Seven.

Xander

I hated the way he was leaning over her, forcing his scent into her face. I knew Jaxon was just doing it to prove that she was his, trying to make her want him. Yet Blue didn’t belong to either of us, not yet.

The news of her slowly poisoning herself was a shock to the system. I had never heard of a wolf doing that to themselves. Wolfsbane could do horrible things to a wolf, it never reacted the same way so you could never know what would happen to the wolf. Scars, burns, melting flesh, dissolving organs. I had seen a lot. Jaxon and I had also poisoned our fair share of wolves. But Blue, she was sitting here like she had never touched the stuff. I wondered if Jaxon was thinking the same as me.

“How did you know to give yourself the right amount?”

“Trial and error,” she mutters as my brother moves away from her.

“Wolfsbane is deadly.” I mutter, thinking about the last wolf we had given it too. Blood had poured from their nose, eyes and ears as they begged for the pain to stop.

“I want you to stop taking it.” Jaxon announces as he flattens down his creased shirt.

“Fuck you!” Blue snaps back. “It’s my body, I will do what I want with it.”

“You will stop taking it. Xander, go get the plant and burn it. Make sure there is nothing else in the house.”

“NO!” Blue squeals as her eyes flash at me.

“Now!” Jaxon demands

“We can’t. She will need to be weaned off of it. Her body relies on it the same way as heavy drug users.” I tell my brother. “We can’t force her to go without, not yet. All we can do is minimise how much she is consuming.”

The corners of Blue’s lips tug up a little in the corner and she nods her head a little in appreciation. My brother lets out a low rumble of annoyance

“Why the hell are you backing this ridiculous plan of hers?” He demands

“I’m not, but if she is going to be our mate. I would rather she was alive than dying because her body can’t cope with the withdrawals.”

I had no idea if it actually worked like that. But the girl didn’t want to shift, so I wouldn't force a shift on her. She leans her head back on the sofa, looking up to the ceiling. As she stretched, I could see the hint of a scar on her chest. The deep red line poked out the top of her shirt where the first button fastens over her cleavage. How many more scars were under her clothing?

Jaxon had sat back on the sofa. He was solely focussed on Blue but she keeps her eyes closed. Ignoring him as he fired question after question at her. He was asking her about her family, the school she went to. He even asked about the things she liked to do, but she refused to answer him, keeping her eyes closed the entire time.

“Answer me!” He finally snaps and she peers at him with one eye

“I don’t want to talk about them.”

“Your parents, they drove off a cliff?” I ask, remembering what the human had said.

“Bree shouldn’t have said that.” She is staring at me now, her pink lips parted a little. She was hard to read. I couldn’t tell if she was angry, annoyed or frustrated. Maybe a combination of all three.

"So it was a lie?"

She doesn't answer me.

“Why did they do that?”

She continues to stare at me so I try a different angle.

“Is that why Vita cares so much for you? As a Luna of the pack."

She still continues to stare. Her odd coloured eyes unblinking.

“How old were you?”

Her nostrils flared a little, as she grits her teeth together and mutters ‘twelve’. Maybe she thought I would stop asking if she gave me a little info.

“You have lived with Bree and her parents though?” Jaxon mutters. “You didn’t live in the pack.”

There is a flicker of fear in her eyes. I knew I had been right. I knew she was a Rogue. What she had said about belonging to Dark Crescent was a lie. Was Vita trying to get her in the pack to keep her from us or did she have another motive?

“Have you ever lived in a pack?” Jaxon asks, but his gaze had turned to me. He knew I had been right all along.

The front door opens and Bree stumbles in with her bags. Her face falls when she sees us and her eyes immediately search for Blue. She is relieved to see that Blue was still here and runs across the room to hug her.

A smile appears on Blue’s face, she genuinely cared for the human, just as the human cared for her. As much as I hated the idea, becoming friends with the human would be the way to Blue’s heart.

“We need answers.” Jaxon’s voice rumbles through my head.

“So now you want my help?” I snap back through the mindlink. He had been certain he knew the way to get Blue to come with us.

I watch as Blue and Bree talk to each other. I hear Bree ask her if she is alright and if we had done anything to her. Blue shakes her head and Bree squeezes into the ugly chair next to her, almost like she was trying to protect her.

“Vita didn’t come in with you?” I ask curiously.

“No.” She frowns at me

“Blue told us that Vita drops you home.”

“Oh,” She turns to Blue. “You’re not going to like this either. Vita is having a party night tomorrow.”

I watch the colour drain from Blue’s “No, I don’t work those nights. She must have got the date wrong.”

I was confused, what the hell was wrong with a party night. All wolves liked to party. They drank heavily and partied even harder.

“Wear the black shirt, I’m sure it will be fine.” Bree mutters as Jaxon cocks an eyebrow at me.

“Why would she want me there?”

“I don’t know. I reminded her that you were on shift. She just shrugged her shoulders.”

“Can someone tell me what this party night is and why you are so freaked out about it?” Jaxon’s voice rumbles through the room.

“The staff dress as sexy bunnies. Low cut crop tops that barely leaves anything to the imagination, black panties with a fluffy tail on them. Ears too.” Bree mutters, rolling her eyes. She turns back to Blue. “Wear a black shirt and shorts. You are behind the bar anyway.”

“It’s still showing my legs!”

I realised that every time we had seen her, she was in a long sleeved top and trousers or leggings. How bad could the scars be?

“I have some black tights you could wear?” Bree offers.

“Vita, why is she doing this? It’s not like her. She would schedule me off?”

“You don’t have to listen to her.” I mutter quietly.

“She’s my boss!” Blue is fighting back the tears and I watch Bree cup her face.

“I will always stand by you.” She kisses her on the cheek and wipes her tears. “I know you like Vita and you think she is helping you. But I keep telling you, you shouldn’t trust her.”

This Bree girl knew alot more than what I expected.

“You should listen to your friend.” I watch as Jaxon glares at me. “You shouldn’t trust a Luna when you’re a Rogue!”