"It's a beer. It tastes nice, you'll like it," Greyson said, handing Indianna a bottle of beer.
"Greyson," Indianna said and raised her eyebrows at him. "I am shy and may not have gone to many parties in my life, but I happen to know what beer is."
"Right, yeah, course," Greyson nodded, and Indianna rolled her eyes, taking a gulp from the bottle.
"Is Brooke coming?"
"Her and Harry are already there," Greyson said. "Kal and Ace are coming now."
On cue, Kal and Ace exited the house, both with beers in their hands.
"You're all drinking," Indianna said and frowned. "Who's going to drive?"
"I am," Greyson shrugged and downed his beer.
"But you're drinking!"
Greyson smirked and opened the car door for Indianna.
"So?"
"It's illegal."
"Sugar, we're werewolves. It takes a lot of alcohol to affect us. Our bodies burn off the effect of alcohol extremely quickly. Even if I was drunk, I'm a great drunk driver. Now let's go."
Indianna cautiously climbed into the car and took another sip of beer as the others got in and Greyson started the engine. He glanced at Indianna and smirked.
"Hold on tight."
"See, you're alive," Greyson said cheerfully as he opened the car door for Indianna once they had reached their destination.
"You ass!" Indianna snapped and hit Greyson's shoulder. "You purposely drove like a reckless idiot to scare me!"
"And why would I do that to my mate?" Greyson wondered and grinned.
"We could've died!"
"Stop being dramatic," Greyson laughed and kissed Indianna's cheek. "I would never let anything bad happen to you."
Indianna pursed her lips, and Greyson chuckled. He had just spent the last ten minutes breaking as many laws as he could on the road.
Indianna thought she was going to shit herself when they nearly crashed into a tree.
"I hate you," she mumbled and started to walk towards where she could hear music.
"Impossible," Greyson said smugly, and Kal and Ace fell into step next to them as they made their way through the woods.
The party was at the lake in town. Apparently, in the summer, lake parties were very common. It was extremely busy when they arrived. People were laughing, drinking, and swimming in the lake. Indianna spotted Harry just as he shoved Brooke into the lake. Brooke stood up and glared at him, grabbing his arm and pulling him in with her.
Greyson wrapped an arm around Indianna and swiped the beer from her hand, taking a large gulp.
"Thank you," he said and handed it back to her. "Let's go."
"Where?"
"To the lake," he shrugged, and in one smooth motion, he had taken his shirt off and thrown it on the ground. "I," Greyson whispered and grabbed Indianna's waist, pulling her towards him. "Want."
Greyson played with the bottom of Indianna's vest top and smirked.
"To," he said and slowly lifted Indianna's vest up until it was lying on the floor with Greyson's shirt. "Make," he said and slid his hands down to Indianna's shorts. "You wet," he said into her ear and pulled Indianna's shorts down, leaving her standing in her bikini.
Indianna swallowed, and Greyson smirked, knowing that his words were turning Indianna on.
"What do you say?" he wondered and softly kissed her on the lips.
"I say," Indianna whispered and wrapped her arms around Greyson's neck. "You're not getting me anywhere near that water."
"You should not have said that," Greyson said with a sly smirk, and before Indianna could blink, Greyson had lifted her up and chucked her over his shoulder.
"Greyson!" Indianna yelled in shock and hit his back. "Put me down!"
Greyson chuckled and walked over to the lake where Harry and Brooke were.
"It's a little cold," he teased and moved Indianna so she was facing him. Indianna wrapped her legs around Greyson's waist and linked her arms around his neck.
"Don't you dare," she said, and Greyson smirked, easily pulling Indianna's arms away and holding them tightly in his grip. "Greyson, I swear if you do, I'll-"
"Do what?" Greyson grinned, and suddenly Indianna was engulfed by cold water. She could still feel Greyson holding onto her, so when they resurfaced, her legs were still wrapped around his waist.
"Greyson!" she exclaimed and glared at his smug expression. "You ass! Put me down!"
"Don't you like me getting you wet?" he asked innocently and adjusted his grip on her thighs.
"You're an asshole!" she grumbled, and Greyson smirked, slowly putting Indianna down. He rested his hands on her hips and smirked.
"You do look hot, though, sugar."
"Shut up," Indianna muttered and rolled her eyes.
"What about me?" Greyson wondered, arching an eyebrow at Indianna.
"Eh," she shrugged, and she squealed when Greyson picked her up again and threw her into the water.
"Wrong answer," Greyson called, and Indianna stood up, running her fingers through her now-soaking hair.
Greyson looked her up and down, and the corners of his mouth twitched upwards. She was beautiful, inside and out. His eyes stopped at her stomach, and he frowned, walking over to her and grazing his nails over her stomach.
"Greyson," Indianna said softly and grabbed his hand, moving it from where it was hovering over the scar on her stomach.
One of the many scars Rogue had given her.
"I wish I could make it disappear," Greyson said.
"I forget that it's there most of the time," Indianna shrugged. "It's fine."
"No, it's not. We need to stop him-"
"Greyson!" Indianna said sharply and took a deep breath. "I want to forget about Rogue for five minutes, please. We're at a party; let's have fun."
Greyson sighed and nodded. "Okay. So what do you have in mind?"
Indianna grinned, and suddenly she jumped on him and brought him crashing into the water.
"Payback."
The music was blaring, the sun was setting, and there was a beautiful golden glow over the lake. Indianna was currently dancing with Brooke and the girls. They had managed to convince Greyson to let Indianna leave his side.
Brooke had promised that as soon as she noticed Indianna feeling rough without him, she would call him.
"So," Sasha said and took another gulp of an extremely alcoholic drink. "Have you and Greyson progressed in the bedroom yet?"
Indianna choked on her beer and looked at Sasha with wide eyes.
"Um, no."
"Oh, don't you dare think about lying, hun!" Brooke exclaimed and linked arms with Indianna, grinning cheekily. "I happened to bump into Kirstie earlier, and she told me how she interrupted something private between you and Greyson."
Sasha gasped and crossed her arms over her chest, looking at Indianna expectantly.
"Well?"
"Spill," Violet instructed, and Indianna glanced at Alice for help, but she just raised her eyebrows, gesturing for Indianna to give them the details.
"It was nothing," Indianna blushed.
"So it was definitely something," Brooke smirked.
"Who are we going to tell?" Alice wondered. "Give us the deets!"
"Hold that for a second, Indie," Sasha said and turned to Alice, rolling her eyes. "Never say the word deets again. You sound ridiculous."
"Well, fuck you too," Alice said, and Sasha smirked.
"Guys, back to Indie!" Brooke said. "So what did your sister-in-law-to-be interrupt?"
Indianna ignored the name she gave Kirstie and sighed.
"He was fingering me, and they walked in on us," Indianna said quietly. She had hoped that no one heard her, but the gasps told her otherwise.
"Ooh, look at you! When do you think you'll be getting the dic-"
There was a deep cough, and Alice stopped mid-sentence as the five girls turned around to face Greyson, Harry, Ace, and Kal.
"Sis, you're fucking disgusting," Kal said, and Alice glared at him.
"Go fuck yourself," Alice snapped.
"If only I could," Kal shrugged, and Alice faked gagging.
"Delightful," Brooke commented.
Greyson grabbed Indianna and pulled her towards him.
"Hey," he said and kissed Indianna, gently biting her lip. His touch soothed the ache that had just started to appear. "What happens in the bedroom," he said against her lips, "stays in the bedroom."
"Maybe that rule should apply when your sister, her boyfriend, and your cousin don't walk in on us," Indianna said, and Greyson chuckled.
"Okay, deal."
"Greyson, is that Stacy?" Indianna wondered and looked over Greyson's shoulder, her eyes landing on the blonde girl who was, in fact, Stacy. Indianna frowned when she saw something new on Stacy, and she gasped.
"Oh, my god."
"What?" Greyson wondered.
"That's what you were going to tell me about her!" Indianna whispered and hit Greyson's shoulder angrily. "Why the hell didn't you tell me, you dipstick?"
Greyson paused and smirked.
"Dipstick?"
"Greyson!" Indianna groaned. "Seriously! Stacy has either coincidentally gone and got a tattoo that looks ridiculously like a mark, or... She's been marked. Greyson, please don't tell me what I think it is."
Greyson's eyes widened in realisation.
"Then it's definitely a tattoo."
"Oh my god," Indianna whispered. "She's been marked. By who?"
"Well, do you know of any other werewolves around this area apart from my pack?" Greyson questioned.
"Shit," Indianna cursed. "Shit!"
"It explains why he tried to go after her the night you were attacked."
"Rogue," Indianna whispered, and all of the colour drained from her face. "She's Rogue's mate."
"I can't believe it," Indianna whispered. She could not take her eyes off Stacy.
Or the mark that was branded onto her collarbone.
"Maybe she knows something," Indianna said after a while. "She could know why Rogue wants me."
"We tried talking to her. She won't speak to us," Greyson shrugged.
"What about me?" Indianna said. "I need to speak to her."
"Not by yourself, you aren't," Greyson said sternly, wrapping his arms around Indianna when she tried to walk past him.
"Greyson, let me speak to her!"
"She's Rogue's mate. I'm not letting you go by yourself, and she won't talk if I go with you," Greyson shrugged, and Indianna squirmed in his hold.
"What's she going to do at a party? Splash me with some water?" Indianna said sarcastically. "Greyson, I'm talking to her."
"No, you're fucking not."
"You're a nightmare!" Indianna growled and hit his chest. "Greyson, we could find out some answers!"
Greyson pursed his lips and looked at Indianna for a few minutes before sighing and letting go of her. Indianna immediately rushed past Greyson before he could change his mind and headed over to Stacy.
Stacy spotted Indianna walking over to her, and she sent her friends away before going to sit down on a nearby bench.
Cautiously, Indianna approached her and took a seat beside her. There was silence between the two girls for a while, but finally, Stacy spoke.
"Does it ever stop being strange?" she asked quietly, and Indianna frowned.
"What?"
"The bond. It's like nothing I've ever felt before," Stacy whispered.
"It only gets stronger," Indianna murmured.
"Indie, babe, he's not a bad guy. He's just misunderstood," Stacy said suddenly.
Indianna's mouth dropped, and she looked at Stacy in shock.
"Misunderstood?" she repeated. "Misunderstood? Stacy, he's a monster! He killed Cassie-"
"Who?"
"She went to our school! He killed my father and attacked me!" Indianna showed Stacy her wrist, her stomach, and the new scar on the back of her neck. "And he sent me a head in a box. Misunderstood is a bit of an understatement."
"But he's not like that, not really," Stacy said. "He doesn't want to hurt you. He just wants you back."
"What do you mean, wants you back?" Indianna questioned, and Stacy gasped, realising she had said too much. "Stacy, I have no idea who he is. Please, tell me why he wants me."
Stacy shook her head. "I can't, babe. All I can say is that he knows you and he only wants what's best for you."
"How the hell is killing my friend and attacking me what's best for me?"
Stacy took Indianna's hand in hers and smiled comfortingly.
"Just come with us. Everything will be explained. All Jason wants is for you to be with him and away from Greyson. Greyson is bad news, Indie. I told you this before. You need to leave him. Come with us."
"Jason?" Indianna said. "That's Rogue's name."
Stacy gasped again when she realised her slip-up, and she gritted her teeth.
"Stacy, imagine if someone told you to leave your mate," Indianna said, and Stacy's expression darkened. "There's no way on earth that I would ever leave Greyson. I need him. He is an asshole, but he's there for me, and I love him. What you're asking of me is impossible. No one would ever want to willingly leave their mate."
Whoa there, sugar, rewind. Greyson's voice was loud in Indianna's head. What did you say?
Indianna paused, and her eyes widened when she realised.
It just slipped out, she whispered.
She looked over at Greyson to see a huge smirk on his face.
Say it again.
No! Indianna flushed.
Indianna Hughs, I have been waiting for those words to leave your lips, he said smugly. And you know what? I love y-
Greyson froze, and everyone looked at Indianna as an agonising scream filled the air.
"Indie!" Greyson yelled, panic surging through him. He ran over to Indianna just as her eyes rolled to the back of her head and she fell into Greyson's arms, unconscious.
"What the fuck did you do, you bitch?" Greyson hissed, glaring at Stacy, who was looking at Indianna with wide eyes.
"N-nothing!" she gasped. "She just screamed and then she fell unconscious!"
Greyson picked Indianna up in his arms as Kal, Ace, Harry, and Brooke crowded around them.
"What's wrong?" Ace asked, and Greyson looked at Indianna in concern.
"I have no fucking-" Greyson stopped talking when there was an unmistakable sound of a crack.
"Fuck," he cursed and watched as Indianna's back arched up, followed by another disgustingly horrible cracking sound.
"You need to get her out of here," Kal said, and Brooke frowned.
"What's wrong?" she panicked. "Is Indie okay?"
"No, she's far from okay," Kal muttered, and Greyson glanced at Brooke, his expression cold.
"She's starting her shift."