Jaeden smiled. “Caia, weren’t you a bit of a loner at your old school?”
She nodded. So what?
“Loner’s are just as conspicuous, but no one really said anything, right?”
Caia shook her head. “That’s different. I mean, I just... listen to them. We unsettle them.”
Alexa growled in irritation. “Look, they just see us as a bunch of really cool, hot kids who only like to play with other really cool, hot kids. They call us weird and whisper about us because that’s what jealous biatches do. There’s no need to worry.” She heaved a dramatic sigh as if she was talking to a moron who should know this stuff already. “Lucien moved us into town gradually over five years. We didn’t all just appear here together. One family moved in, and then another, and we gradually pretended to befriend each other over the years, just like ordinary folks. So … not suspicion.” She gestured to ‘them’. “Jealousy. Normal, teen, green envy. You should feel honored to be one of us … Cy.”
Caia wasn’t sure she was convinced. “Bu-”
“Why don’t you can the questions?” Alexa glared at her meaningfully. “You don’t want to annoy me.”
What she really wanted was for her to go to Hades, but Caia was a little worried that Lucien might believe Alexa over her. It was definitely too soon to be getting in trouble with the Pack Leader. When it was obvious Caia wasn’t going to retaliate, Dana snickered at Alexa’s victory. It was a short-lived snicker, followed by an ‘Ow’. Jaeden had kicked her under the table and was now turned towards Alexa. “Why don’t you sheath your claws, Alex?”
“I hate that name,” Alexa spat.
Jaeden smirked. “I know.”
“Ladies,” Mal growled, “Please. You’re spoiling my appetite.”
Caia looked down at her food, feeling Jaeden’s gaze on her.
“So, that’s why you didn’t tell that spawn of the undead where to go?” Jaeden mused, as she drove Caia home.
“Pretty much.”
“And you didn’t kick her?”
“I swear to Gaia I don’t know what happened in that classroom.”
Jaeden shrugged. “Just ignore her then. You know Alexa’s unbalanced enough to have pushed her own damn chair away from you.”
“It was just... weird.”
Caia was exhausted. She hoped everyday with the pack wasn’t going to be as trying as today had been.
And she had been so stupidly optimistic this morning.
Jaeden pulled the car up to the driveway and Caia was surprised to see Lucien was already home; an unfamiliar car parked beside his.
“Is it always like this, do you know?” she quizzed Jaeden, gesturing to the vehicle.
Jaeden smiled in understanding. “He’s Pack Leader, so you’ll find the house pretty busy. You know, if you ever need space to breathe you’re always welcome at my house.”
It must have been the exhaustion but Caia felt her eyes watering at this young girl’s kindness, her friendship like air to a trapped claustrophobic. Rapidly blinking to blot out the tears, she smiled wearily and thanked her.
“Cy?” Jaeden stopped her as she was getting out of the Buick.
“Yeah?”
She looked away from Caia, a deep frown creasing in between her eyebrows. She sighed, seeming unsure whether to say what she was going to say. She bit her lip.
“Jaeden,” Caia prompted.
“OK.” She sighed. “I... just... I want you to tell me if Alexa bothers you, OK.”
“You know, contrary to popular belief I can take care of myself.”