A Friend To The Elements

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

*Samantha's POV*

I sat at my window every free chance I had. I waited for her. I couldn't ask Henry what happened. He would be furious that I even acknowledged them in the first place. 'Ryan' and 'Jupiter' were the only two guards I saw for weeks.

I named the guy Jupiter because of his hair. He had dyed it a deep purple and wore it slicked back into a clean bun. While he was less physically intimidating than Ryan, something about him was even more terrifying. I knew all the guards were armed but Jupiter carried his main gun then a strap around his thigh with a pistol. Once I had seen him pull a knife out of his boot to peel an apple that Ryan had brought him at shift change.

He sliced a piece off and offered it to Ryan, but Ryan crinkled his nose and shook his head. Jupiter just shrugged and walked back towards their house.

At 26 weeks the new guard arrived. She was different than Lucy and Ryan, but she gave off the same dark energy as Jupiter. I decided her name was Mars. Her hair was a deep red in contrast to Jupiter's purple. She wore cargo pants with weighed down pockets and form fitted crop tops that stopped at her ribcage. She was the only one that would look at me. Every time she circled the house her eyes would meet mine staring at her from my window bench.

I had made eye contact with Ryan and Lucy before, but nothing gave away their emotions. They would joke with each other and be normal people. It was almost like I didn't exist. But Mars knew I existed, and she hated me for it.

I found myself avoiding windows when it was her shift. Henry hardly came into the house anymore except to shower and sleep. Sometimes he would expect meals, but my stomach was growing large enough that with swollen ankles I was almost bed ridden. He didn't seem to mind one way or the other. As long as he had clean clothes in his drawer and the beer cans didn't overrun the room, he seemed relatively content.

Part of me was relieved. At first, I thought that I missed him. I was isolated with only the dirty looks from Mars to keep me company. But the more I sat alone, the more I thought about Lucy's warning. I wondered why she would say that. I wondered what she knew that I didn't.

By 30 weeks I didn't feel protected anymore. I felt like the prisoner.

*Josh's POV*

"Hey dude, coming to practice today?" I shook my head and pushed Wyatt's hand off my shoulder. I replaced the empty spot with my bag and began walking towards the door.

"Maybe I'll catch the next one."

"This is the last one Josh. Coach says you miss this one and you're done. Off the team." I shrugged just wanting the conversation to be over with.

"Guess I'm done then." I fished for my keys out of the side pocket of my bag when Wyatt grabbed my arm. Most humans wouldn't be strong enough to even budge a shifter or have the nerve to do it but growing up working out right beside each other had given Wyatt an edge. His face was only a few inches away. I could smell the cigarette he must have snuck during free period, and I fought the urge to gag.

"You've got to move on. You had a thing for her. I get it. She seemed pretty cool. But shit happens. She's gone and you're throwing a free ride out of this place down the toilet."

I didn't mean for it to happen, but a growl tore out from my chest. My teeth bared and I could feel my fingertips turning to claws. Wyatt released my shaking arm and took a few steps back, but I moved forward with my own. Now my whole-body shook, and my teeth were turning into canines. Before I knew what happened my arm was yanked backwards out the side door and Noah stood between me and the cowering kid on the other side.