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“I can’t believe she bought that story!” Di flounced on the bed with a huff.
“If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you wanted me to be in trouble, or maybe even get kicked out of here.” Giselle wasn’t putting up with any more bullshit. She stalked up to Di, looking her straight in the eyes. “Thought we were family.”
Di rose up to meet Giselle’s silent challenge. “You’re the one that doesn’t want to be here.”
“Never said that.”
“You’re out searching for reasons not to be here.”
“Look. I’m not getting into this again with you. If we’ve got a problem here, then let’s settle it like wolves, because I’m not putting up with backstabbing from anyone.”
“Tough words... loner.”
Giselle snarled, her wolf rising to the surface, itching for a fight.
“Stop it. Both of you.” Taylor tried to step in between the girls, but only enough to get their attention. Di was already sprouting fur and Giselle was baring her teeth, ready for the kill. “This is not the way we do things, and you know it.”
“Back off, Tay,” Di ordered.
“No. You’ll have to fight me too, then.” Taylor’s threat sounded more like a plea, but still she held her ground.
“You don’t have to defend me,” Giselle growled. “I’ve been taking care of myself for years now. You think this is the only pampered princess I’ve put in her place?”
“That’s what you think of me?” Di’s hateful tone faltered, and confusion took the place of the anger in her eyes.
Giselle was still ready for the fight. “Yeah, Gucci Bag... I do. You’ve had it easy. You’ve had family, pack, and money. I’ve been tossed from bad house to worse house, and had to fend for myself. You’re giving me shit because things are too good to be true here and I’m worried? No. Not cool. I’ll be damned if I am going to take that crap from some Prada-wearing princess.”
Shock rather than anger washed over Di’s face. She relaxed and allowed her shoulders to slump. Her fur faded as she stopped the transition and let out a sigh. “I guess... I didn’t really think of that. Sorry. Look. I’m just trying to protect my family here. We’re close, all of us. I may be a pampered princess, as you say, in comparison to you – but I love my family. I love Martina and Gavin, and I don’t want to see you hurt them.”
Giselle really hoped that was the case, rather than the alternative – that her would-be sister was out to get her. She took a deep breath and let it out through her mouth, back to her yoga breathing. Bringing her focus to the present allowed her to send the wolf down to rest, for the moment. When she’d relaxed herself, she sat down on her bed and found a calm voice to speak with. “I’m not trying to hurt them. Don’t you see? I want this family. I do. But, I also have to make sure it’s right. Clear out the question marks that Ash brought up, so I know I’m making the right choice.”
“You lone wolves... strange breed.” Di shook her head, but there was a smile hiding at the corner of her mouth.
“Yeah... whatever. Can we stop being bitches now?”
Taylor laughed, and the whole room seemed to brightened. “Thank God. I really thought I was going to have to break the two of you up.”
“Nah. You’d have had to let us fight it out and watch Martina charge in here and give us a lesson on who the real Alpha is.”
“So, do we call a truce for now?” Di looked at Giselle, but this time, there was no hidden anger. She was genuinely curious.
“I guess.”
“But you’re still thinking of going back out there, aren’t you?” Diana huffed. Annoyance was still there, but Giselle could see her actively trying to rein it in.
“I don’t know what to do, but I won’t do anything rash until I clear it with you both, okay?”
“Not the answer I was hoping for, but... whatever.” Diana rolled over and hit the light switch.
“Well, whatever you’re going to do... has to wait until later. I’ve got an early class tomorrow and I am not missing my beauty rest,” Taylor said, as if that were the deciding factor in all of this.
Giselle stared up at the bunk above her wondering what she could do. How was she going to find out more of this loner? At least she had something to tell Ash. Her family might be exonerated. With a loner in the forest, that meant their missing cousin might not have been accosted by Martina. Part of her problem was already solved... at least, she hoped.