CHAPTER 6

Ryan waited for the whole class to be emptied before he went to the doorway and he waited for the school to be clear as well. 

He just kept us in that classroom for so long and I couldn’t argue with him. I had to do what he said. 

He waited until everyone was gone before he held my hand and he pulled me down the hallway and we slipped out the side door. 

He looked around to make sure the coast was clear and instead of going to the packhouse where the shelter was, or even the gym in the school where another shelter was, he took me towards the forest. 

I could hear where the fighting was happening and we were running in the opposite direction. 

We ran for about 10 minutes before we came to another hang out that we didn’t want our parents to know about. They were underground bunkers and we went inside but I was commanded to stay inside since there weren’t any doors on the bunkers. 

Ryan lit a gas lantern to give us a little light and all the crap from our last party was still here. 

Empty alcohol bottles, condom wrappers and a lot of other stuff that we didn’t want to touch. 

As soon as we were inside and he was sure that I couldn’t leave without him saying so, he let go of my arm and I pushed him away from me. 

I walked to the other side of the bunker that we were in and I started pacing around the walls. 

Ryan stood there watching me. I glanced over at him occasionally and I would go to say something, but then I chose not to. Because whatever I had to say wasn’t very nice. 

He Alpha commanded me. He had never done that before. He promised that he would never do that to me. 

I don’t have Alpha blood. I have warrior blood. So the Alpha command could definitely work on me and I was beyond pissed at him right now. 

I didn’t know exactly what was going on, but I knew that there was a lot that people weren’t telling me. 

How could the people I love the most in this world be keeping such massive secrets and be betraying me the way that they are. 

He gave it a little while before he walked towards me and touched me on the shoulder while I had my back to him but I shrugged it off. 

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I growled at him. 

I kept facing the wall while I was trying to fight with Ember. 

I was trying to calm her down, which was really hard since I couldn’t calm down. But I kept facing the wall and not looking at Ryan, because if he saw my eyes then he would know that there was something wrong with me.

I can’t let anyone know that Ember is different. Or that I am different. I have a curse. I already know that. But no one else has to. I’ll find a cure for it someday. I just can’t do it yet. I don’t have the resources. 

Ryan tried to come near me again, but I just retreated further into the darkness and I crouched down while facing the wall. 

I finally got Ember to control herself and she went back to the back of my mind and as much as I hated doing it, I needed to lock her away. 

She was going to hate me for it. But she’ll eventually realize that it was for our own good. 

I stood up and finally turned around to face Ryan. 

“I’m sorry about doing this.” Ryan said. 

“What the fuck is going on?” I yelled. 

“What?” He asked. 

“Why aren’t I out there fighting with the warriors? I’ve done it before and I’ve come out of it completely unharmed.” 

“You can’t fight this one.” Ryan assured me. 

“Yeah. I’m starting to figure that out. But no one will tell me why.” I yelled. 

He tried to come closer to me again but I pushed him in the chest and forced him away from me again. 

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I growled. So he put his hands up, showing me that he wasn’t going to hurt me. 

“I’m trying to protect you.” He said. 

“From what? What do you need to protect me from? What is so bad out there that I need protection? I can fight better than you can you stupid fucking Alpha.” I yelled. 

“My dad ordered me to keep you away. That’s why I had to order you to come here.” 

“Why?” I asked, feeling exasperated from asking the same question over and over again. 

Ryan rubbed his hand down his face and he looked back at me with a sorrowful look on his face. 

I hate that look. I don’t need people to feel sorry for me. I just need them to tell me the fucking truth. 

He walked to the doorway of the bunker and I knew that he could walk outside whenever he wanted. I was wondering if that’s what he was going to do. Was he going to leave so he didn’t have to answer my questions, knowing that I had to stay here. 

I really didn’t care to be honest. I could hear the fighting off in the distance and I could feel Evan in the fight. 

Being twins, we could always feel each other when we were in trouble or in dangerous situations or anything like that. 

I knew that Evan was still alright but that didn’t mean that I didn’t worry about him. 

“Ryan. Would you just talk to me? Since when do we keep secrets from each other?” I asked. 

“We don’t. But dad ordered me to keep you away from the fighting.”

“Ryan..” I said, getting more frustrated. 

“I have to keep you away from the Devil.” He said. 

“Why? Because he thinks I’m weak? That’s why he tried to kidnap me the other night. He saw me dirty dancing with you and assumed that I was weaker than you so he grabbed me instead of you. You’re more valuable than me.” I said. 

“Is that what you think happened that night?” Ryan asked, looking really concerned as he walked towards me. 

“Isn’t that what happened?” I asked. 

“It wasn’t a mistake Amberly. The Devil Alpha is after you. He wants you. Not me.” Ryan said.