Stronger by Ang Chris

Chapter 16

I felt so displayed and exposed. He had walked away again. I tried to stop from crying but anger, frustration, and vulnerability overflowed.

I sunk to my feet covering my mouth keeping all sounds inside. I let them flow down.

*I’m going to cry. I’m going to be upset. This is not what I wanted. Then I’m going to stand up and make sure he doesn’t

see.

I gasped and pressed my l*ps shut. I cleaned up my face. I dried my hair. This is not what I had expected. This is not what I want.

1

I finished getting myself ready. I put on baggy clothes wanting to forget he’d seen it all and backed away.

He was in Brians’s room when I got out there and I ate my breakfast in silence. Thankfully I did not have to the scorn on his face.

2

I grabbed some of my favorite books from the trunk of the car sitting in my seat and putting in my earbuds turning them up all the way.

I wanted the stories I knew to have a happy ending. I wanted to know if it would all work out for a moment. I would not look at him again. I would not give him an opening to humiliate me.

Resentment, fury, disgust, and embarrassment swilled and stormed chasing around inside of me. I felt like I was suffocating in it all. 1

When we got to the hotel that night I placed a blank card on my face. I would not give away anything.

“Anna?” Ella knocked on the door of my room as we were getting ready to go to dinner.

“Come in,” I took a deep breath and turned to put my hair up halfway to keep it out of my face.

“Are you okay?” she sat down on the bed.

I froze, terrified of what was to follow. He hadn’t. Please tell me he hadn’t.

“Why do you ask?” I closed my eyes trying to stay calm.

“You’ve been so quiet today. I thought you’d be excited we’re finally in Canada. I know we’re barely across the border but.” she shrugged looking at me as if I should explain. “This morning you didn’t say a word and you looked so. Sad or angry I don’t know but you seem upset,”

I shrugged as nonchalantly as I

tell her. He kept his dismissal of me to

2

about. He’s my

6

I falsely responded. Smiling

you. I’m sure that it is hard leaving your home but don’t worry. Let’s eat some good food and then tomorrow you’ll meet your people and you’ll

having someone openly care for me. I

“Of course,”

3

was a steakhouse that night. The men had taken it upon themselves to order the

steak medallions with bearnaise sauce and a side of shrimp.

didn’t see his quick

let this go. He had left me there n*ked.

2

he placed his hand on my back and

once.

like that. In a moment that was

1

into the bedroom. I did not want to be anywhere near him. I changed into my pajamas and was crawling into bed when he came into sleep on the couch.

know this

into bed rolling over and turning off the lights.

over and turning the light in again. “I know it was. I wanted. I’m sorry that

control myself,”

and looked him in the eyes, crossing

trying to be

but if you can’t do something don’t start something. You have no idea how I felt after you left. I’m sorry that this is so hard for you but until you can recognize it’s hard for me you can refrain from speaking to me

1

me with a hug and put

something. It probably wasn’t easy to see your leaders argue when they had just found each other but she was mindful and stayed quiet only

ate together, Grayson keeping a distance as

time had passed

role very seriously. He lives his life for the pack and we all are lucky to have him. I know it’s a hard task but if you give him time

2

for us and she cared about him. Grayson evoked strong loyalty out of everyone I had met so far and that was a good sign of his character.

the others; the only difference was the cars were now jeeps. The road to his pack was over some rocks