Chapter 34: Gallaway Pack*Delilah*After our date, I didn’t stay in Andrew’s bed. I didn’t want the kids to be alone and I didn’t want them to know I had slept in his room. But I had to admit, things had been better than ever since then. It had been a week and Andrew wasn’t pushing for more, but he was there more than he had been before. He started holding my hand when we spent time together and kissing me goodnight when he’d leave my room after we put the kids to bed together.After the first few days, I asked if he’d like to stay and sleep in my room with me. The kids took to it well, as they did everything else and for the last four nights, Andrew hadn’t returned to his room. It felt nice to go to sleep with him there, holding me tightly. It felt even better to wake up next to him. His scent was intoxicating and I was starting to lose all my inhibitions about him. I was still nervous but I knew that he had never been the Andrew I thought he was. True, he wasn’t
Chapter 35: Burned Bridges*Delilah*“I want to take some time.” I got up and walked out of the conference room without looking back. My hands were shaking and my bottom lip trembled as tears threatened to spill. I took a deep breath, walking down the hall. I heard the conference room door open and footsteps running toward me.I turned to find Andrew, his face full of concern, coming down the hall at a trot.I stopped, waiting for him and when he got to me he immediately pulled me to him, hugging me tightly. I cried softly into his chest, gripping his shirt in my hands. He rubbed his hands up and down my back softly, not saying a word. Finally, I took a deep breath and pulled back, wiping my hands over my face. He ran his hands up and down my arms as he looked into my eyes. “What can I do?”I shook my head and laughed at the absurd situation we were in. “I have no clue. What I do know is that I need to find my father. We have a lot to discuss.”He no
Chapter 36: Meeting My Family*Andrew*I couldn’t believe after everything I’d done to bring her back to the pack I was on the brink of losing her again. My dad and I pulled up to the front door and I immediately walked in to find her. She was with the kids in their suite and they all smiled when they saw him. Their smiles never failed to make me feel like everything would be okay, at least for a second. “Daddy, guess what? I made a water tornado today!” Flora said, running and jumping, expecting me to catch her. I did effortlessly, of course. “Oh my gosh! That’s amazing! Boys, how’d you guys do?”I sat on the couch next to Delilah, setting Flora on her feet. I kissed Delilah on the cheek, draping my arm behind her on the couch. I could smell her shampoo and the scent of her underneath. She always smelled like home. “I made Miss Lenora confused. She forgot what we were even doing,” Kyle said softly.“I had to count leaves on a tree,” Cody said through a huff.
Chapter 37: Not Without a Fight*Andrew*Today was the first day of official negotiations between our council and the council for the Gallaway pack. I wasn’t looking forward to it at all. This had just started to come together for me and Delilah. We were finally together and acting like a family. They were my family, and I didn’t want them to go anywhere. I looked at all of them as we ate breakfast and drank in the sound of their laughs and the smiles on their faces. I knew that Delilah’s time with our pack had been anything but perfect, but it was better now. I was better now.Yes, she was stolen from the Gallaway pack, over twenty years ago. She was my mate now, and she would be the Lluna of the entire pack eventually. She belonged here, with me.The last time another pack was here I’d insisted the kids stay home from school, and they’d almost been kidnapped. I decided this time to just let them continue as normal. I kissed Delilah bye and took the kids to scho
Chapter 38: Going Back*Delilah*I picked the kids up from school, Andrew had come home around lunch but he was in a bad mood. He said negotiations got a little heated but didn’t really go into detail and I didn’t push. I didn’t even know how I felt about all of this. And I knew no matter what anyone decided, ultimately it was up to me what happened. This was all assuming I said yes to anything they talked about.As the kids piled in the backseat and buckled their seatbelts I felt my phone buzz. It was a text from Bethany. “We’d like to see you guys tonight for dinner if you’re up to it. No pressure.”I put my phone back into my purse and pulled out of the school parking lot. “So, my friend Zach said there are some people here from another pack. Who are they?”I sighed. I hadn’t told them much because I didn't really know what to say. It was all so dark and I didn’t want to traumatize them any more than this year already had. But they deserved to know too. “
Chapter 39: Ding Dong, The Witch is Back*Delilah*I pulled up to the house and saw a car I didn’t recognize in the driveway. The kids and I got out, making our way inside.“Andrew?” I called out but didn’t hear a response. I shrugged and the kids were already moving at a trot down the hallway to our wing of the house. I followed behind them and shot Andrew a quick text, asking where he was and who was here. “Delilah, so good to see you.”I came to a halt, and the kids did too. My blood ran cold at the voice and I hardened my gaze as I stared at the person I hated the most.“Kendra, what are you doing here in my house?”I said the last part with a bit of a bite and put my hands on the kids’ shoulders protectively.“I came to talk to you, I was hoping we could discuss some things. Hi kids, how are you guys doing?”She smiled at them but I felt Kyle flinch back against me. “Kids, go ahead and go to your rooms or the suite. I’ll be there soon.”They all no
Chapter 40: Out the Window*Delilah*Flying out the door, I raced down the hall. This couldn’t be happening again. And now, this was someone from my grandparents’ pack, it had to be. I seethed with anger as I approached the room. I heard the grunting and the sounds of my children fighting. I slammed the door open, taking in the scene before me. A man, who looked familiar, was holding Cody off the ground as Flora and Kyle launched themselves at his legs over and over. They were standing in front of the window, the man trying to pull himself that way. The kids held onto his pants as Cody kicked, trying to keep him from getting any closer to the exit. “Drop them!” I screamed and heard my children scream with relief.The man didn’t say a word, but pulled Cody closer to him instead, gritting his teeth at me. I knew I couldn’t shift and fight him with his arms around Cody. I had to figure out a way to get him free before I could even try to fight. But I was going to figh
Chapter 41: Family History*Delilah*I stared at Jamie, the man claiming to be an old friend of my father’s with disbelief. “What do you mean you’re a friend of my father’s? He doesn’t have any friends outside this pack.”Jamie chuckled, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “We were friends before he brought you to this pack.”I stayed silent and looked at him, hoping he would just continue on his own. I didn’t know my dad well as it was, I had no idea who he was friends with honestly. I didn’t even think he had many friends now. “Before you guys went on the run and became rogues, he was friends with me and the other guys you met tonight as well. Back when he was still part of the Gallaway pack.”Jamie looked at me then, clearly hoping he had piqued my interest. And he had. I wanted to know more and I wouldn’t deny it.“Are you guys part of the Gallaway pack then? Is this some poor attempt to bring me back into the fold?” I glared a