Imprint.

Fourteen

Bentley paced the dirt path in front of the house, his hands balled into fists at his sides. His hair was wet from the rain yet he made no attempt to move onto the porch and get dry.

Gage wouldn't let me leave the house. He told me it wasn't safe and if Carter was going to let Bentley come over and 'relax,' he needed to be sure I was safe. So I sat in the living room, on the couch, staring out the opened window.

The new girl was back at Carter's. He had her on house arrest, not allowing Bentley near her unless one of the others were there. He trusted Bentley but not his wolf instincts. I didn't blame him. I trusted all of them but there was no saying they wouldn't phase and kill me.

Bentley was a ball of nerves since the incident. He couldn't calm down enough to be around the girl for long. He was either pissed at himself for what he had done, depressed that he hurt her, angry that he'd phased in the first place, or stressed over what he was going to do about it all. But he didn't say any of this. He didn't have to. It was written all over his face and in his body language.

It also didn't help that he phased every couple hours.

"Are you going to go check on things?" I asked Gage through the window. I was dying to know how the girl was doing and since I couldn't physically go there, I had to go through Gage.

"I can't go without someone here with you and I'm not leaving you alone with Bentley."

Bentley glanced at us and hurt was written all over his face. He was frowning so deeply it looked permanent.

I frowned back. He probably felt like he was getting ganged up on. It wasn't fair to him. It also wasn't fair to the girl. She certainly didn't ask to be a werewolf.

"Noah could come over. Or Evan."

He looked down at me, his eyes narrowed. "I don't think so."

"Why not?"

He turned back to Bentley and kept his mouth shut.

I sighed. "Can't you phase and talk to Carter?"

"Maybe."

"Gage, I just want to know. I hate being left out of things."

"You're safer that way."

"No, I'm not. It makes me more curious and who knows what I'll do."

"Victoria-"

I reached for his hand and he tensed up. He relaxed as he held my gaze. "I can't stay here forever, you know."

"I'll talk to Carter."

"That wasn't so hard."

He narrowed his eyes.

"I'm starving. What should I make for dinner?"

"How can you eat at a time like this?"

I raised my eyebrows. "You're not hungry? I'm shocked."

"I just have a lot on my mind."

"You'll feel better and think better once you've eaten."

I was standing on the counter, looking through my cans of soup for something edible, when my cell phone started ringing.

I groaned and climbed down. Hopefully whoever it was would stay on the line until I answered the phone.

And they did. I got to the phone about five rings in and saw it was Carter calling me. I answered and put the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"How's it going?"

"Is he okay?"

"Hi to you, too. Yes, he's fine. Stressed out, as you know."

He sighed. "I hate that it happened this way for him."

"It's not like you could've done anything."

"Has he tried anything?"

"No. Same old Bentley. Gage is more worried than I am, honestly."

"That's the imprint working. He's more worried about you then Bentley right now."

"Do you think that will ever go away?"

"I'm sure with time it will. Anyway, I didn't call to chit chat. Audrey wants to see him."

"Audrey?"

"The girl. She's been asking for him for a while now. I figure he's not going to hurt her so we can relax."

"Did you get any sleep?"

"No, but I have eaten my body weight in pizza."

"Mom would be proud."

"Tell Gage that I want the three of you back here whenever you can."

"The three of us?"

"What, did you and Gage have plans?" There was a hint of amusement in his voice.

I rolled my eyes. "I thought I was still on house arrest."

"I don't want you staying the night here for a few more days but you can come over during the day."

"Something's better than nothing, I guess."

"I can bite you then you can stay over all you want."

"No, thanks." Being turned into a werewolf didn't bother me as much as the thought of Carter being my alpha did. He was already my older brother. He didn't need any more leverage over me.

"See you soon."