Beyond These Walls

Chapter 19

My mom couldn't eat the cinnamon roll. She said it was too sugary and it would just make the headache that she had become worse. So I slipped back into the kitchen, made her porridge and gave it to her instead.

She would glance towards the window every now and then, frowning at the dark clouds and the sprinkles of rain beginning to fall.

Charlotte knocked on my door five minutes later, saying that she was ordered to lead me downstairs to help prepare for the storm. Pressing a quick kiss unto my mother's cheek, I went downstairs to see people filling the cupboards with canned items.

Charlotte and I walked over to a box filled with canned beans and began packing them away. I tried to ignore the fact that as soon as I had entered they had stopped talking and were now giving me side glances.

Irritated, I slammed the cupboard door shut after putting away the last can of beans away, the sound echoing loudly.

"You're the only human who has ever stood up to the Alpha." One of the werewolves who, a girl who looked to be around my age or older spoke up from her side of the room. I took in her short, smooth black skirt as well as her green shirt, before meeting her eyes. They shone with curiosity and amusement.

"Not many have the guts to do that. And if they do, their guts usually end up on the floor." She watched my reaction carefully. When I gave none she frowned in disappointment.

"She's his mate, Vicky." Another female werewolf spoke up, walking past her and towards the cupboard. "She is the only one who he wouldn't dare lay a hand on."

I scoffed, moving over to another box. I don't trust that he won't. Werewolves are unpredictable and quick to lose patience.

Vicky continued to watch me, until I finally had enough of her stares and whirled around to face her. "What's your problem?" I spat, narrowing my eyes at her.

Vicky cocked her head. "If I were you, I would watch the way you talk to me or the others in my pack." Her tone was warning and I arched a brow, stepping closer to her.

"Or what?" I hissed, my fingers balling into fists. The atmosphere stung with tension and I felt a warm hand being placed unto my shoulder halting me from moving any closer to her and then the snarl of an angry werewolf.

"You have three seconds to apologize before I cut your tongue out."

Vicky sucked in a breath, her blue eyes widening as Xerxes spoke, well, snarled to her. She visibly began to tremble and she quickly uttered an apology to me. Xerxes kept his silver eyes trained on her until she finally left the room.

Realizing his hand was still on my shoulder, I shrugged it off. "I would have been able to handle her." I told him, my fingers still clenched into fists. I flinched when I felt Xerxes take my hand and slowly begin to straighten out my fingers.

"I don't doubt you would try to." Xerxes said, his tone low as he watched my fingers form back into a fist after he released them. "But she would have landed a good few punches into you."

I stepped away from him, looking across at Charlotte. She was packing, but I could tell she was also listening to the conversation. Just like all the others were. With a grunt I left the room, ignoring the way Xerxes began to growl at my abrupt departure.

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I watched from a vacant room upstairs as the sprinkles of rain begin to turn into heavy raindrops that slammed loudly unto the earth. I loved the rain, it was somewhat calming. When I was younger, I would listen to the rain before falling asleep. It was like my own lullaby growing up, since my mother was too busy at work to sing me one.