SWNOVELS Chapter 45: Always A Liar!
Laughter and merriment continued throughout dinner as stories were told. Arguments broke out over which ribs were better, and Alpha Byron and Malone cast their votes on the macaroni and cheese.
“That was exquisite, you are an exceptional cook my dear.” Alpha Byron said, when the last bites were taken. The pink blush spread across Kenzi’s face and her nose wrinkled. Not entirely knowing what he just said, but it sounded like a good thing.
“Where did you learn to cook like that?” He asked,
“I lived at an orphanage and that’s what I did there, I cook-ed all the meals.” She felt Adonis slightly tense at the mention of the orphanage and his displeasure at it could be felt amongst the others. He held her tighter to him, he would never let anything like that happen to her again. “It clos-ed down and Patrick teach-ed me what he knew, and I watch a lot of cooking shows. Cooking is an asperiment, sometines it doesn’t work out.” She said,
“I doubt there is anything you can’t cook” Beta John spoke,
“Asparagus, it tastes like grassy twigs” She said,
“Well then it’s a good thing I don’t like grassy twigs” He replied, causing her to giggle, and a rush of peace to fall over them.
“Who’s Patrick?” Alpha Bradly asked,
“He owns the diner in town, and his wife Maggie is my best friend, she works with me at the bakery. I lived with them for a year.” They left it there. Adonis’s displeasure at this conversation intensified; his posture was rigid and darkness surrounded his presence, casting shadows across his face. Jackson, Tyler and Elijah started to grow restless in their seats.
“Who’s ready for dessert?” Kenzi asked, completely unaware of what was going on around her. She slid her tiny fingers up his arm, and as fast as his anger manifested it was gone again. She felt a coldness settle inside of her, but didn’t understand what it was, or why it disappeared when she felt Adonis relax behind her.
“Dessert sounds perfect sweetheart” Adonis answered when she turned to look at him, carrying her beautiful smile. It was after she disappeared into the house that anyone spoke.
“Forgive us Alpha Adonis, we were unaware that was a sore topic” Alpha Byron apologized,
“Much of Kenzi’s past is a sore topic. She was robbed of the life she rightfully deserved.” Beta Morgan responded.
Kenzi was in her kitchen, singing along to a song she had running through her head. She was happy with how her dinner party had turned out. She couldn’t control the fits of giggling or the excited tiny squeals she would emit. It was her very first one, and the excitement she felt at it filled her to the core. Sure she’s had Maggie and Patrick over, or Joe and Gerty, Frank and Barb, but did three people really make a dinner party? She bounced around her kitchen gathering all the ingredients she needed to finish the dessert that Adonis wouldn’t let her finish before dinner. She was going to make cookie batter brownies, but then she got the idea to make pie crust cookie batter brownies with a caramelized salted bourbon glaze and honey roasted toffee almonds. She heard the men still talking outside, but wasn’t really paying attention to what they were discussing. It’s pr-prob-prolly something businessy or were-wolfie! She was just happy the conversation never lulled. Loosely chopping the toffee almonds with a kitchen knife she was lost in her own world, when a sharp wrap came to her door and she froze.
A wave of fear crashed over her as she stared at her front door. She saw the door knob jostle and panic started to spread through her. Last time a knock like that came to the door it was Adam. But Adonis said he couldn’t hurt her anymore, the boys had made him go away. So who was at the door? And why did she have a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach? She was safe, she had nine werewolves on her back deck, and she didn’t know why but she knew they wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Still she couldn’t bring herself to answer the door, she started to move back towards the deck, it was safer there, she felt safer there. She could hide in Adonis’s arms there and the boogeyman at the door couldn’t get her.
“Kenzi, open the stupid door” Teagan called from the other side. Kenzi froze in her tracks and her stomach bottomed out. The dinner she had with Adonis and people from his work flooded her mind and all the things Teagan had said to her came rushing back.
“Open the door you fucking idiot” Teagan yelled again banging harder. Clenching and unclenching her fists she didn’t know what to do. The urge to run back outside and hide in Adonis’s arms was getting stronger and stronger. Teagan lied to her and she wasn’t ready to face her yet, but if she let Teagan keep yelling she was going to alert the others, if they didn’t already hear her. Jackson said were-wolfie hearing was really good, but how good is really good?
What choice did she really have? Maybe she could make her go away and she would talk to her tomorrow. She was busy after all and it would be rude to keep her guests waiting for dessert.
“Teagan?” She said quietly as she opened the door. She didn’t want to alert the others. They were having fun, and she didn’t want it to stop.
“Who else would it be? It’s not like you have any real friends” Teagan snapped at her, pushing her roughly to the side as she strode into her home like she lived there.
“I...I...has friends” she mumbled, thinking to the people on her deck. She used the wall to stop herself from falling. A slight tinge of pain shot through her back at the sudden movement and she breathed deep a few times waiting for it to pass.
“Stop lying. No one likes you, you and I both know that. I thought you were having a dinner party? Looks like no one showed up or were you lying about that as well?” Teagan said as she looked in the empty kitchen.
“They’re on the deck, we jus fin-ish-ed dinner and was aboud to has some dessert.” Kenzi replied, motioning towards the kitchen.
“You cooked for them. You must really hate them, to serve them your food. How selfish are you that you would subject people to your horrendous cooking? I guess pretty selfish considering you bought yourself a new door. An ugly new door might I add, couldn’t even get that right. What happened to your other door?” Teagan asked, she seemed to be getting angrier and angrier and Kenzi couldn’t figure out why. She hasn’t done anything lately that could embarrass Teagan. At least not that she could think of.
“It was break-ed, and I didint buy it. Harvey gave it to me….”
“You asked him for a door? What kind of disgusting person are you to ask for a door?” Teagan grabbed her by the upper arms and gave her a slight shake ….eeeee…. Kenzi couldn’t help the startled scream that escaped her at the movement. Pain shot through her back from the sharp motion and she fought to muffle the small cries.
“I...I...I didint, I-I-I didint ask. I-i-it was a b-bir-birth-day p-pr-pres-ent” she stuttered out. Teagan released her and she fell to the floor causing a bigger bolt of pain to rip through her and this time she couldn’t muffle the cry.
“A birthday present? Why would anyone buy you a birthday present? You have no friends remember, no one likes you and it’s not like you deserve it. You’re selfish and pathetic and are trying to kill people with your cooking.” Teagan snapped at her, disgust in her eyes as she saw her sister whimpering in pain on the floor.
“Now that’s a lie” Teagan turned to face a man she had never seen before. Her eyes widened as she took in the sight of him, the size of him and the dangerous glint he carried in his eyes.
“Her life was robbed from her?” Alpha Byron asked, he didn’t know Kenzi well, but spending the last few days in her presence he couldn’t understand how anyone could do that to her. He found her to be an absolute delight, though maybe a little too innocent. He also understood why his brother spoke so fondly of her, she was the sweetest little thing he has had the joy of meeting, and if her sweet nature didn’t win you over, her delectable cooking would. Alpha Malone and Beta Morgan spoke quietly on the back deck as they filled Alpha Byron in on a bit of her past. Adonis and the others sat there quietly, listening intently but not engaging in the conversation. Adonis didn’t want to wreck his mood and the excitement he was feeling coming from the kitchen was putting him in a good mood. Speaking about her past would turn it south real fast, it would also wreck her dinner party. She worked hard on it and was quite excited, so he clung to her happiness. He was listening to her sing quietly to herself in the kitchen, then she would break out in fits of giggling and squealing. He found it hard to keep the smile from his face.
Jackson and Tyler were stifling their laughter. He could see from the corner of his eye that their heads were down but their shoulders shook slightly. She is highly excitable! This night has gone to her liking! It has gone to our liking as well! Odin’s words barely rang in his head, when the atmosphere around the table took a shift, and a coldness settled in his chest. He saw both Jackson and Tyler tense and Elijah sit up more. Something was wrong, and they were picking up on it as well. Her singing had stopped and he could now hear her erratic heart beat in the kitchen. Something had her scared, and she was starting to panic. That was when he heard the harsh wrapping at the door, and that voice had the hair on his neck bristling.
What is it doing here? Odin snarled in his head. I don’t know! Tensing in his seat, growing more angry at her continued assault on the door, the others had fallen silent as they too listened to what was happening. ….grrrr…. The snarl was released unintentionally by Beta Morgan. The voice grating on his nerves immediately, that Alpha Malone was forced to physically push him back in his chair when he went to get up. He didn’t want that foul bitch anywhere near Kenzi.
“That will not help” His Alpha barked,
“Yes sir” Beta Morgan bowed his head, but did not release his death grip on the chair. They sat quietly listening to the conversation being carried out inside, the more it continued, the more emotion poured out from Kenzi the more upset Adonis became the angrier it made the others. ….grrrr…. ….grrrrrr…. ….grrrr…. Small growls and snarls were released from Tyler as he fought to contain Bal raging in his head; it became worse when Ko joined the mix. Elijah’s grip on the metal armrest of his chair was causing it to strain and bend. ….grrRRRrrr…. Ko let that one slip by Jackson and he struggled to hold on as both Ko and Bal raged in his head.
“Jackson, Tyler, Elijah leave….NOW!” Adonis commanded, Jackson went to get up only to grab his head, swirling gold flashed multiple times in his eyes. CLANK! Tyler was beginning to lose control, and he broke the arm off the chair he was sitting in.
“Jackson NOW!” Adonis said, authority oozing from him
“Sorry brother, but I can’t has Bal ragin in my head right now” Jackson said standing up. With everything he had he threw his fist into Tyler’s cheek. Not only knocking him out, but out of his chair as well. THUD! Tyler’s body crashed into the deck hard and he laid there not moving.
“Get yur fancy ass out that chair Eli, we gotta go….now!” Jackson’s voice oozed authority when he spoke. Throwing his brother over his shoulder he took off into the woods with Elijah right behind him. Asmodeus was protesting in his head the whole way. The damage Adonis had done to his own chair at the emotion pouring from the kitchen wasn’t any better than what he saw from the seats his men just vacated. Both arm rests were bent and twisted beyond recognition and they were straining under the intense pressure he was continuing to place on them. CLANK! The first one broke off. CLANK! Followed quickly by the second one.
Her small scream had him on his feet, her muffled whimpers of pain had him moving quickly towards the house. That succubitch dies! Tonight! NOW! Still not soon enough! Rip her limb from fucking limb! The bloodthirsty monster in his head raged, with the want for vengeance.
“Alpha Adonis this will not help” Alpha Malone was on his feet with Beta Morgan right behind him, his own wolf howling for blood. Adonis’s head snapped in his direction, his blackened eyes informing them all Odin was ready to fully surface if one more distressed sound came from his mate.
“If you do this, she will look at you as a monster and you will lose her forever. That is her sister, the only way to put a true end to this is to prove her a liar.” Alpha Malone continued,
“How do you suggest we do that?” Adonis growled,
“I believe I can be of assistance with that” Beta John spoke up,
“How?” Adonis glared at him,
“John, has an uncanny ability to call out a lie. From the sounds of it this Teagan has told these lies so many times she actually believes them. You can only catch her in a new lie, not an old one. If you want Kenzi free, he needs to expose the old ones.” Alpha Byron replied,
“Fine! But if this doesn’t work, I will destroy all of you ….grrrr….” Adonis snarled and moved away from the door.
“A birthday present? Why would anyone buy you a birthday present? You have no friends remember, no one likes you and it’s not like you deserve it. You’re selfish and pathetic and are trying to kill people with your cooking.” Beta John studied the other woman for a moment, taking in her domineering, though slightly unconfident stance. The venom she used when she spoke her words, knowing precisely which ones to speak to cause the most turmoil. Everything about this woman spoke of lies and pure unadulterated jealousy. She towered her frame over the little girl trembling in fear and pain on the floor.
“Now that’s a lie” Beta John walked into the room after a slight duck to clear the door. “I like her. She is an exceptionally delightful young woman. As for her cooking being fatal, the only thing it is going to kill is my waistline. If I eat anymore I will never want to leave here.” He heard the slight giggle from Kenzi on the floor at the mention of his waistline. Beta John had a plan, expose the bitch making the little sweetheart upset and calm down the raging monster outside or they were all dead. From observing the past few days he knew Kenzi’s giggles had a calming effect on The Devil, if she was laughing he was slightly less lethal.
“Who the devil are you?” Teagan snapped at him.
“I’m not The Devil, he’s outside.” The joke Beta John just made had Kenzi giggling again. If this bitch only knew The Devil really was outside, she wouldn’t have picked today to come! Beta John thought.
“My name is John and I am a friend of Kenzi’s. We were enjoying a nice dinner party before you rudely interrupted.” Beta John moved to Kenzi’s side and as gently as he could helped her up and to one of the chairs in the living room.
“Thank you” She whispered, wincing as another jolt of pain shot through her. He nodded slightly, as his heart went out to her. What could this little girl have possibly done, to deserve this sort of treatment? How could anyone treat her this way?
“Kenzi has no friends.” Teagan snapped,
“That’s a lie. She has nine outside” Beta John replied and moved towards the kitchen to fetch a glass of water.
“Then you all must want something from her, why else would you even talk to the idiot?” Teagan snapped.
“The only thing I want from Kenzi is for her to have a happy life. She is the sweetest little thing I have ever met. It has been an absolute pleasure to get to know her. That and the recipe for the cajun bourbon marinade.” Again this caused Kenzi to giggle, as Beta John watched the pink blush and wrinkled nose appear on her face.
Teagan scoffed and rolled her eyes when she heard the things Beta John said about Kenzi.
“She doesn’t deserve a happy life” Teagan mumbled quietly,
“Tell me are you always a liar?” Beta John asked as he tilted his head and looked at her. The look on his face told her he heard what she said, though she didn’t know how he heard, but he did.
“No, I never lie” Teagan snapped,
“That’s a lie” Beta John filled the glass and stared deep into Teagan’s eyes. “I’ve known you, what? Three minutes and caught you in three….four already.”
“I don’t lie” Teagan snapped again,
“Same lie, so it doesn’t really count. I think all you do is lie. But if you say you never lie, then let’s see how much truth there is to that.” Beta John walked back across the room and handed the glass to Kenzi, she thanked him again and took a drink.
“You can do that? You can tell when someone is lying?” She asked, after she put the glass down.
“Yes I can,” Beta John answered.
“So if I said I had a cookie for breakfast this morning” Kenzi said
“That would be a lie and a really bad one” Beta John looked down at her trying not to laugh at her expression,
“Why?” She asked dumbfounded
“Because we had breakfast with you this morning” Beta John replied,
“Oh yeah!” She giggled again and Adonis came to join her in the living room, he cupped her cheek in his hand running his thumb over her cheek bone. She buried her face in his chest and he held her to him taking in her scent. Gathering her in his arms he sat in the chair with her in his lap and buried his face in her neck. He needed her scent to calm him. She whimpered slightly when his hand found the small of her back, but he started rubbing small soothing circles to help ease her pain. She will calm him and he will heal her.
Teagan stood there watching the affection Kenzi was being lavished with and she felt herself growing angrier at the sight. Her stupid sister fucked everything up. She lost her boyfriend, his money, her job, she was about to lose her home because she couldn’t afford the rent. She had to take a cab here. Her car was taken because she missed the payment. Everything was being taken from her and it was all her stupid sister’s fault. She was going to make Kenzi pay for it all. Adonis’s arms tightened around Kenzi as he covered her ears. He didn’t want his mate to hear the parting shots the bitch was going to take at her.
“I don’t have to put up with this. When you’re ready to stop being selfish and become a decent sister Kenzi, call me.” She snapped and turned to leave. He knew the bitch was going to say something, they always do. Removing his hands, Kenzi watched in confusion what was happening. Teagan pulled open the door only to have it slam shut as another tall man stood before her, his hand against the door holding it closed. She tried again and again, but the door didn’t even budge under the strength of his arm.
“You’re not leaving” He barked at her. Teagan backed away from the door as the man now stood in front of it, blocking her exit with his large body. She turned to see three more men enter from the deck and stand in front of the only other exit to Kenzi’s house. Teagan was trapped, she was not going anywhere.
“I sometines has fries for breakfast” Kenzi announced, she didn’t know why she confessed to that, but she felt the need to. Adonis lifted his head and looked at her, then at Beta John.
“That is not a lie” He replied smiling,
“I don’t lie and who would lie aboud fries? Patrick says I’m not pose to has them for breakfast, but they are jus long hash browns, really long hash browns and they’re yummy” She said looking between both men.
“That is not a lie either, see that is how it’s done. This little one does not lie, but all you do is lie. You live your life wrapped in a lie, I doubt you would know how to speak the truth.” Beta John turned his attention from Kenzi back to Teagan.
“How do you know when someone is lying?” Kenzi asked,
“Their breathing deepens, their heart rate picks up, but it’s the subtle uncontrollable little movements they make. A twitch, a head tilt, their eyes shift. Those are indicators of a lie.” Beta John responded,
“That would has come in handy too” Kenzi said, Adonis held her closer to him. Again he knew she was referring to her past. Catching a liar would have made her life more easy, as well as being able to heal her body when she was injured. Maybe she was born to the wrong species? I am beginning to think the same! Maybe she wants to be like us! It is not a risk I am willing to take!
“I don’t have to answer any of your questions. I don’t know any of you and nor do I care too. None of you are of any real importance.” Teagan huffed, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Do you want me to point out which part of that was a lie?” Beta John asked. Through this whole thing Beta John had kept his calm, he was rather enjoying watching the little bitch dig her grave deeper and deeper. The time would come and she would bury herself. That was the part he really enjoyed watching.
“None of it, I wasn’t lying. I am not a liar like my sister” Teagan snapped.
“All of that was a lie. You do want to know one of us. He is really important to you. Do you want me to say who it is?” He asked.
“None of you!” Teagan spat, though her eyes darted to Adonis quickly. Her stance stiffened the more she saw him cuddle with Kenzi on the chair. The look of pure devotion on his face towards her sister. When she saw him kiss her forehead her face reddened more and she looked away.
“Have you always been jealous of your sister?” Beta John had caught all of that, and he heard the slight intake of breath she made when she witnessed the intimate moment on the chair.
“I’m not jealous of that idiot” Teagan fired back,
“That’s a lie, you are extremely jealous of her. If you were not jealous, you wouldn’t be radiating anger at the intimate moment they just shared. And you wouldn’t degrade her so openly, in hopes that someone else will agree with you.” Beta John replied. Teagan looked at the others in the room.
“Don’t bother, no one here shares your sentiments. Your jealousy stems from childhood. Did she get more love from your parents?” Beta John asked,
“My mother loved me” Teagan hissed at him,
“Your father did not? Did he see you for the wretched little girl you are?” Beta John asked, tilting his head to the side.
“My father loved me” She spoke, though the confidence in her tone waivered.
“But not like he loved Kenzi. No one loved you like they loved Kenzi. That’s what she took from you, that’s what caused your jealousy and makes you seek out retribution. You think that’s what she owes you.” Beta John looked at her daring her to deny anything that he just said.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about” Teagan snapped again,
“You don’t sound confident about that. I think I am right, because your posture tells me I am. You believe Kenzi stole all the love that should have been yours. She took attention and adoration away from you. Her mere existence pushed you into the shadows, when in reality, you put yourself there. You made yourself second place to her, because deep down even you had to admit there was something about her that you couldn’t dream of competing with and still can’t. She would outshine you in every way and you couldn’t have that. So you squashed her, degrade her, and do and say anything you can think of to manipulate and torture her. She owes you after all. You steal from her….” He was saying, Teagan’s eyes widened and he heard the slight gasp she made when he mentioned stealing.
“I haven’t stolen anything from her,” Teagan screamed, cutting him off.
“4.8 million dollars and her life….now don’t be rude” Beta John fired back. Teagan’s mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water, she had no idea how he knew about that. No one knew about the money, but before she could ask he cut her off.
“We’ll come back to that, it’s time to expose all your lies,” he said.
“All her lies? How many has she told?” Kenzi asked, looking from Beta John to her sister.
“Her whole life she has been telling lies sweetheart” Adonis spoke softly, but his murderous glare at Teagan told her he was feeling anything but soft.
“Did Tyler find something?” Kenzi asked, looking at him, her eyes wide.
“I wasn’t going to tell you in front of the others, I had planned on doing it when it was just the two of us. But yes he found some discrepancies in what you were told.” He replied, looking back at her, his face softening at her confusion.
“What does that mean?” She asked, this didn’t sound good.
“It means the stories you were told about certain events are not backed by the actual proof of the event.” Kenzi scrunched her face then looked at her sister, then back towards Adonis. She was trying to understand what he was saying but she couldn’t.
“Your parent’s death, what did Teagan tell you?” Adonis asked,
“She said we were heading to the hospital cause I was sick and the car crash-ed and it was my fault they died. If I wasn’t sick it wouldint of happended.” Kenzi said. Beta John was watching Teagan while Kenzi explained what was said to her.
“That’s a lie” Beta John said,
“What?” Kenzi looked at him, then Teagan.
“Look at me sweetheart.” Adonis held her tighter to him, this was the lie he wanted to unravel first to her. Kenzi looked at him,
“It’s a lie?” She whispered,
“It’s a lie. Tyler found the accident report. You were at your family’s cabin and the day you were to come back, a bad snowstorm hit. Your family had to stay there for an additional two days while the roads were cleared. When you could come back your father was driving, taking it easy, when a deer stepped out into the road. He slowed down, but he hit a patch of black ice. The car rolled and hit a tree, killing your parents on impact. Someone called, informing the highway patrol that your family was on the road travelling with two small children, one being a baby and they were supposed to check in a few hours ago and never did. Highway patrol went looking for you when they came upon the wreck. It was four hours before you were discovered.” Adonis told her. She sat staring at him trying to take in this information.
“I was sick….I still could has been sick” She said, and watched him shake his head.
“They took you to the hospital, and checked you over, aside from the laceration on the back of your head, you were perfectly healthy.” He replied. She reached behind her head, she always felt a scar back there, but never knew where it came from and no one ever told her.
“Wh-why do I has the scans then? If I’m healthy, why?” She asked. Adonis looked towards Alpha Malone and he came further into the room.
“Your father was a friend of mine back in college. I was the one that called highway patrol, when he didn’t check in. You were violently thrown around in the vehicle when it rolled over, and the scans are for peace of mind. The human brain doesn’t stop developing until about twenty five years old. I made a promise to your father the day you were born, should anything happen to him and your mother, I would take care of you. I did not uphold my end of the bargain and for that I am sorry.” Alpha Malone spoke,
“You are not responsible for the death of your parents, Kenzi. It was just an accident” Adonis told her, and waited while that sank in. She was told her whole life she was at fault, she looked at Teagan, her eyes questioning why she would tell her she was. She moved her mouth to say something, but she didn’t know what to say, there were no words she could think of
“I never told you that, I never said it was your fault. And if you think I did then you really are stupid.” Teagan said to her.
“That’s a lie!” Beta John said, Teagan flinched at the harshness of his tone. She apparently needed to be reminded that she was standing in a room full of powerful people, one who could crush her with a flick of his wrist if he so desired.
“How and when did you get that cut on your lip Kenzi?” Alpha Malone asked,
“I don’t know when I get-ted it, but Teagan said I was playing with a glass and I break-ed it and got cut.” She replied, tracing the scar above her lip.
“That’s a lie” Beta John continued to watch Teagan, her body language giving away everything.
“You were staying with a family when you were two, a little boy came forward when social services was there and told them that the family kept you locked in the basement when you did something bad. They were told by Teagan that you broke the glass, but the little boy said Teagan threw it at you because you got a cookie and she didn’t.” Adonis explained.
“I didn’t do that.” Teagan snapped at him,
“That’s a lie” Beta John growled, he was growing tired of this, all this bitch did was lie. And she wasn’t any good at it, this was no fun for him, she wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that she was nothing but a liar.
“Tell me about the family you stayed with when you were three” Adonis asked, he wanted to keep her focused on him. Positioning her more in his lap so she could look at him, she stayed calm when she looked at him.
“They were nice to me. I plant-ed but-tons and grew flowers, so I was going to plant a but-ton tree. A man came by sometines to talk to me and he made funny noises that made me laugh. He call-ed me little cookie. Sometines he had a little boy with him, and he bring-ed me things. My fav-orite was a black stuff-ed wolfie. And a book, Where The WIld Things Are. They all got wreck-ed though, and he stop-ped vistiting me. He said he has to go away and I wasn’t pose to go.” She said. She remembers wanting to though and being upset that she couldn’t.
“Did Teagan wreck them?” Adonis asked, Kenzi looked down at her lap, only for him to lift her chin back up.
“I wasn’t pose to tell or….” Kenzi went quiet there, as she looked at Teagan from the corner of her eye.
“Or what? Keep your focus on me, don’t look at her. She can’t hurt you, I won’t let her” Adonis said,
“I never touched her, she’s lying trying to make all you idiots feel sorry for her. She is so pathetic. And I’m leaving you can’t keep me here.” Teagan fumed as she moved towards the door.
“That’s a lie! What did you do to her?” Beta John snapped,
“Get out of my way!” She snapped at Beta Morgan, ignoring Beta John’s question.
“SIT DOWN!” Adonis boomed and Teagan hit the floor hard. Kenzi flinched and hid in his chest at the power and authority that radiated off of him. His arms circled her more offering comfort and protection.
“If I didint do what she said she would hurt me. If she getted trou-ble she said I would getted worse. I never telled, I never telled anyone what she did. I kep it a secret,” Kenzi whispered quickly from the safety of his arms. She‘s good at keeping secrets! Has done it her whole life!
“The scar on your leg?” Adonis asked, once he took a breath to calm himself.
“I fell down and getted tang-led in barb wire” Kenzi replied,
“You said you thought you were pushed” Kenzi nodded,
“Teagan said I wasn’t and I member it wrong and smack-ed my head.” She added,
“Most of that’s a lie!” Beta John continued watching Teagan as she sat on the floor, her slight shifting at the things Kenzi was saying giving away all the lies she had told. She looked up a few times to see him watching her, he only looked at her. His eyes were cold, calculating and seemed to be growing darker and darker the more that was uncovered. He took in every move she made, every hitch of breath. She shifted again under his watchful stare, trying to figure out how he knew when she was lying, or how he knew what she had said was a lie.
“You did smack your head, but if you remember being pushed, it was because you were. Two bruises showed up on your back after you were brought in to the hospital. They were the size of a child’s hand. Teagan pushed you down the embankment and left you there. She never went to get help. She told the family you were staying with that you were playing in the field. When you didn’t come for check in they got worried and went to look for you. The reason you couldn’t stay with that family was because they were out looking for you when the hospital called and Teagan didn’t pick up. They adopted you Kenzi, you were going to be theirs. It was supposed to be your forever home and Teagan took that away from you.” Adonis said to her. Kenzi sucked in a shaky breath as she looked at her sister sitting on the floor.
“Why would she do that?” Kenzi didn’t want to believe this, she didn’t want to believe any of it was true. But she knew, she knew deep down that every word he spoke to her was the truth and she could no longer hide in the lies. Teagan was her sister, and she has lied to her her whole life.
“I never did any of that. I am your sister. I have done nothing but protect you and this is the thanks I get. This is how you treat your own sister, like I’m some sort of monster. You are the worst sister ever” The more words she spat at Kenzi, the more Kenzi hid in Adonis’s arms to get away from them. He could feel her sadness surrounding him, engulfing him. The more he felt the angrier he became, the raging hellbeast in his head, was howling to make her stop. Calling for blood, his mate was being attacked. Kenzi clung to him, trying to find comfort in his embrace, quiet in his steady heart beat. Her world was crashing around her. She asked for this. He warned her that once she knew there was no undoing it but she asked for it anyway and now she didn’t want to know. She wanted to undo everything that was being said to her. She wanted them to take it all back and make it all go away. She didn’t want it to be true, she wanted it to all be a lie. But there was no undoing it, no going back, the lies were exposed and the ugly, heart wrenching truth lay underneath….her sister hated her. She hated that she was born and punished her for it, over and over again.
Covering one ear he produced the soft sound in her other ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. It was only for her, she snuggled closer to him to the sound he kept producing over and over again. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. It was comfort, and warmth. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. It was calming and she felt at peace for the first time since this started ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. Her fingers splayed over his chest taking in the feel of his rumbling. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. Her body pressed into his, and she listened to the sound, let it wash over, swirl around her and fill her with peace. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr…. ….grrrrrrrRrrrRRRrrrRrrrrrrrr….
A calm had settled over the room, as the others watched the interaction with fascination. Teagan had no idea what was going on as she looked on. She became angry once again at the attention and affection Kenzi was receiving. She watched Adonis move his hands up and down her back, soothing whatever discomfort she was feeling. She watched as he nuzzled back into her neck and her sister melted more into him. Her jealousy pooled around her, and the room was quiet until Beta John sneezed.
“Bless you!” Came Kenzi’s quiet voice,
“Thank you! Jealousy makes me sneeze” He stated matter of factly, as Alpha Malone looked in his direction. Beta Morgan snorted behind him still guarding the front door.
“It still makes her laugh too” Adonis spoke, he felt the eyes of Alpha Malone on him while he was growling in her ear, but never lifted his head from where it was placed, resting close to hers. This was his mate, and his need to help her outweighed his need to slaughter the bitch on the floor. That would come later. Much later! She would walk out that door a living, breathing human being. He had no intention of letting her remain that way and every intention of torturously ripping her apart in the deep dark woods. This was something he would take great pleasure in. Maybe we could do to her everything she did to our mate! That might be fun!
“Jackson!” Adonis called through the link,
“What?” He called back, sounding a little tired and drained,
“Where are you?” How far out did they go?
“Northside, took a lil while before we couldn’t feel it nomore. An luggin deadweight ain’t fun.” Jackson replied,
“Tyler?” Adonis questioned, it took a hard hit from his brother to put him down,
“Conscious, ain’t happy though, say his face hurts” Jackson said,
“Did he bite Elijah again?” Adonis was trying not to laugh as he asked the question.
“No, kick him in the face though” That did have him laughing, at least Elijah wouldn’t be left with a scar.
“You boys up for some fun?” Adonis asked,
“What you got in mine?” This perked his interest greatly, he no longer sounded tired,
“I am not letting the sister live” Adonis replied,
“Good times!” He could hear Jackson’s laughter through the link, it was soon joined by Tyler and Elijah. They have been waiting until they could take care of the bitch.
“Great times!” Adonis replied, the laughter increasing and turning more sinister as their demons began to take over.
“Stay open I will let you know” Adonis cut the link, as he looked towards Teagan with a dark smile crossing his face.
Teagan gasped slightly as she watched something flash in his eyes but quickly pass. A cold feeling spread deep inside of her as dread and fear overtook her.
“She is no fun! All she does is lie and she tells the same lies. At least others are more entertaining when they try to cover their lies. I have heard every excuse from my dog did it to aliens. She’s boring!” Beta John huffed as he sat in the other chair.
“Stop staring at me, creep” Teagan spit at him, Beta John looked towards his Alpha,
“No you can’t, we are visitors here” Alpha Byron spoke for the first time.
“These are your friends, figures you’d screw that up as well, like everything else” Teagan said,
“It is not a lie. In her eyes that is the truth she sees. Stupid and completely wrong but it is her belief.” Beta John said as he looked back at her one more time. Adonis kept one ear on the room, but his focus was his mate cuddled in his arms.
“Do you want to continue? We can stop this right now, you don’t have to hear anymore” He asked her. Kenzi felt small and childish hiding in his arms so the boogeyman couldn’t get her. She was engulfed in them and was almost invisible to the others.
Kenzi sat in his embrace letting the calm wash over her, processing everything that had come out.
“She lied aboud ev-rything!” Her voice quiet and hushed,
“Yes she did. Do you want to stop sweetheart?” He repeated his question.
“No!” She finally lifted her head and looked at him. Her past haunted her eyes as everything flooded back to her.
“Ok, stay focused on me, don’t look at her, don’t listen to her. Remember….she is a liar, but she can’t hurt you anymore” Kenzi nodded her head. Adonis positioned her so she could only see him unless she turned her head. “What happened when you left the family when you were three?” He asked,
“I stay-ed in the hospital for a long tine, I would get sick and they couldint figer out why and test-ed ev-rything I eated or touch-ed. Teagan was the only one that would come to visit me” She answered,
“Do you remember the drinks she used to bring you?” He asked,
“Watermelon, sometines they taste-ed funny, but she told me I was being un….un….”
“Ungrateful?” She nodded again,
“So I drank them, then I getted sick,” she finished.
“The hospital tested those drinks, they found traces of something called bromethalin.” He said,
“What’s that?” She asked,
“It’s a neurotoxin found in rat poison.” He said, “It’s what’s used to kill rats” He added when he saw the confusion cross her face. There were a few sharp intakes of air and a few muttered snarls as this information was made known.
“I didn’t make the drinks someone made them for me. Where would I get access to rat poison?” Teagan snapped,
“That’s a lie” Beta John glared down at her, still trying to fight back the snarls that wanted to escape him. Kenzi’s eyes went wide and her mouth opened when she fully realized what was being said to her.
“Look at me” He said quickly when she went to turn towards her sister. “Stay focused on me” She clutched his arms tighter, her sister tried to kill her.
“Yes she did,” he answered, not even having to hear the question he saw rip across her face. “Yes she has.” Kenzi released the breath she was holding. Her face was pale, she was not expecting this. She just wanted to know what Teagan had lied about, it never crossed her mind that her sister had tried to kill her. How many tines did she try that?
“Don’t listen to them. Kenzi, they are lying to you. Filling your naive little head. I have never lied to you. Never, it’s been you and me since the beginning. You and me, we’re in this together.” Teagan called out to her, begged her to listen to what she was saying, using the same thing she has said to her over and over. Her manipulation and it worked every time.
“That’s a lie,” Beta John said. Kenzi closed her eyes, breathing in deep. Her grip tightened on his arms, as she fought with herself to look at her sister. A feeling washed over her, that she couldn’t place, she didn’t know what it was. She has never felt anything like it before and her body felt hot and not the good kind of hot, she didn’t like this feeling.
“We’re not in this to-geth-er, we never were” Kenzi spoke,
“What are you talking about? We have always been in this together. It has always been you and me. I have taken care of you, protected you. I have done everything for you. I gave up everything for you. I dropped out of college to care for you after the orphanage closed down. It’s not my fault you’re an ungrateful, selfish, brat. Not one ounce of gratitude after everything that I sacrificed for you. Everything you have is because of me” Teagan yelled at her. The more Teagan spoke the more the feeling intensified. Her blood felt like it was boiling, there was a fire raging inside of her scorching hot and burning completely out of control. She was sure she would leave marks on Adonis’s arms with how tight she was gripping them.
“NO!” Kenzi’s eyes were closed tight, she was mouthing the words to a song in her head, trying to make it all be quiet, trying to fight it all back to keep it from exploding, from showing. Restraint and control. Stomp it all down, don’t feel it, don’t show it, don’t be a burden, it’s not important! Over and over in her head. Her mouth moved faster to the words in her head. Then Teagan said that last part. Her eyes snapped open, and she was staring into the burning abyss of Odin’s eyes and she stopped fighting and just let it go.
“Ev-rything that happended to me was cause of her. When I was four she tied me to a chair and gag-ged me, tell-ed me to be quiet and then lock-ed me in a tool shed, telling me that some bad people were coming for me. I don’t know how long I was there for, but things were biting me, she bited me.” She stopped there and looked at her wrists, the cuffs she wore suddenly felt too tight around them. It felt like she was back in the shed and tied to the chair. She had to get them off. Her hands shook as she struggled with the snaps until Odin grabbed a hold of her wrists. “Please take them off, please. They’re too tight.” Her breaths came in ragged puffs as she spoke to him, begging him to remove the things that bound her wrists. He took hold of one of the cuffs and started to unfasten it and when it was free from her wrist he undid the other one allowing them both to drop to the ground. The cuffs free from her wrists and her scars around them fully visible, the anger felt in the room intensified. Kenzi dropped her eyes to the scars. She has never not had something around her wrists in front of others. sShe felt exposed and vulnerable and tried to hide them, but Odin wouldn’t let her. He grasped her tiny hands in his and trailed his thumbs over the marks. Bringing each wrist to his lips where he placed a gentle kiss upon it. His eyes never leaving hers and her sole focus remained on him drawing strength she continued speaking.
“She tell-ed me that if I ever tell-ed anyone what she did, I would get in so much trouble, so I kep it a secret. I kep ev-rything a secret. We were adopt-ed to-geth-er, when I was five, she made me tell them to take her too….I didint….” Kenzi faltered there. Shaking her head, she didn’t want them to take Teagan “Teagan wreck-ed things in the home and she said I did it, but I didint. She said I was a problem, I had i-ish-shoes. They bring-ed me back. No one want-ed me, no one kep me, they always bring-ed me back.” Tears streamed down her cheeks the more she spoke, the more she told. Her past came out for all to hear. She told them of her time in the orphanage and everything that had happened to her there. The lashings, the beatings, being locked in the closet. She told them everything, including the two years she was left there alone with no protection. She was straddling his lap, sobbing in the crook of his neck by the time she was done.
He learned of multiple scenarios where he could have lost her. Each one causing him to wrap his arms tighter around her. He knew he was lucky to have found her, but he didn’t fully understand just how lucky he really was. He kept his head close to hers breathing in her scent, but his glare over his mate’s shoulder stayed on Teagan. His eyes were cold, dark and deadly. He was envisioning all the ways he was going to torture her and make her pay for what she did to his mate. Vengeance would be his and his hellbeasts. He was going to be the one that would end her life. The others could just play with her first. The room was quiet, as everything was being absorbed. Anger could be felt by every member in that room except the bitch on the floor.
“So what? Her life was a little hard, boohoo. I think she’s doing pretty well for herself now.” Teagan shrugged.
“A little hard? A little hard? That is what you call the life she lived? A little hard? Tell me, how would you have survived?” Beta John glowered at her. “Do you think you would have fared better?”
“It wouldn’t have happened to me. If she wasn’t born none of it would have happened. It’s her fault this happened, she deserved everything that happened to her. She stole my life, she is still stealing my life. She took everything from me and is continuing to take it. I lost my job, my car and I am about to lose my home. What’s to become of me? How will I survive? This is all her fault, she did this and she owes me everything.” Teagan screamed at him.
“JOHN!” Alpha Byron bellowed as he was about to get up. He had enough of her and was ready to snap her neck right there. “Go outside and cool off” Beta John snapped his eyes to his Alpha then back to the bitch on the floor. He didn’t want to, he wanted to end this right now, but he obeyed the command and walked out the back door.
….grrrRRRrrrRrRRRrRrrrRRRrrrr….