"You just have to listen for five minutes," mom says as I enter in through the door. Right away I raise an eyebrow, peering around the corner to see her in the kitchen, looking at me, my father sitting beside her. "You're not in trouble."

"What's going on?" I ask, taking a seat at the table as my eyes move between my parents. Just two hours ago I was asleep in bed, an hour ago I had gone for a run, and now I am wondering what is happening. I went for a run for an hour, loving the feeling I thought that I had forgotten until yesterday when I shifted for the first time in months.

Mom gently smiles at me, taking a seat beside me as I wonder if something is horribly wrong. "We wanted to talk to you about next week." I nod. "The pack wants more kids your age to train over the next two weeks. Nothing bad, but simple training."

I know what this is. It's not bad. It's not normal either. Basically it's a bunch of freshly graduated seniors are brought to the pack house, live there for two weeks, and train with the warriors of the pack. They do this because they know many of us will be heading out into the real world and will need protection. It won't just be humans at our colleges, but vampires, witches, and the whole Scooby gang and such.

"Do you want to do it?"

"They don't really give you a choice, mom," I reply with a smile as she nods. The pack doesn't give you a choice. You have to do it. The only thing is, I'll be away from Augustus for two weeks and will not be able to tell him where I am at all. I'll have to lie to my mate until I can show him my world. Another downside to all of this: Flynn will be there too, and because he's the Alpha's next in line, Flynn will be the 'club president' for the two weeks. If anything, these next two weeks could cause my world to flip upside down and inside out.

"I know, just wanted to give you the heads up," she informs, looking to my father as he gets up from the table.

"Plus there's a pack meeting about it tomorrow morning," my father adds in, placing a kiss upon my mom's check as he heads into his office. Looking to my mother, I watch as she moves through the kitchen, letting me know that there is no further comments onto the conversation.

"I'm going out with Augustus tonight just so you know," I call to my mother. She looks up from the sink, smiling at me.

"He's lucky to have a girl like you."

"I don't know when I'll tell him," I inform, taking a seat. "He doesn't know anything yet. I don't know when I'll have to drop that on him."

"Take your time. Humans are tricky, but I know, Amory," she begins, "I know deep down that the mate bond is strong between you, and when you drop that heavy of a bomb, he will stay."

"Thank you," I reply, hearing a car pull up outside. "I've got to go, Auguatus just got here." She nods, wishing me a good time as I pull on my shoes, grabbing my purse. Heading for the door, my father tells me to be smart, as the second I pull open the door, Auguatus stands before me. His smile makes my heart pound within my chest, his eyes meeting my own as a smile spreads across my face. "Hey," I whisper, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear, tilting my head to the side as he reaches out his hand.

"You ready?"

"Yup," I respond, taking his hand as the sparks fly, electrifying my body as I follow him. With his car before me, I know where we are going tonight, a place that we used to go months ago before Molly stepped into the picture and my heart was broken. "So, how long of a drive?" I ask, sliding into the passenger seat as he opens the door for me.

"About forty minutes," he responds, getting into the driver's seat as the car seems off to me. I'm used to the Italian leather, not because it's nicer or it makes me feel expensive, but because it welcomes me. It's not because it's a nicer car, but because I feel more welcomed in a way, more familiar. The music that plays feels odd, feels off from the usual. "Do you want to pick up food before or after?"

I snap back to the conversation, to reality, to what matters right now. "Whenever really." I have to tell him that I'll be gone next week and the week after that. I'll be in town, but he won't be able to know. I already decided on telling him I'm heading up to visit my Aunt Karen four hours away.

"How do you feel about a weekend getaway?" Augustus asks as he places the blanket down on the bed of the truck. With the movie about to begin at the drive-in, I rub my hands together, looking around the open land where other cars have parked more close to the screen. "Like somewhere out of town? An hour or two away?"

"I'd like that," I reply, picking up the pizza from the seat as the bed of the truck is all set up for the movie. "But it will have to wait," I inform, placing the pizza box on the mattress as Augustus holds out his hand for me to take. Helping me up to the bed of the truck, I take my seat, a pillow against my back as Augustus follows me. With the smell of pizza in the air and the screen bright as the movie plays, Augustus takes ahold of my hand, placing a kiss upon the top as I smile.

"Why does it have to wait?" He asks, grabbing a slice of the pizza as I follow in pursuit.

"I'm going to be gone for two weeks as of next Wednesday. I'm going to an Aunt's about two hours away." Augustus nods, wrapping an arm around my shoulder as he takes in the new information. If only I could tell the truth, if only I could tell him what and where I will be. That I will be around Flynn for hours every day. Flynn, the boy who thinks he has a right to try and terminate my relationship with my mate. The boy who thinks he can get with me when I have a mate. He doesn't understand mates and he won't understand Augustus and me until he finds his mate.

After a good hour and a half movie, I lay beside Augustus, my head on his shoulder, legs intertwined, and my eyelids heavy. "Amory?" I raise an eyebrow as Augustus motions to my side. "Phone." My phone is vibrating on the blanket, a familiar number flashing across the screen as my fingers shake. Moving fast, I deny the call, watching the screen go black as I know he won't be happy. Hell, for all I know he could make these next two weeks a living hell all because he would rather be with me than me be with him.

I won't let him spoil a date night.

For another twenty minutes we lay the same way, beside one another as the night sky displays hundreds upon hundreds of stars. "Augustus?" He turns to face me, raising an eyebrow as I say his name. Pulling him in for a kiss, my arms wrapping around his neck as I pull him closer than ever. His hands are placed upon my hips, pushing me gently down upon the blanket as he climbs over me. Luckily for us, we parked far away from the other cars, secluded as we are given time to ourselves. "Augustus," I whisper, out of breath as I gently hold him back. "How do you feel about us?"

"What?"

"How do you feel about us?" I state again, holding myself up upon my elbows as he places a hand upon my cheek.

"How do I feel about us? The most amazing girl in the world?" He asks, cocking his head to the side. "The most amazing girl in the world with me, by my side as I get to hold her and tell her how I feel? Amory, when I'm with you, I feel...I feel alive. Every time I see you I feel myself become alive." I smile, pulling him in for a short kiss. "Every time I'm around you, I feel as if I'm no longer searching for the missing piece of a puzzle, but everything is in place."

This time he pulls me in, his hand lightly cupping my cheek as his lips press against mine. I'm back against the blanket, Augustus hovering over me as the movie rolls the credits, cars beginning to turn on to leave.

"Can I ask you something?" Augustus asks, pulling away after we both need to breathe. "About Flynn." A scowl crosses my lips. He knows this is not the best subject and he agrees. "Do you like him?"

My skin pales as my heart skips a beat. Shaking my head, I offer Augustus a soft smile. "Believe me, Augustus, if I liked Flynn, I would not be here with you because that would do no justice to you," I explain, weaving a hand through my hair, the soft sound of a song playing over the speakers the movie once did. I've heard this song, one that I watched Flynn sing along to.

Augustus nods, laying back down as he received his answer. "I like you a lot, Augustus," I begin, turning to face him. "More than a lot, and Flynn has no chance with me because to me he's just an old family friend."

Augustus nods, kissing me softly as I close my eyes once again, knowing that what I have just said, I could never swear by it.