Hunting Human - Amanda E. Alvarez [84]
“No.” Beth tried to push away from him, unwilling to back down but attempting to avoid the argument. “I’m sorry.”
His large hand closed on her elbow, holding her in place. “I’ll teach you myself after all this is over, but slowly. You can ease into it. You don’t have to choose the hardest road, Beth.” He pulled her around to face him, one hand brushing the side of her cheek and threading through her hair.
It was hard not to wilt beneath his pleading look and gently caressing fingertips.
He doesn’t understand.
“It’s my choice, Braden. Finally. My choice. I want answers. I want control.”
“What’s the rush?” He withdrew his hand and paced away from her. “I can answer all of your questions. Show you everything you need to know. Over time. Chase…” Braden glanced toward the door his brother had disappeared through, hostility plain on his face. “Chase won’t be patient. Or kind. He’ll push and pull at you until you’re exhausted and spent. Give yourself some time.”
“No. I’ve waited this long because I didn’t have an alternative! What was I supposed to do? Google it? Do you have any idea how much crap comes up when you search werewolves on the internet?” Beth reined in frustration that had been mounting for years. “I survived because there wasn’t any other option. Now there is. I need to understand everything about how to control this.” She slashed the air with her hand when Braden opened his mouth. “No. Not soon. Not slowly. Now. Markko is out there, and I know your family will do their best to protect me, but I have to be able to protect myself. I need to do this.”
“Fine.” Braden physically deflated as he gave in. “But let me teach you.” He reached for her again, running his fingers down the side of her face, gently skimming over the top of the bite Markko had left before moving down to rub her arm.
It took every ounce of will she possessed to resist leaning into his touch.
Don’t.
She couldn’t depend on him. She had to figure this out for herself, learn to deal with it on her own. She couldn’t count on him to always be there, easing the way.
Rely on yourself.
She forced herself to pull away. “No. I can’t trust you to push me hard enough. Chase will.”
The corners of his eyes tightened and his mouth pressed into a thin, hard line.
“Please, Braden. This has to be my way.”
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. “Fine.” He jerked away from her and stalked out the door.
Alone in the office, Beth sank into the closest chair, suddenly lonelier than she’d been in days.
Chapter Nineteen
A bead of sweat rolled down her neck, slipped beneath her tank top and traced a path down her spine.
“Concentrate.” Chase prowled the woods around her, close but out of sight.
“I am!” All she did was concentrate, focus, fail and try again. “This isn’t helping.”
“Because you aren’t trying.”
Beth surged to her feet, brushing forest debris from her clothes. “The hell I’m not. All I do is try. I’ve been trying all damn week!” She stalked across the small clearing they used for practice. Every day for the last week they’d gone out into the forests surrounding the Edwardses’ home and for hours Beth struggled to force herself to shift. She returned every night, cold, exhausted and furious with her lack of progress.
“Had enough?” Chase asked with an edge of malicious humor.
“Could you be less helpful?” Beth snapped back.
“I told you what you need to know.”
Beth angled her head to the right, in the direction she thought he stood. “Oh, I’m sorry. That’s right. Listen. I just have to listen and everything will fall into place. Right. Thanks.” Beth collapsed back to the ground, shoved fingers through her hair and tried to resist the temptation to pull it all out.
“Whiner.”
The bastard is amused!
Beth pulled her fingers from her hair and dug them into the earth beneath her.
“You ready to head back?”
“Sure.” Beth didn’t move from her reclined