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"They kept us in their homes for days and killed us like animals. Some of the wolves forced themselves on the female wolves. It's horrifying to even remember." Fena sniffles and wrinkles her nose with her hand. "I could have been killed too but one of Adeline's brothers kept me alive. He was impressed by how unflinching I was when the wolves came to terrorize us."
"Which of her brothers?"
"Jake."
I wasn't really expecting her to say Lawrence. That wolf will never bat an eye before ripping out the innards of another person.
"Then I fell in love with him."
I look at Fena as though she just grew horns. In love? With a High Ridge wolf?
Fena scoffs. "Don't judge me. You're the last person who should be doing that."
I shake my head. "I'm not. Just surprised. You were his prisoner. How did you fall for him?"
Fena stomps on the cigarette again. It's now a black smear of ash on the grass. The wind continues to blow, picking up things in its path. I think about telling Fena we should go inside but again, I don't want to interrupt her story.
She flicks me a glance. "Ever heard of Stockholm Syndrome?"
Who’s never heard of Stockholm Syndrome? Maybe people who don’t find it attractive falling for one's captor.
"Did he treat you right?"
"Yes. Jake was very nice to me. He was different from the rest."
"But he didn't let you out of the house."
Fena leans backward, supporting her posture with her hands on the floor of the verandah. "You don't understand. I'd been held as their prisoner for months and then someone showed up, acted all nice to me, smiled at me and even fed me. What did you expect? I was in pain and I desperately wanted to feel loved."
"Still surprising. I don't think I could have done that."
Fena chuckles. "You're already doing it."
I knit my eyebrows in confusion. "How so?"
"We are both attracted to people who are keeping us captive. Adeline doesn't have to put you in chains to do this. Her problems are holding you down. They're stopping you from soaring. But you love feeling that way. You love taking her problems and making them yours."
Fena's words sting. I'm annoyed that she's calling Adeline my captor. No, Adeline isn't that. In fact, she's my freedom, the person who has broken my chains.
I haven’t felt this happy since my pack's murder. Adeline's presence is the bubble of light my heart is wrapped in. I've never felt so peaceful since I came to this city. Adeline's love is the blissful silence healing my soul. How dare Fena say she’s my captor?"
"That's not true," I croak. "Adeline is the best thing that’s ever happened to me. This is different, Fena. I love her and I'm not her prisoner."
"She's chaining you to her problems, Luke. Can't you see it?"
My jaw stiffens. "If you're saying I should forget about Adeline and stop loving her, that's not possible, Fena. I'll love Adeline until my last breath."
Fena rises to her feet, dusting the dust off her pants with her hands. "Whatever. As for me, I had to learn to stop loving Jake. His family is trouble. I don't want to be caught in the middle of anything."
But Adeline isn't Jake. She's different from her brothers. That's why my love for her will continue to burn.
"It's pointless trying to convince me."
I rise to my feet too. The wind is getting wilder and it would be foolish sitting on the verandah and letting it spit dust in our eyes.
"I'm thinking about my next plan," I add. "I'm not sure of what to do yet, but I want Adeline's brothers to pay for what they did to her."
We’re now inside, but we keep our voices low not to awaken Adeline. Besides, I don't want her to hear me talk about her brothers. Their names alone are enough to trigger her painful memories.
