(FREE TO READ) Bad Moon

chapter 31 ; fasted

The house was full that night. The sentinels slept in the living room, three piled on the couch, one on the love-seat and two on the floor. Jaylin still hadn't learned their names or their stories, but he hoped to.

Too drunk to drive, Tisper's car was taken home by Matt after signing Quentin's NDA. The rules would have to be implied to Tisper again once she was sober.

The NDA consisted of seven different laws, created especially for humans caught in such a predicament.

The first rule of integration said that humans may not speak of wolf to those who are not wolf and "especially those who have no prior knowledge of the wolf society".

The second said that human may not aim to purposefully becomewolf, regardless of a willing donor.

Thirdly was the rule of obedience. Just as wolves, humans were expected to obey the wolf they'd signed under. Quentin laughed when he read this one out loud. "Some of these rules are a little archaic."

The fourth rule said that humans were not to become romantically involved with a werewolf. Jaylinfound himself gnawing on his lip as Quentin spoke this one allowed. These things happened anyways, didn't they? It had certainly happened to Anna.

Fifth was the banishing of evidential devices. This meant that humans were never to take video or photo evidence of a werewolf—whether they had the intent to spread it or not.

The sixth rule seemed kind of obvious. Humans involved in the wolf society were not to harm or kill a wolf or Alpha. But according to Quentin, this rule is one of the most frequently broken. Many humans attack out of panic, he said. Some flee to join the "Hunter's Corp", or other rebel company. When Jaylin asked what the Hunter's Corp was, Quentin looked bothered by the question.

"Werewolf killers," Alex answered for him. Quentin moved on to the next rule.

The seventh was the rule of preservation; no human who takes part in the wolf society shall harm a natural, living, breathing wolf. Jaylin didn't understand why this was an important rule, but seeing as wolves had been eradicated from the Pacific North West almost a century ago, it'd be almost impossible to break.

Sadie signed with more understanding than Jaylin expected. Matt had to be coaxed into it, but ultimately, he decided it wouldn't matter; that none of this was real anyways. And so long as he revealed nothing, no one had any objections to his theory.

Tisper had fallen asleep before she had the chance. She was offered a guest room, but Jaylin objected. "Put her in my room so I can explain everything to her when she wakes up," he'd told Mrs. Sigvard. In reality, he just wanted to be close to her. There was a comfort in sharing the same sheets with Tisper. Some of their deepest conversations had been spoken with but a pillow between them.

She was helped upstairs by two of the Sentinels and Jaylin remained in his place at the table, watching the fire dance on Mrs. Sigvard's wax candles.

"Jaylin," he'd heard his name called from the doorway of the dining room. "Blow those out." Quentin was leaning against the arched walkway with his strong arms crossed, biceps pushing the threads of his cotton sleeves. "Come with me." Then he turned and began to walk off, no time for a reply.

He doesn't need one, Jaylin thought as he fumbled out of his chair and puffed out the candle sticks. It was in everything. The way he talked and moved and commanded his own with the point and pull of his finger. Quentin knew he was power. Maybe it hadn't gone to his head, but he knew damn well that he was an alpha. A king. And Jaylin was so eager to swear his allegiance.

He had to cling to the furniture as he worked his way to the staircase, where Quentin had already disappeared around the bend. He was waiting for Jaylin a ways down the hall, hands tucked in his jean pockets.