Twenty-Six – Vail
I’d finally shifted.
Not a lot, like a paw or a tail, but I definitely had more bite than the last time I’d brushed my teeth. Something I’d shared with Marnie the second her brother ushered her into Reed’s room. Which was a whole other level of awkward, since on our previous trip to this floor, her alpha had made her crawl out of Jay’s room like a whipped dog. Which was something I still had to chew him out over. Which, yes, was taking the whole tooth obsession a little far, but at the moment all I could think was – I had canines!
“Fangs are so much cooler than fur,” Marnie said, hugging her knees and grinning at me. We were both in our pajamas, my blood-stained coat having been whisked away to the alphas’ laundry service. “Although pup claws look pretty badass, too.”
I touched my neck, trying to ignore the brush of cool metal as I smoothed down the gauze patches. They were deep scratches, but Marnie had assured me that now I was starting to shift, I’d heal a lot quicker. “Trey’s an asshole. He completely terrified the poor pup.”
“A crazy asshole,” Marnie added. “I mean, this place is in full-on lockdown, and he still comes looking for you. You really think all he wanted was to tell you about his dad?”
I shrugged. “Who the hell knows what goes on in a Barakat head?” I punched Reed’s pillow and flopped back down. Marnie was sitting across the room in one of the club chairs, having almost passed out at the idea of lying on her alpha’s bed. Personally, I liked surrounding myself with Reed’s scent. It wasn’t as tantalizing as Jasper’s sunshine smell, but the little hints of pine reminded me of the pups. And next to canines, they were my new obsession. “I hope the pups aren’t too traumatized. I really want to go check on them, but their mom terrifies me.”
Marnie joined me in a shiver. “Yeah, I think Gwendoline Arras is Pearl’s role model. But then, they’re both alpha females, which is kind of rare. Not to mention being icy blondes who can freeze your blood at twenty paces.”
My stomach clenched a little at the thought of Jasper’s mom and ex-girlfriend having so much in common. It made sense, like Marnie said, but it still hurt. With effort, I pushed them from my mind. “I just hope they still let the omegas look after the pups. I’d hate to be the asshole who brought down Den Night.”
She snorted. “I always thought those omega rituals were a snorefest, but I have to say, you liven things up, Vail.”
I tossed Reed’s pillow at her, which had her launching from the chair like a scalded cat. Instead of throwing it back, she stuck up her middle digit and we both dissolved into giggles. I was about to say something about flashing some claw, when the door opened and Reed walked in. Marnie’s glee dried up at the blank look he gave us, but I was starting to feel a little more comfortable around Reed and figured this was just his thinking face. “Everything okay?”
He didn’t change expression, but I sensed an underlying emotion as he replied, “I spoke to Jay’s mom. She’s asked you to keep your distance from the pups for a while.”
I’d been expecting that, but it didn’t sting any the less to hear it. “You told her my version of what happened?”
“Everything but biting the guard,” he told me. “You should probably keep your shift private until you’ve spoken to Jay.”
I gulped. He meant until I’d explained I wasn’t trying to fake a bond, which was one conversation I really didn’t want to have. He must have read it on my face, because he crossed the room and drew me to my feet, his hands on my shoulders. It was a stance we used in training, but I could see Marnie’s face out of the corner of my eye and knew it looked more intimate than it was. Which was exactly what I was trying to tell the warm feeling blooming in my belly. “Just remember,” he told me, his brown eyes firm, “stuff like this is more often political, than personal.”
I nodded, but my short time in the pack had taught me my peers didn’t have to know me to want me gone. I was either the wrong bloodline, or a dud, or just plain in the way. “What’s happening at Omega House?”
“It’s in lockdown. The guards are looking into that outage of the security system, so no one’s going in or out. With the pups still on site, I guess everyone’s on edge.”
I bit my lip. “Should I head back there?”
Reed tightened his hold on my shoulders. “Alpha Arras – Jay’s mom – is on a bit of a warpath. I think it’s best you keep a low profile.” He glanced at Marnie, who looked like she wanted to sink into the floor. “You want to hang out and watch movies? There’s a media room at the end of the hall. I think it’s hooked up to stream whatever you want to watch.”
I almost laughed at the size of Marnie’s eyes. “That’d be great.” We were already in our pajamas, and if I had to hide out, I couldn’t think of a better way to spend the day than immersed in some bad boy bikers. “And chance you’ve got a popcorn maker hidden under your bed?”
“Nope.” He opened one of the kitchen cabinets and tossed me a jumbo bag of M&Ms. “That do?”
I stared at it for a moment, remembering another Netflix night and another bag of candy. With an effort, I shook the nostalgia aside. “Perfect.” Grabbing his pillow and a blanket off the bed, I swept Marnie out ahead of me. The media room had theater seating for twelve and a screen you could see from space. I left the remote in Marnie’s capable hands and made a nest in one of the seats with Reed’s bedding. When Marnie showed me how to get the footrest to pop up, I gave a happy sigh. She settled into the seat next to me and shook her head. “I can’t believe we’re about to Netflix the hell out of the alphas’ home theater.”
I waved the M&M bag at her. “And demolish Reed’s candy stash.”
Which we’d managed to do by the time I was all caught up on the Sons of Anarchy’s wicked ways, and Marnie had moved on to some very strange housewives. Their bickering faded as my eyelids grew heavy, and when I looked up next, the screen was showing an old black and white movie and Reed was sitting in the chair beside me. I rubbed my face and groaned. “What time is it? Where’s Marnie?”
“It’s late. She headed back to her dorm a couple hours ago.” He pulled the blanket up to my chin and I realized we were sharing. I was glad it was dark, because I was pretty sure I was blushing at the way I’d curled towards his body heat. But he just settled back in his chair and murmured, “She said you’re feeling homesick.”
I blew out a long breath. “Maybe. My last visit home wasn’t exactly a happy one, though.” I gave him a quick run-down of arriving back in the Horn to find Driftwood ensconced in the northern cabin. “I tried to send him a letter, but Jasper intercepted it.” I knew I sounded as bitter as I felt and rubbed my hands across my face. “I’m surprised Marnie told you. I mean, things are pretty weird between you two.” When he just stared at the screen, I decided it wasn’t something I could let lie. If I was spending more time in Reed’s company, I needed to know what he’d done to my friend. “Did something happen? Like what you and Potter did to me in the utility closet?”
“No! No, of course not!” He caught the look on my face and rammed his footrest down, his shoulders hunching forward until his elbows rested on his knees. “That was bullshit, Vail. I never told you I was sorry about that, but I am.”
“It was bullshit,” I agreed. “And especially because you thought it was okay because I was a dud.”
“That’s not why…” He broke off and scrubbed his hand across his buzzcut. “The thing with you and Jay just threw me. And Callum was in my ear-.”
“Callum is an asshole,” I interjected. “And you’re a big enough boy to make up your own mind about how to treat someone.” When he just stared at his hands, I looked at the screen, and realized he was watching the original version of The Wolf Man. Instead of making me smile, it made me sad. “I know shifter life is different. It’s more…” I waved at the screen. “Base instincts. You have all these ideas about how wolves are supposed to treat each other, only it’s more brutal than anything I’ve seen in the wild. Shouldn’t a pack look out for those who can’t stick up for themselves? Because we have more to offer than fangs and claws, right?”
He nodded and took my hand. “I fucked up. I was confused, and didn’t get why Jay was acting so crazy. But I get it now, Vail. I see you. And I get it.”
I pulled my hand back. “You see a Marrow princess. I know that’s why you’re looking out for me, Reed. Maybe I don’t understand how pack politics works, but I know the power of a name.”
“You’re right. My dad wanted me to look out for you. But that wasn’t your Marrow blood. You’re a Marshall wolf, Vail. That’s not politics. That’s pack.”
“But so is Marnie!” I thumped my hand on the arm of the chair. “And you made her crawl out of Jasper’s room like a naughty dog! Why the hell did you do that, Reed?”
“Because she’s a dud!” When I jumped to my feet, he grabbed my arm. “Wait! It’s complicated. Has anyone told you about arranged matings?” When I gave a tight nod, he sighed. “Our families have always been close. Carter is one of my best friends and our moms do everything together. When Marnie was born, everyone just assumed she and I would get together in some way. But then she never shifted. At first it was okay – she’s a couple years younger – but it got awkward. Her mom took it really hard, always apologizing and making excuses. She was my friend, but it became so painful to be around her. And then she stopped talking to me. Couldn’t be in the same room… It got easier to think of her as a dud.”
My heart was breaking. Poor Marnie. I’d lived with their prejudice for a couple months but she’d had it her whole life. The pressure to prove herself, to live up to the pack expectations, must have been crushing. I was surprised she was as together as she was. And that she wasn’t screaming about her partial shift from the rooftops. But that was her news to share, so I didn’t rub his nose in it, as much as I wanted to. “You’re the alphason, Reed. You’re supposed to be this future leader. Couldn’t you have worked out a way to help her?”
A muscle jumped in his cheek. “I should have. But it’s not how things are done, Vail. Especially when you’re the next pack leader.”
He had the decency to avoid my eye, but when I sat back in the chair, I pulled the blanket firmly over to my side. “You should go to bed, Reed. I’m going to sleep here, unless that’s not how things are done on this floor.”
He winced at the bite in my voice. “Okay.” He stood slowly, and I thought I saw real remorse in his eyes. But I was also looking at one of the strongest shifters in the school. Someone who could have made things easier on one of the weakest, and he hadn’t even tried. I picked up the remote, and turned it to a random channel, hoping he got the message. He paused at the door, but I kept watching the shopping channel, even when he said, “If you want to write another letter to your foster family, I’ll make sure it gets delivered. Night, Vail.”