chapter 9

I could tell from the looks on their faces- disbelief on the twins’, anger on Adrian’s, that they were not expecting me to have finished cleaning up. They must have wanted to get me into trouble again.

Everyone gathered at the dinner table, eating happily, did these people really never once consider that I might just decide to snap one day, poison their food, watch them die, then run away, or maybe kill myself? They were eating so heartily, acting like they were untouchable. They weren’t, wolfsbane was a werewolf’s weakness, and I had a ton of that growing in my mother’s garden. Not because I was plotting to poison anyone but because it weakened a wolf enough that we could do all the necessary things we needed to at the clinic.

Adrian erupted into laughter at whatever it was that his father said. Though looking at them now, poison did not seem like a bad idea.

“So Lilliana,” Luna Marienne said, turning everyone’s attention to me. I squirmed under the force of their gazes, trying my best to keep a straight face. “Did you like the welcome present that my son and his friends prepared for you?”

You mean the messy house, no, I didn’t like it. “Yes, Luna, it made me feel extremely appreciated. I am forever grateful to the future Alpha and his friends for that wonderful, wonderful, gift.”

Pleased with my response, the table returned to their conversation, and I deflated, releasing a sigh as their attention was no longer on me, well, not everyone’s at least. Adrian, for some crazy ass reason, was still watching me. If I did not know any better, I’d have said he was obsessed with me but that’s crazy because he was obviously just plotting more ways he could make my life miserable. Probably thinking of another ‘gift’ for me.

Weeks passed, a month to be specific, and in that time I was able to avoid any more grand punishments by staying under the radar, doing as I was told, and avoiding Adrian. The last one was a lot more difficult than I expected it to be. He was an Alpha in training, why the fuck was he everywhere I was all of a sudden.

Kitchen; there he is, clinic; there he is again, Laundry room; guess who has a load of laundry that needs to be washed? That’s right Adrian. How does he have so much free time?

The only solace I could find was the moments when I could sneak away to the woods.

Today started out weirder than normal. I woke up to him standing above me, staring at me with a strange look in his eyes.

“Are you ok?” I asked tentatively, it was not as if I cared I just needed to know if maybe he had begun to lose his mind.

“Sure I am,” He responded smiling, “Why do you ask?”

“No reason. Just making sure.”

Then he gave me a wide-toothed grin and walked away. Guess the future Alpha was starting a slow descent into madness; I had to get out of here before he rose to power. Today was a no clinic day which meant I was stuck in the house, a situation which seemed to please Adrian greatly as he spent his time in the kitchen watching me, even as his two girlfriends hung all over him like coats on a hanger

“Come on Adrian,” Beatrice whined, “It’s so boring here. Let’s go someplace fun.”

“Oh yeah? Like where?” Adrian asked finally looking away from me. Thank you, Beatrice.

“Anyway, it's going to be more fun than here, all you’re doing is sitting down and watching the freak.” She pointed out.

“Yeah.” Casey chimed in, “It’s like she’s turned into your new favorite show or something. It’s really annoying.”

So I was not the only one who noticed, thank goodness I thought I was going crazy.

“I’m just making sure she doesn’t mess up and steal something you know,” Adrian responded, a weak attempt to explain away his actions.

“Steal something?” Beatrice asked arms popped on her waist, “Where would she even hide it? You do realize that she has zero possible hiding spots and this is her only place of residence, so she can’t even dream of stealing from us.”

I did have a hiding spot but other than that, she had a valid point.

“Wait, Adrian.” Casey said suddenly sitting up from the couch, “You’re not falling in love with her or anything, are you?”

The silence in the room was loud and you could hear a pin drop.

“That’s a ridiculous assumption for you to make, Casey,” Adrian said, laughing. The two sisters joined in the laughter, and it died out awkwardly.

“Well, why are you always watching her then?”

“Just drop it!” He yelled banging his fist on the table, and the three of us flinched at the sound, “Sorry, I’m sorry. You both are just really on my case today. Just get off my case.” He said, smoothing his brown hair back with his hands, his eyes had turned into a stormy gray from his barely restrained anger.

Just then, there was a commotion outside the house.

“Alpha? Alpha Richard!” A voice cried out desperately as its owner ran into the kitchen eyes darting around desperately.

“My father’s away on business and his beta isn’t here, what’s wrong?” Adrian asked in an authoritative voice.

“Raiders, sir, the Black Fang pack is here and they are plundering everywhere, we barely have enough wolves to stop them as the Beta took most of them away for training.”

“Oh no!” Beatrice cried, gripping onto Adrian tightly, “What are we going to do?”

He removed her grip from his arms then said, “You and your sister should go upstairs and lock the door, don’t open it for anyone except me.” Then he turned to the sentinel who came to report, “Tell everyone else the same thing, we cannot risk a fight, so let them take what they want and leave. Make sure they barricade themselves in the safe house.”

“But what about you Adrian?” Casey asked with worry evident in her tone.

“I’ll be fine don’t worry about me, just go.” They obeyed his orders with the sentinel running back outside and the twins running upstairs. Now we were the only ones left downstairs, and I did not like that at all.

The air in the room shifted as Adrian got up from the chair and stalked towards me watching me with that same strange look in his eyes.

“Aren’t you going to find someplace to hide?’ He asked, sounding breathless, even though all he was doing was walking. He was still walking towards me and at any moment, he would be in my space. My eyes darted towards the kitchen door, my only means of escape. I saw his eyes follow me, then look back at me.

“You could try. But we both know I’d catch you.”

I shifted away, my body still pressed to the counter and reaching, with my hands hidden behind me, for the knife I had been using earlier.

Almost. Almost finally, my hand grabbed it, got it.