Hybrid

Voice of Reason

Maria's back hit the wall with such force that I could hear the disgusting sound of blood vessels rupturing. Her face remained stoic even as she lifted her eyes to meet her attacker. Tiana stood with her body in a tense anger, waiting to attack a second time. I shoved my way between the women for Tiana to look around me to speak.

"Fuck you."

"I thought you said you weren't interested in me like that," Maria said nonchalantly.

"We talked to your fucking dad and, turns out, you were telling the truth the entire damn time!"

Eyes peaked over to our area and quickly looked away after seeing Tiana's glare. A flash of guilt crossed her eyes and returned almost immediately to anger. The change was so sudden it's possible I imagined it.

"It's against my code as a hunter to hurt a human. Why didn't you make a bigger deal out of it?" Tiana's jaw ticked.

"I couldn't have changed your mind," Maria replied.

Tiana closed her eyes and took a deep breath, "It's my duty to formally apologize to you."

"Keep it. We had a nice time together." Maria's smile didn't seem sincere.

Tiana took her sour mood and walked away with it. Maria shrugged her shoulders like she was trying to relieve the tension in her back. Her hand snakes around her shoulder to rub the spot that hit the metal.

"That hurt like a bitch."

"How did you wait so long?" I asked.

"What?"

"You didn't even flinch."

"Oh yeah," Maria said in a bored tone, "Never let an enemy see your weakness and all."

I didn't think I'd be able to do the same as she had, mostly because I was a bitch when it came to physical pain. Isaac said I had a tendency to over exaggerate how much pain I was in, but what the fuck did he know? I could smell the pain on Maria, despite her not trying to show it.

"You should get your back looked at," I suggested.

"So the nurse can give me a bandaid for a bruise? I don't think so."

"Ice maybe?"

"Fuck ice. I've been shot."

I stopped in the middle of my tracks to evaluate what was just said. Maria, the woman considered to be the strongest wolf that ever lived, got shot and didn't complain once about how much it hurt. However, she did complain about this bruise, so I wasn't sure what she was capable of handling pain-wise as a human. Though, I knew in that moment that I would need to keep this woman by my side for as long as possible.

"I would like to bring you into the pack as a consultant."

"Huh?" Maria didn't seem to register what I asked.

"You know more than anyone about what it takes to lead a pack, and it doesn't hurt that they used to belong to you. I need your help," I admit.

"They don't want me around." Maria's face fell.

"That's not up to them now is it?"

Maria didn't give me an answer, but I was willing to wait. Her emotional front had disappeared though. She plopped into her chair and played with the placement of her items on her desk like it mattered. The teacher decided to stop in front of her desk and wait for her to finish.

"You've been gone quite some time little lady," The teacher scolded.

"I was sick."

"Do you have a doctor's note?"