Something From Nothing

The Wicked Bitch Of The West

Logan Mercier

He was good, I'd give him that. Ace Morgan was a skilled individual in more ways than one. His ability to talk himself out of the situation was not only intriguing but fun to watch.

The way his lips curved in the revelation that this was another person he could con into getting what he wanted. Or how his eyes sparkled with various calculations. Even the way his posture shifted at the knowledge that the person he was exploiting was falling exactly where he wanted them. It was a form of manipulation, I understood that but that didn't make it any less interesting.

He was a magician of sorts. Not the kind of man that can tell what your card was, or make roses appear from his sleeves. His power wasn't unique, but a really good one to have: he could bend and sculpture with his words until his victim of choice was almost believing that they were breathing just because he allowed them to do it; he could make up every reality into a favorable situation for him, making everybody else guilty for every sin, even his own mistakes.

I had only witnessed him do it a couple of times and I didn't even think he realized he was doing it either in certain moments. It was almost as if it was second nature and I guess it was.

There was definitely more than one situation in which fighting wasn't an option and the only way to be freed was to talk, to either bide your time until you could act physically or erase the threat altogether. Obviously Ace had had to learn these skills, although I wouldn't be surprised if his power of manipulation was something he was a natural at.

It wasn't a good quality to have, I knew that but I couldn't help but feel a little proud of my mate. Mrs. Casey was the strictest teacher in our high school. She was vicious and conniving. Not once had I ever seen her ever hesitate in giving out punishment to students in the wrong in the four years I had been there. She had no regard for titles or even what rank in the pack you were. If you didn't follow the rules she would punish you and under no circumstances would you be able to break out of it. If you did the crime, she would make you do the time.

However, Ace Morgan, my mate and new kid to the school had talked not only himself but five others out of an inevitable detention where we would be forced to write out the long school rules a million times within minutes. It was unheard of and I couldn't help but feel a little shocked. I knew for a fact that he would use this against us later but I didn't care as much as I probably should have. I couldn't imagine what else he was capable of but I sure as hell was looking forward to finding out.

A smirk spread itself across my face as I walked down the halls. It was just past the fourth period now and I was still yet to see my mate but I was feeling particularly optimistic about the day. I know I shouldn't be. After all, my mate didn't actually want to be my mate, said mate was also a convicted criminal and was dead set on leaving in a couple of months, my dad didn't like him very much either and I was having trouble figuring out my sexuality. My life was a bit of a mess right now but I still felt as though things would get better.

One way or another I'd find out who Ace Morgan really was. I'd gain his trust and I'd somehow make him care about me. Even if all he could offer was the simplest friendship it was still a relationship that I would accept more than happily as there were more than a few mate pairs that remained friends and were not romantically involved at all. Nevertheless if in the end he still wanted to leave then I'd let him go.

I had seen how he looked after my father had offered him his freedom and only this morning I had seen his whole stare of mind change at the knowledge that he could shift and run.

It was a look I had never seen on him before. Usually Ace had this dulled, hardened expression on his face that visibly displayed how indestructible the walls he had surrounded himself were. However, at the mention of freedom, I got a glimpse of the pure joy he had at this knowledge. The few seconds I got to see it made me view him differently.