Seth follows behind me as we decided it would be best to not split up. As we continue to follow Sakura's trail, it leads us to this two-story house. I don't bother to knock and open the door. It's unlocked, as expected after a teenage party. I shuffle past the drunk people on the floor and head up the stairs. Nathan's scent is fresh and strong. Sakura's scent intertwines with his and by the musk in their scent, I would say something explicit occurred.
I glance back at Seth, knowing he smells it too. The veins popping out of his forehead tell me everything that I need to know. His teeth grind together and his fist are clenched. Their scent leads me down a hallway and in front of a door on the left.
"I think I should go in first," I tell Seth without looking at him. He doesn't respond, so I walk into the room and close it behind me. I instantly spot Sakura's pink hair sprawled out on the bed. She smells me before she sees me and instantly sits up. "Soren, what are you doing here?"
"Good morning to you too. You never came back to your room last night and Seth hadn't seen you around either. He's outside the door by the way. We tracked your scent and it led us here."
She groans and puts her hands on her face. "I messed up. Badly," tears start to streak down her face. I sigh and sit on the bed beside her. "Do you want to talk about it?" she nods her head so I prepare myself to listen.
Sakura's P.O.V
Relief instantly settles in my body at the sight of Soren. The effect is quickly reversed after I get wind that Seth is outside the door. I take a deep breath and recount last night's events. "I was dancing with Kate and Catalina, drinking juice and soda while eating chips. We were having a great time. I was tired so I sat down on the chair by the pool. I set my cup of juice on the table beside it. After a while, I took another sip and it tasted funny, but I watered it down to the Funyuns I ate before drinking it.
I started getting dizzy and feeling nauseous. Catalina came to dance with me but before I could tell her I wasn't feeling well, she was spinning me around. The next thing I knew, I was in the pool drowning until Nathan saved me. He carried me upstairs, stripped me down to my underwear, and wrapped me in a blanket. It should've ended there, but I was feeling...weird.
To shorten the embarrassing parts, I forced him to touch me and I woke up half-naked beside his body in the same state." I don't take my hands off my face while explaining the story but I don't lower my voice to keep Seth from hearing. In truth I hoped he was listening so I wouldn't have to explain this to his face. It was cowardly but I can't imagine the face he would make toward me.
Soren takes a moment to process what I told her. I feel her hands lift mine from my face. There is no judgment on her face. No pity, no sympathy, no disgust. There was only understanding. "You have nothing to be ashamed about. You were obviously drugged and couldn't resist the urges that came with it. All I'm going to ask is are you sure you didn't see anybody slip anything into your drink?"
I shake my head. "Nobody was in my vicinity and the juice was fine before." Soren nods her head and drags me in for a hug. She gently pats my head. "I'm not going to lie, I don't think Seth will understand much. I think he's going to be mad and possibly hate Nathan for the rest of his life, but you will be his main priority. He won't think any less of you. If he does, I'll rip his balls off myself,"
I chuckle at her last words but I can't stop shaking. Seth may not think less of me but I do. "Are you ready?" I shake my head. I was never going to be ready for this conversation. Soren gives me a bitter-sweet smile before opening the door and letting Seth in.
He walks in and the look on his face breaks my heart. He was hurt. The tiny bit of confidence I had before he came into the room was shredded into tiny pieces. Underneath his hurt was rage. Rage that I knew wasn't directed toward me but I felt every inch of it. Not able to look into his eyes for another second, I lower my head to look at my hands.
I see his feet slowly approach me until I feel the bed dip under his weight. His hand moves toward my chin and lifts it. I look into his eyes but they aren't the same as before. These eyes are filled with adoration and love. "Hey, beautiful" his words instantly make me break into tears. He pulls me into his embrace and my senses are filled with his scent. He smelled of cookies. He smelled like home. I don't know how long I cried into his chest as he soothingly stroked my back.
Soren's P.O.V
After leaving Seth and Sakura I shifted into my wolf and sprinted off. I didn't know where I was going until I was there. I found myself at the oak tree I met Asher under. Much to my excitement, he was under the tree. I shift into my human form and walk up to him. "Hey," I smile and wave my hand in front of his face. He looks up from his sketchbook in surprise. A blush spreads across his cheeks and he adjusts his glasses.
"Oh, Soren, hey" I take a seat beside him. "How are your bruises?" he doesn't look at me as he says, "They're healing. Thank you for treating them," I was annoyed that he always looked away from me. Asher was the only other person aside from Laurence that I felt comfortable with. They were the two people I could be myself around.
It's ironic considering I put on a mask because I don't want to get attached, yet those two seem to take it down instantly and now I don't want to put it back up. The two people I should avoid are the ones I'm letting my guard down with.
I wanted Asher to feel comfortable around me but I wasn't going to force him. "You know Asher, you should start looking people in the eye when you're talking to them. It's rude otherwise," he glances at me but quickly averts his eyes with a blush.
"I'm sorry, you're really intimidating," he shrinks into himself. "I try not to be when I'm with you,"
"Why?" he glances at me every so often, maintaining enough eye contact. "Because you're shy and skittish. I don't want to scare you because I want to get to know you. I find you interesting for the simple fact that you evoke emotions in me that I haven't felt for anyone in a long time,"
I haven't cared for another person aside from my siblings in a long time but now I care for Asher and Laurence. I wonder why that is. Neither of them has done anything spectacular. Asher's face erupts in a blush. "Why are you so honest?"
"Is there a reason for me not to be? What is the point of lying when I already know the truth?"
"What kind of emotion do I...evoke in you?" his eyes dash from me to his book repeatedly. With a smirk, I lean forward and tilt his face toward mine. "That's something we are going to have to figure out together," I smile. His blush deepens, but he doesn't look away.
"Good boy," I pat his head. His eyes darken, a sign that his wolf is showing itself.
"Can I be your friend?" I ask. His eyes brighten, "Yes!" I'm taken aback by his quick response. His eyes hold conviction and determination. "That makes me happy," I tell him. He blushes at his previous response and hurriedly draws in his book. I sit with him in silence and wonder what it is about him and Laurence that has me entranced.