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Vanya
Leven didn’t speak to me, just threw his plate away and stalked off. I wasn’t sure whether to follow or not but I took the chance and did. If I could avoid sleeping on the fucking tables out here tonight, I would.
He didn’t pause as he power walked down the street, and I almost shifted just to keep up. We ended up following the street in a loop and heading back toward the gates. For a brief moment I wondered if he’d shove me through them just to be done with this assignment. And honestly at this point I was partially okay with it. The fact I was being forced to submit went against everything I’d ever stood for. I didn’t earn my scars from bowing to tradition and rules. Sure I followed the important ones and I was loyal until they weren’t loyal to me, but this wasn’t that. Leven was on a power trip, refusing to trust me for whatever reasons he’d formed in his misogynistic head.
“This is me,” he growled as he stalked up a sidewalk, letting himself in the front door. I heard movement farther into the house and he went off in search of it, leaving me standing in the entryway. No way was I going to look around the house without his permission, I was petty, not stupid.
My eyes landed on my luggage, and I grabbed it, ready to move the moment he told me where to go.
There was a mix of voices, both male, which was strange to me. As far as Callum made it sound, Leven lived alone. Or maybe I’d interpreted that wrong…
“Your room is here,” he said as he came stomping back in, pointing to a door on the far side of the living room. I nodded once before going that way.
My mood soured at the size of the room. It was tiny in comparison to this mansion, not a single window, just a twin bed and a dresser, barely big enough to walk around the room.
“It’s safe,” I reminded myself. But that didn’t help matters. I felt trapped in here, forgotten, and what kind of wolf let herself be thrown into a fucking closet and forgotten? I’d bide my time like Callum said, wait for them to find me, but then it was over. I’d be back on the road, truck fixed, and Dixon nothing more than a passing memory.
Dropping my bags to the side, I dropped to the bed. How the fuck did I end up here? How did my life get thrown out of whack so fast? My head was practically spinning with the injustice of it, and I wanted nothing more than to go back home and hang out with my sister. But that was in the past now, I was alone, even among a pack like this.
My pity party went on, all the feelings snowballing until I felt like I could crawl out of my skin. Not caring Leven’s view on things, I rushed out of the room and out the front door, letting instinct carry me into the night. The woods surrounded the back of the house and the community so I hurried around the mansion toward the trees. The moment they surrounded me, I dropped my clothes and shifted. It had been so long that I’d almost forgotten how good it felt. My bones cracked and muscles shifted until I was on all fours. My eyes sharpened and hearing enhanced enough I picked up the sound of a river in the distance. Apparently the Bluffs overlooked a river and I let that be my first destination.
My shoulder was still sore, but I could feel my wolf powers easing the bruising under the surface, knitting together the poisoned muscle there until I felt whole again. A layer of fatigue I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying around lifted away as I healed until I felt unstoppable.
With renewed energy, I tore through the surrounding forest, the smell of nature and the feel of wet earth under my paws revitalizing me. It wasn’t right for wolves to be human for so long and I vowed then and there not to let that happen again.
Reconnecting with my primal side had me nearly giddy, everything seeming right in the world. Then I heard the paws following behind me. I wasn’t sure how long they’d been following; I was lost in my own world for the first leg of this run.
Stopping my sprint abruptly, I turned and let out a warning growl that cut through the night. It was answered by a black wolf stepping into view, his size twice as large and one look at those green eyes and I knew it was Leven following. That was all it took for anger to consume me and I shifted, not giving a single fuck if I was naked.
“You mother fucker. I may be on probation in this pack but I was given permission to run. I don’t need to be fucking stalked. We fucking get it, you don’t trust me, but guess what asshole… you don’t have to!”
Leven shifted then and it took everything in me not to let my eyes rake over every muscle on his body. He may be an utter asshole, but he was a sexy one.
“You’re right, I don’t trust you, and I have influence in this pack. So fall in line, sweetheart,” he seethed, stepping forward so he towered over me. Then his eyes dipped down, taking in my body slowly before a smirk lifted the corner of his mouth.
“Fuck you, Leven. I’ll never bow down to a wolf like you,” I growled with as much venom as I could manage. “I’ve dealt with far worse.”
Keeping my front facing him, I backed up before shifting, refusing to show him the scars along my backside. He didn’t need more fuel for his hate-fire.
I took off at a run before he could shift, skirting around the entire neighborhood before heading for the Bluffs. I didn’t shift back as I settled on the rocky surface, overlooking the river below and the reflection of the moon. We were about two weeks from the next full moon and I was already itching for a full-moon run. Callum wouldn’t deny me that, at least I didn’t think he would…
It was hours before my anger cooled and I felt fully relaxed again, bathed in moonlight and letting go of all the stress I could. Sure I had a lot to prove still, but one thing I knew for certain was that Leven wouldn’t be part of that.
* * *
A loud knockon my door the next morning had me nearly falling out of the small bed. Groaning, I pulled myself out of the tangle of sheets and slid fresh clothes on before answering.
Leven stood before me, looking tired but annoyed by me merely existing.
“You’ve got bakery duty, get to the pavilion by 4:45,” he ordered before walking off.
“Good morning to you too,” I called back before slamming my door. This was going to be the longest few weeks of my life.
Glancing at my phone I sighed in defeat. That gave me ten minutes to dress, grab my stuff, and get to the pavilion. Cute.
Throwing my hair in a messy bun and pulling shoes on, I took off within three minutes. If he didn’t give me time, they could deal with me in sweatpants and crazy hair.
“You’re here early,” Emma called out as I walked in. “I didn’t expect you until later, Callum said nearly eight for deliveries.”
