Chapter 13 #3
Surprise flit across the males’ faces at the noise I made, my stance, and quickly backed up.
“Is she there?” a familiar voice called out.
“Stalking me now, are we? Insulting me and my friend wasn’t enough?” Marching towards that growl inducing chirp, storming around the corner, I had that building feeling, like I might blow up again.
It was strange. I never felt that way around my friends. If anything, they helped center me, grounded me in this never ending listless limbo I felt like I was lost in.
I missed Cy so much it pained me, that creature in my chest howling for him if I thought about him too much.
It was next to impossible not to, really.
And thinking about Cy inevitably got me started in on Elm.
I missed that crazy ass too, damn him. From the sounds of it, he probably had that mate-lust issue I’d heard a few other ladies’ mates have had to deal with.
It would explain why he panicked and took off on me the way he had- he’d been worried he’d hurt me.
I didn’t mean to may very well have meant I didn’t mean to hurt you not blow your mind in bed.
Wishful thinking or the truth, I might never know with the portal still closed.
Speaking of wishful thinking… Kehl was on my mind more than I’d like to admit, if I was willing to go that far down that deep hole of messed up.
He’d made it very clear he had no interest in interacting with me anymore and perhaps that was for the best, even if I found myself haunted by thoughts of what could have been, should have been, fighting the urge to track him down and love on him until he saw himself the way I did and accepted his fate.
It couldn’t be forced, what he was dealing with or a relationship with me— I had to call it quits or I’d go mad wishing things were different.
“There you are!” the perky blonde piped up.
The snarl I let loose said it all.
Daisy’s males hopped in front of her, blocking her path to me.
Daisy’s eyes were round, her mouth forming a shocked “O”. It took her a full minute to snap out of her gobsmacked stupor. “I think there’s been some sort of misunderstanding,” she started.
God, I felt so drained. Sighing heavily, I forced myself to relax. My reaction was overblown, even if she was a pain in the ass, semi stalkerish village cheerleader.
I knew she’d been looking for me. She’s been by Dace’s like five times the last few days and even spoke to her asking about me.
There was only so many times Dace could pretend I wasn’t home when Daisy desperately came by three times yesterday looking for me.
Whatever she thought she had to talk to me about, she could kiss my pale, hairless behind.
Doogie caught her complaining to Red in his hearing that I wasn’t friendly.
Doogie calls her the tiny tyrant out of her hearing, or T-three as I quietly dubbed her.
Daisy’s dislike of Carrie due purely to a huge misunderstanding that has long since been resolved and had nothing to do with her just made me dislike her more.
“I highly doubt it,” I muttered softly under my breath.
“What?” Daisy honestly hadn’t heard me, but the two growl grumbling sentries separating us had.
“I said what is it that’s so important you’re bothering everyone I know to get ahold of me?” I grumbled out churlishly.
Daisy frowned at my tone. Opening her mouth to speak, she paused, went to speak, then paused again.
“Spit it out, sunshine. I have things to do,” I grumbled down at her.
I was being a dick and I knew it but she just brought out that side of me.
She was so judgy it got my hackles up. Coupled with the grumpy mood I feel locked into, the last thing I wanted to be doing was having a conversation with queen judgy supreme.
Daisy’s frown turned into a scowl. “You’re not very friendly.”
“No.” Not to her I wasn’t. “But I can’t say I’m a fan of village gossips spreading it on thick, either.” Blunt. Be blunt. It was easiest to just say it and get it out there.
“Well- I- You didn’t even give me a chance!” Daisy cried.
Angry squirrel straight ahead.
“Like you gave me one? Or Carrie?” I growled out, back to feeling that building anger. There was a pulsing behind my eyeballs, beating in time to the sharp pains stabbing my chest. It was just getting worse and none of this was helping.
Daisy’s face turned beet red. If steam could come out of her ears, it would.
She cared far more about what others thought than she let on.
Carrie couldn’t give a shit if Daisy hated her.
Carrie was too happy to care. Dace was used to being the scum of the village.
Daisy’s dislike didn’t touch on the way some others were nasty to Dace.
Figuring this might be a Hail Mary moment, just suck it up and placate the perky pest, I dug deep, told myself it’s what my mother would have suggested I do, god rest her liar-liar-pants on fire keeping shit from me, love me to death ‘til her last dying breath, complicated as fuck soul, I muttered, “We need a do-over.”
Instead of any kind of relief, my acquiescence when I didn’t feel the least in the wrong just made me feel explode-y on the inside, like I might burst if I tried to force anymore bullshit out.
Really, I just wanted to go home and hide, crawl into my cot and face the wall.
“You didn’t even give me a chance! I know so much about the village that they don’t!”
I gave her what she claimed she wanted and she’s still being a Butthurt Betty?
Shaking my head, I scoffed, “Get bent, Karen,” and stalked away from them.
Despite her males warning her against it, she followed after me.
Of course, that means they did too.
It was a train of I don’t want this following after me.
“I don’t understand why you’d pick them over me! I’m the most qualified!” she went on, like she just couldn’t let it go.
“You’re pushy, for one,” I tossed over my shoulder. I was trying so hard not to whip around, thump her one, despite knowing her diminutive form would leave a cottontail shaped imprint in the ground after I laid her flat, just to get her to shut up.
“I just want to help!” she argued.
Whipping around, I got in her face. “You can’t seriously think pissing me off is helpful?
Just because you think you’re always right doesn’t mean you are!
Those are people you’re insulting! MY people!
This is MY life that’s been blown to smithereens from one asshole’s shitty decisions!
I get to decide what’s best for me without some snot nosed know-it-all trying to tell me what she wants!
Do you hear me now?!” I was roaring at her, right in her face, spittle flying.
I felt it then, intense pressure building to a painful pop.
Jerking back, I stumbled a few steps.
Daisy gaped at me. I wasn’t certain at this point if it was from the sharp, shock of hollered pain I let out, the way I wove about before stumbling to my ass, in reaction to the stunned shock on my face, my words to her, or all of the above.
Either way, she snapped out of it right as a weird ringing started up in my ears and my vision began to blurr.
A soft touch on my shoulder brought me around.
I was on the ground, laid out flat like I’d been fantasizing doing to the woman hovering over me.
“Grab a healer!” Daisy bellowed.
“I’m fine,” I mumbled as I struggled to sit up.
Daisy tried to firmly press her hand to my shoulder, urging me to lie back down, but I shoved her hand off.
Groaningly gaining my feet, I dragged my beanie off my head, the cold air doing wonders for the case of the spins overtaking me, and softly muttered, “Thanks, but I’m okay.”
“You passed out.” Daisy stared up at me, still on the ground.
She looked as shaken as I felt.
“Dace is my people. You don’t have to like her but you don’t get to badmouth her to me, or Carrie.” Snorting, I added, “You don’t even like me. Why are you here bothering me?”
“Why don’t you like me?” She looked so confused it was comical.
I tried to smother it but it was hard. I laughed. “You’re insane,” I breathed.
Moving slowly, I bent to retrieve my things when Daisy spoke again. “Candy can’t be trusted.”
“I’m aware of her past,” I said simply.
“Did she tell you she used to hurt herself for attention? Did she try and blame it on me? Is that why you don’t like me or the others?”
“What others? Your gossip posse?” I muttered, sluggishly making my way down the path.
The Dace I knew wouldn’t hurt herself for attention. That was just preposterous.
“He won’t sell to me,” she huffed out finally.
“Don’t know what you’re talking about, but maybe don’t come off like a pretentious snot that can’t see farther than the end of her own nose if you decide to talk it out with them. Just my two cents.”
“What did you tell him?” Daisy sounded on the verge of tears.
Great.
“Who?!” Turning to face her, my incredulity was through the roof.
“Your Kehl!” she burst out.
“Sell what to you?” I knew he did some sort of booth thing but couldn’t bring myself to go to market knowing he’d be there and didn’t want anything to do with me.
I mean, I’d told him to leave me alone and got exactly what I’d asked of him, but I hadn’t meant it!
I’d been hoping he’d tell me no and we’d argue, then make up, and he’d drag my ass to his hut or something, not completely write me off like we were nothing. It hurt.
It hurt so much there went that pain again just thinking about him.
“Don’t pretend you don’t know!” Daisy was openly crying now. That’s how her mates found her, another male I didn’t know with a bag following not that far behind.
A frustrated snarl left me. It just bubbled up my throat and out. “I’ve had more issues with your human ass than all the beasts here combined!”