35. New Girl

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Saturday, October 24th
Hunter’s Moon

When I awoke the next morning, I was still exhausted. All my limbs ached and I didn’t want to get up. All I felt like doing was going back to sleep, and it was difficult for me to even get out of bed. When I did finally get up, the queasy feeling in my stomach made me sit in front of the toilet for a few minutes, willing myself not to throw up. I ate some cereal and drank some orange juice, which helped a little. The nausea went away, but I was still tired. My movements were sluggish and my world was hazy. I didn’t have the strength to bother with my bike, so I just walked to my classes, taking it slow and sneaking in the back when I was late.

After classes, Randall picked me up. This would be our third full moon spent together and I thought he would be happy to see me. I was wrong, though. He looked upset.

“What’s wrong?” I asked as I climbed into his truck after throwing my overnight bag in the back.

He sighed, “My dad…I just don’t understand him.”

“Quinn? What’d he do?” I asked, buckling my seatbelt as Randall pulled out of the parking lot.

“He’s letting a new Alpha female join the Pack tonight. He thinks she’s,” He paused before groaning and continuing, “Better for me.”

“What?” I turned to him and nearly shouted, “How is she better?”

“I don’t know, he hasn’t even met her, I don’t think. She contacted him and asked his permission to transfer into our territory and he agreed almost immediately. He thinks you’re trouble, the elders think you’re too powerful, and he’s going to find any way he can to get you out of here.”

“Even after I worked so hard? After all that?”

He only stared at the road.

“Well? What do you think of this?” I asked, still taken aback.

“I don’t like it, obviously, but I don’t know what I can do.”

“Tell him you don’t want her. Tell him you want me. That’s the truth, right?” It was a risky question, but I needed to know.

“Of course it’s the truth! But it isn’t that easy to just tell him that. He’s my dad as well as the leader of our Pack, and if I go against his wishes, he has the right to kick me from the Pack. If I don’t want to leave, the law says I have to physically fight against him and win. I would have to fight my own father to the death.” He glanced over at me, trying to gauge my reaction.

“Then if he wants to force you to be with her, and you don’t want to fight him then…we’ll go start our own pack or something.”

“You need territory to start a pack,” He said. “You need followers, you need an establishment. It isn’t easy to just start a pack. Most are very old, passed from generation to generation, like my family’s pack.”

“So you’re just giving up on us?” I tried not to cry. Tried not to overreact. Overreacting meant emotions and with the full moon tonight I did not need to get emotional. I pushed down all the feelings and took deep breaths.

“I’m not giving up, Selene. We’ll find a way to be together. I haven’t even met this girl, but I know you’re better for me than she is.” He glanced back at me and smiled reassuringly.

We were the first ones at Randall’s house. His parents weren’t even home. We wandered around the outskirts of the forest, ending up where we always did: the clearing.

I stretched out on the stage of rock, warming my back as I lazily stared up into the trees. Fall was slowly meandering in and the leaves were turning orange. Randall, still looking troubled, sat next to me. I moved my head into his lap and he absently stroked my hair.

“When is she coming?” I asked. I didn’t want her to come, but if I couldn’t stop it, I could at least be prepared.

“Dad said she had something to take care of after her classes, but she would be here as soon as she could. He said we might have to wait for her, since she’s being inducted tonight. She’ll have to change in front of everyone tonight, just like you had to.”

At least she wasn’t getting preferential treatment in that area.

I sat up and leaned against him. We were sitting with our legs hanging over the edge of the rock, feet flailing in the air.

I thought about my predicament. I cared deeply for Randall, but since Lilith had helped me gain control over Tala, the aggressiveness towards him had dissipated. I wanted to be aggressive, but with her so beat into submission, all I could do lately was wait for him to make all the first moves, and he wasn’t as aggressive in that department as I needed him to be.

I prodded her awake inside me. I needed to show Randall how much I did care for him. I didn’t want him to be seduced by this new girl. I had to make him remember me and think of me while his dad was trying to get him to consider another option.

Tala rustled inside me, What is it? She growled.

I spoke within. I definitely didn’t want Randall to hear the conversation. It’s been a while since I gave you some control-

Several moons, She interrupted grumpily.

Yes, and I was wondering if you wanted to be in charge right now. I…need you. We need to show Randall how important he is to us so we don’t lose him.

I’m tired. It’s your little vampire’s fault. You do it. She rolled over and went back to sleep.

I sighed at my lack of success. Without Tala, I didn’t know where to start.

Randall turned to look at me inquisitively. I had been silent for a while before sighing outwardly.

“Are you still worried about this new wolf?” He asked, wrapping his arms around me comfortingly.

I nodded silently.

He squeezed, holding me tightly. I didn’t want him to ever let go. “I’m worried about it too, I won’t lie. But I care about you immensely and because of that, I’m not worried about our future. I’m just worried about the future of my family. Well, I guess not just my family, but the Pack. If I were to leave, they’d have to find another Alpha male. This Pack has been passed from generation to generation for countless years and it won’t be fun breaking the tradition. But if that’s what it takes, then that’s what will happen.”

I felt tears pricking my eyes. It would be my entire fault if the Pack broke up, and I didn’t want the blame for it. But I also didn’t want to lose Randall. He was all I really had by way of friends. He was the only one in my life that actually cared about me. The only one that liked me for what I was. The only one that didn’t want to use me or “fix” me.

I summoned up my aggressiveness and kissed him. I could tell he was surprised at first, but then he settled into the kiss and kissed me back, his hands caressing my back and sides.

Trying to seem confident, though I was actually quite afraid of what I was doing when I didn’t have Tala in control, I carefully pushed him onto his back so he didn’t hit his head on the cold stone. I still felt somewhat weak from the blood loss, but I was able to be forceful enough for what we were doing since he wasn’t fighting me. From there, I did what I remembered Tala doing a while back ago in the dorm room. I climbed on top of him, straddling him and leaning over his body. I kissed him again, my hair falling into his face.

I realized my hands were shaking and I was having a little trouble breathing normally. It was a mix of fear, excitement, and my weakness.

“Selene?” He whispered in question.

“Hmm?” I asked as I kissed his neck, knowing I wouldn’t be able to keep my push-up position for much longer.

“Since you seem to be in control here, what are my boundaries?”

I laughed as I realized how careful he was being with his hands. However, his expression was full of wanting, and I could feel that want under where I was straddling him. “You’re such a good little pup,” I giggled as I sat up and threw back my hair. I took his hands in mine and guided them to various places where I wanted him to touch me. There were more things I really wanted, but I didn’t have the courage. Maybe I just wasn’t ready.

We continued to make out, and then changed position when I couldn’t hold myself up any longer. He moved to the top, pressing against me and forcing his tongue into my willing mouth. My back enjoyed the warmth of the stone as my chest enjoyed the warmth of his body. He was also gaining confidence, all in all a good breakthrough for us.

After a while, his breathing heavy, he sighed and rolled off me, lying beside me. He took my hand in his and kissed my fingers. “We should probably go back soon.”

“I don’t want to,” I said, like a spoiled child. Going back meant dealing with other pack members and eventually having to meet the new girl.

He laughed, “We can always pick up where we left off at another time.”

I smiled at him, “I’d like to.”

“Good,” He helped me up and we jumped down from the stage, walking back to his house, holding hands.

Next Chapter
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A/N: Next chapter, we meet the new girl. I did some writing over the weekend and typed up everything that I had written. All in all, what I have typed up is a little over 52,000 words and what I have posted right now is about 46,000 words. So I'm a little bit ahead, but I won't be for long. I like how Selene and Randall came along here. I feel like I've been neglecting actual relationship and bonding scenes, but I don't want them to move too fast. They've only known each other for abut 3 months. I'm working on a calendar and plotting out all the events, so I can put this story on a better timeline very soon. Then I'll probably go back and add some detail dealing with seasons, holidays, etc.