Around six in the morning, we stopped at a little motel. I no longer knew what state we were in and I didn't really care. My head was banging and although Derek had tried to get me to let him look at it, I refused. He couldn't argue much without seeming suspicious.
Kit decided that two rooms wasn't as safe anymore, and instead we all crammed into one. The motel's manager thought it was only Kit, Lauren, Chloe, and Simon. Mostly because Derek stood out too much and I was bleeding so we couldn't go in. Once we got out keys, we went to our room.
First of all, it was tiny. Two double beds, a few dressers, and a chair with a bathroom to the side. I went straight there and Derek followed me. Standing in front of the mirror, I tried to turn to see the damage, but it was hidden in my hair and too far back for me to get a decent look. Why Derek was in the room with me and not Doctor Lauren, I'm not sure. But after a few minutes, she came in.
There was no way we could go to a hospital, but Lauren said it needed stitches, so Kit decided to try a few different magic tricks and see if any worked.
"Wait a minute." I said quickly as he was already raising his hands. "You're no shaman. Those spells are to repair tables or glasses. Not a cut. And I'm not-"
"Tori's right." Derek interrupted. "What if it hurt her more? We can't."
"What if it helps her?" Kit asked, looking desperate. "I have to try."
I got down from the counter, where I'd been sitting, and stomped out of the room. I grabbed my purse, which had a few bucks inside and was gone before anyone could stop me. "No thanks. I'll just get some aspirin. It'll be fine."
I was already crossing the street, to the convenience store when Derek caught up. "I'm coming." he stated.
"I can handle this." I said quickly, careful to keep any bitchiness from my tone. "Shouldn't you be back there protecting the group?"
He laughed. But it was fake, probably trying to defuse the awful tension. "I'm just the muscle. Simon and Dad have spells. They're good."
"I have spells too. I think I can handle a store run." This time, I was a little snappy.
"Well..." he trailed off and when I looked up, I could practically see the wheels turning in his head to come up with something to say.
"You wanna talk." I completed for him.
"Well, Yeah." he said, matter-of-factly. He was quiet as we finished crossing the street, all the way until I was about to go into the store. "Wait." he said, grabbing my hand gently. I stopped and turned. He took a deep breath and let it out, still holding my hand. I should've pulled it away, but my resolve had melted as soon as his warm flesh had grazed it. "Look. The first time I ever kissed Chloe, I-"
My resolve rushed back in. "God, Derek!"I complained, yanking my hand away from where he'd been holding it. "I don't want to here about that shit. What the fuck."
"It was great." he continued, as if I hadn't started. Out of some glutton for punishment tendencies that I had developed from taking the abuse my mother dished out, I stayed. I could have went into the store and refused to listen, but I stayed. "I couldn't believe it was happening. And I really liked Chloe. And she was soft and warm and sweet. And she accepted me, you know? Not many people would...even before the werewolf part, they wouldn't." He looked up then, challengingly. "Not even you."
"Well, I was a bitch." I said. I had no other excuse. Maybe Chloe grew up knowing right from wrong, but I was still learning it. I guess, in a way, now that my mother was dead, I was just now really growing up.
He nodded. "And you liked Simon."
He stopped talking, as if he wanted an explanation, so I gave him one. "I liked Simon because he was a sweet guy. Someone unlike the people I knew, who only wanted something from me. Because you have to admit...even if I hadn't been a bitch, you wouldn't have looked my way twice."
"You're not ugly, Tori."
"That's not what I meant!" I sighed. "You weren't exactly Mr. Friendly either. That's why I stayed away from you. If it was all about looks, I probably would've hooked up with Brady. Not kept following Simon around like the idiot I was."
"I guess that's true. He was the All-American Football Star type." He looked up sharply. "Back to the point. Even though my kiss with you was like having fireworks in my chest...no matter how fucking stupid that sounds...and even though you taste like oranges and smell like flowers...I can't just drop her like she's crap. I do like her...alot. I may even love her."
"Then why would you even want to drop her?" I asked.
He shrugged and sighed. "Because I'm pretty sure that you may be my mate."
I knew it was a big deal to wolves, and Werewolves. But I didn't really understand what it meant. "What is that exactly? The person you're most attracted to or something?"
"It's like a soulmate. The person that has what we need. It's like, you were made to be what I want. Your scent. Your taste. Your looks... Or maybe I feel like I want those things because they describe you." He ran a hand through his hair, exhaling loudly. "Hell, I don't know, Tori. Mates!"
He said the word as if it was said loud enough, I would understand it perfectly."Wel-"
"I don't know it all exactly either." he hurried on. "But I know that I feel like you're it. You're driving me crazy. But I can't just dump Chloe."
"Well, I don't want you to." I said. "Believe it or not, I care for her too. She's probably the best friend I've ever had besides Liz." I sighed. And I was going around behind her back with her boyfriend. And I wasn't going to mention that he'd pretty much said that his body, or soul or whatever was forcing him to want me. Even though he loved Chloe. It seemed kind of like being under a love spell, like it wasn't real or something. "I think maybe, I really should leave the group." I said as I was thinking it. "I'm pretty much just screwing things up."
We finally went in the store. Well, I went in and he followed me to tell me I was not leaving and I shouldn't be so stupid. Blah blah blah. But as he kept on, I was thinking. And leaving seemed like the responsible thing to do. At least, responsible as in keeping my friends alive. I was pretty sure that the ones following us had only been gunning for me. At least, that's what Raul had said. I got my medicine and we went back to the hotel. My decision had been made
Around nine, we all laid down for sleep. I wore my jeans and sweatclothes to bed, even my shoes. But I got under the covers quickly, so nobody noticed. Simon and Derek were sharing a bed with Kit in the chair. Lauren, Chloe and I all cramped into the other bed. My head was still banging a little but I couldn't sleep. Finally, when everyone had went to sleep, I waited for one of Kit's snores to mutter a silencing spell.
I could everything but no one else could. Standing up, I tiptoed past Simon and Derek's bed and grabbed my backpack. I opened the door slowly, so an abrupt chill wouldn't wake anyone. And then I slipped out.
