I want to ask what Casper means to do with Dave's body but I doubt anybody would answer me from the way they're all looking so tired and worn out. And deep down I don't think I want to know. Jean is the only person still glaring and a tiny part of me wonders if I'll ever see the guy that owns the lopsided grin again.
But the majority of my rational thinking knows the faster I get out of this fucking place the better.
Jean breaks the silence after several seconds. "I'll go make some calls." He glances at me for a brief moment as he stalks out of the kitchen and I can't read him.
"And I'll go check on Diana," Violet says, grabbing Kyle by the elbow. "Let's go." He allows her lead him away and I don't know why I feel less safe without him standing beside me. He grins at me as they leave but it doesn't reach his eyes.
I can't bring myself to respond to and I catch his face fall right as he turns away.
Monsters. Jasmine's voice echo in my head, "If you get the chance, you'd better run. The Garren boys are predators, Arielle, and they break pretty little things like you."
Liam's sudden movement distracts me from my dread inducing thoughts. He drops into a chair and gestures for me to do the same, finally staring at me with a fraction of warmth back in his eyes.
I don't move. Frankly, I'm not sure I want to be in the same room as any of them.
When he realizes I'm not going to sit, he runs a hand through his hair again and that tired defeat slips into his eyes once more. "I'm sorry for everything happening the way it did, Arielle. You were never meant to see any of that or know the truth of who we are. I'm sure you have questions, and concerns. All you need to know for now is that we're not monsters. We're werewolves."
"What's the difference?" I've read a few books about werewolves and the fantasy world they live in. How they're mindless creatures controlled by the moon that hunt and kill humans. I have no idea what other name they could be called if not monsters.
"We're not mindless animals, Arielle. We live in a pack, we have laws, we don't hurt humans."
I open my mouth to remind him incase he's forgotton so quickly that Dave attacked me.
He shakes his head as if he knows already what I'm about to say. "Dave wasn't going to kill you. He was going to mark you and claim you as his. It's an old tradition, used on humans to make them submissive, mostly used for breeding and slaves."
"Dave wanted to get me pregnant?" I choke out in horror.
"I don't know. It's likely. No one can explain the motives of a dead man. What matters is he didn't succeed."
I don't know if I should be thrilled Casper killed him or angry that he isn't alive to give me an answer. The times I ran into him in town, there was nothing that could've warned me of him. He was respectful, he greeted me, he made jokes.
All that and he wanted to get me pregnant? What the hell?
Disgust rolls in my stomach.
"Sure you won't sit down?" Liam asks, his gaze scanning my face with worry.
I push everything away and shake my head stubbornly.
"Why can't I leave?"
"We've lived alongside the humans for millenias, our existence is a well kept secret and it must stay that way. The balance between our world and the human world must be maintained, Arielle."
"I'm not going to tell anyone." Even as I say it I know it's a lie. The first thing I'm doing is telling everyone that would listen to avoid this buttfuck town of Werewolves and maybe calling the National Guard or something.
From his wry smile, Liam also knows I'm lying. "You'll stay with us, understand our ways and know why we must stay as we are. Then you can go."
I snort in disbelief. "Are you sure?"
"Yes. I promise. However, my offer still stands. I'll give you a job to help pay off your debts and whatever else I can. I'm hoping you'll reconsider when the time comes and accept us."
"I'm not accepting anything from a family of murderers."
He nods in understanding but hurt still flashes in his eyes. It reminds me of how easy it was to trust Liam, his warm demeanour and calm reassuring words that settled in my heart and pulled strings I thought were dormant. But the memory of Dave's slashed neck kills whatever part of me that wants to believe Liam.
I can't accept them. I won't.
And I can't stay either. I don't care what he says. It doesn't matter how he spins it, I'm their prisoner.
I'm trapped with them until they decide to let me go. And if they don't let me go, what do I do then?
Which is what will likely happen with the way Casper wants to lock me in a basement.
No. I'm getting the hell out of here. By any means necessary.
I'll find a way.
I refuse to be a prisoner. I've lived my whole life free and I won't let crazy werewolves put a stop to that.
With nothing else said, we fall into an easy silence and Liam gets up from the chair. His towering form envelopes me, along with the soothing smell of the ranch at dawn, and a comforting warmth I instinctively want to be around.
"Can you tell me what happened out there?" His voice is that gentle, patient sound that a large man like him shouldn't be capable of.
I stiffen. Not sure if I want to remember Dave's twisted smile and bloodshot eyes.
But his brown eyes are filled with silent encouragement, telling me that I'm safe no matter how much I think otherwise.
I feel my body relax and take a deep breath, about to start recounting everything that happened with Dave when a thunderous roar splits the air like an explosion.