"Taylor!" I yelled after him, running as fast as my legs would carry me. "Stop it! Just wait for a second!"

But it was too late. By the time i reached the spot where his car had been parked, he was speeding down our driveway. I paused to pull my skirt down and thank god that i had left the front gate open. The way he was driving, he probably would've sped right through it.

I sighed, turning back towards the mansion i called home. Mother and Father were standing on the wraparound porch, still in their best evening clothes. I made a disgusted sound in my throat, wishing they would just leave me alone.

"We're sorry, Laurel, we thought he would be ready. We shouldn't have insisted so soon." My father said as i jumped onto the porch, completely bypassing the four steps.

"Damn right." I said angrily, refusing to meet his gaze. "But it doesn't matter. Nobody will believe his crazy story anyway."

"It's not about that." My mother chimed in. "We just want you to be happy."

I shook my head, walking past them into the house. I left them on the porch, shutting the door behind me, so my message was clear enough. I wanted to be left alone.

I had almost expected this ending, but of course i hoped for something different this time. This was attempt number four in three years, and all had ended the same way. Then again, i mostly understood. It isn't everyday your girlfriend tells you she can turn into a wolf.

Climbing the staircase, i passed Gretchen, trying to avoid all conversation. It didn't work.

"Sorry, sis." She said lightly, putting one hand on my shoulder. I took one look at the ruby painted nails and shrugged her off.

"No, you're not." I snapped. "The first time you told somebody, they threw themselves at you. You were smart and picked theGeremy, a guywith a furry fetish."

She rolled her eyes, pulling her hand back towards her. "Suit yourself." She said snottily. "Just trying to help."

Gretchen smirked as she descended the staircase, joining Geremy who was waiting there. I watched as they disapeared into the den before continuing up the stairs. She was 20, only three years older than me, but everything had gone smoothly for my older sister. She was always the popular one, giving me something i couldn't live up to. I was pretty in my own way, but never enough to satisfy the gaze of the people who knew me as the younger sister of the incredible Gretchen.

I entered my bedroom and slammed the door behind me, not noticing the figure on my bed until too late.

"You could just give up and marry me already." Holden said seductively, his head resting on my pillow.

I jerked it out from under him, causing him to make an "oof!" noise as his head hit my not-so-springy matress.

"I will never," I said, putting emphasis on the last word, "marry you, you pretentious pig."

Holden was from the family that was just as royal as my own. If him and I were to end up tgether, the werewolf babies we could pop out would be absolute beauties, in the genetic sense. Somehow, i couldn't bring myself to do it. He was so egotistical, even my own sister didn't want him. For some reason he had never wanted Gretchen anyway, he seemed content trying to sleep with me instead. He was sixteen, and to me, that was too young. I liked older, not so sarcastic, men. And i did not, under any circumstance, want to marry another werewolf. It seemed like incest, or inbreeding to me. Thankfully, arranged marriages were not practiced anymore, and, though my parents had wanted me to marry Holden at first, they had changed their mind after Gretchen had married Geremy. They were behing me 100 percent, no matter what i wanted to do.

I settled down on my comfortable chair, pulling a good book off the bookshelf next to me. Wuthering Heights. One of my favorites. I needed it after this disaster of a night.

"Aw, come on, just live a little. Give me a try, baby." Holden said, hoping into my lap. He pushed the book out of my hands, and before i had a chance to react, kissed me full on the lips.