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Authors: Jessica Burnett

Dark Secrets (8 page)

BOOK: Dark Secrets
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              “There you are! I was worried when I realized you weren’t in the room anymore.”

I look back and see Derek standing behind me. I smile up at him. All previous thoughts vanished from my mind.

“I just wanted to see the stars” I say as he crouches down to lie beside me.

“It’s beautiful out here, isn’t it?”

“Extremely. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it” I laugh.

“You won’t. I never did.” He smiles back at me.

We’re quiet for a few minutes. Our minds wandering to different places.

“Why don’t you change form on the full moon?” I ask suddenly.

He looked over at me and quirked his eyebrows as he said, “You mean like in all the stories?” I simply nodded as he continued to speak, “It’s a myth the humans created to feel safer. We never tried to explain that changing is a choice not a curse. What’s the point really? It would just make them fear us more.”

We both went back to staring at the sky while I pondered this new information. Things were so different here. From what I have seen, the wolves aren’t nearly as violent as the stories I have read made them out to be. There are hardly any fights, everyone acts as if they are one big family… in a way I guess they are, they live completely off the land, and build their own houses. I appreciate the way things are run. In fact, I have always dreamed of living like this myself. I almost feel as if I belong here…

I focus on the stars and change my thought process once again.

“Did you ever wonder what the stars were made of?” I ask.

“When I was little I thought they were holes in the sky… that maybe God was peering down at us through them. That was back when I still believed there could be a god.”

I laugh at his honesty, “You have a very overactive imagination, you know.”

“I try.”

We lay there for a while in complete silence; the only sound being that of the strong winds blowing in and the owl in the tree above us.

“What do you like most in this world?” I ask as I turn my head to look at him and realize he’s been staring at me this whole time.

“You’re full of random questions tonight… Hmmm… Spaghetti O’s.” He answers jokingly. I laugh whole-heartedly.

“No, seriously.”

“Seriously, I am in
love
with Spaghetti O’s. Ha. Okay, what else? Mint chocolate chip ice cream, rock music, pop music, and old country, full moons, starry nights, the peace of nature… and sex in the rain.” He answers. With that last statement he looks over at me and wiggles his eyebrows up and down. I start giggling profusely.

The word, “Interesting…” is all that I could get out. I don’t know how to reply.

“What about you?”

“Hmmm…. My son, nature, and coke… the kind you drink, long baths, hot showers, creeks deep enough to swim in, the same kind of music as you, and the night.” I reply smoothly.

“What about night do you like so much?”

“Everything; the full moon in all its glory, the shining stars because when I look at them I feel as if I am looking into other worlds far, far away. I love the owls hooting in the distance, the feeling of being wrapped up by the darkness, the solitude, the silence, and the peacefulness of the world. I love that at night it’s almost as if everything has stopped and yet life is still moving forward.” I whisper.

Derek stared at me for a moment, mouth slightly agape. “You have a beautiful mind. I never realized you were so deep.”

“Let me guess… you thought I must be completely clueless like all of the other girls my age?” I ask as I stick my tongue out.

“Ha! Yeah, something like that. Especially since you were brought up in the human world.” He smiled brightly at me.

“How rude.” I laugh. “We should probably go back in. It’s getting pretty late.” I said as I began to stand up.

“Alright, let’s go back to bed then. And next time, don’t leave without telling me first. I don’t make a very good bodyguard if I no longer have a body to guard.” He winked at me as he said this. I simply laugh.

He grabs my hand and leads me back in.

 

 

“You two have gotten pretty cozy I see.” Damien said suddenly.

Derek, Lachlan, Kai and I are sitting at the kitchen table eating breakfast. Derek had just finished making waffles and bacon for all of us. Derek and I are sitting together on one side, Kai is at the end, and Lachlan is sitting across from us.

“What do you mean?” I questioned curiously.

“I’m just saying… you and Derek have been spending a lot of time together as of late. It seems Derek shows no resentment towards you at all anymore. I mean, look at you. You’re sitting so close together you’re basically conjoined.” He said cynically.

“Is that a bad thing?” Derek inquired. “I thought you’d be happy I no longer wanted to rip out her throat every time she walked in the room.”

“Rip my throat out? What the hell?” I’m looking back and forth between them trying to figure out what all the hostility was about. Subconsciously, I knew exactly what it was.

“Oh, I am. I’m just wondering if you are truly beginning to like her or if it’s simply because we’re in your parent’s home and you’re trying to make a good impression.” Damien retorted as Derek glared back at him.

“Careful Damien. You’re crossing a line.” Derek growled.

“What does that mean? Why would he need to make a good impression?” I interject.

“Never mind, it doesn’t matter. Damien’s just being an ass. Come on, if you’re finished I’ll show you around the territory. Lachlan, will you watch Kai for us?” Derek said quickly. He was busying himself by cleaning up plates; avoiding looking directly at me.

“Of course I will. Kai and I will go see the garden.” Lachlan uttered as he picked Kai up to leave the room.

“Bye, bye Derek!” Kai says as he’s being carried away, waving all the way. I smile at him, that’s the first time he’s said Derek’s name.

Damien storms off in a huff.

“What was that about?” I ask again.

“I’ll explain later… just not today. Come on, let’s get out of here.” He answers as he grabs hold of my hand and drags me out.

 

 

 

Derek dragged me through town, barely pausing to explain the various landmarks and introduce me to people. He was in such a hurry that I tripped over my own feet about five times. He’d simply pick me back up and start pulling me away again. I had to fight the urge to just whop him upside the head. Anytime I asked what the hurry was about he simply ignored me.

“Where are we?” I ask as we step out of the forest after a long trek through the woods. I’m staring out at a great field filled with large stones scattered about that look completely out of place. Each stone has been intricately carved into beautiful wolves, all different shapes and sizes. The most amazing of all was a giant statue of a wolf transforming into a man standing in the middle of it all. A large garden filled with flowers I’ve never seen before surrounded the statue and every stone.

Derek smiled brightly at me. “We’re at my favorite place. No one else comes here. All that you see, I created. It took nearly three years to complete. The wolf in the middle represents my grandfather. I originally started building it for him, but he passed away before I could show it to him.”

“Really?” I stare in wonder and awe.

“Mm hm. What do you think?” He asked. His facial expression suggested he needed my approval.

“It’s lovely; absolutely brilliant… and incredibly sweet.” I smiled as I said this.

He smiled hugely at me. “Thank you, my lady. I’m glad you like it. Come on, there’s something in the middle I want you to see.” He grabbed my hand once again and tugged me along.

We were standing in front of the huge statue looking down at the giant wolf’s feet. Derek leaned over and rose up one of its large toes. Beneath it was a ring.

“What’s that for?” I ask quizzically. My heart is fluttering and I’m silently praying he’s not going to propose.

Derek frowned down at me… sorrow in his eyes. “It’s the ring my grandfather gave me to give to my mate… The mate my father chose for me. He made me promise I would use this ring, my grandmother’s ring, when I proposed to her.”

“Oh, I see. Do you dislike the person you are betrothed to?” I ask as I peer into his saddened eyes.

“No. On the contrary, I love her. But, I don’t believe she feels the same way about me.”

“Why would you think that?”

“I haven’t been the nicest person to her. I was a jerk from the moment we met. I tried to make it better, and I may have, but I think she’s already in love with someone else.” He said sullenly.

He slumped to the ground where he sat, twiddling the ring between his fingers. I gingerly sat down beside him and grabbed his hand.

“She’d be a fool not to marry you. Or, at the very least, love you. I have to admit sometimes I don’t like you and you were quite the jerk to me. But, you’re an amazing person. I promise you that.”

“You really think so?”

“Sure I do.”

He rose his eyebrows up at me and cocked a smile. “So, if it were you I was talking about… you’d say yes?”

I laughed to give me time. I wasn’t sure how to respond to that. I wasn’t sure why he was asking. I decided to lie to make him feel better.

“Of course I would. I’d love to have you as a… mate? Ha. Is that what you called it?”

We stared at each other in silence for a moment. The second the words were out of my mouth I regretted them. For, in that second, I realized it was the truth. I realized that I may actually be falling for this man. Unfortunately, it would never work out. He was betrothed to a different person. My heart started to splutter and I swear he could hear it. He gave me the strangest look yet; continuously looking from my chest to my face as if he were listening to my mini heart attack and examining my reaction.

“You’d love to be my mate?” He asked softly; his eyes suddenly turning gentle.

“Uh… you know we should really be getting back. Kai is probably missing me.” I said as I was quickly getting up to leave. I turned around and started running. I could hear his footsteps behind me and I knew it wouldn’t be long before he caught me. I sped up but it was no use. Derek’s hand suddenly grabbed my right arm and pulled me backwards, pinning me against him, my back against his chest. He wound both of his arms around my waist and held me tightly.

“Let me go”, I screeched as I fought to get loose.

“Not until you answer me” He laughed in my ear.

I threw my arms down to my side and slumped over. There really was no use in fighting off a werewolf. “You’re so mean to me”, I pouted.

His silent laughter shook through us both. “I know. I’m dreadful.”

“You are!” I can’t help but giggle a little, “Please let me go” I beg.

He pulls me around to face him and I squeal, unable to stop him from pulling me up off the ground so our faces were just inches apart. “Not until you answer me” He whispered.

I stuck my tongue out to him and glared my best glare yet. He suddenly pulls me in, his mouth is on mine before I have time to even think the word no. At first I fought. I wasn’t sure I was ready for this. I knew kissing him would indefinitely lead to heartache and I couldn’t afford to go through that again. The longer I fought the harder it got and eventually I had to give up. It’s as if an electric current was radiating through our bodies, pulling me closer to him; as if I no longer had control over my body or thoughts. My arms wrapped themselves around his neck, drawing him in further. It was like nothing I had ever felt before and I never wanted to let him go.

I was about to get lost in the world of Derek when my brain was suddenly interrupted. I could hear Kai’s voice screaming my name. My mind was filled with his despair and Lachlan’s agony. I break the kiss suddenly, pushing against Derek with all my force. I fall to the ground and he’s standing above me astonished.

“What’s wrong??”

“KAI! He needs me!”

I get up and start running as fast as I can. “I’m not going to make it. I’m not going to make it!” is all I am thinking. Abruptly I am in Derek’s arms. He’s carrying me and hurtling through the forest faster than humanly possible. We approach the house in time to see Lachlan being flung through the air by a gigantic beast.

“You want me to be honest

But the truth is I don’t even know what I’m trying to say

I want you to know me

Without judgment

I don’t want you to leave

So I’m rolling up my sleeves

Trying to make up for lost time

Forgetting the fact that you may not even care

That you’re not even mine

I don’t have much to offer

All I have to give is myself and it’s not fair

It’s not fair of me to ask

But, will you be mine

Until the ends of time

I promise to try my hardest

I promise to love you with all I’ve got

I would travel the farthest

BOOK: Dark Secrets
8.25Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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