Alpha Ember (ALPHA KANE BOOK 2)

31. Punishment

Ember

I wasn't a stranger to magical pranks. In fact, I think I've been the test subject for several of them (I once got hexed with a male voice and ended up skipping school for a week while waiting for it to wear off) but this particular prank felt more personal. More malicious. The pranks in the past were a case of stronger kids picking on weaker kids but now that I was technically their head honcho, them pranking me was the equivalent of a challenge. Challenges could mean life or death when it came to werewolves.

Which meant the person who turned every inch of skin on my body from head to toe red was not Darius. Challenging authority wasn't his thing and his pranks were more low-key. This was a high profile case. The person who did it obviously wanted to humiliate me in front of the whole pack tomorrow.

It didn't matter whether or not Kane was with me, I couldn't meet the pack looking like this. I'd be the laughing stock of the year. They'd make vines about me.

And there was no telling who was the culprit-

"Of course we know who the culprit is," Helen said, stalking out of the kitchen.

I gave Thomas a questioning look. He shrugged. "I have no idea what goes on in her mind and I quite frankly don't want to find out."

I paused at this, studying him more closely. He was biting his nails in an unusually angry manner, dark eyes focusing on the doorway Helen had walked out of.

I grasped the hand his teeth were assaulting, entwined our fingers and patted the back of his hand. "I heard Darius has been bothering you."

"I'm not scared of him. Kane promised me Darius wouldn't dare hurt me."

"I'll talk to Darius anyway." I pointed to the food Helen had been trying to give him. "Do I need to have a talk with Helen too?"

"No," he rushed out, faltering as he stared at my red face in fascination. I suppose there hadn't been any teenagers playing magical pranks in his previous pack. "I know everything. Helen treated you horribly but now she comes around acting like that was her evil twin sister. It's annoying."

I hadn't believed past evils could come around to bite you in the ass but apparently karma did exist. Still, I couldn't find it within myself to be ecstatic about Thomas' lowly opinion of Helen.

"You don't have to dislike her on my account," I said.

He shook his head. "You're not the only person she mistreated. Her personality might not be as bad as Wendy's but I'm sick and tired of unpleasant people."

Helen walked in as he said the last part but judging by the crestfallen quality her expression took, she'd heard everything. Disadvantages of having good hearing. Her moment of vulnerability didn't last long, reaching behind her, she dragged a woman forward, shoving her into the kitchen. Helen threw a bottle- the body wash I'd used today- on the floor. "There's your culprit," Helen said.

I recognized the culprit.

She worked for the cleaning service that cleaned the house five times a week. I'd seen her around and thought she seemed pleasant if not a bit distant- but her disinterest in me was what I'd liked about her. It turned out she wasn't as disinterested as I'd thought.

"Was it you, Beatrice?" I asked, checking her name tag in case I'd forgotten.

I hadn't been wrong. Beatrice appeared to be my mother's age, her golden brown hair pulled back into a bun and her white t-shirt tucked into a pair of skinny jeans I envied. She was measuring me back, and looking less impressed too.