Chapter 28: 28. Fairy Creatures

**Rosè**

"Hi there!" A high-pitched voice caught the attention of almost every single wolf in the cafeteria. I blinked. There was a girl that decided to make her way over to where we were and place a plate of food on the table. I didn't know how to behave seeing as I've barely corresponded with any of the pack members. I looked over at Denis who sat at the same side of the table as me. He smiled, but his expression didn't help much.

"My name is Keona Nelson," she went on. A boy who shared the same features, milky earth-brown skin and bulbous nose, nodded to Denis who nodded back. "Oh, and hi Denis."

"Mhm."

"You might remember my mother? She's Marionette's doctor and the one you spoke with this morning," Keona said. My jaw dropped.

"Dr. Nelson is your mother?"

She nodded her head enthusiastically and invited herself to the table by occupying a chair. Her guy friend did the same.

"Yup! She's both our moms! Kendrick, did you tell her good morning?"

Her brother shook her head and looked at me. "Good morning, but I don't know your name."

"Good morning, it's Rosè."

"Rosie?"

I helped him pronounce it.

"Ro-say! Okay, I think I've got it down, Rosè."

My smile brightened. "Good! Nice to meet you, Kendrick."

"Same here."

Denis watched our reaction with a possessive glint in his eyes. I ignored him and tore a bite off my grilled cheese sandwich. Sweet heavens! This was probably the best one I've ever had! Solid 9/10!

Keona's black coily hair was parted and styled into two puff balls on either side of her head. She had a full face with round cheeks that complimented her doe-shaped eyes.

Kendrick was more lean than muscular. He wore a green neon jacket with a black collar and marina, hair in a buzz cut.

"We haven't stopped talking about what you've done for Marionette," Keona said. "How did you do it, anyway? Mom didn't tell us much and we're dying to get to the bottom of it."

I took another bite and swallowed before responding. "It's exactly as I told Dr. Nelson. I barely did anything. It was all her."

"Hmmm, I think there's more to the story but I'll take it," she shrugged and proceeded to devour her roman. Thank goodness, no more questions.

"Do you live here now?" Kendrick asked. Well, I didn't mind answering that one.

I shook my head. "Nope, just here for a few days and then I'll go back home."

"So you're not staying at the packhouse?"

"Actually, Alpha Christen so *graciously* invited me to stay in his guestroom."

Denis chuckled but hid it behind a cough.

"Really? That's sick! He barely allows people in his house much less to stay overnight. Do you go to school nearby?"

The more Keona's brother and I delved deeper into conversation, the more Denis seemed to scowl. His eyes observed us while playing with his plate of fish sticks. I, on the other hand, enjoyed talking with the Nelson siblings. I can't tell when last I had a carefree time chatting it up with strangers.

Then again, they only talked to me because they were curious. If they hadn't heard about me, they wouldn't have approached me at all.

"You know," Keona's mouth was full to the brim. "I wasn't sure about coming over. Since you walked in with Denis, I thought, 'maybe she's as obnoxious as him'."

"You do remember I'm sitting here."

"But you looked pretty quiet and chill with the way you talked to the cooks," she paid him no mind. "So I decided to take a chance and look-y here! You're not as obnoxious as I thought you were! Sorry for judging you too early. You're alright in my eyes."

Kendrick hummed in agreement.

I blinked several times, then blushed. "Thanks. I think you two are nice. Probably way too nice. I mean, we barely know each other."

"True." She used her finger to tap her chin. "Are you an asshole?"

"Not that I know of."

"Then you're fine with me! Don't sweat the small stuff, we have plenty of time to get to know each other."

"You know what? I think I'd like that."

What would it be like to have actual friends again? True friends who didn't leave you as soon as you become a target?

I was telling the truth when I said I thought they were nice. They just had this air about them that made me feel comfortable enough to push aside my worries and insecurities.

Denis got up once he realized my plate was empty. "Ready to go?" He asked me.

"Not yet. You can go without me." I smiled.

He raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. "Why?"

"You have school and practice later, right? I want to stay longer before returning to the house."

Denis practically murdered Kendrick with that glare of his. He shook his head. "If you want, it's your choice. How will you get inside?'

"I don't know."

"You don't... ugh."

After fishing around his pocket, he gave me a set of keys and showed me which one to use for the front door. "Call your mom. Don't forget." He whispered.

Then he took one glance at Kendrick and kissed my forehead. My hand hit his shoulder. "Denis!" I exclaimed, embarrassed.

He had the nerve to smirk at me. "Just saying goodbye. As for you two, bye."

He picked up my plate and brought it to the counter along with his. I muttered curses under my breath and slipped the keys into my pockets.

Kendrick and Keona stared at me with inquisitive looks on their faces. I had a bad feeling. Keona was the first to say what I feared she would. "Sooo, are you too a thing?"

"Not in the slightest. He's screwing with me."

"Looks more like flirting to me." She wiggled her eyebrows.

"I highly doubt it."

Now that Denis left and his family was nowhere in sight, it was my turn to ask questions.

"Um, speaking of Denis," I said shyly. "Is there anything that's, uh, really important to him that he has to take care of? Like, maybe, something physical? He has taught me so much about his world but I still want to learn more."

Keona grinned. "As a *friend*?"

Not likely. "Yeah. Wouldn't you want to know more about your friends?"

"Hm." She thought about it for a few seconds. "Ken, don't future alphas have to care for a fairy pet before they can take over the job?"

Fairy? Those exist too?

Rosè, you're chatting it up with two werewolves. Why are you surprised?

"They do. Each one tougher than the ones their predecessors had to face." Kendrick slurped his cereal, milk from the spoon ripping back into the bowl. "If they fail to take care of it, they'd end up in big trouble."