Chapter 12

[ 1,035 words ]

Monsters

12: 12.

Monsters Aria

I don’t understand what I’m seeing.

One second, the room is filled with shouting and snapping teeth and bodies that are not bodies, and the next—

Men.

Very naked men.

My brain refuses to process the transition between the two.

The huge wolf that had been Ronan a moment ago is suddenly gone, and in his place stands a very large, very naked man with dark hair and broad shoulders and absolutely no shame about the fact that he is standing there like some kind of barbarian statue.

My brain must be short-circuiting because it’s a struggle to keep my eyes off everything below his waist.

Henry and Jasper are no longer wolves either.

They’re men now, too.

Also naked.

Why is everyone naked?

My brain latches onto that detail like it’s the most important thing in the world because the alternative—the claws, the teeth, the transformation—is something I cannot even begin to process.

I back up.

My heel hits the edge of the stone floor, and I almost trip.

Liam immediately lifts both hands like he’s approaching a wild animal.

“Aria—”

“Don’t!” I snap, my voice sharp enough to cut glass.

“Don’t come any closer.”

Behind him, Kade, Theo, and Barric move fast.

They grab the two men who had been wolves moments ago and haul them toward what I now realize is some kind of barred enclosure built into the far wall.

It looks like a jail cell.

Henry protests weakly.

Theo shoves him inside.

The metal door slams shut with a heavy clang.

I stare.

My brain is trying very hard to catch up with reality and failing spectacularly.

Then, the movement to my right catches my attention.

I look.

Ronan is walking toward me.

Still naked.

“Oh God,” I mutter, covering my eyes with one hand.

“Please tell me I’m finally having a mental break?”

There’s the sound of fabric rustling.

When I peek again a second later, Ronan is suddenly wearing sweatpants.

Where the hell did those come from?

The room feels too small.

The air is too thick.

My heart is beating so hard I can feel it in my throat.

Liam takes another careful step forward.

“Aria—”

“Don’t touch me,” I warn.

He freezes.

“If you touch me,” I continue, pointing a shaking finger at him, “I will throat punch you. I swear to God, Liam.”

He actually looks like he might laugh.

Which somehow makes everything worse.

“Aria,” he says gently.

My chest tightens.

Shit.

Why did I follow Barric?

Why couldn’t I just leave?

Why couldn’t I let them have their stupid secrets?

The word hits me like a brick.

Secrets.

This.

This is their secret.

My stomach drops.

“They’re monsters,” I whisper.

The word echoes in my head.

Monsters.

I slowly turn toward my brother.

Liam’s face looks wrecked.

“Aria,” he says softly.

The way he says my name is careful.

Gentle.

Full of something that sounds suspiciously like fear.

And hurt.

My chest tightens even more.

He’s still my brother.

But my brain keeps replaying the image of claws sliding from his fingers.

“You’re a werewolf,” I say.

The words come out before I can stop them.

They hit him like a punch.

He flinches.

“We prefer shifter.”

For a second, I almost feel bad.

Then I remember the wolves.

The teeth.

The growling.

The way his hands had turned into claws.

My gaze shifts to Barric.

Then Kade.

Theo.

Then the cell.

Then Ronan.

The realization creeps in slowly.

Horribly.

“Everyone in this compound…” My voice feels thin and shaky.

“…is like you, aren’t they?”

Silence.

Liam opens his mouth.

Before he can speak, Ronan’s voice comes from right beside me.

“Aria, you need to calm down.”

I jump so hard I nearly scream.

“Shit!” I whirl on him.

“When did you get so close?!”

He doesn’t answer.

He just watches me.

Those dark eyes are way too steady.

“I am calm!” I shout.

My voice echoes off the stone walls.

“And why the hell are they in a cage?!”

Theo shifts slightly in front of the cell, like he’s shielding it from my view.

Like the sight of two naked men sitting behind bars might send me over the edge.

Honestly, that ship has already sailed.

I glare at Ronan.

I should probably be afraid of him.

Actually, I’m pretty sure I am afraid of him.

But my brain hasn’t caught up to that part yet.

Right now, my mind is too busy trying not to explode.

Liam steps forward again.

Slowly.

“They’re not from work,” he says carefully.

I blink at him.

“Really?” I snap.

“I wouldn’t have guessed that.”

Kade exhales.

“We were trying to keep you safe.”

My eyes drop to his hands.

No claws.

Just normal human hands.

“So…” I say slowly.

“The wolves that attacked me…”

My gaze slides toward the cell.

Henry and Jasper sit there quietly now.

Watching.

“No,” Theo says quickly.

“They didn’t do it. It was other people who were with them.”

I stare at him.

My brain tries to calculate something.

“How many…” I start.

Then I stop.

“No,” I mutter, pressing my fingers against my temples.

“Forget it. I don’t want to know.”

I can feel a migraine building behind my eyes.

Fantastic.

The memory of the strange sensation, my hand moving towards the doorknob without my consent…

I lock eyes with Jasper, and somehow I know.

“It was you. In my head. You tried to make me open the door.” I squeeze my eyes shut against the pulsing rush in my ears.

“Liam,” Ronan says.

His voice is calm.

Too calm.“Take her upstairs.”

Liam glances at him.

“You want her to stay here?”

“No,” I say immediately.

No one listens to me.

I squint up at Liam.

Why is he asking Ronan?

Why does Ronan sound like the one in charge?

“I don’t want her out of my sight,” Ronan answers.

“I’m not staying—” I begin.

“Kade,” Ronan continues, talking right over me, “secure our guests. Barric, coffee. This is going to be a long night.”

I step directly in front of him.

“Are you deaf?”

He looks down at me.

Which is annoying because he’s disgustingly tall.

Is that wo—shifter thing?

“I’m not staying in your house of horror and parlor tricks,” I continue.

“So if you’re looking for an audience, go find it somewhere else.”

For a split second, something flashes in his eyes.

Something sharp.

Wild.

My stomach twists.

Some deep instinct inside me suddenly becomes very aware that I am standing in front of something extremely dangerous.

“You will do exactly what I say when I say it,” Ronan says quietly.

Controlled.

“I don’t have time for your bratty behavior or your assumptions. I will keep you safe with or without your permission.”

My heart is racing.

But I refuse to back down.

I stare him right in the eyes.

The intensity of his gaze becomes unbearable after about three seconds.

I look away.

“Fine,” I mutter.

He makes a sound.

A low grunt.

It’s a very distinct animal sound.

Liam quickly opens the door leading upstairs.

“After you.”

I cross my arms.

Then I stomp past him.

If I’m going to be kidnapped by werewolves, I’m at least doing it with attitude.

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