couldn’t just expect everyone to give up what they wanted because of her desires. Her mates had made a home for themselves in Kentucky, and she needed to respect that. They’d been waiting for her before she even knew that clans existed.
“When are you heading to Maryland?” Kross asked, using the speaker on his cell phone so that she could talk to both of them at the same time.
“After the results come in, we’ll check out and head there.”
“I’d be damned surprised if you’re not related to them, Mouse. The eye color alone is a dead giveaway, but you also resemble them. You look like family.”
She smiled. “I guess that’s because we are.”
Kross paused for a moment and then said, “If I could have my family back, Whisper, I wouldn’t hesitate. I can tell you’re feeling torn about the future, but nothing changes what we’ve gone through — what you went through — to get to where you are. Where you live is just an address, and there are these wonderful inventions called airplanes and cars that make travel a breeze.”
“You’re an ass,” she said, laughing.
“And I’ll always be your brother. So goodnight, little Mouse, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
“‘Night Kross, ‘Night Kayne,” she said, ending the call. For a little while, there was nothing but the sound of the ground under their feet as they walked, her mates surrounding her and somehow, through their connection as mates, lending her their strength.
“Why do they call you Mouse?” Az asked, squeezing her hand as he walked beside her.
“Because I was very small when I was young. When I was found in Atlantic City, the doctor who checked me over at the hospital said I was two because I was so tiny. Mack and the pack believed I was older, but they didn’t really have proof of that belief until I shifted and they knew for sure I was sixteen. I was five when Kayne came into our lives, and he was instantly very protective of me and told Mack that I was too little, like a mouse, and needed a big brother to protect me. The nickname stuck.”
Nyte asked, “Were Kross and Kayne from your pack when Mack adopted them?”
“No, Kayne’s parents were the alphas of his pack and killed in a coup. He was taken by Social Services to a foster home and ran away. He was on his own for a while before he found me and Mack in the park, and…I don’t know.” She tucked her phone into her back pocket and took Nyte’s hand. “He just felt like family, like he belonged with us, so Mack brought him home and he never left. Kross’s mom died when he was a baby, and his dad mated another she-wolf who didn’t like him. Eventually she drove him away, but he was only eight or so and was picked up by an elderly couple who knew about our pack and brought him to us. They both had hard lives before they came to the pack, but we all just fit together.”
The conversation dropped off as they reached the cabin and walked inside. Weariness gripped her, along with a sadness that threatened to encroach on the happiness she knew she should feel.
Nyte turned her gently to face him and cupped her face with his big hands. “Stop trying to quash your feelings. Whatever you’re feeling is okay. You’re allowed to be angry and worried and sad.”
“I don’t want to be sad when I should be happy right now.” She gripped his wrists, rubbing her thumbs along his flesh.
“Says who? Because you found us and we’re awesome?” He looked down at her, a small smile playing over his lips. “We’ve got the freaking rest of our lives, Whisper. Your whole world has changed in two drastically different ways. Not only did you find your biological family, but you found your mates. Feel whatever you’re feeling, say whatever is on your mind, and we’ll be here with you.” He tipped his head to the right, to where Az stood next to him. “This guy here is just itching to hug you and
“When are you heading to Maryland?” Kross asked, using the speaker on his cell phone so that she could talk to both of them at the same time.
“After the results come in, we’ll check out and head there.”
“I’d be damned surprised if you’re not related to them, Mouse. The eye color alone is a dead giveaway, but you also resemble them. You look like family.”
She smiled. “I guess that’s because we are.”
Kross paused for a moment and then said, “If I could have my family back, Whisper, I wouldn’t hesitate. I can tell you’re feeling torn about the future, but nothing changes what we’ve gone through — what you went through — to get to where you are. Where you live is just an address, and there are these wonderful inventions called airplanes and cars that make travel a breeze.”
“You’re an ass,” she said, laughing.
“And I’ll always be your brother. So goodnight, little Mouse, and we’ll see you in the morning.”
“‘Night Kross, ‘Night Kayne,” she said, ending the call. For a little while, there was nothing but the sound of the ground under their feet as they walked, her mates surrounding her and somehow, through their connection as mates, lending her their strength.
“Why do they call you Mouse?” Az asked, squeezing her hand as he walked beside her.
“Because I was very small when I was young. When I was found in Atlantic City, the doctor who checked me over at the hospital said I was two because I was so tiny. Mack and the pack believed I was older, but they didn’t really have proof of that belief until I shifted and they knew for sure I was sixteen. I was five when Kayne came into our lives, and he was instantly very protective of me and told Mack that I was too little, like a mouse, and needed a big brother to protect me. The nickname stuck.”
Nyte asked, “Were Kross and Kayne from your pack when Mack adopted them?”
“No, Kayne’s parents were the alphas of his pack and killed in a coup. He was taken by Social Services to a foster home and ran away. He was on his own for a while before he found me and Mack in the park, and…I don’t know.” She tucked her phone into her back pocket and took Nyte’s hand. “He just felt like family, like he belonged with us, so Mack brought him home and he never left. Kross’s mom died when he was a baby, and his dad mated another she-wolf who didn’t like him. Eventually she drove him away, but he was only eight or so and was picked up by an elderly couple who knew about our pack and brought him to us. They both had hard lives before they came to the pack, but we all just fit together.”
The conversation dropped off as they reached the cabin and walked inside. Weariness gripped her, along with a sadness that threatened to encroach on the happiness she knew she should feel.
Nyte turned her gently to face him and cupped her face with his big hands. “Stop trying to quash your feelings. Whatever you’re feeling is okay. You’re allowed to be angry and worried and sad.”
“I don’t want to be sad when I should be happy right now.” She gripped his wrists, rubbing her thumbs along his flesh.
“Says who? Because you found us and we’re awesome?” He looked down at her, a small smile playing over his lips. “We’ve got the freaking rest of our lives, Whisper. Your whole world has changed in two drastically different ways. Not only did you find your biological family, but you found your mates. Feel whatever you’re feeling, say whatever is on your mind, and we’ll be here with you.” He tipped his head to the right, to where Az stood next to him. “This guy here is just itching to hug you and
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