Severed Moon

Slight Confessions

"How was your first day?" Caleb asked me, his hair flopping over his forehead, and falling into his eyes. His hunched shoulders caught my attention along with the way he stretched his neck as if it hurt.

"Fine." Was all I said, fixing my position as I sat on my bed.

I watched as his brows sunk into suspicion. "Just fine? Did anyone say anything or do anything to hurt you? Did Rowan not do what I asked him?"

"No, no, he did. Everything went fine. Nothing bad happened."

Yet, this did not remove the crease between his brows, "Then why do you look like that?"

I pursed my lips for just a moment, hoping that perhaps he would understand why ultimately, this was not the best thing for me. This was not what I wanted.

"Stellie," he said, his tone saddened, "I won't let anything happen to you. You just need to survive for a year, pass your classes, and everything will go back to normal."

I watched him as he knelt before me, his hands resting on my knees. "But it won't, Caleb."

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"After I leave the school, I'll still need to mate, have a litter."

"And...that isn't what you want?" He asked carefully, his voice becoming somber. As I forced myself to look into his eyes, it was like looking directly at his wolf. Torn, broken, and hurt like I just dashed his heart on the ground and stomped all over it.

"No, it's just...I think I need time to figure out what I want, not what is expected of me."

He nodded, "I'll wait, Stellie. As long as you need. I'll be here."

I nodded, my lips fighting a sad frown, "I know, I know." That was the worst part. He would wait as long as it took for me to be ready, for me to want this life.

My mouth opened, but his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket, answered it and put it to his ear. "Hey...Okay, I'll be there." Hanging up, he looked back at me. "I'm sorry, Stellie, the guys have called a meeting. Can we talk later?"

I nodded, "Of course."

He gave me one last look before leaving my home.

I fell back on my bed, thoughts swimming in my mind. My fingers ran through my hair, "Ugh, why? Just why?" I muttered. There were so many things that irritated me, but naming them felt almost impossible. If anything, the one thing on my mind right now was my sister.

I hate that I may have let all these thoughts about school overshadow her death. I reached beneath my pillow, grasping the crumpled letter and I read it again. At this point, I can recite it word for word.

I sat up, setting the paper back under the pillow. I needed a way to find out what really happened to her. And the best way to do that was to have an 'in' with Caleb, Alistair, Rowan, and Colvin. The meeting they're having, it has to be about the future of the pack now that Aurora was gone.

I need to go.