Rouge

Chapter Seven

“I do,” he said, voice almost as strong as the growling of his wolf. And it seemed he was a little annoyed, or upset, but Maren just couldn’t tell. He brought a hand to his face, pushing his hair back into what could have passed for a quiff if it hadn’t fallen out seconds later, as if it were in the way.

“How did you come across this place?” He questioned her, as if walking up a steep hill to safety was rocket science. Maybe to werewolves, it took a lot more for the brain to construct a simple string of directions.

Werewolves: half-humans susceptible to stupidity. Who'd have thought? Her wheels were spinning, the girl itching to answer with a smartass response as usual, but she was cautious enough to stop in her tracks, trying to find a way to answer the question without angering the man-wolf-thing. The werewolf.

“I was walking home. A man, he stopped near me on the road and I ran, stranger danger and all. He was…,” Maren stopped for a second, the fright shattering her hard exterior like a hammer to ice for a brief moment, before she saw Isaac’s face soften.

“He wasn’t someone a girl would want to be near her. I could hear… um… I could hear him unbuckling his belt and unzipping his pants, even though he was practically shouting at me to co…,” Maren didn’t continue, needing to flee the room, just hoping that Isaac wasn’t gonna be like the perverted man whom had undoubtedly wanted to rape the young girl. Whom had probably done so to young girls before, and only wanted to add another name to his ledger.

Isaac had placed a calloused hand on Maren’s arm before she had gotten the chance to run. He squeezed gently, comforting the girl, even though she was still very much cautious of him. He had no intentions of hurting her, he wanted to say, but a part of him was conflicted.

Maybe this is what it feels like, he thought, watching the auburn-haired human hold back tears, once again avoiding his eyes. All the while, Maren just wanted to go back home. Explaining herself to Isaac had – so far- been more emotional than she cared to admit, and it bothered her. It seemed her cared, even if they had only just met. Even if he was a complete dick, fueled by pushing people around.

“And after he chased you? What happened?”

“He didn’t chase me, just followed the sound of my breathing… as far as he could, until he could no longer see his car,” Maren muttered, squeezing the bridge of her nose. “He was angry. I was afraid he would come back, so I started to run away from the road. By the time I was sure he was gone, I walked back in that direction, but it was like… it was like I had made a complete turn. In the direction I had thought the road was in, was instead, the hill. I climbed it. Here I am.”

Isaac was silent, simmering, having heard her heart falter in a few spots, though he was unsure if they were moments of fear of the memory, or lies being spewed. He bit the inside of his cheek in frustration, not wanting to have an outburst pointed at the human, so he said nothing. He couldn’t ruin the opportunity to have her recognize some sort of feelings, forced by a bond or otherwise.

“Can I go now?” Maren asked.

Was she fucking serious?! Isaac just watched her, wanting to allow her the privilege of going home, despite the blatant irritation at her for making him regret ever trying to comfort her. Did she not appreciate his hospitality and his attempt to help her, or was she too afraid to get attached?

Maybe if he showed her the real him that had been hidden since his mother’s death, she wouldn’t mind coming back; maybe she want to return… for him. Sure, it was unlikely, but so was the chance of her being his mate, since neither of them had yet to feel any effects of the bond; but she was only a human.

“I feel like it’d be best for you to stay until you’re fully healed.”

Before she could complain or argue with Isaac, he continued.

“You’re don’t have to close yourself off to friends and family or anything, but I’d like to be certain that there isn’t any damage, whether that be emotionally or physically, etc. I’d be more comfortable not sending you back to your brother, only for him to find me and berate me over your condition, yeah?” Isaac was still sitting on the large couch, fingers moving aimlessly with those of his other hand. He seemed at ease almost, sitting in the room with her peacefully; but it seemed forced. He just wanted to reach forward to grab her hand or arm and hold her to him, like a dangerous, but passionate embrace.

“I don’t want to be here,” Maren whispered, eyes moving to the windows, which still seemed to be the easiest option, even if there was to be a large wolf-like beast denying her release. Maren could sense a heavy weight on her heart that resembled what she had heard a heartache had felt like, but she doubted this was it.

Isaac took in a sharp breath and clenched his jaw, eye blazing. He followed her gaze to the windows and did something that surprised the teen. Isaac stood and moved towards the door, opening it and moving aside.

“Go, then. But don’t expect m- us to be there when something happens. When that man returns and doesn’t return to his car. When he assaults you and rapes you…. I can’t help you if you’re not here,” Isaac grumbles the final sentence, eyes an icy blue with anger. He doesn’t miss a beat, storming out of the room without another word.

“I’m sorry.” Maren used the tip of her shoe to pull her shoes off, one at a time, before pulling her feet up onto the bed, knees supporting her heavy head. Perhaps it would be better for her to stay. She wasn’t feeling up to it, walking home or even to work. It’d be too much to ask Isaac or Michael for a ride, especially the former, since he was in a mood once again. No thanks to her. Elijah’d’ve certainly been busy, probably screwing Riley. Her parents hadn’t spoken to either of their children. Who else did she have? She had no way of contacting her Adonis.

Rubbing her arm to lessen the awkward feeling in her chest, Maren reached into her pocket, taking out her cell phone. She was perplexed by how many missed calls there were. One was from the library and two from an unknown number, which had also sent her a text.

Maren, wya?? Phone dead. Using Riley’s. Library called. U skipped work?? - Elijah

Maren let out an irritated groan. She was only meant to come in to get a so-called check-up from Harriet. It had been over two hours since then and the only thing that she had accomplished was partially mending the ‘relationship’ between her and Isaac, before proceeding to damage it just a bit more. The wound on her hand no longer hurt – although who’s to say that isn’t because she had so much more going on that she needed to worry about over pain. The teenager just wasn’t thinking about it enough to notice whether or not it actually hurt….

Maren was just about on the brink of sleep when she heard a knock on the door. After muttering a quiet ‘come in,’ she saw Michael’s head through the gap between the doorframe and the door. He was silent as he pushed the door open further, holding his phone up, screen facing her, the most recent iOS staring back at her, the messaging app on full display.

“Your brother is demanding I take you home,” he said, almost wanting to assure the girl – who seemed like a fragile flower in that moment – that she was safe. She looked to be wary of the lack of space between her and Michael, all the fighting between herself, Elijah, and Isaac having drained from her in the span of time at the Pack house.

The teen lifted her head from her knees, squinting her eyes to see the screen that was a few feet away. What Maren didn’t understand – since she noticed immediately – was why a message from her brother had come through Riley.

“How do you know Riley?”

Michael cocked his head with a grin, amused that the girl with the power of a Luna or even an Alpha wasn’t as smart as she had first seemed to be. “Riley’s my little sister.”

And like a bolt of lightning had hit her, Maren turned to look at Michael, concern on her face, plain as day. “Is she like you? Does Elijah know? Why is she always with him? Does it bother you that my brother is screwing your sister?”

Every question progressively turned the easygoing grin that had been on Michael’s face into a grimace of distaste. He had never wanted to maim someone so much. Fucking his little sister…. Surely they hadn’t taken the mate bond that far, right?

“Please stop talking about things like that….”