Change of Heart (2018 - COMPLETE)

(VIII) Arcade Games, Sleeping Over, and Bookshops

Another week went by, and not much had really changed, although when Jackson's coming of age party had taken place and I was allowed to run with the adults. Males become allowed to start going on the run at eighteen, females have to wait to find their mate. Females are able to have their first heat when they are seventeen, so they tend to join the run soon after that. 

The lovely lady that he had been mated to was Sophia of all people. She wasn't one for flirtatious nature, but he had been willing to tone it down. Our gaggle of future pack leaders is now complete. It was cute, being able to see Sophia flush as much as she did, to have her be embarrassed by how much attention she had been getting. I had given Jackson the same threat that Sophia had given Jacob when she had learned of our mateship. Fair was fair and she was my best friend, of course, I would protect her. 

Unlike how the group of us would hang around my house, we had somehow gotten the idea to go into town, a group date. We had gone to Twisted Toppings, a popular pizzeria in town and going to see a showing at the local cinema, hanging around the arcade afterward. 

I leaned against the game that Jacob was currently at, just watching as he played the game. His eyebrows adorably furrowed in concentration. It was cute, to watch how into it he was. The other three couples were all around the arcade. Lillian and Colin were playing a game of air hockey. Connie and Elijah were playing some two player game. Sophia and Jackson had slinked off to a dark corner, Jackson whispering things that I was glad I couldn't hear based on Sophia's reaction to them. 

Jacob's face lit up, and victorious sounds were coming from the machine. He raised his hands to the air, giving a little victory dance. I grinned, thinking that it was one of the cutest things I've seen from him. 

"Congrats, Jay," I mumbled, stifling a yawn. It was past midnight, well past my bedtime. Although I had quite enjoyed spending time with the seven of them, I was worn out. Jacob caught on, and he came closer to me, pulling me to his side. 

"You tired, baby?" he asked, kissing the top of my hair, which I had up in a ponytail for once. I just nodded, leaning into his embrace more, stifling another yawn. "C'mon, let's get you to bed,"
The two of us quickly made our rounds through the arcade, saying goodnight to our friends. As we made our way out of the arcade, we were met with the night chill. I shivered and Jacob noticed, stripping out of his letterman jacket, handing it to me. I slipped it on, thinking that at how often I wear it anyways, I should probably just keep it. The two of us started on the walk back home, my tired self was making the walk longer than normal. Jacob stopped, hunched over and told me to hop on, which I gladly did. He continued walking, not fazed by me hanging onto him. 

I guess I had fallen asleep on him because when I woke up, there was the sound of some shooting game going on and the sound of three familiar voices. I wasn't sure who they were until they had greeted Jacob. It was his three younger brothers: Gabe, Patrick, and Will. I was confused until I looked around, realizing that we weren't in my house, we were in the Bluefield's house. It was larger than my house, and it was clear that the house was dominated by males, most of them being teenagers. Jacob had four little siblings, his three brothers, and Olive, who was seven.