25

So that was it, my first kiss that started so beautifully and ended so bitterly. I stood alone and abandoned in the living room and tried to process everything. Thoughts swirled uncomfortably through my head, making me wish I'd had as much to drink as Lou, who was probably sound asleep.

I sat down on the couch and covered myself with one of the wool blankets while watching the candle slowly but surely die out.

Werewolves and Angels. They really existed, but they weren't like they were told in fairy tales. Instead of werewolves, who were dangerous creatures from the woods, they were heavy drinkers who whored and looked anything but graceful.

Guardian angels, I've read about them a lot, but in the old books they were always female and only there to answer to a person, not to a whole place. Maybe that's why Ludwig had trouble protecting everyone. How could he be up to such a task alone, especially with the pack at war.

I resented Jayden for seeing something bad in Ludwig, but I resented him for other things as well. Like how he treated his sister. Was it so bad for him that Lou went with one of his pack? Or was he still mad at her for choosing not to be a wolf? I didn't know and closed my heavy eyelids in tears.

That night was heavy on my shoulders. Started with a romantic film, it ended in a real drama, which became more and more a horror film and to make matters worse, tomorrow night was the party.

Annoyed, I pulled the blanket over my face and tried to fall asleep, which took a while, but I finally managed.

Instead of being woken up by the bright sun or my quietly speaking grandma, as usual, Lou sat on the edge of the bed and chewed on the cereal like scraps of iron bars. My head pounded and I held the pillow over my face.

"Oh no Madame. You get up now. We still have to buy clothes." I pushed the pillow aside and looked at her confused and tired. "Do you seriously think I'm going to the party after last night?" I asked her, noticing her cheeky grin.

"I thought so, actually, but I can also drink alone and go there," she said amusedly and continued to shovel muesli into her mouth. "That's blackmail, you know that, don't you?"

I pushed the covers aside and sat up, only to be pleased to see that in front of me was a steaming mug that smelled so delicious of coffee that I grabbed it greedily. "Tell me about the kiss," Lou suddenly said and I choked so hard that she looked at me in shock and started patting my back.

"Did it look that bad? I can hardly remember it," she then murmured, and that's when I realized that she wasn't talking about me and Ludwig, but about herself and Chace.

I cleared my throat again and then looked at her cheerfully. "I've never seen a better kiss in the movies." She smiled happily and then leaned towards me thoughtfully. "How did we get home?" she then asked me, but I didn't want to tell anyone about Ludwig and me, so I lied.

"Well, we walked and then I dragged you up the stairs." I grinned stupidly and avoided her eyes until my grandma stormed into the living room. "Is Ludwig still here? I need someone to help me bring the finished dishes to the Wialtrama," she said out of breath and I immediately looked at Lou, who grinned and raised an eyebrow, but said nothing more and turned to her food dedicated.

"No, he isn't anymore," I answer Lisbeth, who thoughtfully touched her head. "Then I'll give Chace a quick call."

Lou suddenly spat the entire contents of her mouth onto the plate and stood up frantically. "Yeah, well I, I have to, we... We'll meet in town in two hours, at the store where I sometimes help out."

She ran out of the room and all I could hear was the front door slamming, whereupon my grandma looked at me questioningly. "Is she okay?" "Yeah, drank a little too much," I retorted, turning to my mug.

"Okay, well then I'll tell Chace to be here in an hour, then he can give you a lift." I nodded to her and looked after her as she left the living room and only then rolled my eyes in annoyance. This was going to be another shitty day, or should I say evening.

When my cup was empty, I made my way to the bathroom and took a long shower to at least relax my body when everything else about me was going crazy. I closed my eyes under the warm water and touched my lips to relive the kiss in my head.

It was such a beautiful kiss and it still pissed me off that it ended so abruptly. I would have liked to feel his lips on mine for hours and that was the only reason I got involved in this celebration. I wanted to see the blond handsome again.

I got out of the shower and threw myself on a large towel before exiting the bathroom and padding up the stairs to my room. I lingered on the plush carpet for a while, then grabbed a pair of black leggings and a white blouse. I briefly considered canceling Lou as I was getting dressed, but not wanting to disappoint her, I ran back down to the bathroom to blow dry my hair straight.

As soon as I turned off the hair dryer, the doorbell rang and I had made up my mind to speak up to Chace about Lou. I resolutely stepped out of the bathroom and was amazed at the incredibly good-looking brown-haired man in the suit, who immediately smiled at me apologetically. Only then did I see Jayden enter my house behind him, who, unlike Chace, looked really bad.

Bruises were visible on his face and dark circles appeared under his ice blue eyes. It's none of my business and I didn't want to be curious at all, but I was suddenly worried about the black-haired man.

I slowly approached the two and looked questioningly into the alpha's eyes, while Chace conspicuously cleared his throat and shook his head in the negative when I looked over at him. I understood immediately that he didn't want me to ask any questions, so I waited with the two of them for my grandma, who hurriedly came out of the kitchen with baskets in her hands.

"I'm sorry Jayden. I was going to ask someone else, but-" She stopped, wide-eyed at his face. "What on earth... Come with me, I have excellent cream and with your good genes, the spots will disappear quickly."

She gave me and Chace a basket each and pushed Jayden on the back into the kitchen. I looked over at Chace, who was still looking after the two of them and then ran outside in front of me.

"What happened?" I whispered to him as we walked towards his car. "Ethan and he had a difference of opinion. Nothing earth-shattering. Wolves heal quickly and in two hours at the most, he looks like new."

He opened the trunk and put his basket in and then took the other one from me. "I didn't ask when the wounds will heal, but why did they arise?"

He looked at me and took a deep breath. "I have no idea, okay? Otherwise I would tell you. I left a short time after you did, too," he replied, shrugging his shoulders unknowingly. "Is Lou okay?" he then asked me shyly and I suddenly got angry again at the thought of last night.

"Yes, she's fine. But not thanks to you. If Ludwig hadn't carried her to my house, she probably would have collapsed on the side of the road," I hissed at him and Jayden's voice came immediately behind me.

"Ludwig was here last night?" he asked, walking past me to the trunk with two baskets. I could have slapped myself for knowing now, who knew how he would react. "Yes, he got Lou and I home safely while you guys were busy with your toys."

I crossed my arms and braced myself for a lecture, but instead he just glanced at me and smiled. "Well then I'm glad. I hope you had your fun."

I looked at him confused as he closed the trunk ignoring me and even Chace looked confused. "I just want to make one thing clear. Today at the party, you have to play my girlfriend. It would be a sign of weakness if they smell my mark on you and you publicly turn away from me."

"Is that all?" I asked him annoyed and wished I could go back to the couch under the covers right away. "Yeah, that's all," he ended the call and got in the passenger side while Chace got in the front and I got in the back.

"Where should I take you?", the brown-haired asked me and turned to me. "Just close to the market place." I slumped into the seat and only then realized I forgot my jacket. It was always the same with me. My mother always said I didn't have a head to think, only to cut my hair. Asking him to turn back was out of the question, so I just decided to buy one right away. I still had enough money with me.

Arriving at the market square, Lou was already standing there looking happily at me, her eyes darkening when she saw the two men in the front seats. I was about to get out when Jayden took a deep breath. "I'll meet you on time and for once I'll buy you something in style instead of plunging necklines or hoodies."

He held out a few bills to me, but I just looked at his hand in disbelief and got out of the car without saying a word to him. Did he still have all the cups in the cupboard? Did he really think I had to let myself be talked to like that? I was starting to feel like a hooker who got paid to play his girlfriend for a night. If I had been more confident I would have smacked him, but instead I slammed the car door and ran angrily towards Lou, who immediately noticed my bad mood and came over to comfort me.