Merely Human

Chapter 12

“Meet me by the tree when you’re done with class.” Jason told me his usual parting words before kissing me on the cheek and leaving.

It had been a day since the intruder scare and we had yet to hear from Caden or Ben about the neighboring pack’s knowledge on him. I didn’t mind Jason’s over-protective attitude any more and actually found it exceedingly comforting. He slept in my bed again last night. Neither of us had needed to say anything, he just seemed to need to have me in his sight as much as I had needed someone to be there for me.

I walked into class and sat myself down in my usual chair, waiting for Trish to show up for the one class we shared. I looked up in shock when instead of one person sitting next to me, two came over; Trish and Nicole sat down on either side of me, laughing at something.

“Look who I found.” Trish told me with a smile.

“I never realized that we were in this class together!” Nicole said gleefully.

“Me neither.” I agreed.

“So Ben got back from the Alpha Ford’s territory early this morning and so Caden wanted to meet with you all. He’s giving you and two other people permission to come on to our land to see him at his house and talk about this at 7 tonight, but you can’t have more then one vampire come. He doesn’t trust you to that extent.”

“Tell him Jason and Andrés will go with her.” Trish hurriedly answered.

“All right.” Nicole nodded. “So… you and Jason, huh?” she nudged me with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows.

“Oh shut up.” I blushed.

Nicole laughed. “I’m just teasing you. But I am a bit surprised, he seems completely devoted to you! You have to tell me your secret…” she trailed off slightly as if cutting herself off.

I tried to ignore the fluttering at the sound of any potential trouble between her and Caden and refused the curiosity inside of me that was burning to ask her about it, but then found that Trish was way ahead of me and not as shy about barging into other people’s business.

“You and Caden aren’t having any troubles, are you?” she asked.

Nicole grimaced. “He’s just been a bit distant recently. For a couple of weeks now, actually. He’s always been the biggest sweetheart, and I know that you might have some trouble believing me because of your history with him, Trish, but he’s a good man and a good leader. He just was raised to believe a certain way and it’s affected him since.”

Trish’s face had hardened slightly at the mention of their relationship. “You don’t believe that messed up view that everyone is inferior to you?” she challenged.

Nicole shook her head. “Caden doesn’t know this, but my father was actually human.”

“What?” Trish and I both exclaimed, before realizing how loud we were and looking around anxiously as Nicole shushed us.

“Before my mother and I joined this pack we lived somewhere else. My father died of cancer and we decided we needed a fresh start in a new pack so we came here.”

“I’m so sorry.” I told her, truly feeling sympathy for her.

“Thank you.” She smiled. “But it’s okay, it was a long time ago.”

We continued talking for a bit, our conversation turning a lot less serious and more jokey as we teased Trish about Andrés for a while until the teacher walked in. After class was over, I said a parting to the two of them and went off to the café before my next class. I went and ordered a coffee, but a hand held out money before I could pay for it. I looked up to find Caden standing next to me.