SAMANTHA:
Samantha watched, unable to look away as the pair practically jogged down the hallway. Alester didn't look back. He didn't even try to get out of Phiona's embrace.
The floor seemed to swerve behind them. Its maroon carpet twisted and blurred as tears stung Samantha's eyes. They were far away, yet Samantha could hear everything Phiona said about her. The kind words, the confidence, and the garden. Phiona told Alester about the garden, but even as they left earshot, Sam could tell Phiona was leaving out all the important parts.
A tear trailed down Samantha's cheek. Her mate hated her. Her new friend loved her mate. He wasn't rejecting her. She was the third wheel, yet she couldn't be angry. Phiona was so lovely, innocent, and kind.
Sam didn't hear the man walk out of the office.
"They make a lovely couple."
Phiona's dad fawned like a proud dad. Samantha jumped and quickly wiped the tear off her cheek, hopefully before he noticed. She swallowed back the lump in her throat and turned towards him, hoping she had a neutral look on her face.
"They do."
An enormous grin spread across his face. His eyes crinkled at the edges to say, 'I am friendly and open.'
He was trying to look friendly, but it looked off... The smile was too tight. His eyes crinkled, but they didn't match the smile. It looked sharp as if trying to slice through her.
Yet, he extended his hand and inflected his voice in a friendly manner.
"I am Stephen, Phiona's father."
She shook his hand indifferently and quickly withdrew it. "Nice to meet you. I'm Samantha, though I'm sure you already knew that."
"Ha. Yes. I did already know that. Phiona has quite the high opinion of you."
Samantha didn't know what to say. The words alone sounded like a compliment. But the words mixed with the dip of his lips and the hint of bitterness made it sound like a bad thing. It seemed he already had a bias against her.
"I suppose I should get right to the point, then. I heard you ran into Liam, the scholar who will teach you about your wolf. Phiona has said you have some concerns. Rest assured, I will confirm he is on his best behavior. Though I'm sure it was all a misunderstanding."
Samantha could feel her eyes narrow. Anger bubbled within her at the belittling words of Phiona's father. She was right; he was no good, trash even. She grit her teeth and tried to give the best fake smile she could at that moment.
"Look, Mr. Stephen."
"Just call me Stephen. The Mr. makes it sound too formal."
"Stephen. I appreciate your efforts at getting me a tutor, but I don't think that Liam is the most qualified, and I don't feel comfortable with him."
"I'm glad you see the efforts we have taken to help you. I assure you that Liam is the best at this subject and given what my daughter has said about you, you seem the type to know that the cover isn't an accurate measure of a book, I'm sure you will feel the same about Liam. You've only just met him. Surely that isn't enough time to judge his character."
Was she hearing him right? Was he seriously insinuating that she was being ungrateful? And shallow! That she had misread the situation while also saying even if he did, she should push past it and give him another chance? To what? Walk all over her? Molest her or worse?! Samantha's blood boiled. It took everything in her to not allow her claws and teeth to extend. Part because she's a bit of a pacifist, but also because she knew she wouldn't be able to win in a fight against him. But she could put her foot down on the situation and not let him dictate her actions.
"I really don't feel comfortable with him and won't be a part of his classes."
Stephen's mouth formed a full frown, as if concerned. His words pleaded for her to be understanding as if she was the one being unreasonable.
"I hope you understand it took us a lot of effort to find someone of Liam's criteria. And at short notice. It would take weeks to find someone else to train you properly. I'm sure you would like to get back to your life as soon as possible. Friends that you probably miss, family, that I'm sure would hate to not see you for months. The sooner you get the training, the sooner you can get back to your life. I hope you can see that."
A cold tingle ran it's way down Samantha's neck causing the small hairs on her body to stand on end. Was it just her imagination, or was he threatening her? She wanted to glare at him, growl at him.
Instead, the sinking feeling in her stomach forced her to stare at the carpet to steady herself. Even if he wasn't threatening her, she did want to get back to her life. To her family and friends as soon as possible.
But what was her life now? What would she tell her family? What was she allowed to tell her family? Would they accept her as a wolf? Or would they bring out torches and pitchforks and shoo her away? And when she did go home, would she have to leave Alester behind too?
The mahogany door closed with barely a sound. Stephen entered his office and ended the conversation.
Sam didn't know how long she stood in the hallway. She had barely noticed her surroundings had changed until she closed her bedroom door and faced her bed. Her legs had moved on their own.
She sat on the floor, her back to the door. Praying that the world would stop spinning and start making sense.
The soothing scent of musk, and spice, and campfire, and citrus wafted quietly from nearby.
She crawled towards the scent, her body moving on its own.
His sweater still had his scent in it and was still on her bathroom floor. She gripped his sweater to her nose, inhaling his scent until the spinning stopped.