After enough arguments, Zoey had convinced me to accompany her to her doctor's appointment even though she knew I didn't want to go back home at all. I only took pity on her because it's not like she had Mom to lean on because we were both hiding the pregnancy scare from her. Zoey was just lucky that Mom and Collin were off on a cruise.

Her recklessness stressed me out on a normal day, but I was yet again considering to bail on her appointment when she had revealed she couldn't come pick me up tonight [Thursday] for her Friday morning appointment because she was "tired." This was obviously a huge dilemma considering I certainly didn't have a car, but I wasn't going to call Torrance at work to pick me up. I wanted him far from the pack now that his new friend Chase was in town. But maybe I was wrong about the ex-Alpha's whereabouts because with one walk across campus, I was seeing a familiar black Corvette that was no longer in the shop.

Without even thinking, I had picked the lock—a trick taught to me by Torrance from a skill he acquired from his teenage stint as a nosey trespasser. I sat in the driver's seat and sorted through the glove compartment for a spare key. As soon as the metal hit my hand, it was shoved into the ignition and I sped my way back home with consequence far from my mind.

***

"Does Micah even know about this?" I asked Zoey as she laid down on the bed at the doctor's office the next morning.

"Does he need to?" she countered.

"Well if you're pregnant and he's the father, then yeah. He needs to know," I answered and wondering how my sister was so...Zoey.

"Doc needs to hurry up," she complained.

"What, do you have a hot date or something?" I laughed. She stayed silent which caused me to sigh. "You're going out with Micah tonight..."

"Exactly. So if we go out, I know if I can drink or not," she reasoned. I looked at her.

"You know, you're selfish."

"If I was selfish, I wouldn't even care about this...thing...being taken care of inside me," she said. "Selfish would be drinking the whole nine months until I popped it out with fetal alcohol syndrome because I didn't care to ever check."

"Whatever," I dismissed. "If you weren't selfish, maybe you'd reminded Micah to wear a damn condom—"

"It broke, okay?" she said, raising her voice. "The stupid thing broke and I forgot my birth control doesn't work because I was taking those antibiotics for my wisdom teeth removal last month, remember?

I only rolled my eyes at her irresponsibility. Moments later, the doctor returned with papers.

"You know what, I don't want to know. You can just tell my sister. Yeah! That's it. Tell her. So if it's bad, I don't even have to know!" Zoey rambled before her doctor even said anything. She covered her ears and started humming and signing. I looked at her doctor with another roll of my eyes.

"Is she?" I asked.

"No. Her period is just off date," he doctor informed with a straight face.

"Lalalala!" Zoey almost yelled.

"Thank the lord. I'd worry about the quality of that child if she had to raise it," I commented. Her doctor looked to Zoey being ridiculous and then back at me.

"Me too," she commented. I chuckled a little before she left.

"Lalala—" Zoey sung with her eyes shut and her ears covered. I removed her hands. "Is it bad?"

I didn't answer her quick enough and her eyes widened, expecting the worst. She immediately rushed out of the room with her belongings. I laughed to myself as I left as well. I hid my laughter as I passed her, yelling at the receptionist for wanting to chat with her doctor about her "abomination." I laughed my way down the lobby and to my stolen car. I sat on the black leather with my hands on the steering wheel and giggled. She could figure out her truth herself.

I put the key in the ignition and turned, but the engine didn't start. Crap. I tried and tried, and it didn't work, making me think there was a reason it was in the shop. Then I felt something drop on the trunk. I got out of the car and looked up to see Chase hopping off the truck.

"You stole my car?!"

"Speaking of which..." I said as I quickly climbed back in and tried to start it. This time, it roared to life, but as soon as it started to move, I slammed on the break as I felt and saw Chase closing the door and sitting next to me. I avoided his face and his eyes, but I was impressed with the werewolf speed I hadn't ever experienced from him.

"Seriously?" he asked. When did he get so fast?

Before I could respond, my phone was ringing.

"Hello—"

"Lili! You are dead. D-e-a-d. DEAD," Zoey roared. I just busted out laughing. "I can't believe you would do this to me! You better pray that I take revenge easy on you!"

"What are you gonna do? Tell Mom?" I teased. She stayed silent for a while.

"When you least expect it, expect it," she threatened.

"Ooh. Scary," I commented.

"And when you ask me to accompany you to the doctor's when you have a pregnancy scare, you better watch out," she said.

"Only you would overreact to it though, so I'll take my chances," I laughed.

"Watch yourself," Zoey warned before hanging up. I laughed once again.

"Did you have a nice conversation? Because I'm trying to have one right now too," Chase reminded in a scolding tone. "You stole my car."

"Steal is such a harsh word," I shrugged.

"Well it's also an accurate word," he added.

"Well maybe you deserved it."

"For what?"

"You know that you didn't really need a ride on Tuesday," I stated.

"Yeah. I did. Because my car stopped working," he assured and then got distracted by looking at his dashboard, "which apparently they didn't fix even though it worked just fine this morning—"

"You could've ran back here if you needed to," I reminded to keep on topic.

"You're right," he admitted. "But where would be the fun in that?"

I snapped my head at him, but looked past him. I knew what he was getting at.

"Stay away from Torrance," I ordered.

"Why? He seems to like me. He said we'd be great friends," he notified. I rolled my eyes because I knew what he was talking about. Torrance had returned with an optimistic view of Chase after their little road trip.

"I don't care. You're up to something—"

"Believe what you want," he allowed. "I can see that you're happy with him and he's happy with you. If that's where you want to be in life then so be it. I'm not gonna mess that up."

He sounded serious.

"If you just look into my eyes, you'd see how honest I am," he whispered as if challenging my thoughts.

"I believe you," I said, just to insure that I wouldn't have to prove him by looking into his eyes. He knows that I don't want to.

"So...new question," he started. "Friends?"

"Friends..." I repeated a bit too soon for contemplation. It was strange to agree though. Even though being cordial with each other would be less tiresome, part of me didn't think it was possible.

***

"So now you're friends?" Wes asked me. I had given Chase his car back and met Wes for lunch since I was in town. I nodded while I ate. "Well that's good."

"No. It's not," I whined. He gave me a confused look. "I can't just be friends with him."

"Meaning you literally can't or you want to be more—"

"I literally can't," I stated. I know that he's up to something. He can't just be cool with Torrance and me. "I wish I just knew what he was thinking—"

"No you don't. His mind is...out there," Wes commented dramatically. Even though it took me a second to realize he was referencing the telepathic powers the werewolves had, his revelation informed me of something required for that to happen. But while I frowned down to myself at the information I gathered, Wes looked down to his second burger before preparing to devour it in probably three bites. "Trust me. Alpha minds are loud enough, but a mated—"

"That means he's phased since he's been back," I interrupted.

"Yeah. He phases all the time," Wes informed with a mouth full of food and a shrug even though he was the same person who told me Chase had gone months without phasing before to protect me.

"Yes!" I exclaimed. He looked at me with wide blue eyes. I calmed down with the clearing of my throat when I noticed others looking at the outburst. "He didn't used to phase because he thought he'd hurt me. Maybe him phasing now means he doesn't care."

"Or that he can control himself better," Wes reminded. "Whatever it is, I don't care. He's in a much better mood more of the time. He'll go hunting with us and mess around and go on runs to be by himself instead of sulking. He never phases when he's mad though."

I surprised the both of us with a laugh.

He gave me a funny look. "He was pretty pissed off when I stole his car this morning and I don't remember being tackled by a giant wolf."

"You stole his car?"

"I had to get down here some kind of way and Zoey wasn't gonna pick me up," I reasoned. "And his car was just sitting in the parking lot at school..."

"Man, I love you," he commented since it was something daring that I had done and he still loved to mess with Chase. "So you need a ride back to campus?"

"I guess so," I said. I forgot that Zoey said she had plans with Micah and I certainly didn't want to be anywhere near their apartment when they got back from a night of booze and grinding against each other in some club.

"You can spend the night at the house and I'll drive you back tomorrow," he suggested as his only option because he had moved there in lieu of his always-traveling parents selling their house once we graduated.

"You know I shouldn't be going to that house," I reminded. Torrance was reasonable, but I doubt he'd be okay with me roaming a secluded resident that housed dozens of boys. Not to mention Chase would be there.

"Oh please. I'll lock you in the room if I have to," he joked.

"Sweet," I commented.

"I was kidding."

"Oh...I was kind of looking forward to it," I replied. "You know me. I'll be good with a TV, some food, and someone else in there to pass my time with."

"Whoa—"

"That came out wrong," I laughed immediately. I meant I just wanted someone to actually have a conversation with. That house creeped me out when I was alone.

"It sure did," he agreed, "but that's fine, you can stay in Jackson's room. I think he's gonna be on campus all day and night anyways."

***

Even though I had been here an abundant number of times, something was different. All the teenage boys that used to ignore me all the time took tiny glances at me as if I was someone foreign as I walked up the front porch's steps. I was half tempted to just go ballistic on them for having some staring problem or to tell them to take a picture because it lasts longer. But maybe I seemed foreign because I avoided this place like the plague after graduation.

After getting tons of junk food from the kitchen that only changed by an increase in snacks, I headed up to Jackson's room, but not without passing the office.

"I don't care!" the familiar voice of Chase Cane roared at someone. "I told you not to and you did! And now you're—"

He was cut off as if he realized something. I had slowed my walk down in fear of seeing this side of Chase and then suddenly the door opened and I accidently dropped everything in my arms. I instantly crouched down to the ground and picked up everything. When I stood up, I saw a familiar boy leaning on the doorway watching me. My gaze shunned him and started to shuffle away as Wes waited for me from the doorway to Jackson's room. He saw me struggling to hold everything up, but refused to help me.

"Wait," Chase's now calm voice called. I stopped walking. He strode over and set a bottle of whip cream on top of my load. I sighed of relief. I thought he would say something. I took another step but saw the eyes of an old enemy in front of me. Her small had grabbed the whip cream bottle and passed me with a shove to my shoulder.

"Babe. We are going to need this," she sang to Chase. I watched as she grabbed Chase's wrist and pulled him across the hall into his bedroom. My eyes widened and I stormed to the room and dropped all the food on the bed.

"Are these doors sound proof?" I asked Wes.

"Yeah but—" He was cut off with an ear piercing scream from me. "—apparently not enough," he finished as he wiggled his finger in his ear. I plopped down on the bed in anger. "You realize that you nearly made dog frequency correct?"

"I don't care," I grumbled crossing my arms. I flew back onto the soft pillows to drown out what I just witnessed.

"What now?" Wes asked.

"Give me the ice cream," I commanded with my hand out. Ice cream could solve anything.

"Alicia—"

"The. Ice. Cream," I demanded. He tossed it over to me and I started eating. I guess ice cream couldn't solve this feeling.

"Don't worry about her," Wes dismissed as he chewed some chips.

"How can I not worry when they're having sex not even fifty feet away?!" I whisper-yelled.

"Why would you care if they were?" he asked. Even though his semantics suggested they weren't actually having sex, I still sulked with my ice cream. "If you're not gonna give him a chance, why do you care? I mean it's not like you should be envious considering—"

"Shit."

"It's not shit—"

"Not that," I said. "Brain freeze."

"It's what you get. Ice cream can't solve jealousy," he commented. I glared at him.

"I am not jealous of some stupid slut," I sneered. I looked on the bed. "I forgot the cookies. I need cookies. I will be right back."

"Alicia—"

"Shut the f*ck up and save it til I come back with some damn cookies," I ordered before marching out of the room. I was looking through the pantry downstairs and saw a box of cookies on the highest shelf, but I couldn't reach. And then, a pink-fingernail-painted hand grabbed the box for me. I turned and faced her makeup caked face. She held a sarcastic smirk.

"Here you go," she said with fake niceness. I didn't know why she would feign anything with me. She knew we didn't like each other and she knew that it wouldn't change. I reached out to grab the box and she slightly jerked it out of my reach. Bitch. She looked me in the eyes. "After all...it's not the first time I've got something that you wanted."

I snatched the box from her.

"Grow up."

"Oh I have. Ask Chase," she smirked.

"Why just him? Everyone on Earth knows you're pretty damn mature in that department," I insulted.

She scoffed."You're just jealous—"

"Of you screwing some guy that wanted a booty call for the night? Yeah. I'm so jealous," I replied sarcastically.

"You're just jealous because he didn't want you," she teased.

"And every one of God's creations wants you, right?" I laughed and clapped facetiously. "Please. I'm not jealous of you. Especially not over Chase. I have my own boyfriend which is way more steady than the whatever hump-and-dump relationship you like to have—if you can even call it a relationship."

"Better than whatever he has with you," she muttered back.

"Which explains why he came back for me, right?" I reminded. She scoffed out of disbelief and I bounced an eyebrow before walking past her.

"You're so stupid," she called after me. "Even though he may have said he came back for you, there's a real reason why he came back. And it's not for you."

"Well if it's not me, it sure as hell isn't you," I commented over my shoulder as I left to Jackson's room. I thought she should watch herself and who she was talking to...just like I should've watched myself when I ran into a half naked Chase.

"I'm sorry—"

"Get your stupid girlfriend on a f*cking leash before I strangle her," I demanded before walking past him as well.

"Damn," Wes commented as he was leaning on the doorway. I looked at him, disappointed in myself, before actually ducking under his arm-created bar at the door.

What Kayla said interested me though. What if there was seriously a different reason Chase came back than for me? The part of me that loved Torrance obviously liked this possibility, but the part inevitably bonded with Chase didn't.

"What did Chase come back for?" I asked Wes.

He laughed pathetically."You're don't seriously believe Kayla of all people, do you?"

"I want to know."

"According to common sense and anything else considering he's lonely yet imprinted, he came back for you," he answered.

"That's it?" I asked. "Do you think you could—"

"No."

"You don't even know what I was going to ask!" I commented.

"Yes I do," he denied. "You're going to ask me to ask Chase and I'm not doing that."

"Why not?" I whined.

"Because what if he says yes? What if he says no?" he questioned. "I don't want to be in the middle of some shitty love scenario. I have one of my own that I'm concerned with."

"Wes..." I asked.

"No!"

"But I want to know," I pouted

"Then ask him," he suggested. I bit my lip. It was more ridiculous to think I was afraid to ask someone that I was "jealous" over. Would he even answer me honestly? I had a partial faith in his "promises" he made about being honest with me...but probably not if Kayla's here. "She left."

How did he know what I was thinking?

"It's because you're saying it out loud like an idiot!" he informed.

"Oh..." I said, embarrassed. "So she's gone? Already?"

That was fast.

"He told her to leave," Wes informed. I wanted to wonder why, but remembered that anytime Kayla and I fought, he sent her away. "Just go ask him."

Reluctantly, I actually got up from the bed and rushed out of the room to find Chase, but then took three steps out of the room and realized that it didn't matter. Nothing about Chase and I should matter. After all, we're only friends. He was allegedly happy with my relationship so I should be happy with whoever makes him happy...should be.

"Hey," a voice said. I looked over to see Chase walking up, now dressed in a t-shirt and some shorts. His cropped hair still looked wet though. Something pulled me to go talk to him so I did. He nodded his head to the side for me to follow him, so I did.

"Don't listen to Kayla if she tells you any shit," he warned.

"Was it shit or was it right?"

"Depends on which part," he replied. I sat on his bed as he walked around his room, messing with various pieces of furniture and looking through his mostly empty shelves and drawers. His suitcases were still on the floor and didn't allow me to believe he was staying for long.

"Why you came back," I clarified.

"I came back for a few things," he announced. "You're one of the more important ones."

I nodded and chose to accept that answer as I got up to leave.

"Wait," he said while grabbing my hand. I pulled away but turned to him. "Just believe me."