CHAPTER 7

SIX YEARS LATER

I opened the door to the house I once left and promised to never come back.

But here I was standing in the middle of the empty living room and looking for the one man I swore to hate for the rest of my life.

Last I heard, his mate died from a rouge attack in the pack and now my dad was mateless and wife-less.

Alone, lonely and drowning himself in work as usual.

Karma was a real bitch they said and I was witnessing.

“Dad” I called to the man who was lying motionless in his bedroom staring at the ceiling.

The house he once abandoned us, and even after we left he never called.

“Jasmine, hey.” He laughed happily and stood up to hug me but his movements were slow, he had aged over the last six years.

Slowly he let go of the hug but didn't let go of my hand.

“How’re you?” I asked him, smiling a little and happy to see him.

After my mother remarried, I figured it was time to let go of my grudges and I did.

I had forgiven my dad already but I didn't know if I could ever forget the pain he caused us.

“I’m getting by” he said with a lazy shrug.

I searched his face for any emotion and all I could see was hurt, he looked weak.

Like I did before.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t attend her funeral” I said, gently rubbing his coarse hand.

He smiled and looked away, trying to hide his pain.“It’s cool. Not every mates we’re meant to be, besides after how much of a shitty person I’ve been to you and your mother I didn’t expect any of you to be there. How is she by the way? Your mother” he asked changing the subject.

My face brightened as I thought of her.

“Expecting a second child and happy with her new husband that she don’t even remember I exist” I said and we both laughed but there was an iota of truth in what I said.

After my mother met the current love of her life and remarried four years ago, she moved out of the house and now I was all alone and by myself.

“I’m sorry about that honey” my dad said and I smiled.

“It’s fine, she’s happy and she deserves to be happy, I don’t have to get in the way”

We both were dealing with different ways of loss.

“You’re our child, you are not getting in the way of anything” he told me and I sighed.

He had six years to show that to me and he failed.

“Hmm” I nodded awkwardly.

“What about you? Are you happy?” My father suddenly asked me and I chuckled lowly.

“I’m getting by” I said and we both laughed

“Bryan cheated on me” I announced.

“That fucker” 

“Yeah, stupid fucker” I said in agreement and we both laughed again.

I had told him about the boy I met in college in a letter I sent to him one time, a letter he never replied.

“I found texts of him booking up with the other woman, her thong in his car, and even the cabin he bought for the both of them” I told my father.

“Oh boy, I wish I could pay him a visit” I saw him grit his jaw, the same way someone I knew from before always did when he was angry.

“But you can’t now can you?” I taunted him.

“Unfortunately” he said sadly and I tried to change the subject.

“Well, I just needed time off everything In Atlanta and here I am” I said with a loud exhale.

“I’m happy you’re here baby” Joseph said and kissed my hand.

I quickly noticed the big bandage on his rib cage.

“How did that happen?” I pointed to the wound.

“We were attacked, the border was infiltrated. It happened too sudden and Caine thinks there’s a mole in the pack” 

That name suddenly ticked something in my head.

“Oh, Caine” I muttered.

“Yeah, that juvenile delinquent grew up to become responsible. He’s about to take over from his father soon” my dad looked a little proud talking about the boy who made my last days in this town a living hell.

“Oh”

He was living his life happy and here I was crawling back In misery.

“You changed a lot, I barely recognized you” my father said bringing me back from reverie.

“Yeah, you never checked up in six years” I blurted out before I could even think of what I was saying.

His smile dropped and his hold on my hand became more firm.

“Jaz, I….” 

“Do you know where I can find Lucy?” I hurriedly interrupted him and pulled my hands away.

I was just here to take a break and take care of him, not rehash of feelings I didn't want to remember.

He sighed and held his side in visible agony before propping pillows up and settling back into them.

I made no move to help him.

“Uh, you might want to ask her Aunty or Maria, she knows where everyone is in town” he said and I laughed at the mention of those two lovely women.

“Maria, lord knows how she looks now” I thought aloud.

“Still agile with the same sharp and pretty mouth” my dad replied and my face scrunched in amusement.

“Sharp and pretty mouth? Dad since when did you start seeing Maria that way?” I teased him as I picked up my bag.

“Since forever, we grew up in this town together. Don’t get any ideas now” he rolled his eyes playfully and both of us laughed.

“Mhmmm. I’ll clean up and get changed then go out to catch up with Lucy. We’ll go to the hospital in the evening, how about that?" I told him and he nodded in agreement.

"I'm so glad you're back baby" Joseph said right before I left the room.

"I don't know how I feel about being back here" I curtly replied before leaving to my room.

I hated the room and the memories it held, mostly because I was always crying to sleep or drawing in sadness.

So, I hurriedly took my bathe, changed my clothes and soon I was out of the house in search of my best friend whom I had not seen in six years.

When I got to her house, she was not around as usual but Elena Landers was so elated to see me.

We had tea for a while, while I filled her in on my life and that of my mother's, by the time our tea was cold she directed me to the garage close the Maria's dinner.

"Tell her to come home early" Elena sent me with a message to Lucy.

I agreed to tell her and tried to find my way to the new garage which was not where it was now when I was in the pack.

I finally found my way to the garage, and there around one car, some boys gathered talking distinctly and I figured they were my only shot at finding Lucy now.

So, I strutted to them in my white V necked crop top which was a little sheer, low rise boot cut jeans which showed my lean stomach and high heel.

“Hello boys, you know where I can find Lucy..." I trailed off as familiar faces came out behind the bonnet of the car to face me.

Jerry, Harper, Imani, Jojo, Spencer and him.

“Campbell?” The spanner which had been dancing on his finger slowed to a stop and clattered on the floor noisily.

The rest of the boys and the two girls around stared at me, wide eyed and open mouthed.

I hated all of them and so I ignored them.

“Creek”

 I was not happy to see him.