Under A Latent Moon (A Werewolf Tale)

Chapter 15

Bailey laughed manically. "Ha! Go suck a dick, Cam."

The steady blush heated Harley's cheeks like a burner left on low. Bailey loved competition--that much had become obvious the second the group began playing video games--but so did Cam. The two had been smack talking for the past two hours--while one wasn't insulting the other's mom, the other threatened body parts.

They had been playing a game--Mortal Kombat?--ever since they walked through the door. The rule was, any time someone lost, that person had to give up their controller since the game was geared for two players. Both Harley and Jamie, not as into video games, had decided to sit out on this one. Which was fine. Harley liked to watch, though the rather graphic ways the characters died left her a little squeamish. Seeing someone rip the spinal cord from another character, freeze them, then shatter them into frozen chunks with their own spine would make anyone nauseous. Right?

"Who's next?" Bailey turned to the group sitting on Will's long grey U-shaped couch.

Ben, beside Harley, rubbed the back of his head. "I guess that's me."

"Bring it on, little one."

Ben snatched the controller from his older brother and muttered something about not being that much younger, but Bailey, sitting cross legged near Will's rather large flat screen, either didn't hear him or didn't care.

"Harley?" Will peered over at her from across the couch. "You sure you don't want a turn?"

When they'd made themselves at home in Will's nice grey-toned living room, Harley had decided to go the safer route and chose a spot all the way at the other end of the couch on the reclining section. Ben sat dutifully next to her with one of his kind grins. Meanwhile, Jamie put herself at a very close spot next to Will on the other side, her shoulder plastered onto Will's.

She'd desperately tried to keep her attention on Bailey and her uninterrupted winning streak. But then she'd catch Will's deep green v-neck shirt and dark jeans and have to remind herself of all the reasons why liking Will was a bad idea.

The biggest reason: Jamie's glares and pointed looks were brutally turned in her direction.

She could practically feel the threatening demeanor Jamie cast in her direction since the moment she'd joined up on the event. Maybe Harley should've just stayed home. At least her books didn't promise her any more danger than a nasty paper cut.

"I'm okay." She said, "I think I'll just watch."

On her right, Ben leaned in closer, the warmth of his body a hot press to her side. Despite being tucked abnormally close into Ben, Harley didn't feel the urge to squirm away. If it were anyone else, she'd find a way to maintain distance. With Ben, there wasn't any awkwardness.

"That's okay, I'll beat Bailey for the both of us."

Bailey scoffed, "As if."

"Just because I'm an Omega doesn't mean I can't kick your ass." Ben said, then cringed as Bailey's character threw him across the screen.

Omega? None of the others reacted to the word. In all her life living with packs, she'd never come across the term. Did it stand for something? Or was it an inside joke?

"Come on, Ben." Bailey tapped away at buttons. "I know you're better than this. Give me a real challenge."

"I'm trying, damn it." Ben's button tapping came faster than Bailey's as he tried to escape her hold.

"So Will," Jamie broke in, "Dad says you snagged one of those rogues during your trip. You think he'll give you much?"

Harley barely flinched. He'd actually got one of them? But...but he told her nothing really happened. Why did Jamie get to know? Who was she kidding, of course Jamie knew. As the Alpha's daughter, she was important to the pack. Already, the list stacked in her favor. She wasn't some quiet, boring orphan with anxiety issues.