Blackmailing A Werewolf

Chapter 20

"They are still fighting." Otto leans against the gate post to the school, tawny skin luminous in the low morning light, his features are pinched like he'd walked through dog dirt. "If they don't stop fighting soon I'm going to smash their heads together."

"Still?" Whined Walter, flopping his head to the sky. Meandering towards their picnic bench Tessa observes how Keri has her back turned to Simone, hunching over some papers she chews on a lock of hair. Meanwhile, Simone has headphones in, her long legs running down the side of the table as she taps her toes to the beat. "And I thought Tessa was the most stubborn person in our group."

"Hey! I am not." She dug her fingers into his ribs. With a shout Walter dived behind Otto, throwing him between the two of them. Glancing at the table she sighs. "Sitting between the two of them today is going to be a nightmare. They are both going to want me to take their side."

"Why don't you just sit with Rye?" Otto smirked, raising an eyebrow. Over the years Tessa had learnt to hate that smirk the way she hates the sound of someone scraping their hands over styrofoam. "Because my sources tell me you have spent an awful lot of time with 'new boy' over the last three days. Or should we call him 'lover boy' instead?"

"You certainly will not." Snapped Walter. Tessa is not sure what has irked him more, the idea of Tessa dating or the idea of Tessa specifically dating Rye Frost, a probationary member of their pack. Perhaps it's both.

"Aw, is big brother being all protective," Otto ruffled Walter's hair, the only being in existence which got away with touching Walter's mop of ash blond hair. Out of the corner of her eye she notices a shadowy figure approaching over the football fields. Head ducked and hands stuffed in his pockets. He looked like he wanted to be invisible. Like swallowing thistles would be more enjoyable than having a conversation with someone. "Oh look there he is now. Rye! Rye, come join us!"

Otto's bellow would make the town crier resign. Dozens of eyes flashed first to Otto, although most people are used to Otto Boulevard loudest boy in the North of England, and then to Rye. Tessa watched Rye stiffened the way a sponge does when drying. He paused glancing between the school building and them, then he looked directly at Tessa with a raised eyebrow as if asking if Otto was serious. She jerked her head, signalling for him to join them, making sure she didn't smile. Rye plodded over.

"Looks like 'lover boy' cannot get enough of you." Otto whispered. Tessa's entire face feels like she's been sitting in front of the fire too long. Reaching the bench she chucks her bag by Keri's feet and slumps onto the bench Otto sandwiching her between Simone.

Simone narrowed her doe eyes at them, nose wrinkling, a look which could turn someone to stone, "Why does your face look like a tomato?"

"Hello to you too, Si." Tessa rolled her eyes. Who's got the chewing gum?"

Rye looks like a wolf. Well he is a wolf. But an actual wolf you see on the Discovery Channel as it makes its way out of the woods for the first time. His eyes are narrowed and she can see the quiver of his nostril as he smells everything. Eyes darting over them, Rye leans against the wall opposite.

"Here," Walter chucked two packets onto the table, Otto grabbed one packet and Tessa the other sharing it out. Stretching she offered a piece to Rye, without moving his feet he leaned over and took it. He looked surprised she'd included him, so she smiled. Because that's what she does when she doesn't know what to do, give this grimacing smile which quite possibly makes her look constipated, but how the hell is she supposed to react with humans. Well wolves in this case.

"Thanks." He mumbled, tipping his head.

Taking the packet he offers it to Tessa first before taking his own piece. Otto's waggling eyebrows provoked Tessa's foot to strike out into his shin, and she definitely did not grin when he crumpled over with a yelp. "Now, I hear you two girls are still not getting along. It's been three days since your fight and I am sick of it, so we are going to sort this out, lay out your arguments."

"What's happening?" He doesn't direct the question at the group. His piercing eyes direct it at her. Tessa isn't sure if she should be scared or thankful he feels he can at least speak in their little group.

"When any of us fight, Walter makes us say why we are angry with the other person with no interruptions, it's supposed to make us see the other person's point of view and help reconcile. It's a bit daft."

"But it always works." Smacking his gum, Walter pointed at Simone. "Since you seem to have the biggest chip on your shoulder, Si, as our resident drama queen you can go first."

"Tessa's right this is stupid, you are all going to side with Keri anyway. You always do." Her voice cracked, but her eyes remained steel. Simone didn't cry. "I'm sick of it. I'm not the one who drags us to the four corners of Layman's Way to find the next Frankenstein or the Loch Ness monster, and yet you all care about Keri's feelings more than mine. For once maybe we can do what I want to, like go to Manchester shopping, or go to Clare's Coffee Shop after school instead of trampling to the castle to see ghosts. I deserve friends who care about me."

"We do care about you Si, don't be stupid." Otto jumps to his feet as well with an almost wolf-like growl. "You know we care about you, we wouldn't put up with anyone else having a temper tantrum like this!"

"Otto!" Batting him in the chest, Walter also stands bringing the rest of them to do so, except for Keri who sits staring at the picnic bench. "Do you seriously think we don't care about you, Simone? I spent last halloween in a tin man costume because you wanted to do a Wizard of Oz theme. Last month we all went rock climbing because you wanted to, even though Tessa spent most of the time crying because of her fear of heights. Last time you were sick we all came over, risked getting your flu, and sat watching reruns of Say Yes to the Dress until you felt better. We might not have the same interests all the time, but you are not allowed to say we don't care about you, Simone Webber."

The vein on Walter's temple has bulged, an ugly blue thing against his skin which reminds Tessa of their mum when she is angry. The first sign Walter was losing control of his wolf. Tessa couldn't blame him.

Simone's words cut into Tessa. Sure she's used to Simone's sharp tongue and Keri's short fuse, but this was different. Accusing them of not caring about her? Tessa gritted her teeth. She didn't know whether to be more angry or upset by the statement. You cannot be friends with someone for two years, go through everything with them during those two years from crushes to late night spent crying over long gone parents, and not care about them. Simone might as well have spat in her face.

"You don't care. None of you ever had. I've always been the outsider in this little group, just Keri's step sister who you are obliged to hang out with." She shouldered her tote, flicking her chin in the air. "Well no more. I'm going to go someplace where people appreciate me."

"You're acting like a child, Simone." Snapped Keri, her feet hit the ground with a crush. One step. Two steps and she is chest to chest with Simone craning her neck to glare at her. "Go have your little temper tantrum. But don't come crying to me when you are done. I don't care what my mum says, we are not sisters. We never were."