So, I've had this chapter planned out since June 2017 – just under three years ago, with little changes – and FUCK, I'm so excited to share it with all of you!
ENJOY!
Out of everybody, Emmett is the quietest. His eyes are glued to the board, his jaw is clenched so hard she expects the bone to splinter. He slowly turns to Issy and she expects an outburst. Though Emmett simply glares at her hard enough that she might set alight randomly. The look in his eyes is dark and promising, and a small part of Issy wants to hide but Issy raises her chin and smirks. Emmett bares his teeth before leaving the room without a single word.
When dinner rolls around after the rankings, Issy and her squad make the decision to sit with her trainees – both remaining and cut – at a different table away from the Leadership table and the ones her family commandeers towards the centre of the cafeteria. As her squad lightly drags the ten trainees to an empty table, Issy overhears that Eric is currently out on patrol.
As the meal goes on, everybody laughs as memories from the past two week are brought up. Lani, who is sitting in front of Issy freezes, as do all of the women on the table as a presence loom behind her. The men on the table tense up but Issy given the silent order to stand down and they do. Issy sighs, turning to see Emmett standing near her with a sneer on his face. As he wobbles slightly, Issy guesses that he's drunk.
"Why did I get cut?" He slurs, his breath stinking of alcohol, and Issy rolls her eyes. Yup, definitely drunk… "I was the best you had out there."
Issy laughs, turning in her seat to face him. "Is that what you think? I hate to break it to you, but you weren't even close." She shakes her head, anger from his attitude over the two weeks begin to build up and the dwindling quiet of the cafeteria as everyone watches them hardly registers. "While you showed some promise when fighting, you were pulled down incredibly by not being able to shoot a gun properly. You attitude towards myself; my squad and your fellow trainees was appalling, and you have no respect for the people around you. You couldn't work in a team for shit, always going off on your own, thinking that you knew better – which led to yourself getting injured. You wouldn't follow orders, which is kinda necessary in a squadron, don't you think?"
"I don't take orders from housewives."
The whole cafeteria freezes and tension begins to crackle from many of the female soldiers – many in high positions – turn ever so slowly to glare at Emmett.
Issy's jaw clenches. "You wanna repeat that? I don't think I heard you properly." Let's see how stupid this boy really is...
Emmett snorts, shaking his head. "It's cute that Max thinks it's smart to integrate housewives into the force but it's a waste of time and resources, better to keep them at home where they're safe."
The Leader in question stands up from his table, snarling quietly and ready to intervene but Issy gets there first.
Issy tenses at the comment but slowly stands up from the table and faces him. "So, what, the position should go to pricks like you?"
"If it means it shows whores like you their place, then yes." Emmett hisses so low that only Issy can hear him and those on her table struggle to hear what he said.
Issy grins but from the fear radiating off those around her, there's nothing nice about it. It's a vicious, deadly, wolf-like grin that when paired with the white-golds of her eyes makes even Max take a step back from where he stands. Emmett though, foolish or brave, stays where he is. Her head cocks to the side as she takes a step closer. Foolish or brave, he still doesn't move – other than the miniscule widening of his eyes as he stares at her. Mentally, something shifts within her, and she is no longer just Issy. The mask she normally uses when in captain-mode shifts too. Right now, she holds no attachments from the people around her other than the protective flares that burst through her body, reminding her to protect her faction like a wolf protects her pack.
Beta stares at Emmett with a small hint of glee that has him swallowing. "Whores like me," Beta begins in a breathy whisper full of dark promises. "Can beat little boys like you just as easily as snapping a twig." She takes a step back; her voice raises so the whole cafeteria can hear her. "You are a disgrace to this faction Emmett Henley. How you even passed initiation is beyond me." Beta cackles in delight, baring her teeth when rage fills Emmett's face. "You are not fit to be a member of my squadron. You are not fit to work as a member in a team without belittling the people you find weaker than yourself and lashing out at those with a higher rank. You are not fit to be a soldier. If I see you, or even hear of you pulling the same kind of shit around this Faction that you thought was perfectly OK behaviour, then you're going to wish you never met me because I'm going to burn you to ash and make your remains look like art. Am I clear?"
"Yes." Emmett whispers, his head dropping down.
"I said, am I clear?!" Beta snaps her jaw.
"YES BETA!"
Beta turns her nose up as the shift takes place until her eyes are flecked with blue and Issy stares down at him, her voice less feral but still firm. "You're dismissed soldier. Now get out of my sight."
The cafeteria is silent as Emmett quickly scurries from the room with everyone's eyes glaring holes into him for insulting their sisters, daughters, mothers, nieces, aunts and friends. When he finally leaves with a dark look thrown over at Issy, the silence stays for a little while longer. Max, who was still standing throughout the verbal lashing from Beta, nods at Issy with a proud smile before sitting down. There's a quiet moment before the whole cafeteria breaks out roaring, stomping and clapping. Issy smirks as she sits back down.
As the trainees and her fellow squaddies break away and go their separate ways, Issy wanders back over to her family's tables. As she passes the Leaders' table, Max stops her.
"Good job Issy." He grins up at her. "It's a shame Eric's not here, he'd love to have seen that."
Issy laughs and nods her head. Eric would have taken great delight in what just happen and Issy placed odds on him walking around like a proud peacock for a while afterwards. "No doubt someone's got a video of it so they can send him it."
When Issy stands at the end of the table, her family starts roaring.
"That's our girl!" Bree shouted, pulling her into a hug.
Everybody pats her on the back and compliments her performance, but Issy simply shrugs.
"Fucker deserved it. I'm just thankful I don't have to work with him again."
Kayden laughs loudly. "After that, I'd be surprised if he wants to be in the same room as you again!"
"I'm not gonna lie," Declan grinned. "I'm kinda scared of you now…"
Issy grins wildly, patting her brother's cheek. "Don't fuck me over and you'll be okay."
The table laughs as Dec's eyes widen in shock and shuffles away from her.
xXx
The plan was to go to Hugo's and chill for a bit.
Issy was walking behind the group when she fell behind to retie her boot but when she looked back up her family had walked on without her. Thinking nothing of it, she carries on walking until she is shoved against a wall.
Her eyes are wide, and she freezes when she sees Emmett towering over her with alcohol thick on his breath. His nails dig painfully into her wrists while he holds them above her head with one hand and his legs pin her own to the wall.
"Bitches shouldn't be able to walk around freely." A nasty sneer covers his face as he gropes her painfully. "They should be kept at home where they belong, cooking, cleaning and fucking." Issy tries to scream but Emmett grips her hair and slams her head against the wall. She cries out, her voice echoing in the corridor. "Shut up! Shut –" Issy rips one of her wrists free and claws at his face. Emmett drops her, staggering back as he yells, and Issy falls to the floor hard. Before Issy can move though, he stands over her with blood dripping from four deep scratches down his face. Emmett is laughing and his eyes have a crazy glint to them as he grabs her wrists with a tighter grip. "You let that bastard touch you. You surround yourself with other males and who knows how many you let touch you. Why not me?" He asks, running a hand down to her jeans and unbuttoning them. "WHY NOT ME?" He roars and punches her in the face, her nose cracking.
Black spots appear in Issy's vision as Emmett leans against her for a moment, his head tucked into the crook of her neck and she cringes. Then, he's suddenly gone. Issy gasps, choking on her own blood and her eyes flutter open to see Emmett struggling in someone's hold. She coughs, blood spurting back out of her mouth.
Cold eyes of a raging storm meet her own.
Eric's eyes widen for a second before a snarl rips through his throat and he wraps his arms around Emmett. For a moment Issy wonders if this is really the time to be giving Emmett a hug, but then she hears a sickening crack and Emmett's head tilts on an unnatural angle.
Eric just –
Emmett's body falls to the ground when Eric lets go. She stares at the body for a long moment before looking back up to Eric. The Leader is breathing heavily, his fist clenching at his sides. Eric closes his eyes for a moment before opening them again and striding towards Issy. His rage is still clear on his face as he gently picks her up, pulling her close to his chest. Issy's eyes begin to flutter shut when she hears Eric hiss. "Mine."
xXx
Issy wakes up in Eric's room, in Eric's bed – on his side. Her face feels oddly numb, the pain from earlier having mostly disappeared and her body feels strangely light. There's a strange growling in the room and Issy's eyes blink open to see the Leader himself with his phone to his ear, pacing at the end of the bed.
"I couldn't give a shit right now Max! I need a clean-up crew on the North-bound corridor heading towards the lifts. Emmett attempted –" Eric paused, listening to what the Head Leader was saying on the other side. His jaw clenches as he glares at the ground. When Eric speaks again, his voice is low, and his eyes are beyond murderous. "...You mean to tell me that while this was caught on camera, nobody thought to check just in case someone was being attacked?!" Eric runs a hand through his hair. "I DON'T CARE! Four should have sent someone anyway! It's fucking protocol if he's stuck on what to do!"
"Eric." Issy croaks and his eyes flash to her, his pacing pausing.
Eric takes a deep breath, his grey eyes fixed to her. "If Four thought he was making the right call, tell him that his call nearly led to Issy being assaulted." He grits out before ending the call. Eric shoves the phone in his pocket, even as it buzzes with a new call coming in and several messages. He walks closer before squatting at the side of his bed. His eyes are still harsh as ice, but the anger isn't directed at Issy. Eric raises his hand up to cup her neck but Issy flinches away. His lips part as his hand retracts slightly. "Issy." Eric breathes. "Issy, please, I just want to check your injuries." Issy keeps her eyes on Eric before nodding slowly. Eric exhales as he leans closer and lightly feels the side of her head for a bump. When Eric finds it, Issy winces away. "Hey, I'm sorry. It's okay, I've got you." His hands leave her head and picks up a jar of cream on the table. "I just need to put this on the wound, okay? It's going to hurt." Issy just nods again as tears well in her eyes. He bites his lip as he scoops some of it up. his other hand is a lot gentler when finding the bump again but when the cream touches her wound, Issy cries out in agony. "I'm sorry baby, I – I'm sorry." Eric's voice breaks slightly as Issy grips his wrist, her nails digging into his skin while he rubs the cream all over. When Eric is finished, Issy lets go of his wrist and he lightly presses his lips to her forehead. "It's okay."
Eric moves away and it's not long until she hears a tap running. While Eric is out of the room, Issy looks around the room only to realise she's only dressed in one of Eric's tops and a pair of his boxers. Issy blushes deeply at the thought of Eric undressing her but of course, if he's applied creams and salves to her face and head, he'd have to check the rest of her body to do the same. Issy pulls the covers over her and up to her chin. When Eric comes back in, he's dressed in his PJ bottoms, but this time his eyes are soft and hold a hell of a lot of hurt in them. She watches him pick up a couple of pillows and a blanket but when he starts to leave, she starts to panic.
"Please don't leave me!"
Eric freezes, the muscles in his back pulled taut and he looks at her over his shoulder. He sees the fear on her face and his shoulders drop, placing the blanket and pillows back before crawling into bed. Eric stays a good distance away from her and a thought makes her whimper. He shuffles closer cautiously and he swallows once, twice, before looking into her eyes. "Are you sure?"
"Eric." Issy whines and he moves even closer until his body is flush against hers.
He curls around her carefully, tucking her into him. "It's okay, I've got you. I've got you. You're safe."