Blue Moon » Stilinski

Thirteen

            “Alliance?” My body goes stiff with shock, but realization quickly dawns on me. “Paul put you up to this, didn’t he?” My anger grows into a thicker, darker cloud with every second of her silence. “Didn’t he? He wanted to expand upon our agreement and screw me over! Well, you tell him that I already made him a promise, but if he tries to cross me, I can just as easily―”

            She throws her hands up in defense, her fingers shaking just the tiniest bit. “I’m not here because of Paul. This has absolutely nothing to do with him. He and I want separate things.” She turns away from the window completely and moves towards me, her gaze locking on mine. The dulled, haunted look in her eyes makes me shiver. “We may be friends, but that doesn’t mean that we have the same desires.”

            She stands so close to me now, an everlasting fire burning within her― the same fire growing in my heart. A dangerous, all-consuming fire. When I find my words, my voice is a trail of smoke. “And what do you desire?”

            “I want Roxanne’s head on a stake,” she whispers, menace creeping behind her teeth. “I want there to be a change in command.”

            I back away from her, heart tripping over my ribcage. “Wait a minute. I don’t want to lead this pack. If that’s what you’re trying to make happen, I don’t want any part of it. I don’t even want to be here.”

            She rolls her eyes, pursing her darkened lips. “Aubrey, I’m pretty sure this whole house is aware of how much you hate this place. Do you really think I’d be so stupid as to ask you to lead us? The very people you despise?”

            “I don’t despise―”

            “Please. There’s not a single person in this house you would save if the building was on fire.” She perches lightly on the edge on the bed, cocking her head in consideration. “Except maybe that blond little boytoy of yours.”

            My hands tighten into fists by my sides. “You’re not winning any favors here―”

            She brushes my irritation aside, calculation hiding in her icy, cerulean eyes. “Oh no, I’m not here to judge what you do behind closed doors. Except you might want to wash the sheets― it reeks of hormones in here.” I contemplate how difficult it would be to rip her throat out before she continues, “Anyway, are you ready to listen to what I have to offer? Have I built up the suspense enough?”

            Crossing my arms over my chest, I let the words escape from between my teeth. “Fine. What, pray tell, does your vision of the future look like?”

            “Like I said, I want Roxanne’s head on a stake,” she says, pursing her lips with contempt. “The thrill of power has corrupted her. She’s conniving and manipulative, and she definitely shouldn’t be in the position of leading this pack. She cares more about herself than any one of us.”

            Now it’s my turn to roll my eyes. Really, it took you this long to notice? I dig my fingernails into my arm softly to try to diffuse the tension created by her words. Loyalties are shifting, and I feel like a once shimmering empire is collapsing around me.

            “She uses us for her power plays and doesn’t think about the consequences or the aftermath. Doesn’t account for casualties and doesn’t care. She treats us as if we’re all pawns in her game― as if we don’t matter! She makes decisions based on what’s best for her personal gain, rather than what’s best for the pack. All she cares about is winning this forsaken war and getting to the top, no matter how many people she has to sacrifice to get there!” She takes a rattling breath, her composure breaking. It’s the first explicit sign that something’s wrong, because there’s nothing else to suggest her inner agony. Her voice is level, only breaking slightly, and her eyes are stripped of all emotion.