Discovering the Ligon

Chapter 8 - Zeke

Instead of beginning right away, I let us eat first. Glancing around, the other students are peering at us but when I just glare back, they look away. Everyone, humans and shifter alike, know better than to piss me off after the Drake issue. I might not have prevented the girls from bullying Ava, but I damn sure made sure that it was only the Ice Queen and her group to lessen it. When we are both finished, I take a drink of water to wet my dry mouth. I'm more nervous than I have been in my whole life.

I turn in my seat to face her, locking my eyes on her darkening green ones. Her eyes reflect her interest in what I have to say. "Ava, in kindergarten, Ryker claimed you as soon as he saw you. Even then he knew not to make such a big deal out of it, so he only let the other guys who seemed interested in you know. Claimed it was to protect you from being bullied because of who you were. But we all knew. It was because you were his." My voice is filled with suppressed longing. Something I've never revealed to her before, even when we were best friends. I swallow before speaking again, showing my nervousness, something no one ever sees but this is Ava, and she has every right to see it after my treatment of her.

"As we all got older, Ryker began to see that I felt drawn to you, as did Ryan. He knew we wanted you... to claim you as our mate. We may have been teenagers but for some reason, you felt like a mate. The problem was who I am and who Ryan is to Ryker. His status trumps ours. It was also a problem of who you are. So, we made a pact, the three of us. We would only be friends with you. But Ryan was jealous and figured if he could not have you, then no one could. So, he slowly turned away from us all and eventually began spying for the king." She holds up her hand, nonverbally asking me to stop.

Her expression is one of shock but also of understanding before she speaks. "A lot more stuff makes sense now. That's about the time when Ryan began telling on us to the king. It's also when you three started flirting with other girls when I was around. It hurt me to know I didn't come first after having you all to myself for so many years."

There's some resentment there, but I can't help to smile because it shows how much we had meant to her.

"Not a word," she growls. There's fiery Ava. Damn if she's not hotter when riled up. "Zeke, whatever you are thinking, stop it right now! Please continue," she finishes softly.

"Well, we started pretending to like other girls, even Ryan. No matter how he acts, he wants you just as much as he used to. But he learned how to ignore the pull and therefore avoid you by turning into his father. " She glances away when I say that like she knows something I don't. I remain quiet until her eyes meet mine again. "When Ryker left three years ago, he let me know you were his and that he would be back. He implied that he had mated with you and that I was not to touch you. I was supposed to protect you, but I failed. I admit I was an asshole and I explained why this morning. Now –"

Without warning, Ava slaps the hand I have on her thigh. "Seriously? All these decisions were made for me, without my knowledge. What the hell were you all thinking?" she vents.

I shift in my seat, feeling guilty, as she curses at me under her breath. This makes some students sitting closer to us turn around, but she just glares at them, making them give sheepish facial expressions and they quit looking at us.

Turning back to me, she snarls, "You – they – decided that you would not pursue me because I was Ryker's? Without asking me? Talking to me? How dare you – him! And for Ryker to imply..."

I try to give her an explanation she might accept, or at least understand why we did what we did. "I'm sorry. I'm going to be – practically have been unofficially my whole life – his Beta. I had no say. Plus, when it all started, we were kids. Freaking kids. I just wanted to be your friend. Do you remember your thirteenth birthday?" I wait for her to answer me, to give me some type of response I can work with.

"Yea, what about it? I hated that day. Crystal and her mom were being douchebags and made the whole day about them, dragging my dad with them, and essentially forgetting about me. I found out it was on purpose because when Crystal cornered me later that night, she let me know she had a great time with dad and how fun they had without the bastard." She sounds bitter, but I understand. We grew up always trying to make sure she felt wanted.

"But don't you remember what happened while they were gone?" My eyes plead with her to remember and tell me despite her resistance to talk about it. "You know you remember how much fun the four of us had. How we all came over to your house and swam while they were away."

She gives me a reluctant nod and admits it with a simple, "Yes."

"Do you remember how we acted when you first came outside in your swimsuit?" When she says nothing, I command it, "Tell me. Tell me how we acted."

She gazes at me with reluctance but answers anyway while blushing. "I remember walking out of the house, slowly, because Crystal had thrown away my swimsuit the night before after cutting it into pieces. I hadn't wanted to tell you all, so I wore one of her new ones. But, my–" she glances down at her breasts and blushes harder before continuing, "My body was developing more than hers. I felt practically naked in that damn thing it was so small. Ryker and Ryan had been splashing each other in the pool and you had been about to jump in on top of them when you saw me. After a few moments, when you quit talking to them, they turned to look to see why. All three of you looked stunned and I remember asking smartly 'Never seen a girl before?' That seemed to make you all laugh, and the rest of the day went on as normal." Her face is as red as a tomato as I give her an intense look remembering that day and how I felt, how we all felt realizing how much we wanted her to be ours.

"Ava, that day was far from normal. Do you remember every time we got close to you, we would back up?" When she nods, I continue, "It's because we were getting aroused by a potential mate, and at thirteen, had no idea how to control it. That's what set off the chain of events. Ryan went to the king and asked why he felt that way. Not that we didn't already have the sex talk, but Ryan didn't understand the intensity he felt for just you. None of us did. The king became suspicious and ordered us to stay away from you. That's when Ryker boldly – and stupidly - proclaimed you as his. Ryker and Ryan came to blows right there in the king's office. The king was furious and stated that nothing would happen between a nobody and a royal. He told us that if we wanted to remain friends with you, then we had to start spending time with other potential mates. That didn't matter to Ryker or me but we quickly agreed with the king's demand. When we left his office, we held a meeting between the three of us and Ryker made it clear that you were his by right."

She had just taken a sip of her diet soda when I said that and spits it out all over me and the table. My face must show my amused, but disgusted expression. "You basically said Ryker metaphorically peed on me so what the hell did you expect?"

I want to explain more but the timer on her phone signals it's time for us to head back to opposite classes.

Pulling her up to stand in front of me, I leave her with parting words that I hope show her how much I care for her and want her. "Angel, I hate that we have an audience, or I would kiss you right now. We won't see each other for the rest of today but do me a favor and ask Ryker tonight about everything else. I will never hold the truth from you."

"You think Ryker will lie to me?" She can't hide the hurt that creeps into her voice.

"Ava, he won't lie but he might omit things. One thing I don't fully understand is the bullshit he told me about leaving and returning. I'm hoping he tells you the truth, but I doubt it until he's ready." My voice is harsh with some still pent up anger towards him.

"Fine, Zeke. But no more ... touching me. We aren't friends and I'm unsure if I can even trust you again. Three years of abandonment does that to a person." Her voice is low, only between us, but the words still cut me deep even though I deserve them.

"One day you will ask me to kiss you again. I promise. Until then, we are friends again and friends are allowed platonic touches." I smirk back at her, making sure my dimples come out. Although she's always tried to hide it, her green eyes seem instantly drawn to them and she'll wet her lips as if she wants to touch or kiss me. The other guys have hated how much my dimples seem to affect her.

With her face still flushed, with anger and what I hope is desire, she blurts out, "Whatever Zeke. No touching!" I hear her swearing at me as she rushes off.

No touching. That's what she thinks. Ryker came back and stirred up the shit he left. All bets are off. She will be mine in some way. She and Ryker both better get used to the idea.