Talons

Chapter 8: The Second Chance

Rhea’s POV

After Colton's 'apology' I ran straight to my lab cave and seeing that he did not follow me, I decided that it should be safe for me to return after a few minutes. My stomach was also beginning to gurgle, and I knew my mother would be worried if I didn't show up for my scheduled meal.

I have grown a lot in the last year and I am almost positive it has something to do with my new diet. I'm five-five now, and I still have years to grow. I'm thinking I will hit five-seven or five-eight, but I will not be as tall as my sisters.

I pause when I hear clothes rustle and Colton's voice asking someone if they can walk. I am relieved when the voice does not belong to either of my sisters.

I know s*x is normal, and it can mean nothing, but I cannot stand the idea of him touching any of my relatives. I do not care what the oracle has said. Two sets of twins born to border packs does not have to mean they will be fated.

There is no safe way around the boulder field (as I like to call it,) so I just hide and wait. I see the blonde limping away and I honestly feel bad for her.

I hear rustling again, and I see Alpha Stone creeping out of the brush. I cover my mouth, trying not to vomit as he adjusts his privates. I suddenly feel sorry for Colton, and as they start with a back and forth, I peek around to investigate.

Colton's nose is leaking blood, and it looks like he is about to be hit again, but Sylvia gives me an idea and we throw a rock as far as we can. Alpha Stone stops and leaves the area.

I asked Sylvia why she helped Colton and she told me that everyone deserves a second chance. I know she is referring to his apology, and I begin to worry. Sylvia quickly puts an end to my thoughts because she does not forgive Colton. She just doesn't think the weak should be ignored, and to her, Colton is weak.

I sigh a little too loudly and I stiffen because I can hear Colton approaching at a sprint. He has me grabbed by the shirt before I can even take two steps. He pressed me against the boulder I was hiding behind and I let my shoulders slump forward in surrender. He looks livid and I am terrified of what he could do to me before help can come.

“What are you trying to gain?” I look away in a guilty panic. I cannot exactly tell him that my wolf thinks he is weak.

“I- I don’t want anything.” Colton does not believe me, and he pushes me against the boulder with added force. I let out a small whimper, but I do not scream.

“Stop lying,” he growls.

“I- I have to get back now,” I say. There is no need in continuing the conversation because he has made it clear that anything that comes from my mouth will go unbelieved. He lets me go, and I’m about to take off, but he grabs me.

“Wait. How bad is it?” I know he is referring to his nose, and I quickly scan his face before averting my gaze.

“It needs to be reset.” Colton grunts in anger, and I flinch.

“Do you know how to do it?”

----

Colton’s POV

I know my nose is broken but without a mirror I don’t know how bad it looks. As a wolf of alpha blood any bruising should heal within a day, but breaks take longer.

I am more than uncomfortable with it, but I ask Brain for help. I hear she is a genius, so resetting a broken nose should be nothing for her, right?

Brain is not gentle at all when she lines up the cartilage, and I resist the urge to deck her. I know she is not the cause of my anger, but I swear she just allowed her distaste for me to affect the way she approached. I have no doubts that if I were someone she liked, she would have been nicer.

“I have to go now.” Brain is gone before I can even get another word in.

I get back to the lake and I see the twins chatting around the fire. Brain is nowhere around, and I take a dip in the lake to help rid myself of any lingering scent of blood or c*nt, as my father put so eloquently.

Raven is happy to see that I made it, but Robin shoots to her feet and starts looking around. I know she is trying to find her sister, and I think now would be the best time to play up my ‘good qualities.’

“Everything okay Robin?” She glares at me.

“Fine,” she replies coldly. She must be linking her twin because soon Raven is also looking around.

“Has anyone seen Brain?” she asks, and Carter, my future beta, responds.

“I saw her talking to Britt before heading toward the packhouse. I think she was getting medicine for her. Britt said she twisted her ankle.” I repeated the name Britt in my head a few times, and an image of the blonde I just screwed popped into my mind.

I start getting worried, but the twins relax after a while. It appears that they know Brain is safe, but I am sweating like a horse thinking about why she would be helping Britt with anything.

I was a fool for thinking she had only just approached when I caught her, she was probably watching, just like my sick old man.

“You okay Colt?” I smile at Raven, who, of the twins, seems the easiest. I know she isn’t having s*x yet, but I also know that she is counting the days to give it up. She isn’t ugly, but she isn’t attractive to me. Still, I hope that I am the one she gives it to if she is my mate.

I don’t know why, but the thought of screwing behind someone else makes me nervous. I know I am good at s*x, but the little incident with Britt has made me realize that I would be a terrible lover to anyone.

“I’m okay if you are okay,” I say after composing myself. Raven smiles with a slight blush, but she is distracted again, and I am sure it's because Robin is linking her.

I really cannot imagine myself with either of the twins. I know fated couples are like two sides of the same coin, but neither girl appeals to me.

Raven is kind, but it’s mostly for show. She likes to pretend to be benevolent, but I have heard her say she needed to ‘break a b*tch’ before. The next day, a girl crutched into school with a cast on her leg, and Raven was the first to sign ‘get well’ on it.

Robin is no better. She is kinder than her sister, but she doesn’t let it show much. She prefers fighting and is not shy about it. She also likes people to think she is sleeping around. I only found out she was not after a boy in school took a shot. She punched him straight in the forehead, leaving an imprint from her ring on it the entire day.

I remember her mocking him about being ‘marked’ by an alpha’s daughter. He was never really the same after that incident and while I wouldn’t know from experience, being knocked out by a girl is terrible.

“So, what do you two have planned for your eighteenth?” I ask, and I swear I see Robin wince. I know from sources that she is not thrilled about finding a mate, especially if that mate is me.

"Our mother is making all the arrangements. We will be busy with school, so it's probably going to be small. Just a few hundred guests." I laugh because Luna Mavis is known for her grand celebrations.

Everyone stands and I look around to see Lark being followed by Brain. She looks nervous, and I hope she hasn't said anything, but they don’t even look at me.

"You guys lost a celebrant." Robin leaps to her feet and pulls Brain toward the fire. She looks so uncomfortable that it's making me uncomfortable.

Lark sits down, and a girl wraps her arm around him. He doesn't even look at her until he has finished speaking to his beta and I seethe in jealousy.

I hear people whispering and I turn to see a brunette walking toward the fire. The twins jump to their feet and charge her. Even Brain wraps herself around the girl.

A low growl comes from Lark, who darts toward the woman. Brain claps and the twins shout in glee.

I shake my head, wondering what kind of composure training Lark had. He was a complete mess and pretty much begging the woman to let him mark her then and there.

If I am mated to one of the twins, I seriously hope I am not that instantly lovestruck, because it will only make rejection that much harder to take.