Half Truths
1077 Words
Jenine's POV
“Why is it so f*****g difficult to deal with guys?”
Everything had been going pretty well, the conversations and everything. Every damn thing. I could already feel the spark as we conversed. I even went out of my way to flirt a little with him and he had just decided to leave? Talmbout “you should go home. It's not safe out here.”
Well, at least he laughed when I nearly ruined everything by talking out loud to myself.
And he remembered my name. I thought he'd forgotten it. I had almost said yes when he offered to walk me home but I'm not sure how Laura would have liked it. Ah well…
I turned the knob, pushing the door open as I walked into the house. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked back, my eyes darting around quickly. I'd felt a pair of eyes on me, watching me. Either that or I was hallucinating and I really hoped it was the latter.
*****
“What the hell Luca? Where were you? I'd been looking for you for years?” Elisha's boisterous voice bounced off the walls of Luca's room as he pushed the door open.
“I need to tell you something, Elisha,” Luca's voice came, low and brooding, his eyes glazed as he sat on the bed.
“You can talk to me,” Elisha replied, his voice toning down as he lowered himself onto the bed sitting beside his friend. “About anything. Anything at all.”
Luca's eyes stared into space, the silence hanging between the two like a pendulum dangling in a clock.
“Take your time,” Elisha whispered. He knew better than to chide him. He would talk when he was ready.
“You remember the girl I told you I'd fought for in the woods?”
Elisha nodded.
“I didn't really abandon her there in the woods to die. I couldn't bring myself to do it.”
“I knew you wouldn't do such a thing,” Elisha shook his shoulders. “You've got a good heart,” he paused. “Something tells me that's not all.”
“Yes. I had sent Noah to take her somewhere safe. He didn't return that night.”
“Okay?”
“I sent out some of the pack warriors to track him and they only found the car. The Cadillac that was missing in the garage. It was battered with Noah's blood spilled everywhere inside it. That was why I left the mall. The wolves I sent out mind linked me what they'd found and I had to go see things for myself.”
“You should have told me Luca.”
“I didn't want to bother you.”
“Bother me? Tell me you're joking. Tell me you're f*****g joking or I remove a fang from your bloody mouth,” Elisha's voice rose. “We've known each other since when? Preschool? And you talk about bothering me? Jumping off a cliff is more thrilling than hanging out with you but I stick with you because you are my friend and you talk about bothering me. You might as well kill yourself cos the air you breathe bothers me.”
He held Luca by the shoulders as he stared into his eyes, his face expressionless. “Don't keep these things from me. The next time you do it I'll kill you.”
“Save your killings for someone else. I know who killed him.”
“Who? Who did it, Luca?”
“Those three wolves we saw at the restaurant. The way they looked at me should have told me everything. Only I didn't notice Noah's absence until I needed him again.”
“You should feel bad about it. You really are a terrible person,” Elisha teased.
“So…” he cracked his fingers, “when are we going after those fuckers?”
“I think we need to tell the Alpha.”
“You mean your daddy,” Elisha said, a light mock in his voice.
“I heard Karl call them the Triad. We can't take them on our own.”
“I doubt that. We could take them. You and I.”
“I have to refuse as tempting as it sounds. I'm already in deep enough s**t for getting a wolf killed by my poor decision making. You know how my father gets about losing a member of his pack.”
Elisha groaned, falling back on the bed. “About the girl… Did Noah tell you where he took her before he got killed?”
“He didn't. He was supposed to brief me when he returned. Only he didn't return.”
“Cheer up,” Elisha shook his shoulders again. “You did what you thought was right. Nothing that happened was your fault.”
Luca's body heaved as he sighed heavily. His hand ruffled through his hair and passed down his face.
“And yes,” Elisha jerked up, ”I met a girl. She's everything I ever asked for. Pretty face, long hair, smooth voice… everything.”
“And…” Luca's face lit up as he looked his friend in the eye, the mischief clear as crystal in his eyes.
“She got a nice booty too,” he punched Luca whose lips parted with laughter.
“You are incorrigible Elisha,” he croaked as his body shook from the laughter.
“You are no better than I am. I'm better than you in some way though. I got her name at least.”
“Oh yeah? Did you hold a knife to her throat to get her to spill?”
“What do you take me for? She asked me to come find her. And I did. I was with her when you mind linked. I had to leave her to come meet you. The things I do for you and you talk about bothering me. Say it one more time and I'll break all the bones in your body.”
“Too many threats and not a single one has been redeemed,” Luca shot back. “What's her name?”
“Jenine.”
“I can't wait to meet her.”
“Focus on finding the girl you sent away,” Elisha sneered.
“I will,” Luca replied, staring blankly into space. “I’ll find her.”
- Writer
