Chapter Twenty Two

"Awww...come on, Sammie, please. Just try it on," Abi begged, trying to hand me the turquoise bikini.


I backed up. "Abi, why?" I asked, dragging out the word.


"Because we are going to the lake, and you are going to look cute. Now, put this on." Abi dropped the bikini in my arms and pushed me towards the closet.


I sighed and gave in. I went into my closet to change into the bathing suit and looked at myself in the mirror. It fit perfectly. I liked the bathing suit; it was cute as Abi had said. It was a turquoise bikini with ties on the top and bottoms.


I sighed and went back into my bedroom. Abi jumped up and down, squealing in excitement, her white bikini bouncing with her as she looked at me. "That. Is. Adorable. I told you it would be perfect."


I rolled my eyes with a smile. "Yeah, yeah. Now, come on. We better get going."


Abi nodded and led the way out of the pack house. Instead of the usual red convertible, Abi chose a silver truck that would be good to drive through the forest.


Abi got into the front seat while I slid into the passenger's side. Abi started the engine and drove through the forest. I leaned against the door, watching the trees zip by the window.


Finally, the truck stopped. I opened the passenger door and stepped out. Ahead was the lake with a small wooden dock and a rope hanging from a tree to swing from.


I looked over to see Mason standing a few feet away from the truck, smiling with his bathing suit on and no shirt. It wasn't too much of a surprise. You could tell with his shirt on that he had a good build. He had a six pack and tan skin.


I smiled as I ran over and jumped up into his arms. Mason chuckled as he caught me. We pulled back and smiled. "You look beautiful." Mason glanced around me. "And you as well, Abi."


"Thank you, Mason," Abi said as she dramatically flipped her hair. "I do try. And I try to get this one to do it, too," Abi commented, placing her hands on her hips and gesturing to me.


I rolled my eyes as three different laughs rang in the air. I looked around Abi to see someone approaching us. Alex placed his arm around Abi's shoulders. "Oh, you guys know Alex, right?" Abi asked. We nodded. "Well, I asked him to come along. He's my boyfriend."


I gasped. "Abi! You didn't tell me you had a boyfriend!"


Abi giggled. "Well, I do now."


Mason and Alex did the weird guy thing that all boys do when they see each other. They grabbed each other's hand and pulled each other into an embrace, patting each other on the back. Sometimes, I wonder about guys.


"Take care of her," Mason ordered.


Alex smiled down at Abi since he was taller but only by a little bit. "Always." Abi smiled and kissed his cheek.


"Okay," Abi started, clapping her hands together. "Let's go get in the water! Last one there is a rotten apple!"


"Um...isn't it rotten egg?" I asked.


"No, I say rotten apple. Now, come on!" And we took off after Abi, who was already racing for the water.


I was pulling in front of Mason, and I smirked at him. "Of course, I'm going to win. I always win."


Mason growled playfully. "Oh, really?" Suddenly, I was lifted off of the ground as Mason scooped me up into his arms.


I screamed as I squirmed, trying to get out of his arms. "Mason, no! Please!" He was running straight for the water, holding me tightly. "No, please! You win! You win! Just let go!" I yelled and laughed.


Mason laughed. "Too late!" And I screamed as Mason leapt into the water with me still in his arms.


I came back up to the surface, still in Mason's arms, gasping for air, my brown hair covering my face. Mason moved my hair out of my face and chuckled. I punched him in the arm, causing him to laugh even more.


"You're such a jerk," I growled as I tried to get out of his arms.


"Awww...come on, Sammie. You know you love me. Could you ever really hate your best friend?" He smirked. I narrowed my eyes at him and turned away. "Okay, fine. Then I guess I'll just leave," Mason said sadly.


I whipped back around just in time to see Mason start to sink in the water. "Mason!" I screamed, diving after him.


Suddenly, I was pulled back to the surface. Mason laughed as he held onto me. "Awww...I knew you loved me."


I growled as I shoved him away. "You jerk!" I screamed.


Mason chuckled as he grabbed my right wrist. "Sammie..." He said in a soft, soothing voice.


I looked down at my wrist to see he was holding onto my charm bracelet. I sighed; I turned back around. "Don't do that again," I commanded in a stern voice. "You're my best friend, and I won't lose you."


Mason gave me a small smile. "You know I would never do that to you, Sammie."


The air was suddenly filled with a high-pitched scream, and I looked up to see Abi let go of the tree rope to fall into the water beside Alex, who was laughing as he got splashed.


Mason and I laughed. We swam over to the pair; the four of us spent the rest of the day swimming in the lake, swinging from the tree rope, and jumping off the dock.


Later that night, we laid around in a circle, our heads close together as we looked up at the stars. "This is amazing," I whispered.


"It really is," Abi said in awe.


"It's just like at home. I would spend nights laying out in the fields with Rosie, and sometimes my parents, staring up at the stars and the moon. It was always so beautiful and clear," I said, reveling in the old memories.


"I did the same with my dad," Mason said.


"Me, too," Alex commented.


"How about you, Abi?" I asked.


It took a minute for her to respond though. "Um...I guess we did that a little bit, too."


My eyebrows furrowed together as I thought of something. I sat up. "You know what? I have never met your parents, Abi. I've met Mason's, and you've met mine. But I've never met your parents."


Everyone went silent. "What?" I asked, looking around at them. "Did I say something?"


Mason sat up. "Um...Sammie..." He started nervously.


"No, Mason." Abi sat up with a sigh. "She deserves to know. And to hear it from me."


"What?"


Abi hung her head and took a deep breath. "Unlike you, I wasn't born with the Crystal Moon Pack mark. I was born with the Blue Star Pack mark because that was my birth pack. I lived with my parents and my little sister for six years in the pack. I had a normal werewolf life. Then, one day, my pack was attacked. We weren't prepared, and we weren't strong enough. The pack house was burned to the ground, and everyone was killed." Abi wiped away some tears that were forming in her eyes. "However, my parents managed to get me and my sister close to the border. Suddenly, we were attacked. They rushed me and my little sister up a tree while they fought the attackers off. But my sister couldn't climb it. She fell down, and they grabbed her...none of them made it," her voice cracked as she spoke.


Alex moved over to wrap his arms around Abi. She took a deep breath. "I'm fine. Anyways, the attackers forgot about me and left. I got out of the territory and left my pack forever. I couldn't go back even if I wanted to; my pack was gone. I wandered alone, exhausted, and hungry for weeks before I came across a new pack. The Crystal Moon Pack. I was welcomed in immediately since I didn't have anywhere else to go and I was so young. I officially joined the pack, and my pack mark changed. I was raised more like a pack child than anyone's child specifically. Everyone took care of me until I was old enough to take of myself." Abi smiled. "Mason was a good friend to me, and now, I have you, Sammie. You guys are the best friends I could have ever had. And you are the best boyfriend," Abi added, smiling up at Alex and leaning into him.


I felt warm, familiar arms wrap around me and pull me closer. "We are one great group of friends," Mason said.


I smiled. "We are." Then I remembered something. "Speaking of officially joining the pack...I think I'm ready."


Everyone turned to look at me. "Are you sure?" I looked up with a reassuring smile at Mason. He looked slightly worried but excited at the same time.


I replied confidently, "Yes, I'm ready to join the Crystal Moon Pack."


Abi squealed and jumped up. "You know what that means!"


I sighed. "Shopping trip," we said in unison, me being a little less excited than Abi, but I giggled at her.


Soon, I would become part of this pack. It was my birth pack. It was where I belonged. It was the one place that I could finally live a life worth living with my friends, my family, and those I protect. Because a battle was coming. Everyone I knew and loved would be in danger. And I was the savior, the one who was meant to save them.


I touched the charm on my wrist and looked around at my friends, my eyes finally resting on Mason. I took a deep breath; I looked up at the moon and shifted as I let out a beautiful howl. Mason, Abi, and Alex joined in as the four of us banded together. We were in this together, no matter what. And I wouldn't let anything happen to them.


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Hey, you guys! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! I know it's really late, but I wanted to get this chapter out. I couldn't help it! Anyways, you guys got to learn a little more about Abi and her past, and Sammie's going to officially join the pack! Yay! Also, I'm so excited because tomorrow, I get to see The Secret Life of Pets (and there is a dachshund like my little Leo!), and I get to go on a dolphin tour to swim with dolphins! Well, have fun! Vote and comment! :)

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