else, isn't there?"
"Tristan got out. They don't know where he is."
I nodded, unsure of how to respond. There wasn't anything to say really.
Caleb walked from the room and around the corner, in the direction of the bathroom. I heard a loud click as he closed the door and released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Tristan, whoever he was, was still out there. I hoped he was too busy with his own problems to be concerned with me. Besides, I was safe here. Only an idiot would try to come inside a house full of werewolves.
I rolled my eyes at myself.
And what exactly does that say about you, Emma?
The shower started and I climbed off the bed, placing the unopened can of Pepsi as well as the jerky on the nightstand. I pulled the heavy jacket from my arms, draping it on the end of the bed.
The bandage on my forearm was still clean but a small brown spot had formed in the middle. My eyes ran over my ruined blouse. The blood had spilled and dried around the sleeve, crusting under the arm, causing each brush of the garment against my skin to itch.
For a moment, I considered walking into Caleb's closet and grabbing something from inside. But I was reluctant to enter his private space without asking first. Instead I walked down the stairs, in search of Billy and Derek.
I found them reclined on the large sofa with their legs sprawled out. Derek's elbows were bent, hands clasped behind his head. Ironically enough, they were watching a bad horror movie. I could make out people in robes carrying a coffin across a marshy moor. The sound was so low I could barely hear it.
"Did you ask him?” Derek's question startled me. He didn't turn around, face glued to the television.
My cheeks burned in embarrassment yet again. No one could ever accuse Derek of beating around the bush.
I cleared my throat, ignoring the question. “No. Actually, I was wondering..."
He flipped his chin up, peering over his shoulder. “Woooonddddering?” he drew the question out and waited.
I motioned to my blouse, pulling at the cloth along the bottom. “Do either of you have an extra shirt or something I can borrow?"
"Absolutely!” Derek was off the couch in a flash.
He rushed up the stairs, bounding along three at a time, reappearing in seconds and handing me a plain grey t-shirt. He seemed really excited for some reason, almost hyper.
"Go ahead and change, the bathroom's right there.” He motioned happily toward the door.
"Derek...” Billy warned with a throaty growl.
"What?” Derek admonished innocently. “She asked!"
Billy shook his head, returning to the movie.
I frowned at Derek before walking into the restroom. I peeled the blouse off, pulling the t-shirt over my head. It was several sizes too large, hanging well above my knees. I sighed as I threw the blouse into the garbage—it had been one of my favorites—and arranged my hair on my shoulders before opening the door, flicking off the light and stepping outside. I could hear Caleb's voice as he came down the stairs.
"There she is.” Derek's entire face lit up like a garish Christmas tree.
Caleb spun around, the grin on his face slowly turning to a frown. He stopped drying his hair with the towel, lowering his arms. His nose flared as he took long steps toward me.
"Take...that...off,” he growled.
"Excuse me?” I was confused but somehow equally annoyed. First Derek was acting crazy, and now him.
Did the full moon come out when I wasn't looking?
Derek started to laugh. I turned from him to Caleb, trying to figure out what new joke I didn't understand. Billy was shaking his head, grumbling something under his breath.
Angry, I snapped, “No, I will not take it off. What am I—a stripper?"
I was tired of being in the dark about everything and it was something I was about to rectify immediately. No more inside jokes.
"Derek, you damned instigator!” Billy yelled, standing up and walking around the couch to me. “Listen darlin',” Billy said consolingly,
"Tristan got out. They don't know where he is."
I nodded, unsure of how to respond. There wasn't anything to say really.
Caleb walked from the room and around the corner, in the direction of the bathroom. I heard a loud click as he closed the door and released the breath I didn't realize I'd been holding.
Tristan, whoever he was, was still out there. I hoped he was too busy with his own problems to be concerned with me. Besides, I was safe here. Only an idiot would try to come inside a house full of werewolves.
I rolled my eyes at myself.
And what exactly does that say about you, Emma?
The shower started and I climbed off the bed, placing the unopened can of Pepsi as well as the jerky on the nightstand. I pulled the heavy jacket from my arms, draping it on the end of the bed.
The bandage on my forearm was still clean but a small brown spot had formed in the middle. My eyes ran over my ruined blouse. The blood had spilled and dried around the sleeve, crusting under the arm, causing each brush of the garment against my skin to itch.
For a moment, I considered walking into Caleb's closet and grabbing something from inside. But I was reluctant to enter his private space without asking first. Instead I walked down the stairs, in search of Billy and Derek.
I found them reclined on the large sofa with their legs sprawled out. Derek's elbows were bent, hands clasped behind his head. Ironically enough, they were watching a bad horror movie. I could make out people in robes carrying a coffin across a marshy moor. The sound was so low I could barely hear it.
"Did you ask him?” Derek's question startled me. He didn't turn around, face glued to the television.
My cheeks burned in embarrassment yet again. No one could ever accuse Derek of beating around the bush.
I cleared my throat, ignoring the question. “No. Actually, I was wondering..."
He flipped his chin up, peering over his shoulder. “Woooonddddering?” he drew the question out and waited.
I motioned to my blouse, pulling at the cloth along the bottom. “Do either of you have an extra shirt or something I can borrow?"
"Absolutely!” Derek was off the couch in a flash.
He rushed up the stairs, bounding along three at a time, reappearing in seconds and handing me a plain grey t-shirt. He seemed really excited for some reason, almost hyper.
"Go ahead and change, the bathroom's right there.” He motioned happily toward the door.
"Derek...” Billy warned with a throaty growl.
"What?” Derek admonished innocently. “She asked!"
Billy shook his head, returning to the movie.
I frowned at Derek before walking into the restroom. I peeled the blouse off, pulling the t-shirt over my head. It was several sizes too large, hanging well above my knees. I sighed as I threw the blouse into the garbage—it had been one of my favorites—and arranged my hair on my shoulders before opening the door, flicking off the light and stepping outside. I could hear Caleb's voice as he came down the stairs.
"There she is.” Derek's entire face lit up like a garish Christmas tree.
Caleb spun around, the grin on his face slowly turning to a frown. He stopped drying his hair with the towel, lowering his arms. His nose flared as he took long steps toward me.
"Take...that...off,” he growled.
"Excuse me?” I was confused but somehow equally annoyed. First Derek was acting crazy, and now him.
Did the full moon come out when I wasn't looking?
Derek started to laugh. I turned from him to Caleb, trying to figure out what new joke I didn't understand. Billy was shaking his head, grumbling something under his breath.
Angry, I snapped, “No, I will not take it off. What am I—a stripper?"
I was tired of being in the dark about everything and it was something I was about to rectify immediately. No more inside jokes.
"Derek, you damned instigator!” Billy yelled, standing up and walking around the couch to me. “Listen darlin',” Billy said consolingly,
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