What's That Supposed To Mean? - 15

Chapter 15

It was one and a half hour later and I was sitting relaxed on the front porch again. I had eaten and I was full now, too tired to move. I shut my eyes, voices and laughter filling my ears. Noah had thrown me a couple of glances now and then and to be honest, I was so relieved and glad that we were on “good terms.” It felt good to be normal with him, to not glare at each other now and then and send stupid comments and remarks. It was nice.

“Mind if I join?”

I opened my eyes, seeing Michael there. I smiled, automatically moving aside even though there was enough room.

“Of course, sit down,” I said immediately. He sat down, letting out a sigh as he did. “How do you like it so far? Met anyone special?”

He grinned. “Maybe, maybe not.” He gave me a knowing look and I looked away. It didn’t feel right but I was flattered anyway. “No but I like it. You’re all very close, I can tell. It’s nice to join a pack like that. And you’re big too.”

“Yeah, that’s the good thing. We’re so many and it helps in case something would happen. We’re more powerful and that’s why they are putting the two packs together. My dad and Uncle John always worked together but now that Noah and I are become Alpha’s they’re just making the two packs to one. It’s easier and better, I guess.”

“Yeah. That Noah seems quiet. Is he always? His brothers are very nice and social.”

“Yes they are, they always are,” I said with a chuckle, immediately thinking of Jacob and the twins who were the most talkative and social in that group. “Noah is… different, but not quiet. Once you get to know him he’s more relaxed.”

“It may sound wrong but he looks like he’s that type that… I don’t know. I knew a guy like him before. He was quite the trouble maker. Is he the same?”

“Oh my, trouble, player, arrogant, all those things. But he’s not like that really, everyone knows that. It’s just… sort of like a period of this.”

Michael nodded.

“And you? What are you like?” he asked, grinning.

“Well, that’s for you to decide when you’ve gotten to know me,” I said, smiling. He chuckled. “Is someone in your group mated?”

“Yep.” He nodded. “Stephanie, the blonde one, and Ronny, with brown hair, they’re mates. The rest of us are still looking.”

“Do you want a mate?” I asked casually, looking at the people on the field, having a good time. Michael shrugged.

“Yeah. I mean, I don’t want to wait for too long. I’d rather find her now than in a few years.” He looked at me.

“Well, hopefully you will,” I said smiling. He smiled back and looked away again.

“Do you have a mate? Does any of you?”

“Yeah, many from the pack do. Mason and my cousins Joseph, Willa and Arianna do. My friend Max does and a few more that I know.”

“You don’t?”

“No.”

I didn’t know what else to say. I wasn’t going to tell him that Noah and I might be mates because maybe it was just an attraction that was extra strong because of our hate towards each other. Maybe it was something entirely different; it didn’t have to be mates. Even though I really kind of believed it was by now.

I glanced at Noah quickly and saw that he was practically glaring at Michael. Then he caught my eye and his eyes became softer before looking away. What on earth had that been about?

So the hours went and Michael and I had been sitting on the porch for those two hours, talking all the time and laughing. He was a funny guy and always had something to say. He flirted a lot, too, that was not hard to miss. Even Arianna looked at me with a knowing grin and then glanced at Noah for me to look. That guy had been throwing glares at Michael and I the entire evening. I started to get annoyed. He was mad at me and I could see it because everytime he caught my eye when I caught him glaring at Michael, he continued glaring at me for a few seconds and then snapped his eyes away.

So when the barbeque finally had ended and we had all said goodbye to the new pack members who my dad went to drive back to their place, we were all out cleaning up everything and putting back everything we’d prepared for the barbeque. Noah helped this time and so did all the other brothers and my cousins. Aunt Bee and Uncle John were dealing with the food that was left, stuffing it all into their refrigerators.

Jacob and I were at the chairs again and so was Noah this time. When Jacob moved on to help Mason with the grill after a while, I took my chance. I grabbed a chair and ran to Noah who was walking to the back yard to leave the chairs.

“Do you want to tell me why you’re so mad?” I asked. He put down the chairs, ignoring me to the fullest and went back to get more. I gaped and stared at him wide-eyed as he just passed me. I put the chair down and once again caught up with him. I grabbed another chair and walked beside him.

“Noah,” I said. “Are you serious right now?”

“Yes I am,” he said in a loud whisper, turning around. I was glad we were behind the house so that the others didn’t see this. “That guy was freaking undressing you with his eyes and you let him!”

“What? He wasn’t undressing me,” I defended, frowning. “We were talking!”

“Talking? If he could he would’ve taken you right then and there, on that freaking porch.”

We went and took more chairs. I talked quietly as we walked so that they couldn’t see we were arguing. Because this wasn’t a normal “argue moment” we had, this was calm and not wild and filled with hatred and it was easy to see that.

“Noah, come on! You don’t have to exaggerate. Don’t you think I saw that he was flirting? I didn’t do it back and if you’d paid enough attention to that, you would’ve seen it.”

“Doesn’t matter,” he said. “He was all over you.”

“Oh my God!” I said when we were behind the house. “I can’t believe you right now! You can’t be mad at me anyways, we’re not a couple, Noah. There is no we, remember? At least be happy that I didn’t flirt back because of you.”

As I was speaking, all I could think about was the fact that I had never in my life seen Noah jealous, especially when it came to me. He was already acting as if we were mates. Could this be another sign? Protectiveness, jealousy? Oh God, this wasn’t good.

“I don’t care that we’re not a couple. You feel it and I feel it and we’re feeling it as we speak so don’t deny it. Trust me, I’m not that fond of the possible answer to this either, just like you’re not. But I-“

He huffed, gritting his teeth. “I just can’t see guys hanging over you and flirting with you. I get this… ugh, this sounds so freaking stupid. I get this feeling where I want you only… no, I’m not going to say it. I can’t.”

I stared at him, watching him struggle and finally laughed. The way he was struggling with saying what he wanted to say was so weird and new because Noah was never one to stutter or be at loss of words. He always knew what to say, always had a comeback, sense or no sense. And even though it was mean to laugh, I couldn’t help it. He looked so lost.

“Why the fuck are you laughing? You think it’s funny? Great.” He started walking away and I immediately tried grabbing his arm to stop him. Tingles shot up my fingers, my hand and then my arm and I pulled it shockingly back, staring at my hand. Noah was staring at my hand, too, and on his arm, where I had touched him.

This feeling wasn’t the same as the others; it was stronger, like we’d been electrocuted but it wasn’t unpleasant. When we had kissed and stood close those times before, tingles and sparks and explosions happened, but not this. Was this getting stronger each day or something?

We both looked at each other, eyes wide and frowning.

“Oh my God,” I said quietly for myself as I looked around. “Noah, we have to talk to someone. I’m starting to freak out.”

“You’re not alone,” he mumbled. “I can’t believe this. Who do we talk to? No parents, I’m not doing that.”

“Mason,” I said immediately. Noah started protesting but I interrupted. “Come on! He’s the only one I trust with this and he’s your older brother! I can’t go to someone else and just spill all this. He’ll help us, come on.”

“Samant-“

“Noah, please. This is freaking us both out. We need to figure out exactly what it is instead of answering this for us in our minds. We’ll walk around confused all the time then.”

“Fine,” he said, sighing. “Just… try it again. We have to be sure.”

“Try what? Touching you?”

“Yes, just do it. Come on,” he said quickly, obviously stressed out. He didn’t make me feel better; he only made me feel more panicky. I took a step towards him, slowly raising my hand and putting it on his bare arm, right on his biceps. I wanted to hold longer but that thing came again and spread out through my entire arm. I pulled back quickly.

“Okay, we’re sure,” I said, my voice small. “We need Mason. Today.”

Noah only looked at me, nodding.

It was eleven o’clock at night and the sky was pitch black when Noah and I met outside like planned. We were going to take Mason to the woods so that no one would be around and just ask him. We’d tell him what happened and what was happening and ask him if he knew what it was. Translation: we were going to see if we were mates or not.

I still had my thin cardigan on and left without a jacket. It was colder now at night. I waited for Noah by the trees like I said I would so that no one would see our “meeting” because that would certainly look suspicious and start a lot of rumors and questions. I squinted when I saw movement by the three houses that belonged to my dad, my aunt and Uncle John, standing side by side, my aunts in the middle.

A dark figure walked out from the Black’s house and I sighed when I recognized Noah’s walk. He even walked good. I shook my head, no time for that. I waved a little and he saw me immediately; he walked faster and faster until he arrived.

“Hey,” he said quietly. It felt like we were going to do something secret and dangerous when all we were going to do was find out if we were mates or not.

“Hey,” I said. “Did you tell him to meet you here?”

“Yeah, he’s getting dressed as we speak. Aren’t you cold?” he asked. He took off his jacket – my heart melted. Yes, I was a romantic at times – and put it around me.

“You’re going to freeze now,” I said. “Put it on.”

“No, I’m good.”

“Thanks.”

We waited in silence and when I saw another figure coming out of the house, I nudged Noah, trying to ignore the spark again. He glanced at me but ignored it, too. We waved at Mason who waved back and half ran, half walked over to us.

“Sam? You’re here, too?” he asked, surprised. “Is this some kind of secret meeting?” He looked excited, amused.

“No, just privacy,” I said. “We have to talk to you.”

“It sounds serious,” Mason said as we both followed Noah a little bit further in. We stopped after a minute or two and I stepped to Noah’s side.

“It is serious,” Noah mumbled. He looked at me. “Tell him.

“What?” I hissed. “No, you tell him.”

“You were the one who wanted us to talk to Mason!”

“He’s your brother! Just tell him!”

I didn’t want to, I couldn’t. I don’t know. My courage disappeared all of a sudden and I regretted doing this. We shouldn’t have brought Mason out. I couldn’t tell him. I don’t know why. I was nervous.

“Ugh, I don’t get why we’re making such a big deal out of this when everyone else just go and live happily ever after!” I said out loud and only after saying it, I realized that I had actually said it and I covered my mouth. “Oops.”

“What’s going on?” Mason asked. “Seriously? Just tell me already. You’re making me worried.”

“Samantha and I…” Noah started. He didn’t continue, though. He just stopped.