Bitten

Chapter Ten

It was close to close, and I was going around pouring the last pot of coffee for our customers. I fill Joe and Averys cups again, retirement must be nice if you can spend all day chatting in a diner. I really admired their love for each other.
"Layla, will you tell this old fart that if he keeps drinking coffee all the time I'm going to be a widow."
I chuckle as they both look up at me, winking at Avery I say, "I'll start giving him decaf." Joe crosses his arms over his chest pouting, "If I want to drown in coffee you better let me woman!" Avery and I laugh at him and I say, "We'll be closing soon guys, you better start the drive home."
Joe chuckles, "Honey were too old to drive, we walk. And pray for me if I don't hold her hand, my honey has been afraid of the dark for 54 years!" I smile at him, "You best hold her hand then Joe." I then turn, and start to walk back towards Carly. That is until someone grabs my forearm making me almost spill the coffee pot.
I look at the rude person to find Damien. My heart stops in my chest. "Don't look so scared love, sit, I just want to talk."
Carly gives me an 'are you okay' look and I simply nod back at her before taking a seat across from the man who tried to kill my friends.
"We haven't had a proper introduction. However, your friends make it pretty hard."
I narrow my eyes at him, "I bet they have a good reason. But they are not my friends anymore."
He nods, "That's what lying does to friendships. They don't even know why I want to talk to you, they are quite over protective without a reason to be."
I respond, "How did you know about them lying?" He laughs, and it was oddly attractive.
"I'm not an idiot Layla. I saw your face that night I came to see you. You were the only one confused."
That makes sense.
"You'll find I'm pretty straight forward, I don't like lying. Never have."
This is my one opportunity to get the truth. "What do you want with me, I'm seriously nothing special."
He rolls his eyes, "You might not be yet, but your future is bright. You're very special to me Layla, they want to burry your potential but I want the opposite. I want to help you."
I raise a brow at that, "How could you possibly help me, we don't even know each other."
"We know a lot more about eachother than you know. Aren't you tired of feeling helpless?"
Without a second thought I say, "Yes."
"I can teach you how to fight, how to defend yourself. Whether it be against them or me at least you won't feel helpless when the time comes."
That's when the question arises, "Do I need to be able to protect myself against you?"
He laughs slightly, "I'm no liar Layla. Yes, eventually you will. You might find that you need to defend yourself from a lot of angles. I don't much like an easy win."
"How do I know I can trust that this isn't some kind of a trap."
Once again he rolls his eyes, "Layla love, if I wanted to, I could kill everyone in here without breaking a sweat. I could have already ended you before you even sat down. I'm an Alpha dear, I may be young, but an Alpha none the less."
This is where I need to make a choice. Forgive my friends for what they put me through, or go with what seems to be the enemy.
"When do we start."
"Tomorrow after school. I'll meet you here."
With that he stands up slapping a one hundred dollar bill on the table, "Your tip." My eyes widen as he walks casually out of the diner. I then pick up the bill and stuff it into my pocket. That's when Joe and Avery stand in front of me.
"He sounds like bad news darlin', please be careful Id hate to see you hurt." I nod up at them and say, "That's why I'm doing this. I don't want to ever be hurt again."
Avery nods putting a hand on my shoulder, "There's a lot of secrets in this town, secrets that many people would like to keep 6 feet under." After she says that they go hand and hand out of the diner.
———
Sarah stops in front of my school about to let me out, but just as I go to grab the door handle she grabs my arm. "We need to talk tonight, I don't lie either, there is some things you need to know before you decide if you want to continue living with me." I nod at her and then she says, "Hurry up, don't be late, we can talk later."
I feel like everywhere I go there are secrets being kept. Maybe Avery was right.
Walking into history class I sigh plopping down in a random seat. Everyone walks in and per usual Kade and Caleb rush to sit next to me. It was quiet this morning.
A teacher I had never seen before walks in with a grin look.
"Hello everyone, my names Mrs. Tate, I'm sure many of you have heard of last night's tragedy. Today Mr. Hampton was pronounced dead after a long night in the hospital." I turn quickly to look at Kade, "What the hell happened?"
"Animal attack outside Whiskey fierce, around 9:55. We told you he was dangerous." He says pointedly. Damien was at the diner at that time last night there's no way it could have been him. I turn looking forward as the new teacher says, "Since I don't have his lesson plans and it's the last few days before you all graduate, I think it's safe to assume this as a free period."
Everyone starts whispering about Mr. Hampton's mysterious animal attack. That's when I see Nathan sitting in the corner farthest from me. I stand up and walk over to him sitting beside him.
"Layla I don't want to talk to you." I scoff at him and say, "I don't really fucking care. You're going to hear me out."
He looks up at me agitatedly and I continue, "I didn't just attack Will. I wanted him dead."
"Oh yeah that makes me feel so much better."
"It wasn't because I thought he was a wolf. He came to my uncles house drunk one night, and started talking about my parents and how my father was a murderer who didn't deserve a grave. I asked him what he was talking about, and he told me he dug up my fathers casket. Then he proceeded to tell me how he burnt the casket to the ground. He said he was tired of seeing me mourn him when he murdered my mother. I didn't try to stab him at all. But I threw my bedroom lamp at him. It shattered and a piece of glass got stuck in his chest.
He knew about my ptsd and told my uncle I had attacked him claiming he was a werewolf. He told him I was so deranged that I dug up my fathers grave and burned his body. That's when I got sent to Western Psych. Will moved away shortly after that."
Nathan looks up at me his eyes softening, "I'm so sorry Layla, I had no idea." I roll my eyes at him and say, "Yeah, that's why you should hear my side of the story before judging me. You know the person it actually happened to."
He runs his hand through his hair, "I should have listened to you Layla, I'm sorry."
I shrug, "Don't think this is me trying to get you back. I don't want to be with someone who is so quick to assume and judge me. I just thought I'd set the record straight." He looks guilty, but I don't care.
I walk back over to my seat and plop down. That was the first time I ever told someone my side. It felt good.
My small victory was ruined when Kade says, "We need to talk." I glare at him and reply, "No. We really don't."
"It's serious Layla."
I roll my eyes, "Then spit it out then! I don't know why you keep coming to me talking about we need to talk. If you're going to ignore the fact that I don't want to talk to you then just say what you need to say."
"You were adopted."
I turn around quickly, "What the fuck are you talking about?"
"Your parents names were Leah and Leon Vain."
"Atlas is practically my twin what are you talking about."
"Cousins. You're cousins born at the same time. Your mothers were twins. Atlas was born a wolf, you would have got the same genes except you didn't."
"Are my birth parents alive?"
Kade replies, "No. they died a couple of years back, animal attack." I shrug simply, "Then it doesn't matter."
His eyes widen, "Are you serious?"
"It doesn't really matter who my real parents are if they are all dead anyways."
"What happened to you Layla. You're so... Cold." I laugh at that, "Maybe that's what happens when the people closest to you let you believe you were a freak."
He simply stares back at me.