Book 8 Part 18

Book 8 Part 18
“Can I help you?” the woman asked as she opened the door.

“Morning, Mrs. Charles, I’m Jericho and I’m here to pick Dani up for school,” I said and smiled.

“Oh, uhm, come on in,” she said and opened the door wider.

“Thank you,” I said and stepped inside.

“She’s still upstairs but you can wait in the kitchen for her,” she said and I followed her through to the kitchen.

“Thank you.”

“How old are you?” she asked me.

“Sixteen,” I said to her as I sat down at the counter.

“Are you Dani’s boyfriend?” she asked me and I heard Dani stop on the stairs as she eavesdropped.

“No, we’re just friends,” I said to her and turned around as Dani walked into the kitchen.

“Morning,” she said as we both looked at her.

“He’s cute,” her mother whispered. “If you’re nice he could be your boyfriend.”

“Mom!” Dani said, blushing and they both turned towards me and I had to pretend that I hadn’t overheard that whole conversation.

“Would it be okay if Dani had dinner at my house tonight?” I asked her mother.

“Of course, just have her home before nine,” she said.

“I’ll make sure that we do our homework as well,” I said and she smiled at me.

I walked ahead to the front door as Dani grabbed her backpack and I heard her mom whisper again. “He’s got such nice manners.” I wanted to laugh as Dani blushed again but I held the door open and closed it quietly behind me as we walked to the bike.

“Did you rehearse that in your head?” Dani asked me as I handed her my helmet.

“No, but I knew your mom would like me,” I said to her and she laughed.

“Where’s your backpack?” she asked me.

“Harper’s bringing it, we’ll catch up to them soon,” I said to her.

I got on the bike and started it and waited as Dani climbed on behind me. I took her arms and put them around my waist. I kept to the speed limit and I sped up a little as I saw Harper’s car and the two bikes up ahead.

We drove into the school parking lot together and I saw Rick and his friends standing by their cars. I smiled to myself because Rick’s anger was evident. I guess Justin had told his Alpha about Harper’s departure as soon as she left last night.

She had taken the allegiance oath the moment she arrived at our house so that the Alpha couldn’t make a claim on her when he found out about the imprinting. Dani climbed off and I parked the bike as Rick watched her. I knew he was furious by now and he’d also know that the wolfsbane he’d given her was out of her system.

She looked different now that she wasn’t full of poison anymore. Her eyes were brighter, her hair shone and she looked healthier, there were no bags under her eyes and her natural personality exuded confidence.

“Just ignore him,” I said as Slade glared at him.

“So it’s true,” Rick said as he walked closer to us followed by his friends.

“What do you want, mutt?” Slade asked him.

“Enjoy it while it lasts,” Rick said and handed me a folded piece of paper. They walked off towards the school building and I opened it.

“What is it?” Leon asked me.

“A summons,” I said and read through it.

“Because of me?” Harper asked.

“Yes, it basically says that I’m to appear in front of a council of the highest power to justify my actions of accepting a pack member into my territory without negotiations with the Alpha,” I said.

“Son of a bitch,” Slade said.

“We’ll handle it” I said to him and put the paper in my backpack.

“Can he do that?” Harper asked me.

“His pack has allegiance to the king of Scotland, so I’m assuming that will be the higher power I’ll answer to,” I said and Slade opened his mouth to say something but closed it again as I gave him a look.

“A king? Holy shit, my poor pancreas is throbbing again!” Harper said.

“Isn’t that your…” Leon started to say but Slade growled at him.

“Stop worrying, I’ll handle it,” I said.

We walked into the school building and headed to our lockers. Rick walked towards Dani as she got her books out and she looked up and saw him as she turned to leave.

“What are you even doing with them? Should I remind you of your place in this town?” he asked her threateningly.

“Back off, Rick, she’s with me,” I said and took her hand as we walked to class. Slade followed with Harper and bumped Rick with his shoulder as Leon laughed in his face and followed us.

Rick and his friends stayed out of our way for the rest of the day and people were astonished to notice that Slade and Harper were a couple. Some of the other girls still talked to Harper but most of her old pack ignored her.

After lunch, I left Dani in Slade’s care and ditched school. I drove around for a while and parked the bike next to the road just outside the town borders. My mind was preoccupied and I had a lot to think about. It was almost the end of the school day so I drove back and waited in the parking lot for the last bell to ring.

‘Something’s wrong,’ Blaise said in my head and I headed into the school building as I felt Harper’s fear.

I heard running and turned the corner as Harper ran straight into me. I caught her by the shoulders as she tried to get her breath back. “He’s going to kill me,” she said as I heard more running. Rick and Johnathan turned the corner and I pushed Harper behind me.

“This doesn’t concern you,” Rick said to me.

“I’m warning you, Rick, back off,” I said to him.

“She belongs to me,” he said angrily.

“She already pledged her allegiance to us,” I said to him as he lunged for me.

He pushed me backwards as he wrapped his arms around my waist and tucked his head against his shoulder. I pushed my arms over his and picked him up and threw him off me sideways. His ribs hit the lockers but he was too angry to feel any pain.

He came for me again but his anger made him sloppy and my fist connected with his jaw. I heard the cracking of his jawbone and his eyes were closed before he hit the floor. I turned towards Johnathan but he was backing off.

“You should get him out of here before the bell rings,” I said to him and he nodded as he went over to Rick.

“I swear you just made my brain hiccup with that punch,” Harper said and I looked at her.

“There’s something really wrong with you,” I said to her and she began to laugh.

“Why?” she asked me.

“Because it’s physically impossible for your brain to hiccup,” I said to her.

“Exactly,” she said and I frowned as the bell went off and students filled the hallways.

“Oh, you’re back,” Leon said and then turned to Harper. “Slade’s been looking for you.”

“How did Rick even find you alone?” I asked her.

“You were alone with Rick?” Slade yelled as he came up behind me.

“He cornered me in the bathroom and then I had to run for my life after I kicked him between his legs,” Harper said.

“Son of a bitch,” Slade said and I put my hand on his shoulder as his whole body shook.

“Calm down, I took care of him,” I said.

“If he so much as looks at Harper again, I’ll end him,” Slade said, his eyes burning with hatred.

“Take a deep breath there, killer, we can’t go around killing future Alphas,” Leon said.

“I’m not stupid, Leon, but he’ll screw up again,” Slade said.