Scarlett

I was silent as I processed all I'd just heard. Kyle and Gary watched me with concern and Cade bent down on one knee beside me as he covered my hands with his.

Feeling fear starting to build up in me again, I couldn't sit still anymore. I stood up and Cade let go of me. I brushed my hair out of my face as I walked over to the window. The silence continued as I tried to fit all the pieces together.

"How did you know about their deaths?"

Even now, years later, it was still hard to say it without the grief surfacing. I hugged my arms around my waist as I waited for Kyle's answer.

"Dad stayed in touch with Uncle Nate. Dad didn't want him to know too much in case Victor found out, so he would only tell Nate which area. He usually only called from a payphone."

He paused for a moment. It was like stuff out of spy movies.

"Then one day the phone calls just stopped."

I closed my eyes to keep the emotion from escaping me and I swallowed.

"Nate knew something was very wrong."

Our parents were dead.

"He found out our parents were murdered. To us, there was no mystery. They had been murdered by another werewolf."

I turned to face him. It was like each revelation brought new questions I needed to ask.

"Did he know about me?" I asked as I dropped my arms to my sides.

Kyle looked uncomfortable with the answer. He couldn't look at me. His eyes dropped to the floor.

"Yes."

I don't know why I felt hurt at his answer, but I was. It felt like my family abandoned me when I'd needed them the most.

Cade was watching everything play out, but the twitch in his jaw was a telltale sign he was angry as his eyes remained on Kyle. It was like he was debating whether to hit him or not.

Don't. His eyes shot to mine.

It's not his fault.

He studied me for a minute before he answered me via the mind-link. Fine.

He unclenched his hands by his sides and I couldn't help loving his protectiveness over me. Kyle's eyes were on me. As hard as I tried to stay unaffected by what he'd said to me, he could read the hurt on my face.

"He didn't want to leave you. He saw that our parents had picked a good guardian for you and he decided that you were safer with him. You hadn't turned sixteen so another werewolf couldn't find you by your scent. It was for the best."

That explanation eased my hurt a little and I shot a weak smile to Gary. I couldn't dispute that Gary had been the best person to look after me.

"If he had brought you back, there was always a chance that Victor would find out who you were and then you would have been in danger. Our pack isn't big enough to go up against him."

He stood up and walked over to me under the watchful eye of Cade. He came to a stop in front of me.

"I know you don't know us that well," he began as he ran a hand through his hair. "But that doesn't make you any less our family and that doesn't mean we love you any less."

I bit my lip as he held my gaze.

"Everything we've done up to now has been to keep you safe," he finished as his eyes implored mine to believe his words.

I was never the affectionate type, but I felt myself hugging my brother again. His arms wrapped around me and hugged me back. I rested my head against his chest for a moment and took a deep breath. Everything he was telling me was a lot to deal with, especially when it opened up the grief I'd kept bottled up.

After what I'd just found out, I'd remember my parents as heroes who sacrificed their lives to keep their children and pack safe. I pulled out of my brother's embrace and looked up at him.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked.

"We've been keeping tabs on you, watching you from the time you turned sixteen," he revealed softly. And there was that betrayed feeling again.

I rubbed my forehead slightly, trying to ease a headache that was starting to develop.

"It was hard keeping a closer eye on you when you were in another pack's territory," he said as he threw a look in Cade's direction.

"If you'd told me I would have allowed you into my territory," Cade threw back.

"I couldn't tell anyone the truth in case it got out. If Victor finds out about her..." He couldn't even finish his sentence as he held Cade's gaze. I was pretty sure I didn't want to hear what he couldn't say.

"Your sister is my mate and this is her pack as well so you are welcome onto our territory any time," Cade said to Kyle.

At his words, I touched the healed bite mark on my throat and blushed. My brother just smiled and shook his head.

"I'm glad you found your mate," he said as he wrapped one arm around my shoulders and gave me a squeeze.

"Me too," I said as I shot the lucky guy who was my mate a smile.

We'd been so wrapped up in the conversation that I'd totally forgotten about Gary, who'd been quiet the whole time. I glanced over to see him still sitting in the chair, watching us.

I smiled. He got up and walked over to stand beside Kyle.

"Thank you for taking such good care of her," said Kyle to Gary as they shook his hands.

"Your parents would be so proud to see you now," said Gary, still looking at Kyle like he was looking at a ghost.

"I hope so," he replied softly.

It was hard to say goodbye to my bother a little while later. I'd only let him go because he'd insisted that he needed to get back to tell Nate that I was safe.

"I'll be back in a couple of days," he'd reassured me before hugging me tightly. We stood by the open gates of the property that overlooked the forest.

"Okay," I muttered, not happy about letting him leave.

He shot me one more smile before he shifted into his massive wolf. I watched with Cade beside me as Kyle and his pack disappeared into the forest.

You okay? I felt his fingers intertwine with mine.

Yeah, I'm just tired, I replied through the mind-link.

He gently tugged me forward and we walked hand-in-hand back to the house. Silently, we went up to our room.

I went straight for the bed and lay down on my back and rested my arm over my eyes. My headache was still pounding. I heard Cade walk across his room and then I felt the bed dip. I moved my arm to look up at him.

"Here, take these," he instructed as he gave me a glass of water and two headache tablets.

"Thanks," I mumbled as I did what he asked.

I handed him back the glass and lay back on the bed. A few moments later, I felt the bed dip again and I turned to see Cade lying next to me.

"Sometimes, you can be really awesome," I said, watching him look up at the ceiling.

He smiled and turned to face me.

"Only sometimes?" he asked playfully and my smile widened.

"Yeah, only sometimes." I stayed firm.

"I'll have to work at it."

Then I had a thought. I knew something that would make me forget the emotional day I'd had, and I knew for sure it would make me feel better. I got to my knees on the bed and leaned in to kiss Cade. He smiled against my lips.

"I thought you were tired," he said when I lifted my lips from his.

"I'm never too tired for this," I replied in the same playful tone.

"Are you sure, Scar?" he asked with a more serious tone as his eyes held mine.

"I need this," I admitted to him. He studied me for a moment, then his arms snaked around me and brought my lips against his.

He moved his lips against mine and he gripped my waist as his tongue slipped into my mouth. I groaned and my stomach flipped at the intimate action.

It was exactly what I needed.

Afterward, I lay with his arm wrapped around me with my head against his chest.

"I think you're going to have to keep working at it," I teased. His chest rumbled with laughter.

A little later, after we'd both showered, we went downstairs to have dinner.

"Blake is joining us tonight," Cade informed me as we entered the dining room.

"Hey, look at you, all mated, shifted and everything," Blake teased as I walked in first. He was already seated.