Page 18

chapter seventeen

Michaela

“ Torak, you’re so funny,” the young female laughs across the room.

For the last four days, the same scene has played out in the cafeteria whenever we are here. Torak flirts with some she-wolf, while Marley watches. I’m not sure what happened after the day I warned her about the wolf, but clearly it wasn’t good. My sister went from a lovesick teen to a depressed, fire-breathing monster. Everything pisses her off lately.

I wish I could be of more help to her, but I have my hands full. Markis has been playing in my dreams so much lately, I’ve been avoiding sleep. Not to mention I still can’t track down those fucking vampires. And if I don’t move soon, I risk the chance of Chayton going to the vampire council.

Speaking of the vampire council, Tech has let me know they have put out a decree for my return. Not going to happen.

So, you see, I don’t have time for teenage drama.

Glancing over at Marley, her eyes swim with unshed tears as she stares at the two young wolves.

Sighing, I lean toward her. “You can always look away,” I say teasingly.

Marley turns to me. Her nostrils flare. Apparently, she didn’t appreciate my joke.

“Of course you’re enjoying this.”

“Whoa. I’m not enjoying anything. I never want to see you hurt.” I place my hand on her shoulder. She snatches away from me.

“Don’t act like you care.”

“Just because I didn’t condone the relationship doesn’t mean I don’t care about your feelings.”

She shakes her head, turning away from me.

“You’re young, Marley. There will be plenty of time for dating. You’ll find the right guy.”

She turns back to me and snarls. “Like you did? Clearly, you’re not the best person to give out dating advice. Your husband is a psychopath.”

I tamp down on the anger boiling up in me. The cuffs around my wrist vibrate. Shutting my eyes, I take a deep breath before opening them again.

“Don’t do that. You don’t get to shit on me because you’re upset,” I snarl. “You are not the first or last person who’s had their heart broken. You’ll get over it.”

She slams her hands down on the table, causing our trays to rattle. The cafeteria grows silent. I don’t have to look around to know that all eyes are on us.

Marley climbs to her feet, picking up her tray. “Not everyone is content with being alone and miserable for the rest of their life like you.”

Her words cut me deep. She does not know the things I’ve been through and experienced. She doesn’t know that I once loved so hard that I almost lost myself. That my love for the wrong man, nearly decimated the earth. She doesn’t understand that the heart that I once had was ripped out of me and stomped on. It has never crossed her mind that even if I wanted to find love again, I couldn’t. She doesn’t know shit about me. Which is why she can make such a claim.

“Marley,” I call out to her as she storms away from the table. “Marley,” I shout.

She continues to walk out of the cafeteria. Getting to my feet, I leave my food there as I head toward the door. Before I can walk out, the Beta steps in front of me.

Rolling my eyes, I say, “Not in the mood right now, Enzo.”

His golden eyes widen momentarily. “The fact that you called me by my name and not Beta, lets me know you need to give her time.”

Sucking my teeth, I glare at him. “Are you supposed to be an expert on raising kids now?”

He chuckles. “I don’t know shit about raising kids. But I do know about being so angry that you might say something you can’t take back.”

He’s right. The way I’m feeling, I might even kill my sister. Despite how much of a little brat she’s being right now, I’d never live down hurting her.

“Take a walk with me,” he suggests, catching me off guard.

He and I haven’t said over three words to each other since he banned me from coming to practice. The last time we talked even for a second was four days ago when I helped them look at that house. Even then, we didn’t communicate much. Him asking me to walk with him was out of place.

“This isn’t your attempt to kill me, is it?” I really didn’t have the time for that.

He chuckles. It’s a deep rumbling sound. “No. We both know I don’t have to lure you to a secluded area to kill you. If I did it in this crowded cafeteria, no one would bat an eye.”

He had a point. “You’re right. They’d probably help.”

“So, are you going to walk with me?”

Letting out a deep sigh, I nod my head. I needed to calm down before going back to the cabin. Also, I have to admit, I wanted to see what angle the Beta was going for. This isn’t a simple walk through the woods. He was after something. I just wasn’t sure what that something was.

He opens the door to the dining hall, allowing me out first. I walk out. He steps up beside me, his hand stuffed down in his front pockets. He walks toward the middle of town, and I follow.

“How did you get so good at fighting?” he asks out of the blue.

Is he fishing because he knows about my role in the legion? Couldn’t be. If he knew I was once part of the vampire army, he’d probably kick me out on my ass.

“My father wanted a weapon,” I reply honestly. “I was his first daughter, so disposable.”

He cuts his golden eyes over to me. “Vampires don’t cherish their daughters?”

“You guys really don’t know anything about us.” This time I laugh.

He shrugs. “Before one showed up on our doorstep begging to live with us, we never had a reason to.”

“Touche, wolf.”

He grins. I can’t say it’s my first time realizing how nice his smile is. I’ve picked up on it before. However, this is the first time I mention it in my thoughts.

“Is that why you have custody of Marley?”

I swallow, not enjoying being so honest with the wolf. However, to keep him from digging too much into my past and why I’m here, I have to feed him the safe truths.

“I have Marley because my father owed me a debt. Trust me, if he could have kept her, he would’ve. Not out of love, but because she is the only way he can control me.”

He’s silent for a long moment. “I’m an only child.” He finally says.

“My father was a scout in our old pack. He dedicated himself to his role. He loved it more than he loved anything. Even me.”

“Are we bonding over daddy issues?” I joke.

He sends me another one of his grins. “No. I doubt your father taught you to be a man by using you as a punching bag.”

Even though he says the words casually, I can tell they hurt. It seems the Beta has some deep scars.

“Well, you’re right. My father never hit me. He valued mental and psychological abuse more.”

He looks over at me. I shrug, not willing to delve further into my childhood trauma.

We continue to walk through town. I notice a lot of curious and disgusted faces. Oddly, he doesn’t seem to pay the stares any attention. We continue to talk as we walk. I realize he and I had a lot in common. Not just our childhood trauma or the fact that we are head strong and protective of the ones we love.

Loyalty is a big deal to both of us. And we both have control issues. I was having such a good time talking to him. I almost forgot that he’s the enemy and can’t be trusted.

We stop in front of my cabin. The walk was a great idea. I was a lot calmer than I was when I left the dining hall.

“So,” he says, causing me to turn and look at him. “I had an ulterior motive for asking you to come walk with me.”

He rubs the back of his neck.

“Oh really? I’m shocked,” I say in the most unshocked tone.

He chuckles. “It seems I was wrong about not wanting you at training. The guys enjoyed you and learned a lot that day. They want you back.”

I was not expecting that.

“What game are you playing, wolf?”

He holds his hands up in surrender. “No game. We could really use your help.”

I stare back at him. He’s lying. Well, not fully. They could definitely use my help and he knows it. But that isn’t why he’s inviting me back.

That look is still in his eyes. The one he had the night he showed up on my porch. It doesn’t hold as much hatred as it did when I first arrived, but it’s not as friendly and open as the week after he had those wolves paint my porch.

“What do you say?” he asks. “I imagine helping us would be better than spending your days locked in the house with a moody teenager.”

“You’re right about that.”

I didn’t trust him. I know he’s plotting something. The best way to figure it out is to let him think he’s fooling me.

“Alright,” I finally say.

“Good. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

He dips his chin before turning and walking away. I head into my borrowed home, preparing to talk to my sister.

As soon as I enter, I find Marley sitting on the couch. I close the door behind me, facing her. She stands to her feet, wringing her hands together.

“Before you say anything, I want to say I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that to you.”

“No, you shouldn’t have,” I say, dropping the keys onto the side table near the door. I move further into the house, stopping behind the couch. “There is a lot you don’t know about me, Marley. I bear scars you will never know. I’ve done things…” I pause, taking a deep breath. “The person you know today wasn’t always who I was. I’ve changed a lot since you were born. I love you, little sister. But if you ever bring him up to me like that again, I’ll show you why the wolves should fear me. Do you understand?”

“Yes,” she says as tears slip down her face.

I leave her in the living room. I hate the idea of hurting her feelings or telling her about my past. Marley has only known the good version of me. My anger isn’t because she spread my business in front of the wolves. It’s because she spoke about my pain without understanding my wounds.