Behind Enemy Lines

Chapter 10

CHAPTER 10

"Arleigh!" Hayden shouted over the phone.

Backing out of the parking spot, the rogue fell off but he immediately shifted and growled. Peeling out of the lot, he continued to chase me.

Putting the phone on speaker, I finally told him what was going on, "There was a rogue at the mall and he's following us right now."

I heard him swear, "Is Olivia okay? Are you?"

"We're both fine," I informed him, "At least for now."

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He exclaimed.

"Just talk to Olivia," I passed the phone to her and slammed on the brakes, the rogue circling the car.

Yanking my shirt off and tugging my jeans, I spoke out loud so both of the Cross' could hear me, "I'm shifting to fight him off, we're at the edge of the territory."

He shouted, "Arleigh, stay in the car!"

Like hell.

Opening my door, I jumped out and shifted mid-air, my hind legs closing the door in the process.

The rogue growled at me, ready to pounce and his eyes black. Growling back, I readied myself. He sprung, claws outstretched. Jumping to the side, I dodged and raked my own nails down his side. He whimpered before snarling.

Baring my canines, I leaped and scratched half of his face. He fell and I pinned him down. Clamping my jaw on his neck, I bit down and with one final whimper, he fell-- dead.

A black car, the same model as the one Olivia and I were in, pulled up and Hayden ran out. Nodding my head towards the car, he ran over and pulled out Olivia who was still staring at me in awe.

Opening the driver's door, he grabbed my clothes and tossed them to me.

I sauntered over to the side of the red and shifted back behind a tree, pulling my clothes back on. Jogging out, I was enveloped in a bone-crushing hug.

"Are you alright?" Hayden mumbled.

Nodding, I pulled away, "I'm fine. Although, patrol seemed to screw up considering that rogue was in the mall."

Hayden growled and marched over to the other car, where Gemma and Chad were heaving the rogue's body into the trunk.

I couldn't hear what he was saying, but judging by their reactions, it wasn't good.

He marched back over and placed Olivia in the car, shoving me a little roughly in the passenger's seat. Silently and moodily, he drove us home.

Pulling into the garage, he immediately shut the door and I rolled my eyes, climbing out of the car. Opening Olivia's door, I took her and led her inside and up to her room.

"So did you have fun today?" I question as I brush through her hair.

She hummed, "Mhm."

"Good," I kept my response short and she accepted that. I ran the comb through her hair while she did the same for her doll with a miniature brush.

Setting the brush down on her vanity counter, I frowned slightly. How was she not freaking out right now? I mean, we were just attacked by a rogue the first time in years she's allowed out of the house.

It was my fault. Of course it was my fault.

Her door opened and Gemma walked in, half of her face red, as if healing a wound.

Now I was full frowning, "Gemma, what happened?"

"Nothing," she rubbed her cheek, "Alpha Hayden just lashed out, is all."

"That's all?" I asked in disbelief, my eyes wide. I shook my head and let out a bitter laugh. "He had no right to do that, Gemma."

"Arleigh, don't--" she started but I cut her off by slamming Olivia's door behind me and storming downstairs.

Hayden sat in an armchair, a glass of scotch almost empty in his hand. His eyes were glassy and I glared at the sight.

"What?" His voice was low and monotone.

I pursed my lips, "You hit Gemma. Why?"

"She was in the wrong place at the wrong time," he shrugs, gruffly speaking.

Scoffing, I placed my hands on my hips, "That's complete BS, Hayden Cross and you know it."

"That's the thing," he stood up, shaking his head, "maybe I don't know it."

With that, he left me and went into his office. Huffing, I stormed back up the stairs and into his room, flopping onto the bed, feeling very confused.

Why was this so complicated?

*

Round and round and clockwise. I watched as the fan continued circles on the ceiling. I was still lying on the bed, staring up. I had already set a personal record for amount of time lying still and not sleeping; a whole two hours. 

I had heard Hayden leave, but I still refused to get up. My brain was too busy mulling over the fact that he had hit Gemma. He had actually physically hurt her and that's not okay. It wasn't right and it will never be right. 

A knock on the door pulled me out of my reverie and I turned my head towards it, "Come in." 

Gemma walked in, a small smile on her face, "Hi." 

Any signs of him hitting her were long gone, but the image of her bruise was still imprinted on my mind. 

"Hi," I mumbled back before turning back up to watch the fan's countless rotations. 

She sighed and sat on the bed next to me, wringing her hands as if nervous or trying to think of what she wanted to say  to me. I couldn't even keep up with the fan's rotations. 1... 3... 7... It was going by too fast-- just like my life as of recently. 

"Arleigh listen," Gemma started, "I know that what Hayden did was wrong, and cruel and deeply messed up, but you have to understand he was freaking out about you and Olivia. He thought he almost lost you, he wanted to be the one to take that rogue down and to take his anger out on that, but you beat him to it and he had no other way to let out his emotions. I'm not defending his actions, I'm just letting you know that there's an actual reason behind them." 

I didn't respond and to be honest I didn't really know how to respond to something like that. 

"Okay," She muttered to herself, "I've said my piece. I'll go now." 

My brain was telling me to stop her, that she was my only friend here and she probably thinks I never wanted to speak to her again. That wasn't the case, no, it was just the fact that I was trying to process what she said and appear like it didn't matter to me all at once. 

But I killed the rogue, and Hayden had no one to take his anger out on but Gemma. Because of my actions, Gemma got hurt. 

I didn't deserve a friend like her. 

"Gemma, wait!" I called out, bolting upright just as she was about to leave the room. 

She turned back around, a hopeful expression so obvious on her face, "Yeah?" 

"Any chance we could just hang out?" I offered meekly, shrugging. 

Grinning, she nodded, "Of course!" 

Smiling a little, I stood up and went down to the kitchen with Gemma. She pulled out a box of brownie mix and gave me a devious grin, "How about some brownies?" 

Nodding frantically, I snatched the box from her, "Heck yes."