26 An Unhappy Meeting

James sat watching his sister, smiling nervously, and his father, his face as hard as a rock. He could hear his mother bustling in the kitchen and smell a ham cooking.

He glanced again at the human who was sitting with her back straight but her head bowed. He looked up when his sister took a breath and saw that she was going to speak.

"I'm not sure if I've introduced myself, I'm Elenor, James's sister. My mate will be joining us sometime later."

The human nodded wordlessly, as always, and his sister gave him a look asking for help.

He shrugged, -She doesn't talk unless she wants to.- He said as an excuse for her behaviour.

-Does she talk to you?- She asked and they both glanced at the human when she sighed quietly.

-No.- He answered and his sister gave him a look that said for him to do something to make her talk.

They sat in an awkward silence, James was accustomed to it, but his sister was not. He could see that she was fighting her fidgeting nature, only because their father was present.

"Do you have any hobbies, Brooke?" She asked after a few more seconds. James raised his eyebrows, why was she pushing? He knew why, his sister hated silence. But he still didn't understand why she was continuing in questioning the human. He'd already told her that she didn't talk much.

The human nodded in answer to Elenor's question. James could tell that she uncomfortable, although she was hiding it well.

"Dinner's ready!" His mother proclaimed as she walked in with two different dishes in her hands. One was broccoli and the other was mashed potatoes, "I'll be right back with the ham." She said with a forced smile.

Soon dinner was served and each person was eating in silence.

"You know the food's good when everyone's quiet." Elenor said happily, and she smiled for a split second before returning to her meal. James looked down at the human who was eating her mashed potatoes blandly.

Shaking his head he returned to eating the mushy broccoli.

"How is it James?" His sister asked and he nodded as he chewed.

"It's good." He replied after swallowing. His sister nodded and he could see that she was nervous. As soon as her mate arrived he knew that she would feel better.

His mind faded to a distant memory where he'd been at a Pack picnic and Lilla was late. He'd been a bundle of nerves looking for her every second and tripping over his own feet and tongue. As soon as she'd appeared he'd immediately calmed and they'd eaten ice cream by the lake.

He was snapped out of his thoughts by the human pushing her chair out.

She pushed it back in, she had the eyes of everyone seated at the table. She grabbed her cup and was about to walk away when he asked, "What are you doing?"

She looked at him with her hollow eyes and raised her cup, shaking it.

He nodded, understanding that she wanted more water. He returned to his food but closed his eyes in annoyance when he heard his mother speak in his mind.

-What is wrong with her? Does she not speak at all? She's like an imbecilic child.-

James did his best not to clench his fists, -She just prefers not to talk.-

-But why? It makes no sense. I guess that humans are simply weak.- She said seeming satisfied with her answer.

He ground his teeth. His nose then picked up a familiar scent.

"James don't grind your teeth, I can hear you from here." His mother said and he internally groaned.

He suddenly heard the human's heart rate pick up, which happened all the time what with her heart palpitations and random panic attacks. He could hear the familiar presence's heartbeat and breathing. He glanced at his sister but she seemed preoccupied with what their mother was now saying.

He wasn't even paying attention as he monitored the human's condition. The faucet was turned on and he heard the water run.

"Here." The voice of the new person said in a whisper. James didn't like this.

"James? James. James what are you eavesdropping on now?" His mother's voice sounded and he blinked. He was the only one in their family to have a hunter's gift. His father was a warrior and his mother was strategy. His sister was strategy also, but she'd never been in battle despite her age of one hundred eleven.

He turned his head when the human's heart rate began to speed at a dangerous pace.

"James, answer me when I'm speaking to you." His mother squawked.

His brow was drawn in concentration as he swallowed. Something was wrong....

He stood abruptly when he heard a faint and subtle whisper, one that wouldn't have been heard to his family's ears. The human had whispered, "James."

His chair fell back with a loud crash. His mother yelled at him while his sister seemed to notice that her mate was present.

He nearly broke the door to the kitchen down and his face burned with anger when he saw the scene before him.

His sister's mate, his "brother-in-law" had the human pinned against a cabinet, only a foot separated them, his tall and dark form looming over her.

He released a low growl and stepped towards him, "Ryan, get away from her." He said in a dark voice.

Ryan stepped away, his arm still placed next to the human's head. James could now see her eyes, her facade was crumbling and her fear was showing.

"Why?" Ryan asked with a chuckle, "She's the human the Beta was forced to mate with, that you were forced to mate with. This human has caused nothing but trouble."

At the mention of her mate James saw her eyes harden slightly. It surprised him, but only for a moment. His own eyes darkened and he faced his brother-in-law. He stood taller than the hunter by a few inches, a few inches that granted him authority.

Even though he was the Gamma, Ryan seemed to have little to no respect for that fact.

He swiftly moved and placed himself between the human and the sneering Lycan, "I am under orders from Alpha to protect this human. I don't care if you or anyone else has a problem with that. You will not touch her." He growled.

Ryan chuckled and placed his hand on James's shoulder. He shot him a warning glare but the insolent Lycan persisted, "She's not even your mate, why defend such a weak and pathetic being? Listen to that, she's shaking." He said in a mocking tone.

James knew that both his mother and his sister were standing in the doorway, both watching the scene unfold before them.

James had had enough of Ryan's taunting. He grabbed his wrist and heard it crack as he removed it from his shoulder. Ryan yelled in pain but James could hardly care.

He grabbed the human, with more care then when he'd grabbed Ryan, and left the house from the kitchen door.

He pulled her along and she followed through the snow. The moon was full in the sky and lit the way as they walked back to the car.

He opened the door and once she'd climbed in he slammed it. There was something about what Ryan had done that irked him, it made him want to roll his shoulders in anger. He growled as he stomped to the driver's seat.

Neither of them spoke a word as he drove back to the house. It was probably best.