Teeth, Claws, Lipstick

Chapter six

“Look who finally decided to come home.” It’s Keegan, his voice cold and indifferent.

“Shut up.” I snarl. Just outside the house in the old chest we keep out there, I’d found some of my clothes. I’d changed and rushed in here as quickly as possible only to find everyone sombre and serious.

“Where’ve you been?” Mom cries, flinging herself at me, wrapping her arms around me, engulfing me with her warm scent.

“Mom, I’m fine. It’s a long story.”

“Well you’d better start telling it.” I look over her shoulder to see Jean-Luc, standing with his arms crossed over his chest.

I detangle myself from mom and wrap my arms around him, sighing with relief when his arms fold around me. “I’m sorry Jean-Luc. I never would have left voluntarily.”

“You look a state.” He pulls back, holding me at arms length to examine me. “Tell us what happened to you.”

As soon as the lies begin to spill from my lips, it’s impossible to stop them. “Well. I tried to intervene when two bigger wolves took on Matt.”

“Thanks for that.” Matt smiles tightly but gratefully. Like everyone else, he’s battered and bruised. But he’s alive. That’s what I’m grateful for.

I nod at him before continuing. “Then one of those wolves and another one cornered me and drew me away from the battle, I can’t even remember where as a matter of fact. But I managed to fight them off... but they weakened me. A lot. I thought I was going to die – heck, I lost a lot of blood. But then I woke up this morning and I was pretty okay.” I shrug as if it’s nothing but I notice the suspicious in Jean-Luc’s eyes.

For added affect, when I shrug, I wince in pain and screw my face up. Instantly the suspicion is gone from Jena-Luc’s eyes.

“Why don’t you go upstairs and rest? I’ll send...” He pauses and a glint enters his eyes, one that I don’t entirely trust or like. “I’ll send Keegan up to help clean your wounds.”

I knew I wouldn’t like it. “No, no – honestly, I’m fine, I –“

“Just get going.” He growls impatiently. “I’ll send him up.”

Not knowing what else to say, I nod my head meekly and turn away, only pausing to kiss my mother’s cheek in a reassurance. Matt gives me a questioning look but I shrug, not knowing exactly what to say.

Upstairs, I sit on my bed, trying to ignore every little pain. The run home hadn’t been so bad – but that’s only because in wolf form, it’s easier to deal with pain. I don’t know how, I figure it’s just something more primal.

At first, getting closer to home, I’d been worried about his scent. Sawyer’s scent. All over me from our sinful kisses. So, I decided first to jump in a lake and then to roll in God-only-knows-what. My wolf loved that. Me? Not so much. Now, I stink – no wonder I got such funny looks from everyone.

Looking in the reflection, I notice how awful I look. Black and blue, scratches and wounds everywhere. My next is a ravaged mess and when I lift my top up, it’s ten times worse down there. Ten times worse.

I sit there feeling exhausted and not knowing entirely why. It feels as if I slept ages at Sawyers – and I probably did too. So why am I tired again? Shifting takes no energy at all, it’s as natural as breathing, and as easy too.

A knock at the door stops my thought track. “Come in.” I call hoarsely.

Keegan walks in holding a tray. Upon the tray is some disinfectant and cotton wool. This is going to hurt. Damn.

Without looking at me, he grabs a wooden chair from the corner and drags it awkwardly across the room, stopping and sitting beside the bed, his eyes finally meeting mine.

“I’m sorry.” He says simply.

My eyes search his, looking for something, some hidden motive to why he’s apologizing. “You’re dad’s making you apologize, am I right?” I smirk slightly.

He shrugs. “Partially. But it’s true. I’m sorry. I put the pack at risk and... and I put you at risk. I’m sorry.”

“Okay, you can stop saying sorry. It’s over and done with now, isn’t it?” I sigh heavily.

His eyes on mine make me feel a little disconnected, a little odd. Oddly enough he seems remorseful and deadly serious. It’s almost creepy.

He dips the cotton pad in disinfectant and then begins to move it across my skin. My fact at first, getting every tiny scratch and mark. I flinch, feeling the burn right down to my core.

His jaw tightens and he moves down to my neck, being extra gentle and careful now. I duck my head and jerk back invoultairily. He sighs slightly and reaches a hand forward, placing his fingers beneath my chin and pushing my face up gently, drawing me closer.

Soon, but not soon enough, my neck is finished and he motions for me to lie back.

I feel completely and utterly uncomfortable when he rolls my t-shirt up to reveal my stomach and the bloody mess it’s in. I hiss sharply when I feel the coldness brushing against the injury, the pain making my fingers claw into the material of my blanket.

A moments of hesitation and then I feel his free hand curl over mine. I look at him in shock, my eyes widening but he refuses to look at me, instead concentrates on my stomach. Could this day get any stranger?

I tighten my hand on his, my head flopping back as I grit my teeth and try to bear it.

What feels like years later he finally puts the tray down on the side and rolls my t-shirt down. I sigh in relief.

“Finished.” His hand slips from mine and I scold myself for missing the comfort that it brought. For a while, it was like when we kids and he’d always be there to comfort me.

“Thank you.” I say quietly and he knows that I mean it because he shifts slightly and shrugs as if it’s nothing.

“You should probably get changed now.”

“Yeah, I will.” I say in no rush, waiting for him to leave. When he doesn’t, I give him a look.

“Well, feel free whenever.” He smiles widely, leaning back in the chair in a relaxed manner.

My mouth drops in shock. The cheek! The complete cheek of him! “Uh, I mean, I’ll be getting changed when you leave.”

“Oh come on,” He grins, flashing those white teeth of his. “We’re gonna be married soon. Then we’ll be seeing each other naked all the time.” He shrugs and my cheeks begin to burn.

The first pillow, he dodges. The second hits him in the back of the head. He’s out of the room before the book hits the door.