A Reluctant Presence

Billy's punches may have been less frequent than Julian's or Ray's, but he had certainly contributed his share of pain, whether it was by slamming me into walls or knocking books from my hands. In truth, he was just as brutal as the rest of them; I had simply failed to see it initially.

"Stop talking, Elisa. Your mouth is only going to make this worse," Billy cautioned.

"My, my, Billy, your friend Julian seems to be a fan of my mouth," I retorted.

Billy came to a sudden halt. "Seriously, Elisa, just this once, stop pushing back. Maybe if you do, they'll go easy on you."

I stopped and scrutinized him, trying to decipher his expression. What was going through his mind? Fear? Anxiety? Anger? It was a mix of emotions I couldn't quite decipher. How I wished I possessed the wolf's ability to read people right now.

 

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