14. I Hate Maybes

Fiona Morel was a forty-five year old woman who was very vocal in her opinion that most people were full of bull. She was blunt and straightforward about everything she did. She had apparently also been an amazing lawyer several years ago. With her sharp observation skills and ability to outwit even Ian (very few beings succeeded in this field), it wasn't very hard to imagine her burning down all her foes in the courtroom.
Nowadays she was a full time witch/housewife. And the main reason why Ian didn't follow through on most of his absurd plots. Either way, no matter how scary a parent was, kids were going to be kids. Doing the thing they knew was going to drag them in steep trouble afterwards, forgetting all about the consequences until it was time to atone.
I wasn't ready to atone.
We'd reached the ER. It wasn't as packed as I'd anticipated, only a few people here and there. Sticking out like a sore thumb though, was the slender blonde woman that was Ian's mom. Not because she was the only one a crisp suit but because of her stance. Back straight, arms crossed, legs a slight bit apart. Standing sentinel. Our gazes locked, hers flashed.
I glanced beseechingly up at Jett.
He cut me a look that said clearly said I was on my own.
"I'll be outside when you're done," he said, stalking away.
So much for keeping Ember safe.
I stared after his retreating figure with envy, steeled myself when I heard heels clicking towards me.
Fiona was in a grey pant suit, her blonde hair pulled high into a stiff bun. She stopped in front of me, glowered down at me with burning green orbs- then pulled me into a hug. I made a noise of surprise.
"You stupid children will be the death of me," she breathed out, squeezing the life out of me. "Are you trying to send me to an early grave?"
"I think you're the one trying to kill me," I choked out.
"What was that?"
I hugged her back. "I said I'm sorry."
"You better be," she said, pulling back, studying me closely. "You're not hurt, are you?"
"I got shot a few times-" I winced when she glared- "but I'm all healed up. How's Ian?"
"Stable but still in the ER." Philip, Ian's dad, stepped forward. When his wife looked away, he gave me a sheepish grin, mouthed 'got off easy this time'.
I smiled nervously. "So he'll be alright?"
"So the doctors say," Philip nodded. "Two bullets, one in his leg and the other at his right shoulder. And a slight concussion. Nothing vital was hit at least. He'll make it."
I sighed, plopped down in the nearest chair.
Fiona took up her angry mother stance again. "I think you have some explaining to do, young lady."
I bit my lip, the storm wasn't over yet. But where to start?
Fiona didn't wait for me to begin. She took out her phone, scrolled down. "New alpha claims omega #CoupleOfTheYear. Ember Yale might finally get some #NerdyNewAlphaFemale. Never going to say another thing about Ember, need both my hands intact thank you. #KeepYourHandsToYourself."
"What is that?" I asked, eyes bulging.
She furrowed her brows at me. "Twitter. These are all tweets from the pack."
"Okay..."
So this was really happening.
"I need an explanation, Ember."
I pursed my lips. "You want to hear all of it?"
She sat down next to me, crossed her legs. "Start from the troll."
Knew she wouldn't forget.
***
"I'm going to get coffee down the street, this werewolf stuff is too much for my normal brain," Philip said, rubbing at his forehead.
"I'll have a decaf," Fiona said.
"Sure. You need anything hon?"
I shook my head.
"Keep it together until I'm back," he joked, brushing a kiss on my forehead. He gave his wife a mock salute on his way out.
I've always wondered how they managed to work things out with him being completely human but then again, I imagined any relationship could strive so long as the two parties were willing. Philip once told us he'd taken the chance and proposed to Fiona despite her being so uptight but if he'd known she could send a dozen knives flying with a simple thought, he would've settled for the nice girl next door.
That was a joke of course, I've never seen them arguing. I couldn't say the same for mother and son though, those two were like oil and water. Despite that, I knew Fiona loved her son. She'd seemed so put together when I first arrived but now that she was sitting closer to me, I could see the lines of fatigue on her face. Her mascara was smeared at the edges, a few hairs sticking up almost comically at the back end of her bun. Our little stunt had affected her greatly.
I wrung my hands guiltily. "I'm sorry, we should've been more sensible," I said.
She waved a hand. "That's beside the point now. I want you to get going."
"What?"
She straightened her jacket, her next words spoken as if she were conversing with a stranger. "You need to be as far away from Ian as possible. It's as you said, Kane Wilder is the new alpha and your mate. Washington has been on the tipping point for a long time, the werewolves need a strong alpha to keep things in order. A man who has to resort to hiding who his mate is to keep her safe cannot enforce that order. And if he can't do that, there will be very hungry things coming after him. After you and anyone around you."
"After Ian," I whispered.
She folded her hands in her lap. "Precisely. I will not have my son drawn into this and I don't think you want that either, do you?"
"No."
I stood up, feeling ridiculous. Darius's warning ringed in my head. You'll get him killed.
"Ember?"
Numbly, I turned.
There was an inch of regret in her green eyes. "This isn't personal."
"I-" I cleared my throat. "I know."
But it sure as heck felt that way.
I trudged out, picked up my speed in case I ran into Philip and he asked me where I was going. The halls twisted and turned endlessly but I somehow made it out of the hospital.
Instead of going to the parking lot to find Jett though, I walked to the small park across the street. I wandered a bit, found a small bench in a secluded area. I sat down, placed my face in my hands.
It wasn't fair. I know what Fiona said was the truth and I definitely didn't want Ian to get hurt on my account, but I never chose this either. I didn't tell Kane to become alpha or to suddenly declare me his. It wasn't my fault, so why was it that I couldn't be in there, in the hospital, waiting for my injured best friend to get better?
Someone moved beside me.
I swirled around- was greeted by the smell of coffee.
Aster wrinkled her nose. "Not tea, I'm afraid. I try not to use magic at night, it attracts predators I'd rather not waste time dealing with. Here."
I didn't take the cup.
She pushed it closer until it was a practically up against my nose. "I bought this from a store close by, the boy who was selling it said it was good. Although I cannot fathom why anyone would want to drink from this revolting material, it's nothing but harmful to both nature and the humans."
My lips curved up a bit, froze. I forced a frown, but took the Starbucks' cup. One couldn't stay completely angry in the face of free coffee.
I took a gulp, winced at the sting. I tried for a smaller one, only just realizing I was still starving. I hadn't gotten the chance to eat. I drank slower, staring at anywhere but at the creature beside me.
Aster didn't say anything, hummed a peaceful tune I would've never associate with her while I finished up my coffee.
When the cup had fully surrendered all its sweet contents, I launched it at a trash bin. It bounced off the side, rolled onto the ground. I stared at it, as if it would pick itself up and hop into the trash can. It didn't, of course.
"I was cornered once," I said, slumping in my seat and leaning my head backwards. A star winked at me from the night sky. "In the boys’ locker room- a place where men change before exercising," I explained. "Four guys, a couple of years older than me but all werewolves. I don't know exactly what they wanted to do-" I laughed. "Yeah, of course I knew. But I couldn't do anything."
"Did they touch you?" Aster asked, voice quiet.
I nodded, then shook my head. "One of them went for my shirt- I can still feel the way his fingers felt on my collarbone. Cold, shaking with anticipation. I just- I don't understand why people like hurting other people." I heaved a ragged breath, felt the water brimming in my eyes. "Ian burst into the room right then. I remember thinking he'd look like a superhero if he had a flapping cape behind him. He blasted all of them unconscious. He's protected me plenty of times and yet... I can't do the same for him. I can't even protect myself."
I threw an arm over my eyes. "What kind of idiot can only fight with their face covered?"
"You are no idiot."
"You don't get it," I said, wiping my face and leaning forwards and looking at her. "You're not even on my side."
Her smile wasn't reassuring, it was the kind a cat might've shown a mouse while peering into its hiding place. Come out, I'll eat you anyway but come out still.
It was showing the possible threat but openly, honest.
"You know as well as I do that we fae cannot lie but please enlighten me, do you honestly believe I would be here listening to you if I did not really care about you?" She asked.
Point made.
I got up, picked up the coffee cup and put in the trash. "I'm going home."
"Sleep well, my stubborn human."
"I'm a werewolf, not human."
"Not much of a difference to me."
I made a face at her. She grinned.
Jett was typing on his laptop when I climbed back into the Ford.
"What're you doing?" I asked.
"Hacking into the college surveillance so I can keep an eye on you tomorrow," he said monotonously.
"You can hack?" I asked.
He didn't reply, reached into his pocket and handed me his phone. "For you."
Curious, I took it. "Hello?"
"What's wrong?"
My heart nearly summersaulted at the unexpected sound of Kane's voice. I looked over at Jett. He was still focused on his laptop.
"What?" I asked.
"What's wrong?" He repeated. "I can feel your distress all the way across the city."
"I-"
Someone screamed. A harsh gurgling sound that would've sent me running back inside the hospital or towards any other human being if Jett hadn't been in the car with me. It took me a moment to realize it was coming from the phone, in the background.
It kept going on. I shivered. "What is that?"
Kane's tone was clipped. "Irrelevant. You didn't answer my question."
"I'm fine," I snapped. I hung up before he could say anything else.
Jett closed his laptop, took his phone from me. He didn't start driving though.
I raised a brow at him.
"You think his reasons aren't good enough," he said thoughtfully.
There was no judgment in his words, the comment was more of an observation. I remembered how his eyes had glowed amber and crimson on the bridge, two traffic lights with fitting warnings. Careful and stop. But I wasn't one bit afraid of him anymore. Not after he'd saved Ian's life and certainly not when he'd given me candy like I was a niece he had to dote on.
So instead of ignoring him or firing off a sarcastic remark, I answered truthfully. "He says he couldn't protect me but he let Helen be near him. What am I supposed to think?"
"Maybe he wasn't as careful with her because he didn't care as much."
I snorted. "And now that he's alpha?"
"Maybe he became alpha because he was tired," Jett said.
I wanted to say stop with your annoying maybes but curiosity got the better of me.
I tried to hide it though, shrugging nonchalantly. "Tired of what?" I asked.
"Of holding himself back," he said.
I frowned. He started the car.