Brothers 3

Chapter 25

Isabel was sitting on Robert's bed with her knees drawn up to her chest. She hadn't said much since they came in and James was counting the creases in the bedclothes while he pretended to be there for her to talk to. God, being nice was exhausting. On a few occasions he had found himself almost falling asleep, but he had managed to hide it.

There was a soft tapping on the door.

"Come in," James said. He would be glad to see someone who talked.

The door opened an inch and Mikey peeked in. James didn't want to talk anymore. A biting remark sprung to his mind before he remembered that Isabel thought he was a nice guy. He clamped his mouth shut and did his best to smile at Mikey.

"Is there something you need?" James asked. Isabel looked up, her eyes glassy.

Mikey swept the room with his eyes before settling on James. James knew when he looked at Isabel he was thinking how bad of a person James is. How could he do this to an innocent girl. James bit his tongue till he tasted blood. Who was the wolf to judge him? His fangs slipped down at the taste of his own blood and he once again imagined drinking from Isabel. He needed blood and fast.

"I was hoping we could talk," Mikey said to James.

James sighed. "We don't have anything to discuss. Besides, I need to stay here with Isabel. She needs me." He was making himself feel sick with his gushy words, but he managed to sound concerned instead of disgusted.

Mikey massaged the bridge of his nose. "James we need to sort this."

"There is nothing to sort. You and Ella deserve each other."

Isabel started and gawked at Mikey when she heard this. It took a minute before James remembered she thought Ella was his crazy ex who was obsessed with him. He would take anyone being on his side, no matter why. He could almost hear Orlando telling him how petty he was being. He wished he was here to say it himself. James swallowed the growing lump in his throat and looked at Mikey. It was easier to be angry than sad.

Mikey scraped his hands through his hair and growled. "I was not trying to get her, and I think you are being hard on us."

"I don't think he is being hard on her. She is crazy." Isabel crawled to the end of the bed and took James's hand, squeezing it.

Mikey ground his teeth and stared at James. There was a stretch of silence before Mikey rolled his eyes.

"I suppose if James says it then it must be true."

He stormed from the room, leaving the door open in his wake. Isabel cleared her throat. "I am so sorry you have to live with that."

James's mind was reeling. Was Mikey angry at him? Why? He wasn't the one cosying up to someone's ex in their bed. He hadn't done a thing. Did Mikey think he should have defended Ella?

"James?" Isabel wrapped her arms around him from behind. Her sweet scent was everywhere as she leaned in close enough to feel her breath on the back of his neck. It should have been comforting. She was on his side after all. Yet James found it hard to breathe. His heart started to hammer, and his sensitive ears picked up every sound in the house and amplified it. Shoes hitting wooden floors, the growl of the fire, the hum of the appliances, heartbeats, breathing, the whisper of bristles against the floor as Mrs Greene cleaned. His nose picked up the rancid stench of the wolves and shoved it down his throat. He wanted to vomit as his head spun.

He needed to get out.

"I have to go. I need to get... blood." He was standing before he had finished the sentence, detangling her arms from his middle.