by Jen L. Grey
“Alright, that’s enough.” Dad’s face had a hint of red. “You,” he pointed at Greg, “started this whole mess with your comments.”
“I told him he was out of line.” Jerry’s angry voice was clear despite the growls in it.
“My daughter wouldn’t lie.” Dad focused on Jerry. “If she says they’re true mates, then they are. End of discussion.”
“But she’s young and naïve …”
“Don’t make this worse than it needs to be.” Mom clenched her hands into fists, and there was some kind of silent exchange between her and Jerry. “It’s best if you all leave.”
To say I was stunned would be an understatement. She had just told her alpha what to do.
“Fine, but we will need to discuss this later.” Jerry turned and headed to the door.
“Dad, really?” Greg glanced at his dad then back to Rage.
“Yes, get your ass moving.” Jerry’s voice was a low growl as he opened the front door.
“This isn’t over.” Greg glanced at me with narrowed eyes before turning and following his dad out the door.
“Your mom is awesome.” Cole’s eyes lit up, and he grinned. “Telling her alpha what to do.”
“That isn’t something to be happy about.” Mom sighed, and her shoulders sagged.
So many questions were swimming in my head. Why did Jerry, her alpha, listen to her? How was she able to speak to him that way? It felt as if Mom wasn’t telling me everything, possibly even hiding something.
Chapter Two
After dinner, I offered to help Mom with the dishes, hoping to get some time alone with her. I cleared the table and brought the dishes to the sink. “That should be about everything.”
“Thanks.” She gave me a small smile and grabbed another plate, rinsing it off. “At first, I was skeptical of your friends. But after spending time with them, I’ve changed my mind. I’m relieved you have them.”
Mom and I were similar in many ways. It was the ‘convincing Dad’ part that might take a minute. “Yeah, I’m lucky to have found them.” Of course, Cole had entertained us throughout dinner. He told the many stories of our adventures and how he was the hero in every situation. Tonight though, I’d felt more complete than ever before. It was a strange feeling.
“Besides, even if I wanted to not believe you, after seeing you and Rage together, every doubt has been removed from my mind.” Mom's eyes got a little watery, but she bent down to load the dish in the dishwasher to hide them.
“It’s not something I’d ever lie about.” It burned me that she had even considered that I might be lying. I’d always been honest with her.
She huffed and grabbed another plate. “Honey, I’m sorry. It’s just that school can change someone.”
“How could you even know that?” It pissed me off that she thought I was going to change so easily.
“Remember, I’m from New Orleans.” Mom diverted her eyes away and grabbed a sponge to help remove some stuck-on food. “We see things every now and then.”
It was hard to remember where mom grew up sometimes since we had lived here my whole life. “Well, either way. I’m not going to change that drastically.”
“I’m sure you and Rage will keep each other grounded.”
“Honey?” Dad walked into the room and over to us. “How I’ve missed this sight. Both my girls are here taking care of things.”
“I’ve missed it too.” Mom bumped into my arm.
“Cole, he’s sure something.” Dad shook his head and chuckled.
“He’s definitely full of life.” Cole had always kept us on our toes, and Jess wasn’t very far behind him.
“That’s one way to put it.” Dad sighed and placed a hand on my arm. “You weren’t kidding earlier, right?”
“You’re late to that convo.” Mom laughed. “She already confirmed it was true.”
“Well, I don’t know much about him, but he sure seems to take care of you.” He sighed and glanced toward the door that led into the living room where my friends were. “I have a feeling you’ll be leaving our pack.”
To be honest, I hadn’t even thought about that yet. Rage and I could speak in our wolf forms together, but not in our human forms. That was the thing with mates, if you were members of the same pack, you could mind speak regardless of form. “I don’t think there could be any way he’d join this pack, not with Greg leading.” Now that I thought about it, I didn’t think I could either.
“No, he’d challenge him or even Jerry.” Dad leaned back against the kitchen wall.
“Alright, all done.” Mom shut the dishwasher and patted my arm. “Let’s go back and join them.”
When we entered the room, Cole stood in the middle of the room. “That’s how we all know Rage has the bigger dick.”
Of course, he couldn't filter himself even a little bit. “I don’t think I even want to know what’s going on.”
Cole spun around and gave me a thumbs up. “I was just saying that you must be happy that your mate is the one with a bigger …”
“Whoa, stop!” If he couldn’t stop himself, I would. “My parents are right here.”
“See, and you complained about me not being a lady.” Jess rolled her eyes and plopped down on the love seat.
“Who can be a better lady than you are?” He pointed both thumbs at himself. “This guy.”
“Oh, you’re right.” Jess grinned evilly and tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I forgot about that problem. But you’re right, you make a damn good girl.”
“No.” Cole’s smile vanished, and he shook his head. “Don’t you dare start that shit again. I’m not a bad lay, and my dick is huge.”
“Will you shut up?” Rage sighed and sat back on the couch. “Raven’s parents are in the same room.” He glanced at me and patted the empty spot next to him in the center.
“Mr. Wright gets it.” Cole pointed at my Dad. “Don’t you?”
Mom mashed her lips together, trying not to laugh.
“As much as I don’t want to hear about my daughter's friends’ genitalia, I’m sure she doesn’t want to learn about my massive size either.” My dad couldn’t prevent the smile that tickled at the edge of his lips.
“Okay, that’s enough.” I went over to Rage, sitting next to him and Damien.
Damien groaned and glanced at me. “Why would Isadora do this to me?”
“Speaking of which, let’s go get ice cream.” Jess stood and clapped her hands.
“Did you just applaud your idea?” Cole rubbed his chin with his thumb. “I’m going to have to steal that for my own.”
“That’s fine as long as you give me credit each time you do it.” Jess winked at him and then turned to me.
“That sounds pretty good to me too.” Damien popped his neck and stood. “Are you guys game?”
“You guys go on and have some fun.” Mom moved into the foyer and grabbed her purse from where it was hanging on the coat hanger. She pulled out a twenty. “Bring me back a hot fudge sundae with all the fixings.”
“And I’ll take a peanut butter and banana milkshake.” Dad spread his hands out. “The largest size they’ve got.”
“I’ve got it, don't worry about it.” Rage grabbed my hand and smiled at my parents. “Afterall, you’ve cooked us dinner and are letting us crash here for the night. It’s the least we can do.”
“Are you sure?” Mom held the money out.
“Rage is right.” Damien opened the door and motioned for us to step out. “We’ve got this.”
“Y’all be careful.” Dad hollered as we all climbed in the car.
As usual, I got stuck in the back with Rage and Damien. I pretended it was a hardship, but that was the best seat in the car. “Alright, there is an ice cream shop not too far from here.”
“No, no, no.” Cole shut his car door and closed his eyes. “We drive around ’til we find something everyone agrees on.”
“But there …”
“There is a process to be respe
cted here.” Cole pulled out of the driveway and turned right, heading to the exit from the subdivision.
I sighed, and Rage wrapped his arm around me. His voice was barely audible to me. “You should know better than to fight. Guide him where he thinks it’s his idea, remember.”
Damien smirked and nodded along.
Damn, he had good hearing. “Okay, Cole. Turn right up here.”
“What did I say, Raven?” Cole glanced in his rearview mirror and narrowed his eyes. “Don’t test the process.” He then turned left, smirking the whole time.
Luckily, the shop was down this main road, so we’d be there any second. It was my favorite place to get ice cream or sweets. They had it all there.
“Look, I found the ice cream shop I want to stop at.” Cole pointed at the Golly G’s sign. He pulled into the parking lot. Immediately, I recognized Greg’s and Sheila’s vehicles.
I hadn’t even thought about them being here. It was one of their regular hangout spots. “We could keep going.”
“Nope, this is it.” Cole opened the door, and Jess followed suit. “Come on.”
I thought about fighting it more, but I knew I shouldn’t let them being there change things. As I climbed out of the car, Rage grabbed my waist and pulled me against him. “Everything okay?”
My body began buzzing at our connection. “It is now.” I grinned at him, and he laid his forehead on mine.
“I’m happy to oblige.” He lowered his lips against mine with gentle pressure.
I reached around his neck and ran my fingers through his hair. The shop door opened, and an all too familiar voice called my name.
“Holy moly, is that Raven over there making out?” Sheila giggled. “She never did that with you, Greg.”
“Oh, they’re always doing that.” Jess lowered her voice but said it loud enough for us to hear.
“At first it’s unsettling.” Cole sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. “But it eventually becomes like a picture on the wall. It begins to just blend into the surroundings because it’s always there. They’re always being lovey-dovey or making kissy faces.”
Rage’s lips stilled on mine, and he barely pulled back. “Do we continue to ignore them or behave and go in?”
“You might want to go for an ending.” Damien appeared next to us, and his body was tense. “We’ve got douchebags coming out.”
“Yeah, she’ll be crawling back to me.” Greg snickered and pointed at me.
“You better not take her back.” Ian’s disdain was always evident in his voice. “She’s giving up the milk for free. So you know he ain’t buying that cow.”
That was the final straw.
“What did you say, dickhead?” Rage pulled back, shooting daggers at Ian.
“Don’t worry. I wasn’t insulting you, just the bitch you're kissing.” Ian snickered like he had said the funniest thing in the world.
“Are you an idiot or a moron?” Cole scowled at them and walked over to Ian. “I can’t decide if either one of those titles best fits you.”
“What the hell?” Ian straightened his shoulders and glared back.
“Personally, I think douchebag-moron fits the best.” Jess tapped her index finger to her lips.
“I also like the simplicity of Rage’s suggestion of dickhead,” Cole muttered and looked up to the sky as if he was seeking divine intervention.
“Why don’t you all go back to Bloodshed, and leave us the hell alone?” Greg stepped in front of Ian, attempting to stare Cole down.
“Wait. Weren’t you the guy who came and visited us?” Jess stepped next to Cole, staring the group down with him.
“Oh, it was him.” Cole glanced at her and pointed at Greg. “You can’t forget a cheap-ass suit like his.”
Dear gods. This was only going to get worse, and I had no clue how to fix it. “Come on. Let’s find a different ice cream shop.”
“Oh, hell no,” Damien spoke and glared straight at Greg. “We aren’t going anywhere.”
Now, I wasn’t expecting that from Damien.
Rage leaned down and kissed my lips once again. “He’s right. I’m going to go inside and buy my girl some ice cream. If anyone has a problem with it,” Rage glanced at Greg then Ian, “then I’ll handle it whatever way I see fit.”
He intertwined his fingers with mine and pulled me toward the entrance. As we strolled by Greg and Ian, Rage paused. “Just to be clear, I belong to her in all ways. Get it through your thick skull.”
“Don’t be so sure.” Greg bared his teeth and growled. “She was like that with me too, and look at where I am now.”
“That’s a bunch of bull, and you know it.” Sheila laughed hard and smacked his arm. “She was never like that with you. I always wondered if she even liked you.”
Greg took a step away from her and frowned. “You know that’s not true. Why would you say that?”
“What?” Her forehead wrinkled, and her blue eyes widened. She grabbed a strand of her blonde hair and twirled.
“It’s not true.” Greg took a step toward her, getting in her face. “Tell them now.”
Even though I never was a fan of Sheila, she didn’t deserve to be treated like that. “Are you trying to bully her?” I untangled myself from Rage and headed in their direction. “Are you that fucking insecure?” I tugged Sheila away, getting in between her and Greg. “Why don’t you recognize that you’re pissed at me and stop taking it out on everyone else.”
“Why don’t you back away, bitch?” Ian stood next to Greg, and they both just stared me down.
That was possibly the worst thing he could do.
Within seconds, Rage and Cole were on both sides of me, and Damien flanked Cole. They were ready for action.
Ian startled, and Greg took a step back.
“Are you sleeping with all of them?” Ian’s voice lacked malice now that all four of us were staring down at their group.
“Is that what you think would be happening for all three of us to want to protect her?” Cole tilted his head, his eyes as cold as ice. “If that’s how your pack operates, I’m damn glad I’m a vampire.”
“Well, how else would she get three Bloodshed guys willing to fight for her?” Ian’s voice wasn’t filled with as much hatred, but he obviously didn’t want to back down completely.
“It’s called friendship.” Jess stayed back with Sheila but still wanted her presence known.
“This has to end now.” I took a step toward Greg and stared right into his eyes. “There is no chance of us getting back together ... ever. Rage is my true mate, so you need to get it through your head. I loved you once but only as a friend, nothing more. As of now, those feelings are disappearing quite quickly. We are done.”
“You’re fucking heartless to do this to him like this.” Ian had always hated me. It was even more clear in this moment.
“You’re the ones who came out here and started it.” Rage stood next to me, our arms brushing.
“Don’t worry.” Greg smirked, examining me up and down, which made Rage growl. “She’ll come back home when it’s all said and done.”
His unveiled threat rang true in my ears. He expected to be my alpha one day. “The only way I’d come back here is if you weren’t in charge.”
“Are you challenging me?” Greg’s hands quivered in rage, and his eyes began to glow.
This was my parents’ home so I couldn’t do something that would cause them harm. “No, I’m saying if I come back, it won’t be as part of your pack.”
“Raven, be careful.” Sheila sounded concerned for me.
Now that the words were out, it was clear. I didn’t belong here. In fact, I had never felt a sense of comfort and unity as I did with my friends and mate.
“I’d listen to Sheila if I were you.” Greg stood tall, but there was a hint of fear in his eyes that I’d never seen before. He was used to getting everything he wanted on a silver platter.
Everything was finally clear to me. I just hoped my parents w
ould understand. “As of this moment, I’m no longer part of your pack.”
“Hell, yeah.” Cole threw his arm around me and laughed. “I’ve been wondering when that would happen.”
A part of me turned cold with those words. It surprised me since I’d never even known that it was a part of my physical body. That was where my pack connection had been, and now it was gone. It felt empty.
“You’re going to regret this.” Greg pointed his finger at me and growled.
“I feel like that’s all he ever says.” Cole chuckled and glanced at Rage. “How many times has he said that now?”
“Come on. Let’s get out of here.” Ian patted Greg on the back and motioned to the car. “She isn’t worth it.”
“Sheila, come on.” Greg used his authoritative, controlling tone.
“Uh … Okay.” Sheila stopped in front of me. “Thank you. We’ve never been super good friends, but I know you were standing up for me.”
“No problem.” This was the first time ever that she’d been nice to me. “Remember, you’re a person too. Don’t let him do that to you.”
“It’s easy for you to say.” She mashed her lips together and sighed. “My wolf already sees him as alpha.” She turned and followed after the two climbing into the back seat of the F-150.
“It’s never boring around you.” Damien’s eyes stayed on the truck until it turned on to the main road. “That’s for sure.”
“I know.” Cole chuckled and wrapped his arms around me. “That’s why she’s my bestie. I don’t know how I survived without her.”
“You bring your share of drama.” Jess rolled her eyes and sighed. “Let’s see. You slept with a ton of girls, and when they expected more than just sex, you made a mockery of them in front of everyone.”
“Hey, I’ve reduced the number recently.” Cole lifted his head like he was offended that she had brought up his past transgressions.
“True, but there are some crazies holding on to those last rays of hope that you’ll finally notice them.” Jess arched an eyebrow.
“Can we just get the damn ice cream we came for?” Damien groaned and moved to enter the store.
“A huge ice cream cone is sounding heavenly.” My stomach growled, reemphasizing the point. The last thing I wanted was everyone to focus on what I’d just done. I wasn’t ready to talk to them about it yet, so Cole diverting the attention relieved me.
