4

While Adele's quiet music filled my ears, I lay with my eyes closed and tried to process the eventful morning somehow.

Again and again Guiselle's desperate expression penetrated my mind, while Viola's intense gaze would not let me go.

Plus this unknown wolf I still didn't know who he was or what his intentions were. While he seemed hostile to me, there was curiosity in the depths of his iris brown eyes. If he had meant something bad for me, that would have been his best chance, but he did nothing ...

Lost in thought, I turned to the side and glanced at my small closet, which was the only piece of furniture in my room apart from my bed. Yes, it was small, but we couldn't afford more, but that didn't really bother me.

I closed my eyes again, let my thoughts wander and then almost shuddered to death when something suddenly touched my ankle.

Gasping for breath, my eyes widened to see my brother raising his hands in apology. With a racing heart, I pulled off my headphones and still stared at him in shock.

"Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," he said, dropping onto the bed next to me to slip his arm under my head. I gradually calmed down and then snuggled into his chest, eager for closeness. He smelled very strongly of oil and gasoline, which made me take a deep breath. I loved that smell because it belonged with him and it brought me the usual familiarity that I just needed after that day.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him quietly and he stretched to push the curtain aside with one hand. Only then did I realize that it was already pitch dark outside.

How long had I been lying here?

"It's 11pm already," he grinned and put his arm back at his side before yawning and closing his eyes. He looked so exhausted and stupid me, I hadn't even made him anything to eat. The bad conscience penetrated deep into my consciousness and when I then wanted to ask him what he would like to eat, I could already hear his soft snoring and it became clear to me that he would certainly not eat anything today.

My eyes fell on his red work trousers, which were past their best days full of paint residues and I wanted to wake him up to ask him to change his clothes, but it was so warm and comfortable in his arms that I was only careful snapped my white blanket, draped it over us and then snuggled against his chest, also closing my eyes to fall asleep in the comfort of his scent.

He would always protect me...

The next morning came much too quickly. Tired and exhausted, I opened my heavy eyelids and immediately realized that Devin had already gotten up. My brown wooden door was ajar and the pleasant smell of coffee permeated the entire house and put a satisfied smile on my face.

After a long, thorough stretching of my body, I got up and looked out the window first to see that yesterday's sun was all gone. It was raining cats and dogs and the sky looked so dark that a thunderstorm would surely follow soon.

"Good Morning."

I turned to the door, saw my brother yawning and then I had to yawn too. A short smile on his part, an eye rub on my part and then I finally got up to follow him into the kitchen.

My coffee was already there on my seat at the wooden table and, greedy for caffeine, I simply poured it down to collect an irritated look from my brother, who had sat across from me.

"Did you sleep badly?" he asked curiously, then quickly turned back to his phone.

"Yeah, sort of," I admitted, reminding myself I'd only dreamed crazy stuff. No wonder, given my recent experiences. "I'm taking a shower."

He just nodded but didn't look up from his phone and I padded into my room to get some fresh clothes. Black leggings, my brother's gray hoodie and dark underwear. I put all of that neatly in my arms and then disappeared into the tiny bathroom across the way, where it was easy to get claustrophobic.

After showering, I stood in front of the mirror with a towel wrapped around my body and looked at my dark circles under my eyes. Oh yes, you could literally see that I had often woken up at night, which I then quickly tried to cover up with a little make-up, which I managed quite well.

Somewhat satisfied with my face, I wanted to quickly blow-dry my hair, but because of the rain I didn't do it and just got dressed hastily, because Devin knocked on the door for the second time, which made me roll my eyes again.

"You shouldn't do that," he laughed in front of the door and I had to giggle softly. He just knew me too well.

"I can't, annoying as you are," I called back, then stuffed my old stuff into the little blue laundry basket by the sink.

Back in my room, I was about to take my backpack when I remembered the denim jacket, which I dug out and simply threw in the corner of my room. I would wash them right after school because Devin hated being late, so I quickly threw on the backpack and hurried to the front door, still putting on my red rubber boots.

"Finally done?" Devin grinned and pulled on his dark blue raincoat before leaving the house ahead of me.

Immediately the smell of rain hit my ears and I almost sprinted to the car because although I was a wolf I hated the feeling of wet clothes on my body.

"I'm free tonight," Devin struck up a conversation once we got in and both buckled in, then looked over at me with a smile. "Would you like to go to the sports field?"

"I'd love to, but in this weather?" I replied looking out the window and he just started the car with a shrug.

"You're not made of sugar, are you?" he laughed, taking my hand to kiss it gently. "It tastes rather salty."

He looked at me in amusement and I had to grin in amusement at his stupid way.

"Idiot," I mumbled and he drove off to my school in a good mood, while I had this queasy feeling in my stomach that our good mood wasn't going to last long.

If only I had listened to my gut feeling...

***

With loud music playing on the radio, we arrived at the parking lot in front of the school, which seemed empty that morning due to the pouring rain. But there were still a few students romping about under the canopy at the top of the stairs, including Viola and Trevis, who immediately set their sights on me again.

What was their fucking problem? Just because I didn't want to get stuck yesterday? They couldn't care less.

"You okay?" my brother asked, taking my hand to give me an encouraging smile. He probably thought I was still scared about the situation with Guiselle, but I was more bothered by the almost angry looks of the upper two.

"Yeah, I'm okay," I replied with a forced smile, pulling my hand away to open the door and step out into the rain. Of course, as always, he did the same to me.

"Devin," I said annoyed and then looked up briefly. "You don't always have to get off with me, when will you get that?"

He laughed and came running around the car. "And when will you realize that it's for your own good?"

When he came to a stop right in front of me, he took my hand again and gave me a tender kiss on my forehead, which was already covered with raindrops. "See you later," he pinched my cheek lightly and when he wanted to give me a kiss, I only heard quick footsteps next to me and before I knew it, Trevis had grabbed my brother by the collar and pushed him against his car.

"Are you crazy!?" I yelled at him in shock and wanted to pull him away from my brother with bated breath, but he didn't move a bit.

"What were you planning to do with her?!" the black-haired man yelled at my brother and I thought I would have another heart attack for fear for him, because I stood there soaking wet and didn't know what to do.

But Devin was not a child of sadness, on the contrary.

In a matter of seconds, my brother had headbutted the superior, causing him to immediately hold his hands to his bleeding nose in pain.

My heart was in my throat and the crowd of students milling at the top of the stairs was increasing by the minute. They all watched curiously, whispering angrily.

"What I plan to do with my girlfriend is entirely my business!" Devin growled menacingly and then took a step towards me. "Jady, go into your class," he ordered, and just as I was about to start trembling, the black-haired man lunged at my brother again.

This time he didn't grab him, but punched him several times in the stomach, so that I immediately wanted between the two with wide eyes, but it was Viola who held me back.

"Don't interfere," she said, holding me by the sleeve of my soaked sweater, but I didn't even think about watching this idiot beat my brother unconscious for no reason.

I broke free of her grip, walked towards the two fighting and grabbed Trevis by the sleeve of his red jacket. "Leave him in peace!"

Trevis tried to get rid of my hand and spun angrily, hitting me in the face with full force with his elbow, sending me falling backwards onto the wet asphalt from the impact.

"Jady!", I heard my brother's worried but also trembling voice, but my gaze went rigidly up to the dark sky, from which the rain was still pattering down on us.

I lay there like that. Wet, scared and with a heart beating way too fast.

"What's your fucking problem?!" my brother yelled at him.

"That you think she's yours!" Trevis yelled back and suddenly Viola leaned over me and I looked closely into her dark eyes, which captured me again.

"Take my hand," she demanded quietly, in a calm voice, and then helped me back to my feet.

The two boys were still yelling at each other, but I was glad they at least stopped fighting.

My brother's worried look met me and when he started to come towards me, Trevis immediately blocked his way. "What's that about?" I asked with a trembling voice and looked at Viola while the first warm tears ran down my cheeks.

Her indifferent gaze softened, almost pityingly, and suddenly she turned away from me to put her hand on Trevis' shoulder.

"We're going," she said, but the black-haired man was shaking with anger and was still standing between Devin and me, his back to my side.

"But-" "No buts," Viola whispered, tossing her wet, black curls over her shoulder. "I said we're going, so move!"

Panting, the big one turned around and threw me an ice-cold, warning look while my eyes once again clung to his scar.

Without saying anything else, the two of them disappeared up the stairs to the classmates who were still staring at us, while my brother clutched his stomach and a few drops of blood ran from his nose.

"Oh god, Devin," I breathed, stepping so close to him that he immediately put his head on my shoulder. He trembled and trembled, as if fear and anger took hold of him in equal measure, which brought even more tears to my eyes.

"Get in," he whispered softly, stepping aside so he could open the door for me.

I did as he asked and immediately dropped into the seat, relieved to find that everyone in the building had disappeared. My breathing slowly calmed down and my heart was pounding evenly in my chest again.

"Is he your mate?" my brother asked as he got in and gave a short groan of pain.

"No, I don't think so," I answered in a low voice and at the same time wondered about his question. He knew I wouldn't find out until I was 18, so why was he asking?

He just nodded and then pulled out his key to start the engine. "You stay at home until your birthday," he then ordered and for the first time in my life, I understood and accepted his concern for me, because I had never felt more afraid than these nerve-wracking last 10 minutes.

Unfortunately, that was only the beginning.