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

whathe'djustsaid.“Whyareyouhidingout?They let youleave...why notjustgosomewhereyouwanttobeandstartanewlife?”
    “Because,Ruby,theyhavenohonor.They'llcomeforuswhenthey thinkwe'vedroppedourguards―becomecomplacent.It'stheirnature.”
    “Okay,butIstilldon'tgetwhyyou're here ,”Iargued.
    “Wesawyouinthewoods,”hesaid,hesitatingslightly.“Thereare stories―rumors―ofawolfsopowerfulthatshecan'tbestoppedby anyoneoranything.ARougeetBlanc,”hesaidcautiously,looking directlyatSean.“WhenIfirstsawyou,Iknewitwastrue.Youarethat wolf.Wewanttojoin you .”
    “AreyousayingIhaveaworldwidereputation?”Iasked, dumbfounded.
    “Jesus,Ruby,”Coopersighed.“Thisishardlyatimetoworryabout yourinternationalstreetcred.”
    “That'snotwhatIwassaying!”Isnappedathim.“I'mjusttryingto clarifythattherearepeoplethatknowaboutme.ThatknowwhatIam.”
    “Yes,Ruby,”Beckettsaidgruffly,stillflankingJannerlikeagood littlesoldier.“Whenyoutorepastusinthewoodsonenight,redeyes blazing,weallknew.Wejustneverimaginedyou'dshowuponour doorstep.It'sasign.”
    “Ilikedyoumorewhenyouwerequiet,”Coopersnarled.“She didn'tshowuponyourdoorstep.ThewayIheardit,youstalkedher throughthewoodsandthenattackedher.”
    Seangrowled,lungingatthetrio.HehadJannerpinnedtothe groundbeforeIevensawhimmove.Beckettknewenoughtostandaside, buthelookedpissedaboutittosaytheleast.Notknowinganybetter, AlistairattemptedtoaidhisbrotherwolfandgottackledbyCooperfor hisefforts.
    “Ruby,”Seangrumbled,stillholdingJannertightlybythethroat.
    “ Explain .”
    “Nothinghappened,Sean,”Isaid,finallygraspingtheseverityof thesituation.HewasgoingtokillJannerifhedidn'tfindmyexplanation satisfactory.“Theyfoundme.Theyfedme,clothedme,andbroughtme home.Iwouldn'tbehereifitweren'tforthem.”Hisgriplighteneda minisculeamount.IrealizedIwasn'tansweringtherightquestion.
    Ikneltbesidehim,wrappingmyhandaroundhiswrist,tryingto lowermyfaceintohislineofsight.
    “Sean,”Isaidsoftly,“theydidn't touch me...okay?Nothinglikethat happened,Ipromise.”
    Hiseyeswereblackasnight,butwhentheyfinallymetmine,a flashofemeraldbrokethrough,ifonlyforasecond.HereleasedJanner andstood,hoveringabovehim.IleanedforwardtoseeifJannerwasall right,butSeansnatchedmebytheshoulderandstoodmeupbeforeI couldevengetnearhim.
    “Don'ttouchhim,”heordered,stillholdingtightlyontomyarm.“I thinkit'stimeforyourcompanytogo,Ruby.”
    “Sean,”Istarted,choosingmywordsandtoneverycarefully.“They cametomebecausetheyneedhelp.Theydidasmuchforme.Iwantto hearthemout. Please .”
    Hischestrumbledviolently,buthishostilityneverfullymadeitto hisface―thathekeptasexpressionlessaspossible.
    “Cooper,maybeyoushouldtakethesemuttsoutofhereforawhile.
    Canyouhandlethat?”
    “I'mnotwildaboutyourplan,Rubes,”Coopersaid,addressingme beforeheansweredSean'squestion.Alwaysapissingcontestwiththose two."Butyes,Icantakethemoutofhereforabit.Maybewe'llgo somewherereallyniceandprivatesoIcangetsomerealanswersoutof theseaccent-wieldingchuckleheads.”
    “Cooper...,”Isighed,hatinghisattitude.
    “Iknow,Iknow.Benicetothestrays,Igetit,”hemoaned.“You're suchabuzzkillsometimes.”Helookedovertothehomelesstrioand motionedforthemtofollowhimout.Muchtomysurprise,theyfollowed withoutsomuchasaword―notevenfromAlistair.
    IcaughtCooper'seyebeforeheshutthedoor. Becareful, mygaze toldhim.HiseyesdriftedtoSeanbrieflythenbacktomesaying, be carefulyourself.
    Thedoorclosedheavily,leavingSeanandmeshutinwithour growingsilence.Icouldfeelhispenetratingstarewillingmetolookat him,butIcouldn't.Iwasemotionallywastedandphysicallyexhausted, andnotupforthetalkthatIknewwehadtohave.Howdoyouapologize fornearlykillingtheoneyoulove?
    Withoutexplanation,Islowlystarteddownthehallwaytomyroom, knowingthathewouldlikelyfollowmylead.Hewasn'tgoingtoletme walkaway;he'dsaidasmuchwhenheshowedupatmyapartment.What Iwasn'tsureaboutwashowthatconversationwasgoingtogoonceit started.
    Myroomwasdarkandchaoticasusual.I'dleftforMatty'sfuneral inafrenzy,andtheclothesstrewnallthroughmyroomwereevidenceof