Greenie, just answer!
1648 Words
Emily's POV
Joey didn't say a word as he carried me toward the coffee shop where I worked part-time. His usual playful demeanour was gone, replaced by a quiet determination that made me feel even smaller than I already did.
The crisp winter air bit at my cheeks, but the heat in my chest, the leftover energy from Lila's outburst still lingered. My body felt drained, and my limbs weak, but I forced myself to take deep breaths.
Joey Blackthorne was the kind of guy who turned heads the moment he walked into a room. With his messy dark brown hair, sharp brown eyes, and that signature grin that could probably stop traffic, he had the entire female population of the pack wrapped around his finger. And, of course, he knew it.
The second we entered the coffee shop, I could feel the shift in the air. Conversations paused, heads turned, and eyes, especially those of the girls behind the counter were glued to Joey. They swooned as if they were seeing a movie star, their giggles barely hidden behind polite smiles. One of them even dropped a tray of mugs when Joey flashed her a casual glance.
I stayed close to the wall, trying to make myself invisible. I wasn't supposed to be here, not on my day off, if Logan knew I was here, he would stack up punishments for me and humiliate me before the pack.
So, the last thing I wanted was to be the focus of any unwanted attention. But the moment they noticed me standing next to Joey, the atmosphere turned colder than the blizzard brewing outside.
Soon they started gossiping in hushed whispers, their brows raised in distaste and disgust.
“What is that loser doing next to my crush?!”
“Shouldn’t she be scrubbing the toilets and setting up decorations for Thanksgiving by now?!”
“Looking tacky as always, they should just banish her from the pack instead.”
Their eyes went from adoring to glaring, as though I had committed some unforgivable sin by merely breathing the same air as Joey Blackthorne.
"Breathe in," Joey said suddenly, his voice low and firm. "And out. Now."
Unquestionable obedience was never my mode of operating, yet I found myself submitting without argument, closing my eyes and focusing on steadying my breathing.
Lila was having a field day because of my misery, every event that happened fascinated her while she plotted ruining my day some more.
Joey's gaze flicked toward me as we stood before the counter. "When was the last time you ate?"
I blinked at him, surprised by the question. "I... I don't remember."
"Okay," he frowned. "What about this morning?"
I shook my head.
"Last night?"
I bit my lip, embarrassed. "Nothing."
Joey exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. "Okay. How about the last time you ate anything? Don't think too hard, Greenie. Just answer."
"Um... I think I had some stale bread from the kitchen a couple of days ago," I admitted softly, my cheeks burning.
Joey rolled his eyes dramatically. "Stale bread. Wow. Living the high life, huh?"
I bristled at his sarcastic tone, my exhaustion giving way to irritation. "Not all of us have gourmet meals delivered to our doorstep, Alpha," I shot back, folding my arms across my chest.
Joey's lips twitched, a glimmer of his usual charm returning. "Touché, Greenie."
Inside, the warm scent of coffee and freshly baked goods washed over me, a stark contrast to the icy tension that had followed us in. The familiar sight of Martha Whitlock, the coffee shop's elderly owner and the pack's librarian, immediately put me somewhat at ease.
"Well, if it isn't one of our Alphas!" Martha exclaimed, her kind eyes lighting up when she saw Joey. "What brings you here on Thanksgiving, and what's Emily doing here on her day off?"
I opened my mouth to answer, but Joey beat me to it. "She needs food," he said bluntly, his tone leaving no room for argument.
Martha frowned, her gaze softening as she looked at me. "Poor thing. You've been working too hard again, haven't you?"
I gave her a weak smile, but Joey didn't seem interested in pleasantries. He turned back to the counter. "I'll take a couple of muffins and a latte," he said, then turned to me. "What about you, Greenie?"
I hesitated, glancing at the menu. "I... I don't have any money."
Joey sighed, pinning me with a sharp look. "That's not what I asked. Order something."
His tone made it clear that arguing was not an option. "Uh, cappuccino and a slice of cake," I mumbled.
"Good choice," Joey muttered, handing Martha a bill. She smiled and placed the order, gesturing for us to sit while we waited.
We found a booth near the corner, and I sank into the seat gratefully. Joey leaned back, his gaze scanning the shop as if searching for potential threats.
When I was younger, the Blackthorne triplets were the pack's golden boys, handsome, strong, and already treated like royalty because they were destined to be Alphas. Their position would be fully sealed when they find their Luna. Meanwhile, I was just Emily Greene, the skinny little omega with the drunk for a dad and the weakest wolf anyone had ever seen. In other words, I was their perfect target to be bullied.
Julian, Joey, and Caleb have been searching for their mates ever since they turned eighteen. Now they are twenty-two and still haven’t found their mates so they go on a dating spree, their relationships always last a couple of weeks before a new replacement comes in. However, most people seemed to be convinced that their mate was not of age yet and hadn’t shifted. Their father is less concerned about that and he has started betrothing the boys to women of substance. Julian was betrothed first because he was the eldest and I have a feeling they are searching for the perfect girls for Joey and Caleb as we speak if their mate doesn’t find them soon.
Julian was always the leader of their games. Cold, calculating, and clever, he didn't need to get his hands dirty, he just told his brothers what to do and watched as they carried out his orders. Caleb was the enforcer, the one who would trip me during training or "accidentally" knock my books out of my hands. And Joey? Joey was the worst of them all.
While Julian orchestrated and Caleb executed, Joey made sure everyone knew about it. He was the loudest, the most sarcastic, and the most charming which somehow made it all worse. I still remember the way he'd laugh when I tripped over my own feet during drills or when he and Caleb pushed me into the muddy creek during a pack run. He'd hand me a towel with that stupid smirk on his face and say something like, "Here you go, Greenie. You should thank us we're just trying to toughen you up."
As if that wasn't bad enough, Joey also made sure everyone else joined in on the fun. He'd spread rumors, like how my wolf was so weak it didn't even exist, or how my father had gambled away my future along with our family's dignity.
By the time we hit our teenage years, their teasing had evolved. It wasn't just mud puddles or stolen books anymore. They'd whisper things about how I was "pathetically small" or "invisible," loud enough for everyone to hear. Joey, of course, was always the one who made sure to say it with a grin, like he wasn't tearing me apart.
So now, sitting across from Joey in the coffee shop while he orders food for me like it's the most normal thing in the world, I didn't know what to think. For years, Joey Blackthorne made it his mission to make my life miserable. And now here he was, asking if I've eaten, telling me to breathe, and looking genuinely concerned like he actually cared.
I was starting to relax when the large TV screen mounted on the wall flickered to life. The local news anchor appeared, her expression somber.
"We begin today with a horrifying discovery. Two dozen bodies were found late last night near the outskirts of the Shadowcrest Pack territory. Authorities are calling it a possible animal attack, but the brutality of the scene suggests something far more sinister."
My heart stopped.
"Emily..." Lila's voice coiled in my mind, sickeningly sweet. "You didn't think I'd let you go unscathed, did you?"
I gripped my scarf tightly, willing myself to stay calm, but my hands trembled. Joey's sharp eyes didn't miss a thing.
"You okay?" he asked, his tone low.
I nodded quickly, avoiding his gaze. "Fine."
"You don't look fine," he said, leaning forward.
"It's... It's just sad," I stammered, gesturing toward the screen.
Martha came over at that moment, placing our food on the table. "Such a terrible thing," she said, shaking her head. "I hope the pack figures out what happened soon. The last thing we need is the demon wolf running loose and killing us all."
Joey stiffened, his jaw clenching. "If I ever find the demon wolf responsible for this," he muttered, his voice deadly calm, "I'll rip it to pieces."
The words sent a shiver down my spine. I kept my eyes fixed on the table, afraid that even glancing at him might give me away.
Martha nodded solemnly. "It's a tragedy, that's for sure. Well, you two enjoy your meal. Happy Thanksgiving!" She gave us a warm smile before walking away.
I stared at the food in front of me, my appetite completely gone. Joey's words echoed in my mind, along with Lila's mocking laughter.
"I told you," Lila whispered. "You'll destroy everything. And when they find out, they'll destroy you too."
- Writer
