Chapter Thirty

Ellie

I was in over my head. I could handle a math problem or a fight with a burly warrior. No problem.

But sitting in a room full of teenagers, watching a movie and munching on popcorn? I’d rather the earth opened up and swallowed me whole.

I felt like they were all looking at me like I was some kind of alien. And the movie? It was a total mind-bender.

I’d never seen anything on a big screen before. Grandfather didn’t have one in his cabin. When one of the boys asked me what I wanted to watch, I almost said, anywhere but here.

But I just shrugged instead.

Clayton, the jerk, just dumped me in the big room and left me there. Like a fish out of water.

A few of the boys tried to get me to chat, but I only gave one-word answers: my name, yes, or no.

I thought we were supposed to be watching the movie, not talking, but the teenagers were either chatting or cuddling up to each other.

Eventually, I just quietly slipped out of the room and into the kitchen. It was peaceful and empty. Just how I liked it.

I didn’t get why Clayton thought this was a good idea. So instead, I opened the fridge and found a tub of chocolate ice cream.

I dug around in the drawers until I found a spoon, then sat on the edge of the counter, stuffing my face.

That was until someone came into the kitchen and interrupted me. I vaguely recognized her, but I didn’t know anyone here, so I wasn’t sure why.

“Ellie, right?” she asked.

I looked at her and nodded.

She laughed.

“You don’t remember me, do you?”

I shook my head.

“Should I?”

She laughed again.

“You did break my nose, not bad for a kid.”

I clenched my jaw. I couldn’t remember her name, but I remembered her telling me I stank. If she was here for a rematch, I was ready.

The girl smirked and held up her hands in mock surrender.

“Whoa! I don’t hold grudges, besides I probably deserved it. I just wanted to see how you were doing. You kind of vanished after the blood ceremony.”

I relaxed a bit, desperately trying to remember her name, but it wouldn’t come.

“I went to live with my grandfather,” I said, “I don’t think I got your name?”

She smiled.

“Olivia,” she said.

I nodded and glanced at the tub of ice cream next to me.

“Want some?” I asked, casually.

She walked over to the drawer with the silverware and grabbed a spoon.

“Sure,” she said, hopping up on the counter next to the tub.

We sat there in silence, eating ice cream.

“This is better than that lame movie,” she said.

I frowned, “Lame?”

She laughed, “Well, you must have thought it was pretty shit too, or you wouldn’t be in here eating ice cream.”

She paused, “At least you’re using a spoon.”

I looked at her. She was smirking.

I couldn’t help but smile as I remembered how I’d eaten food with my hands, like some wild animal.

“I’ve never seen a movie before, it was confusing, especially with everyone talking.”

She looked at me and frowned.

“You’ve never seen a movie? Not even with your grandfather?”

I shook my head.

“We just studied and trained,” I said.

Olivia looked at me and rolled her eyes.

“Sucks to be you. How old are you, Ellie?”

I thought for a moment. The truth was, I didn’t really know how old I was, not exactly.

“Fifteen...I think.”

“You think?” Olivia asked.

I shrugged.

“Does it matter?”

She laughed, “Of course it matters. I’m almost eighteen, that’s when I find out if I have a mate in the pack. I can’t wait.”

I shrugged again.

“I probably won’t have one,” I said, “being a hybrid.”

Olivia jumped off the counter and stood in front of me.

“Of course you will. You’re really pretty,” she smirked, “for a rogue.”

She winked at me.

I frowned, was she going to be mean again. At least I’d learned to control my temper now...just.

“I’m joking,” she giggled, “not about the pretty part, the rogue part.”

I made an ‘o’ with my lips.

Olivia rolled her eyes.

“I’m gonna take you under my wing, seems like you need a bit more of an education and a friend. What d’ya say?”

I nodded. I guess I could use a friend. Someone to show me the ropes.

“Ok then, let’s go and get those jerks to switch the film to something a bit more interesting,” she said.

I jumped off the counter, and she put her arm around my shoulder. It felt a bit weird, but I guessed that’s what friends did.

As we walked back into the living room, Olivia pointed to a shelf. There were what looked like books on it. But they weren’t. They were little cases holding silver disks.

“These are DVDs,” she explained, “now what shall we watch?”

She pulled something off the shelf and looked at the case.

“Terminator,” she said, “I guess that’s as good a place to start with your movie education.”

I watched as she walked over to the screen, pressed a couple of buttons, and a silver disc popped out from the bottom.

There were groans from everyone.

“Shut it, it’s a lame movie, besides, Ellie hasn’t watched a movie before,” she said.

I felt my face turn red as all eyes turned to me.

Olivia walked over to one of the couches.

“Move over Felix, and stop feeling up Sasha,” she said.

The young man and the girl he was holding both turned a shade of red and created some distance between them.

Olivia gestured to me.

“Come sit with me, Ellie.”

I made my way over and squeezed myself onto the couch between Olivia and the boy named Felix.

He flashed me a grin.

“Hey,” he murmured.

I returned his smile. The room fell silent as the movie started. Olivia had made her decision, and no one dared to challenge her.

Maybe it was because she was older. Most of the others were around my age. I couldn’t figure out why she was the only older one there.

Maybe she was there to keep everyone in line.

As the movie wrapped up, one of the other girls got up and hit a few buttons. The disc ejected and the screen went dark.

“What’s next?” she asked, her gaze not landing on anyone in particular.

Before anyone could answer, the lights abruptly came on.

There were complaints from everyone, but then quiet as we all noticed Clayton standing in the doorway. He surveyed the room, and many of the teens quickly disentangled themselves from their companions.

When his gaze landed on me, he paused.

“Ellie, I need you in my office.”

I got up and headed for the door. I knew I hadn’t done anything wrong, except maybe helping myself to the ice cream, but Olivia had done the same.

Clayton placed his hand on my shoulder and led me down the hallway in silence.

“Is something wrong?” I asked.

Clayton didn’t answer until we were at his office door.

“The breach at the border. The wolves we caught...they claim they know you,” he said.

I swallowed hard. Who could it be? I barely knew anyone.

Clayton opened the door, then stepped aside so I could enter first.

I had never been in his office before. It was spacious. A large oak desk sat at one end with bookshelves behind it. On the other side was a couch.

I gasped when I saw the couch. Not because of the couch itself, but because of who was sitting on it.

Murdoch and Emma. Surrounded by two of Clayton’s warriors.

Murdoch attempted to rise, but was quickly forced back down by the warrior next to him.

“Ellie?” he questioned.

I felt Clayton’s hand on my shoulder, giving me a comforting squeeze.

“Do you know them, Ellie?” he asked.

I swallowed again, and nodded.

“Murdoch and Emma,” I murmured.

I couldn’t quite process what I was seeing. Why were they here? Had the council sent them to kill me?

I narrowed my eyes and looked back and forth between Emma and Murdoch.

Emma was the best tracker, and Murdoch used to train Gabriel’s warriors so I knew he was the best.

“Why are you here? Did the council send you to kill me?” I asked, my voice barely audible.

Murdoch shook his head. He didn’t try to get up again though. Clayton’s guard still had a hand on his shoulder. I wasn’t worried.

I knew that they would protect me, and my training with my grandfather hadn’t been for nothing.

“I would never...neither of us. We never stopped hoping that you were safe,” he paused, “you are safe, aren’t you Ellie? They’ve treated you well?”

I nodded and bit my lip. I couldn’t stop the tears that were starting to well up in my eyes.

I lowered my head and took a deep breath. I couldn’t let them see. Couldn’t let them know I was weak, how their abandonment had nearly shattered me.

I felt Clayton give my shoulder a gentle squeeze.

I looked up at him.

“We were wrong, Ellie,” he whispered.

I frowned.

“Wrong?”

Clayton nodded.

“The council didn’t kill Alpha Gabriel, he’s alive.”