by Rose, Renee
Rayne shrugs. “That’s what she needs to know.”
I stare at her, trying to assimilate what she’s telling me.
“You made her feel like she wasn’t worth claiming publicly. Like you were ashamed of being with her. If you want to fix this, you’d better show her you’re proud to have her as your girlfriend.”
My heart rate picks up speed. What she’s saying makes sense. I humiliated Bailey by talking that way about her in front of my dad and the alpha. She may have understood I was lying, but she couldn’t forgive the lack of respect and honor I showed her.
“Thanks, Rayne,” I mumble. “That makes sense.” I back down her sidewalk, my brain spinning on problem-solving. How do I prove myself to her? How do I show her I will always defend her—publicly and privately?
Chapter 17
Cole
In wolf culture, the biggest and strongest always wins. It’s survival of the fittest. Dominance and pack order. I don’t know how long it’s been since I’ve been bigger and stronger than my dad. It happened some time this past year.
I knew it before the neighbor Lon suggested it was time I fought back, but I wasn’t willing. Before my dad became an alcoholic. Back when he was a good father, he taught me respect for my elders. Even now, when he’s no longer worthy of my respect, it’s hard for me to break that pattern.
But it has to be done.
My dad is toxic to this family. I’m not going to blame him for what happened between me and Bailey. That’s on me. My bad choices. But I’m sure as hell not going to use him as an excuse to not have the one good thing that’s shown up in my life.
And I’m not going to let him ruin my sister’s future, either.
After practice, I walk through the house, picking up empty bottles and tossing them in the recycle bin. Some time in the last month, my dad switched from beer to Jack Daniels. There are four empty bottles in the kitchen. I find three partially full ones around the living room. I pour them down the drain.
“Hey!” my dad hollers from the living room, where he’d been snoozing in front of the TV. “What in the hell are you doing?”
“Getting rid of your liquor, Dad,” I explain calmly.
Casey appears at the top of the stairs, a wary witness.
“Like hell you are. Put that down, Cole! Put it down, now!” My dad surges out of his chair and comes stumbling at me.
It takes all my concentration not to react in the usual pattern of fear or defensiveness or avoidance. I’m the alpha now. I can take him if I have to. “You’re done drinking yourself to death. I’m not allowing liquor in this house,” I say, like I’m the parent and he’s the child. “And you’re going to start AA meetings and clean the fuck up, or you’re out.”
My dad swings at me.
I duck and punch him in the gut, hard. Really fucking hard. The quicker this goes down, the better.
He doubles over and falls to his knees.
“This is my fucking house,” my dad slurs, still clutching his stomach on the floor. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
“Watch me.” I channel Alpha Green. I put no anger in the words. Just the calm, firm confidence of a leader. “You have two kids in this house who need a stable environment. You’re going to provide it for them. You’re going to clean up and get a job. And if you don’t, you’ll be out on the street.”
My dad lunges straight from the floor to my legs, tackling me to the ground. I kick one leg free then him in the face once. Twice. Three times.
Casey screams.
I kick him again.
“You’re killing him, Cole!”
I kick one more time. He goes still.
“Fates,” Casey breathes, dashing down the stairs and leaning over our dad.
“I’m the alpha of the house now,” I tell Casey. “He can man up and be a dad or he’s gone.”
Casey bursts into tears.
I touch her shoulder and she steps into me, lets me hold her while she breaks down and weeps.
“It’s over,” I tell her. “We’re going to be okay.”
* * *
Bailey
I slept about three hours last night. My anxiety level is off the charts, but it’s too late to back out now. The first edition of Wolf Ridge High School Gazette comes out today.
It’s not the news article I wrote for the front page that has my stomach in knots, although that’s the one that gave me nightmares last night. No, it’s the first person account I wrote for the back page that made me chew my nails down this morning. I outed Cole in it. I stripped him of the power he holds—held—over me. I won’t let him hide behind his bully persona anymore. He’s a hero to me, and I’m going to reveal it to the whole school.
I’m letting the truth come out. That’s what newspapers are for, right?
Rayne and I leave campus during lunch. I tell the gate monitor I’m on official newspaper business and he can call Brumgard to check it while I go pick up the newspapers at the print shop in Cave Hills.
“Do your school administrators know you’re printing this story?” the sales clerk at the print shop asks me curiously.
Good. That means I wrote a powerful headline. Wolf Ridge High Teacher Sexually Assaults Student is the kind that makes everyone stop to read.
“They’re about to find out,” I say.
“Good for you,” she says, helping us carry the boxes to my Beetle. “Way to hit him in the nuts.”
“Thanks. I’m kind of freaking out, but I know it’s the right thing to do.”
“Definitely,” the clerk says.
“It’s going to be epic,” Rayne says. “I am so proud to be your sidekick right now.”
I grin at her and take a deep breath. “Ready to do this?”
“Ready.”
“Let’s go.”
* * *
Cole
We come in from lunch and I instantly sense the buzz. There’s an energy in the air—a nervous, wired emission from every kid.
Newspapers.
They all have newspapers.
“Cole!” One of the JV ballers hands me one. It takes me half a second to read the headline and I understand.
I run for Brumgard’s room. Bo, Wilde, Austin and Slade are at my heels. Asswipe’s in there, eating his lunch at his desk. Probably hasn’t seen the paper yet. I slam my palm against his door. “Guard this door,” I order and Bo and Wilde instantly throw their backs up against it. Wolf shifters operate in a paramilitary structure. We’re soldiers by nature, ready to give our lives for what matters, always following a chain of command. My friends haven’t even read the article, but they respond with instant ferocity, trusting my war-like instinct to secure Brumgard’s classroom.
Within thirty seconds, a crowd of underclassmen join them to stand guard.
“You two cover the window outside,” I order Austin and Slade.
They nod and jog off, half a dozen volunteer recruits on their heels.
I scan the article quickly. It’s a completely fact-based news article, written in the inverted pyramid style Brumgard taught us: most important news first.
WRHS Senior Bailey Sanchez was sexually assaulted by journalism teacher Alfred Brumgard on October 6th in his classroom after school. The assault, not yet reported to the authorities, was witnessed and interrupted by Senior Cole Muchmore, who reportedly stopped in to pick up extra credit work from Brumgard.
Muchmore physically assaulted Brumgard to stop the incident, resulting in the teacher’s broken nose.
Sanchez, the victim, said, “I am bringing this story to the public now because I want to be sure it doesn’t happen to anyone else.”
Muchmore will reportedly testify as a witness in the case, if necessary.
Bailey Sanchez is a genius. A brave, brilliant genius. My eyes smart.
“Cole.” One of the kids near me says. “Read this one.” He flicks open the paper to another article. The headline is, WRHS Student Shares First-Person Account of Assault.
My heart
starts pounding as I read it.
By Bailey Sanchez
This article is difficult to write, but I want my story to be known. I’m a new student at Wolf Ridge High. An outsider. I didn’t have many friends when I started here, and I still don’t.
When I asked my journalism teacher, Mr. Brumgard, if he’d be open to starting a student newspaper, he initially refused. But then, I believe because he saw I was friendless, he suspected I would be easy prey. He invited me to meet with him about it after school. Once we were alone, he offered his sympathy at my friendless state, pledged his friendship, and stuck his hand up my skirt.
At night, I lie in bed and think of the things I wish I’d done when it happened. What I could’ve done differently to prevent it in the first place, or how I could’ve defended myself better.
I’m ashamed to say that in the moment, all I did was freeze like a deer in the headlights.
But I’m lucky. Cole Muchmore, a WRHS football quarterback, walked in at that moment. We weren’t friends. In fact, I would have said we were the opposite. But that didn’t stop Cole from taking immediate action to protect me from my molester. The moment he saw my predicament, he slammed his fist into Mr. Brumgard’s nose and told him never to touch me again.
When I ran away, he followed to make sure I was okay. He offered his assistance if I wanted to press charges.
Even though I understand the shame of sexual assault should belong to the perpetrator, not the victim, I didn’t want to come forward. I didn’t want my story known, or for people to think I’m broken or damaged.
But after much deliberation, I decided it was better to come forward and tell my story to prevent what happened to me from happening to another social outcast or otherwise vulnerable girl who comes to this school.
I don’t want to be pitied. I don’t want to be whispered about or pointed at. If you see me in the halls after you read this story, I’d prefer a fist-bump or high-five. Or just a simple, “Hi, Bailey,” would be nice.
I smack my head against the lockers. How could I have ever been so cruel and insensitive to Bailey? Even after I, personally, had softened toward her, I never lifted my ban on the rest of the students forming friendships with her. They followed my lead, my orders. She’s been walking around this school as an outcast since day one because of me.
I smack my head against the locker again.
I thought I was breaking her, but the truth was, she came broken. She came broken from her best friend’s death, and then Brumgard broke her more.
But she put herself back together.
She rose above everything, above me and the shit I said about her, above Brumgard, above every student at this school who snubbed her. And she did it, not by putting up a front and pretending to be strong.
No, by showing her vulnerability.
Bailey Sanchez has more courage than anyone I know.
I smack my head a third time and a light hand touches my shoulder. “Mr. Muchmore?” It’s Señora Cok, the Spanish teacher. “I think you’d better come with me to the principal’s office.”
To the office—right. Because Brumgard is going down. I walk with Señora Cok to the principal's office. Bailey’s standing outside the door and Principal Olsen opens it and beckons us both in.
I follow Bailey in. She’s wearing one of those mini-dresses that drive me insane, this time with an old-fashioned rounded collar and knee-high socks underneath. She’s unique and beautiful and definitely the coolest thing that ever happened to this campus.
But the metallic scent of fear tinges the room. She’s nervous.
I walk straight over and take her hand, even though I have no idea if she’ll let me hold it. “You have nothing to be afraid of,” I say firmly.
Principal Olsen turns quickly around. “That’s right, you don’t.” He holds up the paper. “I have one question for both of you.” He points at the top article. “Is everything in here true?”
“Yes, sir,” I answer.
Bailey nods.
Olsen picks up the phone. “Call in the sheriff. And get Coach Jamison over to Brumgard’s classroom to make sure he doesn’t try to leave.”
“I already took care of that,” I interrupt.
Olsen raises his brows at me, but nods, listening to whoever is on the other line. “That’s right. Yes, let Green know, too.”
He hangs up the phone and looks at Bailey. “I’m very sorry about what happened to you. Do you want to call your mom or should I?”
Bailey closes her eyes. “My mom,” she groans. “I’ll call her.”
“All right. You two sit tight in here until the police arrive. I’m going to check on the Brumgard situation. Cole, you say you took care of it?”
“I stationed ballers at his door and window. He’s not going anywhere.”
“Good work, Cole.” He drops a hand on my shoulder. “You handled yourself well. I’m proud of you.”
I want to roll my eyes, because that’s what the old me would do, but for once an adult’s praise feels honest and deserved. I accept it as the honor it is. “Thank you, sir.”
He leaves the room.
“Bailey—”
“Let’s not, Cole.” She sounds tired. Strained. She pulls her hand away from mine.
I step closer but don’t touch her. I have so much to say and this is the first chance I’ve had for a face to face alone.
“Bailey, I fucked up. I hurt you, and I’m sorry.”
Pain ripples over her face and she looks away, out Principal Olsen’s window.
I touch her cheek to bring her gaze back. Not insisting, just stroking softly. “Give me another chance, babygirl, and I’ll do everything right this time. I will go toe-to-toe with Alpha Green and my dad and anyone else in the pack who thinks I shouldn’t be with you. I will put a fucking crown on your head and parade you around this school as my rightful queen. If you give me another chance, I will be the best fucking boyfriend this town has ever seen—this world,” I correct myself, spreading my hands wide.
A ghost of a smile appears on Bailey’s face. “What does the best boyfriend do?”
I grin, because I can see her resolve crumbling. “I don’t know, but I sure as hell am going to figure it out. I’m gonna watch my girlfriend and figure out what she needs from me, and give it to her.”
Bailey ducks her head. When I nudge her chin back up, tears glitter in her eyes.
I want to grab her face and claim her mouth like I’ve done before, but I call on my restraint. “I need to kiss you, babygirl. May I please kiss you?”
She reaches for me. Pulls my face down to hers. Kisses my lips. She tastes sweet, like candy. I stroke my lips over hers, savoring the softness, the beauty of forgiveness.
Outside the office, I hear the deep voice of Alpha Green and I break off the kiss. “Come here, babygirl. I have to do something.” I take her hand and lead her out of the office.
Green stands in the office, his imposing figure taking up all the energy in the room. He breaks off his conversation with the office manager when we come out. “Cole. Bailey.” He nods in our direction.
Bailey jerks in surprise that he knows her name, but I squeeze her hand.
I clear my throat. “Bailey, this is, uh, Mayor Green, who is also our alpha.”
Disapproval slams down on Green’s face at my pack betrayal, but I stiffen my back. “Alpha Green, when we spoke at the meeting, I lied about Bailey. She is my girlfriend.”
Green frowns at me. “That’s forbidden, Cole.”
“There’s more. She knows about us.” I swallow at the disapproval on his face. “She knows because she was cornered and bitten by a wolf last full moon.”
“Which. Wolf,” Green demands, fury blazing in his eyes.
I hesitate. Ratting out others has never been my gig. But he bit my girlfriend. And I just promised to give her everything she needs. That includes justice. “Ben Thomasson.”
“I see.” Green surveys Bailey with an inscrutable expression. The office st
aff, all shifters, look on with avid interest.
“Bailey, I’m sorry for your experiences, both with Ben Thomasson and with the teacher at this school. I hope Cole has shown you a better part of Wolf Ridge.”
She looks up at me, eyes soft and squeezes my hand. “Definitely.”
“Does your mother know about us?”
She starts. “My mother. No. I was supposed to call her.”
“Cole has sworn you to secrecy?”
“Yes, sir.” I don’t know how she knew to call him, sir, but she’s right on target.
Green picks up one of the newspapers. “There will never be an expose like this on the pack, will there?”
Bailey shakes her head. “Never, sir.”
“Nor will you tell your mother or any other human.”
“No, sir.”
“Thank you, Bailey. We appreciate the contribution both you and your mother are to Wolf Ridge.” To me, he says, “Cole, lies and breaking pack rules have consequences.”
“Yes, sir,” I say.
“I expect your complete honesty in all dealings.”
I lift my chin to expose my throat and prove my submission. “I know, Sir.”
“But I understand your home life has been difficult lately. Punishment already served. The pack has failed you and your sister. It’s time we stepped in to do something about your father.”
“I have it handled, Sir.”
“You do?” Green raises his eyebrows. Bailey turns her big brown eyes on me.
“I do. I dropped him off to work at Circle K this morning. Jack Brown gave him a job.”
Bailey squeezes my fingers, still searching my face.
Alpha Green nods. “I’m glad to hear it, Cole. I’m sorry if we failed you and your sister these past months.”
“You did,” I say, because I’m shooting straight now. “And apology accepted.”
This wrests a grudging smile out of the alpha, but there’s no time for more, because the sheriff arrives and Bailey and I have to give our statements.