Beating Heart

Chapter 6

Narrator's POV

Seth was sprawled on the couch of the living room farthest away from everyone in the building. Through the clear crystal window to his left he could see all the pups playing outside. On the other side of the field, were the young wolves, all training.

Inside this living room he could watch it all like a muted movie. He had to admit the view outside was by far more interesting than the horrible TV he'd found while flicking through the channels since he got back from talking to Ana. Ever since that morning their discussion had been swimming back and forth inside Seth's head.

When Ana finally called him over and they'd stepped away from her friends to talk he hadn't expected her to react quite so violently.

With force he forgot she had, Ana shoved him into the scratchy brick wall of the high school, "What do you want?"

He pushed her away gently with a surprised look on his face; it still amazed him how strong she was. It confused him too, but it amazed him more. He grabbed her wrists that were so thin and felt so breakable. Seth immediately softened his grip on them when he saw Ana wince. Looking down he saw the bandages peeking from underneath her denim jacket. Of course, he'd already hurt her there.

Despite her pain and through it all Ana kept showing her annoyance and anger on her face, not holding any emotions back.

"I want to talk!" Seth whined, looking deep into her eyes hoping she could understand he hadn't come here to fight with her.

Instead of the softening, kind look he had imagined her wearing when he said that Ana only chuckled, an acid and emotionless sound, "Says the guy about to break my arms, who is also on the verge of shifting in the middle of a school full of kids"

Seth looked down at his hands and released Ana as if she were a live wire and had shocked him. His hands were trembling; he tried to breathe deeply, calming his wolf.

She's here. She's right here.

"I'm sorry" he mumbled and backed away from her, defeated. When he opened his eyes again and much to his surprise, Ana's look had softened significantly.

"Yeah. Me too. I'm sorry, too" she muttered slowly, looking at the ground. "I did knock you out to the other side of the room," she laughed softly.

When she looked up at him through her lashes with that same shy smile she used on every one of her victims Seth had to laugh. She looked exactly like when she apologized about something that she was secretly proud of when they'd been kids.

"It was probably my fault, though" he admitted, "maybe if I hadn't sprung that on you like that it all could have gone differently"

"Yeah. I wouldn't use the word 'sprung' though, more like 'tackled' or 'assaulted'" she nodded with sarcasm.

Sethe chuckled half-heartedly, hurt and shame radiating through him at the truth in her words.

He should tell her. If this was going to work at some point it might as well not be built on top of lies, right? I need to tell her.

"I have something to tell you," he said gravely, but Ana didn't seem to notice.

"Yeah? I was thinking maybe we should start out as friends. You know take that slow, and--"

"I told the Council" he spat.

It took a few moments for Ana to react.

"What?" she seemed confused at first as to what exactly he'd told the council. Soon enough though, understanding swam in her eyes. "You did what?" she growled.