Alone • Liam Dunbar

Nine

The school day felt like it dragged on forever.

After I called Brett and asked for his help, he agreed to meet with us without question. The only setback we had was timing. This was Devenford Prep's first week of classes and Brett's scholarship wouldn't allow him to miss school this early into the year, so he couldn't ditch. Neither could we because of the problem of transportation.

Liam and Mason caught the bus, so they'd take far longer than me to reach Brett's campus. They tried to convince me that it would be possible for me to pack both of them on my motorcycle all the way across town, an idea I had to quickly put an end to, and ordered that we'd simply wait until the end of the day to talk and bide our time until the final bell rang.

Brett had arrived at Beacon Hills High a little under an hour ago and informed us we could find him on the field. Once our last period wrapped up, the three of us converged on his location in hopes of getting some answers. The entire walk there Mason continued to beam excitedly, and honestly, it was starting to get a little morbid. After seeing Tracy become a geyser for a mysterious silver goop, a smile felt misplaced.

Mason's fascination was still in full force, though, especially when he caught sight of a shirtless Brett running up and down the field.

He was in the middle of a light lacrosse game, playing with some of the guys on our team who were already practicing. Brett dodges them with ease and flings a ball into one of the netted goals, scoring without appearing to exert much energy compared to his companions.

"So he's a werewolf, too?" Mason breathes out in amazement, his eyes tracking the wolf's every move.

Liam crosses his arms, a childish frown on his lips. "Yup."

"This just gets better and better." Mason shakes his head in disbelief that his life was now filled with werewolves and their sculpted bodies.

"Does it?" Liam snipes rhetorically.

His irritation toward Brett simply existing mixed with Mason's gawking makes me laugh. That leads to me being on the receiving end of Liam's scowl, something that only continues to entertain me. Ignoring him, I focus on Brett.

"Talbot!"

He turns at the sound of his name, our gazes connecting across the field. He holds up his hand, signaling to give him a minute as he bids farewell to the group of boys he had just been playing with. As he does so, I look back to Mason and Liam. Neither of their expressions had shifted from aggression and astonishment, respectively, though there was one change on Mason's face.

"Is he drooling?" I squint, attempting to decipher why his lips were suddenly glistening.

Liam peers over at Mason, too, the boy not even aware that we were observing him, his eyes yet to leave Brett. Liam clenches his jaw with disappointment at his antics but holds his chin high when he looks back at me.

"He's observing," he counters in a superior tone.

I scoff in return, though, it's filled with humor. Liam may have been endlessly peeved by Brett, but he'd happily safeguard Mason's ability to be pervy. If that wasn't what best friends were for, then what was?

"Is it just me, or is he moving in slow motion?" Mason asks, gaining our attention. He stares out at Brett as he begins to jog in our direction.

"Dude," Liam says in a reprimanding tone. 

Biting at my bottom lip, I do my best to contain the laughter that tempted to leave me, but my cheeks burned from the smile I was unable to contain.

Brett reaches us and smirks, aware of what he'd done.