distant noise as I rushed out of the house to the drive way. Hands on my knees, hair in my face, I tried to even out my breaths. I knew I was exaggerating to some extent, but Charles played his cards right, he’s expecting me to join the Brooklyn Pack for my own safety, and I would be stupid if I didn’t contemplate it.
“Mackenzie, are you okay?” Sebastian came up behind me as I dry-heaved. His presence a wall of emotion-free concern.
“I just…I just can’t be in there,” I panted.
“That’s understandable. Sit down before you pass out,” he motioned me over to the front steps of the Estate. He sat beside me as we both stared off into the winding drive-way. He kept some space between us, his posture rigid.
I shook my head as if that would make everything go away. “Bash,” I whispered. “Is it true? Am I adopted?”
Those cold blue eyes softened as he stared into mine. He only nodded.
“I need to go home, I need to speak with my parents,” I said as I tried to stand.
“You can’t just barge into your parents’ home and demand answers,” he said, pushing my shoulder to sit down again.
“And why the hell can I not?”
“Because they think you’ve been missing for the past year.”
“What?”
“Mackenzie, I know you want to figure all this out. I see now why you didn’t want to know, but aren’t you concerned about the other thing Charles mentioned? Not all Packs are like mine, some are aggressive and dangerous,” Bash said.
I was scared. I would be careless if I wasn’t, but that didn’t mean I had to make a rash decision either. I had my freedom for no more than ten minutes and already it was being threatened. It almost seemed comical.
Jonah walked out but didn’t hover, he stood at a distance, leaning against one of the statues by the front stairs.
“My father needs an answer, Kenz. Do you plan to stay a lone-wolf?” he said and I felt my jaw slacken.
“Are you serious, right now?”
“Jonah, I don’t think it is a good time,” Bash said.
Jonah rolled his eyes. “I know that, Bash, but she can’t leave the Estate without telling my father her decision.”
“Tell him to wait!” he barked.
“I’m not the bad guy here, don’t shoot the messenger.”
Sebastian stood and glared at his Beta. “You aren’t a messenger, you’re her friend.”
“Okay, everyone chill,” I cut between them. The last thing I needed was for them to fight. I needed them both on my side. “Tell your father that nothing’s changed, I won’t be joining the Pack.”
“Kenzie!” Jonah exclaimed. “Think about this, you won’t be safe on your own.”
“I will not let someone own me!” I shrieked. “My freedom, my life, my goddamn decision. If you don’t like it, you can kick rocks barefoot. I will not let anyone intimidate me with fear, you hear?”
Sebastian wore a shit-eating grin and I felt like I had been thrown into an alternate universe. I thought for sure Bash would have been begging me to join the Pack.
“You’re just going to let her do this?” Jonah asked his Alpha.
“You heard her, Jonah. It’s her life, her decision. We will respect it and do what we can. You understand?” he ordered and Jonah could only nod and go back inside to tell his father.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he grumbled. “You still want to see your parents?”
I turned back to the house where Jonah stood under the doorway, a grim look on his face. Then slid my gaze to Sebastian who was opening the car door. Once again I was stuck in the middle, but this time, I made a choice.
“Yeah, I still want to see them,” I said and followed Bash.
***
An over two hour drive of pure silence. Sebastian gave me the space I needed. I calmed down since Little Falls. I was no longer having a total melt down. I swear I could have been nominated for an Oscar with that scene I pulled at the Estate, but it was all just too much at once. It’s one thing to find out your
“Mackenzie, are you okay?” Sebastian came up behind me as I dry-heaved. His presence a wall of emotion-free concern.
“I just…I just can’t be in there,” I panted.
“That’s understandable. Sit down before you pass out,” he motioned me over to the front steps of the Estate. He sat beside me as we both stared off into the winding drive-way. He kept some space between us, his posture rigid.
I shook my head as if that would make everything go away. “Bash,” I whispered. “Is it true? Am I adopted?”
Those cold blue eyes softened as he stared into mine. He only nodded.
“I need to go home, I need to speak with my parents,” I said as I tried to stand.
“You can’t just barge into your parents’ home and demand answers,” he said, pushing my shoulder to sit down again.
“And why the hell can I not?”
“Because they think you’ve been missing for the past year.”
“What?”
“Mackenzie, I know you want to figure all this out. I see now why you didn’t want to know, but aren’t you concerned about the other thing Charles mentioned? Not all Packs are like mine, some are aggressive and dangerous,” Bash said.
I was scared. I would be careless if I wasn’t, but that didn’t mean I had to make a rash decision either. I had my freedom for no more than ten minutes and already it was being threatened. It almost seemed comical.
Jonah walked out but didn’t hover, he stood at a distance, leaning against one of the statues by the front stairs.
“My father needs an answer, Kenz. Do you plan to stay a lone-wolf?” he said and I felt my jaw slacken.
“Are you serious, right now?”
“Jonah, I don’t think it is a good time,” Bash said.
Jonah rolled his eyes. “I know that, Bash, but she can’t leave the Estate without telling my father her decision.”
“Tell him to wait!” he barked.
“I’m not the bad guy here, don’t shoot the messenger.”
Sebastian stood and glared at his Beta. “You aren’t a messenger, you’re her friend.”
“Okay, everyone chill,” I cut between them. The last thing I needed was for them to fight. I needed them both on my side. “Tell your father that nothing’s changed, I won’t be joining the Pack.”
“Kenzie!” Jonah exclaimed. “Think about this, you won’t be safe on your own.”
“I will not let someone own me!” I shrieked. “My freedom, my life, my goddamn decision. If you don’t like it, you can kick rocks barefoot. I will not let anyone intimidate me with fear, you hear?”
Sebastian wore a shit-eating grin and I felt like I had been thrown into an alternate universe. I thought for sure Bash would have been begging me to join the Pack.
“You’re just going to let her do this?” Jonah asked his Alpha.
“You heard her, Jonah. It’s her life, her decision. We will respect it and do what we can. You understand?” he ordered and Jonah could only nod and go back inside to tell his father.
“What was that about?” I asked.
“Nothing,” he grumbled. “You still want to see your parents?”
I turned back to the house where Jonah stood under the doorway, a grim look on his face. Then slid my gaze to Sebastian who was opening the car door. Once again I was stuck in the middle, but this time, I made a choice.
“Yeah, I still want to see them,” I said and followed Bash.
***
An over two hour drive of pure silence. Sebastian gave me the space I needed. I calmed down since Little Falls. I was no longer having a total melt down. I swear I could have been nominated for an Oscar with that scene I pulled at the Estate, but it was all just too much at once. It’s one thing to find out your
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