Discovering the Ligon

Chapter 3 - Zeke

I'm shooting hoops when a vehicle drives up. Not bothering to stop since I have a feeling about who it is, I continue to shoot. He's been calling me repeatedly for the last few hours. I honestly thought he had given up when the calls stopped about two hours ago but I guess not since he's here. I was hoping to avoid him for at least another twenty-four hours but he's a persistent bastard and always has been when it comes to Ava. Now I have sweat dripping down my face and chest. I feel exhausted from the physicality but not enough to relieve the anger I feel towards myself for my treatment of her.

I hear him open, then slam his truck door. Without turning around, I tell him, "You can't make me feel shitter than I already do." Since he left three years ago I've been living with the decisions I made. Decisions that he is about to rake me over the coals for. Decisions that I can't take back and will have to live with the rest of my life.

He doesn't acknowledge what I said except for a grunt, almost rumbling his displeasure. I keep my back to him and continue to shoot the ball until he's ready to reprimand me for my actions and behavior.

After about ten minutes he finally asks me, "Why?" His voice is low and full of disappointment. I don't know exactly how he feels because I refuse to turn and look at him knowing I will see the anger and disappointment I feel towards myself written all over his face. Instead, I just continue to shoot ball after ball while I give him my excuses.

"Because I'm a selfish asshole. Because I fucking suck as a friend. Because you left without a reason after ruining her and making her life hell and wanted me to pick up the pieces. Pieces I didn't want to pick up because I hurt."

"I trusted you to trust me. To know what was best for her. Even as teenagers, you always protected her. That didn't have to change despite what you may have thought," his voice hardening the more he speaks.

Turning around, I raise my own voice. "Well, dipshit, you let everyone know you slept with Ava. Something unofficially forbidden in the Pride, but something officially made between us three whether Ryan was still part of the group or not. Then you come to me and say you have to leave for a few weeks and to watch out for her. You stayed gone three FUCKING years!" I should not be screaming out in the open, but fuck, what does he expect?! Thankfully, most everyone is already at the gathering that starts in a half-hour.

By the look on his face, he wants to murder me. "What the hell? That's your excuse for giving your word and then lying to me for three years? Is that Beta behavior?" He snarls. I swear for a moment it looks like his eyes flash and teeth grow longer, pointer, like his Lion is pushing forth. The twins turned eighteen a few months ago but neither has shifted. At least not that I know of. Hell, I have been eighteen for almost a year and have yet to shift.

"You weren't here. Everything changed after that night." I try reasoning but it sounds like bullshit even to myself.

"Bullshit! Total bullshit. How could you do that to Ava? Abandon her like that?" This time his Lion does push forth and it makes me wonder if I'm wrong about the twins not being able to shift. His body is moving underneath the skin, his eyes are flashing and turning a darkened gold, and his canine teeth are almost fully extended. As a Beta, I should back down. But he just called me out and I refuse to not call him out on his assholish ways too.

Getting into his personal space, I sneer, "Look, Your Highness, you abandoned her before I did. So stop bitching like a spoiled brat that lost his freaking toy!"

Letting out a roar meant to have me submit, I start shaking as I try to fight it. "Ryker calm down. You can't shift in public, nor roar like that, or your father will hear about it if he hasn't already." Instead, that seems to piss him off more as fur begins to form on his arms. "Dude, chill, and let's talk about it. For Ava's sake." With the mention of her name, Ryker's body begins to settle, and it stops his shift. The fur recedes, his eyes stop glowing, and his teeth shrink to normal size.