The Blind Werewolf Princess (1st book of Werewolf Series)

Chapter 22

"Carley, Maxwell," John said when we made it up the steps of the house. His whole body was tense, and I could feel this underlying sense of anger coming off of him. "How was school?" His voice had this underlying tone to it, and I could feel Max flinch beside me.

"I felt like a newborn foal and became overstimulated a couple of times," I replied. My grip loosened slightly on Max's arm after he helped me up the steps, but it was still tight. "Max helped when he could, making sure that I wouldn't be run over or run into something."

"Oh?" John asked, and I could hear his raised eyebrow. "Why would you run into stuff?"

"Because I am wearing shoes and socks and can't feel the vibrations," I replied, gesturing to my feet. "So, of course, there is a chance of me running into something."

"You know that you can take them off now, correct?" John asked with a soft chuckle in his voice. The anger seemed to simmer down, and I had a feeling that he understood Sam had either "lied" to him or didn't tell him the whole truth.

I shrugged my shoulder and pulled at Max's arm. "Help me down," I muttered.

Max grunted in response and helped me sit down, taking my staff from me as well. "Do you need help taking off your shoes too?" he teased, and I rolled my eyes.

"I am in the right mind to smack you with one, Maxwell," I said. I started to untie the laces and slipped off one shoe and sock before I started to work on the other.

"Then I will poke you with your staff," Max said, childishly. He made a move to do it but stopped, thinking better of it.

I bit back a snort and took off the last shoe and sock. "Ya, I wouldn't suggest doing that," I said, tucking both socks into my shoes and standing.

"That's why I stopped," Max replied. He handed me my staff and moved out of my way to get onto the final step.

"Why don't we talk in my office?" John "asked," gesturing to the house. "Carley, I think that you might be able to... shed some light, so why don't you join us?"

I nodded. "Are Sam and Caden coming, or will it just be us?"

"It will just be us," he replied. The sound of the door opening filled my ears, and I felt them walk in and followed. "However, you will be seeing them because Caden has something to tell you."

My grip tightened on my staff, and I hesitantly nodded. "About?" I asked, worried about my group and the people that I left behind.

Please don't let anyone be killed. Please.

"We'll talk about that later," John said. He cleared his throat and closed the door behind me before he walked to the front and led me to the office. "For now, we have other stuff to worry about. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Sir," Max and I said in unison while Max moved closer to me. He brushed his arm against mine, and I knew that he was seeking some comfort from me, even though I didn't know how much comfort I could give him.

John didn't say a word but opened the door to a room that I hadn't been in before. His gaze was on me while I stepped into the room and looked around, taking in what I could sense before I walked fully into the room.

Max grabbed my hand and led me over to the couch. He sat down and pulled me down with him, and I almost ended up in his lap.

John bit back a chuckle when I shot Max an annoyed look before sitting down in the seat before us. He cleared his throat and got comfortable, folding his leg across his other. "So," he said before he cleared his throat. "Care to explain this afternoon?"

Max opened his mouth but closed it when I nudged him. He sent me a quizzical look while I kept my gaze on John.

"First, what has he told you?" I asked. "Because I think Sam had said something to you before he went to talk to his father. Correct?"

"He did," John confirmed. "However, I want to see what you two have to say for yourselves first."

I shook my head, playing the "dumb" human card. I knew that I was pissing off his Wolf, but I didn't care. I wanted to see what Sam had to say, having a feeling that it would be so wrong that John wouldn't want to say it after we told him what had happened.

"Max?" John asked, his tone having a warning edge to it. "What happened?"

Max tensed beside me and gulped. His heart started to pound hard in his chest, and we both could tell that he was scared of being placed in a position of two "powerful" forces that were on opposite sides of each other.

"Well?" John asked, not liking his son's silence. There was a small growl in his voice, and Max had to cover it with a cough for "my" sake.

"I think it might be best if you answered first, Sir," I mused after Max finished coughing. "At least to make sure that he doesn't have another one of those fits."

John set his jaw but huffed when neither one of us said a word. "Sam had said that Max was telling everyone that he would be a better leader than him."

"Why would he say that?" I asked, cocking my head. I furrowed my brows and frowned. "What gave him that idea?"

"I don't know," John replied. "Which is why I want you two to fill in the gaps of his story."

"But that doesn't explain your anger this afternoon," I pointed out. "Unless you are putting two and two together and coming up with a conclusion that Sam is lying to you."

"No," John mused. He cocked his head and studied me, and I sat a little straighter and set my jaw. "It doesn't." He cleared his throat, hiding back an amused chuckle. "But, I am sure that it doesn't matter, for I know that it isn't true, and Caden will know it isn't true either."

I opened my mouth to say something but stopped when Max jabbed me in the ribs. I closed my mouth and glared, but a single tap on my leg told me that I should stay silent and drop it for now.

He silently told me that I didn't want John to know I knew about Werewolves, and he would explain it to me later. "He didn't agree with me sitting with both Peter and Carley," he said, finally. "However, I would rather sit there than in the cafeteria where there is a lot of people."

There was a shift in the air, and I had a feeling that John nodded his head. "I was wondering when you were going to gain the courage to stand up and tell them you didn't want to eat there."

"Wait, you knew?" Max asked, surprised, and John nodded in confirmation. "How?"

"The times I called you after your lunch period, I could hear it in your voice, Maxwell," he replied. "I knew you were becoming exhausted when you try to "fit in" with your peers and wondered when you were going to be true to yourself."

"So, when you called me this afternoon, you could tell that something was different?" Max asked, and John nodded.

"You didn't sound as tired as you usually did, but you did sound nervous, and I had a feeling that I knew why." He turned his gaze to me. "And, I want to thank you for showing that it is ok for him not to "fit in" with his peers just because he is the B-"

"Because I am supposed to be helping with the community," Max interjected, and I had to keep myself from smiling. "Since we are the people underneath the mayor."

I nodded my head but stayed silent.

John cleared his throat. "Come," he said, standing, and we stood with him. "Let's take you to the big house. You have... guests that you want to see."

Curiosity filled my body, but I still stayed silent while I followed them out of the room. I had a feeling that they talked with each other through mind link and wondered what they had said to each other.

What made him change his mind so quickly?