Fang

The sun was just beginning to set behind the trees, casting golden orange hues through the trunks. After a few moments by myself, I found my way back to my tent. I needed to leave as soon as I could. The alpha knew. Of course he did.

Connoway was standing outside my tent, expectantly waiting. A shit-eating grin spread across his face as soon as he saw me. 

As I neared, the smile slowly fell. "Is Beta Eren really that scary, Lennet? From the way he looks at you, I doubt he'd want to frighten you."

"What do you mean?" I pushed past him and entered my tent, but surprisingly my things were still in place. No offending smells met my nose. My tent had been left alone. 

"You reek of fear." Connoway stood at the flap of the tent. 

Slumping onto my broken cot, I placed my head between my hands, not responding to him. Everything began to click in place. A horrible realization settled in me. He'd known from the very beginning. 

Blackford knew. Kirch knew. Connoway knew. 

Quickly trying to mask my feelings from him, I gave him a small smile. "I'll be alright, I just remembered something. He didn't mean to, he just said something that brought up this memory of mine." I rubbed my shoulder, hoping he'd buy it. 

"I'll be outside if you need a friend." You were never my friend.

The flap of the tent closed, leaving me in its small space. My heart fluttered in my chest so loudly I was sure Connoway could hear. I could feel the panic beginning to settle into my bones. I took a deep breath and held it, repeating the process until my heartbeat slowed. I had to remain the image that everything was fine, and quietly slip back to MistFang. 

Why?

Calmly I tried to assess everything I'd learned, running through all of my experiences here. Everything began to make sense. 

Where I'm at with my training. Kirch's words echoed in my mind.

Strong blood in me. Regretting staying here. Stovall.

The scrutinizing eyes and tight lips of the pack. Did they all know? No. There's no way that everyone could know. Blackford didn't seem the type to let that spread too far. Connoway. I heard him sniffle outside, reminding me that he was still here. 

Biting down on my lip, I rummaged through the thin sheets, searching for my phone. Snatching it from the cot, I desperately began searching through my contacts for my uncle. The nerves were setting in again, forcing me to stand and pace. 

A notification for low battery popped up, the screen dimming slightly. At last I found his number, unsaved like the rest. Tapping the screen several times, I pressed the phone to my ear, still pacing in the small space provided. Everything was beginning to feel cramped. I was suffocating. 

The phone continued to dial, before finally sending me to his voicemail. 

"Fuck!" I whispered and flung the phone back to my bed after shutting the screen off. 

I had to keep pretending. Go to dinner and quietly slip away. 

After a few more minutes, I had myself under control. Steeling my emotions away, I changed my clothes. Slipping into some tight fitted pants and a heavy sweater. A chill had seeped in through the fabric of the tent with the coming darkness. 

I packed my things neatly back into its case, preparing for later. With a final deep breath I opened the flap. Connoway stood a few feet away in a mock show of giving me privacy. I knew better. If he was trained to smell and understand emotions, he could hear a lot farther than a few mere feet.