Broken by Ellie Anne (reading well .TXT) 📖

Jeez was life changing. Erin raced forward and did a wolf version of the wrestling move where the guy jumps on the other guy and tries to strangle him. Gregory wound up on top, shifting back into a human. Erin, being the guy that he is, shifted back to a human as well. I had been running up until Erin pulled the wrestler gone wolf move, then I stopped. It was probably the stupidest thing I’ve ever done, because right after Erin was human again, Gregory raced up and tackled me. I tried so hard to get out, I was just too tired. I tried to scratch him but I just couldn’t function. I’m pretty sure that at one point or another, I blacked out.


I woke up to Erin yelling my name, and the sound of flesh hitting concrete. He came over and cradled me in his arms. “I’m so sorry Nik. He’s out now, but he won’t stay that way. We can’t stay here. We have to go to my parents’ house. It’s not far, just stay with me.” he said, his voice distressed.

“Jeez, I have a killer headache. How far, I can walk.” I half mumbled.

“Not far but I so don’t trust you to be able to walk.” with that, he scooped me up into his arms and started walking.

I felt sore and painfully exhausted. I just wanted to lay down in bed and fall asleep. Thankfully, the steady sound of Erin’s pace and the wonderful sound of his steady heartbeat caused me to end up dozing off.


What felt like seconds later, I felt Erin squeeze me tight. “We’re here.” he whispered into my hair.

“Hmm, ‘kay.” I replied as he set me down.

He rang the doorbell and a few moments later, a woman opened the door.

“Erin.” was all she said. It wasn’t happy or said, it was just . . . blank.

“I know mom, I know, but please, we need help.”

“James, come here please. You too Cole.” she said after an eternity. “I suppose you can come in.” she said, her voice still blank.

“Erin! You’re home!” kid shouted from somewhere inside the house.

“Cole? Jeez, I missed you. Come here you little bugger.” Erin said, a lopsided, adorable grin plastered to his face.

A kid I assumed was Cole came out and ran straight into Erin’s open arms.

“Nik, this is my little brother, Cole.” he introduced his brother.

“Your father is still taking his sweet time upstairs but he certainly won’t be happy. You can spend the night here in the family room but, that’s it.” she said, her voice icy cold. “As for you, miss, I’d suggest getting home before your parents get worried.” she told me.

“She can’t.” Erin replied before I could. “Nik is now a target for a werewolf alpha. Unfortunately, he knows where she lives.”

I excused myself from the “conversation” and called home, telling them I was spending the night at Sam’s. Next I called Sam.

“Oh, thank goodness.” I breathed when she answered. “I’m so sorry to pull this on you but, I can’t go home tonight and I told my parents I was spending the night at your house. Please, please, please, say you’ll cover?” I sprang on her.

“One condition, tell me why you can’t go home.” she said, always knowing exactly how to extract information.

I was silent for a moment. Then I held my hand over my cell phone and asked to borrow Erin from his mom.

“Okay, problem. I asked Sam to cover for me, she said she’ll only do it if I tell her why. Should I?” I asked, stressed again. Erin just asked for the phone, and I handed it to him.

“Hey, Sam, this is Erin. Trust me, if you want Nik to be okay, then you’ll cover for her. Some creeper found out where she lived and is trying to do creepy crap to her. She’s staying at my parents because we don’t want to get you or her family into trouble.” he said, getting as close to the truth as possible, without giving too much away.

Another extended period of silence from her end of the line.

“Fine, but you owe me big. And don’t do anything stupid, I ain’t covering for that.” she said, a bit of a smile in her voice.

“You really are the best, Sam Whitehaven.” I said.

“You know it. Alright be safe and call me when you’re home, ‘kay?” she asked, more like a command.

“’kay, bye.” I replied.

We hung up and it seemed like everything had gone from hopeless to goin’ pretty smooth. Cole was happily bouncing around his older brother, and Erin just enfolded him in a bear-hug. It was amazing seeing Erin as happy as he was, home with his little brother, home, where he grew up.

“Well, now that we’re here, why don’t we spend some time actually relaxing.” Erin said, tugging his brother to the couch with the TV in front of it, I followed them. Erin plopped Cole down on the couch. Cole stretched out, taking up the entire couch.

Erin laughed. “Guess we’re sitting on the floor, Nik.” he said, another lopsided grin playing at his lips.

“I guess so.” I said as he sat on the carpet. Erin’s old house was beige and stayed in the muted browns color pallet. It was nice and homey it just looked . . . professional, I suppose. Either way I sat down next to Erin. He turned on the television.

“Alright, what are we watching?” Erin asked.

“Let’s watch a movie.” Cole suggested.

“A movie sounds good.” I agreed

“A movie it is.” Erin decided. He was so happy, I could see him fitting in here, teaching his brother different sports, messing around with him. Erin deserved a loving family and a good home. He channel surfed until he found How the Grinch Stole Christmas.

“I figured we could finish it here.” Erin said, a smile on his face.

A few minutes in, Erin pulled the super cheesy I’m-gonna-yawn-so-I-can-put-my-arm-around-you move.

“You cheese-ball.” I said as I snuggled in. He just smiled even bigger.


By the time we finished the movie, Erin’s mother had called Cole to bed. She’d told us that Erin’s old room had been renovated into an office and that we had to sleep out in the family room. Of course that started a mini argument over who got the sofa.

“Erin, it’s your house, you sleep on the sofa.” I argued.

“Exactly, you’re the guest so you get the sofa.” he retorted.

“Take the sofa.” I replied.

“Seriously, it’s yours.” Erin decided

“Just shut up and take the sofa.” I said, trying to put an end to the dispute.

He took a minute to reply, “Fine, I’ll get the sofa.” a smile playing at the corners of his lips. About twenty minutes later, we were both asleep.


Chapter Ten
Just Peachy


I was jostled a little, and then I felt lips brush my forehead. I didn’t bother opening my eyes, I just wanted to sleep. All the running from the evening before had definitely performed a number on me. A second later, my body came in contact with soft, squishy cushion. I was wide awake now.

“Jeez, Erin. Is waiting till I was asleep to move me really necessary?” I asked, slightly annoyed.

“Yup. You had to do all that running ‘cause I’m an idiot, so yeah, it was.” he said.

“Well, I was comfy where I was so I’m just gonna go back on the floor. Move me again and Gregory isn’t gonna be the only werewolf to be bruised by me.” I said, the threat empty. Erin just looked at me and rolled his eyes.

“Then I’m sleeping on the floor too.” his voice conveying that his opinion was unchangeable.

“Whatever.” I mumbled, already half asleep.

I curled up in a tight ball next to the couch, using my arm as a pillow. Erin got up.

“I’m gonna go get a few blankets ‘kay.” he said, always thinking ahead. I just nodded and waited for sleep.

He was back a few seconds later with two blankets and two pillows. He felt like being macho nice guy and pretty much tucked me in, putting the pillow under my head then wrapping the blanket around me like wrapping paper. I mumbled a thank you as Erin set up his mini bed and scooted closer to me.

“At least tomorrow’s Saturday.” I mumbled.

When I woke up, I was covered by both blankets and Erin was up walking around. I got up and joined him.

“What’re you doing?” I asked.

“Just thinking.” he replied. “Anyway, how’d you sleep?” he asked.

“I never knew carpet could be so comfy.” I replied.

He just smiled to himself; obviously something was on his mind.

“You okay?” I asked, worried about him.

“Yeah, I just didn’t realize how much I missed Cole and the rest of my family. I just want to be able to stay with Cole, help the bugger grow up. Be a good older brother to him. He’s still just a ten-year-old kid. I was ten and he was five when I was attacked and kicked out.” he said, finally wanting something for himself.

“You were ten?!” I exclaimed. “What the . . . wait attacked?” I asked, puzzled

“I was nine when I was attacked and turned, I wasn’t particularly good at keeping a