Obey.

16

Hayley

Today was the day. It had been tense for me all morning, it felt as if I were on the verge of getting a beating as Hunters mood did a nosedive. Any sudden movement from him caused me to flinch, like when he would reach up to comb his hair back. Surely he would find a way to blame me and beat the crap out of me. It was practical with him. So my eyes and focused stayed glued on his hands and his expressions.
But finally I made it through the day without being pulled into a closet to berate and smacked around.
Hunter walked me to the library and when we were in front of Cayden, he gave me a very deep and long kiss, his tongue swirling around mine. And then finally he was gone, giving one last smirk to Cayden, before he left. It made me feel sick and embarrassed. Like property.
After school he had to tend to pack duties so it was the perfect escape. He wouldn't be able to hang around and spy on us even if he wanted to. And he couldn't send another pact member to do it while a meeting was being called. One thing his family did care about other than money, was the pact and being in charge. Hunter would never ruin it in fear of being disowned.
"Cayden," I whispered with a smile as I sat down, pulling my hair out of the ponytail, Hunter made me wear, so the large hickies he gave me were visible.
Instead, I let my wavy hair fall down covering up most of the bruises.
Today, I was wearing a gray long sleeved shirt with black skinny jeans. Simple.
"I'm so happy to see you," he said simply, wearing his usual, white T-shirt and faded jeans. For his part he pretended not to see the hickies. Or mention the exaggerated make out scene.
"Same." We shared another smile.
what am I doing? What's wrong with me? Smiling at another male? That's grounds for a bone break.
My heart sped up as he reached out and grabbed my hand gently. I nearly jumped out of my skin, having another person touching me, other than Hunter. It had been so long it felt like. Instantly, and feeling uncomfortable, I snatched my hand back and cleared my throat. His hand had felt warm and it was nice, even for a second. But it caused a bundle of nerves to build up inside of me.
"Why are you with him?" He boldly asked as his eyes intently watched me. "Watching you guys. It feels like he controls your every move. And to be honest, it's like everyone here, human or were is afraid to even speak to you because of him." He looked as if it had been bothering him for a while as if I were one mystery he needed to solve.
I shook my head, feeling slightly disgusted. "I love him. And stop watching," I raised an eyebrow at him. "Besides I don't want to talk about him." Venom seemed to drip from my voice. I was shocked to hear it and how easy it came when it wasn't Hunter who was sitting in front of me.
He nodded slowly. "So let's talk about you."
That instantly made my tense muscles start to relax. But it made my mind go blank. Me? What was there even to talk about? Sometimes I went to school, then I went home. Nothing else.
"What do you want to know?" The real question was what was I willing to share with a stranger. What if Hunter got him mad and he yelled that "that's why your girl was flirting with me in the library!" As revenge words not knowing it could get me killed.
"What's your favorite color?"
I laughed at the simple question. "I don't even know."
"What c'mon, what color do you mostly wear?"
"Uh black?" I indicated to my outfit.
He shook his head and laughed, "What's your favorite song?"
My mind went completely blank yet again. Great, I'm such a bore. But I didn't have a favorite anything. Music made me feel too deeply so I mostly ignored it when I could. There was nothing that brought me joy. Only sorrow. I lived a low vibrations life style.
I wore designer clothes, lived in mansion, drank and did drugs more than the average person my age and besides the beatings and forced sex, that pretty much summed up my life. There was literally nothing else going on. Shopping maybe? Escaping reality by reading books?
"I mean, I'm not sure, I like that music with all the beats. No lyrics," I shuddered, the power of a good song with lyrics that sung to your soul was way too dangerous to risk listening to while depressed.
"Why?"
Shrugging, I asked, "well, what's your favorite color? Your favorite song?"
"Blue and -"
"Oh c'mon blue?" I cut in. "That's so basic! I didn't know we had yet another basic bro here at school, what's next? Gonna tell me you see axe spray as an acceptable form of shower?"
"Hey!" He pretended to be hurt as he brought a hand to his heart. "At least I have favorites here, you're not giving me anything to work with."
"At least I'm being honest," I rolled my eyes as I looked at him. "I bet you couldn't give me one good reason why you love the color blue?" I raised an eyebrow at him in question, or at least attempted to do so as I wasn't the best at that, maybe it quirked up just a little higher than the other.
Cayden opened his mouth to reply, seemed to think about it and let his shoulders sag. "You're actually right dude," he said in defeat as he gave me a sheepish grin.
A laugh escaped my lips and it felt odd to hear that noise come from myself. Suddenly my smiled dropped as I looked over my shoulder, looking around to make sure no one was witnessing the moment we were having.
Laughing with another boy? Oh yeah, I would be swimming with the fishes sooner rather than later if I wasn't careful.
"Okay so I do have favorites actually," I announced turning back to him, watching in amusement as he perked up in his chair, leaning forward on the tables on his elbows. "My favorite food is supreme pizza with thin straight cut fries on the side," my stomach growled as I thought of it, not having eaten any greasy food in a very long time.
Mostly it was shakes, variety of nuts, smoothies and vitamins and supplements. Or bowls of either cut up fruit and veggies. Or salads whenever we would go out to eat.
Maybe even those triangle cold cut mini sandwiches at his friends parents elegant parties, at those events I ate so many sandwiches until I was so full I felt like vomiting but it was totally worth actually feeling full.
If it were up to me, I'd pig out all day everyday. Burgers, donuts, chicken wings and pasta with rolls. My stomach growled again and Cayden smirked.
"Ok good to know," he jumped up, pushing a few pieces of paper towards me. "Do this work until I get back. Give me a few minutes." And he rushed off before I could call after him in confusion, my eyebrows drawn together as I watched him disappear around the corner. The library suddenly seemed super quiet and I had a feeling someone would forget I was here and turn off all the lights.
Looking down at my school work, I slowly started working on the assignments. Very slowly. If I finished the work too quickly, then I would lose this only time of freedom away from Hunter.
Sitting in silence, I went over the small convo Cayden and I just had. It was hard for me to answer most his questions as I had forgotten what my interest were. Being with Hunter for two years it was like I had been consumed with him ever since. And only about what he liked or wanted to do and making sure to keep him content and happy.
"Tah dah!" Cayden exclaimed, a few worksheets later, causing me to look up and realize he was holding a pizza box and a baggie in his hands. My mouth dropped open in shock as he placed the beautiful smelling pizza in front  of me, opening the box lid. "Sorry it took so long, had to go to two different places to get both. More pizza places really should sell fries."
It was the greatest thing ever, and it touched me in a place I hadn't felt anything but fear in awhile.
"You," I trailed off as he opened the baggie and pulled out napkins and a small bag of fries. He passed both to me.
"I figured I'd better feed you before your stomachs starts yelling over me," he joked as I was at a lost for words. He even got a supreme. Real, delicious food, right in front of me. Not just a bowl of fruit or a bullshit salad. Suddenly as I looked down at the carton of fries, my vision blurred and my hands started to shake.
"Whoa, hey you okay?" Cayden's dark eyes flashes in concern and I realized I had began to cry.
"I'm sorry, I don't know what's wrong with me," I gave a nervous laugh as I reached down taking one small fry, delicately ate it as if I wasn't completed starved and ready to dump the whole box into my mouth in one go. "This...it's very sweet of you," I finally choked out as I reached for a slice. The aroma causing my stomach to practically snarl.
"It's nothing, I'm sure your used to it." Oh right, he saw me driving the Mercedes and probably thought I had it all. But all the jewelry in the world wouldn't spark joy inside of me, like the way this supreme pizza with a side of fries did.
Looking at him as he settled into his seat, he leaned back, putting his hands behind his head as he watched me eat. Suddenly, I felt super self conscious.
Would he be disgusted now that he's seen me eat? Wishing he never bothered?
"Please, have some," I pushed the box of pizza towards him. "I can't eat this all."
He grinned, and picked up a slice. "Okay, so next invasive question." I was glad he had stopped staring at me so intensely as he focused on his own pizza. He looked at me like I was a puzzle he was trying to solve and I was one puzzle that didn't need to be solved. I'd die of embarrassment if he ever found out the truth of my home life.
"Oh boy, what now?" I teased. He grinned as he took a big bite of his pizza, grease smearing his lips.
"Do you have siblings?"
"Nope, you?"
"Na, only me. I live with my dad," he said picking off a topping here and there off his slice. "We don't belong to a pack anymore actually."
I placed down my pizza, reaching over to place my hand on his wrist as his tone had suddenly sounded... sad.
And then snatching my hand back quickly as I realized my hands were still greasy.
Hunter would have backhanded me out of my seat for that move, I held my breath and stared down at the table as my body seemed to vibrate.
You stupid bitch, you can't do anything right! This is why you're not allowed real food you're so disgusting.
"I'm so sorry for touching you with dirty hands, ugh I'm so gross," I quickly wiped them down with the napkins, eyes casted down and shoulders tense as I waited for a hit surely to come. I could picture it already, him standing up and kicking me out of my chair, standing over me with a sneer as I laid on the floor looking up at him, hoping he'd stop but knowing the kicks would keep coming until deep dark bruises painted on my ribs and until I was a sobbing mess begging for forgiveness.
"Hey," he reached out with his warm hand and placed it over my shaking one. "It's just a little pizza grease, I'm sure my delicate skin will be fine." He grinned when I looked over into his face, my eyes locked with his.
And suddenly the fear seemed to evaporate from me as I began to relax and gave him a smile. "So what about your parents?" He asked me, leaning back into his seat, changing the subject quickly, probably for my benefit as my cheeks were now blood red in embarrassment. I had made a totally fool out of myself, shaking and flinching for nothing.
"Oh," I looked down. "Both dead for years now. Pack accident." Aka slaughtered by their own pack for having an abomination aka me.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Who do you live with now?"
I gulped at his question. Oh geez here it goes. Should I lie?
"I lived in the foster system. Until I met Hunter. Er, um, now I live at his house," I finished, grabbing a hand full of fries and shoving them into my mouth to keep from having to say more. No longer concerned about how I ate when clearly Cayden was making a full blown mess on his end, pizza sauce dropping onto his white shirt and grease coating his fingers.
"That sucks you have to live with him," he said after finishing chewing.
I automatically went on defense at his words, not knowing why.
"You were at the party, you saw his house. Not exactly what I would describe as sucking." I winced at my tone that came out harsher than I meant. And how it would sound. But I'd rather he saw me as an spoiled brat than someone to pity.
If he started to look at me like the victim I truly was, then I'd lose it. I didn't want that.
"But what if you wanted to breakup? Wouldn't you feel trapped in the relationship to keep a place you call home? You should have your own place."
He had no idea. There was no option like that for me. Even if I wanted it, had planned it a year ago, to become emancipated and get government help to start off at my own place and get my own job. But then when I put the plan in motion and tried to leave Hunter... well it didn't go my way.
"Sounds lovely, but Hunter and I are never breaking up," I couldn't help the bitterness that crept into my tone. Clearing my throat I tried again, "we are in love. Madly, deeply in love."
Wow how convincing. Please never become an actress. Or politician.
"Oh yeah?" he said with a raised eyebrow, and it made my cheeks instantly burn.
"Yeah," I said tightly, feeling as if I were being choked.
"Huh," and now he was studying my face as I started to sweat. Had I said too much? Would he think I was just a gold digger? An opportunist? With Hunter only for his belongings?  Or worse, would he see what no one else did? The torment I was in? What if he started asking the real questions? The hard ones?
I felt extremely uncomfortable as Cayden continued to look at me as if I were a riddle he needed to work out.
"If ever you need a break away from him, you're always welcomed to my home. It's no mansion, it's not even a house, but it's comfy and drama free." He said with a shrug. "You saved my number?"
His words caused me to look around, making sure once again no one was in the library with us.
"You keep looking around as if you're ready for a camera crew or a swat team to come busting through," he noticed.
"Yes, I saved your number," I simply said not acknowledging his comment.
"Good. Use it. Seriously. You can have my bedroom I wouldn't mind sleeping on the sofa for a couple days."
Suddenly, I was suspicious of his motives. Hunter warned me another alpha wolf could sense my weak wolf and would take advantage. And I knew from experience that people could be super sweet and thoughtful acting one moment and turn cold the next. It was the only reason people were kind and gave favors. He wanted something from me. Same as when Hunter used to shower me with gifts and treats. Suddenly, I no longer felt hungry.
Shoving away the food, I felt sick. "It's almost five. I should go before-" before Hunter came to collect me and saw the food. Before Cayden's kindness made me believe he was being genuine and not just trying to get into my pants and hold me hostage in his home. Why trade one for the other?
"Look," Cayden stood up when I did. "I'm not trying to creep you out. I just want you to know you have options, I respect your relationship, I really do. I'm trying to be a friend here, even perfect relationships have fights, I guess you can always stay down the hall but sometimes it's nice to have a break? I just hope we can be friends."
I paused for a long time before nodding. I felt like it was deja vu from our little car ride conversation.
"Just friends," he smiled at my words but I wasn't. "But the moment I feel like you're fucking with me for your own personal gain, it's going to be a problem," me and him both were shocked at my strong tone, me having not made a threat against anyone since being with Hunter. But I couldn't take anymore evil entities in my life. One was plenty enough. And if I had to use that one evil person to take out the other if he was messing with me. Then I would. In a heartbeat. A normal person would have been annoyed maybe upset with how I came off but Cayden looked happy, almost proud? That I got snippy with him.
Cayden gave me a half grin as he looked up at me through his eyelashes, "you won't have to worry about me. I hope to see you tomorrow."