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“What do you mean that’s what they call us?” Caleb asked curiously, his attention caught by the same words mine had been. Who would call us the Pack except another shifter?
“Are you kidding me?” She moaned, staring at us in disbelief. “Put me down!”
“Answer us and I will,” I promised, having every intention of doing so if I believed her answer. She kicked harder, almost twisting out of my hold and I stretched my arms so she couldn’t hit me. Her weight was barely noticeable and she seemed to realize her efforts to escape were pointless.
“Ugh, fine,” she sighed, no longer straining against my hands. “The kids in school call you the Pack,” she said slowly, enunciating each word carefully for us. I glanced at Caleb, questioning him over the Pack link, “Have you ever heard other students calling us the Pack?”
“No, but I can’t say I talk to anyone outside of our group,” he admitted, shrugging.
Her eyebrow twitched as she shouted at us, “You can’t tell me you didn’t know that. Not after you just had a hissy fit over the fact that I referred to the Pack.”
Genuine confusion coated her words as she glared at me in impotent frustration and I realized I might have overreacted. I slowly lowered her back to the ground, keeping hold of her arms in case she ran off.
“Misunderstanding,” I murmured as an excuse as her eyes practically popped out of her head as she started shouting.
“A misunderstanding? A MISUNDERSTANDING? You freaking held me up in the air and demanded I tell you what I know. WHICH IS NOTHING! I don’t care about your secrets. I’m only here to make sure my Dad doesn’t run off with a floozy named Flo and join a motorcycle gang. Once I graduate, I’m off to Brown. I don’t care about your PACK!” Her chest heaved with each exhale, and I didn’t relax my hold when she trembled as the adrenaline rushed out of her.
“A floozy named Flo?” Caleb echoed, completely ignoring the rest of what she’d said. She groaned in exasperation, rubbing her head.
“Not that it’s any of your business but my Dad had a hard time after he found out my mom had been cheating on him for the past five years. He made some poor dating choices,” she muttered grudgingly.
“And you’re here to make sure he doesn’t continue those?” I drawled, amused now. She wasn’t playing me, and I didn’t believe she was a danger to the Pack either, not after that admission.
“Well, he is living at a motel where you can rent the rooms by the hour,” she gripped, wiggling her shoulders, but I didn’t remove my hands, afraid she’d fall over if I did.
“I heard it was just sold,” Caleb interjected brightly and she grimaced, reminding me she’d already said her Dad had bought the place.
“Yes, to my Dad. Who used my college fund to buy it.”
“Ouch,” Caleb murmured, sympathy in his eyes. “Guess my perfect brother isn’t so bad.”
“Yeah, we’ve all got problems,” she mumbled, her eyes focused on the ground at my feet. “Are you planning to let go anytime soon?” She asked tightly, her gaze firmly on the ground.
“You gonna fall down if I do?” I checked, easing my hold and she scowled, jerking backwards.
“I’m fine,” she retorted, almost falling on her ass as she said it and Caleb was quick to extend a helping hand.
“Fine,” I mocked and she finally looked up at me with a glare.
“Yes, and I would be even better if you hadn’t picked me up and shook me!”
I couldn’t exactly argue the point, so I tipped my head as she glared at me like she wanted to punch me again. I would allow it, I decided. I might deserve it, and she could let off a little anger, but she didn’t swing, moving back warily instead.
“Okay, it was a little misunderstanding, but now we’re good,” Caleb soothed, acting as a referee, as he tried to calm the turbulent waters between us.
“You should just let her hit me,” I muttered over our link.
“Yeah, and I’m sure a broken hand will make her feel so much better,” he retorted sarcastically.
She eyed us, shaking her head as she took a few more steps back. “You’re both fucking crazy,” she muttered, storming away, her angry little strides barely a match for mine.
“I have your bag,” I called lazily after her, but she didn’t falter.
“Keep it,” she yelled back, not even glancing at us as she stomped on.
“That went well,” Caleb murmured as we started walking, slower than her anger fueled march, but still keeping her in sight.
“She mentioned the Pack and I – ”
“Automatically assumed she meant us,” Caleb finished.
“She did mean us,” I defended and he chuckled.
“Can you believe the other students call us the Pack?” He asked as we adjusted our strides once again so we didn’t overtake her. I didn’t think she’d appreciate us strolling up behind her after the angry way she’d stormed off.
