Chapter 11 – Teeth in the Shadows

The whispers did not stay quiet for long.

By the middle of the day the pack house was filled with people talking about me. Every time I walked by people would look at me. They would glance at me when they thought I was not looking. They would stare at me when they thought I was looking. The people who worked in the kitchens the omegas, kept their heads down. I could tell they were talking about me. The warriors who were training stopped what they were doing to watch me walk by. Even the elders, who usually acted like they were too important to care about gossip looked at me for a little long when I walked by the great hall.

I felt like I was being watched all the time. It was like someone was poking me with needles.

Damon felt it too. I could tell because his shoulders were tight all morning and he kept looking around the rooms before we went in. He also kept his hand near my back not touching me but close enough to push me behind him if something bad happened.

We practiced fighting in the private yard. This time there was no kissing or touching. We just focused on fighting. Damon pushed me harder than he did the day. I pushed back harder than I thought I could. The light came easier now. It still hurt a lot. It was white and bright and angry.

I was able to hold the light for ten seconds before the pain made me fall to my knees. Damon caught me before I hit the ground. He did not say much he just held me until I could breathe normally. Then he helped me stand up.

"You are getting stronger " he said quietly. "You are getting faster."

"Yes " I said, wiping the sweat from my face. ". I am still not fast enough."

He did not argue with me. He just looked at me like he was seeing something every time I stood up.

We did not talk about what people were saying about us. Not yet.. I could feel the tension between us. It was like there was smoke in the air.

It finally came out before dinner.

We were walking into the hall Damon first and me behind him when Marcus stepped in front of us. He was one of the warriors, big and scarred and he had been in the pack since before Damons father was the leader. He never liked me. He never tried to hide it.

He looked at Damon at me then back at Damon.

"Leader " he said, his voice loud for everyone in the hall to hear. "I need to talk to you."

Damon stopped walking. His body became still like it did when he was about to fight someone. "What is it?" he said.

Marcus did not back down. "The pack is asking questions about her " he said, nodding his head towards me. "They want to know why the bond between you and her broke why she is sleeping in your quarters. Why she is training with you like she is one of us."

The hall became very quiet. You could have heard a pin drop on the stone floor.

Damons voice was low and dangerous. "What are they asking, Marcus?" he said.

Marcus finally looked at me his eyes hard. "They are asking if she is really without a wolf if she is hiding something if the bond between you is real or just a trick."

There was a murmur in the room not loud, but enough to be heard.

My wolf growled inside me low and ready.

Damon stepped forward slow and deliberate until he was right in Marcuss face.

"The bond is real " he said, each word. Sharp. "The Moon Goddess does not make mistakes. If anyone in this room thinks otherwise they can come forward and say it to my face."

No one moved.

Marcus swallowed. "Leader we are just concerned—"

Damon cut him off. "You are concerned?" he said, his laugh sharp. "You are concerned about the safety of this pack or concerned that the omega you have all been treating badly for ten years might actually be stronger than you thought?"

Marcus opened his mouth then closed it.

Damon leaned in closer his voice low. "If anyone touches her looks at her wrong or talks about her like she is less than pack again I will kill them slowly. I will make sure everyone watches."

He stood up straight. Looked around the hall one more time.

"Does anyone have something to say?"

There was silence.

Damon nodded once then took my wrist and pulled me past Marcus past the staring faces and to the head table.

We sat down. He did not let go of my wrist until we were both seated.

The hall stayed quiet for the rest of the meal.

I could feel the eyes on me and I could feel the tension in the air.

After dinner back in his quarters Damon locked the door. Turned to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I laughed, short and bitter. "They hate me now than they ever did."

Damon said, "They are scared of you now that is different."

I said, "Yeah scared people do things."

He stepped closer. "They will not touch you."

I said, "You cannot promise that."

Damon said, "I can promise I will kill anyone who tries."

I looked up at him. Saw the truth in his eyes the same truth that scared me the day before.

I said quietly "I do not want you killing for me."

Damon said, "I know, but I will anyway."

I did not pull away.

The bond between us was warm and heavy unbreakable.

Outside the whispers kept spreading.

Inside these walls something else was growing.

Something that might be stronger, than fear.

Might get us both killed.