Learning to Bow

Jaha

When we pulled into the driveway I was still breathing semi-hastedly. Jack got out quickly and opened the door for me. James was already at the door when Jack helped lead me in the house.

"Who exactly was the man I was talking to?" I asked. Jack sat me down on a couch in the front living room.

"That was Jaha," James responded, "As you've probably guessed, he is the leader of the council. The eldest living Alpha." I nodded as Jack took a seat next to me. He put his hand on my back, an attempt to sooth me like before, but now that I was out of my hysterics I wasn't keen on allowing it any longer. I pushed his hand away gently.

"I'm fine," I told him. I turned back to James who stood in the doorway looking outside into the night. "Why did those people do that? They looked insane." I asked, my eyebrows knitted together. James sighed and turned to me.

"It was strange, I must admit," he said, "Jaha has the ability to give commands that cannot be disobeyed. For it to be used though at the Exordium. That kind of severe reaction is expected for known criminals, but you..." he trailed off.

Headlights shone in the window and I snapped my eyes to the driveway. The car parked and Cassidy came running up into the house.

"Did you figure out what was going on?" James asked her immediately as she walked through the door. She shook her head.

"We had to get out of there too. They started surrounding us. It was a disaster trying to get the kids out of there." she said. James' face looked grim. He turned to me suddenly and took several quick steps in my direction.

"Have you done anything, Ara?" he asked intensely, "Have you done anything to warrant this kind of reaction from the council?" I stared up at him in shock.

"Of course not!" Jack shouted. James stepped past him, a hand held up to silence Jack. He looked me very seriously in the eyes.

"Ara, can you think of anything you've done in the past that might have crossed the werewolf community?"

I thought about it, any event that could amount to this. I ignored the offense I felt, knowing that it was only logical to turn to me for an explanation. But nothing concrete came to mind.

"I was arrested once," I noted aloud, "for running away from my foster parents. I was 14 and I didn't make it far. They found me the same day," I said.

James shook his head. "No, it would have to do with something that would involve someone else, a wolf perhaps." I scoffed, irritated.

"I didn't even know werewolves existed, much less spent time picking enemies with them," I retorted.

"Well, you're picking enemies with them now," he said warily. I was confused.

"All I said was that my loyalty needed to be earned," I complained. "I could have said what I wanted to say, which was 'I'll never follow you freaks,'" I said angrily. Cassidy shot me a hurt expression. Jack placed a hand on my shoulder and I slapped it off violently. "No," I said, "Don't touch me."

Willow was standing in the doorway staring at me, a frown on her face. Bitterness settled in my stomach, and an annoying burning sensation in my throat alerted me that if I didn't get into my room very soon, they'd see me cry. I turned one last look at Jack, whose expression was a perfect mixture of concern and hurt, and took off running up the stairs and into my bedroom.

When I woke up the next morning, the sun had yet to rise. Cool air blew in from the window over my desk. I sat up and rubbed my eyes. After a quick yawn, I slid the window shut and changed into a light pair of jeans and a dark green blouse. I opened my door silently and made my way down the winding stairs and into the kitchen.