I stand in front of the door of my childhood home, memories rushing back to me. It’s always hard to come here because, growing up, this house was just not warm. There was love here, not love that included me. My mom loved me as much as any mom could love their child, but that love tended to be stifled by my dad. He only had eyes for my sisters and often tried to keep my mom from focusing on me. She did what she could whenever she was able, but there were many times that she had to pretend as if. She had to pretend as if my pain wasn’t important, as if my feelings didn’t matter, as if I was less than a member of this family. If I hadn’t had Mark and Lynn, along with their parents, I’m not sure how I would have gotten through. When my mom couldn’t be a mom to me, I would go to their home. I was like the second daughter to them, their third child. I loved every moment that I spent in that house and the love that they showed me. I’m sure many would wonder why I didn’t just move into the
~Aida~I swear training lasted forever today. I really just wanted to be home so I could fine-tune things. I have a lot to do, and I need the time to make sure I get it right. As much as I wanted to be home, missing practice is never an option when it comes to Daddy. We had to train every day unless we were sick. Since we are wolves, getting sick really doesn’t happen.As soon as training was over, I grabbed my bag and headed home. Adela tried to mind-link me, but I’ve been blocking her out. I can only deal with so much, and right now, I don’t have the capacity to deal with her. “I know, I know. We will have things finalized soon, I promise.” I shake my head and find my way home. I step to the front door and turn the knob. The door opens, and I’m shocked at what is in front of me. Mom and Portia are standing at the door. Portia has her hand out as if she were about to open the door. I look at both of them and notice that Mom has a bag in her hand. I’m not aware of any trips that Mom
~Landon~Tia left a while ago to sit with her mom. While her mom staying here isn’t an issue, Lincoln and I are aware that there is something going on that Tia hasn’t told us. I don’t want to pry, and I’m sure Tia will tell us everything when she’s ready. I just want to make sure we are prepared for the consequences of her mom staying with us.Lincoln left a bit ago to speak to some of the warriors while I’m toiling away in the office. Anyone who thinks being Alpha is all glitz and glamour has no idea what this job really entails. It takes a lot to make sure those around you are safe and healthy. My pack members will be relying on my brother and me to take care of all of their needs. That is a tall order, and it’s an extremely important job to have. The door slams open with a loud bang. I look up to see a furious Stuart in the doorway. He must have been training because there is sweat all over his face, and his shirt is sticking to his body. He has his legs spread, and his hands are
~Tia~This was unexpected, yet very expected. I told Mom to stay upstairs and let me handle things, but she could feel the fury and tension through the bond. I had a feeling that she would end up following me downstairs, but I knew, deep down, I wouldn’t be able to hold her back. Mom comes to stand next to me, and I gently place my hand on her back. I don’t want her to think she has to succumb to his demands, nor do I want her to feel threatened. Mom steps forward a bit, and Dad turns to face her.“Let’s go, Nikki. You need to come home.”“I’m staying here, Stuart. We need a break from each other for a while.” I can see my dad’s face scrunch up and the veins in his neck pop out. “COME HOME, NOW!” Dad’s eyes are black, and his voice drops a few octaves and takes a husky tone. Dad’s wolf, Caesar, is in front now. I can hear my mom whimper. I step forward and look at her, noticing her eyes have gone black as well. Caesar is reaching for mom’s wolf, and if he succeeds, she will go home
~Tia~*Phone Dings*N: HeyT: Who’s this?N: lol…..guessT: Or you could just tell me….N: I could, but that wouldn’t be as much fun….T: This may be fun to you, but not to me…..T: Who is this?N: Ok….ok….you twisted my arm……it’s NealT: How did you get my number?N: I have my waysOkay, this is weird. Why is Neal texting me? How did he get my number? I won’t lie; Neal texting me makes me feel some type of way. It’s almost as if I’m being unfaithful or something. I know how ridiculous that sounds since it’s just texts. I don’t feel that way about Neal at all, but it feels as if there is supposed to be something more there.N: Hello??T: Yes, I’m here.N: Are you not happy to hear from me?T: I mean…..a text wasn’t really necessary….who really uses their phones around hereN: True…lol….I just wanted to do something differentT: Well, it IS different….N: Let’s hang out…..T: Uh….now?Oh, Goddess! Is it me….did I cause this? I will admit that Neal and I had a few great conversations, b
~Tia~It’s cold. I feel the bed on my left and right, but the bed is empty. I guess that’s where the cold is from. I don’t think I can ever get used to being in a bed alone again. The body heat that I get from the twins is beyond comforting. I stretch and hop in the shower to get ready for the day. I’m actually going to go dress shopping today. Mom is at the clinic this morning. She said she would take an early shift so she could have the afternoon available for me. Lynn is going to go shopping with us. I’m beyond excited to spend this time with the girls and have this experience with my mom. I throw some exercise clothes on so I can hop into a training session this morning. I really have enjoyed training with others again. Surprisingly enough, I haven’t lost much skill over the years. I guess the bit of solo training I’ve been doing has kept me going. When I reach the training area, I start to stretch, waiting for training to start. I made sure to go to the second training. My mat
~Lincoln~The morning light shines through the curtains, and I try to cover my face. I really don’t want to get up right now. My mate’s scent surrounds me, and it is the best cocoon anyone could ask for. GGGEEEETTTTTT UUUUUUPPPPP!!!! I growl and throw a pillow across my mate, listening as it bounces off the wall. You know you missed me, right? Landon chuckles in the mindlink, and I silently roll my eyes. I throw the cover back and rise from the bed.Of course, Landon is already dressed for training, lacing up his shoes. I jump into the closet and get some shorts along with a T-shirt. I step out of the room, throwing my socks and shoes on while Landon kisses our mate. I stride over to do the same as Landon points to his wrist impatiently.I shake my head and follow my brother out of our room. Morning training, ugh! I like to sleep, and I love to sleep next to my mate. I hate getting up and leaving her in bed, but it’s what a leader does. Landon and I take turns leading training and d
“WHAT!? What do you mean?” I’m stunned, just stunned. I always thought they were fated; there was never a reason to think otherwise. I swallow the lump in my throat.“What happened, Dad?” He sighs again and runs a hand down his face.“When I was around 17, I went to a different territory and visited a friend of mine. At his pack, I was drawn to this beautiful girl. Her name was Naomi, and she was gorgeous. She was funny and fierce. I was able to get to know her a bit while I was visiting, and I had planned to return when I turned 18 to see if we were mates. About a week after the visit, I got a call from my friend’s father. Their school was attacked by a rogue. My friend and Naomi were killed, along with other students. I never went back to the pack, and I never felt a pull toward anyone else.”I can feel the pain in the link from Landon, and my feelings mirror his. That has to be painful, and the fact is that my dad never really knew if she was his mate or not. “I will say I did feel