chapter seventeen: muted truths

Aria's POV:

"I've set the date for our mating ceremony," Xander says, setting me down on the couch.

"You did what?" I bark, standing up from the couch. I have been trying to irritate him, make him hate me, and maybe even kick me out of the pack or something. But hearing him tell me he has set the date for our mating ceremony? I can't let that happen; mating with him means tying myself to him, in other words, staying in this pack forever.

"It's high time you meet the pack members. The healers haven't said anything, but the patients going in and out the bay have been curious. We can't have any rumors going around about your identity," he states.

I can't have that ceremony or whatever it is happen. It can't.

"So? Rumors don't kill, you know. They can say whatever they want," I tell him.

"That shouldn't be a reason for you to set the date without my consent. Oh my God, Xander! Why are you so inconsiderate?" I yell.