Where Is Your Father Now?
1515 Words
CHAPTER 7
LUELLA
A week had passed since that little encounter between Asher and me. He didn't show his face all week. Not even at home. I overheard Richard telling my mom that he had been practicing hard for the games he had coming, but either way, school wasn't as tough as the first week.
“You still haven't visited a lot of places in the pack,” Richard said over the table, forcing me into their conversation.
“No,” I said flatly, stabbing the steak on my plate with a fork.
“You haven't made any friends either,” my mom pointed out.
This was the part where I ought to tell them to f**k off and stop acting like they cared when they were the ones who dragged me into this shitty pack in the first place, but when I saw the dreamy look on Richard's face when he looked at my mom, I was forced to swallow my thoughts.
God, I hate it here.
“Can I spend the weekend with Hallie or something?” I asked with a sigh. I’d lose it if I were to spend another moment in this forsaken mansion.
My mom shook her head, already planning to say no. My grip tightened against the fork when Richard answered.
“Of course,” he smiled. “I heard she is your best friend. You should bring her over sometime.”
“Thank you!” I smiled at Richard, shooting my mother a glare.
“Asher is headed to the training grounds near the North Border anyway,” Richard said, wiping his mouth with a silk napkin. “He’ll drop you off. It’s safer.”
I choked on my water. “What? Of course not. I’ll just take a cab.”
“Not in this pack,” Richard’s voice carried an Alpha’s command he had never used with me. My gaze darted towards my mom, who simply shrugged.
“Fine!”
I rushed into my room, already texting Hallie places I’d love to visit while I shoved a few things into my bag. Mom and Richard were still at the dining table when I returned downstairs.
“I’ll be on my way now.”
Mom and Richard waved me goodbye, and a part of me felt like they had been waiting for this moment. I shot my mom one last look before joining Asher in his black SUV.
He didn’t acknowledge me. He just started the car and kept his gaze fixed on the road. The silence was so awkward that it made me feel sick. God knows I could die if I spent another five minutes in this car.
His eyes darted to my wrist as I reapplied my lip gloss, ready to leave, and his knuckles whitened against the wheel. The bruise didn’t look so bad anymore, but seeing his reaction made me snort.
The robot has a heart.
“You know you can just drop me at the station and no one will find out?” I muttered.
“Believe me, I have better things to do than play chauffeur,” he said through clenched teeth.
“Then pull over, I’ll walk.”
“Shut up, Luella.”
“I didn’t take you for the obedient type. I guess the school would be happy to find out this side of you.”
He slammed his foot on the gas, the engine roaring as we hit the deserted border road. His muscles flexed against the wheels and I could tell he was barely containing his anger. Just as I was about to make another comment, he slammed on the brakes.
The car skidded. I lurched forward against the seat belt, before slamming my head back.
“What the f**k?”
Asher’s gaze remained on the road. I followed it to see three trucks blocking the road. Five men stepped out, rolling their sleeves with a smug smile on their faces. They couldn’t be two to three years older.
“What are they doing?” I turned to Asher who was already stepping out of the car.
“Stay in the car,” he commanded, his voice dropping with coldness that sent chills down my spine. “Do not move, Luella. I mean it.”
“Asher…”
He slammed the door shut in my face. That f*****g i***t.
“You’re off your territory, boys,” he said, glaring at the boys.
One of them chuckled, stepping forward. “Relax… we heard the Alpha brought home a new toy,” the lead scout sneered, his eyes darting to me through the windshield. “A defect maybe?” he added, and the other chuckled.
“We just want to see if she’s as soft as she looked.”
My hands curled tightly beside me as I watched them spill such nonsense.
“I wonder if she’ll scream as loud as a Pineview rabbit,” another one added.
My stomach churned as I stepped out of the car. If they didn’t stop this madness, someone would be screaming, and it wouldn't be the ‘Pineview rabbit.’
Asher punched the leader hard in the face, his Alpha aura making the woods shake in anger.
“We’re not scared of you,” they attacked at once, knowing they didn’t stand a chance against him if they went solo. I picked up a stone on the floor, hitting the leader on the head and he snarled. His eyes burned with rage as he charged towards me, but I didn’t move.
I’ve taken down cowards like him in the past, this wouldn't be any different.
“You f*****g b***h!” He tried grabbing my hair, but I kicked his balls. His face reddened as he groaned in pain. I looked over at Asher who had dealt with the rest of them.
“Get out of here,” he barked, already turning to me, when one of them pulled out a silver blade from his pocket. “Asher!” I screamed, but it was too late. He stabbed the blade in his shoulder before running off.
Blood gushed out of the spot and I panicked.
Fuck.
“Asher! You’re bleeding,” I rushed towards him, my hands reaching for the blade when his voice rippled through the air.
“Get back!” he barked, flinching away from my touch as if it had burned. He pulled the blade out and tossed it aside. He was breathing hard.
Rain began to drizzle and I knew we had to get out of here.
“You are so damn stubborn,” he hissed. “Do you have any idea what could have happened to you? You could have been killed just because you couldn’t follow a simple rule.”
Was he… worried about me?
“I was helping you!”
“And how did that go? Well, right?” he sneered.
“You really think I’d sit back and watch those bastards talk down on me,” I shook my head, feeling the rage that burned down my spine.
“That is exactly what I expect,” he snapped, pressing a handkerchief on his shoulder to stop the blood. My chest tightened knowing he wouldn’t have been hurt if it weren’t for me. “Let me do that…”
“I don’t need help from a girl who is too blinded to see she's nothing,” he sneered. The weight of his words felt like a blade twisting in my chest. “You think you’re a warrior because you were taught to throw a few kicks, but I’ll break it to you. You’re just a fool!”
“My father didn’t teach me all of that defence just to allow some jerks to talk down on me,” I spat.
“If he was such a great trainer, Luella… where is he now?”
My throat burned at his words. Silence dropped between us and the only sound that I could hear was the rain that felt like an ice needle on my skin.
“That is what I thought,” he muttered.
I inhaled sharply, stepping away from him.
“You’re right,” I whispered, my voice trembling so hard I was close to breaking. “He’s gone. And I’d rather be out there with the rogues than stay one more second with a monster like you.”
I ran into the woods, mud splashing with every step.
“Luella! Get back here!” his voice cracked, losing the arrogance I could never get used to. “That is Shadow Creek land! Luella!”
I didn’t stop. My clothes were damp from standing too long under the rain. I wanted to control my emotions, but all I could see were the memories of my father.
He was the best at what he did. He didn’t deserve to be mocked like that. My leg plunged into the ground without a warning. Panic clawed up my throat as I struggled, but it only tightened.
I looked up, and a scream tore out of my throat.
“Asher!!!”
- Writer
