around with my fingers. How was I going to tell Dad? Sure we were close, but Matt and his mom were like best friends. My dad was not going to understand this.
Matt touched my cheek again. “Hey, you know, I didn’t even have to go through telling my mom because I couldn’t hide my mark. My mark pretty much did the telling for me. I can see how it’s different for you, though. I know it’s hard. But the longer you wait, the worse it’ll get, I mean, this is part of you, My. Do you really want to hide that from your dad?”
I looked into his eyes. “So we’re saying that we’re making the choice not to hide who we are? Not to hide that we’re shifters?” I searched his face. Lots of shifters hid their marks with clothing or makeup and just went on with their lives. Others chose not to and faced losing friends and whatnot. It was a really personal choice.
He took a deep breath. “Well, I go to college next year. Tons of university students don’t hide their marks because it’s considered cool. You know, it’s a different environment. But you’ll have another year of high school and—”
“I don’t wanna hide my mark!” I said. It scared the hell outta me, but I knew it was the right thing. Balam didn’t want me to. And I didn’t either.
“Okay, then we don’t hide it and we deal with it together.” He kissed my cheek. “Hey, My, isn’t it kinda funny, you and me being together when you’re basically a cat and I’m basically a dog? Shouldn’t I be, like, chasing you around?”
I snorted. “I’m a jaguar. You just try and chase me around, and I’ll kick your butt.”
That’s when he pulled me to him and kissed me. Oh, God. It was like my whole body woke up. Something was different. I could feel his strength and power, the perfection of his being. I ran my hands along his chest, slid my hands under his shirt, felt the heat of his skin. I wasn’t just some high school junior with a schoolgirl crush anymore. I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t trying to figure out what he was thinking. I didn’t wonder where we stood. Every muscle, every nerve ending, every fiber of my being was completely attuned to him. He was my mate. I was home.
CHAPTER SIX
When I pulled into the school parking lot and parked next to Matt’s car the next morning, he was waiting for me like we had planned. I grabbed my hair and quickly put it up in a high ponytail so my mark would show. Then I grabbed my bag and got out of the car.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Not yet.” He took my hand in his. “Now I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
And just like that we walked into school, holding hands, heads held high. At first, nobody noticed. Everyone was buzzing around the halls, babbling about one thing or another. It started with a few gasps, and then seemed to grow from there. We just kept walking. Matt stopped at my locker to drop me off. He slid me gently up against my locker and kissed me.
“See you at lunch,” I said, “Text me if you need me.”
“You do the same, okay?” He grinned at me and walked off toward his locker.
I turned to find Lyssa staring at me. “So, what happened to you last night? First you take off, then you leave us with nary a word?”
“‘Nary’?” I said.
“Well, Damian was gonna rub off on me at some point. So what the hell happened?”
“Matt’s a shifter!” Damian exclaimed, coming around the corner so fast he smacked right into us. Jeez, word travels fast.
“Oh. My. God.” Lyssa said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the looks on their faces.
Lys and I said see you later to Damian, walked into homeroom and sat in our usual seats.
Lyssa leaned over toward me. “So that’s what was up with him all this time?” she whispered.
“Yep. He was pretty freaked out.”
“And now everything’s okay? ’Cause you two just marched in here like you’re ready to take on the world.”
“Well,” I said, trying to hold back a smile but failing miserably, “I showed him how to
Matt touched my cheek again. “Hey, you know, I didn’t even have to go through telling my mom because I couldn’t hide my mark. My mark pretty much did the telling for me. I can see how it’s different for you, though. I know it’s hard. But the longer you wait, the worse it’ll get, I mean, this is part of you, My. Do you really want to hide that from your dad?”
I looked into his eyes. “So we’re saying that we’re making the choice not to hide who we are? Not to hide that we’re shifters?” I searched his face. Lots of shifters hid their marks with clothing or makeup and just went on with their lives. Others chose not to and faced losing friends and whatnot. It was a really personal choice.
He took a deep breath. “Well, I go to college next year. Tons of university students don’t hide their marks because it’s considered cool. You know, it’s a different environment. But you’ll have another year of high school and—”
“I don’t wanna hide my mark!” I said. It scared the hell outta me, but I knew it was the right thing. Balam didn’t want me to. And I didn’t either.
“Okay, then we don’t hide it and we deal with it together.” He kissed my cheek. “Hey, My, isn’t it kinda funny, you and me being together when you’re basically a cat and I’m basically a dog? Shouldn’t I be, like, chasing you around?”
I snorted. “I’m a jaguar. You just try and chase me around, and I’ll kick your butt.”
That’s when he pulled me to him and kissed me. Oh, God. It was like my whole body woke up. Something was different. I could feel his strength and power, the perfection of his being. I ran my hands along his chest, slid my hands under his shirt, felt the heat of his skin. I wasn’t just some high school junior with a schoolgirl crush anymore. I wasn’t nervous. I wasn’t trying to figure out what he was thinking. I didn’t wonder where we stood. Every muscle, every nerve ending, every fiber of my being was completely attuned to him. He was my mate. I was home.
CHAPTER SIX
When I pulled into the school parking lot and parked next to Matt’s car the next morning, he was waiting for me like we had planned. I grabbed my hair and quickly put it up in a high ponytail so my mark would show. Then I grabbed my bag and got out of the car.
“Ready?” I asked.
“Not yet.” He took my hand in his. “Now I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
And just like that we walked into school, holding hands, heads held high. At first, nobody noticed. Everyone was buzzing around the halls, babbling about one thing or another. It started with a few gasps, and then seemed to grow from there. We just kept walking. Matt stopped at my locker to drop me off. He slid me gently up against my locker and kissed me.
“See you at lunch,” I said, “Text me if you need me.”
“You do the same, okay?” He grinned at me and walked off toward his locker.
I turned to find Lyssa staring at me. “So, what happened to you last night? First you take off, then you leave us with nary a word?”
“‘Nary’?” I said.
“Well, Damian was gonna rub off on me at some point. So what the hell happened?”
“Matt’s a shifter!” Damian exclaimed, coming around the corner so fast he smacked right into us. Jeez, word travels fast.
“Oh. My. God.” Lyssa said.
I couldn’t help but chuckle at the looks on their faces.
Lys and I said see you later to Damian, walked into homeroom and sat in our usual seats.
Lyssa leaned over toward me. “So that’s what was up with him all this time?” she whispered.
“Yep. He was pretty freaked out.”
“And now everything’s okay? ’Cause you two just marched in here like you’re ready to take on the world.”
“Well,” I said, trying to hold back a smile but failing miserably, “I showed him how to
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