Chapter 39
+25 Bonus
Chapter 39
Ellie POV
“I don’t know,” I said with a sigh. “Maybe I’m just moody p>
“Moody doesn’t explain the way you’ve been snapping at people, especially Nolan,” Rae said, sounding more amused than concerned.
“He deserves it,” I pointed out.
“Oh, absolutely he does,” Rae responded. “But it’s still kind of risky. And he’s not the only one you’ve been snapping at p>
“I haven’t snapped at you,” I responded with a serious look
“Of course not. What reason would you possibly have to be mad at me? I’m the best friend you could possibly have, “Rae responded with a confident smirk.
We both giggled at the statement-it was true, but Rae was only saying it to be silly.
“Seriously though, is this something I should be worried about?” Rae asked once our laughter died down. “I don’t want you to snap at the wrong person and get yourself into rouble. You need to try to keep a low profile as much as possible p>
“You don’t need to worry,” I replied earnestly. “If it is mood swings caused by the pregnancy, then it’s just something I’ll have to deal with. It’s not like it’s really stangling out as a problem p>
“As far as you know,” Rae said meaningfully. “Just because no one has called you out on it directly doesn’t mean they haven’t noticed p>
“Rae, why are you trying to make me paranoid? I already have enough to worry about p>
“You’re not the only one who’s worried,” she said. “I feel like I’m losing my mind half the time worrying about why you’re not answering your phone p>
“Because I’m sleeping-like, all the time. I’ve never been so tired in my entire life. It’s like the baby is just sucking every ounce of energy out of my body p>
“It kind of is,” Rae pointed out. “I mean, isn’t that why you re taking the
multivitamins? And you’re making sure you’re eating enough, right? I know it’s cliché
to say you’re eating for two, but you actually literally are p>
“Yes,” I replied, rolling my eyes. “I am eating enough. I am taking my vitamins p>
“Are you taking an iron supplement?” she asked.
“Iron? No. Why p>
“Because it’s super common for pregnant women to have on deficiencies. It takes so much of it to, like, fuel the baby. You should try one-if you’re iron deficient, it could explain why you’re feeling so tired p>
“Why do you suddenly know so much about pregnancy p>
“Because my best friend is pregnant, duh,” she replied like it was obvious. “I’ve been reading every pregnancy book I can find p>
“Well that’s helpful. I’ve been too nervous to bring any to the house. I don’t want Nolan to see one and start asking questions p>
“That makes sense, but it has to make things more difficul not knowing what’s happening with your body p>
1/3
Chapter 30
+25 Bonus
“Definitley,” I sighed.
Third Person POV
Lance was distracted pretty much all night. By the time his friends left, he had made
the decision to try to get to the bottom of what was going on with Ellie.
He waited until Rae had left the table, presumably to pay their bill, before he approached her.
Ellie looked up at him with a mixture of curiosity and annoyance. She looked tired and he wondered if she was feeling sick.
“What are you still doing here? Didn’t your friends leave like fifteen minutes ago?” Ellie demanded.
“Yeah, but I wanted to talk to you,” Lance replied as he stopped a few feet from her.
All of Lance’s bravado had fallen away. He seemed almost nervous as he stood beside the table, looking at her like he could figure out the mystery if he just stared long enough.
“Talk to me about what?” Ellie asked, irritated.
“What’s your problem with me?” he asked bluntly.
Ellie tilted her head and looked at him as if he’d lost his mind.
“Are you serious p>
“Yeah. Dead serious,” Lance said, but there was no heat to his words. Ellie thought he almost seemed… uncertain, as he stood there with his hands stiff at his sides, waiting for her answer.
“I think it’s pretty obvious what my problem with you is. You’re lazy, at least when it comes to your responsibilities to the pack,” Ellie explained.
“My responsibilities to the pack?” Lance repeated in disbelief. “I don’t owe Nolan p>
you do “I didn’t say anything about him,” Ellie interrupted. “I said the pack. You owe the pack. The fact that nothing to fulfill your role gets on my nerves p>
“What role?” Lance retorted. “I’m not the Alpha, my brother is p>
Ellie scoffed. “You still owe the pack for the lavish lifestyle you get to live. I don’t think you even realize how spoiled you are. You know, most people don’t get to spend their days racing expensive cars for fun and partying on their fancy boats p>
Lance stared at her. Her words pierced like a shard of ice into his heart. He could tell by the way she was looking at him that she didn’t realize she’d hit a nerve.
Lance was lucky, and he knew that. He got to do pretty much whatever he wanted. He never had to worry about his needs being met, because the pack house was always going to provide for him-even when he messed up. When he failed, there was always a safety net.
He knew most people didn’t have that. He knew that, because he’d used his connection to Nolan to bail his friends out more than once. He was privileged to be able to do that.
But he had never considered that privilege as something the pack afforded him. He always saw it as something that came from Nolan. And Nolan owed him after what he’d done, after causing the death of their parents.
Lance wouldn’t think twice about taking from Nolan.
But taking from the pack?
2/3
Chapter 99
Taking advantage of them?
That was different. He didn’t want to be that kind of person
+25 Bonus
“What?” Ellie asked after several seconds of heavy silence. You don’t have a smart comeback for that p>
“You have no idea what you’re talking about,” Lance said, but there was no bite in his voice, no angry glare, before he spun on his heel and walked away from her.
His heart was racing as he realized Ellie was right.
He wasn’t a child anymore or an emotional teenager. He had no excuse for avoiding
his role.
He did owe responsibility to the pack.
And it was time for him to grow up and step up.
He just wasn’t quite sure how.
Ellie watched him go, noting the difference in his demeanor from their previous interactions. Something about Lance seemed almost… raw.
She didn’t get a chance to dwell on it, though, as Rae suddenly appeared at her side.
“What was that all about?” Rae asked. “Was that Lance again p>
“Don’t worry about it,” Ellie said dismissively. “He’s just stirring things up like he always does p>
Rae smiled a little. “You know, people say that about you. Maybe you and Lance actually have a bit in common p>
“Maybe we do,” Ellie said thoughtfully. Lance certainly had a similar attitude towards Nolan, if nothing else. But, she did get the impression lately that maybe the two of them were in the same boat in other ways. Lance seemed like he felt just as trapped by his role as she did.
“Maybe we do p>
Comments
Share
Support