My Best Friend's Werewolf

25 Inexcusable

"Poisonous?" I sit up. "What are they cobras?"

"I guess they both have fangs..."

"Technically canines." I sigh at how utterly crazy this is.

She looks at me. "You're the one who's obsessed with them." She shifts her weight and the bed squeaks. "But alphas and lupraus--"

"Lupraus?"

"Rogues. They turn people into werewolves if they bite them. That is if they don't kill the victim before they change."

"Killing is that common?"

"For lupraus, yes. Alphas and all werewolves lose control on full moons."

So either Travis and Hunter were using drugs or they're werewolves. After today's events, werewolves seem more likely. But was Travis turned or was he born like that? If the latter, that would mean Hanna is one. The day we first met Travis took me to that diner. There was that crescent mark on his arm...

"So if he marks you, you become a werewolf?"

"Yes, and I don't want that. These are closer to the actual werewolf legends, not the ones that you read about in modern novels. When they lose control on full moons, no one is safe."

She was here on the last full moon.

"Did he hurt you?"

She pats my leg, almost motherly. "No. It's complicated. Xavier and I are having dinner downstairs with his Beta. I'm making you join us." Grabbing my arm, she pulls me off the bed.

"That sounds entirely awkward."

"I want you to at least try to get along. You're my best friend. Your blessing means a lot."

"I'm not your dad," I groan as she drags me out the door and down the hall.

"You yelled at me when I watched that R-rated movie."

Our feet cause the stairs to creak and I wonder if he's already down there.

"That's because I knew your parents would ground you if they found out, and it was the night before my birthday. All of our plans would have been ruined."

Okay, I have different feelings about this. I'm ecstatic to eat dinner with my long lost best friend. I'm wary to eat dinner with werewolves as they were trying to kill me--multiple times. They held guns to my head the day Eliza was kidnapped, remember? But how many people can say they've ate dinner with werewolves? I'm also kind of dreading it for human reasons as well. When you've never had a boyfriend and you're eating with your best friend and hers, well it's a little awkward. What? You try it. You keep wondering if they look down on you.

I guess I've kind of always had a motherly sort of instinct toward Eliza as she's younger than me. I've had seventeen years compared to her sixteen.

The dining room table only has four settings out even though it could hold twenty. Along the wall are photographs probably taken from these mountains. In the corner a China cabinet stands empty. Probably smart considering it's in a house of werewolves. They seem to have anger management issues. Don't even start trying to defend them by saying werewolves are people too. Are they? Are they really?

Eliza and I both sit on one side, Eliza closer to the end. For five minutes we both stare at the other two spots without saying a word.

"I should probably get the food." She stands and bumps her hip on the table, causing the glasses and plates to rattle while she tries to get out. She collects the plates into a stack.

I start to stand. "Do you want some help?"

"No, sit."

At this point it looks like I'm twerking. I sink back into my chair.

"You're our guest."

For her sake, I don't argue that I'm actually a prisoner. For her I'll be a guest on an indefinite stay. Sometimes you have to let your best friend hear what she wants to hear.

A door closes in the house. I'm assuming the front door. You know how you can just tell it's the front door by the particular sound, but you can't place what it is about it that makes it distinguishable?

Xavier and the tattoo guy walk into the dining room. Tattoo guy freezes. I'm actually not surprised he's the Beta. I've already had quite a bit of shock today to keep me grounded for a life time.

Xavier seats himself at the head of the table and tattoo guy in the seat across from Eliza's.

"Addison," Xavier says.

"Xavier," I match his cold tone.

His eyes move toward his Beta who is watching our exchange appearing confused. "This is my second in command, Rory." I note he doesn't use the word Beta.

"It's nice to finally give a face a name, Rory," I say. At least I try to say Rory. I have a problem pronouncing my Rs. It takes a lot of concentration to say them correctly. I went to speech therapy when I was younger, passed, and didn't keep practicing. A name like his completely comes off my tongue like a tongue twister. It sounds something like Worry.

Rory stands up. "I'm going to see if Eliza needs some help." He walks into the kitchen leaving me and my best friend's boyfriend...my best friend's werewolf alone.

I send him one of my famous death glares. He's an alpha, I've got to seem somewhat intimidating. "What are your intentions toward Eliza?"

He blinks, taken aback. "To date her and if all goes well, one day marry her."

"Mmhmm."

"I get the feeling you don't like me."

I size him up. There's no way I'm taking him in a fight. "You don't say."

He kidnapped my best friend and was going to let his wolves kill me on a bridge.

"I do care about her." His brown eyes are very puppy doggish right now.

"I'm glad to hear that, but if you ever hurt her, I will make you rue the day you were born."

"You know I'm an alpha?"

"So I should be scared of you? If you hurt me, think about Eliza." Okay, I'm not sure where this bravery is coming from. But I just put an alpha in his place. Point one for Addy. Maybe the best way to treat this is to take the supernatural element of werewolves out. "Her family misses her. They are worried sick about her."

"And don't you think that I want us to have a normal relationship? I assume she already explained why she can't leave."

"Maybe you should have thought of that before you brought her here."

"I was overwhelmed by the moment."

I roll my eyes and lean back. "Okay, Shakespeare. Was pointing guns at me part of the overwhelming nature of the moment?"

He scratches his head, his blond hair ruffling.

"I thought so." I'm not sorry if it sounds like I'm being harsh on him. He may not be holding Eliza against her will but he's holding me that way. He's causing Eliza's and my parents to suffer, not knowing what happened to their daughters. He took away my best friend and caused me to believe she was murdered by him. How could I possibly go easy on him? "Now I'm going to need some information on you. Last name?"

"Breckinridge."

"Age?"

"Nineteen."

A clang comes from the kitchen.

I straighten the burlapish placemat. "Did you graduate high school? Did you even go to one or did you only focus on your extra-curricular activities?"

"I was homeschooled and yes, I graduated."

Before I can stop it, a smile tugs at my lips. But fellow homeschooler or not, he's still holding me captive.

And that is inexcusable, I say. Inexcusable.

Fun Fact: In Romanian Lup rau means Bad Wolf.