Chapter 10: You're Nothing But Trouble

Brady

I stalked through the house. Who the hell does she think she is? Coming back here and acting like she owned the damn place. How could she think that any of us would be happy about her inviting her 'friend' over? She knew damn well what Sam's and Jacob's rules were about having a human come to our homes. They were only allowed if they were imprints, family members, or good friends that the rest of us knew. I couldn't believe her.

My ranting was cut off when I bumped straight into Leah.

Leah raised her eyebrows at me.

"Where's Jake?" I asked quickly.

"He took the pups out." Leah replied. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." I grumbled.

Leah shook her head at me. "Uh uh. Don't you dare lie to me."

"Aphrodite's being a bitch."

Leah paused. "How's the heart?"

"Still broken." I shot back.

"Brady…"

"Don't. I can't deal with it."

Despair covered Leah's face. I knew she didn't talk much to Aphrodite since she came back. Their relationship was strained because of me. I was like a brother to Leah. She considered me family.

"No one is going to forgive her." Leah said. "Not yet."

"I'm not worried about that." I replied.

"Then what are you worried about?"

"Her special friend." I murmured pushing passed Leah and walking to my room slamming the door.

I wanted to punch something. Anything. But at the same time I wanted to fall to my knees and scream. I wanted to let the pain take over again. I wanted to be immobile for a few days again. I knew I couldn't though. I couldn't let Aphrodite see that. I couldn't let her know that she had hurt me that bad. I couldn't have her knowing that her sleeping with that boy haunted me, crippled me. I wanted to pack my bags and run, just like she did. I wanted to hurt her the way she hurt me. But my will wasn't as strong. I couldn't hurt her no matter how much I wanted to. I couldn't betray her like she did me. I was in love with her. Head over heels. I was to the point where I couldn't live without her even if that meant living in pain.

I collapsed on my bed and thought about the first day the pain hit. I was on the cliffs. My place. Our place. I was thinking about jumping. Enjoying the rush that came with cliff diving, when it hit me. The sharp pain in my chest erupted in a matter of seconds. I was sure that my screams could be heard from miles away. Then I saw her. I saw what she was doing as if I was standing in the room as it was happening. The pain had caused me to collapse. I was on the cliffs for hours before Leah and Jake came to retrieve me. I had phased at some point. The pain being too much to handle in my human form. They must've heard my thoughts. Seen what I saw. Leah and Jake were quiet as they urged me to shift back. They carried me home. They took turns by my bedside. Waiting for me to speak. Waiting for any sign of life from me besides breathing and my heart beating.

When I was ready to come out of my room, when I was ready to be a part of the pack again, Jake and Leah kept me strictly paired with them or Quil and Embry. They were the only ones who knew. The pain had hit me about four more times before Aphrodite came home. It would be when we were out patrolling. I'd let my mind wander and the pain would hit. Sometimes it wasn't as bad and they would sit with me until it passed. They kept watch making sure no one else was coming.

The night she came home, it hit me again. Looking into her eyes I saw it all over again. Everything she had done. I took off to the cliffs. I don't know how long I was there but soon they came. I remembered Leah trying to calm me as she awaited Jake's arrival. Embry and Quil supporting me as I hazily followed Leah to her house. Jake grabbing my torso each time I nearly fell. The guys hulling me into Seth's old bed. Leah being in the chair asleep the next morning while Jake watching sitting in the doorway. My pack stuck close to me.

Whenever I had to be around Aphrodite after that we didn't speak. And when we did we argued over stupid things. We avoided what we needed to talk about. I was bitter. That was true. How could I be happy when she was back? When she didn't even apologize? She just pretended it never happened and that I was nothing to her. I could feel it through the imprint that she still cared but she didn't want me like she should. Like I wanted her.

My anger toward Aphrodite never lessened. And my anger toward her sister increased. It didn't help that Athena had to get into our business. It didn't help that she had to say her sister was trying to fix things. No, Aphrodite was trying to pretend it never happened. She was trying to pretend I was nothing. Until now, Athena thought I was mad at Aphrodite for leaving and not talking to me. I was mad at her for more than that. Seth butting in didn't help either. He didn't know until he came after me. When I let him know the truth he kept telling me that I couldn't let it get to me like that. He told me I couldn't blame her or be mad at her after what I did with Jen. I was sure to explain to him the difference between me sleeping with Jen a year ago BEFORE I imprinted and Aphrodite sleeping with some guy AFTER imprinting with me. He kept telling me that I have to respect what she wants even if it hurts me. But why should I respect it if it hurt me so bad that I was crippled. That I was paralyzed. Unable to fight. After I explained everything I was feeling, Seth became able to understand. He knew he wouldn't be able to handle it if Athena did that to him. Then Seth became bitter because Aphrodite was like Athena. Running away and having sex when they were teens.

There was a knock at the front door but I didn't move. I heard Aphrodite's greeting and a deep voice respond. This was it. He was here.

I shot up from bed and left the room. In the living room Aphrodite was introducing the boy to the pack members that were there. Leah shot me a look when I walked into the room with a smirk on my face. I cleared my throat and Aphrodite looked toward me. Her eyes lingered on my chest. I smirked wider. She looked away and looked at the boy.

"Shawn, this is Brady. Brady this is Shawn." Aphrodite introduced us.

I eyed the boy as he stuck his hand out to shake. Shawn was shorter than me by far. He had nothing on me. I could probably snap the kid in half. He wasn't as dark as the pack members but he was close. His blonde hair fell into his eyes. Eyes that were green. He wore a leather jacket and biker boots. I shot Aphrodite a 'you have got to be kidding me look'. She glared right back.

"Brady, be nice." Leah said.

I glanced at Leah, rolled my eyes, sucked up my pride and shook Shawn's hand making sure to squeeze. Hard. "Nice meeting you."

Shawn shook his hand after I let go. Then shoved it in his jean pocket. "Aphrodite never told me all the guys here were huge." Shawn said to the room.

"Yeah, well we're all a bunch of genetic freaks." I joked bitterly.

"Brady!" Leah snapped letting some of the Beta command slip in.

I sank down on the couch next to her.

"I didn't mean you guys were freaks." Shawn defended.

"He knows that. Brady is just bitter." Aphrodite said grabbing Shawn's hand.

I growled lowly. "So, he's the one you fucked then?"

Only the pack heard me.

"One more time, Brady and you're out of here!" Leah yelled.

"What did he say?" Shawn asked.

"It's nothing." Aphrodite reassured him, glaring my way.

I ignored Leah and everyone else. "Well, are you going to answer that?" I asked Aphrodite.

"Yes he is, alright." Aphrodite snapped.

I got up to leave before I did something I would regret.

Aphrodite dropped Shawn's hand and started to follow. "It shouldn't matter though, because we all know you fucked Jen."

I clenched my fist, turned and swung.

Aphrodite stared at me with wide eyes as everyone else yelled out.

My fist was in the dry wall inches from her head.

"Seth, get him out of here." Leah said.

"What the hell? What is wrong with you, man?" Shawn exclaimed.

Seth pulled my arm out of the wall while Embry and Quil each grabbed one of my shoulders.

Low enough that only they could hear I said, "Next time, I won't miss."

Aphrodite swallowed. "I wouldn't bet on it."

I let the boys escort me out of the house.

Aphrodite

"He nearly hit you!" Shawn yelled at me.

"It's nothing." I said for the fiftieth time.

"It's not nothing! That guy is abusive!"

no he's not. I thought.

"That guy is angry at your girlfriend for something she did to him." Athena said to Shawn.

I looked at my sister helpless. I knew where she was about to go and I knew there was nothing I could do to stop her. Her and Shawn banged heads every time they were around each other. I could tell just by looking at her that Brady wasn't the only one that would put his fist through Shawn's face, but my sister would too.

Shawn glared at her. "You don't know anything."

Athena snorted as Seth walked into the living room. "Oh really? I know you screwed my sister. I know you're the reason we had to leave LA. I know you're the reason Brady hates Aphrodite. How many times do my family and I have to tell you to stay the hell away from Aphrodite?"

"You have no right to tell me or your sister what to do." Shawn stated simply.

I stayed quiet. His hand was rubbing my thigh. I looked up at Seth who watched the argument. He looked worried.

"I have every right as Aphrodite's guardian. You have no idea what she's been through. What Brady was put through when he found out that Aphrodite left and that she slept with you." Athena paused. "I suggest you leave. You're nothing but trouble and I don't want my sister around that."

"You have no-"

"How's Brady?" I asked Seth cutting Shawn off.

Seth knocked his knuckles on the wall he was leaning against. "Why do you care?"

"Seth…"

Seth sighed. "Let's just say he won't be walking away from this in one piece. Neither will you." Then he looked toward Shawn. "You need to leave. I live here and frankly those of us who live in this house don't want you here. We have family business to take care of and you aren't family, so I'd appreciate it if you got back on your motorcycle and left."

Shawn stood, kissing my forehead then leaving. I could tell he left because Seth was using everything he had to look threatening. Shawn tried to avoid getting his ass kicked at all costs.

My sister stood and went to Seth before turning to me. "You invite him back here, and you're going back to LA. Only this time, I'll make sure mom and dad put you on house arrest."

I stood up to leave. "Fine." I pushed passed her and Seth, heading toward the back door.

"Where are you going?" Athena asked.

"To talk to Brady."

"He's not here." Seth called after me.

I froze. "Then where is he?" I looked at Seth.

He smirked. "Where do you think?"

I spun around and left the house. Time to find Brady.

I found him at the cliffs. I couldn't help but smile seeing him there. In our place. He had his legs hanging over the edge of the cliff while he threw stones into the rolling waves below. There were clouds rolling in and I could tell it was going to rain tonight.

I slowly approached the place where he was sitting. I sat next to him but far enough that he had his space. "You still come here?" He threw another rock. "Yeah. It was my place before it became ours." He stated bitterly.

"Brady…"

"Don't apologize."

"Why?"

"Because you won't mean it."

"Are you going to try to hit me again?" I asked as he got ready to throw another rock.

He froze mid-throw but quickly recovered. The rock flew far. He turned to me. "I didn't want to hit you. I wanted to hit Shawn."

I nodded. "That's understandable."

"I wanted to tear him apart." he mumbled.

"Are you ever going to get passed it?" I asked quietly.

Brady threw another stone. "Passed what?"

"You know what."

Brady exhaled. "I'm not going to forgive you. Not now."

"Even if I apologized and meant it?"

"No. Not even then."

I was hurt. I knew I had no right to be, nor did I have any right to ask for his forgiveness now, but it hurt knowing that Brady hated me. Or was angry with me. I wanted him to forgive me. To let me know what I may have made a mistake and hurt him, but it's all right. Only he wasn't going to say that. He wasn't going to forgive me because what I did isn't all right. I tore our imprint apart. And now Brady and I were both paying the price. His was worse than mine. He lived with the pain. I lived with the regret. All I wanted was to go back to before we were more than friends. I wanted to go back to when we were friends who flirted a lot. I wanted to go back to before he kissed me and before I left.

"Stop." Brady said.

I looked up at him. "What?"

"Stop feeling guilty." He stood.

I looked at him confused. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see my mom." He left me sitting there.

I looked back at the water. Down below the waves were lapping at the rocks. Every once in a while the waves crashed harder. A storm was coming. A storm that was going to make or break us.

I shook my head at my thoughts and stood. As I headed back to the house the first drops fell.

Brady

Swiftly knocking on the door, I nervously shifted from foot to foot. I hadn't seen my mother since she kicked me out. When the door opened, my mother scanned me with her eyes before stepping aside, allowing me to enter. I sat down on the couch, knowing that she would tell me to sit if I hovered.

"So, why are you here?" My mother questioned me as she sat in her recliner.

"I came to see you." I mumbled.

"No mumbling. You know better. Speak up." She instructed.

I sighed. "Ma, I really just came to see how you were doing. We haven't spoken since you kicked me out."

"I kicked you out because I don't want to deal with what you are."

"Oh come on. You knew the legends."

"That may be true, but that doesn't mean I have to be happy about you being one." She paused. "Where are you living now?"

I looked at the ground. "I moved in with Sam and Emily, but Leah told me I can move into Seth's old room if I want to."

My mother nodded. "It sounds like a good idea for you too move in with Leah instead. Sue told me that Jacob is with her now. It might do you some good to be around a role model like Jake."

I rolled my eyes. "I like where I am."

She ignored me. "You still going to school?"

I nodded. "Yes. Jake makes sure that all of us finish high school and maybe even go to a local college, so we can provide for our families."

She nodded.

"How are you mom?"

"I'm doing good. I enjoy having the house to myself. During the day."

"How's dad?"

"Same. He's the same." She got really quiet.

I sighed and stood. "I guess I should go."

She nodded. "Yes. You should."

"Okay." Turning to leave I said, "Bye, mom."

"Goodbye, Brady. You be safe now."

I nodded and left the house. It had started to rain within the time I was there. I wondered if it would storm.

My mother and I had never been close so her need for small talk and letting me leave so easily, didn't really phase me. She was always so cold and I never knew why. Even as I grew up, she wasn't exactly motherly toward me. She kept conversation simple when I hit my teens. And now, it seemed like she didn't even care about me anymore. That was my mother though. She was cold. The reason why she's that way is a mystery to every one.

As I approached my current home, I looked up at the second story. I was pretty sure that the open window was in my room. I didn't remember closing my window last night. Wanting to avoid Emily, Sam, and everyone else, I scaled the tree outside the windows on the side of the house and leapt through the open window. Crashing into a dresser was not what I was expecting.

I glanced around me and at the laughing girl on the floor. I was in Aphrodite's room. Turns out I missed judged how many windows over my room was. Aphrodite had her dresser draws scattered all over the room. Her dresser now lay on the floor, from the contact my body made with it. Aphrodite herself sat on the floor laughing. Downstairs I could hear the voices of everyone talking.

"It's all right!" Aphrodite yelled. "I just knocked something over!"

"Are you okay?!" Athena could be heard yelling up the stairs.

"Yeah!" Aphrodite called as she stood up. She smirked at me and very slowly approached me.

I was about to duck out the window when she grabbed my arm.

Lowly she said, "You don't have to leave."

I looked at her. "I thought this was my window."

She shrugged. "It's fine. But you don't have to leave." She gestured around her room. "I actually want some help with this."

"I don't think I should help."

"I'm asking for your help. I'm not asking for your forgiveness." She mumbled.

I scowled. "Fine, I'll help."

"Good. Besides you made the mess, wild child." she picked up a book off the floor.

"Trouble." I grumbled as I picked up her dresser and righted it.

Aphrodite laughed and handed me one of the empty drawers. Together, we dumped the contents of each drawer onto her bed before putting the drawers back in the dresser. Aphrodite then moved on to empting the closet, handing the clothes to me so I could toss them with the other clothes on the bed. When Aphrodite came out with a long blue dress, I raised an eyebrow.

"What's that?" I asked.

Aphrodite sighed. "It's my dress from my coming out party."

"Coming out party?" I nearly laughed.

She rolled her eyes. "Coming out to society as a lady."

Now I laughed. "A lady? You? No way."

"Yes way." she threw the dress on the bed and pointed to the dresser. "Move that to the back of the closet. Then we'll sort the clothes and put them away."

I did as she told me. In no time at all we were done with organizing all her clothes and putting them away. Something that amazed me was, we were getting along. She made it easy to forget about what happened. She didn't bring it up and neither did I. She didn't flip out on me for making a joke and I ignored her playful jabs because they were just that playful. They weren't harsh like they were when we were fighting. She tossed a blanket in my face when I'd pick up something of hers and tease her.

"Hey, Brady?" she asked quietly a few minutes after the teasing and joking had fallen into silence.

I placed the last book on her bookshelf. "Yeah?"

She rolled on to her stomach on her bed and looked at me. "What happened with you and Jen? Why did it never work?"

I sighed and turned to face her. I was sitting crossed legged on the floor. "Why do you want to know?" I growled.

"Don't get defensive or mad. I'm not trying to start a fight. I'm just genuinely curious."

I sat there for awhile thinking. I didn't know why she was asking, let alone curious about it. She hated Jen. Jen had attacked her and had given her a scar that probably covered most of her left side. "It didn't work because Jen is Jen. She doesn't, or didn't do relationships. She had fuck buddies but not boyfriends."

"And now she does?" Aphrodite asked.

I nodded. "She's with Luke. Collin's cousin."

"Oh. Wow." Aphrodite was quiet for awhile then she sighed.

"What?" I asked.

"I missed this." She whispered.

"Missed what?"

"This." she pointed between me and her. "The talking. No fighting, just talking."

I looked at the ground, not sure what to say. We were both quiet for awhile. Neither of us probably knew what to say to the other. I kept studying my hands, pretending I was anywhere but here.

"I'm sorry. I really am." She whispered again.

I stood and headed for the door. "I should go."

"Why?"

I didn't turn toward her. My main focus was getting out of the room fast. "Because this is only going to start a fight."

"How is me apologizing going to start a fight?" she nearly yelled.

I spun around facing her. "Because if you were sorry, you wouldn't have done it." she opened her mouth to speak but I raised my hand cutting her off. "Don't even start. If you say you did it to get back at me for what I did with Jen that's bullshit. What I had with Jen was before you and me. Long before."

"It was only a year before you met me."

"Shut up." I said. "My point is, it was before I met you, not after. What you did was after we met. After we imprinted. You have no idea how bad you hurt our imprint, do you? How much it hurt me?" I paused. Already knowing I said to much. I opened the door and walked out.

"Brady!"

I ignored her and went into my room, not caring if others in the house heard our fight. I didn't care that I slammed my bedroom door and Emily hated when I did it. I just didn't care anymore. I was actually having a good time with Aphrodite. I was actually beginning to forget what she did. I probably would have eventually forgiven her if we spent every day with teasing and joking instead of fighting. But she had to go and apologize for what she did when she knew I couldn't forgive her yet. She didn't understand that I needed time. I needed her to prove that she deserved to be forgiven. She may say that what she did was a mistake but she wasn't doing anything to make me believe that. The storm today was the start of a storm between us.

Today was a sign that Aphrodite wouldn't get her way, and neither would I.