My Personal Hell, D. Richardson [ebook reader browser txt] 📗

Or rather, the amount of it that he knew. Including the beatings and the connection the girls had with one another. It only added to my growing respect for the quiet girl.

I finally managed to engage her in conversation on my third morning. I walked in the door to see her sitting at the table alone, as usual. She was nursing a mug of coffee, when I poured my own, and joined her. She didn’t even glance at me, just kept staring into her coffee cup.

“You okay? You look like something is bothering you,” I asked quietly. She looked up at me but only for a moment.

“I’m fine, just nervous I guess.” For a second I wondered if Drake had finally shared his suspicions with her.

“About what?” I asked cautiously.

“We should get our test results back today. For school.”

“Really? Are you nervous about going?” I asked marginally relieved, but she shook her head.

“About not getting in,” She answered softly, taking a sip of her coffee. I raised a brow at her.

“You want to go to school?” She nodded and I waited for a longer answer. I almost gave up when she spoke.

“This last year and a half, even after my parents sold me, school was what I missed the most. School was the only thing that was right with my life. The only thing I could count on. School was home for me.” Her answer shocked me, but most of all was the fact that I could relate.

Even before my father exiled me, he wasn’t the nicest man in the world. School was my escape and the thing I had wished for in my time in the wild. I’ll never forget how lost and lonely I felt without it.

“I’m sure you did fine. You seem intelligent to me,” I answered. She gave me a soft smile, a smile that imprinted itself on me. I smiled back and she let out a soft sigh, before getting up to refill her cup.

I joined her just as we heard stirring in the house. I knew she heard it because she stiffened. A small look of regret passing over her features. She enjoyed the quiet alone time, I did too, yet another thing I could relate to. I gave her a sympathetic smile, and we shared a moment of camaraderie.

I could sense Asher making his way toward us. Just as he could sense me in the house. It was an alpha thing. One neither of us particularly cared for. My thoughts were halted when someone knocked on the door.

Asher wasn’t coming toward us, but the door. He answered it a minute later, and I heard an annoying high pitched voice. It was Christina, Asher’s girlfriend. His relationship with her was mildly surprising. She was eighteen and going into her senior year of high school. She was also the daughter of a disgraced family.

Her grandfather had committed treason before his son even reached his first shift. Her grandfather was exiled by the previous alpha, and the family was still struggling for a place in the pack. Her father had mildly redeemed himself by becoming a part of the town’s politics. Turns out having an in with the mayor was more beneficial to the pack than expected.

But that still left his wife and children struggling for their own places. His wife was treated horribly, no matter that she was the sweetest woman I had ever met. And his kids, twins, a boy and girl, were left fighting.

I had heard rumors that the boy had declined, getting into things that were illegal and dangerous. While Christina was trying to up her place by dating the future alpha. It wasn’t a bad arrangement really. Asher was notorious for only dating girls that he could toss away later. Christina needed the popularity and Asher needed the good time. In a way they were a match made in heaven for temporary romances.

“Hey babe, you ready?” I could hear her attempt at a sultry voice and rolled my eyes. The girl was as fake as fake could get.

“Sure, just let me grab something to eat real quick,” Asher answered, and I could hear the disgusting smack of a quick kiss. Me and Ailith were still standing in front of the coffee pot when he walked in with her at his heels.

Her bright pink shirt made my eyes hurt. Her skirt matched, top that off with a large expanse of pale legs and three inch heels, and there she stood. Her blonde hair was styled in the new fashion, and she maintained her usual haughty expression. Though the look on her face when she took in Ailith, well, I would have paid money to see it.

“Who is she?” she snapped and Asher turned to see Ailith standing there.

“Oh she’s, uh, she’s…” he stumbled over a suitable answer. We couldn’t have the whole pack knowing about Ailith until we had some definitive answers about her. But surprisingly she was the one that saved his ass. By raising her coffee cup in solute.

“The family’s new charity case.” Christine gave her a once over.

“Obviously, you could use all the charity you could get.” It was a direct insult and I stiffened, prepared for fight that could very well break out. But Ailith just smiled at her. It wasn’t a kind smile, and Christine took a half step back upon seeing it.

“You could say that, nice outfit by the way.” I had never heard an insult so thoroughly hidden behind kind words before. Asher sat down at the table, and Christine huffed over to his side. Taking a second to glance over her shoulder at Ailith, she then turned and sat down in Asher’s lap. He looked a little annoyed because he was trying to eat, but he didn’t complain, and Christine got comfortable.

I glanced over to see Ailith’s reaction, and almost choked trying to cover my laughter. She stared at Christine with a look I had come to recognize. A look meaning that she thought that what she saw was completely ridiculous and absolutely unnecessary.

She caught my eye and noticed my poorly hidden laughter, and had to fight down a smile. Adrian walked into the kitchen, caught sight of Christine, and gave a silent groan behind their backs. Ailith lost her silent battle and threw her head back, and let out a melodious laugh. It was a surprising and infectious sound.

I joined her quickly, and Adrian gave a quirked smile before joining in as well. He made his way over to us to get his own coffee, still laughing. He actually had to put his cup down to keep from spilling it, and it made Ailith laugh harder. She wrapped her arms around her waist and doubled over, laughing so hard her body shook.

Asher was looking at us with amazement, or should I say, he was staring at Ailith in amazement. Christine just looked on like she was missing out on a joke, and that increased the laughter.

Adrian finally stood up straight and looked out the window. It looked like he was watching something. Then a couple minutes later he uttered one sentence that put an end to that marvelous sound.

“Huh, mail’s here.” Ailith straightened immediately, all mirth forgotten, and rushed for the door.

I waited knowing she was only going to the front door. She walked back with a pile of envelopes in her hands. She rifled through them quickly, tossing all of the things that weren’t for her half-hazard onto the counter. Then she was down to the last three.

She looked through the three of them as if deciding on which one to open first. She settled on one and ripped it open. She quickly scanned the print and gave a small smile, then turned to the second one. This one got a bigger smile, and then it was down to the last. She stared at it for a long moment then slowly opened it with silent dread. I knew this one was for her.

Finally, she started to read it carefully and her shoulders dropped in relief. She had obviously scored well, and she leaned her head back, like she was sending a thanks to someone.

One by one all of the others filed into the kitchen, with Lori and Kadi being the last. Drake was the first to notice the mail, and looked to Ailith as the other two girls joined her.

“What’s that?” Lori asked propping Kadi up on the counter top.

“Our test results.” Lori’s eyes widened and she exchanged worried looks with the little girl.

“How did you do?” Drake asked evenly. Ailith smiled up at him and he blinked a couple times.

“Kadi tested into second grade, Lori will be a sophomore, and I made it into my junior year. We‘re back on track.” Lori let out an ear splitting shriek and she hugged Ailith.

“I can’t believe it. Kadi, you’re going to be in the second grade! I’m so proud of you!” Kadi who had been looking on with mild confusion suddenly beamed.

“Just think, in two weeks time you’ll be walking down the halls at school again.” I murmured to Ailith. She looked up at me with a glorious smile and slumped back into the counter.

Drake caught my eye and motioned for me to follow him. I wanted to stay with Ailith, but my boss needed me, so I obliged. We went into his office and my least favorite person just happened to already be seated.

Tom looked up at us as we entered and it was all I could do not to snarl at him. Tom trumped Asher any day on my shit list. As much as I didn’t like Asher it was simply an Alpha thing. Deep down I knew that he was actually a decent guy, and had we been human, we probably would be friends. He was just terrified of commitment and responsibility.

But Tom was another story, and someone I had known for much longer. He was the doctor of this pack, but he consulted for others. He was at my father’s ear every chance he got. And I couldn’t help but suspect that he had something to do with my exile.

Of course, no one would believe me if I spoke of how slimy the man was. He was a respected member of the pack. I was simply a lone wolf mooching off of the hospitality of a generous alpha. Never mind that I did everything I possibly could to earn my keep. I loved Drake, he was like the father I never had but wished for. But the man was much too trusting.

“What did you need?” I asked taking a position as far from Tom as I could. Drake knew how much I hated the man, but no matter how much someone disliked another, they were always to be civil. It was a rule that Drake enforced personally.

“I think it would be wise not to encourage Ailith’s hope in returning to school,” Drake said slowly. He was being cautious. He was one of the few that truly knew how much education meant to me. I hated being denied it myself, and I couldn’t stand the thought of denying others when it was something they truly wanted.

“What? Why?” I stood at attention, especially since I now knew how much it meant to her.

“She’s too dangerous to be allowed out,” Tom supplied, but I paid him no attention. My focus was strictly on Drake. He wasn’t a cruel man, but what he was suggesting bordered on it. I kept my eyes on him and he finally cracked, putting a hand to the bridge of his nose.

“We don’t know what she’s capable of yet. We need to make sure she’s safe for the human world before we unleash her on it. After her week here it’s obvious that her senses are already on par with our own. Her wolf shouldn’t be far behind.”

“Are you going to tell her?” I asked, my tone came out sharper than intended, but under the circumstances I knew