Bloodlines

Anna

I reach for the ring, but stop short.

I glance at Dean. His eyes flick back to Warren. Does he know what I was grabbing for? Maybe he'll speak to me now that he's looked at me.

Warren clears his throat. "Sean went to see Alexia for a compromise."

Anything. Warren could've said anything to Dean. He could've lied (and should have) but from everything he could've said... I haven't even told Dean about my run in with the East Wolves in the bathroom. I tried to, but he broke his phone.

I know what Alexia did but I've not even told the alpha. I sit up straight. Shit.

Dean doesn't say anything. I want to calm him down but that would only make him angrier. His jaw ticks.

The smell of wolf fills the room. And I know the scent. I smell it a lot when I'm around him. He suppresses his wolf too much. It can't be healthy.

"So where were you?" Dean grits his teeth.

Katie sets her pen on the table. Her eyes flick to Matt.

Warren looks at me. I shrink. All eyes fall on me and my face turns hot. Bennett places his hand on my knee and squeezes. It doesn't help.

"I went to see Anna's cousin."

The answer bewilders everyone. I open my mouth but Dean speaks first. "She doesn't have a cousin."

"Not on her mother's side she doesn't. But remember her father was human. Humans breed like cats."

"Why'd you go see Anna's cousin?" Sara asks. She finally shows an emotion, one of curiosity and suspicion.

"To see if they'd want to take her and be her legal guardian."

"Why?" I ask.

My heart pounds in my ears. I don't know if its from excitement that I have more family or if its because I know where this conversation could lead. It might be a little bit of both.

"Because you don't belong here."

My heart drops and for a second everything slows down. My vision sways. I grip Bennett's forearm.

Dean's scent gets stronger. He's really trying.

I can't talk.

I can't breathe.

The room gets small.

Everyone's too close to me.

I don't belong.

I never did.

Why did my mother do this to me?

Bennett rubs my back. He seems to be the only one that knows there's something wrong. Can't the other wolves sense it? Do they care? Am I a burden to them too? Is that why Bennett's the only one that shows compassion? Because he doesn't belong to the pack either?

He helps me control my breathing but nothing stops the few tears from falling.

With a hitched breath, I compose myself.

Warren takes it as a signal to continue. "An alpha can't mate with a mu—"

Dean's chair falls back and his wolf jumps on the table. Warren stands and shifts just a quickly, meeting Dean head on. Darryl and Daphne shift and get ready to pounce.

"Dean," Katie stands. Sara gives her a look and she sits back down. Wolf talk?

Dean walks across the table, his teeth barred and his coat, shiny. Dean's coat is still my favorite. It's brown and grey and white and it has black specks in organized places. The severity of the moment takes its time to process.