31 She Needs Protection

I stiffened upon hearing him snap at me, "What?"

I blinked, my mind was still processing what had just happened. Although Ryan was an ass, he was James's sister's mate. I bit my lip as I thought of the consequences of what he'd done.

I looked down when I remembered how horrible his mother had been. She's a Lycan, they don't have intolerances to anything. I sighed and remembered he'd asked a question.

I then realized that my hearing in my right ear had come back. I shrugged in answer in his question.

"You're not going to say anything?" He asked angrily with an edge of a growl, then he muttered almost as though he thought I couldn't hear him, "Don't even know why I bother."

When we got back to our new home I immediately dropped the Tupperware container of cookies on the counter.

His mother didn't offend me, she just annoyed me slightly. Lycans truly were such arrogant people.

My thoughts inevitably drifted to Raph and his pride measured equally with his wisdom and humbleness.

"They are good cookies though." I looked up hearing James mumble under his breath as he stuffed another cookie into his mouth.

I rolled my eyes and walked upstairs with my container of cookies.

"Hey! Give me one of those." He called after me and I turned to look at him. He reached and grabbed a cookie. I walked back and left the container on the counter. I didn't want him talking to me anymore.

I walked up the stairs and hid in the refuge of my room. It was strange… I couldn't puzzle out why James continued to stand up for me. It made no sense. He was angry with me the whole day and then he defends me.

I shook my head. It was just because Ryan was being an ass and he was being disrespectful to a Gamma. I sighed, but still felt uneasy.

~~~~~~~~

James stood leaning against the counter as he ate the cookies that the human had made. They were decent cookies.

He sighed, he was the same as his parents—they hated humans—yet he wouldn't have rejected food. Or would he have? He couldn't make sense of it. Why was he eating food that the human made? He guessed that he helped her to make them but… it made no difference.

He opened the fridge and grabbed a beer, not caring if she had one of her panic attacks, even though she was extremely difficult to calm down.

A rap sounded at the door. He sensed it was Beta and he walked through to the entryway and opened the door.

"James! Hey, how ya been?" He asked casually as he stood on the front steps.

James cleared his throat, "I've been fine." Beta walked in and James closed the door behind him, "And you?"

Beta nodded, his hands in his pockets, "I'm doing great. Did you know that Raph had an obstacle course installed in his attic?"

James's brows rose at this and he shook his head, "No. I didn't."

"Yeah, yeah he did." They stood in an awkward silence for a few moments before Beta said, "I heard that you got into a… shall we say, quarrel with your family?" He asked, quirking a brow.

James cleared his throat and glanced up the stairs, "Let's talk downstairs."

Beta nodded and they both walked down the flight of stairs that led to the basement. It was lit and James remembered that the human had been down there prior to burning her hands.

They sat down, James on a dingy, old couch and Beta on a creaky leather chair.

"Why did you attack Ryan?" Beta asked, his leg crossed over the other.

"Today, or yesterday?" James asked, not hiding his boredom.

Beta narrowed his eyes, "We'll start with yesterday and then move on to today."

James had never known Beta well, but when he was Gamma he was much more jovial, now he exuded the same power and wisdom as the previous Beta had.

James huffed, "Last night, he…" He wasn't sure he wanted to reveal his weakness of protecting the human.

Beta raised a brow expectantly, "He…?"

He clenched his jaw as he tried to think of a way to answer, "Ryan attacked the human."

"He attacked Brooke?" Beta asked, his eyes wide and his fists clenching the arms of the chair.

James nodded, feeling slightly ashamed that that was his reason for attacking his sister's mate. 'Oh, I'm gonna have hell to pay for today.' He thought exhaustedly.

"And what about today? Did he attack Brooke again?"

"No. He was being an arrogant prick so I put him in his place." James muttered as he took a swig of his beer.

"How is she?" Beta asked, looking up the stairs.

James scoffed and shrugged, "Who can tell?"

Beta shot him a look of confusion, "Why protect her when you clearly have no care for her?"

James took another long drink from his beer, tasting the liquid before it poured down his throat.

'Why indeed?'

"James?" He asked and he looked up from where he'd been staring into space.

He cleared his throat and wondered if it would be such a bad idea to tell his Beta, "My wolf wants me to."

Beta looked even more confused and opened his mouth to reply but James stopped him.

"I don't know why. And it changes its mind, it can never decide is she's friend or foe."

Beta was quiet and seemed to be thinking deeply, "It's in a Lycan's nature to protect those closest to it, its pack, its blood, its mate." Both held the others gaze when he uttered those words.

"But she's not any of those." He replied tiredly.

"No. But she is in need of protection. Maybe your wolf senses it and because you no longer have a mate your wolf is trying to find someone to protect."

James closed his eyes and bent forward, rubbing his eyes with his hand, "So, you're saying that my wolf wants to protect her because I don't have a mate and she's the weakest thing on the planet?"

Beta growled lowly and his gold eyes lowered dangerously. James bowed his head and muttered an apology.

"I've told you this before, and though it's hard to believe… she is the strongest female in this pack."

James looked up to see if he would say, save the Luna, but he didn't. He faltered, "What about Luna?"

Before Beta could answer a scream erupted from an unseen source. James groaned in annoyance and Beta sprinted up the stairs.