04 Rouge
Avery Dunning was found on the steps of a police station when she was one years old. Very Harry Potter. Just a name, and an letter addressed to her when she would be old enough to read it, she was left to unravel her own mysterious past while also juggling being another foster kid.
Avery Dunning also liked to watch movies in her spare time, especially those some nerdy guy would dub a classic. So it kinda felt like a full circle, déjà vu, had definitely seen this in a movie, moment when she managed to run out of that room like the roadrunner on crack.
She nearly tripped twice, her unzipped duffel banging against her thigh. She was sweating! Avery Dunning wanted to scream out at the universe, but she couldn’t. Because she’d just roofied a future Alpha shifter. By the time Reece woke up, pissed and groggy, she needed to be far, far, away.
She passed the morning crew, getting ready to open up, and shakily climbed into her car. The whole confrontation kept playing over in her mind like a bad song, even as she peeled out onto the road.
Avery was human. She was human. She wasn’t…
She wiped her hand along her jean, struggling to control her breathing. She kept glancing in her mirror, imagining seeing a great dark mass of fur chasing after her.
In her panic, Avery could only press down harder on the gas. Reece wouldn’t wake for another few more hours and by then she’d be… The laughed escaped her, a mania settling in. She literally had nowhere to go. Fuck, she had exams still left to write.
“Chill out,” she scolded herself. “As long as you didn’t kill him.”
Even as the thought crossed her mind, she felt a shiver. No, she found the need to keep reminding herself. That’s not the person she wanted to be. Avery was human. And she’ll keep it that way.
Knowing she had nowhere to go, Avery kept driving. She needed a plan. She was crossing state lines, her heart refuse to still. She was nearly out of hiding places. Sometime near noon her phone started ringing and she wanted nothing more than to throw the damn thing out the window.
This wasn’t the plan.
After a few hours, and no wolves howling in her rearview mirror, she slowed down and pulled into the next town she saw. Small town, she noted, seeing a quick change from rural to urban. She was coming up really low on gas, her eyes taking note of all the buildings and stores. It was a little loudmouth town, three churches, a dry grass square and bars lining up the side streets. Spotting a derelict looking bar, she finally had a plan. Avery turned her steering wheel and pulled up in front.
She turned off her phone, tucked her journal inside her jacket pocket and turned into the bar.
A town like this, you were lucky enough to find some patrons even this early in the morning. Though Avery wouldn’t recommend mixing with this crowd. She took note of the bearded men playing pool, a young couple having breakfast and a single man nursing a glass of whiskey at the bar.
She grabbed a seat across from him, looking up at the board behind the bar. A tall woman with a wild frizz of black hair came up at her, sliding her notebook across the top. “You want something to eat?” she asked, looking at Avery and unable to place her face.
Avery read her nametag, Sophia, and did a quick check on her posture. “Yeah. I’ll take the special.”
Sophia nodded, disappearing into the kitchen.
Avery decided it was quiet enough in here, she might as well check her phone. Ignoring the curious glance the man across from her gave her, she turned her phone on and scrolled through her messages.
Reece went through all five stages of loss with his bombardment of texts, first outraged and then threatening. Eventually he seemed to calm down, suggesting they talk before anyone did anything too hasty again.
A plate of bangers and toast slid in front of her and Sophia leaned forward, slamming a cup down before she poured coffee into it. “You’re new in town?”
Nibbling on her toast, Avery raised her eyebrows at the barista. “I’d peg you for knowing every face in town.”
Sophia shrugged, not denying it. “I’ve been here way too long. So, what you’re looking for?”
Avery didn’t miss the flash of a pointed gaze Sophia gave her. It seemed she picked the right place after all. Taking a gulp of coffee and then wiping her mouth, Avery carefully choose her words. “I’m just looking for a few supplies. And maybe a little info.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Sofia’s expression, quickly masked when she looked around the room. Avery followed her gaze, seeing nothing more than when she first stepped inside. The man across from her had turned his attention back to his drink. She could see now he was a bit good looking, besides his obvious glum, slightly tanned, lean and roguish, he might be the only outlier in this place.
“Nathaniel,” Sophia called his name like a curse, walking over to him. “You’ve been sitting here for three days now. Why don’t you go home and see your girl?”
Nathaniel laughed, eyes crinkling, and ran a hand through his hair. “Would if I could, Soph. But Claire’s got herself roped up in another one of my brother’s schemes.”
Sophia rolled her eyes at his morbid tone and waved her dishcloth at him. “Like that’s ever stopped you before. Just leave my bar before I knock you out ass first.”
Avery laughed at his disgruntled expression, but he stood up anyway, leaning cheekily across to Sophia. “You used to be so nice.” Throwing down a few bills, he gave them both a cursory glance before shrugging on his jacket and headed for the door.
Sophia tucked the notes into her apron pocket and turned to Avery, explanatory. “Trust fund kid. Family’s rich as hell, and hell is probably where their troublemaker souls will end up.”
“It’s a good clientele you keep then,” Avery smiled.
“Pays the bills,” she shrugged, leaning back down to Avery. “So what’s your troubles?”
She avoided the woman’s inquisitive stare, focusing her eyes on the black of her coffee.
“Same old story, running away from wolves.”
There was a beat, the smallest chill travelling down Avery’s neck. A quick look to Sophia’s face and she felt the panic grow, the other woman’s eyes sweeping quickly through the room for danger and stiffening.
“Want my advice? Keep running, child.”
Avery wanted to laugh. She had been running. She’s been running her whole life.
“I can’t,” Avery leaned across the counter, nearly pleading. “I have nowhere else to go but back. And I don’t want to fight. I just…” the words failed her. “I just want peace of mind.”
And home. And freedom. And a name that was her own.
Sophia pursued her lips, her expression nothing but hard and critical. Probably thinking whether the trouble Avery carried around was worth helping out with, or should Sophia send her packing. The tiniest glimmer of sympathy found it’s way there, before the older woman sighed.
“Come back later tonight.”
Monday rolled in with a cheery brightness, but Avery felt drained. The stark blue sky only blinded her as she pulled up into the parking lot. Killing the engine, she stifled a yawn.
“Back at school,” she found herself muttering, looking to the bricked building in front of her. “How did you find yourself back here? You could have just run away.”
And no one would really care. In a few weeks Jackson, Wyoming would have forgotten about her and it a blimp in her rearview mirror.
Avery had to force herself out of the car, shouldering her bag and made her way into the school. For once in her life she needed to finish something. Finals, prom, shifters and possible death, she would try and stand her ground for once.
“After all,” she smiled to herself, “I don’t play by their rules.”
She decided to head to the gym on the far end of school. Better deal with Reece before classes. He’d find her, she thought; twiddling with the green stone pendant hanging from her neck.
She had spent most of the weekend in that bar with Sophia, first begging and haggling for the witch’s favor, and then the taxing task of putting together the spell Avery needed. The long hours spent in Sophia’s backroom, surrounded by heavy perfumes and thick fogs had worn Avery down. Still, better be prepared. The necklace gave Avery a failsafe in case things went south.
She watched the last few minutes of a freshmen volleyball game, settled on top of the bleachers. With Coach’s disapproving gaze, Avery wasn’t surprised that within the next period people started to seek her out.
“The prodigal rebel returns!”
Avery rolled her eyes as Dayton practically ran up the steps with an ear-splitting grin. “Missed you in homeroom, Dunning.” He plopped down next to her, stretching his long legs as he took in the view appreciatively.
“Good morning to you too, Dayton,” she muttered, half laughing and half sighing.
“No offense, Avery, but you look wrecked.”
Avery ran a hand through her hair, maybe a brush wouldn’t kill her right then. “Yeah. I didn’t get much sleep this weekend.”
The smallest frown appeared on his face, his laughing smile faltering into a pout. “Party hard without me?”
She snorted, “Uh, definitely no.” In fact, Avery had ever gone to one party in her entire life, and that turned out horrible. Most times, she was on Dayton’s speed dial whenever he got too drunk.
“Wow,” he deadpanned, rolling his eyes. “You’re killing me with all this exciting energy. C’mon, let’s go get you a sandwich or something before you knock yourself out.”
“I’m only coming with you because of the sandwich.” She followed his suit, picking up her bag and jumped off the last few rows of seats.
“Like my mama says, food is the way to a woman’s heart.”
Their loud laughter was cut off by the gym doors banging wide open. Charlie’s demons walked towards her, not even squeaking against the waxed floors. And leading the pack—the look Reece was sending her had her second guessing her own sanity. With Adam and another shifter following him in toe, Avery felt her heart choke and her scars along her thigh turn ice cold, one way or another they wouldn’t let her win this one.
“Okay, are they looking at us?” Dayton whispered. “Yup, definitely looking at us right now.”
Reece managed to cross the room in two seconds, his tall frame casting a dark shadow on Avery. With that steel cutting glare, he barely managed to get his words out. “With me. Now.”
Stand your ground, she reminded herself. She ignored the confused spluttering of Dayton and nudged her head for Reece to follow. She hated the fiery warmth he was emitting, always seconds away from rising to anger. She battled with her own icy fear, and simmering rage always shoved deep, deep down.
“Here.” Reece both stopped her when they were far enough and handed her something from his pocket. With the flick of his wrist, the steel glint of the blade nearly unraveled her forced calm.
“Excuse me?” Avery choked, taking a step back. She looked between him and the knife, fighting back delirious laughter.
His nostril’s flare, she could see him gritting his teeth. “Maybe I overreacted,” he nearly snarled out, as if the words were choking him. “If you were telling me the truth—”
“I was.”
“If you were telling me the truth,” he said louder, glaring at her, “then you won’t heal from a simple cut.”
Slowly the words found their way into her brain. “You want me to cut myself?”
The word choice sent a flare in his eyes. “You say you don’t want trouble? Here, this is how.” He didn’t even need to add in the fine print. If he wanted, Reece could rip her apart.
“Fine.”
Avery couldn’t believe this. It seemed too archaic. Rolling her eyes at him, she grabbed the knife from his hand. Knowing what she was about to do sent a spasm of panic to that pit in her stomach. Seeing Reece watch her carefully, Avery pressed the cold knife against her forearm.
Again, the gym doors banged opened, Avery’s hand slipping.
Laurel walked in, looking beyond annoyed. “Here you lot are,” she said, her irritation turning to confusion when she spotted Dayton and Avery among the wolves. “What’s going on?”
Avery heard the sharp huff of exhaling from Reece, the stress of this rendezvous doing him in. “Not now, Laurel.”
Miffed, Laurel laughed. “Not now, you. I’m anyway here for her.”
Avery bristled. “Me?”
The girl’s eyes narrowed, hand on the hips, and clearly just as put off with having to deal with the other. “Some guys were looking for you, Dunning. And the principal wanted me to show bring them to you.”
Seeing no one else with Laurel, both Reece and Avery felt like they were missing something. “What guys?” they both asked.
Laurel, with her nose scrunched up, spun on her heel. “Weird,” she said. “They were right behind me.”
While Dayton and the shifters thought this was just the worst misunderstanding ever, Avery suddenly turned into ice. Every instinct was screaming at her to run.
But she could barely gasp before a wild wind tore through the room. Loud thuds, a scream, a flash of color and rattle of chains. She barely blinked before it was all over: Laurel and the other shifter knocked down, Adam on his knees in a head lock and Reece flung aside like he was nothing but a ragdoll.
Three men shared quiet smiles. They moved as silently, and as quick as lightning. Their faces cool, calm and haunting. And one of them stood inches away from Avery, fixing her with the gaze of a predator.
He smiled. “Dunning.”