Everyone took off back to campus after the cake, leaving only my family and Dastien. My parents wanted a little alone time before I went back to the dorm. Even though they knew what was going to happen tonight in a vague sort of way, they couldn’t be there. It was a Were-only thing.
The tension in the house was only getting worse thanks to the cousins’ visit. As I did the dishes, Dad started whispering to Mom about how they should stop the ceremony. Suddenly, the kitchen seemed too small.
I moved to the wraparound porch and sat on the swing to soak in a little bit of quiet. The screen door screeched. My eyes were closed, but I didn’t need to open them to recognize Dastien sitting down beside me. I could sense it through our bond and the scent in the air—that lovely mix of forest and dirt
