Kael stepped forward, his expression calm despite my growing panic. "No worries, I'll take you home."
The night had taken an unexpected turn as Kael led me out of the ballroom to his car. To my surprise, Cassy and the other two triplets followed close behind. Their eagerness to bid me farewell was puzzling. Why were the Monroes, known for their prestige and power, so interested in the company of a rogue?
As we strolled together, Cassy mused aloud, "It's funny, in a way, how that awful man's behavior earlier led to you meeting us. It's almost like it was fate or something." A noticeable tension rippled through the group, their steps momentarily hesitating at her words.
Kael's expression turned stern as he asked, "What happened earlier?"
Everyone hesitated, obviously aware of the reaction he would have. Kael's patience thinned. "Don't make me drag it out of you," he said, his voice now edged with the unmistakable authority of an Alpha.
The effect was immediate. Everyone, including me, recoiled slightly.
Knox, breaking the tension with a sigh, said, "Lighten up, Kael. Damn. Fletcher called her a nasty name and made her fall in the mud."Kael's reaction was instantaneous. Anger flared in his eyes, but he visibly struggled to contain it. He rotated his neck, the sound of cracking bones filling the silence, and took a deep breath. As he opened the car door for me, his composure was back in place, though the undercurrent of his anger was still noticeable.
Before leaving, he turned to his brothers, his voice low. "Take care of Fletcher while I'm gone." They nodded.
Cassy and the other two brothers took turns standing by the window, each offering their goodbyes. "We're glad you came tonight," they said.
Kael, ever mindful of the time, ushered them away with a hint of impatience. "Okay, okay, she's going to miss her curfew, you know."
We were quiet as he drove, pushing the speed limit at every turn. His sleek black Audi R8 glided through the streets, cutting the night with its powerful engine.
We were out of city limits fast. As we passed the old, broken-down houses lining the roads of the bayou, I could feel Kael's eyes on them, and a sense of dread filled me. He was about to see where and how I lived.
We pulled up to the shack, the contrast to the Monroe mansion painfully evident. Kael's eyes widened slightly as he took in the dilapidated structure. "You live here?" he asked in clear disbelief.
"Thanks for bringing me home," I said, my voice barely above a whisper, embarrassment and sadness mingling in my chest.
As I opened the door to get out, Kael followed. "What are you doing?" I asked.
He looked at me, his expression serious. "Walking you to the door. I may be an asshole sometimes, but I'm still a gentleman, you know."
I smiled and took his arm, and he led me up the muddy, overgrown path to the shack I unfortunately called home.
We made it to the porch when suddenly, the door burst open. My father came tumbling out, anger contorting his face as he screamed about my missed curfew. I instinctively recoiled, the familiar fear gripping me. I pulled my arm from Kael's and tried to explain as I approached my father.
Without warning, he swung at me, his fist connecting with my face. Pain exploded in my eye, and I felt it swelling shut immediately as my head collided with the railing. I collapsed into a mess against it as pain radiated from my temple to the base of my skull.
A blur of movement followed, the sounds of a scuffle filling the air. I vaguely sensed my mother pulling me away, her hands trembling as she dragged me to safety inside the house.
When my vision finally cleared enough to see, I saw Kael standing over my father, his boot pressed against Burk's throat through the open door. Kael leaned down, his voice a menacing growl. "I don't care if I'm your Alpha or not. If I ever hear of you hitting a woman again, I will kill you. Do you understand me?"
Burk, pinned and helpless, could only grunt and nod, fear evident in his eyes.
After a few more tense moments, Kael removed his foot from Burk's throat, but Burk's venomous words shattered the brief respite. "You stupid bitch," he spat at me, his eyes wild with rage. "You think you can just go find an alpha pretty boy and not follow my rules?" He stumbled as he attempted to stand and come into the house.
Kael's patience snapped. "Okay, I should have known you were too stupid to listen." He hoisted Burk up and hurled him into the house and across the room in one fluid motion. Burk's body hit the wall with a sickening thud before sliding down into an unconscious heap.
Kael turned to me. "Come on, you're not staying here with him."
My mother rushed to Burk's side, her hands trembling as she checked his state. Then, turning to me with a mix of fear and determination in her eyes, she urged, "Go, leave now while you can."
Kael's hand closed around my arm, gently pulling me towards the door. I resisted, my heart torn as I turned back to my mother.
"But, Mom—" I started to protest.
"No, Skyla," she interrupted, her voice cracking with emotion. "This is what I was talking about when I sent you to that ball. This is your way out of this pathetic life. Please, go. I'll be okay."
Her eyes, filled with tears, met Kael's. "Please take care of her," she pleaded.
Kael's gaze softened. "Yes, ma'am, I will," he promised solemnly.
With a heavy heart, I allowed Kael to lead me away from the only home I'd ever known, away from my mother and the life of fear and oppression that had defined my existence. As we stepped into the night, the cool air hit my face, which made my world start spinning.
At that moment, a mix of emotions overwhelmed me – fear of the unknown, relief at escaping, and deep, aching sadness for leaving my mother behind. But there was also a flicker of hope, a hope that maybe, just maybe, this was a chance at a life. A real life.
As we settled into his car, Kael's anger was pronounced, filling every inch of the space. It wasn't directed at me, but the intensity was overwhelming, making breathing difficult. I instinctively pressed against the passenger door, trying to put as much distance as possible between us.
Kael glanced over, his eyes closing as he took in my panicked state. "Sorry," he muttered with a deep breath. He opened the sunroof. The cool night air rushed in, diluting the heavy atmosphere inside the car.
After a few more calming breaths, Kael's gaze returned to me, now filled with concern. "I'm pretty sure you have a concussion," he observed. "Your eye is swelling shut, and you're not healing. If you have a wolf, why aren't you healing?"
His question hung in the air as my consciousness wavered, the events of the night catching up to me in a powerful wave of dizziness and pain. "I do have a wolf," I murmured, my voice barely audible, "but I don't heal like that."
Kael's reached over, firmly grasping my hand. "Nope, you're not going to sleep. You can't go to sleep with a concussion. Wake up, Sky."
"I'm trying," I whispered, struggling to keep my eyes open.
In a surprising move, Kael started to wave my hand in the air in random patterns to keep me awake. The motion was oddly comforting, distracting from the pain and the overwhelming exhaustion trying to pull me under.
His efforts were clumsy and playful, a side of Kael I hadn't seen before. He wasn't the formidable, harsh Alpha I had encountered earlier. At this moment, he was just a man trying to help, his concern genuine and his actions caring.
The mansion loomed ahead, a silent giant against the night sky. The festivities earlier seemed like a distant memory, the grounds now deserted except for Kyran and Knox, who were outside playing basketball with their dress shirts untucked and unbuttoned.
As Kael's car came to a screeching halt, he leaped out, urgency etched in every line of his body. "Help me!" he shouted to his brothers.
Kyran and Knox stopped their game abruptly, their expressions instantly turning from casual amusement to concern. They rushed towards the car, ready to assist.The mansion's door flew open, revealing the silhouettes of other pack members, drawn by the commotion. My vision was blurring, the figures merging into shadows as my consciousness ebbed and flowed.
One of the triplets leaned close to my face, his features a blur. "What the hell happened?" he demanded.
Before Kael could respond, the other triplet, driven by concern and misunderstanding, pushed Kael against the car with surprising force. "What did you do?" he growled in his face.
Kael, his patience frayed by the night's events, pushed him off easily. "It wasn't me, asshole. It was her fucking father," he snapped back, the frustration and anger in his voice explicit.
The atmosphere was charged with pressure, concern, confusion, and the aftermath of the night's traumatic events. As the brothers confronted each other, a sense of chaos enveloped my senses.
My eyelids felt heavy, the voices around me becoming distant echoes as darkness framed my vision. The last thing I remembered before succumbing to the overwhelming exhaustion was the feeling of being lifted, the murmurs of urgent conversation fading into silence as I drifted into unconsciousness.
All I knew at that moment was I was safe, away from my father, surrounded by people who, despite the chaos, seemed ready to protect and care for me. That was all that mattered at that moment.
Over the next several hours, I floated in and out of cognition, a blend of pain and the fog from medication clouding my thoughts. My mind, unclear and disoriented, tried to grasp the broken conversations that reached me in my half-conscious state.The voices of the Monroe triplets were ever-present, ebbing and flowing through my fragmented perception. "It's beyond belief, what he did to her," one of them voiced, loaded with anger and disbelief. "If he comes near her again...""We'll protect her," another asserted confidently. "She's in our care now. It's our duty."Their talks about my father were filled with revulsion. "To imagine a father could do that to his own child," Cassy commented.Within this madness, a whirlwind of emotions engulfed me – fear, exposure, a feeling of being in a world that was foreign to me. The relentless pain in my head was a harsh reminder of my father's cruelty. I longed to scream, to escape this painful reality, but my body was unresponsive, heavy, and n
Missy entered the room, her demeanor immediately exuding warmth and maternal care. "Oh, honey," she said as she closely examined my eye, concern written all over her face. "Looks like that needs more time to heal. Plus, you've never shifted on pack land, I'm sure. That's why your wolf seems distant. You haven't been here for many years..."Cassy and I echoed in unison, "Here?"Missy smiled, glancing towards the door. "Yes, well... There's much to explain about that, but don't worry now. Just know you're safe here with us. You won't be hurt again, and I'm sorry we didn't intervene sooner."She noticed the flowers in my hands and chuckled softly as she took them, placing them in a cup of water she retrieved from the bathroom. "Koda and Kage were adamant about finding you a gift. So, a few flowers from my garden were a small sacrifice."Koda, full of youthful innocence, hopped onto Missy's lap. "Daddy always said never visit your girlfriend without flowers."Kage's face scrunched up in d
Tears flowed until I felt utterly spent, my energy drained by the enormity of my grief. Kael adjusted his hold on me, gently guiding me to lie against his chest. I curled into his embrace, a small refuge amid chaos. In the background, I heard the soft scrape of a chair being drawn closer to the bed. One of my hands was again encased in the comforting grasp of another triplet. The door opened, and Cassy entered, her eyes already brimming with tears. Her voice broke as she started to speak to Knox. "Knox, I..." She couldn't finish her sentence before succumbing to her own heartache, tears cascading down her cheeks as she saw me in Kael's arms. Knox's arm wrapped around Cassy, mirroring the support Kael offered me. Our shared sounds of grief filled the room. Eventually, Kael spoke, his voice a soft rumble. "Skyla, you have choices. We don't live here. Our home is in the French Quarter. You can remain here or come with us. It's your decision." "I don't know what to do... What if... W
As dinner concluded, Cassy led me back to her room, a sense of excitement in her steps. She handed me a phone and a tablet with a flourish. "I've already put my numbers and email in these for you," she explained, her eyes bright. I hesitated, looking at the devices. "I really don't have any experience with these," I admitted, feeling slightly out of depth. Cassy's solution was quick and practical. "Just ask Kyran or Knox for help. They're wizards with this stuff." Curious, I asked, "Why not Kael?" Her response was a sad smile. "You'll soon notice that Kael... well, he has his moments. He's not intentionally harsh, but the weight of his responsibilities sometimes gets to him, and he might come off a bit sharp." Noticing my concern, she hurried to explain, "Oh, he's not abusive or anything drastic like that. He just becomes distant and a bit sharp with his words. He's still learning to juggle everything life throws at him, being heir apparent and all." We returned to the living r
After another glass of wine, the world took on a pleasantly blurred edge. We lounged on the balcony, absorbed in the vibrant parade until the festivities below began to wane. Ever the gentleman, Knox offered his arm to help me stand, guiding me toward the bedroom I had chosen earlier. I was playfully stumbling, the laughter light and carefree, until Kael re-entered.He eyed me with concern. "What's wrong with her?"I leaned against him, feeling uncharacteristically bold. "Nothing's wrong with me, Kael. I feel better than I have in ages." A cheeky thought crossed my mind. "Maybe you should try this too... you might feel better."His realization that I was drunk sparked sudden anger. He rounded on his brothers. "Are you kidding me? All of you have been drinking?""Yeah, Kael, we had a fun time... too bad you weren't here," I said, trying to tease him, but his anger was already beyond playful banter."Lighten up, bro, she wanted to, and she's fine," Ky attempted to defuse the situation.
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize..." My voice trailed off as I stood there, flustered and inexplicably drawn to the energy he radiated. I leaned against the door and tried to collect my scattered thoughts. Kael's laugh was unexpected, a sound that seemed to ease the tension. "Skyla, why did you come in here?" he asked, his curiosity apparent.Taking a few deep breaths, I regained some semblance of composure. "Well, I just finished patching up your brother, so I thought I should check on you too," I managed to say, my voice steadier than I felt."I'm fine, Sky, and so is he," Kael replied with a casualness that baffled me."But is he, though?" I pressed, unable to comprehend his carefree attitude. "Kael, there was no need for that fight."As I spoke, I noticed that Kael bore no visible injuries from their altercation, a detail that puzzled me further. His frustration, however, was evident.He cracked his neck, which seemed to release some of his tension. "It's just how we handle things, S
As I leaned in and softly kissed Knox, I felt a spark of attraction, a different kind of tension from what I had experienced with Kael. It wasn't as passionate, but it was undeniable.Kael's reaction to the kiss was visceral. A primal, almost pained growl ripped from his throat, a sound that seemed to tear through his very being. He abruptly stood up from his kneeling position, stumbling and landing heavily on his back on the floor with a thud.Scrambling backward, his back hitting the bed, Kael looked wild, his eyes darting, chest heaving. I rushed to him, grabbing his shoulders and forcing him to look at me. "Look, listen to me, Kael. I'm right here. Please calm down," I whispered, my voice steadying in the chaos.He finally managed to look at his brothers, who were similarly distressed, heads in their hands, breathing hard. "What the fuck was that? I can't even... what the fuck," he stammered, his defenses crumbling.In a slow, almost dazed motion, Kael scooted across the floor, po
Waking up the following day, I found Kael sitting up, his eyes fixed on me. I greeted him with a sleepy "Morning," to which he responded similarly. His look had an intensity that set me on edge, like something was troubling him. "What's up?" I asked."Nothing," he replied, but his eyes told a different story."Did you get any sleep?" I inquired, noting the weariness "Not really," he admitted.Sitting up fully, I reached for the bag with the phone inside. "I need to message Cassy and let her know I'm coming back today."He surprised me by saying, "She knows.""How?" "I called Mom this morning to let her know, and I could hear Cassy in the background. She's pretty worked up. I'm afraid she will insist on coming with us for the run, but..." He trailed off, seeming hesitant to continue. "I just think you might want it to be a bit more private.""Cassy has her wolf?" I asked, surprised."No, we've always carried her. Koda and Kage, too," Kael explained.The other two brothers began to s