Read Online FRACTURED by Amber Lynn Natusch - Free Book Online Page A

seewhatI'dbumpedinto,hisenergyslammedthroughmelikeabull throughacrowd.
    Calm.
    “No.Sheisn'this,”Seanrumbledovertopofme.“Sheis mine .”

    9
    WhenIfinallyturnedtoseeSean'sface,hewasalreadyleaningdown,his lipsatmyears.
    “Youdidn'tthinkyoucouldgetridofme that easily,didyou?”he purred,makingeveryhaironmybodystandup.Partofmewantedto clingtohimviolently;therestwantedtorunlikehell.Hiscommentwas fartoolacedwithdoublemeaningformyliking.
    Whenhepulledawayslowly,Inervouslywaitedtoseethe expressiononhisface.Iwasmetwithamiddlegroundofsorts.His curioussmirksaid“Arewestillplayingcatandmouse...Ithoughtwe werepastthat,”buthiseyestoldadifferenttale.Theirforestgreenhue didnothelptosettlemyneedtoflee.
    “Iamhermate,”Seanbarkedatthetrio,whohadceasedtomove thesecondheappeared.“Anyoneherecaretochallengethat?”Hestood solidly,staringthemdownacrossthenarrowdivide.
    JannerandBeckettslowlyanddeliberatelyshooktheirheads'no'
    whileAlistairstaredhimdown.
    “Whothefuck―”
    “Alistair!”Jannercried,shuttingtheothermanup.“Foroncewill youpleasekeepyourfootoutofyourmouth?Heisnottobequestioned, understood?”AlistairglaredatthesideofJanner'sface,butsaidnothing else.HeapparentlyfolloweddirectionsbetterthanIdid.“I'm sorry...Alistairis young .Hehasalottolearnyet.”
    IlookedAlistairoveragain,thinkinghedidn'tlookallthatyoungto me,maybealittleolderthanmyself.Thenitdawnedonmethathewasn't talkingchronologicalage―hemeantwerewolfyears.
    “Ithinktheseclownswerejustabouttoleave,Sean,”Coopersaid, turninghisattentionawayfromthemenforthefirsttime.“Perhaps you wouldlikethepleasureofshowingthemout?Ifnot,I'mhappytodoit.
    Whicheveryouprefer.”
    “No,”Isaid,instantlyregrettingmyinsubordination.Iknewit wouldtakeawhileformetogetthehangofnotcontradictingCooperin frontofothers;ourwholerelationshiphadbeenbuiltonbickering.
    “Sorry,”Isaid,bowingmyheadslightly.“It'sjust...I'mkindofcuriousas towhytheydrovethroughoneoftheworststormsinNewEngland's historytocomehere.”
    “IthinkI'denjoyhearingthatmyself,Ruby,”Seansaidfrombehind me.Myhairsstoodonendatthesoundofhisvoice.Itwascalmand collected,buttheundertoneIfeltwasmurderous.Ihadasneaking suspicionthatifhedidn'tlikewhattheyhadtosay,I'dbehavingaPC
    clean-upcrewtakingcareofmylivingroom―again.
    “Ofcourse,”JannersaidwithaninclineofhisheadtoSean.“We wereallmembersoftheSouthLondonpack.I'msureyouheardthatthere wassome... dissonance amongstthefamily.”
    “Ihad,”Seanrepliedshortly,implyingthatJannerhadbetterstart tellinghimsomethinghe didn't know,andfast.
    Janneracknowledgedthesituationwithanodandcontinued.
    “ThenIwon'tbothertogointodetailaboutthemurderandunrest withinthepackasI'msureyou'rewellapprised.I'llalsoassumeyou alreadyknowaboutthechangeinleadershipthattookplacerecently.”He pausedlongenoughforSeantoshoothimacuriouslook.Seanhadno ideawhathewasgettingat.“Oh,Isee,”Jannersaidflatly.“Well,there werethoseofuswhofeltthealphawasgettingintothingsheshouldn't andsoughttocounselhimonthematter.Needlesstosay,themeetingdid notgosowell.Hewaskilled.”
    “AndamItoassumethenthatyouthreewereresponsibleforthat?”
    Jannernoddedonce.
    “Soyoudidn'tmeantotakehisplace?”Seanasked,moving forward.
    “No.Onlytostoptheviolence.”
    “Soyoufled?”
    “Yes,”Jannerreplied,droppinghisgazetoSean'schin.“Hehad manysupporterswithinthefamily,andoneofthemwasalltoohappyto takehisplace,rulingashehad.Itwasbanishmentordeath.Wechosethe former.”
    IlookedovertoseeCooper'sexpressionsoftenslightly.Hehad beenamemberofasimilarpackonce,soheunderstoodthequandary theywerein.
    “Butwhyareyou here ?”Cooperasked.
    “Wewereallowedtoleavewithwhatwecouldcarryandwhat moneywecouldgatherbeforeouraccountswereshutdown.Weescaped totheairportandgotthefirstflighttotheUSAthatwecould.Oncewe landedinBoston,weaskedwherethebestandmostsecludedcamping areaintheregionwouldbe,whichledustonorthernMaine.We'vebeen hidingouteversince.”
    “Idon'tunderstand,”Isaid,tryingtoworkthroughthelogisticsof