Chapter Four

Tory's POV

I heard the voices first, and then I felt the pain. I kept my eyes closed and tried to keep my breathing regular. The pain I was feeling in my hand, shoulders, and head was almost unbearable, but I couldn't blow my cover of being unconscious, not yet. The voices cleared up from long strands of sounds to clear words.

"Jason! What were you thinking! You are so thick headed!" High squeaky voice filled with panic. Easy to identify. Madison.

"Shut up. Shut up. Shut up. I am the leader. I make the choices. I need her to understand." Low voice, filled with borderline hysteria. Jason.

"Just because you are the strongest doesn't make you the leader, and it doesn't give you the right to make bad choices." Silky smooth sounding voice laced with irritation and anger. My heart started beating faster. Chance.

Without meaning to I shifted the slightest bit in my chair, causing my shoulder to spike with searing pain. I let out a tiny cry. I heard the air being sucked out of the room as six eyes turned to face me. I opened my own eyes slowly; I was no longer fooling them. They knew I was awake. What choice did I have? Madison shifted uncomfortably. Jason looked near tears. Chance looked bored, and kind of pissed. Jason tried to speak first; bit was cut off by Chances hand.

"Victoria, nice to see you among the living. For a second we thought he had knocked you a little too hard. Not that anyone cared." Every word Chance spit out was bitter and made me cringe.

I thought he was finished. Boy was I wrong. He continued to throw his words at me;

"Tory you little bitch. I have always come to you when I was confused and every time you shoot me down, treat me like crap. Make me doubt who I really am, Just so you can run off to your pathetic little mutts –" Chance was cut off by Jason's spiteful growl.

"And that pathetic puppy who follows you around like you are a savior." Jason rolled his eyes and Madison giggled. All their behaviors had dramatically shifted now that they knew I was awake. For the first time I was mad.

"Listen hear you sorry ass jerk. Cooper could rip your throat out if I demanded it. Now let me go." I drilled the last words directly at Jason. I knew he would crack first. I couldn't have been more wrong. Jason, Madison and Chance all gave me blank looks at the mention of Coop. Finally Madison brought two manicured hands to the air.

"Tory, are you playing coy or are you just that stupid."

Now it was my turn to give them blank stares. Then it clicked. They were never talking about my wolf dog. They were talking about Ben. I felt myself grow more uncomfortable as six unblinking eyes watched me.

Jason spoke up again this time I had his complete attention.

"Tory sometimes I wonder how I could have fallen for such a stupid girl" Oh god no. Jason continued; not hearing my silent cry.

"Tory, I have been trying to get through to you since I first saw you. Look at me." Jason erupted in a glowing red fire. He flexed him hands and smiled a toothy grin. "This is what I became for you. I am the best." Before I had a chance to react His red eyes narrowed and he scoffed; "Ben is a lost puppy looking for a replacement mother, he doesn't deserve you. He could never satisfy you like I can." Jason moved closer to me his eyes gleaming with a dangerous eagerness. I had to handle the situation delicately in order to protect myself- and well…to protect Ben. I knew if kidnapping me didn't work in his favor he'd move to Ben next, only in a violent way. Damn it I thought frustrated. I could have really used Ella's lessons in Boys 101. I spoke with caution.

"Jason, how did you know I was out on the beach?"

"I followed you. I could smell your tears. I know when a pack mate is in trouble. That's why I'm the Alpha." Jason hadn't broken his eyes away from mine yet. I was beginning to squirm. Chance made a sound I didn't recognize and Madison twirled her hair. Jason little pack obviously didn't agree with who became top dog. I continued quickly.

"Jason thanks. I needed someone then and you were there. However..." I hadn't a clue what would get me out of this one. Then my mouth started moving faster than my brain;

"However now isn't the best time for me to be restricted? You see…it's my time of the month and pretty soon if I don't get home and get equipped there's going to be blood EVERYWHERE , and no one wants to deal with that, also about the whole, you being perfect for me, well you see you aren't my type and neither was Ben." I could have left it at that. I should have left it at that. My mouth had other plans.

"You say Jase, I like girls so leave me alone already." I tried to smile and play it off. Stupid. What the hell Tory. Dear Lord.

Madison's jaw dropped open and she took a step back. Chance's head whipped around and his eyes narrowed. Jason just stared with a blank expression. I began to sweat watching Chance, there's no way he believed my little fib. Surprisingly he was the first to speak.

"You heard her, Jason. Unless you want to be scrubbing period blood out of your carpet for hours you should get her out of here." Chance shot me his signature wink, then left the room. Nobody noticed.

Jason cut me free from the chair, letting the zip ties fall to the floor. Then his face shifted back to a stone mask.

"Go Tory." Was his final words as he pointed to the door.