Chapter 13 #2
“Oh, shit is right,” Bobby intervened. “Look, I know it must be difficult with you being a shifter. I also have a feeling being in your brother’s shadow isn’t necessarily in your best interest either, but you saw how the press crucified him for his behavior.
He barely made it out unscathed. I think you’re well aware there’s a double standard, which means you need to be above the law and the basics of humanity.
And I certainly don’t want you to be hounded by the press simply because you’re different. ”
Different.
I thought about a conversation Saint had told me he’d had with our father not long after the news had broken about his real identity.
“Humans live in a fragile state. We can’t allow them to know their next-door neighbors and buddies they work out with are wolves or bears.
God forbid the PTA moms find out their bestie they drink Manhattans with every Friday is a leopard.
And heaven help us if anyone knew the real identity of the mayor of our lovely city. ”
The mayor of Chicago was a damn lion shifter. Even today, most humans had yet to understand just how fragile their hold on the concept of who belonged on Earth truly was. There were shifters of every kind living amongst us.
Even we weren’t able to tell from afar, although the stench of a lion or a bear was pungent as hell when we were within a couple hundred yards. Still, they were able to hide their true identities as well as the wolves could do.
We would have stayed in the shadows had it not been for one of our own wanting to cash in on his position in the shifter world.
He’d dropped one huge bomb that we hadn’t been able to control.
So here we were, thousands of shifters still hiding in the closet for fear of being hunted like animals. I was the poster boy of blending in.
Just like my brother.
“Were you drunk last night because in seeing you today, it would appear you certainly were awake all night long.” She put up a picture of the guy from the night before. His hand was in a cast and he was looking all pitiful. Just like an asshole to play the shifter card when it suited him.
I didn’t like Ansley’s attitude. “I wasn’t drunk. I barely drink any longer.” Why bother telling her that shifters rarely succumbed to the effects of alcohol?
“Then what caused you to almost kill this man?” she asked in a way indicating annoyance, not fear.
“I didn’t almost kill him. I just… I stopped him from groping a young woman. Nothing more. He’s lying if he said it was anything else.”
Why was it that every time shifters were put in a position to defend themselves, the people asking the question always had a particular expression? As if chastising a child or a real criminal.
“Who was this woman?”
The question was pointed and Ansley expected me to answer. Her body language screamed that no matter what I said, it wouldn’t matter. She’d already made up her mind about me. I was a dirty, filthy animal. “None of your business.”
“Oh, I see. Just another puck bunny. Great. I told you this was a bad idea.” Now she was talking to Bobby.
“She wasn’t any puck bunny!” I snapped, which silenced the room.
I was many things, but not prone to outbursts.
“She’s a nice girl. Okay? She was in the arena doing a little skating and could tell I was having a hard time.
Okay? It’s not like I have any friends and I doubt seriously that I’ll manage to snag a few. ”
Another moment of silence and this time, I could feel Ansley smirking.
I fisted my hand, wondering why I was bothering.
Jerking up, I headed to the window, looking outside and instantly remembering Saint talking about the first time he’d peered out a similar window and the number of reporters and protestors hanging around for an off chance at a photographic moment with the hockey star and savage werewolf.
The headlines had been brutal for weeks.
What did I see when I peered out the window? Two people holding signs. Maybe they’d followed me. Maybe they hadn’t. Two lone people in festive Hawaiian shirts. There was no doubt in my mind they were tourists checking off an item on their bucket list.
Item five hundred and fifty-seven: Get a photo with a flesh-eating monster.
And the signs they held? Well, other than a pretty damn good representation of everyone’s nightmare of a werewolf complete with blood dripping down his jowls were words that would forever stick in my mind.
Shifters aren’t human. They have no rights.
There it was.
The crux of the entire situation. Whether they believed what they had written or not didn’t matter.
There were few humans on our sides and millions who believed we were out to hunt and feed on our prey.
Seeing the couple did infuriate me, but the real reason why was far more human than I cared to admit to anyone.
I was fucking jealous my brother had experienced the lavish attention of millions of eager fans.
He had puck bunnies lining up, various agents eager and willing to maim, mutilate, or kill each other to garner his signature on a lifetime contract and enough endorsements he and his lovely mate lived in a lavish style Robin Leach would be jealous of.
And here I was sleeping on a twin bed in a shitty house and I was about to be tossed out on the street while fighting with some chick who hated me about my social media pages. All of it was a distraction from the only thing I’d ever wanted in my life.
To play hockey.
The only monster in the room was a green-eyed one.
“Are you feeling sorry for yourself, Steven?” Bobby asked, his voice so quiet I was surprised.
“I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Well, fucking don’t. The woe is me shit isn’t going to fly here.
You also aren’t going to damage arena property.
I couldn’t help but notice you used your locker as a punching bag.
You’re a professional. You’re in the big leagues now, which you’ve fought for since you were a teenager.
Did you know I saw you play a few years ago? ”
When I tipped my head, he was smiling. “Where?”
“You were so damn good you were scooped off your high school team, drafted as a center to play with the University of Chicago. I heard all about you cause my agent insisted I go to a game. I did, but I wasn’t happy about it.
Trust me.” He laughed bitterly. “Little did I know at the time, but I was about to be put on suspension and my agent thought I’d get a boost seeing young blood. ”
“Oh, yeah? What did you think?”
“That you were fucking phenomenal. Just amazing. Anyway, you taught me a few moves that I took back with me. Salvaged my career for a year or so.”
A thought entered my mind. “You were the one who wanted me to come here. You pushed, didn’t you?”
He laughed. “I figured one good deed deserved another. You’re good.
Just a little rough around the edges. Upon my recommendation, we took a chance on you when other teams wanted nothing to do with you.
Yeah, I get you feel discriminated against because of your lineage.
But when you put your mind to the game, you are the best in the business. Hands down.”
“Better than my brother?”
He lifted his eyebrows. “Yeah. Better than your brother. Don’t let that go to your head.”
“You mean because I’m a wolf.” I shouldn’t have done it, but I growled and even bared my teeth to make a point.
My human teeth.
Neither shrank away in fear. Well, hell. I couldn’t even make anyone terrified that I’d eat them. What good was I after all? Okay, maybe I had dipped into the feeling sorry for myself pool of quicksand, but I was talented. I worked just as hard as my brother. I deserved a chance.
Maybe, but they’re right. You’re about to blow it because of petty jealousy.
My inner voice hadn’t been active for some time. Now, the all-knowing personality decided to rear its ugly head.
“Yeah, Masters. Because you’re a wolf.” He rolled his eyes.
“Now, I can’t imagine what it feels like to be treated as if you’re going to come unglued at any moment, but you’re allowing these people to get to you.
Instead of doing your job and feeling like the lucky man you truly are, you’re pretending being given this kind of an opportunity means nothing to you.
Do you know how many little boys and even girls dream of being in your position?
Thousands and if they’re lucky and work really hard and have the talent, something you have in spades, they might get a single chance to prove themselves.
The difference between you and those talented kids is that they won’t allow anything to stop them from achieving their goals. ”
I turned away from the window, shoving my hands into my pockets. “I get it. Have respect for myself and my fans.”
At least Ansley lit up like a Christmas tree. “Exactly.” She even clapped her hands. “I think we can work together to turn your social media around quickly and build your numbers. I’ll also get some candid shots of you during your next practice. We have team photos coming up on Friday. Don’t we?”
Bobby nodded. “Yeah. Since the first game with you as center is on Saturday, the owners want to make certain we cover all media sources on Saturday.”
Ansley nodded. “You’re going to need to promise me not to get into bar fights when you go out, Beast.”
“That’s not my name,” I insisted.
“For all practical purposes, it is,” she told me. “The fighting?”
“I didn’t get into one last night,” I reminded her. As if she was listening.
“Maybe you should refrain from going out at all. At least to normal bars. You need to eat, sleep, drink, and think about nothing but hockey.”
Now it was my turn with Bobby to glance at each other, thoroughly confused as to what she was getting at. “I can do that. But there are abnormal bars? What are you talking about?”
She rolled her eyes as if I was an idiot. “Yes. You know what I mean. Wolf bars. You are a werewolf. Right?” Was she seriously asking?