The Minx
Chapter 12

The rest of the week went by uneventfully. A whole few months passed in the blink of an eye. It was nice being strong for once. Friday showed it's head quicker than I thought. I guess being Luna made school a little more tolerable. Aspen was more than understanding about me not wanting to talk about what happened to me.

Yelang and Avery were trying to get me ready for a party they were dragging me to. Avery shoved me into a black strapless dress with keyholes at my sides so you could see the sides of my ribs. The dress stopped right before my mid-thigh. The scars poked out slightly but they were faint. It almost seemed like they were disappearing. She paired it with a long gold necklace and strappy heels. My hair was left in their loose waves and light makeup was applied. Avery stood back and admired her work with a satisfied smile.

"Perfecto," she said kissing the tips of her fingers. I rolled my eyes and crossed my arms.

"Good luck getting me past Aspen dressed like this," I said. She pouted.

"I already had to drag your ass in here to dress you. It'll be fun. Stop fighting me," she pouted. I chuckled at her as the door creaked open. A loud growl sounded from behind Avery. We all looked at Aspen. His eyes were trained on me, or rather, what I was wearing.

"Where the hell do you think you're going dressed like that," he growled, walking closer to me. I only pointed at Avery.

"I told her I didn't want to go," I said, trying to defend myself.

"Just throw me under the bus, why don't you?" Avery pouted. I looked at her and shrugged.

"I told you he wouldn't like it," I said to her. She scowled at me. Aspen wrapped an arm around me and growled into the crook of my neck.

"I like it way too much... I don't want other guys to see you like this," he said into my skin. I couldn't help the content sigh that escaped my lips as my eyes fluttered close. I melt into him every time. He kissed my mark before looking to Avery.

"Where were you taking her anyway?" he asked. Avery blushed.

"There's a party," she started. Aspen was back to growling.

"You were going to take my mate out to a party without telling me?! What if something happened?" he asked angrily, pulling me closer to him. Avery looked down and shuffled away from him.

"We're just going to have fun, and no offense, but you're a party pooper," Avery answered. That only made Aspen growl more. I set a hand on his chest and kissed his jaw.

"She didn't mean any harm, Aspen. Plus, I think we could all use a break," I said softly. He calmed down and sighed.

"If you insist on dragging Cami with you, I'm going too... and she's not wearing that," he gave in. Avery nodded with a smirk.

"Yes sir," she said with a mock salute. Aspen rolled his eyes before his eyes turned back to me.

"You should change soon before I drag you back to the room for a few days," he growled lowly. I laughed and kissed him gently.

"Teasing isn't nice," I said seductively. He made a purring noise before he kissed me gently.

"I'll go change," he said before he left reluctantly. I changed into a pair of high-waisted shorts and a sleeved crop top. I put on a pair of wedges and pulled my hair into a side ponytail. I walked down with Avery and met Aspen and Yelang by the front door. Aspen smirked slightly and took my hand in his.

"Much better," he said approvingly. He kissed the top of my head before leading us out to an SUV. There was a driver who was taking us in case we all got drunk. It was definitely on my to-do list. When we got to the party, it was already in full swing.

"Whose party is this anyway?" I asked as we stepped out of the car. Yelang game me a sheepish grin.

"Eric... he's a pack member," she explained. I saw the faint blush in her cheeks and her pupils dilate. I smiled knowingly. Eric was more than just a pack member to Yelang and I knew it.

We made our way into the party and I was immediately hit with the smell of sweat and sex. The music was blasting and people were everywhere. Aspen wrapped an arm around my waist and kept me in his side. People parted like the red sea for us when they saw Aspen and I. We lost Yelang and Avery immediately.

We danced on the dance floor for a long time before we headed to the kitchen where I started downing as many shots as I could. I got to shot number 15 before Aspen cut in.

"Slow down, baby," Aspen said, holding my hand gently. I only shook my head as I reached for another shot.

"I've had a long few months. I think I should be allowed to get drunk for one night," I said. He sighed and looked around the room before bringing his eyes back to mine.

"Cami, I don't think that's such a good idea," he said unsurely. I stared at him.

"Please," I asked softly. He sighed and shook his head.

"You should do it at home," he argued.

"I'm sorry? Am I embarrassing you?" I asked bitterly. He sighed and pulled me out of the kitchen. He pulled me into a bathroom and locked the door before turning to me.

"What is your problem?" he hissed out. I couldn't help the tears that came to my eyes as I released a breath.

"I don't know," I whispered. He sighed and closed his eyes briefly before he opened his arms or me. I stepped into them gratefully as my tears spilled over. He shushed me as he held me close to him.

"I think everything from the past few months is finally catching up with you. You took everything life threw at you in stride. I think that weight is starting to hit you," he said gently. I started sobbing. I had no idea what was wrong with me, but Aspen was probably right. There was too much, too fast.

"Can we leave, please?" I squeaked out. He kissed my head gently.

"Yes," he agreed. "And when we get home, we're going to talk about this," he said. I shook my head as he held my face in his hands.

"I don't wan to talk about it," I sniffled. He sighed.

"And that's why you're in the state you are in now," he said before handing me his hoodie. I slipped it on and pulled the hood up before we left the bathroom. Aspen led me out quickly to the SUV and the driver started off. I sniffled and wiped m cheeks dry.

"What about Avery and Yelang?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I linked them and told them we were leaving. After Peter drops us off, he's going to go back for them," Aspen answered. I sighed and leaned against him in the car. We were quiet for a long time until we pulled up to the house. I was still kind of drunk. Aspen carried me out bridal style and through the house until we got to our room. He set me down on the bed before pulling off my shoes gently. I sighed and curled up on my side.

"What's wrong with me? Why did I shift late, really? Why can I shoot God-knows-what from my hands. Why am I so different?" I asked softly. Aspen sighed and sat on the bed next to me.

"I don't know, little minx, but I love you regardless," he said. I turned and curled up in his lap. He instantly relaxed me. I yawned. He kissed my head gently. "Get some sleep, little one. We'll talk more when you feel better," he said. I allowed my eyes to close. It wasn't long before I drifted off to sleep.