Page 15

Scarlett

After checking on Kurt and the others the next morning, Scarlett knocked on her father’s office door with a set mind. She found him sitting behind his desk, checking some papers with Maximilian. Her father looked up and crocked his brow, while her brother seemed relieved and ready for a break.

“I was hoping I could talk to you,” she said meekly.

Her father indicated the empty chair next to Maximilian and trying to hide her nerves, Scarlett took the seat.

“I want to train again. I know you disliked it, but when the hunters came after me, I didn’t know what to do and it made me feel awful. I couldn’t defend myself and didn’t even stand a chance against them. I don’t want that to happen again.”

“It won’t.”

“Can you promise that? Because I can’t see the future.”

“Scarlett, this discussion is over,” her father growled his patience visibly wearing off his hardened features.

Scarlett shot to her feet, but glared down at him. “Yes, Alpha.”

She spun on her heel and stormed out of the office, her heart pounding and pumping hot anger through her veins.

Yet again, she’d only been belittled because of her father’s own insecurities over her safety.

Because that’s what Maximilian had said, right?

He wouldn’t have been able to live with himself if something worse had happened to her.

That’s why they kept her hostage, with no chance to live a normal life.

Because that’s what her father had meant when he’d said history wouldn’t repeat itself.

He’d never let her out due to his own fears that something may happen.

Scarlett was becoming fed up with how everyone looked at her. They weren’t even considering her feelings on the matter. She had to sit and obey, left utterly helpless and unable to defend herself.

She walked right past her mother and to her bedroom, slamming the door behind her.

Her blood was running hot, and tears filled her eyes.

Maybe she should’ve tried another tactic to convince her father.

She’d grown so used to submission that standing up for herself didn’t come easy—not when it came to him.

She stood in her room and stared out of the window, the tears drying as she tried to calm herself.

The urge to pack her bags and call her mates was growing to a terrifying degree.

How would life be if she was free? Would they allow her to go out?

Would she be able to decide when and where she wanted to go?

Temptation grew, but before she could spiral, a knock on her door pulled her back to reality.

“I’m coming in.” And a second later Maximilian walked in.

Great—another decision she didn’t get to make for herself. “You didn’t give me a chance to veto it. Maybe I don’t want to see you.”

“Well too bad, I’m here.”

“Go away.”

“I would like you to hear me out first.”

She sighed and turned back to the window, crossing her arms tighter over her chest. She didn’t need any sympathy from him.

“He agreed to let me train you in defence techniques.”

“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”

Her brother didn’t even fight her. “Well, we’re both worried about another attack. He doesn’t really want you to learn anything because in his mind, you won’t be needing it.”

“Because Rapunzel won’t be leaving her tower anytime soon,” Scarlett chided.

“Scarlett, please. We’re just worried about you.”

“I’m sick of hearing that.”

Out of the corner of her eye, Maximilian slowly crossed the room and sat on her bed, keeping his eyes on her. He was being so kind that she had trouble staying angry at him. “Talk to me. What’s happened the past few weeks to make you so frustrated? I’ve never seen you like this.”

I met my mates and they can offer me a better life.

She hated even thinking the words. Her family had always loved her, she didn’t doubt that.

They only wanted what was best for her. Yes, she was barely allowed to leave the house, but pack life was here.

Would she still feel the same if the pack lived on their land?

Probably not. A lot of women never left the safety and comfort of their pack’s residence.

Her frustration had only peaked after meeting Vince, Mateo, and Ezra.

“Scarlett.”

“I don’t know,” she finally answered. “Maybe it’s the thought of always being stuck here.

Yes, I feel safe, but I can’t make my own decisions—ever.

Those hunters made me realise how weak I truly am.

Everyone wants me to be this sweet little girl, and I’m just not.

I’m a grown woman and I wish people would treat me as such. ”

“How about you let me change that?”

Finally, Scarlett looked at him, and her heart melted. Her brother sat there, giving her the biggest, greyest puppy dog eyes she’d ever seen. He looked more desperate than she felt. “Fine.”

Maximilian gave her a shy grin. “I’ll meet you by the elevators in ten minutes.”

Scarlett tried to tamp down her anxiety as they stepped into the training hall for the warriors.

Every pair of eyes in the space rested on her as Maximilian led her to the training room.

He opened the door and closed it behind her.

Unsure of what to do, she watched her brother tug some mats into the middle of the room.

“What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of learning self-defence?” he asked.

She thought back to the attack. “They pulled my hair. I didn’t know how to get out of that.”

“Of course, you’d choose the one that I never found helpful to learn.”

She bit her inner cheek and followed when he beckoned her closer. “But you know how?”

“I do. Felix insisted on us learning it since some of us enjoy longer hairstyles. Stand behind me and grab as much of my hair as you can.”

Though it was difficult, Scarlett latched onto as much of Maximilian’s hair as she could. He reached both of his arms around and found her thumb.

“It will always hurt to get out of someone pulling your hair. There are different ways of doing it, it just depends on what works best for you. Find their thumb, and that’s your anchor point.”

He crouched down, took a step back, and twisted. Her arm bent uncomfortably as Maximilian freed himself. He took another step and wrenched Scarlett’s arm behind her back. It didn’t hurt, but it was uncomfortable.

“The discomfort will usually let your opponent free your hair, but you still might lose some. Want to give it a try?”

She nodded and they swapped places, with Maximilian loosely gripping her hair. She searched for his thumb but before she could move, he guided her in the opposite direction.

They took their time, practising the move repeatedly until she had it. He was very patient, and didn’t chastise her once for taking so long to figure it out.

After a while, Maximilian smiled and nodded his approval. “I think we’ll let it be for today. Are you free tomorrow evening after the bingo tournament?”

Scarlett scoffed. As if she had anywhere else to be. “Of course, I am.” Every week they offered board games in the big hall with finger foods and games for the smaller children. The pack loved getting together for it and she always helped.

“Perfect. We’ll repeat what we learned today and then I’ll show you some different moves.”

“Thank you.”

He pulled her into a side hug and kissed her hair. “Don’t thank me yet. That was the easiest exercise.”

Once changed, fed, and armed with a book, she returned to Kurt’s clinic room.

He sat on the edge of his bed, his feet flat on the floor. She opened her mouth to protest, but he silenced her right away. “I was ordered to be more agile since the wound is healing so well. Paul and Daniel were given the okay to leave.”

“Are you in pain?”

“No.”

“Liar.”

He rolled his eyes and Scarlett sat next to him, her feet dangling off the bed. “I just wish I could take a damn shower.”

“You don’t smell that bad… yet.”

He tilted his head, brows furrowing. “You seem much calmer today.”

“Thank you.”

“Care to share?”

“Maximilian is helping me train in self-defence.”

“I assume your dad knows since you’re telling me.”

She nodded, setting her book aside to fidget with her fingers. “I went to him earlier. He didn’t want to hear any of it, but I had to try. I felt so useless and stupid when the hunters came. I never want to feel that again. Maximilian was the one who convinced him.”

“Good. I like that it makes you happy.”

Unable to look him in the eyes, she picked at her fingers. “Will you be my friend again?”

“I’ve always been your friend.”

“I know, but you haven’t been the same since my father started breathing down your neck.”

“My distance doesn’t mean I love you any less, Scarlett. I just don’t want to be put in a position where I can’t be close to you at all. I still don’t know if he’ll take me off your detail.”

“I’ve asked for you to stay on it.”

Kurt sighed and let his head fall. “I know and I can’t tell you how much your trust means to me. But I fucked up, and you got hurt. My only job was to get you home safe.”

“And you did so many times before.”

Scarlett wanted to warn him of how little time they had left, and she intended to spend as much of it together as she could, consequences be damned. The urge to go with her mates grew stronger by the second and the only reason she hadn’t left yet was because of him and her family.

“You should lie down again. You look like you’re about to pass out.”

Scarlett knew she was right when Kurt listened instead of arguing. She helped him get comfortable, surrounding him with fluffy pillows before she settled in the armchair. He dozed off soon after, but Scarlett wasn’t ready to leave. She cracked open her book, settling in for the evening.