Kyler opened his mouth to speak, and I pointed at my headphones to indicate I wouldn’t hear him. Tilting his head to the side, he waited for me to remove them, but I refused. Rude, I know, but I didn’t want to hear his voice. His brow furrowed and a slight smile curled my lips. He was angry. Good. If you don’t treat your pack mates well, I see no reason to be kind to you. If you want my respect, you must show some first.
Without speaking, I stood and waved for him to follow. Not only could I feel his eyes on me, but I sensed his presence while I walked. Neither Riff nor Char was pleased to see their former alpha, not that I could blame them because of his childish behavior. How did he ever believe he could be a magnificent leader without working at it? I wonder if he’s an excellent football captain? If he is, he should think about running his pack like a team. Obviously, it isn’t exactly the same, but it might set him along the right path.
Kyler might have tried to speak, since his expression was annoyed when I glanced at him upon reaching my apartment. I unlocked my door, rolling my eyes when he couldn’t see, and entered. Kyler appeared hesitant when I glanced at him, and I scoffed under my breath. You won’t get fleas, hotshot, so stop looking around like something might bite you.
I went straight to Riff’s laptop, pulling off my headphones once I sat on the couch. Within a moment, I had the report ready to send to him via email and asked Kyler to input his. He stared at me for a moment, until I explained I did the research and wrote the report, so the rest of the project was up to him.
Kyler opened his mouth to argue, but I glared at him, and he thought better of that idea. I didn’t want to hear anything he had to say. I enjoyed my poison-free days. No sense in returning to reality sooner than I must. Grumbling under his breath, Kyler entered his email and sent the report to himself with a scowl. Wah. Cry about it hotshot, I don’t want to work with you either.
Putting my headphones back on, I stood and tried to move around the taller male, but he refused to budge. Growling under my breath, I hopped the couch with a huff. Kyler stared at me with his jaw dropped, but I kept moving to put distance between us. I didn’t want to be anywhere near the temperamental jerk.
He grabbed my arm moments after I stepped outside, and I turned toward him with a scowl. Eyeing his hand, I met his gaze defiantly, hoping it would inspire him to back off. Instead, he reached for my headphones with his free hand, but I avoided his grasp. I had no desire to speak to him. Nor to hear what terrible things he thought of me now. His lips moved, but I couldn’t hear him through my headphones, so I shrugged with a mocking smile.
Hey, if he didn’t like my attitude, he shouldn’t have made me become this. I don’t know how he did it, but it must be his fault. How else do you explain that I’m only this way with him? Perhaps because hatred and anger are what he fed to the bond we share, that was what I gave him. It made sense, in a way. I mean, we were already dealing with werewolves, why not ties that reflected what you fed them? Plus, if I was as sensitive to emotions as Marcus believed, well, how could I not become this?
After a few moments, Kyler scowled, and I smiled, stepping back while turning so I could return to what I came to think of as my spot in the forest. I sensed him following me, and while my mind resented his presence, my soul greedily basked in it. At least I understood why now, instead of wondering what’s wrong with me.
Once I sat on my rock, Kyler stood before me with a scowl and his hands on his hips. I found it to be an attractive look for him. The dark, broody teenager schtick worked. Now if only he wasn’t such an asshole. I didn’t know who to side with. The young man who wanted me gone, or the wolf desperate for me to stay.
I returned to my sketch, feeling Kyler’s glare grow colder with an inward smirk. Sucks to be on this end of it, doesn’t it, hotshot? Before I could stop it, a ‘breeze’ turned the pages of my sketchbook to reveal what I’d hastily drawn of Kyler during one of our shared classes. Great. Thanks, Jaxy. Soft laughter echoed around me, and I plotted about getting even with a ghost. It may be impossible, but that wouldn’t stop me from trying.
Bracing for an angry outburst, I glanced at Kyler only to be taken aback by his expression. Instead of fury hardening his eyes, awe softened them. When I moved to close the book, he held up his hands with a pleading expression, and I sighed. Against my better judgment, I handed my sketchbook over while pretending my fingers weren’t trembling. I rarely let
