I'll be your boyfriend," he said and his laughter only got worse. But there was now a weight off of my shoulders and I felt better. Even if he was laughing at my absurd request.

We laid there until our stomachs were grumbling with hunger and we had no other choice to finally get up and tell people. By the noise happening outside, all of the search parties had returned finally. Jay and I both ate an apple and some banana bread in the kitchen of the packs' house before going out to confront them. I'd rather not tell everyone bad news while on an empty stomach.

My whole family was outside, and so was most of the pack. I figured since no one came to interrupt us while we ate in eerie silence.

When we finally stepped out onto the back porch, we were noticed. By everyone. They all looked. Now I understood by changing and fixing my hair would have been beneficial. I spotted Jeremy almost immediately, however. He looked angry.

I guessed that Jay saw him too because he followed behind me so closely that I could feel his body heat on my back. We walked as casually as we could back over to my side of the backyard. Everyone was staring and I fully well knew what they were thinking. I had spent the night in Jay's room.

I stopped right in front of my family and the angry Jeremy.

I cleared my throat and I could feel Jay place his hand on my back for support. "Mom is not coming home."

All of my brothers gave me a look of sadness and disbelief.

I felt terrible. I didn't want to be the one who gave them this news.

"She's on a mission of her own, which is to find dad's mate."

Everyone turned to look at my father. He was still on the porch, looking off into the distance and not paying attention to us. As per usual.

But then he spoke, "she's coming."

I stiffened. He turned around to look at us finally, his eyes were glowing. This was my dad using one of his powers. He's basically an oracle. He predicted all of our births and was prepared for everything except the arrival of the rogue. I wonder if he ever saw Jay and I being in each other's lives, but I didn't want to ask.

There were some things that I didn't want to know.

"Mom or your mate?" I asked with venom in my voice. His eyes stopped glowing and he looked at me. Really looked at me since the first time mom had left with the rogue wolf.

"Does it matter?"

I hated oracle dad. He always decided to be cryptic when telling us things he saw.

I decided to give up on that and turned back to my brothers, "mom is where she wants to be, and she owes everyone an explanation but I doubt she's going to give it."

Nicholas looked the worst out of all the reactions. I tried to give him a hopeful look, "I told her that you wanted her here for your birthday."

He looked even worse after I said that, even though I know he tried to smile for me. So I went and gave him a hug. He hugged me back as tight as he could. When he let go of me finally, he had tears on his face, "you're staying though right Raven?"

"Why would I ever have any reason to go?"

Nicholas finally smiled at that.

Now it was time for my family to soak in the news and for me to take an actual shower.