He stands up and pulls my head around as he looks for more abrasions. Just a couple bruises, but his eyes darken considerably with every wound he finds. The final straw is when his eyes flick down to the bite mark that the black wolf had left me. It's scarred over now; a row of pink, raised flesh from the jagged canines. A constant reminder of the man who is my real enemy. But I seem to be the only one who can see his Mark. The one he left in my neck. Hendrick shuts his eyes and takes a deep breath, "Are you alright?" I'm still furious with him, but the way he asks in such a shaky voice breaks me. I lean my forehead against his shoulder and shut my eyes. "No," I sniff, "I'm not alright." He wraps his arms around me, and I do the same. He's so infuriating and stubborn, and I hate how he's so temperamental. But, in this moment, I lap up the comfort he gives me. It's been so long since someone has held me like this. I just really need to be hugged. "Hendrick...I'm sorry if I got you
Jayden cringes as I jam my phone back into my pocket, "Voicemail?" "Yeah," I mumble, leaning against the passenger door and staring out the window. It's been six days since I have been taken to Abrego. They have let me come and go since, but I haven't spoken to Hendrick since. I've tried to give him space, but my patience is running thin today. He's avoiding me, and I don't know why. I thought we had put aside what happened with his pack finding out about me, but apparently not. Or maybe there's another reason-I can't tell. Jayden and Skyler have been hanging out with me during and after school, answering the questions I have about the Wolves. They all worship the three Goddesses that Avianna had told me about, each pack varying in their level of piousness. Apparently, Abrego is considered fairly religious which is why they have a pack healer. My understanding is that some packs are far more religious-namely the packs that are closer to The Order-while others possess a mild awarenes
I look around the room she has taken me to. It must have been her bedroom because there's a wardrobe and a bunkbed in the corner. However, instead of a bottom bed there's a work desk that is currently covered with open manuscripts and books. In the center of the room is a skylight in the shape of a circle. An oculus. The walls are lined with shelves with hundreds of jars. They're filled with stones, herbs, gems, shells, oils, bugs, and peculiar things like feathers and bubblegum. Avianna picks up the jar with bubblegum, takes one for herself and then offers me one, "I just really like chewing. And no, that doesn't mean you can get me a chew toy as a thank-you gift." I roll my eyes and take a piece of gum. As I pop it into my mouth, I feel my laughter die down, "Do you really think I'm not a human?" "Do you?" I set my bag down and peer up through the skylight as Avianna adds, "Did you read my books?" "I did," I smile as I hand them back to her, "Though they didn't really answer muc
You mustn't tell anyone about being the Prophet. Not even Hendrick. Not even Mira or Ilya. Avianna's words echo in my head even as I sit beside Jayden. We're watching a movie, but I haven't done much but stare at the screen. All I can think about is the vast amount of information I have suddenly find myself in. I'm a member of the Abregon Pack. So is Hendrick, Skyler, Claude, and Jayden. Avianna is their pack healer. Mira and Ilya are the ones in charge-the Alphas. Hendrick's father, Aiden, is their Beta. There are two kinds of Wolves-the werewolves and the lycans. That splits up even further; some lycans go onto joining The Order of the Huntress. And apparently I'm some oracle. At least it explains the dreams, think with an anxious laugh. It's good to know that I haven't completely lost it. "You good?" Jayden glances over at me. The credits are rolling on the T.V. and she laughs, "I don't think I've ever seen someone be so quiet while watching Monty Python." "Sorry," I smile, "
His lips are warm against my forehead, and I so badly want to tilt my head up and catch his mouth with my own. I shut my eyes and breathe him in. All the built up anxiety is pushed back to the background, and I feel myself relax. He's all I can think of in that moment. "You're talking to me now?" I whisper, pulling back and fixing him a stern look. He nods quietly and I sigh, "At the risk of sounding like a possessive girlfriend-" "No risk. You sound like a possessive girlfriend," He chuckles but not even his good looks are going to save him from that remark. "Great. Then I guess since we're just putting it out there--you've been an asshole. If you were going to break things off, that's fine. But I think I deserve at least a goodbye. Or an explanation." "I'm not breaking things off..I can't." "I've tried to give you space, Hendrick, but I need you! I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing," I rub circles into the temples of my forehead, "I'm used to being independent and being abl
She doesn't move initially, and I almost yelp in surprise as she slinks down on her knees. He watches her as she crawls up to him like a fox, sliding between his legs with a sly glint in her eyes. She looks at him for the longest time, breathing deep as her hands creep to the zips on his pants. He watches her tiredly but with mild interest, and she takes this as encouragement. However, as she leans forward to kiss him, he stops her, "Lara. Go to sleep." "You're in a mood tonight," She growls in frustration, her chest puffing out another irritated sound. I can almost see her hackles raising as she snatches her hands away from his pants, "What's your problem? Is this about her-" "Right now. You are," He speaks bluntly, his gaze dull and bored. Waving half-heartedly at the door, he finishes their conversation, "Leave." The door slams shut, and I can hear her angry heels clonking down the hallway. There's the sound of an elevator door pinging and then absolute silence. The phone is no
Kaizer throws me an exaggerated yawn as our teacher speaks. I hide my grin behind my hand, stifling a laugh as he continues to make gestures while her back is turned. The rest of the class is almost asleep, staring at the clock with hungry eyes. After what seems like a torturously long class period, the bell rings and we all spring from our seats. "Finally," Kaizer drawls as we walk towards the cafeteria, "I have been waiting for lunch since breakfast!" I burst out laughing, "You better watch it-that fast metabolism only lasts for so long." "Which is why I'm going to enjoy it as long as I can," He wags his eyebrows at me. We've patched up since my birthday. There are still moments of discomfort because it's clear that Kaizer still has feelings for me. But he knows how crazy I am for Hendrick and after we had set some clear boundaries, I've begun to hang out with him a bit again. Not much, since Hendrick is still wary of Kaizer, but enough to escape the madness of the Wolves for a m
I choke on my own scream as she kicks me again. The floor feels cool against the side of my face. Blood and the disgusting smell of the bathroom floods through my nose. Faint sounds of thuds and thumps and screaming. I can feel her kicking and stomping on me with full-blown rage. She growls like a savage-like a wolf-and I curl up but it does little to protect me from Ashenia's fury. What is happening here? It's an echo. The sound of her fists and feet connecting with my flesh cease. It takes me a moment to pick my head up and see a teacher standing at the door. "What's happening here?" I fall back down, and Ashenia sneers at me. Camilla and Dominique are shaking in the corner, staring at me with terror. The teacher growls lowly, but I'm not sure if it's a Wolf growl or them being really pissed off. I don't really quite feel right. My head spins and my body floats. Laughing. It's all that escapes my lips. So this is what it means to be in the center stage. I would have preferred to s