THE CLAIMING (The Chosen Series #1)

THE ATTACK

"I swear, Ava, do you see the way some of the women look at Isla? It's like she has the fucking plague." Erin grumbles, stomping a booted foot and taking a clothespin from my outstretched hand. "Inbred backward bitches," using the pin, she raises it to clasp the corner of the bedsheet to the washing line, the white fabric flapping in the wind.

"Seriously, who still hangs their laundry outside? What are we, fucking Amish?" Erin continues with her rant as I pass her another bed sheet. I know what she means in regard to Isla. Except for Siobhan, Reagan, and Eileen, most women either avoid her or openly sneer at her as Caitlín did. Before heading outside to do the washing, we noticed some of the younger girls, Roisin being one of them, outwardly make fun of her inability to talk back, calling her 'dumb mute' and 'mongrel'. I have to thank Eileen, for her suggestion that we do outdoor chores. Otherwise, Erin would have most likely tried to knock one of them out.

Handing Erin another clothespin, I shrug, chuckling at her Amish comment, "I have no idea why they treat her like that. This whole clan doesn't make sense." I reply, my voice becoming more serious, "I have more questions than answers at the moment, and the more I ask, the more questions I have." Looking at the basket, which is nearly empty, I turn and face the window that I know Isla is sitting behind and wave. "I think, no, I know, something is going on, and I may need your help to tie Liam down so we can get the right answers."

"Honey, you get the rope, and I'll happily tie him down." She supplies, wriggling her eyebrows suggestively, then adding, looking mockingly affronted, "Girl scout style, I swear." Then tilting her head and biting on her bottom lip, she adds. "That boy could do with a little dominance to put him in his place."

Laughing, I continue handing the wet laundry to Erin, "What about the Adonis?"

"Adonis?"

"You know, tall, muscular, blonde, and hot as hell. Thor's younger brother."

"Ah, Shay, now that is one beast I would love to have in straps, and this time I do mean BDSM style." She adds, her eyes taking on a dreamy look, polished nails tapping on her chin. "Wonder if he would let me make him my bitch?" Laughing, I raise my face to the sky and take in the limited sun peeking from behind clouds, hoping and praying that the linen dries in time before they freeze to the washing line. Note to self, purchase them two heat pump dryers, and have them shipped express when I return home. I mean, who doesn't own a dryer in this day and age - Amish???

"Maybe." I ponder out loud, placing my index finger on my lips in a contemplative manner, "You can be quite persuasive when you want to be."

"You know it," she smirks at my response then sighs, stretching for the line. "However, my powers don't seem to work as well here. Each time I try to get some alone time with Shay, something or someone gets between us. I swear, other than the whole dog thing, this place is so fucking weird, almost Stepford wives with fur, and don't even get me started on Roisin."

Piquing my interest, I stare at her, eyebrow raised, and wait for her to explain.

Understanding that I want to know details, she lowers her voice and whispers conspiratorially. "Well, the first night I was here, she was all up in my grill about understanding my place and that the men were off-limits to my kind. Like being a dog woman makes her so high and mighty. No offense," she adds before trailing off.

"None taken, so how did you respond?" Knowing that, Erin would not have taken that comment lying down.

"Well, I was more concerned about you and your welfare to give a shit about her comment, so I just gave her my look and walked off."

Her look, or should I say, resting bitch face, is scary. But still, it's not like Erin to not retaliate to someone marking their territory, so I prod, "And?"