Chapter 8

The Bombshell I entered my room with a smile on my face. A smile that soon got wider when I caught sight of my best friend Celia sitting on my queen-sized bed. Her blonde locks bounced in the air as she shot up from her place and came to greet me. Her deep brown eyes were sparkling with happiness and she was grinning like a fool. I couldn't help but wonder what was up. We hugged for some time, enjoying each other's embrace, then parted and sat on the bed. 'I'm so happy Karl woke up." I heard her say in that melodic voice of hers. 'I know you are," I replied, smirking, emphasizing the ‘know' part. She had had a crush on Karl for three years or so. She smiled then asked about him for several minutes before squealing excitedly all of a sudden, 'I almost forgot! Did you know that the alpha-ultra settled down here, in this town?" I nodded, putting a small smile on my face, desperately trying not to grimace. Celia had always been one to change subjects when you're least expecting it. Just like that, as if on a whim, she could blurt out something completely irrelevant, something that had nothing to do with the discussion… You just need to keep up, I guess. Now, was there nothing better to gossip about than my oh-so-lovely mate? Ugh! A mental groan punctuated the thought. 'Of course, you do. He is at your school after all," she paused before adding excitedly, 'and they say he has found his mate — a short-tempered beautiful brunette with light blue eyes." I couldn't help but grit my teeth at that then pinched the bridge of my nose before letting out a sigh of pure frustration. News do travel fast, I thought bitterly. She looked at me quizzically for a moment before her eyes widened in astonishment. She then all but shrieked, 'No!" I scowled at her then huffed and averted my face. 'You are the one everyone was talking about?" She looked rather amused as she asked that, 'You're his mate?" I was just about to answer her when I heard a deep voice ask in a really firm tone, "YOU are his mate?" My heart leapt in my chest and my senses went into overdrive. I looked up to find none other than Jeremy leaning against the door frame. His features seemed slightly worried, 'Don't tell me you are!" He exclaimed. 'I won't then." I retorted in a low voice. He swiftly closed his eyes, and then, while keeping them that way, inhaled deeply, 'You didn't reject him, did you?" His voice all but screamed he was afraid to know the answer, 'The folks would be furious." He observed in quite a bleak tone. 'I didn't. And don't be a snitch, Jer." I might have kept my voice calm, even, almost bored but my eyes were glaring at him, openly threatening him. 'I won't tell… but they'll have to know sooner or later." He smiled sheepishly at me while entering my room and closing the door behind him. 'Let's keep it to later, then." I muttered, putting emphasis on the later part. 'Oh, come on, Jas. It's not that bad. He is – according to what they say – like candy for the eye," Celia chirped encouragingly. I shot her a sideways glare and she instantly clapped her mouth shut; her eyes pretty apologetic though there was a faint trace of amusement in their depths. There's nothing funny about it, I wanted to tell her but refrained from doing so, fearing an outburst – of laughter. 'Look, I'm your older brother and I'm worried about you." Jeremy started in a soft voice, 'I know you've been through a difficult time this summer, but not all werewolves are the same, you know?" He knew better than to give me a lecture concerning the matter, but he was trying to make me see his point of view, nonetheless. I shrugged nonchalantly then told them in a firm tone, 'I don't want to talk about it." Simultaneously, they sighed in surrender while averting their gazes whereas I kept mine hard, unwavering, looking straight ahead – at the wall. As my mind started going back down the memory line, I kept inwardly screaming at it, Don't go there, damn it. Don't go there! 'Jasmine, come downstairs." I heard my mom yell at me and I could have thanked her for saving me from whatever inner battle was about to take place... okay, maybe not something quite as delicate as an inner battle for there was no choice or decision to be made; but it would have been pretty damn troublesome to torment myself with a past I didn't even want to remember. I opened the door to my room and shouted back, 'Why?" 'A friend of yours wants to see you," I heard her answer. I quickly descended the stairs, wondering who it might be, with Celia hot on my heels, like the curious little thing she was; leaving Jeremy behind – probably working on the speech he'll give me later. I entered the living-room and all but froze right there and then. I was sure my face went pale for it felt as if all of its blood rushed down, straight to my racing heart that was threatening to jump out of my chest. 'Hey, Jasmine." His deep voice echoed through the space between us. I locked eyes with his and was almost scared to see the determination shining in those electric-blue orbs of his. 'Who's that?" I heard Celia mutter at the sight of him. I could have scoffed at her dreamy tone. Instead, I let a scowl take over my facial expression. 'Manners, Jas." My dad scolded me. I winced at that, sighed then greeted the arrogant werewolf with a terse 'Hi." 'You never mentioned any Jonathan," My mom told me, while throwing a pointed look my way, silently asking me to say something. 'He's new." I informed them tautly, avoiding their eyes and keeping my gaze on the smug-looking werewolf standing at merely fifteen feet from me. 'And I'm her mate." He stated flatly as if he had no care in the world, as if he hadn't just dropped a bombshell in our living-room. And here goes my plan to let them know later, I thought, both irritation and bitterness filling me. 'What?" They both shouted, rising from their seats. I was now openly glaring daggers at him, with gaping parents at my right, a dumbstruck friend at my left and the sole cause of my troubles, confidently smirking, standing right in front of me. Oh, you'll regret this. You'll regret it dearly. That was the promise of a lifetime that my eyes were probably conveying.