I have been emailing in most of my assignments and logging in when the teacher can set up a video so I can follow along with the classes. For the most part, Mina joins in on those classes otherwise her dad would hear about her slacking and would pull her from this assignment. That is something we both learned the hard way.
She missed a lesson once and I thought the phone was going to break when he called to yell at her. It’s never happened again, that he is aware of. She has taken to hanging out with a few girls from around here that are high school seniors. She’s hoping that it will get us more invites to parties and other social scenes when we come back in January. Many of the girls know people who are going to the University and have invited us a few times to parties. We declined them all for now, but Mina promises she will be all in when she gets settled at school. It will be easier for me to tag along then too. I have met them all and they seem alright, but I am playing at being newly social and trying to get over my shyness. It’s not a total lie, so the story is easy to sell.
The boys have taken notice of Mina too, human and wolf. I mean, even I have to admit, she’s gorgeous so I can’t blame them. Her personality and general good nature draw people in. Her dark reddish brown hair flows down her back silkily, even when she is fighting. I’m kind of jealous really. I jus look like a sweaty hot mess. Her average height makes it easy to look straight in her eyes to talk, no matter your own height. She’s in shape, obviously, and the boys around here really seem to appreciate her efforts.
“Sky!” Mina jumps off her bed. “Beth just messaged me and said that her brother told her that his best friend’s cousin is on the football team and they are planning a party after we all get back. They have a bi-week and will be free the first weekend after classes start.”
“Huh?! I understood ‘bi-week’ in all of that.” Mina speaking ‘girl’ is like trying to understand German sometimes.
“Basically, in your language, there is a football party when they all get back from the winter break. And she told me so we can plan on being here in time to go. That’s all that you need to know. Oh, and plan on wearing a skirt and doing your hair. I wish we could call Sierra in on this, she’s so much better at getting you to do the girly stuff than I am.” She throws out as an afterthought. Probably based on the look on my face.
I will wear anything Luna Anne asks me to, she’s the queen and image matters with all of the things she does. Sierra has become an extension of Luna Anne’s fashion arm and she has dressed me for the few meetings and tours in the pack that I have done with the Luna Queen. I have just learned not to fight against Sierra, she started recruiting Xander and Oscar to literally hold me down while she dressed me like a child. No matter how much I flailed she still got it on me, I gave up that fight afterwards and just asked her to make sure I can wear some type of shorts under the dress and I can be comfortable in the shoes.
“When are we supposed to leave again?” I know Mina knows this, she’s been asking everyday for a week. Something about going back to the compound has her antsy and itching to make the time go faster.
“The lease on our rental is up in two weeks. We really should start packing the non-essentials so we are ready when Nickolas is. The weather is starting to turn and I don’t want to be stuck here. I want to get back so the Elders can do the branding ceremony the way they want to with all the pomp and circumstance. I swear they just like being the center of attention and all these stupid ceremonies give each and every one of them a job that puts them in the spotlight for their fifteen seconds.”
She laughs at me as she settles back on her bed. “You’re not wrong on all accounts. Do you think that we will get to spend some time with Xander and Oscar when we get back? I feel like it has been forever since we have all hung out.”
“They probably don’t trust the four of us together anymore after last time.”
“That was all Oscar! He was the one who decided we needed candles for movie night. The rest of us didn’t set the movie theater on fire.”
“It was sweet, he was trying to celebrate one of the anniversaries. I don’t know why every week, month, place has to be celebrated as an anniversary though. It seems like a lot of headache and makes the long term ones less exciting when you do hit the big milestones.”
“I have no idea what any of that is like. I never really dated anyone long enough to hit an anniversary worth celebrating.” She shrugs.
“Really?! You strike me as the person who had guys following you around like little pups. You are gorgeous and look like a model. I’m sure plenty of guys tried to date you.”
“It wasn’t for a lack of trying. My dad is big on mates. And while he didn’t stop me from dating, he also made it really clear that my mate is out there and it won’t be fair to someone else if I am monopolizing a person who might not belong with me. So I kept it casual and I was honest with them all.” She shrugs again, lost in thought. “I do think we probably have some kind of sixth sense about our mate though, because I was not interested in any guy for very long romantically. I did learn some fascinating things though.” She waggles her eyebrows and I can only imagine what types of things she ‘learned.’
“Oh yeah? Like what? You enjoy being on top?” I threw a pillow at her, completely joking.
“Absolutely! It is the best ride, and they don’t have to do a lot of work so it’s hard to screw it up!”
My jaw drops, she’s never been this candid before
