Page 51 of Tethered to the World
“I am a prey animal.” The petite blond shrugged, completely unconcerned. “Most of the predators feel the same, they just have better control—or fear the consequences of killing one of us.”
The party noise receded as they made their way down by the beach toward a private bonfire, the crowd dissipating until only a small group of people remained. “Lionel!”
Loulou dragged her through the tangle of people, then flung herself at a tall boy at the center without letting go of Annora’s arm.
The guy didn’t hesitate to catch Loulou close, taking in her battered appearance with a swift glance, then pinned Annora under his murderous glare, his eyes turning a brilliant yellow.
Annora tried to discreetly wrench back her arm, and Loulou half stumbled away, stretched between the two of them. The rabbit smiled brightly up at her Lionel, her eyes full of so much love even as she pulled Annora inexplicably closer to him and the jaws of death. “This is my friend Annora. She saved me when Vicki trapped me in the bathroom.”
Annora lifted her free hand and gave Lionel an awkward little wave. “Hey.”
She twisted to escape Loulou’s grip, resisting the urge to use the darkness, and she carefully backed up.
The only sound was of the fire crackling.
“Thank you for rescuing my Loulou.” Lionel gave her a nod, his eyes not missing the gouges on her arms. His nostrils flared, scenting her blood, and the darkness began to swirl around her, little tendrils of smoke risking up from her skin, an instinctive reaction to being injured in the middle of a wolf pack. The light from the campfire dimmed, and it was only when everyone backed up from her, their hands lifted in surrender, that she was able to pull herself out of her downward spiral.
She clenched her hands into fists, inhaling deeply, forcing the darkness back inside, watching as the shadows were ripped away from the human world and wrapped her up in their comforting touch.
“Holy shit. That’s fucking cool.” Loulou gave her a bright smile, not an ounce of fear on her face.
Annora tentatively stepped toward the fire, almost mesmerized by the flames, not wanting to spook the group into running…or attacking. “Where is your sense of self-preservation?”
Lionel sighed while Loulou giggled. “You wouldn’t hurt me.”
She was so sure.
Annora peered at her over the fire. “How do you know?”
Loulou’s eyebrows lifted in surprise as she snuggled up to the wolf who was practically twice her size. “Don’t be silly. Why would you save me if you wanted to hurt me?”
She dragged her wolf closer, the rest of the guys following cautiously, then she blinked adoringly up at Lionel. “I’m thirsty.”
A flick of Lionel’s chin sent one of the guys trudging away to do as bidden, returning a few moments later with two cups. When he offered one to her, Annora smiled at him, making sure her movements were slow. “Thank you.”
As the others settled back around the fire, she glanced at Loulou. “Why did Vicki corner you? And don’t tell me it’s because you’re a prey animal.”
It was more than that.
Hatred burned in the wolf as she held the rabbit at her mercy.
The smile faded from Loulou’s face, and Annora winced at ruining the bunny’s good mood.
“She wants Lionel as part of her pack. Wolves don’t date rabbits.” She gave a negligible shrug. “She wanted to prove a point.”
Annora snorted at the absurdity. “Did she really expect that to work?”
The rest of the campfire fell silent. Loulou’s shoulders drooped, the animation leaving her until she was so subdued that Annora’s heart sank.
“It has in the past.”
But she saw the way Lionel curled himself around the rabbit and pulled her closer, saw the way Loulou sank trustingly against him and gazed up at him adoringly, and Annora’s anger boiled over.
“Don’t tell me I risked my life for nothing.” She glared up at Lionel. “Loulou stood up to a pack of wolves for you.” Then she rolled her eyes at Loulou. “And my guess is he’s strong enough to stand on his own without joining a larger pack. Are you two going to decide to live the lifeyouwant or live it the waytheywant?”
They both gaped at her.
“It’s not that easy,” he murmured.
