The Ignored Wolf

Up the Wall

Louise

“Save it, Charlie,” Elias sneers as he stares his brother down with disdain. He then hooks his arm around my shoulders, hauling me back against his side so hard that I stumble. “She’s under my roof and my protection now. She doesn't need a savior, and she certainly doesn't need you.

Charlie’s eyes fix on Elias’s hand, a flicker of disbelief crossing his face. “Why the hell are you here, Elias?” he demands.

“To have some fun, of course,” Elias smirks with a lazy and lethal look.

“Let her go!” Charlie shouts.

“And why would I do that?” Elias asks effortlessly, pulling me closer until I’m tucked firmly against his side.

“Because Louise is my friend! I care about her! You’re nothing but a womanizer!” Charlie snaps, taking a step forward.

“Let’s not forget why she was trapped in this room in the first place,” Elias says. “It’s because you failed to protect her.”

“What was I supposed to do? Her parents wanted her locked in here—” Charlie protests, his voice rising in a defensive pitch.

“Excuses,” Elias cuts him off. “You’re just a coward. Too chicken to defend her even though you dragged her into this mess.”

“I didn't drag her anywhere! She came with me willingly!” Charlie says, giving me a desperate, expectant look. “Right, Louise?”

Before I can even answer, Elias lets out a mocking laugh. “Of course. And how exactly did you make her willingly join you? Did you cry? Beg? Get on your knees? Maybe you should come work at my nightclub, little brother. You’ve got a real talent for that.”

Charlie is pissed off. He roars and lunges at Elias. But Elias simply steps aside with grace, dodging the attack. In one swift motion, he catches Charlie by the collar and lifts him up, hooking the back of his coat onto a row of wooden coat hooks on the wall.

“Put me down! You f*****g bastard!” Charlie yells, his legs kicking uselessly in the air.

Elias ignores him, turning his gaze back to me. “Come along, Louise. Let’s find a different room.”

He reaches for my wrist, but I flinch away. My heart is hammering against my ribs. “This is the end,” I tell him, my voice trembling.

“No, it’s not,” Elias says. “I just gave you the best o****m of your life. It’s your turn to return the favor, little wolf.”

“What the f**k?” Charlie stares at us, his jaw dropping. “Did you just let him f**k you, Louise?” he demands.

“I—”

Elias cuts me off. “Use your nose, Charlie. You should be able to smell the s*x from there.”

Charlie lets out a low growl. I think it's his wolf doing the talking now, since the sound is deeper and guttural. But Elias doesn’t even flinch. His eyes narrow, and he lets out a howl so commanding that the hair on my arms stands on end. Charlie cowers instantly, swallowing hard and even stops struggling.

“Ready for round two?”Elias asks me, his expression softening.

I doubt anyone could find the strength to nod in such chaos.

I quickly shake my head.

“Guess so,” he sighs. “My mood is ruined anyway. But don't think for a second this is over. You’re the one who begged me to take your pain away, and we’ve only just started, little wolf. Get ready to be tamed until your head is filled with nothing but me. You’re mine now.”

He pauses, cutting a glance at his brother. “As for you, Charlie, if you ever try to ruin my fun again, I’ll hang you at the pack entrance as a welcome doll.”

The imagery is so vivid that it pops up in my mind.

“See you around, Louise,” Elias says. He leans in and kisses me right in front of Charlie, his teeth catching my lower lip in a sharp nip that makes me yelp.

I taste a metallic hint of blood. I frown, touching the sting. “Why did you bite me?”

“So you’ll remember me better,” he laughs, turning on his heel and sauntering away.

Only when Elias is completely out of sight does Charlie find the courage to scream at the empty hallway. “f**k you, Elias!”

He looks pathetic hanging there, but I can’t help it. The scene is almost funny. It’s like a tiny dog that stays silent when the Great Dane passes by, only to bark its head off once the big dog is gone.

“What are you laughing at, Louise?” Charlie is fuming.

I mean, I get it. Elias literally drove him up the wall.

“You think this is funny?” Charlie yells at me. “It’s your fault I’m hanging here!”

“Um, I think it’s because you tried to attack him.”

“I was trying to protect you from him!”

“Sorry,” I mutter, dragging a chair over so he can climb down.

“Why are you doing this?” Charlie asks, fire flaring in his eyes the moment his feet hit the floor. “Why are you getting close to Elias? Are you trying to get my attention by hurting yourself?”

“I’m not hurting myself,” I say.

“You are!” he cries, his hands flailing wildly in the air. “You have no idea who you’re messing with. Didn’t I tell you Elias is dangerous?”

“He seems fine to me.”

“Yeah, he seems fine. That’s what every woman he treats like prey says!” Charlie snaps. “Once Elias gets bored of them, he throws them away like trash—”

“How is that any of your business?”I ask.

“I… I…” Charlie’s mouth hangs open. Then, his voice softens into a wounded tone. “Because I care about you. I don’t want your heart broken, Louise. I don’t want that bastard breaking your heart.”

The irony is that you’re the only one who’s been breaking it, I retort silently.

“Promise me, Louise,” Charlie pleads. “Stay away from him, okay?”

“No,” I tell him. “This is my life. You don’t get to interfere with my decisions.”

“My god,” Charlie rubs his face. “Are you losing your mind? You just met him once! I’ve been your friend for over a decade. You seriously trust him more than me?”

The funny thing is, Elias actually feels more reliable than Charlie. He doesn't say much, but he acts swiftly.

“Listen, Charlie. I don’t know if Elias is someone to be trusted,” I say, “but it’s obvious that you are not.”

“Pardon?”

“You’ve made me a lot of promises, and you’ve broken every single one.” I say.

“What promises did I break?”he asks as if wrongly judged.

“Are you serious?” I sigh. “Every time you swear you’re done with Cassandra, you crawl right back to her. I thought things would be different after she got engaged to her fated mate, but the second you see her, you lose your mind. And I’m the one who pays for it. You take all your frustration out on me.”

“But isn’t that what best friends do for each other?” Charlie protests. “I was in so much pain, Louise. I couldn't handle it alone.” He pauses, adding quickly, “I’d support you if you were suffering.”

“Is your version of support kissing Cassandra the moment I found out I didn't have a wolf?” I ask, crossing my arms.