Defiance: The Hybrid's Tale

Nathan Underhill.

I was sitting in one of my classes, listening to the professor as he continued with the lecture. Studying was the last thing on my mind. Adam had cemented himself into my mind, driving me nuts. For the last couple of weeks, things continued as normal, no incidents to speak of, or fights breaking out between the mutts from the pack and me. For that, I was grateful. I was busy drafting a diagram when I sensed eyes on me. Through my peripheral vision, I caught Adam staring at me. What a creep. He had been doing it for a while now. What was his problem?

“Maybe he’s checking you out?” Fenrus mumbled.

I scratched the corner of my eye. ”Well, it’s fuckin’ creepy. He needs to get another hobby.” Just as I glanced over at him, he returned his gaze to his book. Real smooth, dude.

“Oh, give the guy a break.”

“I don’t have to. And besides, stop sticking your ass into the air every time we talk about him. As if I’d allow him near my ass anytime soon.” I scratched out another mistake. I grumbled under my breath. At this rate it was futile to continue.

“So you thought about—”

With a repetitive clinging sound filling the classroom, the bell drowned out Fenrus’ words. I got up from my seat, gathered up my belongings and headed for the exit.

“No, I didn’t.” I slung my backpack over my left shoulder.

Fenrus’ laugh echoed around my skull. “Really? What was the wet dream about last night then? You nearly came in your briefs—”

“STOP!” hissed I while stepping out into the hallway, right into Maisie, Adam’s beta.

My stomach dropped as her neatly plugged eyebrows furrowed. “Are you okay?” she asked.

“Y-Yes, I’m fine.” I twisted around and barreled down the hallway toward the library before I shot my other foot to pieces.

“Thanks, you idiot. Now she’ll think I’m crazy.” I huffed.

“Sorry, my bad.”

I stole a glance back at Maisie, only to see her whisper into the ear of Adam. Just great. Why did I have to be such a klutz? I mean, Maisie was one of the few werewolves I didn’t find obnoxious. I actually liked her. We spoke several times before and she was a really pleasant girl with a good head on her shoulders. She was nothing like her obnoxious idiot of a brother who tried to intimidate me with his constant scowls. He looked like Edward Collins with a constipated look on his face. Maisie was nothing like her brother. No wonder she was Adam’s beta and not him.

***

I stared out of the library’s window, watching the leaves fall to the ground. A blanket of red and gold leaves covered the campus grounds. It was nearly Halloween. Oh, no... Don’t get me wrong, I loved Halloween more than any other holiday on the calendar, but when my sweet little sister began trick-or-treating, it turned into a nightmare. Every time we took her trick-or-treating, she turned into Mr. Jackal and Hyde. She usually dresses up in girly princess dresses, but don’t let her cuteness fool you. She was a menace. Especially when people rip her off with candy.

Last year she nearly chewed a dentist’s leg off when he handed over a candied apple to her. In an instant, she threw the apple onto the floor and lunged for his leg. It really happened. I had to tear her off the poor man and ran like hell, getting out of the building before the police arrived. This year my mom had to deal with Lilly. I loved my little sister to death, but even I didn’t have the strength to keep the little Alpha in control. I could only pray my mom could. Bless her soul; she was going to need it.

I chuckled and picked up the pen in front of me and started deconstructing the ten chapters I had to read through. Just then, a husky voice filled my ears. “What’s so funny?”

The alluring scent of sandalwood and vanilla caused my head to shoot up. Adam’s gorgeous brown eyes bore into me, making me squirm in my seat. I wanted to run into the woods and chew right through a tree to get rid of the angst that littered my body. Hell! Why did he have to make me feel this way? Every time I was near him, my emotions played yo-yo with me.

“N-Nothing,” stuttered I. Just then, I wanted to plant my face into my fist.

Stop acting like a fool over the guy. Get a grip. It won’t work out.

“Yeah. Keep telling yourself that. Maybe you’ll start believing it one day.”

“Oh, just shut it, Fenrus.”

Adam walked over and took a seat directly across from me. Why was he sitting down? I didn’t invite him. What did he want?

Fenrus said,“Your guess is as good as mine. Give him a break and let him talk. Or maybe you can just get real and plant your lips on his lovely—”

“SHUT UP!” The furred little fucker laughed his tail off at my expense.

“Are you alright?” asked Adam.

Saved by the hunk. Arg! Stop it.

Fenrus huffed and retreated into the bowels of my mind, giving me a moment’s peace of mind. I shook my head and smiled. “Yeah, I’m fine. Can I help you with something?” I tried to change the subject.

Adam chuckled and then scratched the back of his head with his lips curved into a nervous smile. “I was wondering if you’d want to join us. One of my friends, Tyson, is throwing a Halloween bash, and I’d like you to come. You can invite Joshua along.”

Adam fiddled with the pages of a library book on animal anatomy while waiting for an answer. Wow. A nervous alpha. You don’t see that every day. But I couldn’t. This Tyson guy was one of the members of the pack, and their house was most likely deep in pack territory. Rule one in the book of Graybacks—never enter a pack’s territory if you can avoid it.

“I can’t. I have a lot of work to get done, and I promised my mom that I’d help her keep my little sister in check. She can be a handful, especially when she consumes a buttload of candy.” A weak bunch of weak excuses I know, but I didn’t want to push the boundaries of my luck. I couldn’t afford for them to find out that there were two graybacks living near their territory.

Adam’s shoulders slumped for a second but he didn’t relent. “Come on.” He pouted. He actually pouted. “It’s just for a couple of hours. It’ll be fun and it will smooth over the friction of late between you and Riley.”

I scoffed at his ridiculous idea. “As if that will ever happen. Next you’ll see cows flying around with wings made of gold.”

Adam shrugged and chuckled.

Goddess, I loved his laugh. Oh, no you don’t, Nat. Don’t go there. There’s nothing about his laugh. It’s just an ordinary laugh. One of many.

“Are you still trying to convince yourself you’re not into him?” Fenrus snickered. I just ignored the stupid wolf.

“Well, that could actually happen. You’d never know if you didn’t try,” said Adam.

“Sorry, but I can’t... maybe next time.”

He stared at me for a while before a sly smile crept across his handsome face. He then stood up. “Well then, I just have to pull out my secret weapon. Sorry, but I’m not taking no for an answer.”

I turned around in my seat as he headed for the library stairs leading down to the ground floor.

“I said no and there’s nothing that’ll change my mind,” I told him, knowing that he could hear me from where he stood.

He winked at me and said, “We’ll see.” He then turned around and walked off.

What was his problem? I didn’t want to be there, and that was final. He could try, but he’d fail in the end.

***

“PPlleeaassee!! I’m begging you. Pretty please,” cried Joshua while hopping around me as we walked over to the parking lot.

That dirty mutt! This was his secret weapon. Using my friend against me by inviting him to the party. He was such a prick. I should have guessed Adam would use such a trick.

“No. It’s not happening. I don’t do parties,” I countered.

“I’m begging you! I’ll do anything. I’ll be your slave for a month, wash your car for the rest of the year and I’ll even suck your—”

I quickly closed the gap and clamped my hand over his mouth. “What the hell!” I glanced around, watching several of the other students eyeing us suspiciously. I removed my hand from his pouting lips. “Don’t even go there. Why are you so desperate that you’d fall to your knees that quickly?”

“This is Tyson’s party! It’s the event of the year. His parties are legendary.” Joshua said wild-eyed. “Come on! They have never invited me to one... Please.” He lowered his head, shoveling his feet into the gravel.

Oh, no. Not this! I couldn’t take it when people used emotional blackmail on me. I hated disappointing people. But I couldn’t do it. My family’s safety took priority.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and said, “Sorry, Joshua. I can’t go. The party is deep into their territory, and if something goes wrong, it might end in a bloodbath.”

His blue eyes widened and then softened. “I understand you’re afraid, but you can’t live in fear. The pack isn’t like the one that betrayed you. Please, just for a short while. We don’t have to stay for the entire night, just for a couple of hours. Please."

“Oh, you’re screwed. There he goes, using his puppy-dog eyes,” Fenrus snickered. “Just do it. I’m even curious about the party now.”

I huffed out and said, ”And what happens if we slip up?”

“Then we deal with it. You have forgotten that we have one of the most powerful covens backing us. The werewolves won’t dare to touch you without ripping their own limps off. We’re twenty-one and in the prime of our lives. Don’t turn into a prune.”

“Fine. We can go.” I gave in. Gods save us.

A loud squeal burst out of Joshua’s lips as he started doing a victory dance around me. What pissed me off seconds later was when Joshua turned around and gave thumbs up to the asshole himself, Adam. He stood at the end of the parking lot with Maisie, her brother and several other pack members. He had a grin of triumph on his smug face while Maisie laughed her ass off. I flipped them off and stormed to my car before climbing in. Joshua climbed into the passenger seat. I had a nasty urge to kick him out of the car while I was driving out of the parking lot. I wanted to see how his scrawny little ass tumbled down the hill.

“Come on. I’m sorry—”

“Traitor!” I yelled, white-knuckling the steering wheel. I weaved through the traffic back to Joshua’s home.

He just laughed off my comment. “Trust me. You’re going to love it.”

“As if. The only thing that’s likely to happen is that we’re bound to be surrounded by a lot of crazy drunk werewolves. They’re going to hump each other as if they’re at a swinger’s club. Oh, the joy!”

“Just try it. Nothing bad will happen, I promise.”

I didn’t continue the conversation, just nodded, but the dread I felt about the party burned a hole in my stomach.

Let’s just pray Joshua was correct.