by Quell T Fox
He shrugs a shoulder turning into the lot.
“Kinda have to be. Our parents are really close, have been since they were young. We were raised that family comes first, no matter what. It’s just kind of our thing.”
I don’t say anything in response. I get what he means because I will always put my family first.
No matter what.
We get out of the car and Thorne takes my hand, leading me towards the small building. The weather is getting colder by the day, but it’s never too cold for ice cream. We walk into the ice cream parlor and are greeted with a blast of warm air. It’s the same place Lenny brought me every day after school, the only place in the area that has brownie-coffee ice cream. When Thorne mentioned ice cream, I knew we had to come here.
We both order and Thorne refuses to let me pay, even though I practically beg. “Not happening, beautiful,” he says, winking. I bite my lip and look away.
We sit at one of the booths and chat about nothing important while we eat our ice cream and enjoy having some time together.
“There is a party on Saturday. You should come with me.” I smile at his offer, but it quickly fades. “What’s wrong?” he asks.
“I’m not sure I’ll be able to go to the party.”
“Why’s that?”
“My family is being super protective of me lately. I’m not sure they’ll want me going out to a party. I had to kiss ass just to get out today. And even then, they only agreed because I said I’d leave my phone location on.” I point to the yellow cell phone on the table and roll my eyes. I look towards the window. It’s a dreary day. The sky is dark and grey, like it may rain, only it’s too cold. It may snow sometime soon.
“Just tell them you’re with me,” he says like it’s the answer to every last one of my problems.
I wish it were.
“That’s part of the problem. They aren’t into the whole me dating thing.”
“If they met me they’d probably change their mind.” He smiles big and I huff out a laugh.
“They have, and you definitely left an impression, that’s for sure.”
He grins. “What can I say? I’m an unforgettable kind of guy. Besides, they haven’t actually met me.” He looks up, smiling wide enough it reaches his eyes. He reaches across the table, laying his hand palm up. I look at it for a moment and then slide mine into his. “Just try, okay? See what they say. It’s the last party before the Holidays.” His thumb brushes along my knuckles, leaving tingles.
I think about what Friday said, about telling Thorne everything about me.
But I’m not there yet.
“Okay, I’ll see what I can do.”
When I get home, I decide asking them now is best. Getting it out of the way is better than dwelling on it for days. If I’m going to be let down, they may as well just get it over with. I think of going to Friday, but I can’t keep expecting Friday to fight my battles for me. I need to go to the source and get it over with.
Maddox.
He’s the one that takes this stuff the most serious. Lenny doesn’t like hearing any of it, he’ll usually whine and ignore it, like me liking boys doesn’t really happen. He uses what I like to call the Ostrich effect.
If I bury my head in the sand, you can’t see me.
Lenny doesn’t see me as a woman, or an almost woman, and I doubt he ever will. Lenny sees me as his little sister, and that’ll never change.
Maddox is overbearing with his duty as a protector. It’s stifling, and at times I can’t breathe due to it. I know he means well, but he needs to back off. No will always be the answer from him, even if he knows it isn’t fair.
When I get into the living room, I find him sitting on the couch with Lenny, cartoons on the tv. Briella is sitting on the floor coloring a picture. I have a momentary flashback of the photo that was sent to me. The one of me sitting in my childhood house, coloring on old newspaper. I bring my hand to my chest, rubbing gently. I take a few deep breaths to calm myself before I do what I came here to do.
“Maddox?” I ask, walking around the couch and sitting in the recliner.
He looks up at me and smiles.
“Hey, kid. How was school?”
Perfect. He’s in a good mood.
He takes a sniff and scrunches up his nose. He smells Thorne on me. He does this every day when I get home from school. You’d think he’d get used to it by now, and I’m sure he has, but he has to make a scene.
“Uh, there is something I need to ask you.”
He hesitates for a moment before saying, “No.”
“No? I haven’t even asked you yet. You don’t even—”
“Doesn’t matter. I know it’s going to be no.”
“Seriously?” I get to my feet. I look from him to my brother. “Lenny? Come on!” He looks to me and then to Maddox, letting out a sigh.
“What is it, little sis?”
“Well, there is a party and—”
“Maddox is right, the answer is no,” he cuts me off and focuses his attention back on the tv.
“You’re not being fair. Just hear me out!” I’m nanoseconds away from stomping my feet like a child.
Maddox ignores me, typing out something on his phone. Lenny looks back at me, a waiting expression on his face.
“Thorne wants me to go with him. You all agreed maybe he would be okay with me. Let’s have him over for dinner, so you can get to know him. Then you can make your final decision. Okay? We’re kind of… dating.”
Maddox stiffens, his fingers frozen above his phone screen and Lenny looks like he’s been slapped.
“Isn’t that great news?” Friday comes down the stairs, practically singing her excitement. “We’d love to have him over for dinner, wouldn’t we?” She aims the last question to Maddox. “Wouldn’t we, Maddox?”
“No. We would not,” Maddox responds stiffly.
“Too bad you don’t make the decisions around here,” Friday snaps back. He raises an eyebrow and turns back to me.
“You’re still punished from flipping me off the other day. So no visitors.”
“Still? When did this even start?” I ask, incredulous. “You can’t do that!”
Friday lets out a bark of a laugh. “You flipped him off?” She asks, I nod my head carefully. She holds up her hand for a high five, I give it to her and laugh. When Maddox glares at me, I school my features but catch the wink Friday sends my way.
“Dinner tomorrow. Tell him six-thirty,” Friday says, sticking her tongue out at Maddox. “And you better not do anything to make this more difficult on her or you can sleep outside for two weeks.” Maddox looks like he’s mulling it over, like sleeping outside would be worth it. I wouldn’t put it past him to decide it is.
“I promise he’s a nice guy. You guys will really like him, I swear.” He grunts, looking back at his phone. Lenny lets his head roll back and lets out a sigh. I disappear upstairs with a smile on my face. A genuine one. I haven’t felt this kind of happiness in a while. I finally have a semblance of hope.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Leona
Thorne shows up at the perfect time. Not a second too late and just early enough to be considered on time. I think back to what Castor said when I showed up for our date. About how being on time is late and being late is being forgotten. I can’t help but think there is more to it than what he said. An ache forms in my chest for a reason I can’t explain. Why am I upset over him not talking to me? I quickly push the thought from my head because Castor is a jerk and not someone I need to worry about.
But then why can’t I get him off my mind?
I’ve felt like a royal jackass over this lately. Thorne and I have made things official, yet I can’t stop thinking about his friends. I don’t have feelings for them like I do Thorne, but something is there. I tell myself they’re in my head only because of their good looks and my being angry at them. Anger isn’t something I let go of easily. It gnaws at me until I put it to rest and I haven’t had the cha
nce to do that yet.
I would never cheat on Thorne; it isn’t even a thought in my head. My actions I can control, but the random thoughts about Castor and Hunter? Those aren’t so easy to tame.
Thorne’s promptness impresses Callan but it seems no matter what he does, it won’t be good enough for Maddox.
Callan makes chicken parmesan for dinner and we all sit around the large table in the dining room. The table we rarely use, except for Holidays or when we have gatherings, which is rare. But with nine of us, we can’t squish around the table in the kitchen like we normally would. Thorne takes up a good portion of the table with his size alone, there is no other option.
Dinner seems to be going well. Small talk is being made and everyone is enjoying their food, even Briella who is at the picky stage in life. That is until Maddox and Lenny start grilling Thorne with questions in perfect synchronicity. It’s almost as if they planned this ahead of time. I’m surprised Lenny doesn’t pull out a list, but I am impressed when Thorne guides himself through each question smoothly, a small smirk playing on Alec’s and Friday’s lips. Callan seems intrigued by all he says, carefully listening to each and every word. He’s curious about his answers but doesn’t ask him to elaborate. He has a look on his face like he’s plotting something in his head; I can see the gears turning. Maddox and Lenny only look annoyed, like he can’t possibly be so perfect.
But I’m starting to think he actually is.
Most of the questions are legit. They ask him where he is from, how his grades are in school, if he plays any sports, etc. You know, the generic questions one would ask. I was worried they’d ask him for proof of being STD free and for dental records.
Just as Lenny is asking Thorne what he would do if lion sized ants took over the world—because for whatever reason, it’s something important to Lenny—I interrupt. “As much as I’m sure Thorne would love to give you his take on the world after giant ants took over, I’d like to take a break.”
“But we were just getting to the good parts,” Lenny says, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small piece of paper.
I knew it.
“Later,” Callan says. “Dessert will be ready in half an hour. Come back then.” He winks at me and I smile my thanks, eyeing Thorne who dabs at his mouth with the cloth napkin and then excuses himself like a perfect gentleman. No one around here is that proper, so it doesn’t go unnoticed. Lenny looks more annoyed now than he did when Thorne walked in dressed to impress. Dark jeans, boots, and a perfectly ironed button up shirt. I’m not sure Lenny even knows how to turn on the iron.
Thorne follows me out of the dining room and the moment I step over the threshold into the living room, Maddox yells out, “Not upstairs!”
I shake my head and continue on my way towards the back door, like I was going to in the first place. As I reach the sliding door, I pause abruptly and turn around. I’m greeted by Thorne walking towards me with our jackets in hand. The exact thing I just realized I forgot.
He can’t be this perfect. It is impossible… right?
It has to be.
We don’t say anything as we walk towards the beach. Thorne stays beside me, knowing where we are going since we’ve walked this way before when Briella had us out here hunting for shells. We reach the spot where the grass ends, and we stand there looking over the water even though we can barely see it in the dark. The only thing to be seen are the small dots playing across the water from the moon’s reflection, but the sounds of the lake hitting the shore fills my ears and calms me, as it usually does.
“I come out here sometimes, when I need to be alone. It’s so peaceful and quiet. It’s the only place I can hear myself think.”
“I know what you mean,” he says. “There is always so much going on and having these moments are rare, but they’re important.”
After a few long moments of comfortable silence, Thorne drapes his arm around my shoulder and pulls me close to him. He’s so warm even though I barely felt the cold to begin with. And now that situation makes so much more sense.
A wolf.
I am a wolf.
Which must be why I’m rarely cold. My wolf keeps me warm.
Thorne still feels so warm against me, no matter what temperature I am. And I think that’s because it’s a different type of warmth. One that touches my soul, warming me from the inside.
“I like you, Leona. And as much as it’s inferred, I want you to know I would never do anything to hurt you.”
I look up at him, searching his face. I’m barely able to make it out, but I find his eyes almost immediately.
“Me either,” I whisper back.
He lets out a small, husky laugh before tucking a stray piece of hair behind my ear and leaning down. His hot breath fans across my lips making my heart flutter in my chest. He waits a beat, but I feel the tension. His pause is a promise he’ll wait for me if this is all too much. He accepts the fact that I have a lot going on without me even needing to elaborate. He trusts me. When I can’t take it any longer, I push up on my tip toes and press my lips against his. They’re soft and warm and amazing. My hands find his chest, gripping at his shirt through his open jacket. Being in his arms is like being in a bubble of warmth. I pull away, knowing that I need to open up to him, emotionally. I kept so many things from Lina and I regret it. If I really want my family to trust Thorne, then he needs to be in the loop too. It has to start with me.
“There is something I need to tell you.” I take a step back, needing some distance between us because I go stupid when he’s next me. The only thing I can think of is touching him, like my soul is trying to latch onto his and never let go.
“You can tell me anything,” he reassures me.
I take a deep breath and turn to face the lake. “Did you have a good childhood? Were you happy?”
“Yeah, I guess I was.” His voice is soft and smooth. “It was a struggle for a bit, when we had to do some moving around, but I always had Castor and Hunter. That made things easier.” He takes a breath. “What’s this about?” His voice full of concern.
I take a deep breath and let it out, staring out into an empty void. “My childhood was awful. My mom, she was a drug addict. She didn’t take care of me. She barely took care of herself. I grew up wearing clothes that didn’t fit, were stained to no repair, and barely eating a thing. My brother took me in the day my mom overdosed. I’ve been here ever since.”
“That sounds awful.”
I keep note that he didn’t apologize. I always expect people to apologize, for them to pity me. But he doesn’t. There isn’t an ounce of pity in his voice, only concern. Sincerity.
“It was.” I take another deep breath. “It was… horrible. It was something I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy. But everything has been good since I’ve been here. Lenny took me when I was twelve and they’ve all been amazing to me ever since.”
“Why do I feel like there is something big coming?” he asks.
I laugh quietly. “Because you’re smart and intuitive. I can sense that about you.” I look up at him and smile, but he doesn’t return it. “I never knew my dad. If he ever met me, I don’t remember. My mother is dead so she can’t tell me if he was ever around. She left Lenny when he was small too. Sometimes I think it would have been easier to be him, to be abandoned completely. I always wonder… is it worse to wonder if you were ever wanted, or worse to know it? Seems you’ll always want what you don’t have because the grass does seem greener on the other side, even though in reality, it’s all the same grass. It’s just shown in a different light.”
I pause for a long moment, turning slightly and taking Thorne’s hand in mine. “What I’m going to tell you… you can’t share it with anyone. It’s important no one knows, not yet.”
He nods. “I promise.”
“Castor asked if I was a Paranormal, do you remember that day?” He nods again. “I said I wasn’t because at the time, I didn’t think I was. Recently,” I take a breath and lick my lips.
“Recently I found out it isn’t the truth. Callan seems to think I’m a wolf.”
Thorne takes in a deep breath and lets it out, he squeezes my hand reassuringly.
“There’s more?” he asks.
How does he always know?
“There is more,” I confirm. “My father is a wolf. A pack leader, actually. My mother was not a wolf, she wasn’t even a shifter. Hell, she wasn’t a Paranormal as far as we know. I’ve had some things left for me, some photos of me when I was younger and a note. A threatening note. It seems whoever my father is, well, he’s trying to find me now. Probably to cover up his affair or whatever.”
I shrug and let go of his hand, taking a few steps closer to the water. I shove my hands into my pockets. Thorne comes up to me, sliding his hands around my waist and I rest my head against his chest. I let out a small laugh. “It’s funny, you know? My mother was always so paranoid. She didn’t put me in school, she never even let me out of the house. She said she was worried about people being after us. I always thought she was crazy, thought it was the drugs talking, thought she didn’t want anyone to see how awful she was to me, how neglected I was. I know now somehow, in her own fucked up way, she was protecting me. She kept me hidden and safe for twelve years.”
Thorne spins me around, bringing both hands up to cup my face. “I promise you, Leona, I will not let anything happen to you.”
“I know you won’t, Thorne. I don’t know how I know; I just do.” I bring my hand up and lay my palm over his chest, feeling his heart beat and the warmth radiating from him. Like me, he’s always warm. Only somehow, he’s warmer. It’s something I crave from him, and it’s terrifying. I’ve been independent for as long as I can remember. I’ve always gotten by with being resourceful and using my brain. I figure things out. I push myself.
But isn’t it part of nature to want to do something the easy way?
Thorne is like a drug for me. The way he feels when I am next to him, it’s like stepping into a bubble that washes away all my fears and worries. It’s addictive.
