The White Wolf (2020)

Chapter Twenty-Three

SYDNEY

The abrupt sound of the door striking against the wall jolted Sydney from her seated position on her bed where the door wasn't in sight. She got ready to berate Aaron for interrupting her and was already mentally formulating her script for scolding him on behalf of Rachel for trying to damage the house, but then the tension that coiled in Jay's form immediately alerted her that it wasn't her older brother.

Nervousness and embarrassment flooded her body realizing the only person, other than the real enemy of Elliot, that could probably get a rise out of Jay was either Mat or Logan. Of the two Sydney knew which was more than likely to make an unannounced appearance at her house.

Immediately going into action, she shoved her blankets off, trying not to get tangled as she went to jump out and in between the two of them.

"Mat," she began to acclaim when she was struck by the force of his larger form moving into a room. She started to tumble backwards, when immediately Jaycen was at his feet and behind her to support her from truly falling down.

"You guys--" Sydney was cut off once again this time not by rough actions but Jaycen's voice as he stepped around her reassured she was steady in her stance.

"Sydney you need to let us handle this." Jaycen said the strong voice, one that she only heard on the night of her attack, and had never been used towards her. "And you, what the fuck do you think you're doing barging up in here?!"

Every feminist instinct that coursed through her body wanted to go against him for trying to exclude her and yell at them to both stop this nonsense, especially under her family's roof, in her room.

But she also had to recognize that she'd not been a part of this aspect of their lives for very long and while her heart ached both her best friend and, well for whatever she and Jaycen were, she'd never known anything to be paranormal till a few days ago. In her mind it was still hard to register that they weren't just human. Sydney knew deep down that because they weren't completely human, she needed to recognize that there was a part of them that was more instinctually animalistic, something that she couldn't quite understand.

She didn't feel equipped to intervene, but she also refused to have bloodshed in her room on her watch.

Looping around Jaycen, she stood resilient between the two who were growling, "No." Her voice came out pleasantly firm, "You may handle this outside of my room, and away from my family. I can recognize and try to understand you were raised differently, but I won't let you two tear each other apart and threaten my family's safety."

A hand pressed to both of their chests to increase the space between the two, Sydney pushed signalling for them to back away more. Jay grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her towards him, and backed them both deeper into the room.

"You're right Sydney." Jay admitted gruffly even though his eyes were still fiercely aimed towards Mat.

Mat seemed less willing to agree with what she said, especially if the brother he detested so much was also in accord with what Sydney was arguing. But Sydney has known Mat long enough to identify the contemplation fighting within him playing across his face. His sea grew eyes locked with hers, and while Sydney thought he was going to give in to postponing this mounting feud, instead their shared eye contact brought something to his attention.

Realization dawned across his face and then contorted into something twisted of anger and hurt.

"You kissed her," Mat said in a way that was not so much a question but wounded realization.

This made Jay's form tensely revert back to a defensive position. His shoulders, arms, and neck all seemed ready with the temptation to fight again. Sydney was surprised she even had a moment to make note of this because in a blink of an eye Jay was springing forward and had knocked Mat to the ground.