Jon needed a plan. First, he needed to get the stone. It was useless to him right now, but he didn't have any better ideas.
The stone was hidden in plain sight on the dresser. He'd seen Sydney pick it up and put it back there. He tried to knock it off the dresser. He succeeded in knocking other things off...but the stone stayed perched at the top.
He was still trying at it when Sydney returned. She was wet, which meant she had figured out the shower. "Jon, why are you doing that?" She effortlessly picked up the stone. "Do you want to play with the shiny rock again?"
Jon growled, without even thinking about it. He was starting to become mad at Sydney, something he'd tried not to do, but the situation was starting to frustrate him. I want my life back, you stupid dog...don't you understand?
Sydney looked genuinely hurt. "I'm...not stupid," she said, softly. "You're...you're the stupid one..." she said. "I'm just new at this. But when I learn, I'll be better at it than you were."
You don't understand, Jon insisted.
She practically snarled back at him. "If you are so much smarter than me, why don't you explain it to me?" She shoved him. "Get out..."
What?
"Get out..." she said, pushing him toward the door. "Leave me alone..." She pushed him out and closed the door.
"I'm not stupid," she whispered. "I wish I'd learn to be smarter than Jon." The stone flashed and she frowned, wondering why it kept doing that. But she put it aside again, wondering why Jon used to be nice to her, and now was so mean and disagreeable. He must be jealous of her.
"I won't let him know anymore when he hurts my feelings," she declared. She sighed. Being the alpha was hard.
