Chapters 7b & 08 — Stepping Closer

Chapter 7b

Vine

"God!" I heard a lady behind me gasp, "Tonight just got more interesting."

"Did he just call her a germ?"

"Never in my life have I heard such creative insult. Serves her right, she poured red wine on that poor girl."

I just stood there, watching everything unfold. This was the first time I'd seen someone who was a perfect match for Drew.

Drew parted his lips to say something, perhaps in retaliation, but no words flowed out.

As it should.

"Sir, we beg your pardon," one of Ace's guards spoke first, "but you invited almost the entire school today."

"And that's the only reason I might be pardoning them today."

"I am the team captain and the winner of today's games, it might interest you to know that you'll have a worthy opponent soon, do you think it's worthwhile," Drew glanced at me, "...defending her when she's got nothing to offer?"

"Do you mean to say that you've never defended a helpless person all your life?" Ace said and paused, letting his words sink in, "Where's your home training?"

I could hear people whisper from all corners of the room.

"Home training? Oh, he did NOT just—"

A guy beside Miriam snorted.

"Captain's about to need a first aid kit for that ego."

"I've never seen Drew this quiet in his life."

Drew gritted his teeth, "If there's nothing else, then we shall be leaving," Drew took Miriam's hand and was about turning away from us when Ace spoke.

"Wait."

Instantly, they halted in their step and turned around to face us.

Ace signaled for one of the servers to bring a cup of wine and when she brought it, he took the cup and took a sip from it.

"You know I figured it would be impolite if I let your lady leave here tonight without offering her a drink myself."

Miriam's eyes brightened and her lips spread a bit in a small smile. She ran her fingers across her gown as she stretched her hand to collect the glass from Ace,

"Of course, Ace."

I watched as Ace stretched his arm to give it to her, but instead of handing it to her, he lowered his hand and then made an upward thrust, the wine splashing on her face.

She gasped, as Ace dropped the cup, letting it shatter on the ground.

"I'm sorry, but I couldn't stand... More germs."

Miriam had a flustered face by the time her eyes met mine and she didn't waste a second before she ran away, and Drew ran after her.

I folded my arms under my chest as a smile creeped across my lips.

I'd never been more proud of a moment than this.

I didn't expect that Ace would help me but he had done something back there that I think he is perfect for -- bullying my bullies. I guess I owe him one.

Ace took my hand and then pulled me away and as I hastened after him, all eyes on us.

Ace didn't slow down for the stares or the whispers still chasing us across the room; he pulled me through the crowd, past the pool lights, until the music behind us dulled into nothing.

Now at a place I supposed to be the back of the mansion, he stopped abruptly, causing me to ram up against his chest.

Then he changed position so fast that I had my back against the wall while he closed the distance between us.

I tried to breathe and look past the side of his head at the pool and flowery plants at the sides but I would be lying to myself if I didn't notice how pure the white of his eyes was or how dark the black seemed to be turning.

“Why…” I sucked in a deep breath as I bit on my lower lip. I always bite on my lower lip each time I am anxious or backed into a corner just like this.

"Why are we here?"

"Because you've gone nuts! How dare you come close to me after what you've done?"

He raised his hands as he folded his palms, shutting his eyes as he sucked in a deep breath. He looked like he was trying to prevent something in him from breaking forth.

When he opened his eyes, they beamed yellow -- which meant that his wolf was threatening to take control of him but he was holding back.

"What are you talking about?" I looked into his eyes to see that they were wet.

Something inside me wanted to stop his pain. And before I could stop myself, I reached for his cheek, but before I could touch him, he moved back from me.

"How long do you plan to pretend you don't know me? Huh?" His right arm shot out as he grabbed my neck, and tightened his fist just enough to cut the oxygen from my throat.

"This is my last warning, stay the hell away from me," he said through gritted teeth.Then drew back just as fast as he held me.

My eyes widened as I held my neck, appreciating the gust of air that made it's way through my nostrils l, down my lungs.

While he walked away, I leaned off the wall and ran after him.

"Wait."

He halted.

"I needed to thank you for…"

"There's no need for that," his cold voice stopped me short, "I helped you because of your sister."

"But you stood up for me," I said, relentless, "my sister might want you to do that but she won't want you getting close to me like back there..." My voice lowered, "...it would make her jealous."

My words seemed to have done something to him, but unlike my expectations, he didn't react... and continued walking away without sparing me a glance.

I raised the dangling Viper necklace I had ripped from Ace's neck without his knowledge and smiled. He was a Viper.

Ace's silence right now was something I couldn't understand, because years back, after his mate, being my twin sister died, he had many sleepless nights and refused to eat for many days. He never spoke a word to anyone except his parents but on her burial, when someone made a wrong remark about Laila, he had not just broken his silence but his fist.

The entirety of Arcade pack heard of this and passed a tale among the young ones of the broken 'lover boy' who lost his mate.

I wonder if he knows why I fought to be in this school, because even before I stepped foot into Silverclaw Academy, I had already studied the four core members of the Vipers —Jaxon Steele, Kai Maddox, Zane Rivers, and Leo Hart. Each one is a fortress of secrets, power, and danger.

The plan was simple: infiltrate one. Use him to get what I came for. But they were all so different, so unpredictable.

But now, Ace Callahan has transferred in — silent, unreadable, and perhaps dangerous.

He is a new Viper, but also a new opportunity that might not be too difficult to infiltrate like the rest since we've got a little history.

As I walked home tonight, a knot twisted in my stomach and that's when it hit me...

This wasn’t luck.

I was being helped by the Moon Goddess.

And I had just made my first move.

Chapter 08

Vine

My feet dragged me towards a semi-dark room filled with vipers and no matter how hard I tried to retreat, I couldn't resist.

"Please save me..." Laila's frail voice echoed in my voice causing my breath to come out in short gasps of trepidity.

"I'm... I'm right here, avenge me," The atmosphere was so eerie and smoky yet her voice aaa so enthralling, pulling me into a room full of vipers.

Just as one of the venomous snakes widened its mouth to swallow me whole, the snake turned into a pendant and I jerked up from my bed, wide-eyed, my hands on my fast-beating heart.

"Are you okay?" Clyde rushed to me from her side of the room and I nodded.

"It was just a nightmare."

"You sure it has nothing to do with what happened yesterday?" She asked and I shook my head in the negative.

"Want some water?" She offered but I shook my head.

"No thanks."

Then I got up from my bed, rushed into our bathroom, and splashed some cold water on my face.

Slowly, I raised my eyes to the mirror, sweeping my hair back as I wondered about the meaning of the nightmare I had just had.

My sister was definitely trying to ask me to avenge her, I'd had this dream so frequently, I was definitely getting closer to my dream than I thought.

A small smile crept up my lips.

Was this a sign for me to get closer to Tyler?

I went back into the room and pulled out a chair for myself. Then I opened my laptop and started searching for volunteer opportunities for girls interested in providing medical support for the hockey players in Silverclaw Academy.

I'd just have to be there after their athletic training to apply ointments on their wounds, indicate when they need therapy or more experienced physicians.

I smiled when I saw a vacancy but frowned the next minute when I saw the review of the girl who had volunteered left.

"The hockey players made my work a living hell..."

I swallowed hard.

Well, I would have opted out, but I had a mission to carry out.

Suddenly I noticed a sticker note with Ace boldly written on it and I picked up my pen and stabbed it.

"Just you wait." I grimaced.

****

"Here, water." I stretched a water bottle towards Ace the moment I got to him.

I'd come here immediately. I was done with my classes, knowing that he'd be training here by the evening.

Back there, I had sat back in the rows of seats, watching him with every fiber of my attention in me.

And now he was done with practice and I was free to meet him or so I thought.

"I told you not to bother me again. Don't be so rude."

He began walking out on me, and that's when I saw the four guys he trained staring at me while talking to themselves. With the way they gestured while their eyes were fixed on me, I knew they were talking about me.

But I was so engrossed with getting closer to Ace that every word meshed into needless noise.

I ran after him, then went to stand in front of him. The sun shone high against his glistening cheekbone and as he ground his teeth ever so unconsciously, I finally understood why he stood out amongst his teammates. Goddess, was he handsome.

Internally, I slapped myself back to reality.

I had to find out how my sister died. There was no time.

My eyes lifted to the black necklace with a black image of a viper on its pendant and chill coursed through me.

"If you have nothing else to say, then get out of my way."

"No wait."

I stuck out my hands in front of me. It was awkward but my vision was clear.

"Look! Maybe you think the water's poisoned or something, but here."

I removed the cap from the water bottle and then raised it above my head, and with my eyes still fixed on his, I started pouring it, wetting my hair.

Oh, remind me of how curly and psycho my hair looks when I let it shrink without straightening!!!

My mind screamed but I screwed it. And that's when I realized I should do more if I wanted to convince him that it wasn't poisoned, so I parted my lips letting the drops of water glide in as I swallowed and choked.

Instantly, his eyes shifted to my face. And he turned his back on me again.

"Fuck you Ace! Can you just stop being so rude?" I thundered as he began to leave and I strode towards him. Suddenly, he stopped but since I hadn't gotten a heads-up I bumped into his back and the water spilled on his back while I gasped.

He pushed me back, and with the most animalistic growl rolling off his chest, he muttered.

"I'm about to murder you right now.”