Chapter Sixteen

Don't Mess With Me

Walking into the airport at Emery made my heart clench. Just seeing the name of my town made me ecstatic.  I didn’t even wait for everyone else, before I was heading off to get my bags. Unfortunately, everyone caught up to me just as I was about to walk outside and get the taxi.

“I take it you are excited to be home?” Lysander inquired as he started to pile everyone’s bags into the trunk. I couldn’t keep the cheesy grin off my face as I looked up at him.

“You have no idea. But I’m more excited for you to meet everyone.” I told him and he chuckled, leaning down to give me a small kiss. We piled into the taxi along with everyone else and gave the driver the address. We had to be dropped off in town, only because people weren’t supposed to really know about where the pack was. We were a gated community, and that’s how most treated it, but if you found yourself inside the gates and you weren’t apart of the pack or someone’s mate, well…good luck getting out.

I glanced over at my mate’s arm, my smile growing wider as I saw the mating mark full and dark, or getting close to it, on his arm. For him, it looked like it was just another tattoo. I pushed up the sleeve of my cardigan and felt my stomach flutter at the site of my mating mark. We had a discussion beforehand about showing them off, but I decided to keep it hidden.

The minute any of the females in my house saw the mark on us, they would go crazy and start planning the wedding. There of course was the issue of them smelling me on him, but Hazel and her ever so helpful remedies helped us mask the scent. So, the plan was to wait a couple of days until the mask wore off, and then show it off like a diamond ring. Well, technically it was like a wedding ring. Once you mate and the mark appears, you and your mate are married. Or at least that’s how it works in our pack. Other packs do it differently, but hey, no judging around here.

So here I was, in ninety degree weather, wearing a damn cardigan. And I would be wearing them for the remainder of time it took until we tell everyone. We reached the little town of Emery and climbed out of the taxi, handing the man the money for the ride and gathering our things.

“God. I’m so excited to see Erin and our little bundle of joy.” Noel gushed, breaking me from my thoughts. I looked over at him to see him smiling and turning side to side.

“How far along is she?” Essie asked, surprising me. I suddenly remembered what the man who was torturing Lysander was trying to say. He never got to finish, but if I used my handy dandy context clues my online teachers taught me in sixth grade, my money was on that it had something to do with children. Victor either wanted her back so he could use her as someone to breed his evil devil spawn, or, and I really hoped this wasn’t the case…Essie was already pregnant.

“Six months.” Noel answered her question and I heard Lysander choke. “We’re werewolves, when a human woman is pregnant for three months; we’re already eight months in.” He stated in a matter-of-fact tone, but more towards Lysander because everyone else already knew that. We started walking and once in front of the gate, I felt like bursting into tears.

It slowly opened after the men in the front saw us, and soon everyone was gathering around. As we walked in, I suddenly was filled with worry as the people began to whisper to one another, instead of cheering that we were back. I decided to ignore them, and continued to my house with Lysander, Nate, Hazel and Essie in tow. Noel had left us to go to his own house, where Erin was waiting no doubt.

I started up the front steps, my hand inches from the door handle, before it was thrown open and I had the wind knocked out of me as someone wrapped around my waist. I coughed a little, before looking down and seeing the culprit to be Navaeh. I chuckled and pet her hair as she sniffled into my chest. I heard a growl and looked over to see Lysander staring at my friend in anger.

“Down boy.” I teased and his eyes snapped to me and then he rolled them. I chuckled and Navaeh finally let go of me, fixing her shirt and wiping under her eyes.

“I should punch you in the balls for leaving me, but I won’t because you came back in one piece.” She sniffed and I reached out and ruffled her hair, only to have her smack my hand away. She then turned to Nate and punched him in the arm, causing him to stumble backwards.

“What the actual fuck?” He yelled, clutching his arm. Navaeh rolled her eyes and snorted.

“That’s for letting him leave you pig shit.” And with that she stormed off into the house. Nate grumbled something before walking after her, Hazel by his side. I looked over at Lysander and smiled.

“That’s Navaeh. She’s my cousin... in a way” I told him he raised an eyebrow. I shook my head and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the house where we were bound to be attacked again. I closed the door behind me and cringed at how the sound echoed throughout the house. Where is everybody? I started to walk us towards the stairs before I heard my mother’s voice.

“Where is he? Where is that son of a bitch?” I snickered and turned around to see her walking into the foyer, her head moving all around.

“You know, technically I am the son of a bitch.” I joked and her head snapped over to me. Then I was crushed into another hug.

“You scared the shit out of me.” She whispered into my shoulder and I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a tight squeeze before she let go. “I swear to god if you leave again like that I will murder you.” She snapped and I felt Lysander tense beside me. Oh, that’s right.

“Mom, I want you to meet Lysander, my mate.” Her hands went forward and she grabbed his arm, which caused him to jerk back.

“Boy, hold still. I’m blind, I can’t see you.” She snapped and he went rigid. I rolled my eyes and I chuckled. After she finished feeling my mate up, she stepped back and put her hands on her hips. “Well, I do say that he feels very strong and muscular. And I don’t smell your scent on him meaning you haven’t mated, so I have one question for you dear.” I cringed at how sweet her voice got. Here it comes… “Why the fuck have you not mated with him yet?” She yelled, smacking my upside the head. I grabbed my head and hissed in pain. “Oh shut up! This man feels like the fucking gods carved him out of stone, so how does it make sense that you spent almost a month together and you haven’t been going at it like bunnies?”

“Mom!” I whined and she snorted, crossing her arms over her chest.

“You just got home and you already pissed me off. Your father is in his office.” She chided and then turned around to leave. I felt my face grow red and Lysander put his arms around me.

“Your mother seems very adorable.” He whispered into my ear and I groaned. “Come on lets go put these bags away.” I told him and he nodded, walking up the stairs with me. We passed by my dad’s office and I stopped and pointed to it. “That’s the office. I’m going to show you my room, and then after you put the bags up, just wait outside until I call you in. I don’t know if my dad will want to see you yet.” He nodded and we continued to my room, and then I left to the office.

I knocked on the door and heard my dad yell for me to enter. I slowly opened the door and when his eyes met mine, he jerked out of his chair and grabbed me into a hug. I was stunned at first, because my dad wasn’t a touchy feely type of person. He was more of an ‘if I like you, I won’t punch you in the face’ type of guy. So the fact he was hugging me so tightly warmed my heart.

I returned the hug and we stayed like that for a while before he let me go and cleared his throat. “Take a seat.” He ordered and I obeyed sitting down in one of the chairs in front of his desk. He took his own seat and then looked at me, shocking me even more when he smiled at me.

“I knew you were coming home, but just seeing you here right now is…heart-warming.” I smiled at his words. I loved my dad. Now that I thought about it and realized how much I missed him, I now knew what I needed to do. I needed to stop running away from my future.

“Dad, listen. I have something I want to tell you.” I said, my voice serious and my dad noticed that because he sat up straight and nodded his head for me to continue. I took a deep breath before continuing.

“I’m pretty sure you understand now why I left. I didn’t want to be Alpha. I was terrified of having to make decisions for others when I couldn’t even decide what to eat for breakfast every morning. But now, I realize that being Alpha isn’t about making decisions for yourself; it’s about deciding what is best for your pack. The pack always comes first. So, I have decided that I will follow my destiny and become Alpha.” I don’t think I have ever seen my dad this happy in my life. He was literally beaming after hearing my confession.

“And just how did you come to this conclusion?” He asked, the smile never leaving his face.

“I had to help out a friend, and even though I didn’t really want to put my life on the line for her, I realized that this was for her and that she needed this done and I was the only one who could help her do it.” I watched as my dad’s face fell, and my heart began to do summersaults.

“Nikolai. What do you mean by put your life on the line? What exactly happened in Greece?” My face paled as I realized there was no way in hell I was going to be able to lie to him.

But wait, Victor was dead. Hazel and Nate killed him so he wasn’t a threat anymore.

“You remember Essie, the shape shifter we were helping?” He nodded his head, “Well, she’s married, or was married to Victor Salvatore.” I saw his eyes go wide and I rolled mine. “Yes, Victor Salvatore, leader of the shape shifters. Well, Victor wasn’t exactly husband of the year and he kind of kidnapped Lysander and I, but we escaped and with what he did to Essie put on top of what he did to Lysander, he deserved what he got…which was killing him… and we did that… right before we left.” My eyes shifted around as I finished telling him, hoping he wouldn’t yell at me. I waited for him to say something, but he remained silent and I began to panic.

“Nikolai?”

“Yes?”

“Victor isn’t dead.” He deadpanned. My eyes could have popped out of my head. You have got to be shitting me!

“What do you mean he’s not dead? I heard the thump when Hazel and Nate killed him! I fucking dressed up as a chick and had him groping me up and he’s not dead?” I was practically yelling, but brought my voice down when I realized the walls weren’t exactly sound proof.

“Nikolai. Victor was the King of the shifters. When another species leader dies, everyone one else gets told not even days after. If you supposedly killed him a couple of days ago, I should have gotten the news before you arrived here, and I have not gotten anything.”

Oh my god.

Victor was still alive.

Fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!!!

“Dad—I,” I was lost for words. My heart was racing and the room suddenly became warmer. He was still alive. Somewhere out there planning out to kill all of us off. Oh god, Essie. “Dad we can’t let him get Essie.”  I urged and he slowly nodded his head.

“I am actually well aware of his treatment towards his wife and I can honestly say, I will not be letting him get to her without a fight. He will not be getting anywhere near this pack.” My dad warned and I felt a like there actually might be a sliver of hope in his words. Our pack was a force to be reckoned with when threatened.

“I will keep an eye on Victor’s whereabouts and request the help of nearby packs, but for now, I want to meet this mate of yours that has been waiting patiently outside the door.” He smiled and I felt my cheeks heat up.

Here comes the awkward.

I got up, opened the door and poked my head out; Lysander caught my eye and raised his eyebrows. I motioned with my head for him to come in and he followed, closing the door behind him.

“Dad, this is Lysander, my mate. Lysander, meet my dad.” I introduced them, almost positive they could feel how nervous I was.

“I approve.” Come again? I looked at my dad, my jaw dropping.

“You didn’t even get to know anything about him yet!” I argued and he shrugged his shoulders.

“I don’t need to. I’m an Alpha, I can sense people’s worth. And this boy will make a great Alpha alongside you.” He paused and then looked at me with a questioning look. “Have you mated yet?”

“No.” I snapped, my hands flying straight to my mouth after the words left. I was expecting to get scolded for talking like that to an Alpha, but instead my dad gave me an amused stare.

“You better hop to it then. Knowing your mother, she already knows and is planning your coronation and wedding as we speak. I wouldn’t be surprised if she was done by tomorrow.” I groaned and face-palmed myself.

Sometimes I hated that my mom actually enjoyed planning weddings. Since she couldn’t paint that much anymore, she took the liberty of planning parties, get togethers, you name it. My two aunts would read out everything to her and she would give the orders. And judging by the fact that I haven’t seen Erin or Luna yet, they were indeed, planning everything. I shivered and looked at my dad.

“Yeah, we’ll get to it right away. So, excuse us.” I told him and we quickly left the room. Once outside, Lysander decided to talk.

“What are we going to tell Essie?” I was about to ask what he was talking about, but then I remembered he was outside the door waiting when my dad told me about Victor. I sighed and shrugged my shoulders.

“I honestly don’t know.” I stopped walking when I realized Essie hadn’t come inside with us. “Essie never came inside with us.” I said my thoughts out loud and Lysander looked at me with wide eyes. We hurried down the stairs and I saw Nate walking out of the kitchen, a box of Cheez-It’s in his hands.

Typical Nate, always having food with him.

“Nate!” I called out and he stopped and looked at me.

“Have you seen Essie? She didn’t come inside with us.” I inquired and he looked at my puzzled.

“No? I thought she came in with us. Actually, now that I think about it, she was starting to smell like decaying flesh; maybe she left to get a new body?” He questioned and I shook my head.

“If my assumptions are correct, I want to say she’s pregnant. Shape shifters can’t change shape while pregnant. Their body just decays and they take over their natural form.”

“Well what does that look like?” He asked. I went to explain when I saw his eyes shift to something behind me and then widen. I quickly turned around and my jaw fell. Standing by the door was a woman with snow-white skin and hair, parted in the middle and reaching to her waist. She had golden eyes, brighter than my one gold eye. There were two light blue stripes on both her cheeks and a crescent moon on her forehead in the same color. The minute I saw her though, I knew who it was.

Essie.

And she was definitely pregnant.

this song is stuck in my freaking head man. ugh.

well, plot twist (not really) only a couple more chapters till the end~~

picture is what Essie looks like in her natural form dawg