Page 107 of Conner's Luna

"Yup. Bye, Trey," I saunter past him with my project held in front of me like a battering ram, only to find that there is space cleared all around us. Interesting.

I set up my project with confidence now that Professor Stansen has seen it and judged it 'fantastic.' Smiling, I hide the empty box under the table and wipe my hands down my jeans.

I grab my backpack and walk down the hallway to the bathroom with the same confidence. I pee like a boss, almost giddy. Trey didn't make me feel anything. I literally found out the truth about him yesterday and nothing!

I sling my backpack over my shoulder, flush and open the stall door. Grinning, I practically skip over the sink to wash my hands.

A clicking sound on the floor catches my attention. I look up into the mirror, only to see Lydia and one of her friends standing right behind me. With a sinking feeling, I realize that Trey didn't have Lydia clinging to him like a leech during our little 'chat' earlier. I guess I just found her.

She smiles cruelly and I know, without a doubt, that Trey wouldn't hurt me, but she is going to.

---

27 - The Grim

Bailey

"Moving onto my leftovers, bitch?" the snide comment drops from Lydia's mouth with a sneer of her red-painted lips. Her words give me pause, distracting me for a moment while I stew over what it means. Seriously? Who is she even talking about? Conner? Or... or Trey?

For an infinitesimal moment, I think about what it means if she's broken up with Trey, or him with her. Then, I pass it off with a mental shrug. Trey isn't my concern, but Conner... His papa's words are like an echo in my head.Fight for him.

The other girl slides slightly to my left and my attention snaps back to how vulnerable I am.Fight for him.Yes... I should say... something.

I find my tongue after losing it for months to this woman and her posse of mean girls. "You know, Lydia, I take offense at the idea that I would 'move on' with either Conner or Trey. I'm not easy, unlike some people who spread 'em for anyone high on the food chain."

Lydia and her sidekick gape at me. "What the hell are you saying, you skank?" Lydia hisses at me, but her friend looks shocked.

I give her my own smirk. "That's just it, sweetie, I'm not a skank. If you want to find one of those, look for a girl who screws a guy she shouldn't be touching." I give her a significant look and feel the air get sucked right out of the bathroom with my words. I know I just threw a nasty dig at Lydia, but c'mon, Conner is amazing and she hurt him terribly. Unless she's talking about Trey, but I won't ask her to clarify her ridiculous statement. I don't feed the pigeons, they only come back for more.

"You bitch!" Lydia springs at me, claws slicing through the air, aimed straight for my face.

In my shock, I scream, ducking just enough that they rake my shoulder. My screams mix with the other girl's cries as I get thrown back into the counter. With a slam, my ribs take the hit, the breath whooshing from my body.

I fall to the cold tile floor on my hands and knees as male shouts are added to the mix. Blinking as spots dance in front of my eyes, I stare up at two large bodies entering the bathroom in a rush.

Boys aren't supposed to be in the ladies' room.

Braxton and Trey. They're Braxton and Trey. Oh, God. That's bad. The last time they were in the same space with me Trey almost killed Braxton.

The bathroom isn't that large. Someone is jostled into me, the movement sending agonizing pain through my body. I whimper as the floor rushes up to meet my face. Hard hands catch me and I gasp soundlessly for enough air to scream.

Another crash, more screaming, and bright green eyes meet mine. I mouth his name, 'Conner', and reach for him. Fear spasms on his face before he stands and turns toward Trey. He is downright terrifying at that moment. Lips peeled back to reveal long, glinting canines, eyes hard as steel, the glow in them unholy.

In between one heartbeat and the next, I see a change come over him. Conner takes a step toward his rival as a horrific snarl rises from him. His nostrils flare and his chest expands as he inhales. A brutal, cruel expression settles on his face as his head slowly turns toward Lydia.

"Mine," he growls gutturally.

My heart shatters into pieces, but before they can break and fall, Conner takes a swipe at Lydia with claws far more intimidating and deadly than her own. I stare, in pain, in shock, as Trey is forced to step in front of his girlfriend to keep Conner from... crap on a stick, is he trying tokillher?

"My female," Conner rumbles dangerously. His eyes are fixed on Lydia's hands held up in front of her defensively. My eyes follow his to see that Lydia's right hand is coated in red. My blood, I realize, feeling a little sick. Trey crowds Lydia back. Braxton stands, poised to pounce on his older brother. Conner is slipping over the edge of madness right in front of my eyes. "You," he shakes his head as if to drive the cobwebs from it, "hurt my female."

"Conner, easy," Braxton cautions in a low voice.

In the distance, I hear sirens. If I can hear them, then all these wolf-people can, too. I wonder who called them, but as I look around, I can see that Lydia's minion made herself scarce.

"She's pregnant," Braxton says softly. "Con, c'mon. Smell again, bro."

I barely hold back my gasp of dismay. Something breaks, deep inside me, a knowledge that sits heavy on my shoulders. Trey was never mine and now he never, ever will be, but more importantly, how devastated is Conner?

---