“That’s quite the thesis statement, killer. Care to back it up with facts?”
“I don’t have to back it up with facts. It's just the truth.”
Thayer crosses his arms over his chest and arches his brows, waiting. Ren huffs. “Fine, professor. Since you insist. If word gets out that you are here, that you’ve been here, that you attended a class here, things are going to get out of hand. People will swarm and they’ll insert themselves and they’ll ask questions of my students about you. They’ll be like flies on shit and I do not want to subject myself or my students to that. Which means I’ll have to resign. You know I’m right, so please justgo.”
“I hate to break it to you, bubbles, but I’m sure everyone already knows you work here. It wouldn’t be that hard to figure out. If they’re determined.”
Ren blows out a breath and shakes her head, lips moving like she’s talking to herself, and it’s so fucking cute. The door at the front of the studio opens with a soft jangle and Ren looks toward it, her face folding into a frown before it’s wiped away and a huge grin takes over.
A real one, like the ones she used to give us, but can’t seem to muster anymore.
I turn to see what has made her so happy, an itch forming between my shoulders that makes my teeth grit. I swear if she’s smiling at another alpha or beta like that, I’m going to-
The thought cuts off as a blonde teenager barrels through the door, trailing a faint lavender scent, and right into Ren’s waiting arms. They hug each other tight and that itch between my shoulders disappears, replaced by a flip of nerves. Looking at that honey blond hair I know who this must be. Ren’s little sister, Ginny.
“What are you doing here, Gin?” Ren asks, pushing the smaller girl away from her by the shoulders, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
“It's Saturday,” Ginny answers with a shrug. “I always come to a class on Saturday.”
“You usually come to the intermediate class on Saturdays,” Ren corrects. Ginny’s eyes move to us, hazel and pretty, but nothing like Ren’s enchanting gaze.
“Yeah, but… I’m guessing they weren’t gonna be at the intermediate class.”
Court grins at her. “Actually we’re planning on hanging out all day. Don’t want to let your sister out of our sight, you know?”
Ginny scoffs and the look she gives my pack mate is full of disdain. “Funny, you didn’t have a problem with doing that a month ago.”
Court’s brows arch like he’d expected her to be charmed enough by him to just forgive the way we treated her sister.
But that’s the thing about Ren.
People love her with their whole hearts and when she’s hurt? Well, everyone will rise to defend her.
It's more than a little telling that the pack of people who are supposed to always, always have her back are the ones being defended against.
Ren tugs Ginny closer to her. “Is that why you’re here? To protect me from them?”
Ginny’s chin tips up in a move that is achingly familiar, and her lips press into a firm line. “They didn’t see you at the airport when you got home, Ren. They didn’t see what they did to you. I did. I did and it was worse than what happened before. You’re my sister and I will not let anyone hurt you that way again.”
This last she says while turning her burning eyes in our direction, the threat in them clear. And honestly, I’d let her stab me in the stomach before I’d raise a hand to Ren’s little sister. I think the others feel the same.
“We’re not planning on hurting her,” Forsythe says, softly, reassuringly.
The teenager shrugs. “Planned or not, it’s probably still gonna happen.” Her expression turns shrewd. “I mean, I haven’t seen any statements from your pack about… well, anything since you found out Ren’s your fated mate. If you were planning on bonding her you’d have said as much by now, right? Isadora is out there saying Ren’s manipulating you, and if she’s not then you picked her over your fated mate and you’ve said absolutely nothing to refute either of those claims.”
I glance at Forsythe a little concerned how he’s going to react to a child taking him to task, but he’s just nodding along like he agrees with her, even though I can feel his guilt through our pack bond.
“We’re waiting to say anything until we’ve worked out what we’re going to do with Florence,” he tells Ginny, likely hoping that will be enough to calm her somewhat.
“What you’re going to do with her? Like she’s a puppy in a divorce? A piece of baggage you have to carry around?”
“Gin,” Florence says softly, reaching out to pull her sister into her again. “He means we need to have a conversation about what we’re going to do moving forward. I’ve been avoiding it.” She says it to be reassuring to Ginny, I know that, but I can’t help the little jump in my chest, that spark of hope that she’s ready to actually have that conversation with us.
“Well, it’s not gonna happen now,” the teenager snorts. “She’s not going to drop everything just because you snap your royal fingers.”
Ren’s mouth kicks up at the corner, pride shining in her expression. “She’s right. I need to get this class started. If you’re staying, grab a mat, lay it at the back of the room. Stay out of the way of my normal students.”
She spins on her heel and drags her little sister away, while we rush to do as she ordered. We don’t want to waste whatever time she’s willing to give us. Of course she doesn’t realize that when it comes to this pack, if she gives us an inch, we’re going to take the whole damn world.
