Chapter 6
Marissa POV
I was sprawled on Kacy's bed like a starfish, staring at the ceiling like it had answers to all my troubles. The room smelled like lavender and bad decisions, which was pretty much Kacy's brand. She was sitting at her desk, typing away on her laptop like her life depended on it.
"Marissa," Kacy said suddenly, her voice cutting through the silence like a knife. "What the hell is wrong with your eyes?"
I blinked, turning my head to look at her. "What?"
"Your eyes," she repeated, leaning closer and squinting at me like I was some kind of science experiment gone wrong or a rare artifact. "They're red. Like, really red. You look like a vampire with big eyes. It's horrifying."
I groaned and rolled onto my side, pulling a pillow over my face. "That's an exxagerated reference."
"I'm serious," she said, poking me with a pen. "They are like bulging and…. Are you sick? Is this contagious? Because if it is, I'm kicking you out."
I lifted the pillow just enough to glare at her. "It's not contagious. It's just burst blood vessels. I didn't get much sleep last night."
Kacy raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Burst blood vessels? What were you doing, crying rivers of blood?"
"No," I said, sitting up and tossing the pillow at her. "I was dealing with actual problems. Unlike some people who have the luxury of just doing completely nothing."
Kacy caught the pillow and hugged it to her chest, her expression shifting from teasing to concerned. "Okay, spill. What's going on?"
I sighed, running a hand through my hair. "I got a call from Theo Black last night."
Kacy's eyes widened. "Theo Black? As in, the leader of the werewolves Theo Black?"
"The one and only," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. "He informed me that the alphas had a meeting and came to the conclusion that if I don't recognize Julian as my leader, I'll be labeled a traitor… and a rebel."
Kacy gasped, clutching the pillow tighter. "Marissa, that's serious. You know what they do to people who are even rumored to be rebels. What are you going to do?"
"Oh, that's not even the best part," I said, lying back down and staring at the ceiling again. "Apparently, I only have a week to find a partner or I'll be exiled from all werewolf packs."
Kacy blinked, clearly trying to process this information. "Wait, what? Since when is that a thing?"
"Since forever," I said, my tone flat. "It's some archaic law that says women in the pack have ten years from their eighteenth birthday to find a partner or be exiled. And guess who's about to hit the ten-year mark?"
Kacy winced. "Oh, honey. That's rough."
"Yeah," I said, closing my eyes. "And to make matters worse, Theo was 'kind' enough to offer his own nephew as a potential partner. You know, in exchange for my complete submission. Because no one is ready to tie the knot with a woman who publicly opposes you know who"
Kacy sighed, setting the pillow aside and leaning back in her chair. "Marissa, I get that you're not exactly the settling-down type, but just to be blunt with you... why have you rejected every single advance men have made toward you? You're beautiful, smart, and, you know, not a complete psychopath. You could have your pick of anyone."
I opened one eye to glare at her. "Gee, thanks. I'll add that to my dating profile."
"I'm serious Marissa," Kacy said, ignoring my sarcasm. "I love you but you've chased away every young, rich, and handsome suitor that's come your way. At this point, I'm starting to think you are maybe gay or pansexual. You must be a virgin, have you ever even kissed a guy before?"
I sat up again, my face heating up. "First of all, I'm neither gay nor sexually not into pans or kitchen stuff. And second, I have kissed a man before. Once. In high school. And it was terrible."
Kacy smirked, clearly enjoying my discomfort. "Okay, got it, so virgin. But you're still picky. What's wrong with all the guys who've tried to court you?"
"What's wrong with them?" I repeated, my voice rising. "They only want one thing with me and you know what…"
"Your purse?"
" Not that, why do you always have to think about the nasty…"
I was cut off by the sound of the door slamming open. A man stumbled into the room, looking like he'd just walked out of a 90s rap video. He was short and skinny, with overgrown facial hair and a white tank top that had seen better days. His eyes widened when he saw me, and he jerked back like he'd just seen a ghost.
"Whoa," he said, his voice high-pitched and nasally. "Your eyes, man. They're like... two assholes. You know what I'm saying?"
I stared at him, my mouth hanging open. "I... speak English. Yes of course, I know what you're saying."
Kacy jumped up from her chair, her face lighting up like a Christmas tree. "Double P! You're here!"
"Double P?" I repeated, my voice flat. "That's his name?"
"Yeah," Kacy said, grinning like an idiot. "This is my boyfriend, Double P. Double P, this is my best friend, Marissa, the one I have been telling you about."
Double P nodded, his eyes still fixed on my face. "Yeah, yeah. Nice to meet you, Marissa. You must have steel balls to speak to July King like that front of everyone. You know what I'm saying?"
"Again," I said, my patience wearing thin. "I do know what you're saying. And I appreciate you checking on me with that."
Kacy giggled, grabbing Double P's arm and pulling him closer. "Isn't he adorable?"
I stared at her, trying to figure out if she was serious. "Adorable" was not the word I would've used.
"So," I said, crossing my arms. "How long have you two been... dating?"
"A few weeks," Kacy said, beaming. "We met at a club. He's a DJ, you know."
"Yeah, yeah," Double P said, nodding enthusiastically. "I spin the tracks, you know what I'm saying?"
"I do," I said, my tone dry. "I really do."
Kacy grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder. "We're heading out for a date, but I'll be back later. You should go out too, Marissa. Find a man. Or you'll be exiled from your own home."
I groaned, flopping back onto the bed. "Thanks for the reminder."
Kacy blew me a kiss before dragging Double P out of the room. I stared at the ceiling, wondering how I would deal with my own predicament.
"You know what I'm saying?" I muttered to myself, mimicking Double P's nasally voice.
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