Chapter 151
Chapter 151
It’s pouring outside, but even with the sound of the falling rain, I can hear the way the waves clash against the cliffside. I can hear everyone’s heartbeat and the low whispers as if I were stuck inside their minds. Since arriving, I’ve been trying to find a sense of familiarity. Anything that could help me tes that this could have been my home once upon a time. I have nothing.
Maybe it’s just me. Perhaps I’ve been disappointed so many times that disappointment is the only thing that makes sense anymore. This is making me nervous, and the worst part is that I’ll have to get used to it.
Maria’s dark brown wolf loves the rain. She’s been running around with the other wolves. Aizen is out there with the other kids his age. Ayrie and I have been hanging out, not trying to get wet or dirty.
“Do you not like it here?” Mr. Knightly sits beside me as I run my fingers through her hair while she sleeps on my lap.
“It’s nice,” is all I can say.
“That’s the answer you give that beta bitch trying to convince your son that the pack life is the best life,” he smirks.
“There’s nothing wrong with this place. I think it’s just me,” I shrug.
“Hmm,” he nods. “You don’t feel safe in places that don’t belong to us.”
“1
I glance over at him and think about it. He could be right. I mean, this is where that man who broke into our home came from. This was her home–the woman who now lives on a completely different continent and probably has a completely different family. I’m not sure if it’s safe here.
“You said that we have an instinct that tells us where we belong. We’ve toured almost the entire property, and I feel nothing. It’s beautiful. It just doesn’t feel like the first time Knight showed us the beach house. Officially, I mean. It feels like a pit stop. Like the penthouse in Magique or Perry’s house in
Redford.”
“Redwood and that’s because it is. For you at least. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Aizen smile like that for anyone other than for you, Ayrie, and Nathan.”
Why can’t I remember it’s Redwood?
“I know. I saw it the moment he got in the car and asked if he was going to go to school here. It’s like it calls to him. I guess that’s what I want.”
What I’ve always wanted.
“Ash needs your help with something, Old Man,” Knight comes over holding out his phone for his father. Mr. Knightly takes it and excuses himself. “Want to take her upstairs?”
“Not yet. Aizen will come looking for her if I take her away now, and he’s having fun,” I shake my head.
“My parents are both here. I was thinking maybe we can go for a ride,” he reaches over to tickle Ayrie’s nose. She lets out a low growl and swats his hand away before curling into me. “I can use a break from all the noise here.”
It is noisy. As if on cue, Maria appears on the porch, pulling on a robe. I stand handing Ayrie over to Knight. I take the towels Allison handed me earlier and go over to her. Aizen is quick to rush over to me as soon as he sees me. His big smile warms a little of the coldness I feel from being here.
“This is so fun,” he says, shaking his hair out before letting me wrap him up in the towel.
“Aizen, my mom said we can play again tomorrow. You can meet the others.” A little boy waves him down.
“Can I, Mom?” he turns back to me excitedly.
“Sure,” I agree. The little boy fist pumps and runs after a giant black wolf on foot. The wolf even nips at him playfully. “Who was that?”
“That’s Aaron. He’s Beta Allison’s son. He said he’s going to be the next beta of the pack. Il est vraiment cool,” he beams.
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Chapter 151
“Is that right? You want to be friends with him, then. He can teach all about pack stuff.”
“Yeah,” he smiles.
“Do you like it here?“.
“I love it here. Isso beautiful,” he reaches for my face, looking me dead in the eyes. “Comme le bleu dans tes yeux.”
“You like it that much?”
“Yes,” he nods and then looks back at Knight. Ayrie has her arms around his neck while he holds her with one arm and speaks to his father. “It’s okay if we have to go to a different school. We can come visit Aaron all the time, right?”
“Why do you say that?” I ask. He takes the end of the towel and uses it to try to shake the water out of his hair.
“Ayrie doesn’t like it when everyone pays attention to her. It makes her itchy. I feel it,” he whispers that last part. “More now that we’re werewolves.”
“I know. I feel it too. But that’s because Ayrie is different. She’s kind of like D.A.D. They like to do things on their own. You can feel a little bit of how itchy Ayrie gets, but they feel it a hundred times more than we do.”
“Why?” he steps closer to me.
“You know how grandpa always says listen to
“Oui.”
your instincts?”
“Ayrie’s instincts are different because something bad happened to her, and her little wolf never wants it to happen to her again, just like when your wolves protected you back at the big shiny apartment. To her, everything is dangerous. It’s a little difficult for her to understand what is and what isn’t.”
“Like how you know bad stuff is going to happen before it does?”
“No, I’ve seen enough bad stuff to know when someone is going to try to do something bad. And Mommy Midnight only makes that ability a hundred times stronger. But it’s not the same as your sister’s and Dad’s. They have something called the King’s roar. It’s hard to understand.”
“Yeah,” he nods, rolling his eyes.
“You’re going to go to school here. Ayrie will go to school if she wants to, but for now, Dad wants her to get tutors.”
“Like Mel?”
“Exactly. She’ll probably be around more, too. Did I tell you she’s your aunt?”
“Like Perry?” he grins.
“Mhm. She’s my little sister. Savage is my little brother, so he’s also your uncle.”
“He is kind of mean like you,” he nods and then laughs when I tickle him. “Werewolf stuff is hard.”
“You’re telling me, bud. I’m old and I have to learn all the same things you do. My brain is starting to get tired.” I stand up. “Let’s get you out of these wet clothes.”
“Yes, it’s c–c–c–cold,” he shivers, pulling the towel around him tighter.
I lift him up so he doesn’t slip. Knight excuses himself and leads us up the stairs.
It’s very open here. There’s easy access to the entire building because wolves come and go in skin and pelt form. They’re all on a special schedule. It’s drilled into them from an early age. Allison was telling all about it while she took us on a tour.
“Hey, little man. Need some help cleaning up?” Knight asks Aizen when he sets Ayrie down. I put Aizen down, and he runs over to his bag.
Chapter 151
ky adiget My sta
and heads over to the bathroom.
hands much as it does, Knight mumbles to himself as I remove Ayrie’s clothes.
ng to hurt more
starts doing it, i admit. “Aizen’s never really liked my attention on him.”
e seemed so happy but there,” he sight, almost like it bothers him. I finish tucking Ayrie in and sit beside him.
*cought that would make you happy. You wanted him to like it here.”
“I did. I do. I just wanted him to like being with us more. It just sucks that we never get to share this. The need to be closer to them. It’s going to be very confusing for him to have a rogue family while growing up being the alpha of a very powerful pack.”
