The Mates of Monsters

Chapter 28

David's fingers dance around my bruise as light as feathers tickling my skin-a skater spinning around a frozen pond. His other hand is in my grasp, massaged and felt by my own mindless fingers and anxious movement. The results of my speech sit on my chest, and I know the weight won't budge until the majority opinion is heard tomorrow.

"You did very well," David tells me for the seventh time since I finished this morning. I spoke the final, improvised word, stepped off of the podium, returned to him, and it's the first thing he said in a proud hush.

"I think I'm ready to go home."

I rest against him on the loveseat in our living room, my back to his chest, my head just under his chin. "Well, I'm sure Jeremy can arrange something in a week or two," he says, sighing.

I rise and twist my body to cure my confusion. "No. I didn't mean my old pack. I just-I meant our home."

David smiles a little in charming twitches of realization.

"I miss Helena and Jeremy, and being around so many Alphas and Lunas really is exhausting," I explain. "I just want to get through tomorrow, get back, and not do a single thing for at least two whole days."

"I think Jeremy can handle the loss of two days."

"Although, I will miss spending all this time with you. I guess that's the only downside to going home; you're always busy. But I get it, I do. Jeremy makes a good distraction anyway."

I readjust with David as he settles beneath me. "How about a few more self-defense lessons when we get back?"

With my girlish expressions hidden, I squeeze my eyes shut and say, "I don't know. I don't think I'll be able to fend you off."

"I'll go easy on you, of course. I just want you to have a good grasp of the basics so maybe next time Nicodra comes around, you can be the one choking him."

"I understand, believe me; especially now that I'm sporting this bruise. But I get too distracted with you. Maybe I could fight someone else."

David mutters, "I won't even take that into consideration."

With no warning, I ask, "Do you think Nicodra will let this go? Would he try to-"

A knock on our door interrupts my questioning. David moves from under me, and I stay on the couch as he answers, holding my knees to my chest. The voice that follows is as clear as day. "Alpha, I apologize for the intrusion. Is there any way you could accompany Horvat, Patel, and me in the second common room? It's concerning article B-which we discussed earlier."

My shoulders sink. David will be leaving me.

As expected, he agrees and leaves the door partially ajar while he steps into his shoes. "Brigette, I'll be back in a bit. This shouldn't take too long, alright?"

I squeeze my knees closer and rest my chin on them, feeling my hair tickle the sides of my thighs. "Okay," I confirm half-heartedly.

He strides over and kisses the top of my head before exiting and pulling the door closed behind him.

I sit there for minutes after like a puppy waiting by the door for its owner. Finding this entirely useless, I enter the bedroom and consider having a nap before it's time to dress for dinner. I lay on the bed, on my side, then my back. The silence welcomes the return of my pending proposition nerves, so I snip the thoughts in the bud and turn to the only other issue more powerful than the proposition: David.

I have undeniably opened my mind and body to him considerably over the past three days. Thankfully, I see this as a good thing. My climb on the ladder has taken me to new heights, but I would be lying if a said I didn't look down and worry about plummeting.