to be continued
307 Words
been about Leo,” Ryan said. “You’re just the c***k in his armor I’m using.”
Mira stared at him. For a second she saw it—the fear under the arrogance. Ryan didn’t fear her. He feared that Leo had chosen something Ryan couldn’t control.
“You think humiliating me will make him stop,” she said quietly.
“I think humiliating you will make him realize you’re not worth it,” Ryan said.
Mira picked up her cane.
“Then you don’t know him at all.”
She turned to leave.
“One more thing, Chen,” Ryan called after her.
She stopped.
“If you get up on that stage again and embarrass the pack, I’ll make sure everyone knows why your wolf never came.”
The door clicked shut behind her.
---
*Practice Room 12. After School.*
Leo was already there. He’d heard.
“You didn’t sign it,” Mira said without preamble.
Leo looked up from the piano. “No.”
“Why not?”
“Because he’s wrong,” Leo said simply. “And because I don’t sign things I don’t believe.”
Mira exhaled. She didn’t realize how much she’d been bracing for him to hesitate.
“What happens now?” she asked.
“Now we practice,” Leo said. “Inter-Pack Gathering is in two weeks. If they want a reason to keep us off that stage, we give them one they can’t argue with.”
Mira sat beside him. Her leg throbbed. Her hands were steady.
“Fine,” she said. “But if I embarrass you, you’re not allowed to blame me.”
Leo’s mouth quirked. “Deal.”
He played the first chord.
Outside, Ryan’s complaint was already moving through the pack channels.
Inside Room 12, it didn’t matter.
They had a song to finish.
- Writer
