20 comments/ 47784 views/ 45 favorites Every Difference By: oilandwater Something was up, I was almost sure of it. Change was coming fast, threatening to rip apart the fragile life I'd managed to salvage over the past few years. I wanted to run screaming, but I hesitated throughout my shift, trying to act normally though I doubted the questionable patrons at the bar would have noticed my odd behaviour, even If I'd decided to dance an Irish jig on their heads. I soothed my fears by assuring myself that if I ran out every time I felt a little anxious I'd never have enough money to put food on the table. Towards the end of my shift I began to smell something. It was difficult to get an exact read due to the ever present stench of stale cigarette smoke and sour beer but it sent the little hairs on the back of my neck on edge. I tried not to look too obvious as I scanned the bar looking for someone that didn't belong there. As far as I could tell it was full of the same group of desperate man and woman that usually graced the bar night after night. No one looked out of place. Hell, I could probably name every person there by their first names. I'm being paranoid, I told myself irritably. They can't find me; they don't care enough to try. Of course the paranoia was a familiar feeling, one that had been honed to a fine edge over the years. I lived it every day, cringing at shadows, running from unfamiliar scents. I deplored my own skittishness but it was so inbred in by now that it had become just another part of my life. Since my dad had disappeared a few years back my sister and I had stayed close to the smaller towns, trying to blend in as much as we could. There was less chance of running into one of our own kind in the towns; they preferred to stay in places where they could lose themselves in huge crowds. It had worked so far and between us we had managed to get jobs and rent a crappy apartment in the town slums. It wasn't a great life, hell it wasn't even an okay kind of life, but we were surviving and at the moment that was the best either of us could hope for. We were just waiting for our dad to find us. When that happened things would get better again, I just knew they would. My newest job was in a smoky run down pub in the outskirts of the town. I got minimum wage and a mouth full of abuse from my boss and customers alike. The patrons didn't tip and they sure as hell didn't give a shit that I was just a guy trying to earn an honest buck. I hated it there but the truth was I didn't even have a high school diploma. No one was going to employ me for anything better. The shift was a long one. The smell went away eventually but I couldn't stop thinking about it. The paranoia part of my brain refused to let it go. I considered calling Rebecca but I didn't want to needlessly upset her. She was sensitive, so much so that even the slightest inkling of trouble would set her off and she'd insist we move again. I didn't have enough money to start over. Best to just let it go, I decided. "Shifts over kid." My boss called near midnight. There were a few bums left slumped in their chairs but apparently Jim was feeling kind tonight because he wasn't trying to make me get rid of them. I peeled off the dirty white apron and hung it warily on the back of the bar door. I felt dog tired and wanted nothing more than to have a shower and fall into bed "What wouldn't I give for a car." I mumbled grumpily as I unhooked my crappy bike from the fence behind the bar. It was a warm night, humid in the worse possible way. I pressed my sleeve against my forehead to try and mop up some of the sweat as I siked myself up for the long bike ride home. It was pitch black, even the half moon was mostly hidden by the clouds. I didn't want to go out there, I suddenly realised. I couldn't explain the feeling that made me retreat back inside the bar. It wasn't exactly a relaxing ride through the lightless back roads that led to my flat but I had never been frightened about it before. "You forget something?" Jim barked when he saw me. I felt really, really stupid as I started fumbling for the right words. I ran my hands through my hair as I fidgeted. "Could I err, get a lift home?" He stared at me for a really long time. "Your wheels fall off?" He eventually asked. No, I'm just a chicken shit. "Something like that. You mind?" "Guess not. Just don't make it a habit," He rubbed his huge grimy hands on his huge grimy stomach and finished locking the bar. In the end I did kick out the last of the drunks. I closed the door on them, a little worried that at least of few of them would be stumbling home on foot. Something told me that it was not a good night to be out alone. Fisher, an old guy that pretty much lived at the bar was milling about aimlessly outside. Jim growled, making him sound like an old grisly. "One night I'm just gonna leave him out here till morning. Come on old timer." He caught Fisher and all but stuffed him in the back seat. "Get in," He told me as he turned on the roaring engine It was pouring down with rain by the time we were on the road. Thunder boomed and lightening streaked through the skies, momentarily lighting up the thickly packed trees that lined the back highways. I was very glad I'd asked for a lift because the last thing I wanted was to be riding my crappy bike through a storm. "Rain came out of nowhere." Jim complained, frowning as he turned the wipers on full. I peered out of the window, making myself small as possible as I tried to avoid being crushed by Fisher. "Maybe you should slow down." I suggested softly. "Maybe you should shut up." "Okay then." "What the fuck was that?" Jim suddenly boomed. I looked up but all I could see was road and rain and a freaked out boss. "What-" I began to ask, but then I saw it too. A huge black shape, highlighted as another streak of lightening momentarily lit up the sky. I didn't scream because I didn't get the chance. A thousand images ran through my head, none of them good and then I was flying through the air. I heard the sound of twisted metal and the brief cries of man before my world turned upside down and the only sound was the over exerted truck engine. Fisher was dead. The dumb bastard hadn't bothered to wear a seatbelt and his delicate skull had hit the windscreen with enough force to split it like an egg. I let out a strong groan as those dead eyes stared back at me. I'd never seen a dead person before and I decided there and then that I never wanted to relive the experience. I struggled with my own belt, trying to pull it free but unable to control my shaking hands. My head hurt and blood was pouring into my right eye. "Shit," I breathed, over and over. "Shit, shit, shit..." I smelled them then, close and feral. A moment later the car door was ripped open and pulled neatly from it hinges. I shrank back as big hands ripped the belt free from my waist and grabbed my arm. I was yanked out without much ceremony and deposited on the floor like a sack of potatoes. "Fuck me." One of them said with a chuckle. "You weren't kidding about his colouring." I was still for a few seconds as I tried to calm my rapid breathing. Now was not the time for a panic attack. Before anyone could put their hands on me I looked up, found a clear path and bolted. No one was ever going to call me a fighter. I was too small and too squeamish to intimidate anyone. One thing I was very good at though was running. I dashed past one of the big ones, avoided his grasping hands and hurtled into the woods. I could tell that I had surprised them. It was a full three seconds before I heard any of them give chase behind me. It got harder to run in the woods. Despite my better than human site even I wasn't totally aware of my footing. Any minuet I could trip over a branch or run face first into a tree. It didn't help that the blood was still streaming into my eye. "Here." I heard one of them yell, so close to me that I almost fell there and then. How in the hell had he caught up to me so fast. Were some of them already waiting in the woods? "Here."Another voice called from my right. A few more voices sang out, all of them close, surrounding me and effectively trapping me between them. Perhaps if I had ever run with a pack before I would have recognised their tactics. They were boxing me in of course. I saw one of them a little ahead of me and the sight of him made me falter for just a second. It was enough to totally damn me as a dark shape raced towards me and barrelled into my back with enough force to completely knock me off my feet. I hit the floor hard and I couldn't breathe. The force on top of me wasn't getting up, further constricting my air supply. I started thrashing wildly, trying to push him away. "Mind off him Tom." I heard a voice say beside me, the tone deep and commanding. Even in my panic I registered the tone of an alpha and it made me want to crawl up inside myself and become invisible. Before the one called Tom climbed off me the alpha caught my upper arm in a solid grip. They weren't taking any chances that I would run again. He hauled me into a sitting position and his hands patted my back in a vain attempt to improve my breathing. It took a while before I could breathe normally and by then I was really bricking it. I made the mistake of trying to shake off the Alpha's hold and he growled and yanked me to my feet. His free hand grabbed my other arm and he hoisted me up on my tip toes until we were face to face. He was probably in his mid thirties with chocolate coloured eyes and dark brown hair. From what I could tell in the dark light his skin was smooth and bronzed. He was a handsome man and as intimidating as hell because even on my tip toes I was still only level with the guy's square chin. "Not that I don't enjoy a good chase but that's enough for now. No more running, understand?" When I didn't say anything he shook me, just hard enough to make my teeth rattle. "You answer when your alpha asks something of you, understand." I shook my head and stupidly tried to pull free of him. I got another shake and had I been human I'm sure my neck would have broke. "Answer me." He roared. "Gently Daniel." Another voice said soothingly behind us. "He's terrified." I saw her approaching us cautiously. She reached out and placed her hand on Daniels shoulder. "He isn't challenging you, you can see that can't you?" "One word." Daniel growled. "He just has to say yes." "Will you give him to me?" She asked. His hands tightened hard enough to make me cry out. "He is mine Lilith." "I know that. I only want to hold him for you. "She traced her hand up and down the side of his arm. "You know you can trust me." "No," I said, hating the catch in my voice. "I'm not yours, I'm not anyone's." A suddenly amused growl. "No, someone has a prior claim?" His hand latched onto the back of my shirt, tearing it neatly in two as he bore by left shoulder. "I see no mark. You're unclaimed." "Get off!" I hissed, twisting enough that I actually managed to break his hold. I grabbed the shredded remains of my shirt and tried to cover myself. I looked around wildly, feeling very much like a trapped animal. There were seven of them, three women and four men. They had me completely surrounded. Dark haired with amber coloured eyes and finely boned faces. All of them were of Native American decent, which meant their other forms would be big, dark and powerful. I shuddered slightly as I looked for a way to escape. They had me too closely pinned in. I wasn't going anywhere. "Is this it then? You're just going to take me, against my will?" Daniel cocked his head to one side, studying me. "What did you think would happen? We can't just leave you out here?" "Can't or won't?" "Fine, we won't. You're one of us; you need to be part of a pack." I laughed at him, I couldn't help it. "In case you failed to notice I'm very clearly not one of you." Laughing at him was stupid. I saw his nostrils flair as he advanced on me, the look in his eyes furious. I backed away but there wasn't really anywhere for me to go with the others circling me. His hand latched onto the remains of my shirt and he pulled me close again. "This isn't a discussion; now promise me you won't run away again." That was never going to happen. "No," I said softly. I don't think anyone said no to him very often. "Shift." He hissed. "Now." I just shook my head this time. The look in the other mans eyes spoke volumes. Would he kill me if I kept disobeying? "Shift!" He screamed. So I did, so quickly that the alpha barely had time to back away before I had changed and was racing away from him. I choose the smallest female to barge past and she wisely moved aside. It was maybe a minute later that I heard howling behind me. These American wolves took a hell of a long time to change. It was maybe the one and only advantage I had. I raced through the woods, outdistancing them with surprising ease. I was a fast man but as a wolf I was lightning on legs. What now, I thought worryingly, do I try to lead them away from my sister or go to her and hope the relative business of the town would stop them from acting too boldly. I very much doubted that they could know about me without finding out about her as well. The image of them finding her alone decided me. I sprinted back towards our house. Everything was happening so quickly I didn't have time to consider how rash and stupid I was being. All that mattered to me right now was that my sister didn't get ambushed alone. We were both screwed. It was obvious that they hadn't found us by accident. Loners were fair play for any pack. I was exhausted by the time I finally reached the apartment. I shifted back to human and kicked the door in and started screaming Rachel's name. She came flying out, her ice blue eyes wild as she saw the panicked expression on my face. "Nicolas?" She said, her voice almost pleading as tears began to well up in her eyes. I rushed past her and quickly grabbed a pair of jeans and a jumper. I shoved them on, not bothering with shoes. I grabbed Rachel's hand and yanked her back outside. "Nicolas, what's going on?" "Were, in the woods." I said, breathing heavily as we started running. I was taking her to the heart of the town, hoping the crowds would deter them long enough for us to steal a car and make our escape. "Nicolas!" Rachel's scream startled me so badly that I stumbled. She ran into the back of me and the two of us went down in a tangle of limbs. Rachel cried out in pain and fear. I looked up, my heart hammering in my chest when my eyes fell on a pair dirty feet. I let out an undignified whimper and pressed back against Rachel. Sleek figures stepped out of the shadows, forming a tight circle around the two of us. Rachel grabbed my hand and pressed her face against my arm. I thought I might be sick. The alpha crouched down in front of us and smiled faintly. "You're ours now." He said, the words stealing the breath from my lungs. "No more running, no more scrounging like animals. You take your place with us and we'll keep you safe." "We don't want to go with you!" Rachel cried. "Leave us alone, we were doing fine on our own!"I squeezed her hand shook my head at her but she wasn't looking at me. "You leave us alone! You hear me, leave us alone!" She was screaming the last part. He reached out for her and I instinctively bared my teeth at him. I saw his eyebrows rise and the small upturn at the corner of his mouth. "Shut her up." He said to me, "And get up, both of you. We're leaving." "Fire!" Rachel suddenly screamed. "Fire, FIRE!" Clever girl. People came running when they heard fire. I took up the call in seconds. "Fire!" I bellowed. Her higher voice rang out in the deserted street. "Fire!" Lights were being switched on and curtains were being pulled back. There were seven naked people around us and there wasn't anywhere for them to hide. I felt a moment of grim superiority until I was hoisted up and thrown over a big shoulder. They were going to kidnap us, in front of so many witnesses? "Stop!" I heard people yelling behind us. "They've grabbed those kids, someone call the police." But of course no one did and with the crappy police department that operated in the town there was very little they could do to help us. I kicked and punched but whoever was carrying me didn't seem to notice. I caught a glimpse of Rachel; her eyes closed tightly as the one called Rose carried her much smaller frame with ease. We were back in the woods in no time. I saw a large black van, stylish with blacked out windows and hubcaps that probably cost more than our flat. I realised we were about to be forced inside. "Little shit." The one holding me pronounced just before he dropped me on my ass. I found myself caught in Daniels hot gaze and wondered if he intended to rip my throat out. "You fucking so much as move without my say so and I'll break her fucking arm." Her arm? I shook my head for a second, not understanding. It dawned on me pretty quickly though when the alpha grabbed Rachel's arm and threw her down beside me. "Same goes for you." He said menacingly to Rachel. "You try to run away again and I hurt him." He pointed his finger at. "I'm done trying to be nice. You two little idiots just endangered us all." Rachel spat at him and true to his word he pulled back his big fist and backhanded me. It was a shock, being him that hard. I could feel blood pouring down into my mouth. At least my head had stopped bleeding. I didn't think he had broken my nose but it hurt like hell. Good job he hadn't clenched his fist. "Fuck." I groaned. Rachel pulled me close, her eyes wild as she inspected my face. "Nicolas, are you okay?" I nodded my head but honestly I wasn't okay, and neither was she. ****** "Rachel," I whispered softly, reaching for her hand and stroking it gently. "You have to calm down. They're going to hurt us if you make them angry." "No!" She growled at me, "No, we can't go with them Nicolas. Not after what they did to us last time! You promised me!" I was getting desperate. I could feel the atmosphere changing around us. They were already charged up from the hunt. "Please Rachel," The catch in my voice was enough to make her look at me. "We don't have a choice, not right now. We need to do what they say." I had to credit the way she managed to pull herself together so quickly. We stood up together, our hands tightly intertwined. I could feel her shaking and I was certain they could smell our fear but outwardly I think we both looked relatively calm. I was careful not to look at anyone as they swarmed around us. I'd just about had enough for one night and I was honestly petrified that he'd do as he'd promised and break Rachel's arm. They forced us into the van. "In," A male said at my right, his deep amber eyes watchful as we both climbed inside. Rachel sat in the very back next to the window and I sat beside her. There was another seat beside me but thankfully no one tried to sit there. When everyone was seated the van pulled off. I put my arm around Rachel and she pressed into me. Between us we had gone through some serious shit in our lives and lately things seemed to be going from bad to worse. I tried to figure out exactly where I had gone wrong. I had been so certain that we were safe, out in the country where no one ever came. How had it all gone so terribly wrong? "This is all happening too quickly." Rachel whispered to me, her voice trembling as she gripped my arm. "I can't believe I was beginning to think we were safe." What could I say to her? That I was sorry, that I should have taken better care of her. "I want out!" she suddenly cried. She tried to jump up but I caught her wrist and dragged her back down. Every Difference Ch. 02 They were very, very rich. I wondered what they had done to become so flush. Inherited probably, I decided as I was led down a richly decorated hallway. I looked at the freshly cut wild flowers, stacked impeccably in gleaming crystal vases that were sat precariously on slender stemmed glass tables. I debated accidentally throwing myself at one of them just so I could enjoy watching the damned thing shatter. The scent of them was everywhere, making it impossible to distinguish between so many of them. At a guess I would have said more than fifteen lived here, or at least passed frequently through the mansion. Rachel was shivering beside me, keeping her eyes on her shoes as we were herded forward. I grabbed her hand and offered her a reassuring smile but she couldn't even muster the strength to look at me. I could feel the tension rolling off her waves and I knew that everyone around us could sense it as well. I wondered if they sensed the same from me? I was trying to keep my fear in check but it was difficult to hide anything from weres. "What do you think of your new home?"A young one asked us, sliding up beside Rachel and slipping her hand through the smaller females arm. Rachel flinched and tried to pull towards me but the girl refused to let her go. "Aren't you glad we found you?" "We're ecstatic." I answered drolly, moving tightly to my sisters other side. Rachel shot me a thankful look beneath her long lashes. The girl smiled at me in genuine amusement, causing small crinkles to appear at the corner of her caramel coloured eyes. "My name's Angeni." She said. "You haven't mentioned your names yet?" The question hung heavily between us but I had no intention of answering her. I suspected she already knew. I'd already told their alpha and even if the information had not been passed on it was unlikely they knew my job and where we lived without knowing something as basic as our names. The girl shrugged, throwing her long shock of black hair over her narrow shoulder before falling back to so speak to one of the others females behind us. "I've never smelled so many of them in one place before." Rachel whispered, looking a little hysterical as her head whipped back and forth. "They're everywhere. We're never going to get out Nicolas. We're never going to get out!" She shrieked the latter part and our escorts all turned around to look at us. "What's wrong with her?" The one called Lilith demanded, the look on her face clearly showing her distaste for my sister. "She's frightened." I said, trying to soothe Rachel as best as I could with so many of them crowding around us. Lilith marched towards us and grabbed my wrist. She used her other hand to grab Rachel's shoulder and violently pushed us apart. Rachel started crying but when I tried to go to her Lilith refused to let me go. "Stay." She ordered, increasing her hold and she pointed her finger at Rachel. "You will pull yourself together. No one has hurt you so you've no reason to go on like that." Rachel was really gearing herself up for a total breakdown. I couldn't really blame her. A few hours ago she was sat in the first secure home we'd ever had. It was a lot to process. "You sort yourself out now girlie." Lilith demanded. Her hand wound in my hair and she gave it a painful yank. "Remember what Daniel said. Either of you misbehave and the other gets punished. You want me to hurt him? It'll be your fault." Rachel let out one last shuddering breath before getting herself mostly under control. "Don't hurt him." She pleaded. "Go walk with Angeni." She snapped. "Your brother is going to walk with me. You behave and I might give him back." I didn't get a chance to see if Rachel was doing what she was told. Lilith pulled me alongside her, her strong fingers digging into my bicep. I resisted the urge to try and pull away. I was frightened she might do something to Rachel if I started to put up a fight. "You'll stay here." She said, opening a door and pushing me inside. "Wait, what about-" A heavy wooden door slammed in my face. "Rachel?" I finished lamely. I tried the lock but it didn't budge. No real surprise there. The room was pitch back without even a window to light my way. I fumbled for a switch, starting to panic as I imagined the walls closing in on me. My hands pressed against something protruding the wall and I let out a ragged sigh of relief when a light clicked on. It really was a tiny space. White washed walls with a grey coloured concrete floor. A single bed took priority in the middle of the room with a tiny sink and toilet in the far right corner. It was worrying that had an actual cell in their home. How many people had they held in here? I started to shiver. I could only imagine what Rachel was going through. I hoped they had put her somewhere better and I'd just drawn the short straw. I took off my shoes and gently sat on the bed. With nothing else to do I lay down and stared at the single light. It was a long time before I finally fell asleep. ********* When our dad left us he promised he'd be right back. Literally swore to us that he'd come for us as soon as he could. I should have known better when he dropped us off at a motel with enough money to pay for a month's food and board. If he was going to be right back why did he do that? Why not leave us a couple of bucks for lunch at some random cafe? Rachel had been frantic and I wasn't really much better. I kept us both indoors the entire time, only leaving to get food and drink. It did us both harm being kept indoors like that, our kind weren't supposed to spend too much times indoors. We'd survived it by telling ourselves that it was just temporary. Our dad would come back for us, he always did. It was about three weeks in that I realised he wasn't coming back. I had no idea what happened to him. Numerous scenarios used to run through my mind. He'd been kidnapped by another pack, or maybe even killed. Some government scientists had captured him and he was fighting to get back to us. Lately I started to think that he had just plain abandoned us. Trying to look after us had likely become too much for him. He must have reasoned that he better chance of surviving if he went on alone. I looked at my pale hands and wondered why the others coveted our kind so much. I supposed Rachel was beautiful in a quiet sort of way. Her strong features lent her an almost distant countenance that often drew stares. I'd seen many men approach her just to be rebuked by her cold eyes alone. My sister was not a warm person, at least not physically. I knew that I was the same. My face didn't draw people in. No one at the bar ever tried to unload on me. If anything they went out of their way to avoid me. It suited me fine. I just wished the other wolves felt the same way. What exactly did they want? Breeding us wouldn't make more of the same, not unless they found someone of the same race, which was incredibly unlikely given the rarity of our breed. So were we simply trophies to them? Were they so self absorbed that they would ruin our lives just so they could put their hands up and declare themselves the best collectors? I pressed my hands over my face and tried not to scream in frustration. I'd known this would happen. I'd deluded myself into thinking we could make it on our own but as much as I fought against it some inner part of me had known that in the end it was inevitable. There had been too many close calls to count. I suppose we were lucky to have lasted as long as we had. I shuddered as I remembered the last time we'd been discovered by a pack. It was a little over seven years ago when Rachel and I were in Germany. We'd been travelling through Norway on our way to Britain in the hope that the rumours were true and there really weren't any wares in the UK. I was tired and hungry and didn't notice we were being stalked until it was too late. A couple of males cornered us at a train station, sticking a knife into my side and threatening to slice me open if I cried out. The experience had almost ruined me and had left Rachel permanently scared. We'd been too young for them to rape either of us, even the wild ones had to live by the rules that governed our kind, but it hadn't stopped them describing in great detail what they wanted to do to us. We'd been treated little better than slaves. We had no freedom and no say in our own lives. I used to get beat up a lot. The beta took a fierce dislike to me; I thought it was because his mate used to stare at me a lot. He obviously decided that her interest was my fault. There were a couple of times when I thought me might kill me. I don't think the other members approved but no one tried to interfere. I supposed the alpha was the only one in a position to put an end to it but I had the opinion that he thought me soft. Perhaps he'd expected the beatings to toughen me up, make me a proper wolf. It was a fluke that allowed us to escape them. I didn't think we'd be that lucky again. The sound of hushed voices on the other side of the door brought my mind rocketing back to the present. I tensed as the door opened and felt a deep feeling of dislike as the alpha stepped inside the cramped little space. His chocolate coloured eyes swept over me and his scent became strong with desire. Despite myself I flinched back. I couldn't help myself. It was so much easier to be strong when Rachel was with me. When I had to worry about her it didn't give me the opportunity to fret about myself. He stepped in and closed the door behind him. I so wish he hadn't done that. The feeling of helplessness intensified as he crouched down in front of and caught my eye. I didn't know if he was trying to appear less intimidating by coming down to my height but it sure as hell wasn't working. I debated kicking him in the teeth. I honest to god was really considering it when common sense prevailed. No one had hurt me yet, not really anyway. I didn't think inducing the violence was my best chance of keeping things that way. He grinned at me. "What?" I demanded unthinkingly. "One minute I think you're gonna wet yourself, the next I think you're gonna try to kill me and then you calm yourself down all in the matter of seconds. It proves for an interesting scent. I tested the air tenuously and the stench of his arousal was still very strong. I reigned in my panic, trying not to let him smell my terror. "Are you going to rape me?" The words came out strong, much stronger than I thought myself capable of. Something in his expression softened. Pity perhaps, or sadness. He reached out and tucked a lock of my hair back behind my ear. He probably meant for it to be tender but it just made me feel sick with unease. "How old are you?" The question took me by surprise. "Don't you already know?" I asked bitterly. "I know how old you told the owner of that bar where you worked you was. You don't look twenty-five to me Frost." I ignored the odd name as a spark of hope hit me. "I'm seventeen." I lied, looking at him and willing him to believe me. I thought I could pass for seventeen at a push. That's why he'd asked after all, he thought I looked too young to work in the bar and if he believed I was seventeen they wouldn't touch us. He growled low in his throat and the scent in the air changed quickly to anger. I tried to back up but his hand shot out and caught my kneecap, keeping me firmly in place. I gasped as the pressure on my knee became hard enough to almost hurt. "You're lying." "I-I-" Instinctively I started to panic. My hands grasped his wrists and tried to pull them off my leg. Unsurprisingly his hands didn't budge. I looked up at his face and realised he was waiting for me to tell the truth. The hand on my knee clenched and a little shot of pain shot through my leg. "I'm twenty-five." I said truthfully. He looked me up and down dubiously but he did release my leg which probably meant he believed me. "You look much younger. Seventeen is a bit of a stretch though Frost." He bit his bottom lip thoughtfully. "So you're both legal then." His head snapped back as my foot smashed into his face. He let out a loud curse that barely registered as I fumbled open the door and bolted past a surprised Lilith. I heard her cry out behind me, screaming something about my sister. The sound of her name robbed me of my strength as I realised what I had just done. Jesus, what were they going to do to my sister? Lilith was staring at me, her eyes smouldering as she gestured me to come back. I started towards her but then Daniel stepped out of the little room with blood pouring down his nose and I couldn't make myself take another step. Panic seized my chest as the scent of fury reached my nose. He reached me in a few steps but stopped just short of me. "I warned you." He hissed. I threw myself at him, wrapping my hands around his ankles as he went to walk past me. "I'm sorry!" I cried desperately. "Please, I'm sorry. Don't hurt her, please don't hurt her." He reached down, picked me and carried me back to the small room. He dropped me on the bed and grabbed my knee again. The smell of his arousal was back, mixed with the red fury that was making him shake. "Kiss me." He demanded. Terror made it hard to breathe but I had to think of my sister. "If I do you won't hurt her?" I asked breathlessly. He nodded slowly. "Not this time." I started to hyperventilate and I had to grab the bed for an anchor as the room started to spin around me. I closed my eyes, nodded my head and waited. The door slammed shut and I was left alone. ***** They didn't let me out until the next day. I was sure they were doing it to punish me and I was freaked that Daniel had changed his mind and hurt Rachel because of me. I wasn't surprised when Lilith opened the door to let me out. She growled lightly and made a swipe for my arm. I decided to play nice and allowed myself to be hauled up another corridor that eventually led to one of the biggest dining rooms I'd ever seen. Over a dozen faces looked up at us as we walked in. I ignored them as I looked for my sister. Her scent was strong with apprehension but I saw the relief in her eyes when she noticed me. I managed a smile for her. She didn't look hurt and aside for the harrowed look in her light eyes I thought she was mostly coping. She smiled weakly back at me. "Frost." I looked up at the sound of Daniel's voice and found him staring at me. He pointed to the seat beside him. "Sit here." I didn't move for a second. That wasn't right, was it? The strongest pack members sat beside the alpha. I looked at my sister, situated beside two teenage kids. I wasn't an expert on pack dynamics but I was pretty certain I should have been much, much further down the table. I heard a few of them whispering and received a sudden shove in the back. I stumbled forward and made it the rest of the way there on my own. I sat down shakily and the alpha placed his hand on my knee almost instantly. I wasn't sure if it was supposed to be an act of intimacy or his way of threatening me to behave. The huge back skinned one sat on my left, staring at me so intently that it sent the hairs on the back on my neck on edge. I almost shifted away from him but that would have meant leaning into Daniel. I settled for lowering my lashes and letting my hair fall forward so it mostly obscured my face. I let their words flow over me, trying not to inhale the heavy sent of arousal that seemed to be wafting gently from either side of me. Beasts, I thought hatefully. They were sitting at the dinner table for Christ sake! Why couldn't they control themselves? A plate of food was slapped down in front of me, causing me to start badly. I looked up and a few of the other pack members were smiling at me. I looked for Rachel but she was staring resolutely at her food. She nibbled away at it, not bothering to wait for anyone else. "Eat." Daniel said softly, leaning into me and purposefully inhaling my scent. I shot him what I imagined might have been an alarmed look. He was being awfully congenial considering I'd kicked the man in the face the previous day. I looked at my dinner, raw steak and thick chips. It looked great but I was way too nervous to eat. I picked at it half heartedly just to keep Daniel happy and listened to the quiet hush of conversation around me. As far as I could tell there were eighteen men and women in the pack, a huge number by anyone's reckoning. They weren't all of Native American decent. I could see an older white woman with bright silver hair and see green eyes and an African American man with smooth ebony skin and eyes the colour of polished gold. I thought he must have originated from the Ethiopian wolf pack as there were few other species in that part of the world. They were a very rare breed and would have been highly coveted in a pack as numerous as Daniels. I wondered if he was here of his own free will. He was a very tall man but as thin as a wrath. I suspected he would be strong but doubtful he was much of a threat to the Alpha. A possible ally? I decided to approach him when the opportunity presented itself. "You ever been fucked?" the dark one asked beside me, leaning into me as his lips pressed against my ears. I jumped, only making it partially out of my seat before the hand on my knee yanked me back down. "What's wrong with you?" Daniel gritted out softly, though I doubted there wasn't a person in the hall that couldn't hear us. I chanced a look at the dark one but he wasn't paying attention to me anymore. What was wrong with me, did he have a spare hour? I shook my head and looked back at my plate. I spent most of the meal just staring at it. Eventually it was taken away and then I was looking at my table setting. The hand on my knee eventually let go and I watched Daniel get to his feet. He tapped his fork against a large wine glass a few times to gain everyone's attention. The whole room hushed and looked up at him admiringly. It had to be said that Daniel was clearly well-liked among his pack. "As you all know we're here to welcome the newest members of our pack. We'll adorn to the next room shortly but firstly I would like to be the first to say welcome home. Oh god, I thought I might be sick. For a moment I felt a fierce streak of anger run through me and I looked up boldly and stared back at the dozen or so people gawking at me. I think they sensed my anger and a few of them growled, pulling back their teeth and moving into a crouch. I went to stand up and a fist slammed down in front of me, making me jump half a mile. There was a tense moment and then Daniel started to laugh. "The puppy had teeth, has he not?" Laughter exploded around me. I felt my face burn and damned my pale skin for making it so obvious. I glared at Daniel but it just made him laugh harder. "Obviously our newest members are not thrilled to be with us but I trust we'll all help them through this newest stage of their lives without taking too much offense." His hand landed on my shoulder, holding on almost possessively. "Into the next room then, and please everyone, enjoy yourselves." ********* When Nicolas had said he was throwing a party I thought he meant he had invited the people from his pack but there had to be at least fifty different were's in the hall. Where in the hell had they all come from? "Not enjoying the party?" Daniel asked, sliding up beside me and throwing a well muscled arm across my shoulders. The unwelcome touch sent a shiver of revulsion through me and I instinctively tried to shake him off. A low growl and an uncomfortably tight grasp kept me firmly in place. "You could at least try to look like you don't want to rip out everyone's throat Frost." He said, smiling easily as he looked out across the huge crowd, waving occasionally at the people that called out to him. Every Difference Ch. 02 "Frost?" I enquired tightly. I wanted his hands off me but he clearly didn't give a shit about my wants or needs. It infuriated me that I didn't have the strength to just push him away. How much easier would my life have been if I was bigger and stronger? Stupid beasts, all they cared about was their damned pack dynamics. In the human world it wouldn't have mattered that I wasn't the best fighter. I could have made something of myself among them. "It's your new name." He reached out and ran his fingers through my too long hair. "It suits you I think." "Don't touch me." I growled at him, bearing my teeth even as I tried to twist away. Jesus he was strong. He didn't even twitch. "You don't just get to take away my name." I looked over at Rachel who was watching us with wide and frightened eyes. "You don't own us." "I'll call you whatever the hell I like." He said, smiling at me with his perfect white teeth. I debated slamming my heel into his foot. Maybe if I did it with enough force I could break the damn thing. I settled for ignoring him. I turned away and concentrated on anything other than the infuriating alpha. The party was supposed to be in our honour. They called it an official welcome to the pack. I could have laughed at such obvious stupidity. Did they expect us to be thankful, to feel like we were a part of their family? I jumped as a huge hand grabbed my jaw. Daniel forced my face up until our eyes locked. He expected me to drop my gaze but I'd be damned if I'd give him the satisfaction. He seemed surprised by my brazenness. I supposed a shifter brought up among the many taboos of a pack would be understandably confused by a loner that did not comply with the normal expectations of pack law. "Are you really so intent in challenging me?" He asked, intrigue clear in his tone. "I intend to leave and very little else." I said truthfully. "Can I ask why you're so intent to return to your previous life? From the little I saw of it you hardly lived well. The apartment you stayed in was tiny by anyone's standards. The two of you must have felt smothered living there." "It was fine." I said, because the truth was we had both stayed in much smaller spaces for longer periods of time. We were pretty good at squashing the more claustrophobic tendencies that affected most of our kind. Besides, I even kind of liked our crappy little flat and took offence that he would think otherwise. He smirked at me and gave my hair a quick ruffle. I knocked his hand away furiously and all of the light went out of his eyes as he grabbed my wrist and tugged me forward. "You need to learn your place Frost." Memories from before flared through me and I felt a sudden jolt of fear as I sensed his anger. Would he hit me if I disobeyed, beat me even? The last time they'd almost killed me. Would he be the same? "Hey now," Daniel said gently, letting go of my wrist. His arm slid around my waist and pulled me close. "Calm down Nicolas, you don't need to shake. I'm not going to hurt you. I didn't mean to scare you." He shook his head ruefully. "You keep acting like such a little firecracker; it's easy to forget what you are." I wanted to ask him what he thought I was but I couldn't control the shaking. It was odd though, that having him so close was suddenly as soothing as it was terrifying. I tried not to take in his scent but with him so close it was hard. There was no lust in his smell now, just clean, honest wolf with an underlay of must and freshly cut grass. His body relaxed into mine and I felt him smile into my hair. A sudden thrum of happiness coursed through me and I let myself lean into him. He really did smell really nice. "Nicolas?" I heard Rachel whisper worridly. My eyes snapped open and I pushed myself away from him with more force than was probably necessary. What the hell was I doing? I stumbled to Rachel's side and caught her hand. My eyes passed warily over the alpha. I was being so stupid, leading him on like that. I stepped back and pulled her with me. Daniel was watching me, clearly frustrated and obviously irritated. "Come on," I mumbled, tugging her after me as I wobbled my way towards the other side of the room. "What the hell was that?" Rachel snapped at me the moment we had a bit of peace. "I'm sorry." I sputtered, my cheeks flaming. "I don't know what happened." "Nicolas!" Her hands dug into my arm. "Don't ever act that way with anyone. You know what they'll do to you!" "I know." I whispered furiously back her. I just about managed to drag her fingers off me. "Really, I didn't mean it. It must be the stress." "He's still watching you." Rachel whispered frantically. "He hasn't taken his eyes of you all night!" I shook my head wordlessly. I was used to other weres wanting me, but the alpha? It didn't make any sense. "We're going to get out of here Rachel." I promised her softly. I grabbed her waist and pulled her in for a tight hug. "I promise Rachel, we're going to be okay." "How?" She whispered. I shook my head. I didn't know yet but I'd find a way. I had to. Every Difference Ch. 03 It was strange being able to sense another person's presence long before they came into sight. At first I thought I was going mad. I convinced myself that the stress of being captured had finally tipped me over the edge. It wasn't until I actually thought about it that it occurred to me that a mad person wouldn't be able to sense such things and be correct, because as sure as clockwork when I got an impression of him he always appeared. It was, to say the least, weird. I wondered if the same was happening to him. The urge to find out bit at me but the two of us were not on particularly good speaking terms, especially after I got into a shouting match with him the previous week in front of half the pack. I felt a sneer tug at the corner of my mouth and fought to hide it, least anyone who was passing decided to take it as a challenge. What did he expect, grabbing me like he had? Touching me in a way he had no right to assume would be okay. My fist clenched as I stood up, and at the same moment, like clockwork, Daniel appeared. We stared at one another from across the room. I could tell me wanted to approach me. He always wanted to be near me. It was obvious why, but I still found his attention confusing. His feet seemed to move him towards me on their own accord. I turned and walked away. He could have stopped me. He could have me punished for such obvious insolence. Unsurprisingly he did nothing. I walked out into the gardens and felt a wave of warmth flow over my skin. I didn't think I would ever get used to the sweltering heat of Louisiana but I no longer wilted beneath the sun's rays. My eyes took in the high fence boarding the mansion and I felt the familiar, maddening sense of being caged. The animalistic part of me urged me to run away, to scale the fence and reach the tantalising freedom that lay beyond. A pity they kept the fence electrified, a shame they surrounded the perimeter with guards. It was, my captors had explained, designed to keep their enemies out. How convenient for them that it also kept unwilling wares in. "Frost?" Daniel's voice was discerningly close, but then his presence had lingered so I should not have been surprised. "I need to talk to you." He most definitely did need to talk to me. Unfortunately I was unwilling to have this particular and much dreaded discussion with him. I shook my head but when I tried to walk away again he caught my arm in an unbreakable grip. I scented his anger and determination beneath the underlying aroma of his arousal. I forced myself still, knowing that I would not free myself now unless he permitted it. My eyes focused on his chest, resolutely avoiding his eyes. "You feel it, don't you?" His voice, usually so sure and confident now held a trace of confusion. "You have to feel it as well!" I forced myself not to react to his closeness as I shot him a questioning look. "Feel what?" I asked patiently. His grip tightened to the point of pain and an involuntary gasp escaped my lips. He let me go with a little jump, snatching his hands back as if I had burned them. "How are you doing it? How can you ignore the bond?" I forced myself to look at him then, meeting his turbulent chocolate coloured eyes. "Because-" I said, slowly but with an assured confidence, "I do not want you." He blinked at me, opened his mouth, closed it again and then took a threatening step towards me. "It is not something you get to decide." "No?" I asked, not backing down at all. "Who does decide, you?" "I am alpha." "And I could care less!" "I could just take you. It's well within my rights." "You could rape me." I agreed. "You could force the mark on me and do whatever the hell you wanted. You're Alpha after all and I can't stop you." He grabbed me again, twisting my shirt in his hands and raising me off the floor until we were looking into one another's eyes. "I am not trying to frighten you Frost, but I am telling you that I cannot continue to ignore the bond. It's unnatural." "Let me go." I said, my voice quiet and soft. "It's perverted what you're doing. We were meant to be together." He shook me, hard enough to make my teeth rattle. "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?" "I don't care." I said, or more likely shouted. "I don't want you Daniel! Why don't you get that? I -don't- want -you!" He drew back his fist and I had a moment to really regret my stupidity pain exploded across my cheek. He'd pulled back at the last moment, I was sure of it. Didn't mean it didn't hurt, he just hadn't broken my jaw. I realised I was on the floor, looking up at him through an eye full of stars. He reached for me but flinched back before his hand reached my arm. I couldn't concentrate too much on his face because I was doing my damndest not to pass out, but he looked pretty shook up. "Ouch." I eventually groaned out. He gave me a really hard look before reaching down and hauling me to my feet."Why do you always say that?" He asked me, steadying me as I started to tip. "Say what?" "Ouch. Every time you're hurt you just say ouch. Doesn't matter how bad." "The beta in the last pack I was in didn't like it when I cried out. He'd hurt me if I didn't say ouch in just the right way." I felt like I was on a ship as I swayed back and forth. "He wasn't an Alpha, not strong enough, but he had the right mentality. A real arsehole, if you know what I mean?" Daniel let out a long suffering sigh as he started tugging me away from the balcony. "Come on." "I don't want to go with you." I said quickly, digging my heels in. He stopped, loosening my arm enough that it didn't hurt anymore. "Why do you always have to act like you're some sort of hard ass Nicholas? You act that way and it makes me want to rip your throat out, but it's not you. I know it isn't." "How the hell would you know what is or isn't me?" I asked, pulling my arm free and putting some much needed room between us. "You don't know the first thing about me." "It's not for lack of trying." Daniel snapped. "Whatever." I said, cringing a little because I sounded like a petulant child. "My face hurts Daniel. I want to go back to my room." "I want to take you to see the doctor-" He began gently. "Back off!" I shouted and surprisingly he jumped back. "I'm going back to my room. Do me a favour and leave me alone for one night. I don't need any more bruises" "I'm sorry." He said, somewhat desperately. "It's just when you talk to me the way you do, it just crosses that line. I can't let anyone speak down to me." "Typical alpha." I sneered, wondering at my own stupidity for being so bold considering the consequences. "You talk down to whoever's weaker than you but god forbid they should treat you the same way." He squared up to me and I stumbled back. "You know what Nicholas, you're right; you should go back to your room." He leant towards me with a predatory look on his eyes. "Don't come out again unless I say otherwise." I debated arguing but it quickly occurred to me that I had already sorely pushed my luck. With a parting sneer I stomped off, falling into the cramped space of my room with an irritable sigh. Truthfully it was the last place in the world I wanted to be and now that I was trapped here it became even more intolerable. After less than ten minutes I was practically bouncing off the walls. I debated disobeying and going out but the throbbing pain in my cheek dissuaded me. With little else to occupy my time I lay on my back and fell asleep. ******* As it turned out privacy wasn't exactly a given in the mansion. I had the shock of my life when an older naked female strolled nonchalantly into my shower cubicle and proceeded to nudge me aside so she could reach the spray. I stared gormlessly at her. "See something you like?" She snarled. "What the fuck are you doing?" I eventually managed to squeak. I tried to cover myself with my hands and she flashed a wicked grin at me. "You've been in here for over thirty minutes. You're not the only person that needs to use the shower." I wanted to punch her. "There must be over a dozen bathrooms in this place. Couldn't you have used another?" "This is my bathroom." She stopped and took a minute to thoroughly look me up and down. "I'm sure Daniel wouldn't mind if you asked to share his bathroom." She actually wiggled her eyebrows at me. I scrambled out of the shower, grabbed a towel and had just got in securely wrapped around my waist when I smacked into a solid, hot mass. I stumbled back, looked up and moaned softly. I thought at first that it must have been Daniel because that was the sort of luck I usually had. It wasn't him though, thank god! The guy was probably only a little older than me. He was tall and thin with flashing green eyes and smooth golden skin. His inky black hair was short and messy. He was gorgeous. He smiled at me and said the last thing I would have expected. "You've got shampoo in your hair." "What?" I reached up automatically to feel my head. I could feel my face heating up and ducked my down a little, hoping he hadn't noticed. "Sorry." I mumbled, mortified as I tried to ease around him. "My names Onatah." He said a little hastily but with a definite note of laughter in his voice. Despite myself I stopped and looked back at him. A smile was tugging at the corner of my lips, reacting somehow to mirth in his open, handsome face. "Nicolas." I offered my hand and he took it easily in his own. His grip was firm and his palm rough with calluses. "I haven't seen you before, have I?" He shrugged and released me. I wondered why I felt disappointed by that. "I don't live here, at least not all the time." "Are you lone?" I asked, eager to find out how he had attained his freedom so easily. "Sort of. I'm technically part of the pact but I don't stay here too often. Too many top dogs for my liking, if you catch my meaning." I nodded my head absently, wondering if he'd be willing to share with me the secret of his independence. "You're new, huh Nicholas?" His hand reached out and traced over my shoulder before I had the chance to flinch away. The grin he threw me sent my heart hammering. "You're unclaimed?" I thought of Daniel and his lingering stares, the sizzling feeling on his skin against mine and the aura of an alpha that so thoroughly repulsed me. "Yeah." I said, grinning back despite myself. "I'm not mated." The sharp buzzing in my chest was all the warning I got before a snarl rang down the hall, quickly followed by Daniel who caught my shoulder and jerked me back behind him. "He's not mated yet, not technically, but that doesn't mean he isn't claimed. Back the fuck off!" Onatah's eyes grew wide as he retreated a few steps, bowing down instinctively to his alpha. His voice when he spoke though was strong and sure. "He doesn't have the mark and no one's scent on him but his own. How is he claimed?" "He's mine!" Daniel roared. He turned back to me, baring his teeth like he intended to rip my throat out. "You! Why the fuck are you wondering around the halls practically naked? Go back to your room and stay there until I come to collect you." I considered arguing for about two seconds before I decided I liked my throat where it was. I edged round Daniel, hurrying towards my room with my head down, wishing dearly that Daniel would leave me the hell alone. I had to walk past Onatah to reach my bedroom and I headed towards him without thinking. The moment I came abreast of the handsome wolf I felt Daniel ram into me, knocking me back so hard that I rebounded of the corridor wall and fell in a huddle of the floor. His back was to me as he stood snarling at Onatah, obviously trying to keep himself between us. "Fucking hell Daniel." Onatah shouted, pointing at me. "You've made him bleed! He's hurt." I reached towards the back of my head and cringed a little when my hand came back sticky with blood. I edged up, holding on tightly to my towel. When Daniel turned to look at me I flinched, pressing myself flat against the wall and instinctively tucking my chin into my chest to help hide my vulnerable throat. "I said to get to your ROOM!" He bellowed. Abandoning all dignity I rocketed down the corridor, opened my door and instantly starting barricading it closed. I'd just finished when I felt that buzzing feeling in my chest again. The door shook as Daniel tried to push it open. He tried a few times before he obviously lost his temper. I could hear him yelling on the other side, demanding I open up, demanding I obey. "Piss off!" I yelled, cringing a little from the pain in my head. I lay down, suddenly woozy as I considered the force he had used to keep me away from Onatah. I didn't even think he had done it to hurt me. It seemed he just wanted to keep us separated and I'd gotten in the way. It made me wonder what he would do to me if he was really angry. I must have dozed off because one minute I was contemplating Daniels strength and the next moment he was looming above me. I flinched and he growled. "Little idiot, you're not supposed to sleep when you have a head injury." I must have looked confused because he sighed and pulled me into a sitting position. "I'm really sorry." He whispered. "Yeah, what for? Screaming at me, throwing me into a wall or attacking the first potential friend I've made in this prison?" For a moment he looked like he might chew my head off. I braced myself, waiting for him to punish me when he abruptly pulled me into a hug. "I didn't mean to hurt you Frost. Honest to God, I would never want to hurt you. It was just seeing Onatah that close to you, when you were practically naked, touching you." I felt his shiver as he pressed his face into my hair. "I can't stand anyone else touching you." My body had locked and I think he must have felt that because he let go of me suddenly and lent back so there was a little space between us. "I want you to get your head checked." "I'm fine." I argued. Sure it hurt but I was a werewolf and even though I was small I was still pretty tough. "I just want to sleep." "It wasn't a request." Daniel said in his alpha tone. "Come on." He grabbed my hand, hesitating as he seemed to take in my semi-nakedness. "Maybe you should get dressed first." "I'm not changing with you in here." I said instantly. "If I go outside will you try to barricade yourself in again?" "If I don't do you promise not to throw me into any more walls?" He flinched a little at that. "I'll be waiting outside." Every Difference "Try to calm down." I said urgently when I noticed one of the females was smirking at us. "We can't make them angry." "What difference will it make Nicolas?" She demanded, so quietly I barely heard her. "You know what we are to them! They'll never let us go!" "Maybe they'll be different." She didn't even bother to justify such a foolish comment with a response. ***** It felt like we had been driving for hours. Eventually I dozed off but I was certain Rachel stayed awake the whole time, her ice blue eyes wide and watchful as we were driven to only god knew where. I only woke up when I felt an urgent hand shake my shoulder. "Look!" Rachel whispered harshly. I peered out of the tinted windows and saw the huge mansion we pulling up to. Cream walls and wooden panel windows, marble statues and a huge fountain. They certainly weren't strapped for cash. "Out," Daniel barked at us when we had pulled up and everyone else had already piled out of the van. When we didn't move fast enough he caught my wrist and yanked me outside. Rachel cried out and quickly followed. One of the females wrapped a strong arm around her waist and pulled her back before she could reach me. "Take care of her." He said to female that held my sister. "I'll see you tonight." Rachel started screaming for me. "Wait!" I said, the panic in my voice obvious even to me. "Please, she's scared. Why are you separating us?" I pulled against the alpha, my distress increasing when I realised Rachel was sobbing. "For pities sake, she's frightened." "Stop your whimpering," The big black one snapped at me, bearing his teeth as I tried to break the alphas grip. "I hate it when they fucking whimper man." He growled to one in particular. "I don't know, I don't mind when they whimper," The alpha growled as he pulled me flush against his side. "Noise can be good sometimes. You a screamer kiddo?" I pushed him hard in the chest, and although he didn't fall back he did rock a little. "I want my sister back!" I yelled viciously. I bared my teeth and met the alphas hot gaze. It was a challenge and we both knew it. The others started growling and snarling all around me. I could hear my sister crying but I didn't dare break the alphas gaze to see that she was okay. I had issued a challenge and I had to see it through. If I ever hoped to assume any sort of status among them I would have to at least try to show dominance. I knew from painful experience that if I didn't do something now things would revert to the way they had been before. We couldn't live like that again. It had almost killed us both. "What's your name?" He asked as he started circling me. I moved with him, trying to hide my fear and anxiety as he started to smile. "Nicolas," I said softly. "You're Daniel." His smile widened as he started to step towards me. It took everything I had not to back away from him. "You can call me Daniel if you wish." There was barely a handswidth between us before he finally stopped. He raised his hand and I bared my teeth in warning. Suddenly his fingers were wrapped around the back of my neck. He dragged me closer until our chests were touching but I still refused to break eye contact. "Stay with her then," He said, pressing into me before abruptly pushing me back towards the females. "Look after him as well Lilith," he said as he broke eye contact and threw his arm around the black ones shoulders. "We'll see you at dinner."