I shivered as his warm breath brushed across my earlobe and rustled my hair. “It’s nothing, Brandon. Just thinking.”
He followed me back to the table and asked, “What are you thinking about?” I took a huge bite of my salad to avoid answering the question and just shrugged my shoulders. He frowned. “Friends are supposed to confide in each other. Why won’t you confide in me still?”
I could tell that it bothered him that I was holding out on him and I could see that the thought that I was withholding my feelings from him meant more to him than he was saying. I set my fork down and said, “I just feel bad that you are using so much energy to basically take care of me.”
He rolled his eyes at me. “Seriously?”
My empathy was gone and replaced by anger and embarrassment. “Yes, I am serious. You should not have to do all of this extra stuff.”
“Do you think I would be doing it if I did not want to?” he asked me.
“Maybe. You might be doing it because I’m the Alpha’s daughter or because you feel sorry for me or because…”
He interrupted me by putting his hand over my mouth. “I do it because I like spending time with you.”
I had nothing to say to that so we finished eating and then went home. Mom wasn’t home and as I headed towards our rooms, I stopped halfway up the stairs and handed him the bag with the kitten I had gotten with my tickets. “I got this for you,” I said with a smile.
He laughed and handed me his bag. “I got this for you too.”
We pulled the items out of the bag and I stared at the white fluffy rabbit in my hands. I knew he had meant it as a joke and he wasn’t trying to be mean, but the rabbit felt like a reminder of how we could never be together.
He stared at the kitten and then looked at me. “Is this supposed to be me?”
“Hey you aren’t as slow as they say. You figured that out all on your own.”
He growled. “Ha ha.” He looked at the rabbit and smiled. “Mine is actually funny.”
I turned around and shrugged. “Mine was funnier and more fitting.”
He turned me around and said, “Thank you for the gift.”
“Thank you too,” I said despite my initial feelings of it I knew he was just trying to be nice and it was the first gift he had given me.
He smiled and walked into his bedroom and I stared after him. What was I going to do? The more time I spent with him the harder I fell. I took a deep breath and walked to my room. We were only friends and that was all we were ever going to be. I just had to keep telling myself that like a mantra and maybe it would stick. Hopefully.
CHAPTER NINE
Sandy, Devon, Brandon and I spent the last week together, hanging out every night until the day came for my dad to pick us up. The Minters pack had stayed away and my fear slowly disappeared.
Finally it was summer break and I danced with excitement as we waited for Dad out front of the house. “It’s so hot. The first thing I am going to do is go swimming in the lake,” I said as I lifted my shirt away from my skin, which was sticky from sweat, off of my back.
“I think we should see how far I can throw you into the lake,” Brandon said with an evil gleam in his eye.
I rolled my eyes. “Mark did that last year. He got me as far as the buoy.”
“I bet I can get you farther.”
“Why does everything always end up being a contest to see who can toss me farther or catch me faster or something like that?”
Brandon laughed. “Because it’s fun.”
Dad pulled up and I ran forward, tackling him as soon as he stepped out of the SUV. He laughed and hugged me. “Miss me, kiddo?”
“Yep!” I said happily as Brandon put our bags in the vehicle.
Brandon updated Dad on the nothingness that was happening with us and I relaxed as we drove towards the pack. I had talked with Sheila a few times and was excited to meet her two cubs, which had been born two weeks prior.
“I’m glad I will be with the pride the next two months,” said Brandon.
I relaxed in my seat and napped while the men talked, tuning them out. It seemed like I had only closed my eyes when Brandon shook me awake. I stretched and then smiled when I saw the pride waiting for us. Part of me wondered if they were there for me or Brandon, but I shoved the thought aside and climbed out when Dad stopped the SUV and was instantly surrounded by warm bodies. Brandon stood beside me and greeted his pride members happily. I knew he missed them and that I was a poor substitute, but he had never once complained. Now, seeing him surrounded by lions and wearing the biggest smile I had ever seen, I knew he had not been truly happy with me.
I waited until I had been greeted by everyone and then grabbed my bag and headed into the house to let the pride get reacquainted. I had grown used to Brandon’s constant presence and now, alone in Dad’s house, I realized again that I was alone. I had been stupid to get so close to Brandon. I had known this was going to happen, but I had not thought about it. I still had two months here that I would be surrounded by the pride, so I wouldn’t think about it until I absolutely had to so I could avoid the pain I was already feeling. I sat on the bed in my room and stared at my hands.
There had to be other hybrids out there. Bob had found one, so why couldn’t I? I just needed an idea of where to start. Maybe the Minters pack had hybrids that I could talk to. The only problem with that idea was that they wanted to kill me so it was not exactly logical to walk into their territory.
“Victoria?” Brandon called from the front door.
“In my room,” I answered, knowing he was already following my scent to my room.
He peeked inside and seeing that I was decent, he came in and sat down next to me. “You okay?”
I leaned my head against his shoulder and huffed. “Just thinking.”
He nuzzled my hair and inhaled. “Thinking is bad for you.”
I laughed and rubbed my face on his arm to clear the tears that had started to build at the thought of not seeing him once I went back home. “I know. I’m sorry. You should get back to the pride though.”
“You are pride too. Come on, they want to see what I have taught you,” he said as he stood up and tugged on my hand.
I let him pull me up and then smiled at him. “You want to lose in front of the entire pride to me?”
He smiled back and turned, heading towards the back. “That’s big talk coming from such a small girl.”
“Rabbits still have teeth,” I said as I followed him. Some bitterness had crept into my voice and he turned to me with a frown. I waved my hand at him. “I’m fine. Just crabby because I didn’t sleep much last night.”
He looked at me a moment longer and then opened the door to the back. Mark wrapped his arm around my shoulders as I stepped outside and kissed the top of my head. “There’s my girl.”
I wrapped my arms around his waist and hugged him. “Hey, Mark.”
“So, Brandon’s been teaching you some new moves, huh?”
I nodded my head and then pulled away from him to walk towards Brandon who stood in the grass and waved at me. Sarah trotted up to me in lioness form. I rubbed down the center of her head. “Hey, Sarah. You going to watch me beat up Brandon?”
She purred and rubbed her head against my hand. I smiled and patted her head. “Yes, it should be fun to watch no matter who wins.”
“You ready?” Brandon asked.
I smiled at the pride around me and then ran forward. Brandon ducked my first throw and I spun around, kicking him in the thigh before darting away. He rubbed his leg with a smile and then ran at me. I met him halfway, blocking his jab and hitting his jaw with a right hook. The pride made a collective, “Oh.”
Brandon laughed. “You’ve been holding back in our practices.”
I shrugged. “I couldn’t let you see the true amount of awesomeness I possessed or I would have frightened you away.”
Brandon bared his teeth at me. “Show off.”
I bared my teeth back at
him. “Baby.”
He darted forward and then I was knocked to the ground. The air whooshed out of my lungs and I gasped it back in as he sat on top of me, pinning my arms with his knees. “Submit?” he asked.
I relaxed under him and whispered, “I can’t believe you still fall for this.” I bucked up and using my arms tossed him over my head. I hopped up and as he spun around, I wrapped an arm around his chest and my legs around his waist as I climbed onto his back and pressed my teeth to his throat.
The pride stared at us in shock and Dad took a step towards us with a hint of fear on his face. I wasn’t sure what their problem was, most likely they were just shocked that I had bested Brandon, but it looked like more than that.
Brandon laughed. “I submit, you win.”
I climbed off of his back and patted his shoulder. “Good try. Maybe next time you won’t hold back so much.”
The pride’s faces changed to surprise and I walked to Sarah who had her head tilted to the side in thought. She butted my hand with her head and then headed towards the house. I obeyed and followed her inside and to my room. She grunted as she changed forms and then sat on my floor looking up at me. “What have you two been doing the past two months?”
I sat down and smiled. “He’s been training me so that I can protect myself better and I decided to behave and be friends with him. I know I can’t have him as anything more, but I also know that he will be a loyal friend and I shouldn’t make his time with me miserable just because I was.”
“But you don’t look miserable,” she commented. “In fact, I haven’t seen you this happy since before you hit puberty and started thinking about boys.”
I laughed. “Well, that’s because I haven’t been thinking about boys or anything. I have just been enjoying everything. Life out there isn’t lonely with him there.”
She ran a hand through her hair and exhaled. “I see. Well, I need to go talk with your Dad and Mark about some stuff I found while scouting. You should go see Sheila and Paul, they’re in their house. The cubs have been keeping them super busy.”
“Is everything okay?” I asked, seeing the worry on her face.
She smiled and nodded her head. “Yes, nothing for you to worry about.”
I smiled and stood up. “Okay.” I could tell she was hiding something from me, but I left it alone and headed out the back door. Brandon trotted up to me in his lion form and purred. “I’m going to see Sheila and the new cubs. You want to come?” I asked him.
He bobbed his head once and we headed off deeper into the forest where the other houses were and where the rest of the pride lived. Brandon stayed silent by my side as we walked and I envied his silent paws since my shoes made everything snap. I could be silent if I was barefoot and taking my time, but I didn’t particularly feel like it at the moment. A dark shape moved to my right, making me stop and look around. Brandon had stopped too and was looking in that direction. His fur was flat and his hears were perked upright so I assumed it was one of the pride trying to play.
I started forward again and Brandon continued with me. Sheila and Paul’s house came into view and I lifted my foot to step onto the porch when a lioness leapt at me from beside the house. I prepared to get hit, but Brandon hopped up in front of me and the lioness that had leapt, twisted and swerved away.
I looked at Brandon in shock, but he simply stood in a relaxed stance as if he hadn’t just warned off the lioness jumping at me. I turned from Brandon and looked at the lioness who was glaring at me a few feet away. Mary. “What’s your problem, Mary? I’m just visiting Sheila and Paul to see the cubs.” She lowered her head and I stepped around Brandon, moving towards her. “I didn’t do anything to you. Why are you mad at me? I know you don’t like me, but that’s no reason to try to jump on me.” Brandon moved closer to me and I pushed his shoulder. “Back off a minute, let me talk to her.”
Brandon obeyed, moving two steps over to give me space. Mary looked at Brandon a moment and then snarled at me. I stepped back from her in shock. “What is your problem?” I watched her look at Brandon and then look back at me and I rolled my eyes. “We’re not mated, Mary. He was assigned to guard me while I was at my mom’s because of the Minters pack. We’re just friends.”
She snarled at me and moved towards Brandon, but he lifted his lips and I saw true anger in his eyes. Mary turned as if to jump at me again, but Paul stepped onto his porch and asked, “What’s going on?”
Mary lowered her head and backed away, giving one last snarl at me before lopping off towards the lake. How was it my fault that she acted like an idiot and Brandon turned her down?
Paul leapt off the porch and wrapped me up in a hug. “Victoria!” he said happily.
I hugged him back. “Hi, Pauliana. Did you miss me?”
He nodded his head and kissed my cheek. “Yep.” He looked down at Brandon. “Want a pair of pants to wear while she visits the cubs?” Brandon bobbed his head and followed Paul inside.
I walked behind them, but when they veered to the right I went straight into the living room where I could hear mewling lion cubs. Sheila was lying on her side in her lioness form and her two little cubs were feeding from her.
I stayed a distance away, not sure how she was handling being a protective mother now and squatted down. “Hi, Sheila.” She raised her head and opened her mouth in a lion grin. I smiled back. “Your cubs are beautiful. How are you feeling?” She let her head flop to the ground and huffed dramatically, making me laugh. “Yes, I’m sure you’re tired.”
Paul and Brandon came into the room and Brandon sat down next to me while Paul walked to Sheila and stroked her head lovingly. “She did great and these two are incredibly strong.”
“Have they changed yet?” Brandon asked as he moved closer to my side, pressing his arm up against mine.
Paul shook his head. “It’s too early, they’re only two weeks old.”
Brandon frowned. “I changed a few days after birth. Is that not normal?”
Paul’s wide eyes said it clearly. “Not for our pride. None of us has changed until we were three or four weeks old.”
“That’s not true,” I said, “Dad changed when he was a few days old too.” Mark had told me that changing only a day or two after birth was a sign of an Alpha. I looked at Brandon and realized what I should have known sooner, he was Alpha material and that was probably the only reason he could let me make him submit during play fights and not try to rip off my head.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Brandon asked.
I shook my head and crawled on my hands and knees towards Sheila. “May I have a closer look?”
Paul watched Sheila a moment and then nodded his head. “Yes, but try not to startle the cubs. They bite if they are startled.”
I crawled slowly and was almost to them when their nostrils flared and they became scared. Sheila growled, sat up and scanned the room for the threat. I backed up quickly and ran into Brandon who had stayed back behind me. She flared her nostrils and then looked at me in surprise. “It’s just Victoria,” Paul said calmly, “You think I wouldn’t notice a threat in the room with us?”
Sheila rolled her eyes at Paul and bobbed her head at me. I stood up and shook my head, backing away slowly as tears built in my eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare them. I didn’t think about my scent frightening them.”
“It’s alright, they just need to get used to your scent,” Paul said softly, trying to soothe everyone in the room.
“They shouldn’t have to get used to my scent. They shouldn’t have to be taught that I’m pride,” I whispered. I looked longingly at Paul and Sheila and their family and backed away. “I’m sorry.”
“Victoria,” Paul whispered, “It’s alright.”
“No. It’s not,” I said and then ran out the front door. I crashed through the trees as I made my way deeper into the woods. I knew I wasn’t truly pride, but to have the cubs get frightened just of my scent hurt more than anything else. I wiped at th
e tears in my eyes and tripped over a root, which knocked the air out of my lungs when I fell.
I rolled onto my side in the leaf covered floor and cried from the pain in my ankle to the pain in my heart. How could I be pride if my scent alone frightened the cubs?
Brandon dropped to his knees and pushed my pant leg up to examine my ankle. I jerked my leg back from him and stood up, holding my foot off of the ground. “Stop. Just leave me alone.”
Brandon walked towards me, ignoring my words. “I’m sorry that happened.”
I turned away from his pitying eyes. “Don’t be. It’s just how things are. Lions are scared of anything non-pride when they’re young and that’s all I am to them.” I tried to limp away, but the instant I put pressure on the foot I screamed in pain and fell to my knees.
“You broke it,” Brandon whispered, “Please don’t try to walk on it.”
I cried and curled up into a ball on the forest floor. “What’s going on?” Dad asked angrily.
“She broke her ankle,” Brandon whispered.
“How?”
“She tripped over a root that she didn’t see sticking up out of the ground.”
“That is not why she is crying. What did you do to my cub?” Dad asked, his words edged with growl.
“I’m not your cub!” I yelled. “I’m not a lion!” I crawled to a tree and used it to pull myself up.
“What happened?” he asked in a softer tone.
“My cubs were afraid of her scent,” Paul said softly from behind me. “Victoria, come back to the house. We’ll teach them your scent.”
I turned and would have fallen if not for the tree behind me. “Don’t any of you get it?! No matter how hard you all try, I will never be pride. I may know the verbal and body language of lions, but all I will ever be is a hybrid! Do you know why Bob told you that I was in pain? Because I am! Every time the pride goes on a hunt. Every time I watch two lions playing together. Every time I see a mated pair and know that I will never have any of that. I thought I had gotten over it and that I could deal with it, but the truth is that Brandon’s not going to play pride mate with me forever. One day he will find a mate and so will Mark and I will be all alone.”
Daughter of Lions Page 13