All eyes are focused on me now. Logan smirks, daring me to say no and daring me to say yes. Daring me to join the game and daring me to run off.

"In fact, why don't we make it more interesting? Why don't we make it just between you and me? What do you think, Genesis?" he moves in closer.

I try to step back, but my back hits several people behind me. The room suddenly feels too crowded and too suffocating for me.

"Logan..." comes a familiar voice sounds full of warning.

"Shut up, Hunter!" growls Logan fiercely. His eyes are staring fixedly on me. My eyes shift quickly to Hunter who is standing by the wall, then back to Logan.

"Come on, sweetheart. You're not scared, are you?" He's too close now. I can feel his breath on my skin. I can smell the alcohol. He runs the back of his fingers slowly down my cheek and down my neck, to my collarbone and lower. I feel sparks breaking out on my skin where he touches, and shivers run down my back.

"Logan, please," I plead. Damn the mate bond.

"Please what, mate?" he whispers in my ear. His hand is going lower.

No!!! He's not my mate! "Stop it, Logan!" I hiss, grabbing his hand that's already on my chest.

"Why? Why stop?" he snarls. "I want to touch what's mine. I want to see what's mine. Why does he gets to do it and not me?"

"You're drunk!" I snap at him, pushing him off me with extra force. He staggers backwards.

"You're mine, Genesis! Don't think I'm just going to give up!" he yells behind me as I fight my way through all those people to get out of there.

I stumble out through the back door. There is a bonfire in the backyard. A group of ten people or so are sitting around with beer bottles in their hands.

"Genesis! Genesis!!!" Logan calls out.

Oh no...I dart quickly to the side of the house.

I lean against the siding of the house. My heart is thudding fast in my chest. Full moon is shinning its pale silvery light everywhere. There are plenty of shadows of trees and shrubs for me to hide in.

"Genesis! Stop running... I can smell you," he sings out. He's more drunk than I thought.

I peek around the house, preparing to run if I had to.

"Logan...come on, man. Lets' go," says one of his friends, holding him back.

"No! Let me go...I need to mark her."

"Logan, remember what you promised your dad. You've got to go," says Hunter.

"But she's mine! Mine!" he growls.

"I know," allows Hunter. "Zeke, Caleb, Jordan...take him home. Alpha's going to be upset if you let him get anywhere near her."

I lean back against the wall, trying to calm my heartbeat as they drag him away, cursing them for manhandling him.

Screw Logan. Screw mate attraction that I still have for him. Screw the drama and free entertainment we just provided for those people in there. No doubt there will be plenty of stuff for everybody to talk about. By Monday it will be all over school.

Scrunching earth and snapping twigs make me jump. That draws my attention to an approaching figure. The familiar smell reassures me enough to let my guard down a little.

"Hey," greets a familiar voice in the dark. Hunter.

"Are you following me?" I ask him, smiling a little in relief. I don't feel like talking to anybody right now, but I always like Hunter. Did I tell you that already? Well, yeah...I think he's a nice guy. He also managed to get Logan away just now.

"Maybe," he answers, smiling back. "I just want to make sure that you're okay...and I thought, uh..maybe you might need someone to talk to...or just to make sure you're safe. Lots of drunken mutts out here..." he grabs the back of his neck awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm blabbering.."

I can't help but laugh softly. He's funny.

"Thanks," I reply. "That's very nice of you, Hunter."

"I'm sorry about Logan," he says as he leans against the wall next to me.

I shrug my shoulders and look around us. We're pretty well hidden. "It's not your fault. You shouldn't have to apologize for it. Thank you for getting him away."

"Well, he had his orders to stay away from you. I knew he wouldn't listen to it for too long. Being drunk tonight isn't helping either," he explains. I assume the order came from Alpha Carrington.

I turn to look at him to find his eyes already on me. "Logan's just being a jerk," I sigh. What else is new?

"He messed things up with you big time. I can't imagine living without your mate, knowing that it's your fault that you're not with her," he answers. "If you were mine, I won't give you up for the world."

"You're a good person, Hunter. Whoever turns out to be your mate is a very lucky girl." I say softly.

"Well, I wish I'd meet her already," he mumbles. He pushes his hands inside the pockets of his jeans and stares broodingly out into the woods.

He looks troubled. I straighten up and touch his shoulder lightly. "You will, Hunter. She's somewhere out there waiting for you," I tell him. He stares at me, looking amazed. "When you meet her, it'll be awesome!" I smile brightly, thinking of Constantine and how he makes me feel.

He's about to say something when my phone beeps. "Ooopppsss...sorry, must be my friends looking for me."

Sure enough, it's a text from Penny asking me where I am. She's been looking all over the place for me. I've missed a couple of messages from Reese and River as well...and a phone call from Constantine. My heart skips a beat when I see his name.

"Tell them I'm sending you home...unless you still want to stay," says Hunter.

"Nope, I've had enough. Are you sure you want to leave the party though?"

"Yeah, I'm not much of a party animal. I'll be happy to be out of here," he answers with a small smile.

I text my friends that Hunter is sending me home.

As we're walking across the lawn, a couple guys are streaking pass us. A group of five or so people behind us egging them on. One of the naked boys sees me and yells, "Hey, Genesis!!!" then he howls. The rest of join in the howling, then laugh hysterically.

Oh gosh!!! I glance at Hunter who's scowling at them. Well, he's not amused. At other times, I might find it funny, but after what happened with Logan tonight, my patience is stretched thin. Stupid drunk boys.

Hunter is very quiet on the drive home. He seems to be deep in thought. I wonder if he's worried about not meeting his mate yet. He really doesn't have much reasons to be worried, he's still very young. He's just a few months older than I am. I know this because I was invited to his birthday party a few months back. He's a nice guy. I hope he'll meet his mate soon.

"Thank you, Hunter...for sending me home," I tell him when we arrive in front of my driveway. "And don't worry, you'll meet her soon enough."

"Yeah," he smiles sheepishly. Awww...he's so cute like that. I impulsively lean in and kiss him lightly on his cheek before I let myself out of the car.

"Oh, you're home already," greets mom smiling cheekily when I walk in though the door. "Your dad was getting himself ready to wait for his daughters...and drag you two home if you're not back by midnight," she giggles.

I just remember that Autumn was invited to another birthday party tonight as well. I'm glad she's not at Olivia's, otherwise I would have dragged her home myself. Olivia's parties tend to get very wild.

"Well, I won't be dragging you home, honey. Maybe Autumn," assures dad as he carries two steaming mugs of coffee for mom and himself.

"Yeah, of course you won't, seeing that I'm already home," I tease him.

My dad grins as he sneakily grabs the remote control from mom. She swats his hand away and regain her control over the remote.

"Now we know who's wearing the pants in this house," I can't resist saying as I climb up the stairs.

"Oh, shush with you!" scolds mom, but with a big impish smile on her face.

"Hey!" protests dad.

It's only ten thirty now. I know my parents never really worried about me partying or anything. I love dancing like some silly wacko and have fun with my friends at parties, but I'm not much into drinking or doing anything too crazy. My body is my temple, I'm big on self preservation, and all that.

Who needs crazy stunts when you have a big enough mouth to land you into crazy and embarrassing situations already? Not me.

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What do you think of Hunter? Don't you think he's a sweetheart? Vote and comment, please. Thank you, my sweet cuddly bunnies!!!

XOXOXO
Nicole