I dragged my backpack into my room, feeling the thud through my body as the hit the ground. It was the third day back after reading week and the homework was already piling up. Sitting down at my desk, I pulled the tab back on my take-out coffee cup. I began shuffling through the papers on my desk, planning on how to start my notes.
"Have you finished your report yet?" I turned my head as Scarlett came into my room.
"No, I just got home," I groaned, "plus my teacher added a few more requirements to the assignment and I've got so much of editing to do. I'm going to be up all night."
I smiled as Scarlett handed me a water bottle, "you need something other than coffee. You'll get dehydrated."
"Coffee has water in it," I mumbled taking a drink of my coffee with the bottle in my other hand.
"Smartass," Scarlett sat on my bed, leaning back on her hands, "have you noticed anything different about James lately?"
I placed the containers on my desk, purposefully not meeting Scarlett's eye, "not really, why?"
James had acted like a different person since we got back from Talia Grove. It was a significant change, and I was almost uncomfortable by it. Running into Daniel at the diner seemed to finally get to him.
"Really?" Scarlett scoffed, "he literally yelled at you for taking a bite from his steak last night. That boy has never yelled at you for eating food off his plate in his entire life."
"He's just having a bad day," I said, shrugging. I knew James was somewhere in the house and I didn't want him to overhear us talking about him. His emotions were all over the place. I wouldn't be able to gauge how he reacted.
"Ashlyn, you're so full of it. What the hell happened this past week while we weren't there?"
I sighed and tugged at the label of the water bottle, "look, I want to tell you but it's not my place to talk about it other than his father showed up at a meeting we had with a non- Pack werewolf."
"The same dad he hadn't seen in fifteen years and was outside the hospital when you saw your mother?" Scarlett asked, surprised.
"That's him. James hasn't spoken to him about any of it or at all."
Scarlett leaned down, resting her elbows on her knees, "that's insane. I can't even imagine it."
"Imagine if you were living it," James said, walking into the room. Scarlett's cheeks reddened at being caught. James strolled across my room and sat himself down in my armchair. Scarlett looked between James and I, not knowing what to say.
"Did you bring my father's file?" James asked, not phased by the silence.
"No, Kurtis is still updating all of them. Why?"
"Because I wanted to read it."
I took a drink of coffee, nodding my head slowly. There was a tone of accusation in his voice, and I had a feeling I knew why.
"You could call him and ask to send it or see what Brandon has. He's working with Kurtis on it."
"I'm aware. I figured you'd still have it since you seem to go behind everyone's back, so why not go behind Kurtis's and keep the file."
I held in a mouth full of coffee, glancing at Scarlett. Her eyes were wide and I'm pretty sure her heart stopped beating. She genuinely looked terrified. James looked at me with a neutral face, except for his eyes. If it were possible, there would be flames in his corneas. With a single raise of his eyebrows, James stood up to leave my room. I shifted my jaw and stuck my tongue against the back of my teeth.
"Alright, I didn't know you were menstruating," I muttered, turning towards my desk. James stopped at my door and faced me. Scarlett stopped breathing, eyes speeding back and forth between us.
"What?"
I shrugged, "nothing, you're just being ruder than normal. I figured you were on your period."
"You sound like a frat boy," James commented, leaving the room again.
"And you're being a brat," I snapped back.
"At least I can respect people's privacy," James shouted before slamming his bedroom door. I inhaled heavily, pushing back the bubbling of anger in my chest. I shot back another mouthful of coffee and pulled my laptop out of my backpack. I dropped it on my desk more aggressively than I should.
"Now I understand what Brandon means when he's scared seeing mum and dad arguing. It's like you two might kill each other and lasers might come out of your eyes, but you might rip each other's clothes off at the same time. It's very disturbing," Scarlett said from her spot on my bed. I snorted, looking down at my assignment outline.
"Good thing we don't share a room like you guys suggested when we were looking at houses," I mumbled. Scarlett let out a loud, one note sound of laughter.
"That house would be rubble by now," after a moment of silence, Scarlett asked, "how'd he know you had the file?"
I shrugged, "I don't know, someone probably let it slip. I'll find out next time he decides to yell at me."
Scarlett eventually left and I was able to focus on my homework. The day passed by, and the sun disappeared. When Chloe and Brandon got home, she reminded us that it was "family dinner" night. James didn't appear when we gathered in the kitchen. Chloe asked where he was while she put her hair up.
"His room," I answered, washing tomatoes in the sink.
After a pause, she asked, "why isn't he down here? He knows the house rules."
"If you want to go upstairs and get him, be my guest. He's been a child all day," I said. Chloe walked away, three of us watching her head for the lion's den.
"He's not going yell at her, right?" Scarlett said, taking a spot at the sink to wash lettuce.
"That's what I was thinking," Brandon commented, looking at the stairs still.
"It's what we're all thinking," I mumbled, stabbing a knife through the first tomato.
The following silence was interrupted by yelling coming from upstairs. We all looked at each other, eyebrows raised. That took longer than I expected, but I could see Scarlett was concerned. Brandon even looked concerned. None of us had seen James this irritable before.
"You're being ridiculous!" Chloe shouted.
Knowing I should step in, I threw the tomatoes and knife into the sink with frustration. Brandon stepped in my way with his hands up, worried that a war might break out. All I needed to do was glare at him as I walked his way and Brandon stepped aside. He followed me closely up the stairs, however. The gears were probably spinning in his head how he was going to stop James and I from wounding each other alone. At the top of the stairs, Chloe and James were facing off at his doorway, five feet apart. Chloe's arms were crossing her chest, genuine anger across her face. James looked bored and it made me want to smack him. Whatever he was feeling, he shouldn't be taking it out on Chloe. That wasn't a fair fight. Stopping beside Chloe, James didn't break eye contact with her. I placed my hand on her shoulder.
"Let me try," I said.
Chloe nodded and stuck her finger in James' face, "you're a child!"
She started walking away but turned back long enough to flip James off. Brandon held back the smile that began to grow on his face from the gesture. I waved my hand for him to go back downstairs with Chloe. Brandon looked hesitation but then relieved he wouldn't be in the middle of a potential shit storm. When he'd begun down the stairs, I shut James' bedroom door behind me.
"What is going on with you?" I asked, trying to start this conversation calmly.
"None of your business," he said, looking at his laptop, "or if you really wanted to know, you could just snoop again."
"I never snooped."
"Bullshit. You asked for Daniel's file, and you looked through it."
"I'm allowed to do that. The files aren't a secret," I said, sitting on the edge of his bed, "I want to know about the ex-Pack member who made a surprise appearance after fifteen years at the very hospital where my mother is being held in a coma. Then at a meeting that may have ended differently since we didn't know he was going to be there or that he was even friendly with Mack Carrey."
"He is my father. You should've asked if it was okay with me that you knew things about him that I didn't."
"I'm sorry, but I wasn't intentionally trying to know things about him that you don't. Also, there's nothing in the file so scandalous that you need to read it," I said.
"That's nice that you're sorry," James said, clicking the buttons on his laptop angrily. I was tempted to stomp my foot against the ground in frustration to get him to look at me.
"You don't get to take your feelings about your father out on everyone else. That's not fair to anyone else."
James turned to me, angry, "not fair? What am I supposed to do then, keep it all inside?"
"We didn't hurt you. Daniel did. We're here for you because it isn't fair, you're going through this. We aren't your verbal punching bags. Use a real punching bag or something!" I stood up as my voice got louder.
James scoffed, "you don't get it. You've never had this sort of problem, princess."
He may be right; I'd never been through anything close to what he was feeling. What I said was true though. I wasn't his verbal punching bag. I was full of emotions at this particular moment. As badly as I felt for James, I wanted to pick up one of his textbooks and smack him over the head. Instead, I took a step back and my hands raised in defeat.
"I'm not doing this, but you need to stop or pull yourself together. I'm locking you in the cages back home if you don't because that's the only way anyone'll be able to tolerate you."
James didn't say anything as I left the room, slamming his door shut.
I stood in front of my bathroom mirror and inspected my outfit. I'd been able to reign in my friends from forcing me to wear a cocktail dress with a slit so high, one wrong move would reveal my underwear, to a pair of skinny jeans, a t-shirt, and a leather jacket. I lost the fight when it came to wearing heels though. Pulling my brush through my hair quickly, I went into my bedroom. I'd come back to Talia Grove for the date, not accepting Dominic's offer to drive to Oakville.
"Damn, look at you," Chrissy commented, pointing her phone at me. I paused as her phone made sounds.
"Are you taking pictures of me?" I asked, walking full-length mirror hanging on the wall.
Keeping her eyes on the screen Chrissy smirked. "No, I'm taking a video."
I looked at her through the mirror, rolling my eyes. I knew she'd be sending it to Scarlett and Chloe in Oakville. They'd insisted on photographs of this "rare occasion". I examined my outfit again, turning to see myself at different angles. Tucking the bottom of my shirt into my jeans, anxiety began to rise in my chest. It was a strange feeling to be going on a "date" with Dominic. I had a crush on him in high school. In typical fashion, I was worried about ruining our friendship if I said anything. Even today, I considered my reason good enough. Only a handful of Abilities (people with powers meant to be in fantasy novels) in our high school and if it'd gone poorly, people would have been divided. Dominic also dated the artsy, shy girls. I played every sport available to me. I tugged at my jacket, tilting my head.
"Stop stressing, you look hot. I mean you're always hot, but this time it's a date-appropriate hotness," Chrissy said, hand out for extra emphasis.
I sat at my desk chair, beginning to tug on my booted heels, "this date isn't exactly important."
Chrissy scoffed, "oh shut up, you've been drooling over him since the tenth grade. Even if you two aren't going to get married one day, it's an important date."
I knew I couldn't complain. Chrissy had heard about my attraction to Dominic for five years. I'm sure she was over it by now.
I glanced up as Tyler appeared in the doorway. He leaned against the frame, crossing his arms.
"Your date is pulling in the driveway. Tell him that if he tries anything, I'll show him just how strong a protective big brother is, werewolf or not."
"Thank you, you giant dork."
I kissed Tyler on the cheek as I passed him. Chrissy and Tyler followed me down the stairs, as the doorbell rang. I stopped before hitting the first floor, looking back at them.
"Where's James?" I asked in a low voice.
"I think he's in the backyard with the others," Tyler shrugged.
James came with me back to Talia Grove. His excuse was that he'd forgotten a bag of clothes. If he had, or being overbearing, I didn't know. But we drove down together, and I wanted to know what time he wanted to leave in the morning. I didn't know if I could keep my cool if I went outside to talk to him before meeting up with Dominic, and I didn't know if James would keep his cool if I brought Dominic with me. I'd text him while I was out.
Walking into the front entry, I almost began laughing at the scene in front of me. Dominic stood with his back to the door while Cora, Aaron and Charlie loosely surrounded him. Aaron appeared to be trying to engage Dominic in conversation, but my father stared at him with his arms crossed. Cora had come by to make sure my father didn't maim Dominic, was also involving herself in the conversation. My father turned his head at our footsteps. He gave me a once over and nodded once, approving my outfit. I rolled my eyes towards him. He may have to make decisions that effected many people across the country, but he's still a father of teenagers.
"I want you home by nine-thirty," my father looked between Dominic and I, "James wants to leave early in the morning, I'm sure. He's in a mood today."
"He's been in a mood for the last week," I mumbled.
"I wonder why," Tyler said under his breath. I glared at him before smiling at Dominic.
"We better go. I'll have her back by then, sir," Dominic told him, opening the door. I rolled my eyes at the formality of how Dominic was addressing my father. He was never this formal when we were in high school. I knew Charlie appreciated it though.
I was relieved, noticing that Dom was wearing jeans and a nice shirt. I'd been worrying about how my outfit would be taken. Dom opened the passenger door for me, and I gave him a half smile. My ears twitched at a tree branch breaking echoed from the woods. I spun, hand gripping the door frame. I scanned the trees, expecting a reflection of wolf eyes against the house's lights. I didn't see anyone, but I felt someone watching. I had a feeling I knew who it was, but I pushed the thought away.
"Everything okay?" Dom asked, looking around himself. He hadn't heard the branch snapping. I turned my head to him and smiled.
"Yep, thought I heard something. It's all good though. Werewolf hearing."
The town closest to Talia Grove was populated by rich people, and Dominic's family fit in well. Sorcerers and witches were often rich. I only realized we were in a brand-new BMW while I waited for him to turn the car on. The Pack wasn't as rich, but with so many people generating incomes, we weren't hurting. However, we didn't buy cars that screamed money. Our cars went fast or could fit a lot of people. None of us were fans of cars that weren't meant to get bruised.
The drive to the restaurant wasn't too long, passing easily from our conversation. We shuffled through the basic small talk, Dom making me laugh. The conversation paused as we walked up to the hostess. Her eyes lit up as they rested on Dominic. Recognition sparked in my brain, but I couldn't identify her.
"Dom, how've you been?" she asked, focusing all of her attention on the man standing beside me. It didn't surprise me. Dominic was a good-looking guy and girls tried too hard for his attention. It wasn't anything new. Dominic's jaw shifted as he looked at the hostess.
"Diana, it's been a long time. I'm fine, thank you, and yourself?"
My eyes flickered between the two and I almost started laughing. We went to high school together. From what I could remember, the two had gone out at some point and the feelings didn't last on Dominic's end.
"I've been good, working a lot. Have you seen-"
"I'm sorry to interrupt but I believe Ashlyn here," Dom placed his hand on my lower back, "is as hungry as I am. Would you mind showing us to a table?"
I bit my tongue from snorting at the flash of annoyance on Diana's face from being cut off. Diana recovered, flashing a smile reserved for customers and led us over to a table in the bar area. The restaurant itself wasn't full but most people were sat in our premises, so she wasn't being too petty. Once seated and Diana had walked away, I smirked at Dom.
"If you hadn't offended her and agreed to go on that date she was trying to suggest, she probably would have sat us in the dining area," I said, laughing.
Dominic shrugged, "she's too clingy after one date to try that again. You're okay here?"
"Eating in a bar? Sounds like a regular Saturday night."
A waiter approached our table minutes later, ready to take our orders. I barely looked at the menu, so I picked the first item I saw.
Dominic chuckled, "steak sandwich and a beer? You really are getting comfortable here."
"You've seen me eat a whole pizza. I don't think I can get embarrassed by much else."
We reminisced about high school stories until the food arrived. Just like in the car, I spent a lot of the time laughing. Dominic and I had met in the ninth grade through a mutual sorcerer friend. The Abilities in our high school were all close. The large high school of humans was overwhelming.
"So, what made you ask me out?" I asked, my lips at the mouth of my beer bottle. Dominic shrugged, taking a drink from his glass of red wine.
"It was time. I found you attractive in grade twelve, but I was seeing that chick," I laughed at his inability to remember her name, "couldn't do anything at that point. Then we went off to college. Kind of decided on it when I heard you were home for the weekend."
I nodded my head, looking into my beer bottle. I didn't expect a grand speech declaring love since the ninth grade, but it's nice to know that attraction had been mutual.
"I'm going to grab another beer," I said, pushing my chair back.
"I can get that for you," Dominic moved to get up, but I waved my hand. "It's fine, I'm a big girl."
I leaned against the bar, waiting for the bartender to finish with another customer. I felt comfortable. This date was going well. There weren't any awkward moments of silence, the food was good, and I hadn't embarrassed myself in any way. I glanced back at Dominic. He was checking his phone which I didn't mind since it was the first time he'd done it. I reached to my back pocket to grab my own cell phone. I couldn't feel it, and a twinge of panic shot through my chest, thinking I'd somehow lost it. Patting my jacket, I looked back at the table. I realized Dominic wasn't holding his phone. He was holding mine. The bartender approached me, and I turned back. Thanking him with a tip, I wandered back to our table. My phone was back to where I'd left it. Dominic smiled at me, as if he'd been sitting there, innocently the entire time. I knew he didn't see anything. My phone was password protected and only James knew the combination. I took a drink from my beer and made eye contact with him.
"Did you find what you were looking for?" I gestured with the bottleneck to my phone. Dominic's smile fell, realizing he'd been caught. He recovered by giving me a polite smile.
"You got a text from your friend, Chrissy. I saw my name and I was curious," Dominic shrugged. I turned the screen of my phone on, checking the message. Chrissy had texted that Mack Carrey had phoned asking for a meeting with my father and I and asked how the date was.
"Are you sure it wasn't another name that you saw, since yours wasn't in the text?" Dominic's jaw tightened, getting caught in a lie. Suspicion rose as Dom raised his fork to his mouth casually, giving himself time to compose his answer. His eyes flickered around the restaurant. He looked uncomfortable. Dominic's phone lit up on the table and he yanked it away before I could read the message. I stared at him, and a thought appeared.
"Is that why you asked me out? The Board knows we are friends, and you were the lucky one who gets to find out what the Pack is going to do with the Strays? I was the easy access," I accused. Dominic and his family were members of the Board of Magic, a group of warlocks and witches who oversaw the activities of magic wielding people in Canada. It was like the Pack, except the Board was run like a business. We'd told them about the deaths of Michael and Bill months ago, concerned about where it was leading.
Dominic finished chewing but didn't say anything, eyes resting on his glass of wine. He'd been caught red handed before he got any information. The Board had called for information time and time again, Charlie giving them tidbits of information. I scoffed, grabbing my things and left Dominic sitting at the table.
I was almost out at the road when Dominic caught up to me. Grabbing my hand, he tugged me to a stop.
"I genuinely wanted to ask you out. When the Board asked me to talk to you, it gave me the opportunity I needed."
"That doesn't make it any better. It makes you sound worse," I said, trying to pull my hand away. Dominic tightened his grip. I glared down then back at his face. Dom looked a little panicked.
"I needed to know where you stand before I could ask questions. From seeing that text, it looks like you're up to date on what's going. You told me that you were getting out of being your father's minion. You wanted out of Pack business."
I let out a huff. He was turning my words from high school back on me.
"I don't think the same anymore. I was a teenager and it's none of your business."
"Ashlyn, you've told me about wanting to lead a semi-normal life since the tenth grade. Where did that desire go? Why can't your father and the others deal with this, and you have your own life?"
I hadn't talked about what he was bringing up in years. I'd been slammed into reality in the past six months. I wasn't getting my teenage dream of living my life entirely for me anymore.
"Because I am part of a Pack, that's why. It's part of who I am. I was a naïve kid when I said those things," I snapped, forcing out the words I'd repeated in my mind since July when Charlie dropped the photos on our dining room table.
"You could just leave it to your father. It's his job as the Alpha. There are older wolves meant to support him with these problems. Tyler gave up his future and is working for him. You're twenty years old and in college. That's what you should be focusing on."
"I can't just ignore the requests of my Alpha and have him be in a situation where he could get hurt. It's a part of being born into a Pack. Not to mention he is my father."
"You'll let yourself be put in danger? I know you've met with Mack Carrey for lunch, and he brought Daniel Blake with. That man hates the Pack. He could've killed you. James could've killed him by losing whatever composure that man can fake. Why didn't your father meet with him? It isn't his job to deal with problems?"
My jaw ached from how tightly I was clenching. I was tempted to ask how he knew I'd met with Carrey, or the fact Daniel was there. I knew Charlie told the Board that Carrey was making contact, but nothing more. I'd been in the room for that phone call. However, no matter what I said, Dominic wouldn't understand. He was a sorcerer. Sure, they'd defend each other but it wasn't a family dynamic like the Pack. I tried again to yank my hand away from him, but he only tightened his grip once again.
"Let go of my hand," I growled.
"You should listen to her."
Both mine and Dominic's heads snapped towards the voice. James walked out of the shadows from the side of the road. Dominic dropped my wrist, surprised to see James. I had been so engrossed in the argument that I didn't hear him approach or notice him. I was instantly annoyed by his presence.
"Oh perfect! What are you doing here?" I snapped. James didn't answer, planting himself in front of me, his arms crossed. The two stared each other down. I stepped to the side, looking around James' body. I was instantly annoyed at the spike of testosterone.
"You two are pathetic," I shot, turning towards the road. James turned around and opened his mouth. I held my hand up.
"I'd love to hear your excuse for stalking me, but I'm tempted to punch you in the face right now. So, shut up and fuck off."
I ignored Dominic's calls of protest as I walked onto the road. I could sense James's eyes on my back. I couldn't believe that just happened. I thought I'd been on bad dates before, but this was the worst. I began walking in the direction of the coffee shop I knew was close by. I was furious, but I wasn't dumb enough to walk home in these boots. The bottom of my feet were starting to feel numb already. Unlocking my phone and began to scroll through my contacts looking for someone I could call who wouldn't ask too many questions.
The Tim Horton's sign appeared from the darkness. Glancing over my shoulder, I was overcome by a wave of gratitude that neither boy had followed me. I ordered from the teenage girl behind the counter and took a seat on a chair that gave me a view of the front door.
"Hello?"
"Aaron, it's Ashlyn. Can you come pick me up please?"
"Why? What's wrong? What did that magick kid do?" Aaron's voice hardened.
I rolled my eyes, "nothing I want to deal with right now."
"I'll be there soon. Why didn't you call James? You two could have-"
I cut him off, "I do not want to talk to James right now. Will you just come get me?"
Forty-five minutes later, I was back at Talia Grove. The moment I entered the house, Chrissy was waiting for me. Her face went from excited to confused with only a glance at my expression. Walking into my room to change into comfier clothes, I did my best to ignore Chrissy's questions.
"Hello, can you hear me? What the hell happened? Why did Aaron have to pick you up? What happened to Dominic?"
I let out a loud and aggressive sigh, throwing my jeans down onto the bed. Chrissy's eyebrows raised at my reaction. Staring at her, I took ten seconds to calm myself down.
"Ask James. It seems he was there the whole time," I grumbled. Her eyebrows flipped the opposite direction as she ran over my words in her head.
"Wait, what? He followed you?"
I gave her a smile mixed of sarcasm and frustration, nodding my head. Chrissy's jaw dropped. She sat down on my bed, looking up at me. I yanked sweatpants up my legs and threw on a hoodie decorated with the name of my high school.
"How did you find out?" she asked in a quiet and shocked voice.
"Well, while Dominic and I were arguing outside the restaurant about why he thought my priorities weren't matching the ones I had in high school, James appeared to be my Prince freakin' Charming. They started having a dick size contest in and I left the two of them standing in the parking lot."
Chrissy's jaw dropped open even farther. She had no idea where to start with questions. I picked my phone up off the bed and dialled with anger.
"Where are you?" I asked as soon as the ringing stopped.
"Pulling up to the house."
"Good," I said, "I'm waiting in my car. Hurry up."
I hung up and put my phone into my pant pocket. I gave Chrissy a quick kiss on the head and went downstairs. My duffle bag sat in the kitchen, waiting for us to leave. Picking it up, James' bag fell off the chair with a thud. I momentarily wondered if I'd damaged his laptop but realized I was too angry to care.
"Ashlyn, come on you can't be-" James walked towards to kitchen, opening his arms in defence. I shoved past him, knocking him sideways. Slipping on a pair of running shoes, I went out to my car. Tossing my bags into the backseat, I slid into the passenger's seat. By the times James put his own bags into the back, I had my headphones in my ears.
"Ashlyn," I turned more towards the door and raised the volume of my music. I still couldn't believe what he did. It was childish and felt like he had no faith in me. I knew if I spoke to him now, he'd ended up with a black eye.