The alarm on Aiden's digital wrist watch began to beep at midnight. He groaned, his face pressed into the cleft between Vivian's breasts, and rolled over to snatch the watch from the nightstand.
"I suppose that's my cue to get going," Vivian yawned. She stretched her arms and legs into the air, wanting nothing more than to stay where she was and go back to sleep.
"Will you get in trouble for coming in so late?" Aiden asked.
"Oh, my mother will do a bit of bitching if she's home, but she doesn't really give a damn. She knows she isn't the boss of me."
"I wish I could say the same about my parents. It's like, the older I get, the harder they lock down on me. I'll be seventeen soon. Shouldn't they be treating me more like an adult by now?"
She touched his face. "You only have a year left. Once high school is over, you can do whatever you want."
"A year is a long time in this household."
"I know, babe, but you can make it. I'll be right here with you."
He smiled and pressed her fingers to his lips. "You want me to drive you home?"
"No thanks, I'll walk. Your parents might come home while you're gone, and I want you free as soon as possible."
"Okay. You're right. But still. Maybe Bingo could come give you a lift. I feel rude making you walk all that way after…"
"No, don't bother Bingo. I'm fine, really. It's not that far, and I love the night air."
Aiden pulled on a pair of boxer shorts while Vivian slithered back into her dress, then they went downstairs together, holding hands.
"Thanks for tonight," Aiden said shyly as they hugged goodbye in the entryway. "You're amazing."
"Back atcha," Vivian smiled. "Call me when you can."
"I will." He kissed her, then held the door open for her.
Vivian made her way home at a slow run, her eyes half closed, pretending she had her fur on. The night swathed her in sweet ecstasy, every sensation crackling through her body like fire. Her blood rushed through her veins, singing with love and joy for Aiden. She had never felt so light, so happy, so fulfilled.
A year ago, she thought as she leapt a low brick wall to cut across someone's backyard, I never would have thought my future so bright. I have lost so much, but I've gained a lot too. I have friends and a soul mate. Of course, Bingo, Quince, Jem, and the others won't be able to know the truth, but Aiden knows, and that's all that matters. He loves me even more now, and I love him back.
She jumped to the top of a chain link fence, and walked its length for several feet, perfectly balanced like a circus performer on the tightrope. When it ended, she hopped to the ground once more, and sprinted through the narrow band of woods that mirrored the trees behind her house on the other side of the river. As she reached the water, she crouched low and sprang clear across to the opposite shore with total ease. She laughed wildly, crashing through the tall grass toward home.
All the downstairs lights were on as Vivian approached the house. That was odd. Rudy should have been asleep, and Esmé should have still been at work. The place should have been an angular shadow looming at the center of the property at this hour.
She tiptoed up the back porch steps and cracked the screen door open slowly. No one was in the kitchen, but she could hear voices coming from the living room. She paused in the hallway at the foot of the stairs to listen.
"We should be out searching for her," Esmé was saying. Her tone was both fearful and angry. "We need to find her before she condemns us all."
"I have a feeling it's too late for that," Rudy replied. He sounded tired. "It's almost one o'clock."
"Maybe she's been hurt," Esmé whimpered. "We need to find her. That boy might have done something to her."
"I doubt that," Gabriel's low voice rumbled. "He's weak and fragile in comparison to her. She could take his life in an instant. He wouldn't stand a chance."
"It's possible that may be what happened," Rudy murmured. "She might have revealed herself, the kid panicked and tried to fend her off, so she killed him."
Esmé let out a wail of anguish. "She could be hiding somewhere! She must be too frightened to come home! Gabriel, we have to go after her!"
"Calm down, Esmé," Gabriel soothed. "If she doesn't show up in the next fifteen minutes, I'll go look for her. If she went to the boy's house, I may be able to trace her scent there."
He mustn't go to Aiden's house, Vivian thought desperately. That is the only place where Aiden is safe. I have to let them see me.
She crept to the back door, opened it, then let it bang shut as if she were just coming in.
"Vivian?" her mother called. "Vivian, is that you?"
"Yeah, Mom," Vivian answered, dropping her purse on the kitchen table.
Gabriel suddenly filled the doorway with his massive form. "Do you mind stepping into the living room for a minute?" he asked.
"I'm going to bed," she snapped. "Whatever you want, you can talk to me about it tomorrow."
She tried to edge past him into the hallway, but he grabbed her by the arm and held her back. "I am leader now, Vivian," he growled quietly. "My word is law."
"It's just like an asshole to pull rank like that," she hissed. "Let me go right now."
"You've had your mother worried sick. You will come and explain to her where you've been all night."
"I don't have to explain anything to anyone. Let go of me."
"Vivian!" Esmé cried, appearing behind Gabriel, Rudy at her side. "Don't talk to him that way! He's our leader!"
"Fuck that," Vivian spat. "He may be pack leader, but he's not the boss of me."
Esmé came forward, nose twitching. "You smell of human," she frowned. "And… Sex! Great Moon, Vivian! You slept with that meat-boy! How could you!"
"It's none of your business," Vivian said shortly.
"It most certainly is my business! Vivian, you cannot mix so intimately with meat-people! It's not right!"
"Well, let's just make the humans sit at the back of the bus, shall we? Make them drink from separate fountains? Send them to separate schools? Bloody Moon, Mother!"
"Vivian, don't you understand the danger you're putting us all in? Get too close to a human, and before you know it, you're spilling your guts to them. If that boy finds out our secret, the whole pack will be damned! I forbid you to see him again."
Blood hammered in Vivian's ears as her rage threatened to explode. Her claws grew, biting into her palms as she clenched her fists. "You can't stop me!" she shouted. "I love him!"
"Love him!" Esmé shrieked. "You can't love a human, Vivian! He's just a toy! He is prey to our kind! And besides, you are Gabriel's mate now! You have betrayed him!"
"I am not his mate! I don't want him! I have never wanted him! I was trying to protect you from Astrid, not win the Bitches' Dance! I want Aiden!"
Esmé made as if to strike her daughter across the face, but Gabriel caught her wrist. "No more," he growled. "Everyone into the living room. We will discuss this rationally as adults."
The four of them made their way down the hall, and settled around the big front room. Rudy and Esmé took the armchairs, while Vivian threw herself down on the couch. Gabriel sat cross-legged on the floor in front of her.
"Vivian," he said, his voice like gentle thunder, "I need to know the truth. For the good of the pack, I have to know the details of your relationship with the boy. Be honest with me, and I'll do everything I can to deal with you both fairly."
She glared at him, her lips pressed tight together. She didn't want to talk about Aiden, but she didn't think she could lie to him. His blue eyes were too sharp. He would see through her words like an X-ray machine.
"Fine," she relented. "What do you want to know?"
"Did you and the boy have intercourse?" he asked.
Vivian laughed out loud. "Intercourse? What is this, health class?"
Gabriel sighed. "Just answer the question, Vivian."
"Yes, we had sex."
"How many times?"
"Tonight was the first time. We've fooled around before, but we had never actually gone all the way."
"Why did you do it?"
"Because I love him. I have never felt anything like what Aiden makes me feel. He is so different from everything I am used to. He is gentle, relaxed, kind, considerate, simple, sincere, beautiful…" She broke off, embarrassed to be babbling.
Gabriel nodded. "What else?" he asked quietly.
"I… I believe he is my soul mate."
"Girl, you'd better shut your mouth!" Esmé screeched, rising to her feet. "You don't know what you're talking about!"
"Sit down, sis," Rudy urged, tugging her back into her seat.
"Vivian," Gabriel continued patiently, "did you tell him about the pack?"
She swallowed nervously, then set her jaw. She would protect Aiden from anyone who tried to harm him. "Yes," she answered boldly. "I showed him my wolf form tonight."
"We have to kill him!" Esmé screamed. "He'll bring us all to our deaths if we don't! Vivian, you traitor! How could you do this to your own kind!"
"Quiet!" Gabriel boomed.
Vivian, Rudy, and Esmé all jumped.
"We are not going to kill anyone just yet," Gabriel announced. "Vivian, what happened when you showed him the other half of yourself?"
"He was in awe. He couldn't believe his eyes. He thought it was the most incredible thing to ever happen to him."
"Was he afraid?"
"Not at all."
"Will he betray us?"
"Never."
Gabriel stroked his mustache thoughtfully for a few moments, then said, "I'm going to call a pack meeting for tomorrow evening. I need to hear the others' thoughts on the matter. Make sure the boy is present."
Vivian opened her mouth to tell him that Aiden was grounded, but she knew Gabriel would command her to find away around that. Instead, she went to the kitchen to pop a few Aspirin tablets.