Lola (Completed)

11 Feeling Safe

Lola

I feel safe. The scent of my mate fills me and I smile against his chest. Bastian.

"Hey, my beautiful girl," he murmurs gently. So sweetly, as if we are just two new mates in love.

Slowly I pry my eyes open. He is relaxed, leaning back against the wood partition. The Orchestra Room. I am on his lap, his arms holding me secure, fingers gently brushing against the bare skin of my shoulder.

I let myself drift, but there are memories hovering, threatening, on the edge of my consciousness. Alpha Roland, Bastian's pain, my suffering, Cassie.

Cassie. With a scowl that I just know is ugly I stiffen away from Bastian.

"Lola," he says in a warning tone, "what's wrong?"

"I hate this, Bastian," I tell him. I sound so whiny!

"What?" he snaps. He sits up a little, making me slide upright, too.

"You hating me," I say, anguish filling me.

He softens, "I don't hate you, Lola. I'm pissed as fuck at you, but I don't hate you."

"How can you not?" I sniffle.

"Lola, beautiful," his voice becomes raspy, "where is this coming from?"

"I just don't want you to hate me, Bast."

"I don't," he says without hesitation.

I collapse back onto him, crying into his shirt, "you should," I whisper, "you should."

Bastian rocks me in his lap. I feel so remote, removed from the scene I am making on his lap. Part of me is breaking down, but my wolf is coldly watching. She is agitated. Her mate was flirting with another female. That is her male. All of those males are hers.

Suddenly I come to an awful conclusion. My wolf is actually a slut. A surprised laugh makes me clasp my hand over my mouth, staring up at Bastian's bemused expression.

"Baby, you OK?" he asks.

I nod, the laughter dying quickly. I'm a complete mess. The last thing I need is to become hysterical.

Bastian looks at me steadily for a beat. "Go home, Loles," he says gently.

I jerk back in surprise. "What?" I ask him.

He smiles. "You need to rest and to eat."

I can't argue with him. The cheer squad doesn't meet today and I'm exhausted and hungry.

"Take the Camaro and go home. I'll catch a ride with Brett."

"Are you sure?" I whisper.

"Yeah, go home." He skims his mouth over mine in a comforting kiss.

Why is he so wonderful?

---

I can tell there is something wrong as soon as I enter the house. Sorrow and fear hang in the air like a bad taste in my mouth. I climb the stairs, following the scent of panic. My wolf brings me forward, even as I balk. My kitten heels scrape the floor, almost making me trip, until I reach the second floor hallway just outside of Mackenzie's door.

"Lola!" Samuel greets me with relief. "Can you talk to her? She won't even open her door to me!"

I tentatively knock on the door.

"Go away!" Mackenzie screams from the other side.

I flinch, but speak up anyway. "Mackenzie, it's Lola... Can I come in?"