Chapter 171: Grace
My heart was pounding. Where the hell did he go? I had checked all the bathrooms, the locker rooms, the closets, and skimmed every classroom. Where was he?
I stopped for a second. Think Grace, think! Then it hit me. Something Ethan had told me what felt like a lifetime ago. Lycans couldn’t talk to each other in the same way werewolves could, but they could sense each other. Would my Lycan be able to sense him?
I closed my eyes and tried to focus. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but I was at a loss, I needed to try something.
“Grace?” Maizie’s familiar voice called out, right when I was about to start following my instinct or at least, that’s what I hoped it was.
“Shouldn’t you be in class?” I asked her, trying to rein in my panic.
“I was going to the bathroom, and I saw you standing out here. Is everything okay?”
I sighed and debated how much to tell her. She raised her brows in question, challenging me to try lying.
“Michael ran out of class, and I’m trying to find him.” I finally conceded.
“He ran out of class?” She frowned, worry lines creasing her forehead.
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
One word would say it all, and I didn’t know if she would truly get it, but I said it anyways, “Arlo.”
The feeling in my gut got stronger, and I didn’t wait for her to ask any more questions. I wasn’t sure what Michael would do while upset, but I did know I didn’t want him to be alone.
I hurried out the backdoor and scanned the area. He wasn’t at the playground or at the basketball court, but I kept pulling a bit on that invisible string feeling that seemed to be guiding me somewhere, even if my Lycan wasn’t going to help.
“I am helping!” She snapped and I nearly jumped out of my skin. I wasn’t sure I would ever get used to hearing her voice in my head. But maybe she really was tracking Michael for me.
“Where are we going?” Maizie asked, hot on my heels.
“Wherever my Lycan takes me, I guess.” I told her, increasing my speed to nearly a run.
We were approaching the woods now, and my heart was hammering in my chest. No. he wouldn't go back to his dad, would he? I was beginning to doubt my everything when my eyes finally landed on him.
His blonde hair covered his face, and his head was resting on his knees. He looked so young and so broken. For a split second, my mind told me I had seen this before, but that was crazy. Michael had rarely shown vulnerability with anyone. At least, not with me.
“Michael?” Maizie called out hesitantly, she seemed unsure of how to handle this too, which weirdly made me feel a little better.
“Go away.”
“No.” Maizie said gently as she sat down beside him.
“Maiz- I don’t want to talk.” He snapped and turned to face the other way.
“That’s okay.” She told him, “You don’t have to talk right now. We’re here for you.”
Michael’s head whipped around, and he groaned when his eyes landed on me.
“I’m sorry, Grace. I’m so sorry.”
“What?” I approached him slowly and sat next to him. “You have nothing to be sorry about.”
“I embarrassed you in front of our guest speaker.”
“No.” I corrected, holding my hand out to stop him. “I embarrassed you with our guest speaker. I don’t know if you remember, or if you even saw, but Arlo had a strong reaction when Sawyer got hurt when you guys attacked our pack. He wanted to fight Maizie. I said I would fight him if he wanted to fight, and he backed down. He’s taken everything personally since then. He didn’t agree with our decision to let you kids live, and not only that, but let you live freely. He was targeting you because of me.”
Michael looked up at me in surprise.
“He’s not the only one who hates us.”
“No, he’s not.” I said sadly. “But people are always going to judge without knowing. And not everybody is going to like you. That’s a lesson I’m learning. And that it doesn’t matter who you are, you will never be everybody's cup of tea. And that’s okay. The only person who has to like you is you.”
“How do you handle it?” Maizie asked. It was rare for her to show vulnerability like that either, but in this moment, they were both allowing themselves to be what they really were: kids.
“Most of the time I try not to worry about it.” I told them honestly. “I have lived most of my life being hated by the people who were supposed to love me. The darkness of that was a lot, and there is very little anyone else can say or do that could be worse than what I’ve already faced. I just try to be a good person, and control what I can. I won’t ever please everyone, especially in my position. But if I tried to, I’d burn myself out. So I control what I can, and I try to be a good person that I can be proud of.”
“I hate school, I never want to go back.” Michael grumbled.
“I know. But school is important. You’ll thank me one day for making you go.” I told him confidently.
“I doubt it.”
“Yea, me too,” Maizie mumbled in agreeance.
I chuckled at both of them. I was enjoying this moment in the woods with them, but we would be missed, and I would have to explain to Rhys and the principal that Arlo was not to be near the school until he could accept the kids and what they were. I wasn’t looking forward to that conversation, but it was necessary. Arlo hadn’t just taken shots at me, he took shots at the kids, and I would not stand for that.
“Grace?!” A familiar voice called out, echoing through the woods.
And in that moment, I knew I was in trouble.