The Hellhound's Mate

Chapter 90

"Going somewhere?" Angie asked as Eli bumped into her in the halls of Beacon Hills High School.

"Hi, Aunt Angie," he said sheepishly as he dropped his lacrosse bag and stick onto the ground.

"Hi, Eli," she smiled, her hands in the pockets of a jacket that was her husband's. "Relax. You reek of anxiety."

"Yeah, well, it's just, Chloe said that you might be a little angry with me."

"I am. But not for sneaking my daughter out of my house. And that's not why I'm here."

Eli looked even more nervous. "Then why are you here?"

She beamed even brighter. "Why, I'm here to spectate, of course. But your father on the other hand..."

She trailed off as she looked up at the staircase she just came down where her daughter stood with Derek. Derek came down the last few steps as he stood at Angie's side, Chloe waiting on the stairs as she watched Eli's body deflate as if he knew he'd disappointed his father despite the fact that both their parents always told them that there was nothing they could do to ever disappoint them.

"We can talk about it later," Derek said. "We all came to watch you play."

"Well, prepare for disappointment, because if you didn't notice, I never play," Eli replied a little venomously.

"Oh, I noticed," Derek said. "And I'm going to talk to your coach about it."

And the expression on Eli's face became completely horrified as Derek began to head for the Coach's office.

"Oh god, no! No, no, no!"

"Hey Coach, can I have a word?"

"Don't do that!" Eli pleaded but before he could follow after his father, Angie held him back.

"Eli, I am angry because you keep hurting Derek," she said and he looked a little stunned.

"What?"

"Every time you steal that Jeep you hurt your father. He is doing his best to raise you by himself and give you the future and family that you deserve and that he didn't have. And I am always going to be here to help him and to help you, just as Chloe will, but unless you want to do better and make a life for yourself and learn to be the werewolf, the Hale that you are, you're just going to keep hurting all of us. And sooner or later, we won't be able to save you if you keep breaking the law."

Eli's eyes hit the floor as his Aunt's words sank in and said Aunt turned to her daughter.

"You get 2 minutes. I'm clocking it," she said before promptly turning on the heels of her combat boots as she walked out of the double doors and towards the field, leaving Chloe and Eli alone.

"I'm sorry," she said as she moved to stand in front of him. "She just wants to help and -"

"No," he interrupted. "She's right. I-I screwed up. I got you in trouble and -"

"Don't worry about me," she said as she put a hand on his arm. "I'll be fine. You'll be fine. Everything's going to be ok," she promised and he seemed to calm down and almost believe her as her thumb moved back and forth on his arm. "Just focus on the game. I'll finally get to see you play so you better not suck."

"I'm gonna suck," he chuckled and she gave him a small smile.

"Well, then I can't cheer for you. I can't afford to have you embarrass me."

"You embarrass yourself," he fired back and she rolled her eyes.

"Either way, you'll be fine. I should go. I think two minutes are almost up," she said as she glanced at the doors her mother had strode out of. "Good luck."

And she ran for the doors faster than he could process the fact that she kissed his cheek and certainly much faster than he could stop her. And with red cheeks, Eli picked up his stuff and marched into the locker room, determined to do something right for once.