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“What are you doing?” I demanded, striding over to him. “Leave her alone.”
He blinked rapidly, the wolf showing in his eyes. “Because you say so?”
“Because I do,” Mara said. “Pick on someone your own size, you filthy coward.”
He relaxed. “She’s just like the rest. You know it, too.”
“We don’t need any more trouble,” Mara said, pushing me back toward my locker. “Byron will be pissed. Get back under the radar, Caveman.”
He snorted then gestured for the others to follow him to class. But he glanced back at us, his eyes full of suspicion.
Mara leaned against the locker next to mine, closing her eyes. “He’s starting to get on my last nerve. Looks like Margo feels the same. What’s her deal?”
“She’s not stupid,” I said. “She knows something shady went down on Halloween. I don’t know what to tell her.”
“Obviously, nothing.” She opened her eyes. “I heard some girls bitching about her in the bathroom. She’s always on her own. She could probably use a friend.”
I shut my locker. “So go befriend her.”
She sniggered. “I’m not good with girls. But I feel sorry for her. She’s become the you of the school.”
“Oh, no. Not the very worst thing that could happen to a person.”
“You stick up for other people,” she said. “I just don’t understand why you can’t defend yourself.”
I leaned my forehead against the locker. We’d had the same conversation too many times. It was my place to bear the brunt, and when I did, everyone else mostly stayed out of trouble.
“She’s not you,” Mara warned. “She can’t be like you. If she was one of us, she’d be dominant. We can burn it off on a run, but she can’t do that, so she won’t be able to handle all of this.” She winced as though the words were physically painful to say. “So go help her.”
I dropped a kiss on the top of her head. “I love you, Mara.”
She punched me right in the gut, winding me. “I love you, too.”
* * *
After school,I made it outside first and waited for Margo. The first rush out of school moved urgently and noisily, but she wasn’t among them. A group crossed my path, Adam making an effort to steer himself into me, roughly brushing against me. I barely noticed, more concerned with looking out for Margo. The rest of the group kept going, but Adam lingered, hurling a couple of insults I didn’t bother listening to.
If I’d been paying more attention, I might have noticed Victor striding toward us, but it wasn’t until Victor shoved Adam that I caught on. I might not have been popular, but I was still pack. Protecting one of our own was a basic instinct.
“Don’t evenlookat him,” Victor said through clenched teeth.
Adam’s expression flashed between one of contempt and fear. Anyone in their right mind would be afraid of Victor in that mood, but sometimes I thought Adam must enjoy the conflict. “Or what?”
Victor smiled, and I knew it was time to worry. “Leave it,” I said. “He’s a waste of time.”
Victor relaxed slightly, but he pointed at Adam. “When you’re least expecting it.” He glanced at me. “Let’s go, Dorian.”
I winced. “I’m just waiting for someone.”
Victor shot me a long, hard look, and though it was hard to resist, I stayed put. He shook his head in disgust then left.
Adam sneered at me. “Bodyguard’s gone. Nobody to protect you now.”
My patience ran out. I took one step toward him, and he automatically retreated a step. “I don’t need a bodyguard. I wasn’t lying when I said you’re a waste of time, now get lost.”
He did. I’d noticed that some humans were more likely to be wary of a calm, implied threat than heat and loud words.
Margo was one of the final stragglers to leave school. Her hands were shoved deep into her pockets, her earbuds in, and her shoulders slumped so low, she looked about a head shorter.
