Chapter 71

KIRA:

“What happened? You’re late,”

I was a bit caught by surprise by that. Had me startled for a moment until I recovered to discover it was Bradley sitting right on the balcony. Guess I must have been too lost in thoughts to realize that earlier.

“Hey, Brad. Why are you home this time?” I ask while taking a close look at the quarters that was not mine. Yes, right now I am in front of Bradley's quarters which is where my brother and I have been squatting since yesterday after the incident that tore my family apart.

I don’t know how long we'll be here for but I sure know I would not dare stay in ours for the time being. At least until I am sure that it is safe enough to go back to. Could it, though?

“My shift was in the morning. So, yeah, I'm home now,” Bradley says and stands up from the stairway of the balcony. “Care to tell me why you’re just coming this time? It’s getting dark already as you can see,”

I go to join him on the balcony. And the instant I sit, he takes a seat too.

For a little while, we both stay quiet. I take a deep breath during the period because I sure needed to calm my nerves down. I was a little tense from everything that happened today.

“I went back to my family quarters,” I say to him, finally opening up.

“Why?”

My eyes were closed when I start to say, “I just needed it to be a lie. I didn’t want it to be true. I wanted what happened yesterday to be something like a bad dream. But I guess I was only expecting too much.”

I feel Bradley’s arms wrap around my shoulders as he pulls me closer to himself. I take the opportunity to rest my head on his shoulder, feeling relaxed with the proximity between us.

“It’s hard to take, I know. But I think you are doing just fine. Don’t worry, I’m here for you, okay?”

I nod with my head still on his shoulder. Trust me, the words did more to me than I could ever imagine. It was as if I needed to hear that this moment. Yes, I haven’t broken down yet in tears today, I think I just might do that now so I could let my pain all out.

But something in me prevents me from doing so. And it is that same feeling that pushes me to take my head off Bradley’s shoulder because staying in that position for too long would make me break form soon enough. I was not about to soil his shirt as I did to Alpha Reid yesterday. That one was embarrassing.

“How’s Adam coping?” I ask, recalling that I haven’t seen my brother all day. He must be depressed at the moment.

“I think he’s fine. Although he hasn’t talked to anyone all day. He's a kid. The whole thing is going to be too hard for him to handle.”

I stare right into the view of the environment. I just realized now that I had stayed too long than expected at my quarters as the whole day was turning dark already.

The aim of being there was to stay around for about thirty minutes. Didn’t think I would be there for hours.

I needed something to relieve me right now. And as if a cue hit nature, a cool breeze suddenly hit my face. It was more than what I needed at the moment. I savored it with my eyes closed until it all went down.

“I got into a fight today, you know,” I suddenly announce to Bradley and I didn’t need to look in his direction to know what his reaction would be.

His voice came out shocked when he asked, “Why, what happened?”

“Some girls decided it was today they would pick on me. I gave them back what they dished and it ended up in a scuffle. But don’t worry, I taught them a lesson.”

I turn my head to look at him with a smile on my face. I’m sure he didn’t like that one bit because his reaction was a deep frown etching on his face.

I look away after that to continue focusing on the environment. I’m sure Bradley is going to say something soon. And he does not waste time speaking.

“The girls you got in a fight with, were they your classmates?” he asks.

“Nah,” I say. “Seniors.”

“And you taught them a lesson?”

I stare at him briefly and announce, “Yes, I did.”

“How? If they are seniors like you said, then that means they have already gotten into the stage of having spirit wolves. Which obviously makes them stronger than you. So how could you have taught them a lesson?”

“Don’t forget something, Brad.”

“What is that?” he asks.

I stand up to my feet. “That I also have a spirit wolf.” I declare and then turn around to start to walk into Bradley's quarters, which I will not necessarily say belongs to him because his whole family lives in there too.

No, not his wife and kids. His parents and siblings. He’s still too young to settle down with someone.

I almost trip on my feet when I notice someone standing right at the entrance of the quarters. Geez, how did I not notice beforehand?

It is Adam, actually. And with the look of surprise on his tired face, something tells me that he must have overheard me speak not too long ago.

“Uhm, how long have you been standing there, Adam?” I ask while still shocked to react properly. It was at that moment I recall his gift of sneaking up on someone without one realizing it.

“Long enough to hear that you have a spirit wolf.” is his response. I knew he heard me speak.

I look in the direction of Bradley who has stood up to his feet. The look I give to him is to have him save me in this mess.

Bradley coughs and says, “She was talking about me.”

I watch as Adam shifts his focus toward Bradley. “She wasn’t. I heard what she said loud and clear,” he states and slowly turns to look back at me. “How long have you had a spirit wolf?”

I am uncertain what to say to him. I know I should deny it but be caught off guard has put me in a difficult situation. What was I to say? That I was goofing around? I guess that is the only thing I would have to tell him because there is no way I will be letting him know that what I said not too long ago was the truth.

“Listen, Adam,” I start with that, “I didn’t mean what you heard. It was just me messing around as usual.” I tell him. I’m surprised that I managed to sound confident when I spoke to him because it was pretty hard to hold my composure in situations like this. I know myself already.

“It didn’t sound like you were messing around to me,”

Now I have no way to counter that. If I can find out how long he has been here, I am certain I will be able to know the right words to give out to cover up the truth.

“But I was,” I look at Bradley after that. “Or wasn't I, Brad?”

“She was,” Bradley states and nods in agreement.

Adam has this suspicious look written all over his face as he looks from both Bradley and me and then finally lands his gaze on me.

“I will believe you. But just know that I am watching you from now. And trust me, if you do have a spirit wolf, I am going to find out.” he announces, and then with one last look at both of us, he turns around and walks back into the quarters.

Not too long after he has left, I have a huge sigh of relief. “That was close,” I say, bending to regain my stand. My legs were a bit wobbly from having to maintain composure in front of my brother.

Realizing that Bradley has not said anything to me, I shift my head in his direction while still bending. That is when I notice that he is looking at me weirdly.

“What?” I have to ask.

“When do you plan on telling him?” is his response which is actually a question.

“Tell him what?”

“The truth.”

“What truth?” I throw that back at him because I honestly have no idea what he is talking about. Okay, maybe I do.

“Stop playing around, Kira. You know what I’m talking about.”

A sneer makes its way to my face. I look away from him after that and stand up straight.

“There is nothing to tell,” I tell him and make my way over to the doorway leading into the quarters. “I don’t think he needs to know.”