The Lost Wolf: The Missing Piece #1 *Watty Awards 2012*

Chapter 18

All the other girls sit in the front of the bus. I'm hidden down in the very back seat finishing up all my missed work, and work I would be missing. It really wasn't a lot. A few worksheets basically. Sighing in frusteration I shoved everything in my bookbag and looked out the window.

Lost in thought, staring at the cars filled with people driving back to work or wherever the bastards were going. I really didn't care. The whole thing between me and Calli was sickening. The way she wanted all of them wrapped around her finger, like they're prizes in a game we're playing. Peoples hearts are at stake. This isn't a game.

Emotionally I'm done with it.

Mentally I'm drained.

Spiritually I'm dead and done.

Physically I'll smile until midnight.

I feel a weight on the seat, "Cassi are you okay?"

I glance at him and turn back to the window, "Just go Nikko."

"I'm not going until you talk to me. Plus Emmi is threatening to kick my ass."

"Good."

He sighs and wraps his arms around my waist leaning into me, "Please look at me."

When I don't answer he rest his head on my shoulder, "Cassi please look at me. Talk to me. Something. Please."

I don't answer and he lifts up my hair and breathes on my Mark. I control my gasp by biting my tongue, "Andi please," his voice cracks.

I cave and look at him to find him pouting, "I'm awful. I feel awful okay. But twenty four hours of you being mad at me is killing me. Please. I'm sorry okay. I'm so sorry but you know it's true. If I hadn't kissed you Calli wouldn't have been in the woods that day. She would've talked to you about it instead. We all know it's true."

I kiss his forehead and sigh, "I know. But I still don't regret it."

He smiles and says, "I don't regret it either because I have you here right now and that is all that matters."

I feel tears prick my eyes and I lean into him, "What if I'm not your Mate? What if Calli is?"

He frowns, "Then I'm going to be really really heart broken."

I shake my head and wrap my arms around him, "No you won't. You'll only see her. That's what seeing your Mate does to you. You'll only see her, any feelings you had for me will be gone."

He kisses the top of my head, "I will never forget about you. Never ever. You're my Cassi. You've been my best friend for as long as I can remember."

"What if you are my Mate and she rejects Phil or Chad?"

He sighs, "I don't think she'd actually do that. She likes Phil a lot."

"I can't handle any more of this."

He frowns and lifts my chin so I'm looking him in the eyes, "Can you handle it for our date this weekend?"

I nod, "Yeah but after that I think we all need to take the week off and just take a break from all of this. It's draining me."

He nods, "You're right. I'll talk to Chad and Phil tonight. You girls don't need all of this."

I look up at him, "Interesting way to phrase it."

He frowns, "What do you mean?"

I sigh, "I know you still like her. I could tell at the diner. I could tell by the way you looked at her Nikko. You may like me but you like Calli too and it scares you."