Wolf #2: The Beast Within [COMPLETED]

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

I'm surprised that the light is on in the kitchen when I get home. The silhouette of my father is blurry from the frosted glass windows. He's at the kitchen counter, reading. A cup of coffee is beside him, and he wears a thick, knitted sweater and his spectacles.

He looks up when I shut the front door behind me, "Hey, kiddo."

"Hey," I slip my shoes off and take them upstairs to my bedroom. I change quickly and go to the bathroom to assess the damage.

The only thing about having my parents home constantly now is that I have to do a better job hiding my bruises. Which is fine, since most of them I get from sparring or patrols...but this isn't that.

I'm hiding bruises that my boyfriend gave me because he snapped.

I tug down my sleeves and cover my wrists. My lip is a larger problem. It's bruised and split open, and I'm not sure how I'm going to cover that up. There really isn't a way...but I can't tell my parents how I got it. They won't understand.

To be honest, I don't understand either. All the Wolves are aggressive and get a little handsy at times—I've done my fair share of shoving people and curling my lip up at the odd individual. It takes a lot of effort and focus to control these animals inside us. But Jace has never tried this before. It had been frightening and so alarming.

I rest my forehead against the bathroom mirror and stare the girl who looks back. Deep down, I know that he had wanted to hurt me. He meant to scare me like this.

And I...what the hell did I conjure? I had seen my skin turn black like that before, almost like my blood is coagulating. But I have never been able to do...whatever it is that I did with those shadows. And the forest...I had set it on fire.

I push the thoughts further down. I no longer want to think about tonight...I want to pretend it didn't happen.

"You're up late," I say to my dad as I go downstairs to make myself some tea. Might as well get the busted lip excuses over with.

He shrugs but doesn't look up, "Still adjusting to the time zones...and I wanted to make sure you got home safe."

"Thanks," I say quietly.

"I have to say, I'm surprised I didn't hear Jace's car outside—"

"Rachel dropped me off. I just told her to leave me at the road so she didn't have to come all the way down..." I don't look at him while the tea brews. I just stare into the murky, boiling water, watching the brew from the tea bag seep out in wisps.

"You and Jace alright?"

"Yeah," I shrug, but my father only gives me a pregnant pause. I let out a long sigh and grab the milk from the fridge, "I don't know. He's...just really rude sometimes. And possessive."

"Well he looks like a fuckboy," He chuckles when I give him a wide-eyed look, "I think that's what Steph would have called him."

I smile, "Yeah...he is, kind of. But he's nice...and then he's mean."

My father only studies me as I take a seat next to him, "You know...you don't have to put up with that. Have you tried to talking to him about it?"

"I have...it's something we're still working on," Again, I go back to watch my tea. How does someone try explain any of this? This isn't as simple as breaking up with a boyfriend. This is Jace. This is my mate...

"He seems like a good boy," My dad pats my shoulder, "But if he's not going to treat you right then get rid of him, Amelia. Your mother and I will be happy to help."