Wolf with Benefits
Page 130

Powerful.
What are you?
Chris she began.
Kill her! he ordered his followers. Kill the insolent whore!
But no one moved. No one followed his orders. So, panicking that it was all slipping away, Chris grabbed a knife from one of his bodyguards and, screaming, charged Delilah.
Del couldnt even pretend to be interested by this new drama.
Ricky and his brother changed back to human, threw on their jeans, and charged outside, following the sounds of screaming. They werent Tonis screams, though, so he wasnt too concerned.
As they neared the crowd, the group parted and Ricky and Rory cut through. But the brothers had to quickly step apart as skin thatRicky was guessinghad once been attached to the churchs great prophet, Chris, landed wetly on the ground near their feet.
Rory gaped down at the mess on the ground before telling his brother, Thats just wrong.
Yeah. Ricky already knew that.
Delilah stepped back so that she could keep her eye on both the brothers and Toni. She motioned to the cult followers and, like the tragic lemmings they were, they all stood behind the blood-soaked female whod killed their messiah. And, it seemed, had taken his place.
Staring at them with those eyes that were so like Tonis and yet so different because there was no life behind them, Delilah asked, What am I going to do with you now, big sister?
Toni chuckled at that and pointed at Delilahs chest. The young woman looked down and saw the telltale red dot locked on her heart.
Ive heard, Toni explained, that Cella Malone can hit a target from more than a mile away.
Shit, Delilah growled out.
A roar went out from somewhere in the distance and the cult members all trembled in fear as if hearing the word of God. But Ricky knew it was just the roar of a tiger-grizzly hybrid.
Lets move, Ricky said to Toni.
She nodded and naked, she walked forward toward her sister. When they were only a few inches apart, Delilah asked, Is this where you give me dire warnings, Toni? Tell me what youll do if I come near Freddy or the family again?
No, Toni said. This is where I say good-bye. She leaned in and kissed her sister on the cheek.
I love you, Toni said simply and, for the first time, Ricky saw what Toni had been trying to tell him. Delilah had no idea what her sister was talking about. She didnt understand why her sister wasnt killing her, ordering the rest of them to shift and tear the cult apart. The threat of what Toni would do if Delilah came near the family again was there, unspoken. Not needing to be spoken. But the fact that Toni still loved her, even if she would never like her ortrust her or want to see her again was beyond Delilahs simple ability to reason.
Delilah would never understand love or affection or what it meant to be part of anything that meant more than ones own life. She would never be part of a family or a good group of friends or a pack or pride.
And, Ricky had to admit, he kind of felt sorry for her. He couldnt think of a more miserable way to live.
Toni had almost reached the spot where theyd left the SUVs when she saw Livy standing by one of the vehicles with Freddy in her arms.
Letting out a sob, Toni charged over to them and pulled her brother into her own arms, holding him tight against her. Neither cared that she was naked with a good amount of blood on her.
Freddy, are you okay? Tell me youre okay, she begged.
Im fine. His little arms were tight around her neck, his legs around her waist. But you may want to check on Livy, he whispered.
With her brother safe, Toni felt confident enough to now notice her best friend.
Livy did look a little under the weather. Pale, sweaty, shaking, and also covered in blood.
God, Livy, what happened?
She shrugged, coughed, and spit on the ground. Nothing I couldnt handle.
Poison? Toni asked. It was one of the coolest things about honey badgersthey were really fucking hard to kill.
From the taste of it, Livy replied, snake-based. She held up both her thumbs. My favorite.
Toni, still crying a little, grinned at her friend. Thank you, she mouthed.
What else are people who dont hate you for?
People who dont hate you, Livy, are called friends.
Whatever.
Ricky came up behind Toni, smiled at Freddy. Hey, little man.
Hi, Ricky.
You ready to go home?
I really am. Im relatively certain . . . this is too much excitement for a seven-year-old.
Toni, now laughing and crying, hugged her brother even tighter. Youre absolutely right, little brother. It is.
Hows your face? the wolf asked Oriana while they sat at the kitchen table . . . waiting.
Its been better, she admitted, her nose hurting as it worked to heal. All she knew was that the swelling had better be down before her next class or she would be absolutely livid!
You know, the wolf went on, youre kind of tough.
It was a weird statement, but she couldnt help feeling it was kind of a compliment.
Thanks, uh . . .
Reece. Ricky Lees brother.