Bitter Blood (BBi)

Chapter 41: Cowards Way

Chapter Forty-one
Cowards Way

I took the cowards way out.

After Rhys walked me to my driveway and left, I snuck into the house, tip-toed past dad in the kitchen, and went upstairs to my bedroom to sleep. In the morning I get ready for work – a shift I sought after when I realized I had the day off on Wednesday – and leave the house at eight while he's still sleeping in his own room.

When I get to the diner Sena is working, Stacey alongside her. She must be in the same situation as me. Paul is behind the counter and John's working in the kitchen. I join them and start serving tables, helping to chew through the morning crowd. Labrador-Blue has taken his normal place outside the door, content to wait while I work.

The necklace Tori gave me for Christmas is hanging around my neck, looped twice so the blue crystal is sitting in the hollow of my throat.

For courage and strength.

Which might just be the thing I need the most.

-

At eleven thirty the lunch crowd is just starting to file into the diner. Sena and I have switched sections so that I don't have to deal with Carolyn and her volleyball posse, considering Carolyn still hates me because of my part in the dodge ball incident during Avery's first day of school.

I'm just setting down plates for two costumers when I casually glance up at Stacey to see what she's doing to realize she's making her way over to a new table where a familiar, blonde headed boy is seated.

Carter.

Carter the Alpha Werewolf.

I zip through the tables so fast I nearly flip a table and intercept her before Carter can notice her walking towards him.

“Can I take this one?” I ask her, my hand out to stop her from getting any closer.

She narrows her eyes at me and smiles. “Got a little first-sight crush going on there, Park?”

I manage to feign a shy blush. She rolls her eyes, wishes me good luck, and turns to walk in the opposite direction.

I cross over to Carter.

“Is she right?” he asks me before I've even opened my mouth. He turns his head away from the window and looks up at me, smirking. “Do you have a crush?”

“Not likely.” I say and glance down at my notebook as his smile vanishes. “What would you like?”

“What would you recommend?” he asks.

“The corn and chili soup is sublime.” I say with a notable lack of enthusiasm.

He nods. “Then I'll take that and an iced tea.”

I write it down and move to go.

“Parker,” he calls after me, making me stop. “I'm sorry if I've... done something to offend you.”

“You haven't.” I say and give him a pressed lip smile over my shoulder before walking away.

After I've handed in his order, I glance over at his table. He's looking back at me and his steady, unwavering gaze catches me in place. He isn't embarrassed that I've caught him staring, not even a little deterred by the unfunny staring contest we've caught each other in.

I keep the same thought running through my head to remind me; he's an Alpha. He is dangerous.

And he is. A strange, powerful Werewolf with a group of other similar Shapeshifters at his back? One who has already made friends with people close to me? It makes me nervous to consider why he'd be doing such a thing. I'm still caught between deciding for sure whether or not I need to protect them from him.

Could his reasons for positioning himself in mundane society be a feeling just as normal? Was he lonely? No, he had a whole pack now. Bored? Possible, but once again, if he wanted friends he had the Werewolves who joined him at the meeting in Naelake.

The kitchen bell dings and I break eye contact first. I whisk myself away to retrieve the ready order.

-

Rhys is waiting out the front of the diner when my shift is over, hands tucked into his jean pockets. He's here in accordance with the deal he and the rest of my friendly Werewolves had made in which they would have at least one of them looking out for me each night, considering I was still under threat of being brutally murdered by advancing attackers from all directions. The job entitled for example; walking me safely home from work each day.

Rhys had told me about this before he left me at my driveway last night.

"It's going to rain." Is the first thing I say to him when I step outside. The stars in the night sky are blotted out by dark storm clouds promising a downfall.

He nods. "Ready to go?"

I shrug and start off down the sidewalk, him close at my side, Blue moving ahead of us both. We don't talk for a long while.

"Thank you," I eventually say. "For taking the time to walk me back from work."

Rhys shrugs. “At least this way I can keep an eye on you. Maybe you'll be less inclined to put yourself in any more suicidal situations.”

“I'll try.” I reply, smiling to myself.

Again we walk in quiet as a light patter of rain begins to fall; just a sprinkle that dampens my shoulders and catches in my hair. But when it really starts to pour we duck beneath a nearby buildings shelter, huddled in the archway in front of a closed door.

In here there's barely three inches of room between us.

Out on the street puddles gather, the gutters filling with streaming water, the sound of a roaring shower filling the world. Lightning flashes in the sky, followed closely by claps of thunder.

“Well,” I say, sighing the word. “Looks like we won't be getting back home very soon.”

Rhys nods his head in agreement. He's at least a head taller so when he glances back at me, he's looking down, his eyes meeting mine from above.

I smile.

He raises a hand and points vaguely. “You have... “

Instead of saying it, he reaches out. I feel his fingers brush my cheek as he pushes a strand of dark, wet hair out of my eyes and tucks it behind my ear.

My breath catches and my heart jumps into a thumping rhythm. Just like that, the simplest touch, the lack of distance between us, and I'm practically trembling with the possibility of...

His hand lingers against my cheek before he lets it drop, tucking it back into his jean pocket. He looks out into the rain, but I'm still staring at him, frozen still by his gentleness.

“It's letting up.” he says, then jerks his head towards the street. I'm not sure it is. “Let's go before it starts again.”

He steps out of the alcove.

I hear a purr over the noise and look down at Blue. He's staring up at me with a feline smile, silent witness to it all.

“Hey,” I mumble to him, squinting down at the cat. I look back out at Rhys.

After a moment, I follow him.