14. Walls

fourteen

Walls

*FLORA*

W hile Elden and Vincent talk, I make sure to see how the girls are doing and chat a bit with them. They have changed by now but are too shy to leave the bathroom. They do look much better though, and seem to have overcome their shock at least.

It’s incredibly sad and enraging that they were almost assaulted. They shouldn’t have to deal with it.

“Can I come in?” I ask.

“Of course,” one of them mutters and smiles at me shyly.

“I am so sorry for asking an insensitive question, now,” I say, while sitting down at the edge of the bathtub next to one of the girls. “But, was this the first time the boys have harassed you?” I ask them carefully. “Or have they done it before?”

“They never assaulted us, but they are creepy, which is why we normally stay away from them,” Mina, the oldest one of them says. Three of them are old enough to shift, the fourth is still sixteen, so when they fled the lake house, Mina’s wolf carried her on her back. “But tonight, it was particularly bad.”

“They won’t bother you anymore,” I reassure them. “Jace will make sure of that.”

“I didn’t know the young alpha was so nice,” the youngest one says, before clasping her mouth. “I didn’t mean any insult.”

“You didn’t insult anyone,” I reassure her. “I’m sure Jace will be happy to know that you have a good opinion of him.”

There is a knock at the bathroom door, and I open it for Janice to enter. “Ah, you're hiding in here,” she says gently.

I beam. “You are back already!”

She has changed back into her own clothes and smiles at us. “Yes, we wrapped things up faster than expected.”

“Did everything go well?”

“It did,” she says. “Jace and Deacon dealt with the issue. I think Jace has dropped Elden’s name and the word disgrace a couple of times. The alpha came too and talked to Jace.”

“And?” I ask nervously.

“When he heard that the Lycan Crown Prince in person was upset, he agreed and said it was an embarrassment for the pack to have members harass young girls,” she says. “He promised he would deal with it.”

For a moment she looks like she wants to say more, but then gazes at the girl and doesn’t.

“Are you girls coming?” Jace calls out from the small living room. “Elden and I want to grab something to eat.”

I beam. “Oh, that would be lovely.”

Janice turns to the girls. “Is it okay with your families if you come too? I don’t want you to get into trouble.”

“We can join?” Mina asks, stunned.

“Of course,” Jace calls from the living room. “You are invited.”

“So?” Janice asks them.

The girls look shocked but also happy. “Can I make a call?” Mina says. “I want to talk to my mom. Actually, our moms are friends, so she can tell them where we are.”

“Of course.” I rummage in my bag and hand her my phone.

Mina fills her mom in briefly on what happened and where she is, reassuring her that she is fine. A couple of minutes later we are all ready to go. To my surprise and joy Vincent agrees to join us. He seems to click pretty well with Elden, which makes me so happy.

Jace calls a cab for all of us, and Janice and I fall behind the others while we are waiting for it to come. “What did you want to say before?” I ask her.

She gazes at me and sighs. “Nothing… just… when Jace talked to his father, he mentioned Elden a lot, and also other reasons as to why what the guys did was bad. And I just realized he has to do that a lot, right?” she pauses. “Pretend to be someone he isn’t. Make excuses. Play his cards well.”

“Yes,” I say quietly.

“You know, Grandma and I are on our own, and we don’t have a lot of money, but she loves me so much. I just realized how privileged I am.”

“I know exactly what you mean,” I say quietly. Elden has money and rank, but his mother killed herself in front of his eyes, and no money will ever make up for the lack of love he receives from his father.

Janice links our arms. “Come,” she says. “The cab is arriving.”

We take a vote, and it’s decided we will go to a pizza place. Jace makes sure Mina and her friends get everything they want. He talks to them, asks about the situation with the omegas and how their life is in the pack. Elden is right, he is going to be an amazing alpha one day. When it gets late, Mina tells us they need to head home, so Deacon offers to accompany them back to the pack.

I’m not sure if Jace is aware of it, but everything he did today was amazing. I know he certainly grew in Janice’s eyes. The two of them engage in a more private talk now, and I decide to stay out of it, to let them have some privacy. Elden and I, meanwhile, chat with Vincent.

“How old are you?” I ask Vincent. “You don’t look much older than we are.”

“Nineteen,” he says with a grin. “Still a teen.”

“And you are a warrior?” Elden asks.

“Yes, already was one in my home pack,” he says.

“Are you good?” Elden asks bluntly.

Vincent grins. “You are not one to beat around the bush, huh? I like how direct you are.”

“So?”

“I’m good,” he says confidently.

Something about his confidence seems to speak to Elden. “You seem to be very convinced.”

“I am,” Vincent says. “I would say, top three of my old pack.”

“I kinda want to see that,” Elden muses, his eyes lighting up at the challenge of a good fight. “I recently got bored with my sparring partner.”

Vincent grins. “And the little prince thinks he can keep up with me?”

A malicious smile curls Elden’s lips. “You have no idea what you are getting yourself into. I have done nothing but train ever since I was born.”

Vincent looks surprised for a moment, then beams. “I like a good challenge. Sunday afternoon?”

“Deal.” Elden nods.

“What are you doing as your other job?” I ask. “You said you sometimes work in this area.”

“Oh, I’m an entertainer for children’s birthday parties,” he explains.

At his revelation even Jace and Janice are pulled out of their conversation. “You didn’t just say what you said,” Jace asks, stunned. “You are an entertainer?”

“I dress up as a clown sometimes, or as a movie character. Batman is my favorite.”

To my surprise Elden snorts. “Someone like you can’t be real.”

“Oh, I am very real,” Vincent retorts. “Or does the darling lycan prince have difficulties grasping my manly realness?”

Elden just laughs. It’s been forever since I’ve seen him this way with someone that isn’t Jace or me. He has difficulties opening up to others, but somehow he just clicks with Vincent. I gaze at the young man, allowing the beings of light to spread out and surround him. To my joy they have nothing bad to report; Vincent seems to be genuine.

Jace and Janice return to Emerald Moon together, with Janice obviously being much more comfortable around Jace now, while Vincent, Elden and I return to Silverlake.

“I would offer you a ride on my bike.” He turns to me and says with a grin. “But I doubt the young alpha would let me.”

Before Elden can answer, I smile dashingly at him. “Oh,” I say innocently, opening my eyes up wide to make me look more na?ve and innocent. “The only thing I like to ride is Elden.”

Vincent stares at me, his mouth dropping open, while Elden grins. My doe-eyed, little innocent princess act doesn’t work on him, as he is the only one who looks through me, but I think deep down he actually enjoys me playing everyone.

“Erm,” Vincent clears his throat. “Obviously, I… I will… I would never make a move on the alpha’s girl, or on any other taken woman.”

“What do you mean?” I blink. “I can’t shift yet, and Elden and Regis always carry me on their backs.”

“Oh, that’s what you meant,” Vincent stutters. “Well… yeah… that makes sense.” He gazes at Elden. “Dude,” he whispers. “Your girlfriend is-“

“She is, actually, my mate,” Elden corrects him.

Vincent stares at us in surprise. “Wait, the rumors are true?”

“We have known we are mates ever since we were around seven,” I explain.

Vincent brushes through his hair; he wears it long, almost like he got stuck in a hippie phase, but it suits him. “You lot are weird,” he comments before laughing. “But I like you.”

“You are not too bad, either,” I say before turning to Elden. “Right?”

He shrugs. “Depends on how well he does as my sparring partner.”

I roll my eyes, but Vincent happily takes the bait. “I haven’t had a worthy opponent in a while. That could be fun!”

Elden smiles, and with that Vincent drives off on his motorbike. Elden and I watch him disappear down the street before Elden takes my hand and we start to walk next to each other.

“What do you want to do for your birthday?” I ask him. “We need to celebrate!”

“Having you and Jace around would be enough for me,” Elden says.

“We need to add more people,” I muse. “And plan something fun. You are turning eighteen, after all!”

“I guess I could invite Janice. She is nice, and you like her,” he says.

“Come on.” I giggle. “Don’t act like you didn’t just make a friend.”

Elden looks flustered at my words. “Friend is a stretch,” he mutters. “I barely know him. It’s just…”

“Just what?”

“The fact that he stepped in to defend these omegas without knowing them shows a lot about his character. That, and he is confident,” he pauses. “But, other than that, I don’t know him yet.”

“You didn’t know me and instantly befriended me,” I point out.

Elden chuckles. “We were kids, back then. Things were different when I was a child.”

I stay quiet for a while, before stopping abruptly and making Elden halt with me. “You are scared of letting anyone in,” I say quietly. He looks like he wants to argue, but I wrap my arms around him and hug him. “Sometimes it’s worth the risk of letting someone in.”

“I don’t know how to do that,” he admits. “And I don’t know if it’s worth it.”

“It is worth it,” I say. “Look at how awesome Jace and I are. Wasn’t it worth it to let us in?”

He hugs me back but doesn’t say anything. Sensing his tension, I decide not to push him further. He has always had difficulties trusting others. I just hope he will give Vincent a chance. Seeing him actually laugh and tease another person like that was a completely new experience and a new side to him. I want him to be happy.

“How are we getting home now?” he asks. “Take a cab or run?”

I spread my arms and twirl around. “You know my answer to that. I will take my lovely Regis over any cab.”

I must have struck a nerve because something in Elden’s eyes flashes. Soon enough, Elden has shifted to his lycan form, and I collect his clothes before climbing onto his back. It’s probably going to take us at least an hour, if not longer, to reach Silverlake, but I love to sit on Regis and run through the forest like that. It makes me feel so free, and like the only two people who matter are Elden and me.