Chapter 10: Philip Harrington vs. Troy ‘Travis’ Stanton~ The beat to his heart … Brat of a mate!

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“Paul is not here,” Troy said quietly immediately after they materialized in Gloria’s living room. They’d all decided that the best place to break Troy in was in his mother’s house.

“He will come over as soon as you and your mother are done talking,” Philip muttered as he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and began to type, sizing Troy up intermittently.

“I won’t say anything until I see him.” Troy insisted, a dark scowl in place. But he added after a moment; “Please.”

“How about we call so that you talk to…” Jeremy began to say but trailed off when his brother began to vigorously shake his head.

“How about I see him first?” Troy didn’t sound as if he was going to accept anything else. “I’ve been around warlocks long enough to know the tricks that can be played.” He glared at Jeremy. “For all I know, the voice I heard on the phone in the warehouse was not really his. I just want to see that he’s okay.” He added quietly. “Is that too much to ask?”

“And what makes you think the Paul we will bring will be the real Paul?” Deloris chuckled, the look on her face showing how impressed she was.

“I’ll know.” Troy shrugged. “I picked up a thing or two from your kind.” He stared Deloris down.

“Please ask Camille to send him over, Deloris.” Gloria sighed.

“Will do that,” Deloris responded as she turned to leave. “It was lovely meeting you, Troy.” She called over her shoulders as she left. Troy didn’t respond.

“Will you at least eat something whilst we wait for him?” Gloria implored.

“I won’t be able to get anything down even if I try.” Troy gave the woman who claimed to be his mother a sad look. “At least not until I see for myself that he is okay. I feel responsible for this predicament he finds himself in now. Especially with dickhead’s murder threats.” He jabbed a thumb toward a stern-faced Philip.

“Alright,” Gloria said with a silencing glare in Philip’s direction. At least indirectly, the boy had agreed to eat…at some point. “Why don’t you make yourself comfortable?” Gloria waited until Troy reluctantly took a seat in one of her plush couches, then sat down beside him. “Water?”

“No, thanks.”

“So stubborn,” Philip muttered to Jeremy’s amusement. That earned him a glare from Gloria though.

“So…” Gloria smiled. “What have you been up to?”

“You mean after you people managed to put me out on the streets?” Troy retorted. “Were you part of it?” He looked closely at Gloria. “Were you there on the day of the massacre?”

Gloria couldn’t lie. She didn’t want their relationship to take off on a lie. “Yes.” She nodded.

“And you call yourself a mother?” Troy asked with shocked disgust.

“You don’t understand.” She sighed.

“Please make me,” Troy said in a pained voice. “Please explain why you had to kill all those people. I can still hear their innocent screams. There were some really good people in there and you killed them all. No matter what they did to you people, I don’t think murdering them makes it right. You’re all murderers, each one of…”

“Enough,” Jeremy growled. “You can’t talk to her like that. She’s your mother.”

“She’s not my…”

“You know she is,” Jeremy growled. “You are a werewolf. Back there in the warehouse, I know you felt it. It’s only natural to feel it when you share a bond with someone. Now, you’re going to shut your mouth, relax, and listen to what she has to say.” Jeremy said in an authoritative voice.

“And if I don’t?” Troy asked quietly, his eyes filled with defiance. He could feel a fierce power emanating from Jeremy which called for his respect and fear. But somehow, he didn’t fear Jeremy at all because he knew that the man wouldn’t hurt him. He just knew it. “What are you going to do to me if I don’t do as you’re ordering? Kill me like you killed the rest of my people? Go ahead. It’s not as if I have anything to live for.”

“Not even…Paul?” Philip sneered the name as if it gave him a bitter taste in the mouth just mentioning it.

“What exactly is your problem with Paul?” Troy asked with a curious look on his face. “Did someone called Paul do something to you when you were a kid or something? Maybe destroyed your toy? Cut off your tail? Come on, tell me. ‘Cause I don’t really get your obsession with Paul. Back there, you asked whether he was my lover. What if he is…”

“Stop talking this very moment.” Jeremy’s growl drowned out Gloria’s gasp as Philip froze. The only sign that he was about to lose it was the change in his eyes and the sudden sprouting of claws where his fingers used to be. “Lip…” Jeremy gave Philip his undivided attention. “Lip please…”

“Someone is showing his true colours…or should I say form.” Troy taunted as Jeremy tried to calm Philip down.

“Son, please…” Gloria grabbed one of Troy’s hands and took hold of his chin to turned his face to hers. “Hey, stop it.” She said urgently. “Don’t get him worked up.” The chill in Gloria’s voice gave Troy pause. “Don’t force him to do as he’s threatened.”

“But what does he have against Paul?” Troy muttered, not pulling away from Gloria’s touch. “He’s targeted him since the very first moment he laid eyes on him.”

“He has his reasons, which I will explain to you later,” Gloria said sternly. “Stop goading him.”

“Mum?” Jeremy didn’t take his hand off Philip. “We’re going for a run. I don’t want Paul to come and meet…”

“You know that’s not going to solve anything.” Gloria cut him off. Philip was bound to attack Paul later even if he didn’t do it right then. “Son, do me a favour please.” She looked Troy in the eye. “I believe what Paul said in the warehouse. That you two are not lovers. It’s very important that you tell Philip the truth.”

“Why should I tell him anything?” Troy scowled.

“Please, baby.” Gloria combed her finger through Troy’s hair. Again, he didn’t pull away from those fingers. “Trust me.” She whispered. “It’s important you do.”

“We’re just friends,” Troy muttered but Philip heard him just fine. “I’m not even into guys.”

“Right…” Jeremy drawled with an amused glint in his eyes. “He’s not into guys.” He repeated unnecessarily. “Oh, this is going to be so good.” He grinned at Philip.

“I need to get outta here.” Philip rasped.

“I’m coming with…”

“No, stay.” Philip stopped Jeremy. “I’ll get in touch later.” With that, he turned to leave.