Chapter Nine

Dahlia helped me plan an outfit that she claimed gave off messages that I was a strong, independent woman but at the same time flirty. Apparently, that translated to my favorite jeans, thankfully, and a scoop-neck lightweight black sweater I forgot I owned. She picked out my accessories and insisted I borrow those amazing black boots I'd seen the first time I went into our room.

My wolf was even more excited than me. She wanted to break free and run. It had been weeks since I'd let her out to play, but tonight with a bonfire wasn't the night.

"So it's just a big fire?" I asked. I'd actually never been to a bonfire before. Had no idea what to expect.

I did hope the guys would be there, but I kept that tidbit to myself.

"There's food and they play music. People dance. Some people smuggle in booze but there are teachers there. Some look the other way but there's always a stickler."

"Do you drink?" I asked. "I never have. Never really interested me."

"Nah. My dad overdid it a lot when I was younger. He got some help and doesn't drink anymore, but his example convinced me not to touch the stuff. Besides, fire and alcohol? Not a good match."

Dahlia said guys could ask a girl or a girl could ask a guy to be their date to this bonfire. I hoped one of them would ask me. We hadn't had a lot of interaction other than that first day, just snippets here and there. I saw them in class and we talked some but I craved more. My wolf was hungry for their attention but if I made the first move, I might be proven the fool.

I'd been a fool before, asking a guy out and getting rejected. Asking out Artemis, Ian, or Neo felt infinitely more serious than some high school crush.

The first move wouldn't be made by me.

"Are you hoping for someone to ask you to dance?" I asked.

She shrugged. I suspected she had someone in mind from the blush that crept up her neck, but we stepped into the elevator, and she went silent since we were crammed in with other people.

When we got out, I gasped. My wolf craved some outdoor time, even if it was vicariously through me.

"I have my eye on someone," Dahlia whispered to me once we parted from the group.

"Who?" I asked.

"I'll tell you when I'm sure about them. In the meantime, I'm glad my boots are going to get some dancing action by you at least."

"Why do you say that?" I asked. She grabbed my shoulders and turned me. Ian was walking over. The fire in the middle of the area almost matched the color of his hair, and the reflection of the fire lit up his eyes. Eyes that were focused on me.

"Kiki," he said, looking me up and down. My wolf howled, eager for his approval. "You look great tonight."

"Thanks." I took a few breaths to calm myself. "You do, too."

Unlike high school dances, this one was busy with couples pressed against each other as the music played so loudly that I wondered how they got away with it in the middle of the city without someone complaining.

Ian rocked back on his heels with his hands in his pockets. Gods, he was adorably shy. His freckles tempted me to count them all, see how many he had. Everywhere. "Do you want to dance with me?" he asked.

"I do."

We walked over, hand in hand. The physical connection caused tingles all over me. He put one hand on my waist right at the hip and took my hand with the other just as a slow song began to play. "Did you plan this?" I asked.

"I might have asked the DJ to play something slow, yes." His sweet smile was intoxicating.

"I've only seen you during class," I said.

He pulled me closer and wrapped his arms around my back, which I allowed because he smelled so good and I craved his closeness. In fact, if I never left his hold during this whole party, I would consider it a win. "I know. I've been wanting to talk to you, but tonight was my chance, so I took it."

"I'm glad you did. You and your friends are always looking serious during meals, so I didn't want to interrupt."

He cocked his head. "Kiki. Trust me when I say you would be more than welcome to join us. We thought maybe you wanted time with your sisters and wouldn't want us to interrupt you."

I cracked up laughing and leaned my head against his shoulder. "We are a pair, aren't we?"

"We should be," he said, surprising me.

"You think so?" I asked. "Shouldn't we wait for our fated mates?"

"What makes you think we aren't?" he asked. My body whooshed with an unexplainable pull toward him, stronger than anything I'd ever felt before. Maybe he was on to something. My wolf knew it too. And if I wasn't mistaken, she was calling him our mate.

As quickly as the feeling arose, my attention was drawn to where Artemis and Neo stood.

And they weren't alone.

A girl that I'd seen around school was near Neo, talking to him. He faced me and, I thought he might come over when she reached out and touched his arm.

When she made contact with him, something inside me raged. Not my wolf. Something I didn't have a lot of control over.

A power I'd felt a few times before but was stronger than ever.

"The fire!" someone shouted. Ian and I both turned to see the bonfire blowing in a wind as strong as a hurricane. Ian put his body in front of mine, but Minx stood in the fire's way. It died down, but the wind didn't.

"It's okay," Ian said. He turned around and with a hooked finger, made me turn and look at him. "You're okay, Kiki."

The wind stopped. Not died down. Not dwindled. Stopped dead.

Fuck.

Not again.