My heartbeat increased its tempo, feeling all my senses suddenly tuning in, focusing on the unseen threat as I threw a furtive glance in their direction.
They were all present. All six of them. Heading straight towards us like a pack of hungry lions, and we were the helpless little lambs.
At least that was how it felt to me, in that specific moment. I could see that Kayla and Dre were very excited to see them, their gazes big and shimmering like those silly anime cartoons as they watched them approach, Carrie being the only one that didn't look too pleased by this oncoming encounter.
I couldn't help but wonder why though. Did she not crave for her mate's presence, now that she was marked and possibly also mated? Could it be that maybe she didn't feel the bond like he, as a wolf did?
What if she didn't even want any of this and he actually forced it all on her? The mark, the mating?
*Oh my Goddess what if he did?*
I was already freaking out on the inside by the time they reached us, barely managing to compose myself and keep a neutral expression plastered over my face as I threw an apprehensive look around me, noticing their confident and relaxed stances as they greeted us.
I forced a timid smile on my face, careful not to look the males in the eye as they offered me smiles and a casual "hey", almost failing to notice that David had said something as he stopped right in front of me, effectively trapping me with his imposing presence.
"Jess?"
My sheepish gaze trailed over the visible outline of those muscles hiding underneath his simple grey shirt before settling on his face, followed by the utter betrayal of my own stupid mind as it immediately replayed what Kayla had previously said about him, word by word.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I knew that he could hear that wild thump inside my chest. Hell, I could hear it myself even without the supernatural hearing. They surely all did.
"I'm..." I swallowed, letting my traitorous gaze fall on his hands before I could even stop myself, powerless and at the mercy of my own twisted and sick mind as it started conjuring up scary and dark fantasies about him holding me down with those hands, bound and at his mercy as he-
*Holy shit!*
I blinked a few times, feeling so damn embarrassed and stupid as I bashfully looked back up and directly into his chocolate eyes, noticing the way his brows furrowed as he looked down at me.
*Fuck.*
He didn't get to say anything more though as out of nowhere, Zara suddenly stepped in between the two of us, thankfully saving me with a cheeky smile.
"Back off you big beast. Can't you see that you're scaring my friend?" She carelessly threw over her shoulder, making me giggle before she flung an arm around my shoulders and gave me a quick hug.
I couldn't contain that relieved sigh that escaped me, feeling so oddly comforted by her mere presence even though only moments ago they all seemed to unsettle me. Huh. Maybe I was slowly starting to warm up to them too after all. To the girls, at least.
"I wasn't trying to. She seemed unwell. I only wanted to help," His dark brows were still furrowed as he looked between us, visibly confused as he mumbled those words.
"Well, she's okay now," She bit back with an arched brow, boldly eyeing him up and down into a rather assessing way.
That didn't hinder him at all though. He was the Beta after all, and she was a warrior. She was actually under his command, not the other way around. He could force his beta authority on her and make her submit if he wanted to, at any given moment.
I knew the pack laws, even though I wasn't born in one. I also knew about that natural power these higher wolves were born with and what they could do with it.
"I'm...I'm fine. I promise. Just a little light-headed," I rushed to assure him, offering him the nicest smile I could muster as I stepped forward into a silent attempt to diffuse the growing tension. Sure, maybe I didn't consider the warrior my friend yet but that didn't mean that I wanted her to challenge her own commander for me. It wouldn't be fair.
"Okay. I'll see you later then," He gave me that swoon-worthy dimpled smile whilst his warm chocolate gaze trailed over my heating face, shoving his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans. I could notice that he was wearing a different type of earrings today as my gaze rose to look back up at him, having a small cross pendant dangling from each ear instead of his usual small and rounded bands. He still looked hot as hell with them anyway.
*Oh my Goddess! Get a fucking grip!*
I quickly blinked away those thoughts and nodded, watching him give me a once-over and then tip his head before he turned around to leave, suddenly turning back around on his heel as he hollered at me,
"You look very cute today by the way,"
I almost gasped out loud, a hundred percent positive that my face looked like a ripe tomato right now as I dumbly stared after him, completely starstruck.
What did he say?!?
**
My back leaned against the wall as we stood together close to the girls' bathroom door, Zara and I. We've noticed that Carrie was missing from our group so we tracked her all the way here with the help of Zara's scenting, both worried for her wellbeing as whilst I'd noticed that she wasn't exactly feeling too good this morning when she'd arrived at school, Zara could also smell that perspiration now that clung to her skin from all the way here, hearing that change of beat in her heart and her erratic breathing as she stood in there for a few moments longer, all by herself.
What was going on?
Was she having another panic attack?
*Holy crap what if she is?*
I was about to detach myself from that wall and go inside instead of stupidly waiting here like Zara had suggested, feeling so worried when the sound of the bathroom door being opened had me stopping in my tracks, watching Carrie exiting before she took a careful look the opposite way, almost bumping into Zara as she took a few steps in our direction.
"Are you okay?"
She stopped and stared up at Zara for a few moments, visibly confused by that simple question.
I could notice that she didn't exactly look too well either, her mildly tanned skin now sporting a lifeless yellowish hue whilst her eyes seemed a little redder than usual, outlining her crappy state.
*Goddess, what did that Alpha do to her?*
Could it be that I'd been right about my assumptions earlier this morning? That he wasn't as kind as I'd initially thought of him to be?
Could it be that he'd behaved like any other pack wolf would with their weaker mates, tormenting her with his brutal love? He did place his mark on her skin without her consent, of that I knew for sure. What if he did do other things to her she didn't approve of, like planting a pup inside of her so that he could shackle her to him forever?
Man, that would be so sick and cruel of him. Ma and pa were right. These pack wolves are nasty. Especially the males.
"I don't think that she is, let's help her get to the classroom," I said as I stepped in from behind Zara, noticing the way Carrie's curious gaze snapped to me.
But we didn't wait for her to say anything as we flanked her sides and linked our arms with hers, pretending to have a casual girl-to-girl conversation with her every time someone passed us by as we walked to the classroom and went inside, both of us purposely acting so joyous and carefree as we walked to the only available seats left at the far back of the classroom, pretending that it was all great and dandy. We didn't need to draw any unwanted attention, especially when I was so sure that the Alpha had something to do with my friend's current state. And he was here. Sitting in the same classroom with us.
I carefully placed Carrie on the seat right next to the wall before seating myself next to her into a protective stance, feeling that pressing need to shield her away from anything and anyone, given her current situation. Maybe I didn't have my wolf anymore, but the natural instinct remained deeply rooted inside of me. We had to protect her. I knew that Zara felt the same, even more so since she was her future luna and queen.
I stealthily eyed the two male wolves sitting next to each other, the Alpha and the Beta whilst Zara strategically sat herself right in front of Carrie in the previous row, the Alpha obliviously keeping his attention trained to the front of the classroom whilst his Beta threw an inquisitive look in our direction, earning himself a casual smile from me.
That's it. Mind your own business. Nothing to see here, I mentally chanted, watching him avert his attention back to the front of the classroom before I averted mine back to Carrie, throwing her a quick worried glance. She was still looking so bad.
So I quietly fished out my phone, quickly texting her,
*"Do you still feel sick? We can create a diversion and go back outside if you need some air,"*
I could notice her smiling from my peripheral vision as she read it, receiving her fast reply,
*"No. I'm okay now, thanks,"*
I gave out a barely perceptive nod as I pretended to continue focusing on the lecture, however not failing to also notice that both males were now looking in our general direction for some reason, making me feel so restless.
Great. This is going to be a veeery long day.
**
"What did he do to you?"
Oh wow. Way to go, Zara. So much with being gentle or even remotely subtle with your future queen.
I looked at Carrie as she abruptly paused her rummaging through her locker, tilting her head back to peer behind the metal door, giving Zara a weird look.
"You had sex with him, didn't you?"
My eyes widened, lips parting open and my cheeks flushing as I totally wasn't expecting for her to say that out loud, just like that.
What the fuck! Holy Goddess! This wolf has no freaking filter!
"We can smell it on you. His imprint," Zara continued with a serious look on her face, wasting no time in beating around the bush.
Well, she and the other pack wolves could smell it on her. Not me, obviously. I couldn't smell anything other than her usual fruity perfume.
"Did he hurt you?"
I curiously watched that look of surprise that took over Carrie's features, blinking a few times, her lips parting open and closing for a few times before she eventually started to stammer,
"N-no, no one h-"
"We know that he made you go into heat," Zara added, my brain taking a few moments to register exactly what she just said out loud.
It only took a few seconds for Carrie to finally realize it too, my chest filling with dread as I watched her features contort with a curious frown instead.
Crap.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
*Way to throw me under the bus, Zara.*
Gods! I wanted to scream out loud, internally panicking as I could only imagine what was going on through her head right now. That I was a shitty friend. A lying, crappy and good for nothing friend. That's what I was. I've had so many perfect opportunities where I could've told her, especially after they'd arrived here yet for some reason I kept chickening out. And now look where that got me.
In this stupid, crappy situation.
Why did Zara have to ruin this for me? Why couldn't she just keep her mouth shut and ask her all these uncomfortable questions in my absence instead? I could've told her on my own terms, at a time of my choosing! Not like this!
"You..." I cringed at the sound of Carrie's broken voice, not even daring to raise my gaze and look her in the eye. I couldn't. I knew that I fucked up. Big time.
"She comes from a family of lone wolves," Zara swiftly cut in, drawing both our stares back to her.
What was she trying to do now?
"Please don't be mad at her. She never told you because she didn't want you to be scared of her," She gently pleaded on my behalf with kindness and warmth, actually managing to surprise me a little as I didn't exactly expect her to care whether she destroyed my friendship with Carrie or not. Yet apparently she did. Which was very nice of her, all things considered.
"I wanted to tell you. I always felt like you were the only one who could understand me and I wanted to tell you so badly, especially after they moved into town," I tried to explain myself, my eyes filling with hot tears as I finally dared look at her.
"But I didn't know h-" The words died in my throat as she suddenly wrapped her arms around me, stupidly blinking a few times from the staggering surprise before returning her hug.
"I understand. I know that it can't be easy to have such a big secret and not being able to share it with anyone," She calmly said with a soothing tone as she held me, my arms wrapping a little tighter around her as I couldn't help but let that calming sigh go past my lips, feeling my tears slowly dry out on my cheeks.
Gods. How could I be so stupid? Why did I ever doubt her? Why did I think that it would be different? That she would be scared or even reject me as her friend? This was Carrie! Our Carrie! Our Care, protective mama-bear. Of course she would say that. She always understood. Which was why I couldn't help but love her more. She was the most amazing friend anyone could ever have. These wolves were lucky to have her as Luna Queen.
I met her candid smile as she pulled back, my lips forming one of my own as I wiped those tears away.
"What's a lone wolf though?"