Page 100 of Poet & Protector

Calla’s every instinct would be to fight our Keeper master and protect me, but that was a futile battle that would lead to her downfall. I was the only one who had the power to protect her. If she challenged Logan’s authority, he’d retaliate immediately and ruthlessly. His role as our master was new and tenuous, which made him especially dangerous.

I lifted my face, offering a weary smile as I slouched in the chair, physically and emotionally sapped. I took one more drag from the cigarette, hoping the nicotine buzz would carry me through this conversation.

“Hey, Calla.” I tilted my head back to blow smoke rings again. This time they were perfect. A mockery of my distorted, frightening future.

She approached cautiously as if I were a wounded animal caught in a snare. She wasn’t wrong about that. When she drew close, she lifted her hand. I knew she only wanted to offer comfort, but I couldn’t bear the idea of a gentle touch. Not in this room where my skin wouldn’t stop crawling and Logan’s scent was everywhere. I could still taste him. I shouldn’t have kept the cigarette.

I stood up swiftly, evading her. “Let’s get out of here.”

Dropping the cigarette on the floor and crushing it out, I walked at a fast clip out of the commons and down the hall until I reached my locker.

Calla was right on my heels. “Mason.”

“Don’t say anything. It’s not worth it.” I spun the dial, chasing the combination. I couldn’t stand being in the school another minute.

“Tell me what happened.”

The thought of talking about my encounter with Logan in any detail made me miss a number. I swore and started over. Calla wouldn’t drop this until I told her something, but I decided it was better to make it sound less disastrous than the truth.

“Nothing happened. Not yet.” Logan’s kiss wasn’t nothing, but it could have been much worse.

The lock finally clicked and I flung the door open.

Beside me, Calla grew increasingly agitated. “What did he want?”

I almost turned to glare at her. What did he want? Was she really going to make me spell it out? She had to know.

Again, I wasn’t being fair. Calla did know, but she couldn’t bear that it was true.

I laughed quietly, but a growl rumbled beneath the sound. “What do you think? He’s Efron Bane’s son.”

“No.” Calla leaned against the locker next to mine and closed her eyes. “I just can’t accept it.”

My jaw clenched as I slammed the door shut and turned to face her. Time to get this over with so we could both move on. There was nothing else to be done.

“Neither can I, Cal. Logan’s had his eye on me for some time, but I didn’t know if he’d make an issue of it. Now I have my answer.”

“What are you going to do?” Her voice was tight with fear. I could tell she felt as trapped as I did, but in a different way. I couldn’t protect myself. She couldn’t protect me.

This was the hard part. I didn’t like lying to Calla, but right now the more she knew the greater the chance she’d do something reckless.

I threaded my arm through the strap of my bag and kept my eyes averted when I answered.

“I don’t know. But I think I bought myself some time.”

“Time?” Calla pressed.

I ran my hands through my hair, pausing to rub my temples. The strain of it all was making my head throb.

“Logan might be inheriting our pack, but he’s still young…and he’s afraid.”

“Of what?” I could hear the disbelief in her question. That was understandable. Keepers feared nothing.

“Of his elders,” I explained. “Especially his father. I said that if he pushed me, I’d get Ren to tell Efron about it.”

Calla picked at the skin of her palm and I glanced down, noticing a scab there. How had she injured herself? And why wasn’t she letting it heal? If she left it alone, a minor injury like that would vanish in no time.

“You think that will make a difference?” she asked.