Free Me From the Wolves

[22] Children of the Moon

"Like Aaron?" Trevor asked and then I saw Stormy's face relax as she gulped. "Because he's the pack's problem too and you seem to be heavily involved in that situation."

"It's different," Ryder surprisingly voiced, defending their relationship.

"It's not," Trevor said with articulation. "Witches aren't supposed to meddle with other Tiers so directly. We stay with our own—"

"Yet you want involvement in werewolf business?" I finally interrupted. "If you were going to say 'we stay with our own kind,' then you're not proving your point by wanting information on Stella when the pack has it under control."

"And we all know the only reason I'm allowed to be involved is because he's my boyfriend," Stormy reasoned and Greta hissed That's enough! at her. "No, let's be real. If he wasn't my boyfriend before he phased, I wouldn't care about how he ends up."

"Wait, what was that?" Trevor asked.

"I said if he wasn't my boyfriend before—"

"Before," Trevor repeated. "As far as I'm concerned, I think I'm taking an interest in Stella before she has the chance to Turn so why am I not allowed to be involved?"

"Because your interest means nothing," Ryder muttered beneath his breath. Trevor's eyes met Ryder's and narrowed slightly.

"Is that why she agreed to go on a date with me? Because my interest means nothing to her?" Trevor asked. Before he said that, Ryder was leaning back on his seat, balancing it on its hind legs, but as soon as Trevor said that, he dropped to the floor and I saw him begin to lunge, which somehow made my instincts jump out and grab his arm so he wouldn't rip Trevor's throat out in front of me. I heard Ryder growl and after a while, he breathed heavily and lightly removed my hand from his arm while still standing.

"You're an asshole," Ryder named.

"Am I?" Trevor asked. "What I've learned from your whole mating business is that I should go after whoever I want if I want them bad enough. Well I want Stella."

"I don't care what you want—"

"Shit," I heard Stormy cuss beneath her breath as if this was her fault. But if my memory served correct, maybe it was her fault because at school she had asked me where my boyfriend was and where Stella's was without Stella's knowledge of even having a boyfriend. Maybe that only stimulated Stella's willingness to be with Trevor because he was the first person to ask her out after that comment.

"—you're not dating Stella," Ryder finished. The girl within me wanted to believe he spoke out of jealousy, but I knew it was a territorial thing and overall hatred for Trevor. "Because as soon as she phases, there's no way you'll stay together."

"Like Stormy and Aaron?" he questioned, which reminded me of when Aaron admitted Stormy was about to break up with him. "What if she doesn't Turn?"

"Phase," Ryder corrected.

"Phase, whatever," Trevor mimicked. "Then she's human and she's no one's Tier." Ryder stayed silent, even though I thought he'd fight more for Stella. "And we both know that no matter how long you've been friends, she's not a werewolf and not in your control."

"But she's not just a human bystander," I said in place of a suddenly silent Ryder. "She knows about werewolves."

"That can be resolved," Greta said.

"No," Ryder denied. "I'm done letting Stella get hexed."

"Seems to me like I'm her safest option then," Trevor smiled. "I didn't bite her like some filthy mutt and I didn't cast spells on her to alter her memories. I can't even Turn people, so I think it's a win/win for all of us."