When The Wolves Come Out

Chapter 28

I'm about to have a shower that night when Lacey comes into my room.

"Ashlyn?" she says, her voice shaky.

"What's up?"

"My dad wants you in his office."

"Now?" I whine. "I was just about to have a shower."

"He says it's important."

I agree to come due to the urgency and fear in her voice. She leaves me when we get outside Alpha's study and I open the door straight away. When I come in, I see him leaning against his desk along with Sandra in the corner of the room, nervously biting her fingernails. I give them both a confused look until I see Ethan sitting on a chair behind Alpha's desk, worry and disappointment clear in his eyes.

"What's going on?" I ask slowly. "Ethan?"

"Take a seat," Alpha demands and I turn to Ethan but he won't look at me.

I sit down in the chair next to him anyway. "Why did you call me here?"

"It would seem that Sandra overheard a little conversation between you and someone else," Alpha explains, smirking.

My heart beat quickens and my palms begin to sweat. They couldn't know...

"Anyway," he continues, "is there anything you'd perhaps like to tell me? Or rather, tell Ethan?"

I gulp. This couldn't be happening. "I..." The words don't come out. How can I explain this? They wouldn't understand no matter what. I look at Ethan again who still won't give me the slightest glance.

"May I interrupt?" Sandra says, staring me down. "The girl will never openly admit to something like this. Especially considering the role she takes in the pack as future Luna."

"I can explain!" I blurt out. Alpha and Sandra both turn their heads towards me. "Ethan, you need to hear me out."

He slowly moves to face me, his expression unreadable.

I take a long, deep breath. "Please, Eth. I never wanted it to turn out this way. All I've done since I found out was deny my feelings. You have to believe me-"

"No." His sudden tone is harsh and nothing like I've ever heard him speak before. It frightens me. "It isn't fair on me or the pack. You never think about other people."

"Excuse me?" My voice is shaky and I can't tell whether it's from anger or fear or if I'm on the verge of tears. "Why would I purposely hurt anyone?

"I honestly don't know why you'd do it, either. But it's a really selfish move, Ashlyn. I never expected this from you."

"You sound like my father! What, are you trying to replace him or something?" I argue.

"You're the one who left him behind!"

"Because you made me! You took away my whole life and now you're telling me that I only care about myself?"

"Just don't go there." Ethan changes his voice to a lower tone and I suddenly become aware of Alpha and Sandra's stares. They look at me like some interesting creature at a zoo, and I feel like one, too.

"You know what?" I whisper, my voice cracking as tears finally brim my eyes. "I don't think that I'm the selfish one here."

And then I stand up, running out of the study. I immediately head outside and run as fast as I can, as far away from the house as possible.

~~

It's beginning to turn dark and I rest under a large oak tree somewhere in the middle of the forest. And then it all dawns on me.

I'd ruined everything. They found out. Ethan hates me. When did Sandra know about it? How? I'd let everyone down, and there was nothing I could do.

The cold bites my bare arms and that night I sleep with tears running down my cheeks.