Evaporate

chapter twenty-two.

Thalia's POV

I dismiss my very last class five minutes early and pack up the last of my stuff. Summer has finally begun!

I quickly load everything into the car and my excitement to go home and see my boys only grows with each passing minute. I set the two small boxes inside the trunk of my car as I'm approached by a tall, muscular man with elbow length dreads.

"Hello, sweetheart." He smiles, a hint of an accent on his words. I politely smile and shut the trunk.

"Hello." I look at him as he extends his hand.

"My name is Darrell and I've recently accepted a position here as an English teacher." I shake his hand and nod. He just filled the position I left open.

"Nice to meet you, Darrell, I'm Thalia." I pull away. "I'm afraid I must be on my way, I'm expected somewhere." He nods, smiling.

"Of course. I look forward to making your acquaintance." He slowly bows, never breaking eye contact. Something in his eyes shines and it sends shivers up my spine. I quickly get in the car, unable to shake the feeling that I know him. But from where?

"Me too." I mutter before starting and locking the car. I start to pull out of the parking spot and drive out of the parking lot. Every time I glance, back, he's still staring and I feel unnerved with the intensity of his stare. He never once even stood up from the bow.

I drive the familiar path to Jean's house. We've been meaning to hang out anyway, so I'll just drop by. Grayson won't mind. She's part of his pack anyway.

I knock on Jean's familiar, yet strangely painted, door and wait for her to answer. The door opens and her features light up when she realizes it's me.

"Thalia!" She hugs me tightly and pulls me in. "Finally!"

I laugh and come in, temporarily forgetting my worries. "You will not believe how life is going."

"Let me make you some iced tea so we can spill everything." She smiles and heads to the kitchen. I try to gather my thoughts and attempt to find where to properly start.

After she brings me a glass of iced tea and we sit down, I tell her the story from nearly three weeks ago. I tell her everything, from how I would overhear the terms that I thought were science to when Theo turned into a puff ball with teeth. 

Then I tell her about the weird guy in the parking lot. Darrell.

"He just walked up, introduced himself and tried to talk." I pause. "Then he said he couldn't wait to make my acquaintance." I bite my lip,  "And he bowed and watched me leave."

"What was his name?" She asks, uncertainty in her voice. I sigh and rub my face.

"Darrell." Her eyes widen the second I speak and she rushes out of her seat.

"Go home to Grayson, now, I already mind linked him." She rushes me to the door. "Tell him every single detail."

I start to freak out but do as told. Twelve minutes and 28 nerve wracking seconds later, I park and Grayson's already waiting outside the apartment for me.  I head straight towards him, not bothering to get my stuff from the trunk. I just needed to go inside and be with with my---

My mind stops. What is Grayson to me? He hasn't asked me to be his girlfriend and much less to marry him. Either way, I don't have time to think about it, I just want him and Theo.

"Baby, what happened?" He asks, locking the door behind us. "I need to know everything. Every. Single. Detail."

"Why does this have to concern everyone?" I huff, "It's scaring me because I don't know why everyone wants to know." I admit and start to head upstairs, where I can hear Theo playing with his toys.

"Because," He sighs and stops me, turning me to face him. "The pack is in danger and this man could be the worst part of it."

I raise a brow. "How so?" My voice falters at the end. Why hasn't he mentioned this?!

"He's the leader of a pack that is hunting ours." He sighs, letting his eyes fall. It all begins to make sense and I realize why Darrell seemed even slightly familiar.

"And it's our fault, isn't it?" I ask, horrified. Grayson shakes his head, he won't meet my eyes. He's lying.

"No, no," He sighs, "Well... Sort of... How did you know?" He finally meets my eyes and he begins to search them for any emotion, other than anger and disbelief, but they're the only ones there.

"He's from our trip to Jamaica, isn't he?" My mind swirls and I suddenly feel angrier. He looks down and I groan. "Answer me!" I demand.

He sighs and looks up, "Yeah..." I roll my eyes angrily.

"It was your stupid little protection gig wasn't it?" I start to stomp up the stairs. "We didn't need it anyway!"

"Don't blame me for wanting to protect you!" He bellows as we get to Theo's room and our son looks horrified to see us fighting for the third time in 2 months. I sigh.

"We won't fight in front of Theo. We'll talk later." I whisper and walk to Theo, apologizing.

Darrell hunting Grayson's pack is my fault.