Chapter 16 THE DREADED RETURN
MERRIELYNN.
The weekend couldn’t have come any sooner.
After a long week of classes and endless assignments, we finally got a break. An opportunity to return to my pack to retrieve the wolfsbane we needed had finally presented itself.
On Saturday, I found myself seated in a bus, the engine rumbling beneath me. I glanced at Emorie, who was scrolling through her phone, and my stomach twisted with nerves. I then turned away, focusing my gaze on the window, watching the scenery blur by as I tried to convince myself that I had made the right decision by bringing her along with me.
Exhaling, I turned to her to express my gratitude for coming with me. “I can’t believe you’re coming back with me,” I said, forcing a smile. “I didn’t plan on this happening so soon.”
Emorie looked up and smiled, her eyes sparkling with that familiar curiosity. “Why not? I want to see where you come from. Plus, I think this’ll be fun!”
“Fun,” I echoed, and I felt my cheeks heat up with embarrassment as I wondered if she’d still think that way when we arrived. “I just… I don’t want you to think less of me when you see it,” I blurted.
“Mere,” Emorie frowned, “Why would you say that?”
She was right. I shouldn’t have said that.
“You should be proud of your home,” she added.
Proud.
That was the exact opposite of how I felt about my home, and the thought was just suffocating. I bit my lip, my thoughts racing. Emorie was a Pinnthorpe student. She was part of that elite crowd—rich, privileged, first-class. And here I was, a scholarship student, about to drag her into the reality of my life.
The thought of her stepping into my world made my stomach churn. I suddenly wasn’t sure if I wanted her to see my struggles; the struggles that came with living on the edge of acceptance. I mean, what would she think if she knew the truth?
It was the whole reason I was on this trip anyway. I didn’t want people to know there was such a gap.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my racing heart before saying, “It’s just… it’s not what you’re used to. You’ll see how much of a waste it is.”
Emorie tilted her head. “Mere, it’s your home. And no, I wouldn’t judge you, so chill, okay?”
“Yeah, but…” I sighed as I trailed off, deciding to drop the topic. At least Emorie was not one of those people who made me feel inadequate. I was grateful for that.
However, I couldn’t help but compare her to Cormac.
He did a good job of reminding me that I was a nobody. Just thinking about him made my chest tighten painfully, and the sensation made my eyes sting, almost bringing me to tears.
Damn him.
I hated that he knew about my background, that he’d dug into my life and uncovered things I wanted to keep hidden.
He probably didn’t have to do much digging because, from what I understood about how things worked, he likely could have just walked into the admin’s office and demanded my file.
It could literally be that easy how he found out everything about me.
I sighed again and looked out the window, but I just couldn’t stop thinking about him.
Three days had passed since our confrontation, and he’d kept his distance. I was still waiting for the worst, but I was curious about why he hadn’t gone ahead and outed my home to the committee right then and there. Why threaten to do it instead of just doing it?
He confused me. He confused me so damn much.
I suddenly shook my head slightly, trying to clear all the thoughts swirling in my mind. Why did these thoughts keep haunting me?
My hands slid up my throat, the memory of his fingers on my skin like a ghostly presence. I couldn’t stop thinking about the way he’d looked at me, the intensity in his gaze—it felt like he was trying to break through my defenses, to unearth something deep within me. But why? What did he want from me?
“Mere? Are you okay? You seem a bit lost in thought,” I heard Em’s voice cut through my thoughts, pulling me back to the present.
“Yeah, just… I’m fine,” I replied, trying not to be too obvious.
The bus eventually slowed to a stop, and Emorie and I stepped down.
The air felt heavier as we approached the pack entrance, and I felt a twinge of embarrassment, keeping my head down. When we got to the foster home, I glanced at Em, half-expecting her to react with disgust or mockery at the lackluster surroundings.
Instead, she surveyed the area with genuine curiosity, which made me relax a bit.
I really didn’t want to engage with anyone right now, so I decided to use the back door, hoping to avoid everyone. When we reached the back, I realized the door was locked.
“Shit,” I cursed.
Just as I was pondering my next move, I caught a glimpse of Theodore walking by through the glass door, a piece of toast clutched in his tiny hand. Relief washed over me upon seeing a familiar face, and I knocked on the door, trying to get his attention.
The moment he turned to see me, his face lit up with a bright smile. His dusty blue eyes sparkled. “Lynn, Lynn!” he shouted, and I quickly put my finger to my lips, urging him to be quiet as I motioned for him to open the door.
He hurried to unlock the door, and I scooped him up in my arms to give him a big hug. I missed this little guy.
“Are any of the older ones around?” I asked him, and when he shook his head, I carried him inside. “Come on, Emorie, let’s head upstairs.”
I carried Theo as we made our way to my old room, determined to grab what I needed.
I had left a couple of things behind when I went off to school, never thinking I would need them again. But now, as I rummaged through the boxes piled at the door, I really hoped to find what I was looking for.
Theodore, full of energy, engaged with Emorie, leaving me free to search.
The entire place was in disarray, with my belongings getting ready to be moved out. Finally, my fingers brushed against something cool and familiar. With a rush of elation, I pulled out the necklace I came for, running my hand over it as I stared at it.
Just then, I heard noises echoing through the house, sending a jolt of panic through me. I exchanged a quick look with Theo and Emorie, and without a word, we bolted out of the house.