"On a scale of one to ten, how badly do you want to kill him right now?"
"I'm hovering in the high fifties."
"But I said-"
"I know."
"Fidoo..." Ellie said in a sing-song, poking her brother's bicep playfully. Tristian rolled his eyes, flipping his sister off. "You know I don't like him either, right? He's a manipulative bastard, I can see it on his face." It had been nearly two hours since her brother had returned to the house, expression carefully neutral, but she could practically see anger radiating off of him. It had taken a few tries, but Tristian had finally calmed down and told Ellie what had riled him up so much.
"He's your mate, though. Right?" Ellie asked, resting her head on Tristian's shoulder. Tristian heaved out a sigh.
"I've Imprinted on him. But that smug bastard also likes him. Didn't you see the way he blatantly challenged me the first time we met?" Ellie remembered. Shawn had tried to assert dominance over her brother, and thought he won. Ellie knew that Tristian wouldn't ever back down - he was the next Alpha, after all.
"I didn't think that the Imprint was a good idea, though." Tristian's eyebrows furrowed. He remembered that the first time he'd seen Hunter was nearly four months ago, much before he'd been properly introduced. His stupid heart had stuttered, jumped slightly the moment he saw Hunter. Hunter had never looked his way until Ellie dragged him over.
Then, his heart had revved into overdrive when their eyes met, and he knew that Hunter was supposed to be his mate. Another damn human. Tristian thought bitterly. Why did he always have to fall for them?
Do you think anyone will love someone as broken as you? Tristian forced the nagging little voice out of his head, and relaxed when he felt his sister running her thumbs across his forehead.
"You're gonna get wrinkles, Trist." Ellie snorted, and Tristian fought the urge to roll his eyes.
"I feel different around him." Tristian said suddenly, though his voice was quiet. Ellie's eyes flickered to the open door, and Tristian shrugged. Ellie slid off of the bed, and gently closed the door, before hopping back up beside him. "I don't feel like... this, when I'm near him." Tristian said, gesturing to himself. It hurt Ellie to see the disgust that her brother held for himself.
"What do you feel?" Ellie asked softly. Tristian fell silent.
"More confident, and less broken." Tristian replied. "I just forget about a lot of things that weigh me down." Ellie rubbed his back, and her brother leaned his head against her shoulder. "It's hard though, with..." Tristian trailed off.
"Yeah." Ellie murmured. Their father had passed away a few weeks ago - at the end of Tristian and Hunter's first tutoring session, and his health had been spiraling. Excluding herself, Hunter seemed to be the only thing keeping Tristan grounded, and now some other competing male had swooped in to snatch it from the wolf.
Normally, an alpha wolf wouldn’t hesitate to rise to the challenge, to tear into an opposing competitor. But something was holding Tristain’s wolf back, and Ellie wasn't sure that she liked it. A low buzz came from Tristain’s pocket, and her brother furrowed his brows in confusion before digging around to find it. A sharp inhale had Ellie peering over Tristain’s shoulder, and felt a similar stab of anger flash through her body.
Hunter: Hey Tristian. Can you come pick me up?
Hunter: Please?
Hunter: I’m sorry about earlier.
Tristan: What’s wrong? I’ll come get you.
Hunter: Ha… funny story. I’ll explain when you get here.
“I’ll be back.” Tristan said softly, tilting his head to kiss Ellie on the forehead. “Make sure that the pack doesn’t get out of control.” Ellie nodded, watching as her brother stood, slipping his phone back in his pocket. There was a tenseness to his shoulders as he stood, and Ellie watched, teeth worrying her lower lip as the front door clicked.
Tristan arrived at the address Hunter had texted; the small pub in the downtown area. As he stepped out of the car, his nose caught the scent of cinnamon and something sweet, following it until it led him to Hunter. The human boy was curled up on a bench, shivering with his knees hugged to his chest, arms wrapped around his legs. It was chilly out, and the thin button down Hunter wore likely wasn’t enough to keep him warm.
“Hey.” Tristan said, voice low. Hunter jumped slightly, whirling around with wide eyes. His eyes looked a little bloodshot, hurt and confusion rolling off of him in waves. Tristan shrugged off his hoodie and handed it to Hunter. “Let’s go.” Hunter accepted the hoodie, pulling it over his head quickly before following Tristan back to the car.
“Shawn tried to convince me to go into the pub after dinner.” Hunter said as Tristan started the engine. Tristan paused briefly, glancing over at the human to arch a brow. Hunter flushed. “I told him that it made me uncomfortable, but Shawn had a glass of wine, or something, so he was a little tipsy. He got mad and left me.” Hunter shrugged helplessly, but Tristan could still smell the hurt surrounding him.
“What an asshole.” Tristan growled beneath his breath, too low for Hunter to hear. “Give me instructions so I can drop you off on the way back.” Tristan couldn’t remember how he used to act around Hunter before he knew of their date. He knew that Hunter and Shawn had some sort of… thing going on, but his wolf’s instincts told him that Shawn only wanted one thing from Hunter; and it pissed him off.
“I thought you wouldn’t come.” Hunter said as they were stopped at a red light. Tristan was jolted from his thoughts, and frowned, brow furrowing.
“I said I was coming, didn’t I?” It came out more clipped that Tristan had hoped it would, and he suppressed a grimace as Hunter flinched back.
“I thought you were still mad at me.” Hunter said, his voice a mere whisper.
“I’m not. I’m mad at Shawn for being a jerk to you on your first date.” Hunter blinked, looking bewildered. He didn’t respond, though Tristan could smell a sense of relief, with that sweet hint of cinnamon as Hunter relaxed into the passenger’s seat.
It was a fifteen minute drive, a little awkward and the air slightly tense with Tristan’s annoyance with the dumb human boy who’d asked his hopefully-to-be-mate out, abandoning him halfway through.
“Thanks.” Hunter said, as Tristan pulled up to the human boy’s driveway. Tristan shrugged.
“You should be more careful. Make better choices of who you date.” Hunter shot Tristan a scowl, standing on the sidewalk with the car door propped open.
“So who should I date? You?” Tristan felt a small smirk curl at the corner of his lips as Hunter slammed the car door shut. He pressed the buttons on his car door to open the windows.
“I wouldn’t say no.” Tristan said, shooting a quick wink at Hunter, who gaped incredulously at him. “Oh, and keep the hoodie if you want it.” Tristan grinned, a flash of teeth before he drove off, leaving Hunter behind, mouth still ajar and cheeks flushed red.
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