Josephine's Secret

16. The Bear

16. The Bear: Josephine's Pov

Chapter Goal: 300 votes (what do y'all want?)

QOTC- would y'all rather see more Archer/Josephine action or more things with Keaton?

I wish that we could openly be with mate.' my wolf sighs, causing me to frown as I walk past the posters promoting the school dance tonight. It's kind of weird that the dance is tonight on a Tuesday, but it is Valentine's Day after all.

For the past two weeks people have been raging about the holiday and school isn't any different. Today during lunch, the cafeteria served heart-shaped cookies and even decorated the walls with paper hearts. "Candygrams are still for sale!" I hear someone shout from behind me.

Not bothering to turn around, I simply shake my head and continue on my way to seventh period. Every year my school has candygrams for different occasions; during October you can send "boo-bags" to people, December you can buy candy canes that student council delivers to your friends, and February is when you can buy roses or chocolates for other people at school. And since pretty much everyone in my grade have found their mates or are in relationships right now, most people are receiving something today in class when the candygrams are delivered.

"You're late, Miss Mancini." Alan mocks when I enter the classroom.

"I know." I mumble, dropping in the seat next to him. Hearing people all around me talking about the candygrams getting delivered in this period, I look down at my phone and try not to concentrate too much on what everyone is saying.

"Why do you look so glum, Jo?" Alan asks, noticing my not-so-cheery mood. He pokes my side when I don't answer and keeps doing so when I ignore him.

After about two minutes of constant poking, he speaks up, "It's because of the candygrams, isn't it."

"I don't care about the stupid candygrams." I growl, punching his arm when he tries to poke me again. "I just want the school day to end already."

"Why?" he asks, smirking at me. "So you can see your special someone?"

"Shut up." I growl, trying my best to fight the blush creeping onto my cheeks.

Archer told me yesterday that he was going to be busy with packwork today so the two of us can't do anything together tonight; not that we're able to go on dates in pack territory anyway. But I'd be lying if I said that it didn't hurt me a little when he told me the news. We agreed that we wouldn't go out of our way to hide our relationship, but that seems like exactly what we're doing right now.

Neither of us have made efforts to go out on public together for different reasons. I don't want to have to deal with girls around the pack hating me for being with Archer and I don't want to ruin his reputation by having people know about us. And he's hesitating to go out in public with me because he's trying not to rush or relationship or something like that.

I told him that I'm fine walking back to the house since he won't be able to pick me up because of work, but he already arranged for me to be picked up by someone else in the pack. I'm not sure who it is exactly, but he said that one of the people would be the Gamma of the pack. Why is more than one person picking me up from school? I don't know, but I'm guessing it's for security reasons or whatever.