Silver & Blood

Chapter Two

After training with the twins, Keiran decided to pull me to the side of the training arena, which struck me as somewhat odd behavior for him. He seemed to have had a scowl on his face. My guess was from his brother's remarks about my parents and my status as a she-wolf. It wasn't something I'm not used to with Killian, or anyone else for that matter. I have always tried not to draw too much attention to myself or my mother would take it as a sign of rebelling against her, which she would later punish me for, even if it was out of my control. She always made sure to leave deep marks that even my wolf could not heal, so I could have a reminder of the punishment I'd face if I went against her again. Some days, worse than others, especially if she has been drinking.

"Pay no mind to Killian, Amaris. You know he was just trying to distract you so he could beat you for once. I'm happy to say I'm still the only one besides my dad who can still take you down if we wanted." He chuckled deeply, showing a row of shining white teeth through his smile. Oh goddess, how I wished he could've been my mate. I knew it wasn't possible though, because he would already have known if I was, him being over eighteen and having his wolf. The thought of him having another female at his side saddened me a bit.

"You know his tactics don't phase me. He wanted a reaction and he got one. It landed him with a mouth full of dirt. So, in the literal sense, another one bites the dust." I chortled. The look of amusement on Keiran's face at my joke was picture worthy. That c****d up eyebrow and toothy smile always pulled at my heart strings.

"I see what you did there. Very clever. But, don't try to get on his bad side right now. He's been in a serious mood and it has everyone a bit worried. I've never seen Killian so pent up as he's been as of late. I'll try to keep him in check with you though. Can't have him beating up on my favorite sparring partner, can I now?" He said as he skunked his arm around my shoulders. His touch sent sparks across my skin, making me shutter internally. I could sense that Kerian felt the same as he stilled from the interaction. It was a new sensation to me and it left me with many questions. I knew now probably wasn't the appropriate time to ask any either, so I tried to block the feeling out of my thoughts.

"But anyway, my father wanted me to talk to you, and tell you he would like to have a meeting with you and your mother this afternoon at the pack house. He had said for you both to be there at seven sharp. Do you need me to take you so you don't have to face that dreary ride alone with her? I'm sure my dad has already contacted her."

"Umm... Sure! Why not? Any clue what this could possibly be about though?" Worry had begun to ebb into me. I knew I would face some sort of repercussion from my mother just having gained some attention from Alpha Johnston and his family.

"Don't worry. It's nothing bad. It's great news, in fact." He chided. I wish I could be as happy as him, if only, but I knew what I would face once I returned home.

"Come on. You can use my spare helmet."

"Helmet? What on earth for?" Confusion clearly all over my face as he grinned that devilish toothy smile.

"I brought my motorcycle today. The weather was too nice to pass up the opportunity. You still like riding, right?"

"Yea! When did you get a new bike?" I had practically bounced off the ground at the thought of riding with him. He knew how much I loved the wind in my hair and the feeling of being free on the back of a bike.

"A gift from my parents when I came back from the alpha university. I thought you might enjoy a ride." He said as he had tossed me the helmet that had rested on the sissy bar. "I got that helmet specifically for you. I'll keep it on my bike for whenever you want to go on a joyride with me."

"Sounds like you had this planned out the whole time", I teased. "Planning on making this an everyday thing?"

"Hell, why not? Besides, when the weather is bad, of course. You know you are always welcome to ride with me. All you need is to just ask." He gazed at me softly as I began to fasten the chin strap to the helmet, secure enough that it wouldn't fall off.

I watched him as he swung his leg over the 2023 Harley Davidson Road King. Every muscle in his body was flexing, straining against his tight tee-shirt. I waited until he was set before I attempted to swing my own body over the back seat, adjusting myself to a comfortable position.

"Are you good? The helmet fits you fine?" He asked, his head baring a skull helmet. He didn't have to yell over the roaring of the motorcycle with our hearing.

"Yeah, it fits perfectly. Thank you. I'm all set whenever you are." I said, giving him a thumbs up.

"Okay. On to meet with my parents and the wicked witch of the west." I chuckled at his description of my mom. It suited her perfectly.

After an hour of driving, we had finally made it to the pack house. It was a four-story manor with two large, white columns at the front to support the second-story balcony. In the center of the court yard was a large fountain. Its center piece was of a wolf howling at the moon. Water gently flowed from its snout as it faced towards the sky. Flowers of all a colorful variety were planted around the fountain, making its beauty stand out even more. A forest surrounded the back half of the manor and some trees planted perfectly down the path of the driveway. It granted the territory plenty of privacy, being surrounded by such dense woods. The smell of a barbeque had my nose flipping up in the air as I continued to inhale deeply. The aroma was making my mouth water and my stomach flip in hunger.

"We had better get you inside and some food for you before you raid our kitchen", Keiran snickered. I eyed him, knowing the feeling was mutual for him.

We had walked through the large mohangany double doors into the foyer, and into the dining area where we had found Alpha Johnston, his mate and Luna, Lucinda, Killian, and my mother, Isabelle, waiting patiently for us. They looked as if they were in deep discussion, apparently about me, as I could see the anger seething from my mother as she turned to see me walk in with Killian, his arm draped around my shoulders again. Keiran must have noticed as well, as he quickly removed his arm from me and turned his attention to his father.

"Sorry, we were late dad. Miss Crowe." He gave a small nod to my mother. "I'm sorry for the delay. I hope you don't mind that I gave Amaris a ride here from school? This meeting seemed urgent, so I didn't want her to be late." He mentioned it, but I knew he really didn't care if my mother cared or not. He and Killian were the only ones who truly knew the extent of my torment at the hands of this one, all in exception of the alpha who they had always informed when something was awry with me.

"Not at all, young alpha. Who better to protect my only child than the future alpha himself? I'm just sorry she was such a burden to the alpha family. She refuses to drive the car, no matter how accessible it is to her. But, next time she needs a ride, remember I am just a phone call away. I don't want her gaining some affection for someone who is not her mate." I felt the venom leave her mouth as she bit out that last sentence.