it like that. I meant that they need to keep the information to themselves… for now.”
Milo’s face is split into a wide grin when I turn to face him again. His eyes bouncing around between all of us. “Do you want to call your parents?” I question, happy that Milo’s spirits seem to have lifted, but nervous about what it might mean.
“They’re picking me up tomorrow, we can tell them then.” Butterflies assault my stomach. Dante rubs his hand over my thigh, and I wonder if he knows how freaked out I am. “We can all go to Columbia tomorrow. I only have two extra tickets for the banquet, but we can hang out before and after,” Milo continues, his voice laced with excitement.
I plaster a smile on my face, but on the inside my thoughts are spiraling out of control. I have to meet his parents tomorrow, and eventually I’ll have to meet Ollie’s parents, as well as Dante and Ares’s. What if they don’t like me? What if they think I’m not good enough? Clearly, we don’t have the same backgrounds—I didn’t even know about the existence of Infinities until I met them.
I slide my butt lower on the bed and fall backwards. How the hell am I going to make it through this? What will they think about there being five of us? Dante told me that there aren’t any other pairings that have as many as we do. Using my inner elbow, I cover my eyes as I fight off the headache that is settling over the bridge of my nose.
The guys all continue talking about the weekend. Ares easily agrees to go, even saying it would probably be best to get away for a few days, especially after everything that happened with Mia tonight.
I block them out soon after. There isn’t anything to be done about meeting their families. It’s something I knew would happen eventually, I just hadn’t realized how comfortable I’d gotten with the idea of pushing the prospect off to a much later date.
Dante cuddles up to my side soon after, his face wiggling under my arm so he’s nuzzling his face next to mine. I let out a weighty sigh, and my fingers brush along his hair, reminding me of the tiger he turned into just yesterday. I stroke behind his ear, and he arches into my touch. “What does it feel like when you change?” My voice is soft.
Dante pauses his movements. “I still feel like me, but just a more basic me. My thoughts are simpler, but they're still my thoughts.” I nod, that sounds good. About right now, I’d love to be able to let my insecurities go.
“Does it hurt when you change?” I know my questions might be intrusive, but I can’t seem to help myself either.
Dante doesn’t seem to mind as he settles in closer to me. Turning on his side so his mouth is near my ear, he wraps his arm around my waist. It feels like we’re having an intimate conversation even though we aren’t alone. “No, it doesn’t hurt. When I’m about to change, I get this restlessness, like I can feel the fur under my skin.”
I turn to face him, our noses inches from each other. “Do you know, once when you touched me, before all this, I thought I felt fur? We were in art class,” I pause, my eyes going to the thick leather strap he wears around his wrist. My fingers go to the little bit of uncovered darkness I can see. I peer back up at him. “I remember seeing this. I wanted to know what was under here so badly that I almost couldn’t stop myself from touching you.”
Dante’s eyes close, and when they reopen, the amber of his eyes has gotten brighter. I let my fingers dance along his arm, but I can’t stay away for long from the mark we all share. My fingers itch to explore it. The bed shifts as the others move about, getting comfortable. I don’t take my eyes off Dante. “Why do you hide this?”
Dante shrugs. “I don’t know, I guess it’s because everyone else’s marks are covered. It feels private, like it’s not for everyone.”
“What about me?” My question is bold, but I can’t take it back. “Is it for me?” I pull the closure of the band, loosening it before he even answers.
Dante swallows and his eyes are wide. “Yes, yours.” His voice is gravelly. I strip away