Verlangen

Stirred

I stirred the stir-fry in my wok, my hands moving vigorously. My spoon knocked against the sides. I slowed, the noise beginning to ring in my ears. Or maybe it was just memories ringing off the sides of my cranium. Fuck, I had never thought Ashland would still be here. Was six years not long enough? I was suddenly regretting coming back to Providence. His appearance made the town much less peaceful...much less like home. Natalie sat on the couch, texting away, oblivious to my internal musings. "Hey Marilein?" I heard her say.

"Yeah?" My hands stopped. I stared at my wok, the food half burned now. "Fuck..."

"Tell me about Frederick's brother. How do you know him?"

What was I suppose to tell her? Well Ashland is just some crazy werewolf who wants me. That's all. No big deal. Except that he has a knack for scaring the living shit out of me. "I dunno." I swallowed the lump in my throat. Fuck Ashland and his ability to unnerve me. "We met in high school." That was true. "Why don't you tell me about him? I haven't seen him in about what, 5, 6 years now?"

"What's there to say? He's Alpha..."

"What?" I turned quickly. He was Alpha? That meant Ashland wasn't visiting...he was here to stay.

"Yeah, the pack up here got him as their new alpha. The old guy finally kicked the bucket."

My brows knitted. I didn't know too much about the pack. When I was away I didn't ask Pete questions, and Pete didn't offer answers. I had wanted to separate myself from the pack. "And Pete?"

"Ashland choice him as his beta; him and Kenneth Moore. Yeah, there was even a huge party when it happened. All the wolves got to skip school that day for the 'coronation'. It happened awhile ago."

"When?" I turned off the gas stove. I grabbed two plates, my mind finally capable of processing the new information.

"It was probably real soon after you left cause Mom was like, 'Mari is going to be so upset she missed this for Pete'. I had expected Pete to be really excited, but he seemed to take it pretty calmly. But stupid Kenneth Moore.. He gloated for months. He finally got a girl too. She is so fucking dumb..."

I stopped moving. "Natalie Karen Gardner, don't cuss!"

"I'm 16 Mari."

"Yeah! If dad was here he would pop you!" She shrugged before continuing to text. "Come on. Lunch is ready." I looked over at the clock; 2:15. Natalie had grown up so much since I had left. I put the plates on the coffee table and turned on the tv. Reruns of Avatar was on. Despite my age, I always loved a good cartoon. A heavy knock disrupted us. "How about you get the door Nat?" I stuffed a spoonful of rice in my mouth as she stood. I could hear her call me from the foyer.

"It's Pete!"

I turned to see Pete follow her inside. His smile was soft. "Hey," he said, running his hands over his closely cropped brown hair.

"Hey." I turned back to the tv. A thick silence settled over the room. My sister's phone cut through the silence like a blade. I could hear her talking, most likely to her boyfriend. When she left the room, I could feel Pete move closer to me.

"Mari, about Ashland..."

"He's really not my business." Ashland and his desires were not my concern. I could just go back to Atlanta. I had friends there too...friends that would be willing to help me with a job. I bit my lip. I had an interview next week—I didn't need this crap on my mind.

"Why are you fighting so fucking hard?" I turned to him to glare, opening my mouth to argue. "No! Could you stop and think for a moment?" He took a breath. "Ashland wants me to talk to you, about this issue. I'm doing it because I'm just as responsible to this pack as he is!"