Talk About the Direct Approach...

Chapter Forty-Eight: Us Vs. Us Vs. Them Vs. Them

"Shouldn't you be there too?"

He shakes his head, leaning in close and placing his forehead against mine. "You're my priority right now. This whole feud is between members of Joshua's pack, and Carter and Bethany. They're taking care of things." He places a light kiss on my forehead, telling me to get some more rest. But surely, he knows it won't work. When I insist we both go in, it takes about three minutes of arguing. I try to drag Waylon onto my side, but he just makes an X with his fingers and leaves the room, after making sure I don't need anything.

"My legs aren't broken," I finally say, making a move to sit up and stand. He stops me.

"Don't strain yourself!"

It isn't too long before he assists me in getting up, and not long after that that we are making our way through Joshua's house. I can hear the sound of low, angry voices and I assume it's where we are going.

I don't bother to knock when we reach the door, instead opening it slowly but with purpose. Inside I find it crammed with people. Bethany, Carter, Trenton, and a couple others from our pack. And then, of course, Joshua, Alan, Donald, and others. I almost want to blow a kiss to Donald, just to taunt him, but think better of it given the situation.

Conversation ceases and eyes turn to me. Bethany approaches me gently, signaling for a hug, which I gladly accept. When she pulls away, she casts a glance over my shoulder and then hangs her head, stepping away from me. Looking back, I see Cayton with a stone cold expression, and only then do I realize the tension the room is filled with.

On all sides, it seems I could carve the tension with a knife. Cayton grabs my hand and gently pulls me into him, leading me to sit down. I make note of how he asks someone to move rather than leading me to the open seat next to Carter. He avoids looking in that direction almost entirely.

So the tension isn't just Us Vs. Them.

Joshua gives me a look, before continuing on, matching Carter's gaze once more. "Your Luna is fine on all accounts. What happened here today is nothing more than a series of misunderstandings that went too far. Roy is being dealt with appropriately, and we can assure any feud between our two packs is over and done, provided--"

Carter cuts him off abruptly. "No. Absolutely not."

He looks to Bethany, who still has her eyes to the ground.

Continuing, Carter says "She is my mate, you're not keeping her here for whatever sick fucking reason. She doesn't want that."

"She had the misfortune of being paired with you," Joshua sneers, "and that doesn't detract from the fact that her home is here, and this is where she belongs."

Carter is getting riled up very quickly. I can see Bethany putting her hands on his shoulders, trying to calm him. Finally, she looks up, locking eyes with Joshua.

"Joshua," she begins, her voice coming out quiet and hoarse, but with a certain power behind it despite the difficulty. "My home is no longer here. I found it when I found Carter, and my friends," I see her cast her eyes towards me, and I'm touched for a moment.

I expected her to end here, but she steps in front of Carter, taking the center of the room to face Joshua. Her posture is as tall and rigid as she can manage, becoming intimidating for someone I never saw that way.

"I'm tired of how you treat me, how you treat everyone. I'm not some knick-knack you can keep on the shelf. I'm not something you can use just to remind you of her. You know she would not be ok with this! Any of this!" Everyone in the room appears surprised, especially Joshua, who is stunned into silence. She takes a step forward as she tries and clears her throat. I see her wince a bit and know she's really pushing to get this out.

"You need help, Joshua, plain and simple. I care for you, you know I do. But this is at best unhealthy and at worst pathetic. You've spent all this time and energy trying to get me back, you've stopped caring about the people who look up to you as their leader. You're so blind to everything, you can't even realize that I don't want to come back. I have a life to live, I wish you would let me live it."

She takes a deep breath and maintains hard eye contact with him. His mouth hangs open ever so slightly, and I can see many people shaking off the shock and looking to him. I can't say anyone looks like they disagree with her, and from what I know, I definitely don't.

I look up at Cayton, sitting on the arm of the chair I'm in, and I slip my hands into his.

After a long stretch of silence, Joshua snaps to it. "May I speak to you alone?" he askes Bethany, which results in an immediate 'No' from Carter. However, one meaningful look from Bethany, and a few moments, and Bethany nods. Joshua gestures for her to follow him, and they exit the room.

Tension threatens to suffocate me as another silence follows. Everyone is sharing wary glances, and I once again note that Cayton is purposefully avoiding Carter, who seems to be doing the same.

"Did something happen between you two?" I ask aloud, drawing a line between Cayton and Carter with my finger. Cayton tenses, and Carter refuses to look my way. Neither of them answers my question.

"How are you feeling?" Trenton steps in, coming up to me, crouching to be eye level with me as I'm sitting. I roll my good shoulder and twist my head to pop my neck.

"Honestly? Never been better," I say.

"Really?" he asks, humor in his voice as he watches me wince as I touch my bad shoulder.

"For sure. I mean, I've always wondered what it would feel like to get shot. Just about everything besides that has happened to me this past week, so I think I at least have an idea." That elicits a few chuckles across the room, and an even tighter grip on my hand from Cayton. I look at him briefly, and am taken aback by the sadness in his eyes. I frown.

'Are you ok?' I ask in his head.

'I'm sorry,' is all he offers, somehow squeezing my hand even tighter. He looks away from me, towards the door. As I turn back to Trenton, unsure what to do, he makes note of Cayton's expression as well and quickly changes the subject. "You know, Tami and I have something really important to talk to you about when we get back. Both of you."

I perk up. "Oooo, what?"

"It's a surprise I suppose," he shrugs, teasing me. I scowl at him. Rude.

Looking over to Carter, I see he is antsy, waiting for Bethany to come back. Curiosity overtakes me. I can't stand to see him and Cayton acting the way they are, especially when I have no idea why. I stand up, and all eyes dart to me.

"If you and Tami don't tell me the second I step foot into my house, we're gonna fight!" I warn Trenton, trying to look intimidating. He laughs at me, standing up, towering over me.

"You might actually win that one, so we won't take chances," he jokes. I smile back at him, before putting my business face on.

"Cayton, Carter, will you two please come with me?" I ask, leaving little room in my tone for rejection. They both start to, but I fix them with a look of my own. I almost think about wolfing out, but the look works well enough as they both hesitantly stand up.

Still holding Cayton's hand, I push open the door. I throw a "we'll be right back!" over my shoulder, and make a beeline for the first door I see propped open.