Chapter 11

"I'm not human," I start, one pair of wolfish eyes looking at me as if I have grown two heads, "I minimize my scent so I can blend with humans, but I knew it wasn't going to work forever. I'm a werecat, which I guess you figured out already. But before you say anything, please, I'm begging you, keep this to yourself," I say, clasping my hands in a prayer motion.

"I don't know," Bella says, tilting her head to the side.

Seriously?

I look at Taylor and catch her rolling her blue eyes at me. "Look, I know you're scared and all, but you also know me. I don't give a fuck about other people's opinions like you do, so here's my advice. Do whatever you want, and have fun."

I scoff, crossing my arms across my chest. "Of course, you don't give a fuck. You're a wolf, part of the Beasts. You're no help."

Taylor laughs as she picks the Uno cards from the wooden white painted table and starts shuffling them. "I forgot about that, but I'm serious. Have fun with our Alpha. He's not as bad as you make him out to be," she says, sliding seven cards for Bella, me, and her.

I frown, picking up my cards one by one. "Since when are you on Blake's side?" I ask, glancing at Bella, who's engrossed on her phone. Who is she texting?

"Since he's my Alpha, idiot, but I repeat, have fun," she says, her eyes checking the cards she has in hands.

I throw the same colored card on the table. "What do you mean? And focus on the game Bella," I say, snapping her out of her phone.

Taylor shrugs. "Have fun. We know that Blake is going to find out about you sooner or later, so why not mess with his investigation? Play innocent and laugh it off. It's so much better than telling a truth that'll come out anyway."

I look at Bella, who's happily nodding her head while playing her turn. "I agree with her crazy ass. Seeing his speechless face is way more satisfying than telling the truth."

Should I really do that?

I can sense Panthera purring in my mind, agreeing with them. She's having too much fun with him, and I don't know if it's a good or bad thing. At the same time, Taylor and Bella's words are assuring me that Blake is different.

But what if he gets pissed off and ends up throwing me out of town with my family? He has the power to do it, but then again, he doesn't know that I know that he's going to investigate me.

Fuck it.

I throw my hands up in surrender, making sure the cards are facing me. Both she-wolves try to peek at them. "Fine. You convinced me."

Taylor nods proudly of herself when her eyes change focus. "Speaking of the devil..."

I turn around, and my breath hitches in my throat. Blake is walking up to us. He takes off one earphone while messing on his phone for a moment. I let my green eyes scan him from head to toe. Panthera is purring at the sight. He's wearing a pair of grey gym pants with black brand sneakers, with no shirt on.

Is this a coincidence? I've never seen him here. It's one of the few deserted parks that are almost outside of the town. Usually, no one comes here because of how far away from the center it is, which became the perfect place for me and my girls to meet.

"Taylor, Bella," Blake greets, nodding at them. They wave back with a smile as his focus turns to me. "Hey, can I talk to you for a second?" he asks, passing a hand through his dark hair.

I nod my head and get out from the wooden bench. I quietly follow him, giving myself a mental pep talk along the way.

Play it cool. Play it innocent. I can do this.

"Did something happen?" I ask once we're away from the girls' earshot.

Blake shakes his head. "No, I just... wanted to ask if I could come to your house tonight," he says, halting his feet and turning around. I frown, tilting my head while his eyes look down at me. "Remember that game we started?" he asks.

I squint my eyes in disbelief at him. "Yeah, what about it?"

"I want to finish it," he says with a small smile.

I feel my shoulders relax. "Oh, I don't think we can finish it in one night, but yeah, come over. "

His smile widens. "Perfect, I'll see you tonight then."

I nod, a little speechless. My eyes watch Blake go back to his run while putting his earphone back on his ear. He rarely smiles. He must be up to something, and the thought of it makes my heart flip. I fast walk toward my friends, who are eagerly waiting for me to start talking.

"So?" Taylor asks once I sit back down on the picnic bench.

"He's coming to my place tonight."

"To do what?" Bella asks this time.

"Continue Life is Strange," I say. "I think he used it as an excuse, though."

Taylor plays with her bottom lip for a moment. "Something is up."

I nod. "Yeah, anyway, enough about me. What's up with you and Trevor?"

"Are you like a couple now?" Bella asks.

Taylor sighs. "I don't know. I guess we're like, friends with benefits for now."

I scrunch up my nose. "You're not the friends with benefits type."

She groans at that. "I know, but Trevor is different. Plus, it's better like this. This way, when we find our mate, the break up won't be painful. The dinner is tomorrow, so wait for my updates."

"Oh, about mates. I think Jessica is my mate," Bella speaks up, turning a bright shade of red under that brownish complexion.

Taylor frowns. "Think? If you find your mate, you know."

"Unless she's insecure with her sexuality. We had a moment today in the bathroom, and I could feel her sweet scent attacking my nostrils until someone walked in," Bella says, sighing.

A sudden ringing phone cuts off our conversation. My eyes linger on the phone that's on the table, and I manage to see the caller identification.

Jessica. With a rose emoji at that.

"You didn't tell us that you exchanged num-"

"Hello?" Bella interrupts me by answering the phone. She stands up and walks a few feet away from us.

Every time she's on the phone, she can't seem to stay still. She always has to walk in a circle or just do some type of movements, but from what I'm seeing on her facial expression, she's having a chill conversation with Jessica.

"Can't believe she's been hiding this from us," I say to Taylor, who's nodding her head in approval.

We spend the rest of the day talking about everything and nothing while playing cards. Night soon comes, and an early Blake knocks on my bedroom door. I had just finished showering and put on my grey pajamas with my freshly dry hair tied up in a pineapple style.

"You're early," is the first thing I say when I meet his sapphire-colored eyes.

I catch Blake's eyes traveling down my body before stopping on my... collarbone? Neck? Shoulder? I have a sleeveless shirt on, but I don't think it's something sexy that would deserve that heated look out of him. "It's almost 10 pm," he says absentmindedly, his eyes turning dark.

My mouth feels dry, and I swallow down a lump. "Exactly, but it's alright, I've already set everything so come in and close the door," I say, motioning Blake to sit down on the floor next to me.

I quickly start the game and pass him the PlayStation controller. The game is a single-player mode, but since I like the story a lot, just reading everything while he makes all the wrong decisions is enough for me.

Halfway through the game, I cross my arms watching him play, and for the first time, I allow myself to look at him.

First of all, he's tall and has a fit body, which is required since he's the next Alpha. His dark brown hair is short on the sides and long on the top. He styled it in a way that the front always falls on his forehead, and it looks soft. It makes me want to run my fingers through it.

His face is pretty average. He doesn't have full sexy lips, which is what I like, but he also doesn't have thin lips. They're kind of in-between.

His fashion style is kind of OK, I guess... If only he stopped wearing those awful sandals, and that shoulder strap bag, and the Hawaiian shirts he starts wearing when summer is here. Oh, and let's not forget the brief swimwears. Those are the worst.

It is one of the reasons why I avoid him all summer; it's just way too much for my eyes to witness.

"Are you done checking me out?" he asks, pulling me out of my examination.

I frown, ignoring the way my heart flipped for him. "I wasn't."

He glances at me for a second. "If you say so."

I give him a sour look. "I wasn't, anyway, what exactly do you tell my father to walk in here so often?"

He chuckles, his eyes not leaving the TV. "We have a school project and waited for the last minute to finish it."

That makes sense.

"I'm impressed," I comment, stretching my arms up.

Blake shrugs. "Thanks... and... I don't want to sound rude, or anything but can I ask you for a glass of water?"

I smile. "Yeah, of course."

I stand up and walk straight to the kitchen. On my way there, I feel a buzz coming from my back pocket.

I fish out my phone, and a smile appears on my face. Theo wrote,

I want to see you. Can I come to your place?

Can't. I've got company here.

Although, I wouldn't have minded his company. I put my phone back and fill the glass of water.

When I go back to my room, I can't help but imagine Blake looking through my stuff. He said he'd start investigating me. If I put myself in his shoes, I'd definitely snoop his room first. With that in mind, I bend down and look through the peephole.

I knew it.

He is snooping through my room! He's opening and closing my desk drawers, looking under my bed, and even behind the TV! What the hell!

I take a deep breath containing my anger. Play it cool and play it innocent, I keep repeating to myself. I straighten my back and abruptly open the door before things get too far. Blake freezes on the spot.

"What are you doing?" I ask, surprised by how gentle my voice is.

He turns around, biting his lower lip. My eyes drop to it as I feel my mouth go dry. Why do I feel like this? He notices my frustration and smirks. I'm supposed to have the upper hand here, but it's too late. He's coming toward me, and my body won't move.

"Thanks for the water," he says in that panty-dropping tone he used on me the other day. He takes the glass from my hand and sits back down on the floor as if nothing happened.

My heart is about to jump out of my chest. I close the door and walk back to my spot with controlled breaths. I'm scared of asking him why he was snooping around my room.

But it's now or never.

"Why were you snooping around my room?" I ask, crossing my arms over my chest.

Blake pauses the game and turns toward me. "I know you're hiding something, and I'm going to find out about it, " he says, his eyes making it difficult for me to look elsewhere.

I did not expect this honesty.

A mix of snort, and pfft comes out of me soon followed by a shrieking scream. Blake threw the glass of cold water on my shirt.

"Why would you do that?!" I shout, pulling the damp shirt away from my chest with my fingertips.

He frowns and swears under his breath.

I open my mouth only to close it when his conversation with Trevor replays in my mind. Wait. He thought I might be a mermaid?

It takes all my willpower to stay pissed off and not laugh.

"Sorry... I don't know what got into me," he says with a sigh.

"Well, thanks to that now I gotta change my shirt. Can you get out of my room for a second, please?" I ask, biting my lip to keep me from laughing.

He shakes his head. "No."

Now I frown. "What do you mean, no? I need to change Blake."

He resumes the game, focusing on the small screen. "My eyes won't leave the screen. Go get changed."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "You're kidding, right?"

He shakes his head. "I'm not. I don't want to get up and wait for you outside, so just change."

I sigh.

Screw it.

I get on my feet and open my closet. I take off the damp shirt and start looking for my spare one as my hand automatically covers my breasts even though Blake can't see them.

"You know... I think this is the beginning of a friendship."

I freeze at his words.

Why don't I like the sound of that?