Chapter Twenty Four - Hidden Truth

Liana had wasted no time in calling Ellie and Elsie back. Since the triplet's car was still here, David had given them a ride but stopped in to talk to Beta Mark, probably to get the full story about what had happened. Eric, who had been tasked with protecting them, had dashed off on his own as soon as their father was out of ear shot. The three girls had decided to hang out in Liana’s room. She knew it was a mistake as soon as they arrived on the top floor. Her head started to pound again and the humming noise was nearly deafening.

“Maybe the library would be better,” she suggested quietly, “Jake is here.”

“You can tell where he is already?” Ellie asked.

“She can smell him you dolt.” said Elsie.

“You’ve been reading historical fiction again Elsie, you’re cursing like an old man.” The girls bickered good-naturedly, completely forgetting about Lia’s preference for the library as they walked through the sitting room towards the bedrooms. Lia followed slowly behind, watching her feet and shuffling slowly along behind them, not liking how the hum got louder with every step. Would she be able to visit with her friends at all? She was so unaware of her surroundings that she bumped into Ellie and Elsie, knocking them to the floor.

“SHHHH!” The girls hissed up at her, as though she were the one who had just crashed to the ground. They were frantically pointing ahead of them, so Lia looked up. There was Jake. Face down and butt naked. Literally. He was lying on the bed with his naked butt in the air for all to see. The humm seemed to vibrate faster and Lia felt her mouth run dry. The noise had to be her wolf purring. She definitely wanted to crawl up naked on that bed with him. Lia licked her lips and wrapped her arms around herself. Was this how if felt to be attracted to a mate? She really wasn’t sure she wanted to feel this way for life. It was horrible, achy, and nauseated with just a touch of tingling excitement. If her wolf would just shut up she might actually be able to enjoy Jake. He seemed kind and everyone in his pack spoke very highly of him. Sure, he was used to people doing exactly what he said, but if someone disagreed he was usually open to debate.

“Geeze Lia, he’s hot,” Ellie whispered. Lia nodded. He really was well-built. His body was completely relaxed, but still, the shape of the muscles in his arms and back were visible.

“You’re right, Lia, we should go to the library,” Elsie whispered, taking both Lia and Ellie by the elbow, “we don’t want to wake him. He has to be so tired to sleep through our crashing in on him as we did.”

Back in the library, Lia sat on the floor with her head tipped back against the plush sofa. Here the hum was just enough to be annoying. If it would go away, she might be able to get rid of her headache.

“You don’t look to be doing much better than he is Lia,” Elsie said, “Maybe you should go lie down too,”

“I’m not sleepy at all, just tired,” Lai said, “it’s probably just stress. I’m sure I’d feel better if Gran would wake up, but right now I’m worried about her and can’t concentrate on anything. Plus, there have been some pretty big changes thrust into my life, which is quite a distraction. I can’t seem to study or get my assignments done properly, and if my grades fall I’ll lose the scholarships, which just adds to the worry and distraction. I need a way out of the vicious circle, and sleep doesn’t do anything for it.”

Just then Mark came in. “Oh, you’re here,” he said, looking at Lia with the same scowl that he usually had when she was around. The brief moment on the lawn earlier was the only time he’d ever said anything remotely nice to her. Apparently, the moment was past. “Do you know where Jake is?”

“Sleeping,” Ellie answered for her, “that’s why we’re down here, so we could talk without waking him.” Mark crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow at her. Ellie looked away, nibbling her lip. “We all know sleep won’t fix what’s wrong with him,” Mark growled, “why pretend that it will?”

“Well, then what is wrong with him?” Lia asked, her exasperation obvious.

“His wolf is unhappy,” David answered quickly, “It can be very hard on a werewolf when their wolf is hurting.”

“What’s wrong with his wolf?”

“Nothing.”

She crossed her arms and scowled up at him.

“His wolf knows you’re rejecting them,” Elsie said in her whispery voice. “You’re here, near him all the time, but your not, you know?”

“She means you aren’t really spending time with him or getting to know him. Actually mostly you make a point of avoiding him. Jake told you you could take your time, and you are, which is fine with Jake but not with his wolf. He’s giving you the space you want, so he and his wolf are at odds and it’s a bit draining on them.”

“I….I don’t understand.”

“Jake wants the decision to be yours, but his wolf -”

“Elsie, that’s enough!” David barked angrily at his daughter. “Jake said to leave it be.”

“Well really dad, it isn’t like she’d know. All of us would just know, she wasn’t taught about werewolf relationships so she can’t know what’s going on unless someone tells her.”

“It isn’t our place to tell her.”

“Well somebody has to! She’s too worried and distracted to be reading about it right now and it isn’t fair to either of them to keep her in the dark.”

Suddenly, Lia found herself lifted off the ground and swung around, then flung upside down over someone’s shoulder.

“Mark!” David yelled.

“She can heal him, David,” Mark shot back as he began walking across the room to the door. “He healed her from that poison, the least she can do is keep him strong until she’s made her choice. You know how this works. She doesn't have to make any sort of commitment, she just has to have contact and let their wolves mingle a bit. If she wants to refuse him after she’s scented him, the goddess with heal him, until then it’s up to her. I had no idea that nobody had told her what she was doing to him. I thought she was just being an asshole because she was raised human and that’s how they are.”

Lia’s stomach bounced painfully on Mark’s shoulders as he took the stairs two at a time. She had so many questions, but couldn’t catch a breath to voice a single one of them. The buzzing in her head was growing louder too, which was only making her feel even more nauseous. By the time Mark flipped her upright and deposited her on her feet in Jake’s living room she couldn’t stand. The room swirled before her eyes and her vision grew dark around the edges. Mark cursed and reached out to catch her, but completely missed and she crumpled into a heap on the floor, one arm pressed to her middle, the other covering her ear in a vain attempt to silence the noise coming from within.