How hard could it be? • LM / SS

Chapter 127

"If they knew what they said,
would go straight to my head,
what would they say instead?"

Jade watched Satomi's pack from where she was sat, the older ones trying to reassure the others that it would be okay despite having no idea whether they would live to see another day or not.

Kira had saved Brett Talbot and his sister Lori from being attacked by hunters yesterday, the two teens leading the kitsune to the last remaining members of their pack. Deaton had given them temporary shelter at his animal clinic, Scott finally bringing them to the Argent storeroom while they tried to come up with a plan to keep everyone safe.

She was currently trying to figure out what their next move was, given that in the half-hour she had been there, no one had attempted to fill her in. In her defence, she didn't want to be here. The only reason she had dragged herself out of the house was due to Lilith not wanting to be alone with Scott, half afraid that she would murder the alpha after finding out what he had said and done to their best friend in the sheriff's station the previous evening.

Jade pushed herself off the wall, walking towards the others that were having a meeting in the middle of the room. If she had to barge her way into a conversation with force, so be it. She wasn't going to stand around like a fool for much longer, not if she wasn't told what was going on. There were better ways she could be spending her time, trying to find a job or unpacking and organising her new apartment.

"They've got claws and fangs. That doesn't make them fighters," Derek pointed out, lowering his voice so Satomi's pack hopefully wouldn't take offence at his observation. The entire motto that the woman stood by was that they didn't attack first, trying to peacefully negotiate with their enemies, violence being the last possible solution.

"That's why I called you," Scott replied sheepishly. He knew what was coming next, but swallowing his pride would by far be the hardest thing he had done in his lifetime.

"Just in case you've forgotten, I don't have claws and fangs anymore either," he bitterly declared, moving to stand next to Braeden and another girl, the one he had seen in Calliope's shop that terrible November. It seemed so far away, a distant memory from years ago, when in reality it had only occurred two months ago, give or take. His eyes snapped up at the silence, expecting some sort of a reply, a confidence boost that would reassure him he could still use a gun to defend himself. And that's when it hit, the real reason Scott had called him. "So, you essentially want to use her as a weapon? Even though yesterday you didn't want anything to do with her?"

Jade couldn't hold back a scoff, the utter irony of the situation making her head spin. She knew it had sounded too good to be true, a simple mission that would be over by the end of the day. No, this was the ulterior motive her cousin had, the fucking sneaky werewolf! "Didn't I say he'd come crawling back for my help? I must say, I thought you'd have some more willpower. Barley 24 hours and you've already cracked. Give me one good reason why I should do anything for you."

Scott bit his tongue, refusing to let her see that he was struggling to come up with an excuse. You know, he was really starting to hate this attitude she had taken up, acting as if she was better than everyone else. "Jade, I'm asking as your cousin, not as your alpha. Please help us."

"No. You've treated me like absolute shit for the last few months, walking all over me like a doormat and now all of a sudden you want my help? You are not my alpha and I most certainly don't answer to you. I'll help but don't think for a second that your crap speech had anything to do with it. I'm doing it for them, not you," she gestured to the werewolves in the corner, the ones who looked as if they wouldn't say boo to a ghost. Derek had been right about one thing; they weren't violent, and she doubted they would be able to fight their own shadow, let alone take on a mass of assassins. "Blair said you needed some training. We have time to spare, we can start now."