Page 79 of Villainous Fate

Marcus

Shit.

I was going for a better first impression than that. Or, well, a second impression. I guess the diner counts as the first.

“I… I don’t… I’m so,” she stops me this time, raising her hand to cut off my apology.

“No, it isn’t you. I just miss him, and knowing he is talking about me and even making stupid impressions of me makes me miss him all over again. His letters are the only thing keeping me going these days,” she sniffs out, attempting to stop her tears as she hugs the envelope to her chest.

Every fiber of my being wants to comfort her, but she isn’t mine to console, so I shove my hands into my pockets and look down at the ground, allowing her time to compose herself.

“He talked about you every day,” I say, my voice just above a whisper. My stare flips back up as her eyes brim with tears again.

Damnit!

“Well, not every day. He didn’t trust me that much at first, but after the second trial, I think that's when we realized it was us against everybody else. I wouldn’t have survived if it weren’t for him,” I admit quietly, hoping the words would help her emotions.

She laughs. It’s a single sound that almost escapes against her will before she responds.

“It’s funny. He said the same thing in one of his letters about you—saving him, I mean. He wouldn't have made it if you hadn’t been at the retreat. Deacon doesn’t admit defeat lightly, so I know he meant it,” she says, another tear sliding down her cheek.

Against my better judgment, I reach for it, sliding my thumb across the stream before pulling away so as not to be improper.

“Thank you,” she says, though I almost miss her words because they are so small. “For keeping him alive for me. Thank you.” Her eyes lock on mine, and I see the unmatched sincerity swirling in their depths.

“He’s my best friend,” I respond truthfully with a shrug. She smiles at that before answering.

“Mine too.”

Yeah, I guess you're right.

“Will you please allow me to escort you home? Deacon would have my as…errr butt if I let you walk home alone.”

“Deal,” she says, turning and continuing on the path she was walking when I startled her. I fall into step and do my best to distract her as I ask her what her week looks like, answer what Luca told me I would be doing, and chat our way into the evening.

Before I knew it, we were at her house.

Not a moment of our walk felt uncomfortable. It didn’t feel like we were meeting for the first time, but rather that we had known each other forever.

I discovered she knew almost as much as I did about American history, a subject not usually taught in pack schools to the same level as public schools. However, she admitted that most of her knowledge there came from her time in the library. She hated sports, except golf, which I argued wasn’t a sport but rather a game. We went back and forth several times before she gave up and admitted that either way, she enjoyed the quiet of it while she was reading at home.

Grace was bright, engaging, and funny. It made me happy to know Deacon had found someone who was such a solid partner for him. Someone who would push him in life since I knew he had no intentions of seeking pack hierarchy for his future.

I knew that the next few months would be easier to get through with her friendship and that the three of us might even be in a pack together someday.

The thought of having them both in my pack excites me for my future. Now, it was time to learn how to lead.

***

The following day, I wake up with the sun and go for a run on two legs before shifting into my wolf in the woods and checking out some of the trails in the area.

By the time I return to the pack house, breakfast is nearly over, and I rush in to grab something to eat before hitting the showers.

“Whoa! Slow down there, Turbo. What’s the rush?” Luca’s cheerful voice catches my attention as I practically inhale the eggs and bacon from my plate. He sits across from me, grabbing the apple from my plate before biting it.

“Hey, Luca. I'm just trying to get my day going. Is there any word on my schedule?” I ask, around another large scoop of eggs.

“Actually, that’s why I came to find you. We have a small council meeting in an hour. Think you are up for it? I know you are still settling in,” he says before taking another bite from my apple.

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