Chapter 15 Secrets In The Light of Day
Quinn kissed down my chest to wake me up. She grinned seductively at me. I pulled her up to my face and kissed her lips. A soft moan escaped her. I could tell she wanted me. I desired her more than I could express. My thighs moistened at the memory of her touch. I craved her hands and tongue on my body. Quinn drew her tongue across my lips, my body shuddered. “Quinn,” I moaned, “Can we put this on pause? I’ll make it worth your wait tonight, please.” A deep growl rumbled in her chest. She ran her tongue down my neck, between my breasts, around my navel, and onto my thigh. I felt my heart race and my thighs quiver. “Are you sure you want to wait,” her sultry voice floated to my ears.
I could barely think straight, the sensation her tongue lingered on my skin. “Please, I’ll make it up to you, I promise,” I whispered out of breath. Quinn’s eyes mirrored the desire that burned in my heart, with a twinge of sadness. “Fine, but you’re taking me out on a proper date tonight. A fancy restaurant, a gorgeous dress, the works.” I smiled and thought about how beautiful Quinn would look tonight, “Deal!” Her eyes lingered on my breasts, I felt pleased she wanted me so badly. She shook her head and looked me straight in the eyes, “I need coffee.” “Go on, get some ready. I’ll be out in a minute.” She groaned loudly and rolled off the bed. She slipped on an oversize hoodie and padded out of the room.
I took a deep breath and tried to ignore my body’s urge to call her back and ravish me. I forced myself to sit up. I wanted so badly to call her back. I toddled over to the closet and picked an outfit. I wanted to drive Quinn crazy with desire and I had just the outfit to do it. I lifted the little black form fit dress with a chain belt from its hanger and shimmied into it. I stepped out of our room and into the kitchen. The second Quinn saw me, a ravenous look appeared in her eyes, “Nope! No way. You can’t wear that and expect me to behave. Go change.” I smiled grandly and winked at her. She narrowed her eyes and stuck her tongue out at me. “You better put that back in your mouth before I decide to make use of it,” I teased her. “Make me,” she taunted and handed me a cup of hot coffee.
As the smell of coffee swirled around the house, people began to emerge from their rooms. Peyton and Sawyer strolled from Kai’s room and settled down on stools at the kitchen island. I set down mugs of coffee in front of them and greeted them. They returned the greeting and sipped the coffee. Sawyer opened the conversation, “What does today look like for you?” I shrugged, “Today, like most days, we do whatever we want, with the exception of anything that brings attention to the pack and our existence. Two of us have online jobs, Phoenix likes to tend to her garden, and sometimes Kai helps her. We have the weights and gaming center in the basement. Honestly I had planned to spend the day with Peyton.”
Peyton and Sawyer glanced at each other, “No, Sawyer can stick around if he wants. It seems he has been along for the ride this whole time,” I answered their silent question. “How did you know that’s what we were thinking,” Peyton asked surprised. “Body language, facial expressions, and I’ve been the Alpha for a while now, kinda helps me guess what my wolves are thinking.” “Werewolf magic,” Sawyer muttered. I laughed and inquired, “Where did you hear that?” He shrugged, “Peyton used the phrase once and I guess it stuck.” I remembered the first time I mentioned that phrase to Cordelia, fun memories.
“So what do you want to do today,” I asked them, “We could go explore the lake, or take a dip in the pool, go for a hike, stay in and chat?” Peyton thought for a minute, “Let’s go to the lake and talk.” I nodded, “Let me go change real quick.” Quinn smiled triumphantly at me. I smirked at her and licked my lips. Her smile turned to a scowl. I laughed and blew her a kiss. I entered my room, slipped out of the chain belt dress, and pulled on some exercise shorts and a loose fit t-shirt. Peyton and Sawyer followed me outside and we hiked to the lake. The hike took about ten minutes, it was nice to be out in the sun and to listen to the birds’ songs.
We sat on the rock that Quinn and I had rested on a few short hours prior. I slipped my feet into the water and waited for Peyton or Sawyer to speak. “When we were talking about you being able to guess what we were thinking, you said being the alpha helped you guess what ‘your wolves’ were thinking. Are we…am I one of your wolves,” Peyton asked. “Caught that, did you,” I murmured. I looked out onto the lake and took a breath. “The answer to that is more complicated than I would like,” I began. Sawyer and Peyton looked at me quizzically. I took a deep breath and elaborated.
“You deserve to know the truth. Only one other person knows this. I’m not trying to hide it, nor am I yelling it from the rooftop.” I sighed. “When I refer to ‘my wolves’ I typically mean my pack. But this certain instance, I don’t mean my pack. That night, when your life changed. That night you were bitten, the night you were turned, it was me. I bit and turned you.” The silence was thick and tense. Rage emanated from Sawyer, I braced for an assault. Peyton just looked out onto the water. Her breath was slow and steady, “So what now?” I cleared my throat, “Well, you can stay here with us and join the pack or you can go back to your home and live there. My pack was homeless and under the control of a terrible alpha for a long while, that’s why Quinn and I built this sanctuary for us. We don’t fit well into society, but you might.”
“I don’t know anything about your life before the wolf. I don’t want to tell you what to do. All I can do is offer you and Sawyer a place here with us.” Sawyer struggled with his emotions, I was curious to know how long he could control them. Peyton seemed to sense Sawyer’s struggle, she put her hand on his arm, “The past is history. How we respond is what defines us.” I mentally noted how wise she was. Sawyer took several deep breaths and centered himself. Peyton’s voice was low and thoughtful, “My only question is why? Why did you turn me? Why did you choose me?”
I looked at my feet in shame and embarrassment, “When you stay in human form too long, your wolf gets rowdy. If you don’t give it regular exercise, it becomes enraged. It takes control. It forces you into your wolf shape and goes on a rampage. You have no control, you are trapped in your own body. The wolf does as it pleases until the morning or it wears itself out. That’s what happened. I was so stressed from learning to be the alpha and taking care of my pack and finding a place for them to stay. I neglected my wolf and you ended up paying the price.” My face burned with shame, I couldn’t make eye contact with either of them. I had half a mind to let her hit me.
“Reese, can I have some time alone to discuss this with Sawyer,” Peyton’s voice was low and measured. I stood up and walked back toward the house, my anxiety screamed at me. It grew louder and louder with every step I took. I need Quinn to help me center my emotions. She always helped me calm down. I opened the back door and called to her. She jumped up from the couch and came over to me. I plunked down on a deck lounger and hugged my knees to my chest. I could feel the tears well up in my eyes, Quinn sat beside, “She knows,” I murmured, “I told her everything.”