We kissed for awhile and the I pulled away slightly. "What's wrong?" He asked me, his eyes searching mine for an answer. "This might seem too soon but I want to know what this is...I can't do casual or not labelled, I need clarification" it may have sounded needy, pushy and clingy but this is what I needed. Harrison broke into a smile which surprised me "Abigail Gilbert will you be my 100% official girlfriend, labels and all?" I nodded and hugged him gleefully "yes I will" I kissed him again and I couldn't stop grinning.
"So are you going to tell me now why you chose Alyssa Lake?" I asked because I was actually quite eager to know. "It was the first time we almost kissed and the first time I realised I wanted something with you, I wanted to be with you" and that made my heart melt a little.
"Really?"
"Really really" he laughed and we fell into a comfortable silence for awhile.
After a while a troubled look crossed Harry's face "what's wrong?" I asked him touching his shoulder "well I was just curious about something but it doesn't matter" he grabbed my hand and held it gently "honestly it doesn't matter it can wait I promise" he kissed me softly and I had a feeling he wasn't going to tell me.
"Harry...?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you care if there was something different about me? Something that set me apart in a major way?" I obviously wasn't telling him now but I was testing the waters. "I'm pretty sure that's why I like you because you are different" he pushed a stray piece of hair back "no I mean something really different" Harry looked at me confused "oh god you don't have a tail do you" I shook my head it wasn't technically a lie I didn't have one right now. "Abby I will always be there for you whether you have some weird thing about you or your your as plain as vanilla ice cream, you will always be Abby to me" he kissed my forehead and I smiled.
I guess that wasn't so bad.
Once our days drew to a close Harry dropped me back home. "So is this the part where I give you a goodnight kiss?" He gave me a sly smile and I rolled my eyes playfully "maaaybe" I giggled and Harry stole a kiss anyway. "Goodnight Miss Gilbert" and as soon as I shut my front door I heard his truck drive away.
"How was your date?" I jumped as my parents were sitting at the kitchen counter obviously waiting. "It was wonderful" I didn't even care that they scared the shit out of me. "I have an announcement though, well actually two." My parents straightened a but because I could tell they had no clue where this was going. "Harry asked me to be his girlfriend and I said yes" my parents nodded I think they had mixed feeling of happiness but reluctance. "Also I want to tell the pack I found my mate" now that took them by surprise and they swallowed their opinions.
"We support you in that but that means your opening him up to this world now" Dad warned "he was opened to this world the minute destiny decided to put us together,I'm just making it more official." My parents nodded in understanding. "I will tell them next week at the meeting, make sure everybody is called" and I kissed them both on the cheek and said goodnight.
I was exhausted but blissfully and unexplainable happy.
-----
A week later Harry and were still going strong and we had told Evie and Sienna we were dating to which Evie almost hugged me to death and she gave the cliche 'I will rip your balls off if you hurt my best friend' speech which Harry took in stride. I also told Evie in confidence that I was going to tell the pack about Harry.
"That's wonderful! Now he can come to the Halloween rager!" I rolled my eyes "that's not what I'm thinking about Evie" but that obviously meant in some way I could integrate Harry into my second family because ultimately the Violets were part of who I am. They always will be and now Harry would be apart of that life.
That Friday afternoon I had my whole pack assembled. I had never felt nervous about addressing my people but today I felt it. "How you doing champ?" I turned to see Jem who was cracking his knuckles and looked nervous too "I am worried Jem, I don't know if this is a good idea" I didn't know if I could do this. "Hey you can't hide him from the pack forever, that's not what your about and it's not what we're about" he gestured at my pack and I had to agree.
I couldn't keep this secret anymore.
"Order order" Jem yelled out and everyone suddenly snapped to attention because now I had to tell them what I was holding off on doing for nearly two months. "Hello everyone, A few months ago I became of age to find a mate and well I..." I looked at them all watching me expectantly.
"A few weeks ago I experienced an injury which no one knew the origin of and well this is my injury" taking a deep breath I unzipped the back of my red dress, leaving me in a navy blue underwear set. I heard everybody gasp not only because their future Queen was standing there in her underwear but because of my gashes that still ran deep.
"My mate did this, he never laid a hand on me and to his current knowledge he doesn't even know How I have been hurt" everybody still looked confused. "My mate consummated a relationship with another girl which left me with scars because my mate is human..." yep there were the gasps and murmurs but I held up my hand to silence them.
"I have chosen to forgive my mate Harrison Grace for his indiscretion and he is now my boyfriend and nobody in this pack is to reveal to Harrison the information that I have just told you until I tell him on my own terms. Anyone who disobeyed these instructions will deal with me directly. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes your majesty" and as regally as I could I walked out of the pack meeting clutching to my dress and dignity as tightly as I could.
----
Now that's what I call handling it like a Queen