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Ember

Kane took me to a café not far from his house, its interior too classy for my usual tastes but their heavenly donuts and coffee made stepping out of my comfort zone worth it. It also kept my mind off the fact that Kane wasn't talking at all anymore and I had no idea how to start a normal conversation with him- or whether starting a conversation was even necessary. He'd always been the quietest one when he was in a crowd, occasionally listening to Darius and Helen's outburst when he felt like it. It didn't make sense to force him to be talkative just to quell my-annoying and unnecessary- unease.

Once I'd finished eating both my chocolate and vanilla donuts there was nothing left to keep me occupied, so I sipped my coffee and tried not to fidget in my seat. I observed the people entering and leaving, the majority of them on their way to work and dropping by to get some coffee on their way. Busy people busy living their lives. It made me realize I'd have to go to the college and explain why I've been absent for a month. I was kidnapped by a fae I owed a favor- I know, favors plus fae equals bad, it won't happen again- and he took me to a party but the time went over my head and before I knew it a month had gone past. Sorry.

The insane part was that's exactly what I'd have to tell the administration. Perks of going to a supernatural college, there's no need to lie if you get kidnapped by a faerie and miss classes.

I glanced back at Kane, he was on his fifth donut, appearing neither hurried nor nervous. I wished I could be that aloof about everything.

"You can talk if you want," Kane said, wiping his hands with a napkin. He picked up his own coffee, eyes clear and knowing as they stared at me. "I'll listen."

"You promised me on the way here that you wouldn't read my mind anymore," I said, bristling.

"I didn't." He smiled, then pursed his lips to hide the action. "Anyone can see how nervous you are if they're paying enough attention."

"You don't look like you're paying much attention to anyone," I said, then held up a hand with a cautionary look, "if you say something like I'm the only one you pay attention to I'll throw my coffee at you."

He raised his brows. "I do pay attention to my surroundings. Why would you think I don't?"

I waved a hand. "You have a far-off look all the time."

He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his chest. "Sight isn't the most reliable of senses, I prefer paying attention to the things you don't see. Take yourself for instance, the soles of your shoes have been shuffling non-stop since we came here. A nervous tick. You cleared your throat several times, but never spoke. I guessed you wanted to talk to me but were unsure how- and it's not the first time I've seen you do that. You used to do it all the time in school. Old habits. You've always been nervous around other people."

"Have you been watching Sherlock lately by any chance?" I teased.

"Also, I'll risk a coffee shower and say this: I always pay attention to you," he said, deadpan.

I stifled a laugh. "Okay, so I'm easily intimidated around people. Is that the basis for the whole pathetic omega storyline you had going on?" I asked, for the first time feeling curious rather than contemptuous about the topic.

His gaze turned wary despite the fact that I wasn't spoiling for a fight. (Maybe I wasn't the only one having trouble with old habits?) "When dominant wolves want a wolf to remember pain they inflict, they target the place it hurts the most. That way it leaves a lasting impression."

I contemplated his words carefully, unable to find the usual tightening of anger in my chest. I nodded. "Makes sense."

His hand caught mine on the table, entangling our fingers and squeezing gently. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," I said, giving his hand a squeeze of reassurance in return. "I was just curious."

He didn't let go of my hand. "Alpha wanted me to reject you in public and humiliate you, I think he wanted me to turn you into another version of himself. The one who could never measure up to his father's expectations."

I frowned, the mention of the crazy werewolf brought unpleasant memories of blood and wintery death. "Why is that?"

"He tried to win you over to his side, didn't he? He probably thought it'd be easier if you had something in common."

"That's insane."

Kane flipped my hand in his, tracing the lines on my palm. "He was insane."

Unconsciously, I looked for a certain black ring on his hands. It was nowhere in sight, obviously. Wearing it was what had driven his cousin mad...but I couldn't ignore the lingering feeling that he still had it in his possession. I was about to ask him about it when he lifted my hand to his lips and nibbled on my pinky finger.

With a surprised squeak, I snatched my hand back, skin tingling from the pressure of his teeth. I glanced around in case someone saw, catching the eye of a grinning old lady a few tables away. She gave Kane a thumbs-up, one he returned with a grin.

"Great, you have supporters." I rubbed at my cheeks in an attempt to cool them off.

"You don't have to stress yourself out with being the alpha female," Kane said suddenly, expression turning serious. "You don't have to do anything. Just stay with me."

My hands stopped moving but I didn't lower them, I was too shocked by his words. "No." I cleared my throat. "I mean, I want to be the alpha female. I can do it."

My refusal didn't seem to catch him off guard. He simply took my hand again, pressed a brief kiss to the palm and said, "Thank you."

***

We didn't end breakfast on good terms, as soon as he was done, an argument about who would pay for the food ensued. I offered to treat him as thanks for not being a douchebag but he went and paid anyway and then had the nerve to glare at me when I grumbled about it.

"Do you think glaring at people will solve all your problems?" I asked, getting out and slamming the car door shut.

"Yes. After last night, I have a reputation to salvage."

Any sardonic response that had been waiting on the tip of my tongue was washed away by a burst of laughter.

Kane glared, but he was smiling too. "Stop laughing at me."

My laughter dried up right away then, but not because he had told me to. A slick white Mercedes was pulling up beside Kane's Hyundai. The driver's door flew open and Ian's mom, Fiona, got out. A formidable woman and even more formidable mother, she walked over to us with swift steps, not afraid at all that she was making her way towards an alpha werewolf.

No doubt she was too enraged about Ian running off with me and missing a whole month of classes to care.

"Here," she thrust a basket- a basket?- into Kane's hands as she passed him. Still looking furious, she threw her arms around me, enveloping me in both the scent of lavender and barely suppressed violence.

"I promise we'll kill that butterfly bastard no matter what, Ember," she said.

Oh. So she was angry at Light.

She released me, smoothing the stray curls at my forehead. "I promise."

"Where's Ian?" I asked, trying to shift her attention away from me.

"I had to kill him for being such an idiot," Fiona replied.

"Oh, but he lives! I'm alive and well, Ember." Ian said, walking up and stopping beside Kane. He gave him a brief glance. "You look a lot less angry than last time. I told Ember you weren't about to turn her into dinner."

"He ran away when you showed up last night," I explained to Kane.

"He's good at running," Fiona said dryly.

Ian winked. "Running is how you stay alive and well in the jungle of life."

Fiona clapped her hands together. "Not if you're the predator, which is exactly what we are from here on out. Where's Jett? He was the one who called me yesterday."

Kane lifted the basket in the direction of the house. "Let's talk inside."

***

The basket Fiona had brought had a home-cooked lunch inside and it wasn't for us. It was for my mom.

Fiona went straight to the infirmary and healed my mom completely with a sprinkle of some bluish-purple liquid.

"Thank you for taking care of Ember after the ordeal she's been through," Fiona told my mom after she was done. "Let me give you a drive back home."

My mom, looking lost and utterly perplexed, let Fiona walk her out of the house wordlessly.

Ian caught his mother's sleeve before she could walk out though, expression uncertain. "Aren't we supposed to be telling them what we found together as soon as possible first?"

Fiona lifted a brow. "You're always going on about how capable you are as a wizard, but you don't have the confidence to do the debriefing on your own?"

Ian's straightened like a rod. "I have plenty of confidence. Ember says I have too much actually-"

She kissed him on the forehead. "Shut up, son. I'll be back soon, don't do anything that'll raise my blood pressure."

She shut the front door.

Ian turned to us with a grin. "So, who wants to learn how to kill a crazy faerie king?"