Moon Dancer - Hidden Wolf 1

Ares

It was Friday. The last time that Grayson was at school was on Monday.

So where in the ever-living fuck was she?

Grayson's absence did not go unnoticed.

I tried to tell myself I didn't care. But it was getting increasingly hard to believe that.

Especially with Jagger's emotions rampaging down the pack bond. It was late in the morning and he was still out patrolling the North.

These past few days he was staying out even longer than usual.

A phone chimed with a text message and Finley scrambled to pick up his phone off the counter. I looked at him with raised eyebrows. When he scanned the phone screen and his face dropped with disappointment.

"Who are you expecting?" I ask and go back to the frying pan in front of me.

Finn shakes his head and sits down on a stool. "I gave my number to Grayson before she left school early on Monday."

"She's been texting you?" I can't explain the possessiveness in my voice. I had no right to feel anything toward this girl.

"No." He sighs. "Not a single word from her."

Ryker walks into the kitchen. He is barefoot and only wearing a pair of black sweatpants. He runs a hand through his hair and leans against the counter. "If someone had dumped soup on me, I wouldn't be in a hurry to go back to school either."

A burst of misplaced anger courses through me. "We have a group project. She needs to show up to school."

Finn shoots me a look. "Why are you even talking like that? Mr. Cross isn't going to fail us. You know that. Seems like to me at least, that you're worried about her."

"Why would I be?" I say through my clenched teeth.

I hate that they can see my emotions so easily.

"Just stop talking out of your ass like that." Finn says.

Ryker nods. "It won't matter how much we're worried about her if you keep pushing her away. Talk like that to her and she'll never stick around."

Rage ignites in me. "Why would we want her to stick around?" I yelled. "She's not a part of this pack! She's not our mate!" I look to Finn. "All of us promised, or have you forgotten?"

They both blink at my outburst in surprise and I realize a little too late that the sandalwood scent had grown stronger.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

I turn and see Jagger standing in the opening of the dining room. He had found a pair of black shorts to pull on.

He stalks to me and grabs me, balling up my shirt in his hand. "Don't talk to them like that." He snarls.

I raise up to my full height, though I know he is taller than me. "I can talk however I want." I growl. "I am the leader of this pack." I hated saying that but I felt everything spiraling out of control. I was grappling for anything to use as a shield. 

Jagger growled right back and slammed me into the cupboards, causing several dishes to clatter loudly to the ground. "Snap out of it, Ares!" He shouted. Jagger used his other hand to point at his neck. At my silver mark, where I had bitten him. "We are a pack! Get your head out of your ass and realize that we're not going to use your emotions against you." Jagger motioned to Ry and Finn behind him. "We are your brothers."

The anxiety loosened its claws a little. Clarity raced through me in an instant, the fog in my head clearing.

I relaxed in Jagger's hold and looked at the ground. He gently lowered me back to my feet and let go of my shirt. Dropping my head into my hands, I groan loudly. "You're right. I'm sorry."