Chapter 6

• "Kira, do you think- do you think moving on, dating other guys, it's gonna be better?" We were sitting in our first class, and thankfully Pete wasn't with me.
• She looked at me for a long time. "It can't hurt to try."
• I knew what she really wanted to say was- 'Now, Leah, I am pretty sure that it is not going to work, and Pete's grip is going to be on you forever, and you will die sad, and alone.' Just maybe not as harsh.
• "Where are you gonna find guys, though, Leah? Werewolves rarely date, they have the assurance of mates after all." She chewed on her lip. "I can ask Josh if he knows someone..."
• "Well, there are rejected werewolves. There are ones whose mates have died. I will even settle for casual sex with werewolves who haven't found their mates yet..." I droned.
• Kira gave me a look of such incredulity that I frowned in annoyance. "What?"
• "Now, Leah, I am not against casual sex or anything, even though as a werewolf, that idea is...unsettling. But, really, I never pitched you as the kind of person who would be up for it." She was still staring at me as if I had suddenly turned into a garden gnome.
• "Well, Kira, I have to get Pete out of my system, I don't care how it is..."
• "Yes, of course." She was still not up for it.
• "I can't believe you are prejudiced against casual sex." I monotoned.
• "I am trying, Leah! I am not perfect."
• I snorted. "What?! You are not? Tell that to Josh."
• We were laughing in a weirdly subdued manner, when fucking Flora came along. "Girls, girls, girls. Laughing at yourself, I see."
• Kira was about to say something but I held her hand. "We don't really need to laugh at ourselves, when you provide enough comic relief for all of us."
• Kira was smiling such a smug smile, that I had to control my laughter.
• Flora sneered at the both of us. "Well, you won't be laughing much when I would be your new Luna, would you?"
• Yeah, that quickly wiped the smile off my face.
• "Oh, is that a continuation to your 'Pete is my boyfriend' fantasy?" Kira said, and several people in the room sniggered.
• "No, actually let me tell you something. Last night-"
• What?
• "-Pete and I were getting drunk, and he told me that he doesn't like his mate, he has rejected her, and so he needs a new Luna. And then-"
• Her voice dropped to a conspirational whisper. "-we had sex."
• Punch. I could imagine it so clearly, for a second, I thought I actually punched her. I wanted to tear this girl down, bite her head off, even though she was clearly not at fault.
• But, well, animalistic, I told ya.
• Instead I smiled sarcastically, "Congratulations, Flora, you and Pete are going to be perfect for each other. You know, if he stops screwing other girls."
• She huffed and left us alone after that. But, it didn't matter. Even unintentionally, she had done the damage. I could hear my heart thudding, my wolf whimpering, my resolve strengthening. Maybe damage wasn't all she did.
• "You talk to Josh, Kira."
• *****************************************************************************************************************
• Josh was fast. You know, like Internet Explorer. Six days later, during which I avoided Pete so much that I think he stopped existing, he met me in the coffee shop again.
• "Well, I do have a friend, his name's Harry, and I have talked to him, and sent him your photo-"
• "I really don't think that's how you do it." I sniffed.
• "-and he thinks you're hot. So, yeah, he is a really nice dude, twenty, but hasn't found his mate yet, and so has turned to casual sex for some...respite." Josh grinned. "You'll love him."
• "Please don't tell me you just told him I want to have sex." I was scared of his answer.
• "Of course, not, I said, 'Hey! Are you still looking for someone to date? I know this really pretty girl who is available and she is my mate's best friend, and I think she is very cool, and you'll love her company'. See, I am not a total failure." Josh pushed his phone towards me so I could see the guy's picture. "Here's he. Handsome, eh?"
• He really was. He had light brown hair gelled to the side, and extremely beautiful gray eyes. He carried an easy smile, and I could see myself with him, which was pretty unusual. During these three days, I had tried out exclusive werewolf dating sites, careful not to choose anyone from school. The two dates I went to were absolute disasters, the guys had no manners, nothing in common, one tried to force himself on me, so I kicked him in the nuts, and then broke his finger.
• Don't judge me, he deserved that.
• "He's nice." I commented, giving him the phone back. "He wouldn't mind that I am not ultra-feminine, right?"
• "Of course, not. In fact, he's probably gonna love that. He's an outdoor junkie."
• "I am not an 'outdoor junkie' either. I am just not very feminine." I muttered.
• "Look, Leah, you're gonna be fine. Just rock his world." Kira commented, nodding her head.
• I rolled my eyes at her. "Yes, Kira, I wouldn't be a good girl if I don't do that, would I?"
• She looked at me in a way only best friends can, the 'Naughty Naughty' expression. And, then we all laughed.
• "When's the date?"
• "Your wish."
• "Ask him if he's free tomorrow. Yeah, Café Hills-view, would be good."
• "It's a date!" Josh smiled, typing a quick text on his phone.
• The next day, I skipped school, which was such a relief, because I didn't have to play Hide n Seek with Pete, and not have the urge to follow his scent to Neverland. Around 6, when I started getting ready for my date, Kira called me.
• "Heya, girl. How's it a-going?" She asked in a sing-song voice.
• "Just getting ready."
• "Whatcha wearing?" I could hear it as she took a bite of some fruit.
• "Remember my peach off-shoulder top? That and simple jeans." I opened my hair from the bun and then started side-plaiting my hair.
• "Hmm...sounds good. You know what sounds better?"
• "What?" I asked curiously.
• "Pete going crazy when he couldn't trace you in the school today. He looked buzzed from head to toe. Everybody was asking him why he was acting so weird, but he totally evaded those questions. I knew, obviously." She took another bite.
• "It might be something else."
• "It wasn't, babe, trust me. I know the signs. He wanted you there. That fucktard."
• "Kira, I really don't care." Liar, liar.
• "Yeah, I am sorry. I shouldn't be talking about this just before your date."
• "Yeah, I have to get going now. I have to meet him at 7."
• "Give me all the details when you get back, Leah."
• "Sure thing. Bye."
• I was debating on wearing a bracelet, when something hit my window. I heard a splash and then laughter.
• Shit. My parents weren't home today, one of the reasons I wanted to go on a date today. I peeked outside through my curtains, just as another hit came on my window.
• Four guys and a girl were standing outside my window, throwing eggs at my window. Well, they would've thrown rocks if this wasn't the Beta's home.
• I didn't have to look closely to know that one of the guys was Pete.
• Fuck this.