Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She shook her head, hard and sharp, hair lashing around her face. Nothing, nothing. Why did he ask that? She was smiling, wasn’t she? Imperiously she pointed to the page, still careful not to touch either man.
They were pack. She wasn’t.
“Oh no. You’re not the only one that gets to make demands around here,” he said with a look pinning her to the couch. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Is something off around you?” he asked, trying to figure out what had made her change. He could feel it, the feeling of discomfort practically rolling off of her. Isaac could feel it as well, curling in on himself a bit as was his way.
With every pointed question she pulled herself in a little tighter, the smiling mask falling away. She didn’t know how to explain the sense of their closeness, and how it twisted her up inside. She’d no right to be jealous. She reached for the pen, but kept shaking her head.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She kept the cheerful smile on her face, even as it became increasingly false-feeling. Isaac’s contentment poured over her, and the knowledge that it was someone else’s rasped at her. She wanted that, to belong, to be wanted — was there anywhere she was wanted? Go on, go on, she nodded, elbows and knees tucked close together, shoulders hunching, trying hard to lie to them.
Derek watched her and frowned. “What’s wrong?” he asked bluntly, hand stilling against Isaac’s head and making him perk back up to attention, looking sidelong at Summer to see if he’d done something.
She shook her head, hard and sharp, hair lashing around her face. Nothing, nothing. Why did he ask that? She was smiling, wasn’t she? Imperiously she pointed to the page, still careful not to touch either man.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She hunched forward a little at Isaac’s sound, eyes flickering sideways. Reverting to the innocent expression, she nodded enthusiastically, bouncing again. She pointed to Derek, then Isaac, then wrote, ‘only two?’
Isaac murmured a soft apology at startling Summer though he leaned into the hand a little more as Derek rubbed his scalp. As Isaac threatened to basically purr, Derek chuckled at the paper. “Not just two. We’re actually a rather large pack, with not just wolves. I’m sure you’ll meet them all eventually,” he said with a smile.
She kept the cheerful smile on her face, even as it became increasingly false-feeling. Isaac’s contentment poured over her, and the knowledge that it was someone else’s rasped at her. She wanted that, to belong, to be wanted — was there anywhere she was wanted? Go on, go on, she nodded, elbows and knees tucked close together, shoulders hunching, trying hard to lie to them.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
Clasping her hands under her chin, she turned big green eyes up to his face, eyebrows lifted and mouth drawn together in an expression of pure pleading. Just for good measure, she looked at Isaac too and bounced a little.
Isaac stifled a giggle as Derek rolled his eyes very exaggeratedly. He relaxed back, one arm slung across the back of the couch beside her and his hand sliding into Isaac’s curls. When Isaac leaned into the hand and made a soft sound of approval, Derek grinned. “Well, pack is like family. But in this case, not related. It can be biological families, but this pack isn’t.”
She hunched forward a little at Isaac’s sound, eyes flickering sideways. Reverting to the innocent expression, she nodded enthusiastically, bouncing again. She pointed to Derek, then Isaac, then wrote, ‘only two?’
You can’t give her that!’ she screamed. ‘It’s not safe!’
IT’S A SWORD, said the Hogfather. THEY’RE NOT MEANT TO BE SAFE.
‘She’s a child!’ shouted Crumley.
IT’S EDUCATIONAL.
‘What if she cuts herself?’
THAT WILL BE AN IMPORTANT LESSON.
He sighed and took a sharp turn along the water. “Well I did say that you could, didn’t I? I’ll try not to fight you too much, but it’s hard when I’ve been conditioned that way.”
“I know.” Summer gave a half-smile. “I still can’t see through your eyes, darlin’. I’m sure it’s very beautiful, though, and I like you happy like this.”
Pietro let out a small laugh as she called him ‘darlin’, something he wasn’t exactly too used to from people. “Well running is always something that helps me feel better or happy. A few laps around the planet can be nice to clear my head.”
“Are we doing laps around the planet now?” She hitched herself closer, arms tighter around his neck. “Or are we going to Rome?”
If you were ever a girl that people whispered about and laughed at as you walked by…. That feeling never goes away. You’re suspicious of everyone around you having a good time, thinking it’s at your expense.
