13. Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Thirteen
Dacre
Nothing says “good morning” like Parker Owens barreling toward me in what can only end in violence. I’d know that tower of tousled brown hair anywhere—I was his number one hater, after all. He’s a blur among the blue staining every surface, and he’s coming at me fast.
Parker must have been waiting in the Luxxia House common room for me to emerge from the stairs because he doesn’t hesitate to grab me by the blazer collar and shove me against the wall.
“Listen, you little shithead. Tell me what you know right now.”
“Shithead?” I cough the air back into my lungs.
He growls, and it’s a little intimidating, sure. But alphas smell fear, and I know exactly what this is about.
“I need to know everything that happened at Solexxa last night. Emma was seen walking back to Luxxia with you, crying.”
“No good morning? Or even a ‘thank you’ for looking after her while you left her defenseless at a party?”
The big, bad alpha doesn’t appear to be in a joking mood, with dark circles lining his eyes. “I will happily rearrange your teeth today if you prefer to do this the hard way.”
Zant scuttles in, a few seconds behind Parker. “Hey, man.”
“Come to make sure I don’t get mauled?” I ask.
“Mostly I’m here to make sure Parker doesn’t go to prison.”
Parker’s packmates appear out of nowhere, funneling in till we’re looking like a group of friends. Or we would if Parker weren’t tacking me up on the wall.
Is it annoying? Yes, but everything with Parker is annoying. Plus, I saw this one coming. He’s got eyes everywhere, and if I had to bet, his best friend Zant is one of those because his house is Solexxa. If he didn’t see us, I’m sure someone he knows did.
I smile, directing my attention back to Parker. “I hope you’re paying these people to keep you in line.”
He slams my back into the marble, and I’m suddenly feeling less sarcastic.
“Talk. I know you have issues with Emma, and I know you were there with her last night.”
“I didn’t do anything. I helped her.”
He releases me. I dust off my jacket while I tell them about initiation and the barbaric tradition that started long before I showed up.
I’ve voted to get rid of it every year, but I never seem to have the votes because everyone else that sits on the club board wants to see those under them suffer and beg like they had to.
I wouldn’t even show up if I thought they would keep it remotely civil.
I won’t pretend to be blameless. For fuck’s sake, I made Luther eat out of a dog bowl for his.
But Luther has a mean streak. His dad is one angry son of a bitch, and that manifests in his son when he’s under stress and especially when he drinks.
He tried making Verity throw up by having her eat a bunch of random food combinations, and I had to call it.
Surprisingly, they became friends shortly after.
There’s a beat where Parker’s brows soften. His nose twitches as if he senses something.
“What?”
“Nothing,” he says, eyeing me. “So you walked her home? All the way to her door, and then you left?”
“I didn’t stay with Emma, if that’s what you’re worried about. Not my type.”
“All I care about is Emma being safe, and I don’t exactly know what you’re playing at here.”
“He’s hiding something,” Ryker, one of Parker’s seconds, says.
He has two, and I know virtually nothing about them other than they play on the same Rage team. They’re all dressed in their morning practice uniforms.
I guess this ambush was a planned pre-practice.
“Yeah, he’s leaving out the part about his grandfather,” the other second says. What’s his name? Starts with a C, I think. I try not to remember anyone’s names I don’t need to, and anyone around Parker is high on the “forget” list.
The bigger question is, how does this nobody know about my dealings with my grandfather and how much does he know?
“How did you . . . ?”
Darien appears from behind a white pillar, twirling his fingers in a wave.
“For fuck’s sake, you think I’m working with my grandfather to hurt Emma?”
“You’re the one who’s been fucking with Emma since she got here,” Parker snarls. “Why would you walk her home unless you have some motive? You said it yourself, not your type.”
“She’s the one who was fucking with me! Believe it or not, I’m on your side here. If I thought she was in any real danger, I would tell you. I don’t need to like Emma to try to keep her away from people with bad intentions.”
They want an answer. Why did I help Emma?
Of course it’s the deal with my grandfather, what else would it be? If she leaves that whole interaction of initiation thinking everyone in the culinary club is cruel and emotionless, she’d have no other reason to stay. That’s all it is. Just business.
“Oh, he’s definitely interested in her.” Zant smiles.
I sigh. “Are we done? Can I go?”
“You need to tell me what your grandfather wants with Emma. Then maybe I’ll feel good about leaving you here unscathed.”
“Do you manhandle all your victims?”
He shrugs. “Yeah, if it gets my point across.”
He needs to hurry and build that pack. He’s got the muscle and the scary claws, but he lacks the respect that many Were families spend generations building, and he needs it if he wants to keep the Osborne women safe.
After last night it’s never been clearer, Emma doesn’t belong in this world, and my submitting to my grandfather’s wishes pushes her further into danger. It’s a constant game of chess. I’m not sure what happens to me when I lose. But I know what happens to her.
I should be okay with the consequences because they’re not mine to care about. Emma isn’t my responsibility, even if my grandfather wants me to get on her good side. But I haven’t been able to stop thinking about last night. The tears in her eyes . . .
“You’re working with us or against us. I’m less cordial with my enemies. What’s it going to be?”
And this is how it starts.
“As I said, I have no intention of harming Emma, and I’m not working with my grandfather.”
I don’t know whether it’s a lie or not.
Darien smirks as he leans against the wall. Fuck. This is going to cost me.
“Good. We’re on the same page, then.”