Wrong love

Chapter Twenty-Three: Trouble

The next morning started badly.

Which, unfortunately, was becoming normal.

Jace walked downstairs.

Still half asleep.

Still annoyed.

Still thinking about entirely too many things.

Mostly Elara.

Which annoyed him even more.

He entered the kitchen.

Grabbed a piece of toast.

And froze.

His father sat at the table.

Nathan Ryder.

Already dressed.

Already drinking coffee.

Already looking disappointed in humanity.

Wonderful.

"Morning."

Nathan nodded.

"You're not driving yourself today."

Jace frowned.

"What?"

Before Nathan could answer—

Max walked into the room.

Smiling.

That immediately explained everything.

"No."

Nathan ignored him.

"Max is taking you."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

Jace pointed aggressively.

"Absolutely not."

Nathan took another sip of coffee.

"You have no choice."

"That's ridiculous."

"Life is ridiculous."

Jace groaned.

Max looked delighted.

Which somehow made it worse.

"Oh, this is going to be fun."

"Don't talk."

"Good morning to you too."

Across town...

Elara's morning wasn't much better.

She walked downstairs expecting Orion.

Instead—

She stopped dead.

"Oh, come on."

Standing beside the door was Seraphina.

Holding car keys.

Smiling.

Dangerously.

"No."

"Good morning."

"No."

"I'm driving."

"No."

"I wasn't asking."

Elara looked around desperately.

"Where's Orion?"

"Working."

"Oh."

The realization hit.

Then came the horror.

"Oh no."

Seraphina grinned.

"Oh yes."

Elara considered jumping out a window.

Twenty minutes later...

Both cars entered the school parking lot.

At exactly the same time.

Neither family planned it.

Fate apparently thought it would be funny.

Max's black car rolled into one row.

Seraphina's silver car pulled into another.

Both stopped.

Both engines died.

For a moment everything was normal.

Then the doors opened.

Jace stepped out.

Elara stepped out.

Both immediately spotted each other.

Both smiled slightly.

Then immediately looked away.

Because feelings were embarrassing.

Then—

Everything changed.

Max stepped from his vehicle.

At the exact same moment—

Seraphina stepped from hers.

Silence.

Immediate silence.

The air itself seemed to tighten.

Jace noticed first.

His smile disappeared.

Elara noticed second.

Her stomach dropped.

Because both older siblings had frozen.

Completely frozen.

Like predators spotting each other.

Max's silver eyes narrowed.

Seraphina's expression darkened.

Neither moved.

Neither blinked.

Neither looked away.

Then—

A low growl escaped Seraphina.

Not loud.

But unmistakable.

Jace nearly choked.

"What?"

At the same moment—

A growl answered.

Max.

Students nearby stopped talking.

Several glanced around nervously.

Because even humans could sense something wasn't right.

Elara looked between them.

Completely confused.

"Do you know him?"

Seraphina ignored her.

Max ignored Jace.

The older wolf and older vampire remained locked onto one another.

As if nobody else existed.

As if the entire parking lot had disappeared.

Finally—

Max smiled.

A slow.

Dangerous.

Very Max smile.

"Well."

Seraphina's eyes narrowed further.

"You."

The single word carried years of hostility.

Years.

Jace immediately noticed it.

That wasn't the reaction of strangers.

Not even close.

Max laughed softly.

"You look awful."

Seraphina looked offended.

"I was about to say the same thing."

"Still lying, I see."

"Still breathing, unfortunately."

Max grinned.

Seraphina growled again.

Students were definitely staring now.

Mason had arrived and immediately stopped walking.

"Oh."

He pointed.

"That's not good."

Jace looked at him.

"You know what's happening?"

"No."

Mason paused.

"But I know enough to start running."

"Helpful."

"Thank you."

Elara stepped closer to her sister.

"What's going on?"

No answer.

Jace looked toward Max.

"Do you know her?"

Still no answer.

The two older predators continued staring at one another.

Then Seraphina suddenly smiled.

Which somehow looked even more threatening than the growling.

"Oh."

Max raised an eyebrow.

"Oh?"

"I finally understand."

Max's grin faded slightly.

The change was tiny.

But noticeable.

Seraphina noticed too.

Interesting.

Very interesting.

Her eyes shifted briefly.

Toward Jace.

Then toward Elara.

Then back to Max.

And suddenly—

She laughed.

A beautiful laugh.

A terrifying laugh.

The kind that made everyone uncomfortable.

Max wasn't smiling anymore.

That alone scared Jace.

Because Max always smiled.

Always.

"What?" Max asked.

Seraphina's smile widened.

"Nothing."

The answer was immediate.

And obviously a lie.

Max knew it too.

For several seconds neither moved.

Then the school bell rang.

Breaking the tension.

Students hurried away.

Grateful for the interruption.

Finally Seraphina stepped back.

Still smiling.

Still watching Max.

"We'll talk later."

Max's expression remained unreadable.

"Can't wait."

"Neither can I."

The lie was obvious.

Then she turned.

Walking toward her car.

Elara immediately followed.

Looking back every few steps.

Completely confused.

Jace stood frozen beside Max.

Equally confused.

The moment Seraphina disappeared from sight—

Jace looked at his brother.

"What was that?"

Max stared after the departing car.

Silent.

For once.

Actually silent.

Then he muttered—

"Trouble."

And for the first time in years...

Max Ryder sounded worried.