Fated

Chapter XXXXI

Amor

Amor groaned as Eden grabbed her hand, leading her into the packhouse. They had overslept and missed the pack breakfast and Amor had hoped that they could use the rest of their Sunday in a decidedly more fun manner. 

But there was a war to be fought and Grandmother's houses to be visited. 

Amor frowned. Such was the sacrifice of the righteous.

She devoutly promised to kill Lyracus simply because of the dry spell she was undergoing. UGH.

Eden smiled back at her ruefully as if he knew what she was thinking before the hustle-bustle of the packhouse demanded their attention. 

The room was sunlit through its many windows, the smell of oak and pine surrounding it. Amor was surprised to see Toby sitting with Cassie and Sebastian on the couch. They were laughing and Amor giddily smiled at the happiness of her friends. Cassie had spent a long time pining over this boy. Amor was excited to know him.

Adrian and the Lycans were sitting on the floor on the other end of the room, discussing something in hushed whispers. Eden left her hand, moving in their direction. Amor made her way to Adira who was eating breakfast on the dining table with a morose Ahsan. He kept furtively shooting looks at an oblivious Sebastian and Toby, causing Amor to stifle a playful grin. 

Maybe he wasn't so bad after all. 

"Morning," she greeted them as she pulled out a chair. 

Adira smiled at her but Ahsan didn't even bother to look in her direction. 

Okay, so he sucked. 

"How was breakfast?" Amor tried to make conversation. 

Ahsan grunted. 

Adira smiled, "Not too bad. You missed some great waffles. Lira even brought choco-chip ones."

Amor groaned dramatically, "The one day I oversleep. Why does the universe hate me?"

Next to her, Ahsan snorted derisively. 

Okay, what was his problem?

Amor opened her mouth to ask him exactly that but shut it when she caught sight of Adira's pleading face. Instead, Amor rolled her eyes and gritted her teeth.

Sebastian's loud laughter filled the room as he clapped Toby on his shoulder. Cassie snickered falling onto the redhead.

Ahsan ground his teeth. Drystan's jaw tightened and his hands fisted. 

Amor grinned, ecstatic. Karma is real.

Adira smiled kindly at Ahsan, trying to make him feel welcome. "Don't worry Sebastian is the-"

Ahsan stiffened, turning back to Adira with a hatred written across his features. "I don't care. I don't need to know.  Especially not from a filthy weak human like yourself," he spat, interrupting her, as his eyes went hard.

All conversation ceased and the room went deafeningly silent.

Adira flinched as if he had hit her. Her face hardened in a manner that Amor had never seen before. Not even during battle.

Amor grew unnaturally still, unable to hear past the blood rushing in her ears.

 Adira's roamed the room, her friend's sitting back down when they took in her expression.

Adira spoke slowly, "I don't know what happened between humans and you for you to hate my kind. I assume it must have been very bad because hatred doesn't run so deep over petty matters. But have you considered something? That your object of disgust, those particular humans and what they did to you, is what you have become. For people like me, your bigoted bullshit could be the reason why I hate werewolves."