11
1182 Words
"You know it makes more sense for him to be with me, not her." Amber's overly entitled voice filled my ears.
"No, no I don't." Bree's voice was stiff and unyielding. "She cares for him." "Oh, that's bullshit, and you know it." Amber's voice was fierce.
I stepped into the trees, moving slowly until I was able to see both women through a hole made by some branches. I was still a good fifty feet away.
"No, it's not." Bree's pink face made her blue eyes stand out more. "Unlike you, she doesn't give a damn about his position or that one day he'll be powerful. She's genuine and cares not only about him but me too."
"How has she been able to manipulate the two of you?" Amber threw her hands in the air. "Maybe
I could expect it from you, but not Liam. He's always been able to call people out on their shit."
"Someone sounds jealous." Bree stood tall and, for once, let her strong wolf shine through. "You do realize there are three other heirs you could try to..." She huffed and rolled her eyes, "negotiate with."
"It is business." Amber scoffed and clenched her hands into fists. "If you start letting your heart rule, then you're weak … a nothing."
Dear God. Had they all been raised this way? It was so foreign to me after what my parents had instilled in me.
"No. I think we've all become weak because we've removed the heart from the process." Bree shook her head and narrowed her eyes. "Something that Liam and I are starting to realize with Mia in our lives. So instead of fighting it, accept it. She's part of our family now and won't be going anywhere."
"Your dad isn't sold on that." Amber flipped her long hair over her shoulder. "So, it'll be victorious when I see both of you fall."
"Dad doesn't have any say in it." She took a step toward the girl, her eyes glowing. "Liam and I are both willing to walk away from it all."
"Liam would never..." The words left her mouth, but she paused.
She didn't even believe what she was saying. "Try him." Bree smirked. "I dare you."
"This isn't over." Amber turned on her heel and headed toward the building across the field.
If I'd had any doubts about Bree's loyalty, they were gone now. I stepped from the trees and hurried over to her.
When I turned the corner, Bree's eyes fell on me and she sighed. "I guess you heard everything."
"Yeah, are you okay?" I hated that they both were going through so much, all because of me. I never meant for any of this to happen, but at the same time, maybe they needed everything shaken up in order to remember what was really important.
"I'm fine." She snorted and raised her eyebrows. "I've always hated that b***h, and she made Liam even more of an asshole than he already was."
"Well, we don't need that." I couldn't imagine a grouchier Liam. Granted, the past few days, he appeared to be mellowing out ever so slightly.
"We definitely do not." She snorted as she glanced over at me. "You look like s**t. What did Evan do to you?"
"It was rough, but he did more for me in one session than Kai had in the past month and a half." I
hadn't realized how true that was until I said the words. In one training session, I went from barely making the bag move to almost kicking its ass like Evan did.
"That's a good thing, right?" She glanced at her phone and sighed. "I've got to go or I'm going to be late. I'll catch up with you after class."
"Yeah, I'll see you later." I stood there and watched her hurry off to her class.
Right when I was about to head into the dorm, I saw Amber run off out of the corner of my eye. She was heading toward the stadium.
What could she be doing? It couldn't be anything good. Was she going to try to hit on Evan or something? Someone needed to put that b***h in her place.
I followed behind her, keeping close to the woods.
She glanced around as if she could feel herself being stalked, but she didn't slow her speed. In fact, she increased it.
I had to be careful; there was no telling what she would do if she caught me. I had a gut feeling she was up to something important, but I had no clue what the hell it could be.
When she broke into the clearing, something snapped right beside me in the woods. As I turned to see who was sneaking up on me, a hand with some sort of handkerchief went over my nose. Before I could jerk away, my head began to swim. s**t. Liam, I need help.
Where are you? His words were full of anxiety.
But before I could respond, darkness overcame me.
I WOKE WITH A STARTLE. My neck ached as I lifted it, and all I could see was black. There was something over my eyes, keeping me blindfolded. I tried moving my arms, but they were restrained on what felt like armrests. What the hell? Liam?
Oh, thank God. Liam's voice was rough and pained. Where the hell are you?
I... I don't know. I shifted in my seat, but my legs couldn't move. Chains rattled as my feet were stuck in place. I'm blindfolded and chained to a chair, I think.
Is there anything you can make out? Liam's fear was clear through the bond.
Or at least, I thought it was his. Hell, it could have been mine for all I knew. No, nothing. Other than a dingy musk.
"She's awake." A guy's voice I’d never heard before came from right behind me. "What... What do we do?"
"Knock her ass back out." I heard another man’s voice, and then someone's feet scuffed the ground.
They're about to knock me out again. I didn't know what the hell to do. I couldn't fight or run. I was helpless. I’d never felt so weak before in my entire life. I didn’t like it, and to be honest, I was scared shitless.
I'm going to find you; just hold on. I’ll be there soon. We have a lead. His voice was a deep growl even through the mind link.
Someone was now over my shoulder, I heard them moving as a hand moved from behind me and around to my face. "I'm sorry, but we have no choice."
My head grew light as the cloth pressed against my nose again. I love you. I needed him to know that, in case I never got a chance to talk to him again.
I love you too. He sounded broken as blackness engulfed me once more.
A FAINT GROWL stirred me from my sleep this time. I tried moving, ready to fight whomever was close by, but again, I couldn't move.
- Writer
