Jagged Embrace

Chapter 44 - Will

Will opened the door and almost tripped over Ander. He caught himself and stepped over him. Ander was curled up on his side, passed out with his back against the door. Will narrowed his eyes. Something was off. He picked up his foot and tried to tap Ander's leg, but couldn't make contact. Motherfucker! Ander had put a barrier around himself. Smart, but fucking infuriating. He wasn't supposed to spellcast.

"Ander, wake the fuck up now," Will barked at him.

Ander's eyelids fluttered but didn't open.

"Incoming!"

Ander's eyes popped open, and he drew himself up to his feet, not awake, but ready to fight or follow orders. "Will?" He asked with bloodshot eyes.

His brown contacts were still in, but Will was certain they glowed behind them.

"What the fuck are you doing out here?"

"I was sleeping." Ander scanned the surrounding area, his eyes squinted from the sunlight.

"When did you get back?"

Ander shrugged.

"Did you put up a shield?"

Ander furrowed his brow. "I am uncertain. I was... inebriated when I returned."

Great - fucking drunk casting. Will lit a smoke. Ander stared at the cigarette for a few seconds before he turned green. Will stepped to the side as Ander threw his body away from the door and threw up all over the pavement. He never could hold his liquor. Ander kept heaving until nothing came out.

Will kept smoking and speculated about the werewolf and where it might hunt. The full moon was on the way, and the fleabag would grow powerful as it drew closer. If they didn't get the order to engage today, he was going to start the mission anyway. It'd be a lot simpler to get the werewolf before the full moon. Its abilities would be on an upswing, but he didn't want to wait for another victim just to have an advantage.

"You done?" Will finished his smoke.

Ander nodded and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Will opened the door and gathered his weapons. He glanced at Maeve. She'd been moody, and although they'd slept together in his bed, there'd been no sex. Thinking about last night made him want to punch something.

Why'd he decide to have a girlfriend? He paused. Was she really his girlfriend? If some other woman had acted like that, he'd have told them they were fucking insane and left to bed another woman.

We will not bed another woman, you fool. She is our mate, the voice growled at him.

"Ander, are you okay?" Maeve asked Ander.

Will didn't like her tone. It was too concerned. He rubbed the back of his head. It was too much bullshit to deal with. He hadn't even fucked her yet, but he didn't want to screw anyone else. He wanted her. Just her. His stomach clenched tightly. He needed more alcohol. His eyes darted around the room and found his vodka.

"Yes, I am fine." Ander rifled through his bag for pills.

He probably had a massive hangover. Will picked up his vodka and took a long drink.

"You don't look fine." Maeve moved closer to him.

That irritated Will, too. She wasn't nice to him when he had a hangover. Of course, he didn't really get those, not like most people. Will watched Maeve bring Ander water and sit with him. She brushed his bangs off of his face. The fuck? Was she his mom?

"Ander's fine, he's hungover," Will snapped, and put his poison down.

Maeve frowned at him.

Turning to face her, he crossed his arms. "What do you remember from last night?" Time for Maeve to learn how things worked.

Ander has finished taking the pills and shifted his position. "I went to Stacie's apartment as she requested," Ander paused, the color rose in his wan cheeks.

He was embarrassed he got laid? Since when? Will's eyes flicked to Maeve. It had to be because of her.

"After some time, we had a disagreement, so I left. I was inebriated, so it took time to find the motel." Ander's eyes slid to the floor.

Did that mean he didn't fuck her? "A disagreement? You argued?" Will asked, confused.

"Yes, she thought I was interested in copulating with her and-"

"Copulating?" he asked.

"I meant, she thought we were going to have sex, but I declined and she became furious-"

"You what?"

"She was offended, so I left and returned here. I recalled you were both... preoccupied, and I stayed outside," Ander finished.

Maeve's face went white. Will stood frozen. That had never happened before. When he set things up for Ander, he always followed through. Will glared at Maeve. It was her. She'd made Ander feel weird about it. Will wanted to break something.

"Did you use magic?"

Maeve shrunk from his tone. Good. It was all her doing. Ander rubbed the leg of his pants and continued to look at the floor.

"Go take your contacts out - now," Will ordered him. Every heartbeat made the blood rush in his ears.

Ander stood and pulled out his case. Will watched as he removed the contacts with crossed arms. He was not surprised by the glow when Ander turned around. Will gnashed his teeth. Ander's guilt ridden expression informed him all he needed to know.

Will grabbed the chair and threw it at the wall. It shattered. Ander backed against the opposite wall. Will spun to his bed and picked it up before tossing it against the wall, too. Maeve jumped up from Ander's bed and cowered far from both of them.

"Why?" he screamed and stomped to Ander, picking him up and shaking him before throwing him to the ground.

Memory after memory, image after image, of Ander fighting for his life, choked Will. His best friend was dying over and over and there wasn't anything he could do to stop it - except betray him.

"Will! Stop!" Maeve's voice cut into his haze.

He spun to push her away, he couldn't let her near him right now. But Ander was already up and yanked on his arm. Will backhanded him into the wall.

"Stop!" Maeve screamed.

Her voice reverberated through him. He felt it rip through his limbs and reflexively he grabbed his ears from the pain of her scream. He dropped to one knee. It wasn't like what angels could do. If an angel screamed at him, he'd be deaf.

Maeve collapsed to her knees in front of him, all the color gone from her face before like all the other times she'd used her power. Her eyes rolled up in her head before they sealed shut. Ander caught her just before her skull hit the carpet. He and Ander stared at each other with heavy breaths.