Broken

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Rachel met us at the door with a shy smile that let me know any hard feelings would evaporate instantly if I wanted to be friends again.

Alec put me down with a slight start as soon as he saw his sister. I reluctantly let go of him, and covered the last few feet under my own power. I gave Rachel a hug as soon as she was within arm's reach.

"I'm so sorry. I've been incredibly dumb."

She waved the explanation away. "Brandon's fooled people smarter than both of us put together. The hardest part was not being able to tell you anything."

Alec started to open the door, but Rachel put a hand on his arm. "The rest of the pack is back. Jasmin already told them what happened. It doesn't look good."

I had my mouth open, and was halfway to asking what was going on when I saw Alec's expression, and swallowed my words. He didn't look any different than normal, in fact if I'd been standing forty or fifty feet away from him I'd probably have still thought he was just as calm and in control as always. This close, I could feel the anger radiating off of him.

I almost took a step back when he turned towards me. "I realize it's unreasonable to ask you to trust me right now, but I'm going to need you to do so. Can you remain quiet for the next few minutes?"

I wanted to ask why, but it was obvious we didn't have the time for a lengthy explanation. I nodded, "I trust you. After everything you've done, I know you wouldn't hurt me."

Alec turned towards Rachel, but she shook her head before he could even open his mouth. "You don't even need to ask. I'll follow your lead, and try to look brave."

He threw the door open and stalked into the house. Rachel grabbed my hand and pulled me along behind her.

A group of familiar faces were waiting for us in the largest living room I'd ever seen. It took me several seconds to match identities to the rain-soaked group staring at me with such hostility.

Jasmin was standing in the center, and didn't even wait for me to get fully in the room before she started talking.

"She goes back to Brandon tonight. It's a long shot, but it's better than nothing. She brought it on herself so there isn't any reason to cry over what might happen."

Alec shook his head. "Unacceptable. She wasn't properly his. There was no bond of Ja'tell, and consequently we have no obligation to return her to him."

Jasmin opened her mouth to say something else, but a tiny brunette, probably Jessica, interrupted her. "Alec, we have to do this. None of us are stupid; we know what's going to happen. You killed two members of his pack."

There was steel in Alec's voice that I'd never heard before. "Still unacceptable. You've all aired your opinions; you can retire to your beds now."

James looked up from where he'd been slouching against the wall, and I suddenly realized that he wasn't shaking from cold. He was so furious it looked like he was literally seconds away from exploding.

A very pretty Hispanic girl placed a gentle hand on his arm, but he shook her hand off and let out a sound that was uncomfortably close to a growl. "You selfish jerk. You've been mooning over her for weeks. You've got her now, but at what cost? This isn't open to discussion. We're taking her back to Brandon and asking for leniency."

In an effort to see better, Rachel and I had moved slightly to the side. Alec reached back without looking and moved us directly behind him. It wasn't until his arm brushed me that I realized he was shaking ever so slightly himself.