Page 23 of Wild Wolves

“Relax, hot-head. We’re not here to fight. We’re here to discuss the situation now that we’ve had time to think.” Tiffany strides up next to Alicia and locks her arm with hers. It looks like they might’ve become best friends in the last couple days. I don’t know why, but I’m a bit jealous. A bit sad too. It reminds me that Penelope died. I saw myself being her friend.

I hate that the thought crosses my mind, but a part of me wishes it was one of them instead of her. Am I fucked up? Maybe. At least I’m honest with myself.

“What situation? There isn’t a situation. You guys need to accept that this isn’t the world we left. This island is going to kill us if we don’t take care of ourselves first.” Tristan clenches his fingers into fists, his composure faltering. He might not want to start trouble, but he’ll fight back if he has to.

Adam grabs his shoulder, ensuring he doesn’t swing his spear or something. “He’s right. You didn’t see everything we did.”

“Like hell, we didn’t. We were almost mauled by wolves.” Alicia places her hands on her hips. She scowls and looks at Chase. If she could murder him with her eyes...I’d tackle her. Just the way she looks at him infuriates me.

“Exactly our point. Whatever attacked us weren’t normal wolves. You saw Jack. He was infected by something. His body was evolving in a way I’ve never seen.” Chase crosses his arms over his broad chest. “Freddy, too. If you can’t accept that, then you’re misguided.”

I admire how hot he looks, standing his ground. I find myself gravitating toward him until I reach his side and clasp his hand. Ian and Hank both scowl. Alicia and Tiffany flick their gaze over me as if I’m some sort of monstrous trash. Maybe that’s how they feel about me now. Because I stand beside Chase in our views. He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this. He was helping. I don’t care what they think. They aren’t any better than us. They didn’t rush to help save them either.

“You should’ve let us talk about it. You didn’t know that for sure. You could’ve just killed him for no reason.” This comes from Reggie, his voice rising in pitch.

Chase shrugs his shoulders. “Sometimes we have to make decisions for others because you guys can’t think clearly. I don’t know why you can’t grasp the fact that Jack was already dying and whatever was happening to his body was only torturing him until the end. His wounds were too damn severe. If that was me, I’d expect you to do the same.”

“Yeah, man. I agree. I don’t want to be that bullshit. You could hear his bones snapping.” Adam comes to my other side and laces his fingers through mine. It should feel weirder than it does, but all I feel is protected and safe between them.

Alicia tightens her hold on her spear and lifts it, pointing it at me. “This is all your doing. You’re the one who suggested it in the first place.”

Tristan gets in front of me. “Back up.”

“Do you think I’m going to hurt her or something? I’m not the one who is a psychopath. So don’t act as if I am one.” Alicia leers, her face twisting with her outrage. “And you know what? We did come to try to amend things. We don’t think all of you should be banished. Only Chase. We can’t stay around someone we don’t trust.”

“Feeling’s mutual,” Chase mutters lowly.

“I’m starting to feel the same about Eliana,” Reggie says, shifting his jaw as he tightens his mouth. He whips his gaze down my body and back up.

“We’re not abandoning either of them. So just go back to your damn shelter. We don’t need you or want you around. We obviously can’t agree on how to deal with the situation. Might as well just do our own thing.” Evander growls with his words.

“That’s probably the only reason why they came,” Tristan says, stabbing his spear into the ground. “They need us. We have the skills they don’t. I doubt any of them are going to successfully spear a fish. They probably can’t get their shelters to stay up either.”

“Or fucking fight off a wolf,” Adam adds.

“Or, you know, do a little first aid.” Davian smirks, and I can’t help my mouth as it mirrors his. Because they’re all right. I bet the only reason the others have come back to us is because they might not be able to survive alone.

I should feel bad.

I should feel guilty.

But I’m feeling especially petty right now. I want them to regret their actions. They act like they’re saints, but they’re the ones that up and left Penelope and Creed to die. They didn’t try to help Jack as he was mauled. They probably didn’t even know Freddy was dragged off.

Sure, we were prepared to run to the waves, but we were still also prepared to help. We tried.

“Whatever. We’ll manage just fine.” Alicia takes a step back, shifting in the sand to look around. “Maybe you can just stay out of our way until you come to your senses and return to being civilized people and not savages. You’ll come to us eventually. You think that you know everything, but you don’t. And when you do need help, don’t expect any.”

Wow. I don’t even know how or why we came to this position. I should’ve expected it. I know how the world works. I just hate that people have died. I hate that we’re in this position to begin with.

Evander looks at the rest of their group and lifts his chin. “You guys don’t have to hesitate to come to us, but we do expect an apology. We also expect you to understand that some things must be done. We’re not going to jeopardize everyone with just the hope of things turning out to be okay.”

Adam motions his fingers, wiggling them. “And if any of you guys want to stay now, you’re welcome to. It’s going to be dark soon. You might not even make it back to your camp by sundown. I bet you didn’t even think about that, huh?”

Alicia’s stern expression breaks, and she frowns. Adam was right. They were probably so caught up with themselves that they didn’t even think about the fact that the sun sets.

“We’re going to be fine,” Alicia says, holding her hand out to Ian. “We can take care of ourselves. Don’t let them get into your head. Come on. Let’s go.”

Chase glances at me with his peripheral vision, squeezing my fingers. The six of us watch their group turn around and stalk away. I bet the second they get out of our view, they’ll make a run for it. I can’t blame them, but I can find amusement in their attempt at getting us to return and banish Chase.

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