Amber Silverblood: Silverpack

Chapter Twenty Two

When I emerged into the empty building above Doctor Munse's office, I tucked the pill bottle into my pocket and let the magic door swing... hold on, how did I get here? I shook my head. I was never going to get used to that, was I? Turn me into an animal, put me on a demon's hit list, sic a giant hyena on me, it didn't matter. Nothing was ever going to mess with my head like that freaking magic door.

I found Victor standing outside, and the look on his face was even sourer than before, if that was possible.

"What's got your snoot up your boot?" I asked.

He raised his eyebrows at me. I shrugged.

"Forget it. What's wrong?"

Victor's scowled and said, "Majestic has given the all clear. Those men who attacked you have left the area."

"That's good," I said. "I don't feel like dealing with them twice in one—"

"Shut your insufferable mouth, you twit!"

Without another word, Victor turned and led me back onto the streets. I hesitated at the doorway, watching him stride boldly out into the night. Even from here, I could feel the anger radiating off him. In fact, I could smell it. I can detect emotions with my nose fairly easily when I'm in wolf form, but they have to be really intense for my human sense of smell to pick up on them. I still didn't know what those guys in the black coats meant to him, but the fact that he hadn't been able to fight them pissed him the hell off.

And I wasn't sure I wanted to be with him right now.

"What are you waiting for, stupid girl?" he demanded when he realized I wasn't following him.

"I think I can manage the hike back on my own," I said, stepping backwards into the abandoned building's shadows. "I mean, if they gave the all clear, then..."

My voice trailed off when Victor spun around and came back at me in a rage. I could see the anger in his eyes, and frankly I was surprised they didn't light up like the glowyman's back at the gas station. Seeing him advance on me like that, for a moment I forgot that I was a werewolf. He reached out for me, and I stumbled backwards and fell on my rear, throwing a cloud of dust up off the old store's floor. He grabbed me by my hair and hauled me upright.

"Don't test me tonight, Amber," he said, holding me so we were looking each other in the eye. "Do... not... test me!"

"I'm sorry," I mumbled. It felt like I was back in the Swag Pag again, my abusive alpha taking his anger out of me after I'd failed some small task. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hurt me."

"You have no idea what tonight meant to me," he said, leaning forward so we were nose to nose. "You have no idea what I've lost. Do not test me!"

"I won't, I promise," I begged him with tears running down my cheeks. "I'm sorry!"

He dropped me, and my legs gave out underneath me so that I collapsed on the floor at his feet. He loomed over me, looking down with pitiless eyes, and so rather than meet that gaze I looked down at the floor instead. It was just like being yelled at by an alpha werewolf, but how could that be? Victor wasn't a werewolf...

Right?

I expected him to say something, but all that came was a bright yellow flash. A wave of heat washed over me, which made the ice cold wind that followed even more noticeable. I opened my eyes and looked around— and found myself back in Stark's front yard.

Victor was still there. Without a word, he grabbed me by the back of my jacket— not my hair, thankfully— and dragged me through the snow until we were at the front door.