Family Ties
Silence. My mother stared at me in silence. I was beginning to consider calling for medical help. Then finally she spoke. "Katrina Nina Grim," she whispered. "My God is that really you?" Tears pooled in her eyes.
"It's actually Kate Greyson," I said softly. "I changed it after-ugh!"
The air was knocked out of me as my mother's arms wrapped around me. "My baby girl!" she sobbed. "I, we thought we'd lost you. You're home. You're finally home!"
I hugged her back awkwardly. I looked at Trina over my mother's shoulder and she was playing on her phone. Very helpful Tree, appreciate it. My mother released me after a long moment. "Come in, come in." She literally pulled me into the house with Trina and Alex trailed behind us.
"Vera?" my father called. For a moment all of the memories flashed before my eyes. All of those days working on the truck together. "Who's at the door?"
Emotion swelled in my chest as I saw my father. "Hey Dad."
"Katrina," he breathed and pulled me into his arms.
I didn't fight the tears that spilled down my face as I hugged him back. "I've missed you, Dad."
"Where?" he asked still not releasing me. "All of these years we looked for you but we never found anything. Where have you been?"
"After I left the Alpha of Fire Light, Jason Greyson, took me in," I answered. "He helped me kept Grant and Holden from finding out where I was. He kept me safe."
"Then I'd like to meet him," my mother said, "to thank him."
"Who's this?" my father asked when he finally stepped back.
Trina of course was still playing some game on her phone. I snatched it from her hands. "Hey! I was about to beat my high score!"
"This is my little sister Trina," I said turning off the phone. "Excuse her lack of manners, we're still teaching her."
She stuck her tongue out at me. "You're a bully you know that? And as touching as your family reunion has been I heard someone pull up." Just as she finished talking I heard a car door slam shut. Trina looked out the window. "Aw man, Kate it's your creepy little brother."
"That's my son," Mom said defensively.
I gave her a tight smile. "At least she didn't call him psycho again." I turned back to Trina. "He probably came to tell them I was here."
"Can I leave?" she asked. "He gives me the creeps."
"Everyone gives you the creeps," I replied.
She nodded, "But he is especially weird."
"Mom, Dad," Tyler said walking in. He stopped when he saw Trina.
"He's doing it again, Kate," Trina whispered uncomfortably. "He's staring at me."
Mom smiled. She saw it. I shook my head at her. "Trina, go wait in the truck, I'll be out in a minute and we can meet up with the others and go out to dinner."
Trina didn't asked any questions and she gave Tyler a wide berth as she left. I watched her get into the truck before I spoke. "Tyler."
He glared at me. "Why did you send her out?" he demanded.
"Because you're freaking her out," I hissed back. "I understand what Trina is to you but she does not."
"Then I'll tell her," he snapped.
I growled. "No, you won't."
"Why not?" he said angry.
I huffed. "Be mad at me all you want, that's fine. Hell I get it, really I do. But Trina is different. Let her find out for herself or you'll just scare her or piss her off. And I swear Tyler that if you hurt her in anyway..." I took another deep breath. "Trina is my family. Maybe not by blood, but by choice. And I will not let you hurt her."
"I would never do that," Tyler said. "No one would."
I let out a bitter laugh. "You and I both know that is far from true." I turned to my parents. "I have to go but I'll be back soon."
Mom nodded and hugged me tightly before I left. "What's going on between Trina and Tyler?" Alex asked.
"It's complicated," I answered.
"Isn't everything?" she muttered to herself. Truer words were never spoken.
I got in the truck and handed Trina's phone back to her. We all looked when the door to the house slammed closed. Tyler was furious. He stopped at the hood of his car to stare into the cab of the truck. I watched his eyes as he located Trina and stared at her for a long minute before going to his car and slamming the door shut after he got in.
"He is definitely psycho," Trina said in a small voice. "I don't know what his deal is but he keeps staring at me. It's like he's never seen a female before."
"I'll explain it to you when you're older," I told her.
She raised an eyebrow. "You haven't given me that line since I was fifteen."
I smiled and started the car. "Yeah well you stopped asking questions with you were fifteen."
"Because you told me to talk to Justin and he gave really graphic answers. It was scarring." She shuddered to emphasis her point. And Lily calls me dramatic.
"Do you need me to drop you off anywhere or am I taking you to the pack house?" I asked Alex.
"Pack house," she answered. "Greg will give me a ride back to our place."
"You and Greg are roommates?" I questioned. "You two didn't get along very well last time I was here."
"Well we found a common enemy," she said. I guess she and Grant are still on bad terms. It was silent again until we reached the pack house. Alex got out first, almost before I stopped. She paused before closing the door. "I know I haven't said it but I'm really glad your back Katie. Tyler is too, he's just hurt. He thought you were dead because it was easier to believe that than you being alive and just not contacting us. He missed you, we both did."
She turned to go. "If it's any consolation, I missed you guys too."
I saw her smile in the side mirror. "Thanks Katie." She disappeared into the pack house.
"Katie?" Trina questioned with a teasing tone. "Really? Katie?"
I snorted, "Yeah like Tree is any better."
"Hey I didn't pick that nickname!" she protested.
"And I didn't pick Katie," I said. "Katie was easier for three-year-olds to pronounce than Katrina."
"Makes sense," Trina replied. "Unlike why we're sitting in the truck instead of going in. You're stalling."
"You noticed that huh?" I said softly.
"Yeah, what's going on Kate?"
I grimaced. "It's just... the last time I went inside that building the old Alpha of this pack was stripping me of any position, calling me unworthy, and turning my pack against me. I'm not too eager to go back in."
"You have to do it eventually," she said.
I sighed. "I know. I just... I want to go home already."
We got out and started for the door. I tried to ignore the memories that were demanding attention. This is going to be hard enough as it is. Everything looked the same and yet kind of smaller. No in actual size but in grandeur. When I was teenager who'd never left home this pack house was the biggest thing I'd ever seen. But know I had been to so many places and so many different pack houses this one wasn't nearly as impressive.
The one thing I didn't think about as we drove here was all the people. I left because they'd turned their backs on my, treated me as a leper. I never really thought about how they would react to my return. I only considered my family's reaction, Alex's reaction. The rest, those who knew who I was... their eyes were full of angry, mistrust, and suspicion.
Trina, my faithful little protector, took it upon herself to meet every single one of their glared with a much nastier look of her own. In moments like this she reminded me of a pit bull gearing up to attack anything that moved. "I don't like any of the people in your old pack," she said to me loudly, she wanted them to hear. "I can see why you left."
I rolled my eyes, "Come on Tree. Let's find Jason. The soon we get what we need to done the sooner we can go home."
I led her up to the Alpha's office. It should be in the same place. It was. The door was open and Grant, Greg, Lily, and Jason were all in side. Colin stood in the hall. He nodded at us as we entered. Everyone looked at the door. "How was your family?" Jason asked.
I shrugged. "Tell you later. We have business to discuss." I easily slipped into my role as Beta. It was easier to pretend this was just another pack and not one I hoped to avoid at all costs. "Have you decided when we can assess the current skills of their trained wolves or wolves in training?"
Lily shook her head. "We were arguing the need of doing that."
My brows furrowed. "What's there to argue about? It needs to be done so we can put together an accurate time table."
Lily gave me a very pointed and strained smile. "You want to explain that to him?"
I looked at Grant. "My trained wolves don't need any more training. We just don't have enough of them and we are low on trainers."
I looked at Jason. "Did you not explain how we do things? Remember last time you did that?"
"I tried," Jason said. "He doesn't listen."
I nodded. "You see why I left." Grant growled and we both looked at him. "What?"
"Katrina," Grant started but I cut him off.
"That is not my name," I said dangerously. "I've already told you this. My name is Kate. But you will only call me Beta Greyson. Is that clear Alpha Adams?"
"Your name is Katrina," he growled. "Katrina Grim."
I narrowed my eyes. "That hasn't been my name since you rejected me and this pack turned its back on me for it. If I had my way I wouldn't be here. The only reason I am is because my Alpha requested it." More like forced me but I'm not telling him that. "As far as you are concerned I am just a Beta from another pack."
"No you aren't," he argued. "You're my mate!"
I clenched my fists so I would grab my gun and shoot him. "Do the words sorry babe, you just aren't my type ring any bells?" He flinched. "Thought they might. I am not your mate. Hell I've never actually been your mate. And I have no desire to ever rectify that."
I suddenly remembered there were other people in the room and it got very quiet. Of course with Trina that didn't last long. "That was fun, kind wish I had popcorn. Which reminds me. Kate you said when we found Lily and Jason we could go eat. Well we found them and I'm hungry so can we go eat?"
Lily sighed. "Teenagers."
"Tell me about," I agreed. Trina flipped us the bird. Very mature of her. "But she has a point. It's late Jase, let's go eat and we discuss this when we return."
Jason nodded. "We'll take my car so the others can unload everything from the truck. Which reminds me, are you bunking with Tristan?"
"No, she isn't," Grant growled.
"You don't answer for her," Lily snapped.
"Let it go Lily," I said exhausted. "We won't be here long anyways. Go on, I'll be right down."
"You sure?" Jason asked.
I nodded and they left. "Katrina," Grant started.
"Beta Kate," I corrected. "And you need to stop."
"Stop?"
I nodded. "Stop acting like we're mates."
"We are," he said. "I, Grant Adams, rescind my rejection."
I stepped back as if I'd been slapped. "You what?"
He grinned, "I've been waiting almost eight years to do that." Then he had the audacity to kiss me.
I didn't think to even use my weapons. I curled my hand into a fist and slammed it into his cheek. He all but fell back with the force of my punch. I saw blood on the corner of his mouth. It gave me a bolt of satisfaction. "Don't you ever kiss me again," I snarled furiously. "Or I will take out my gun and make you swallow a bullet."
"That wasn't the reaction I was expecting," he said rubbing the side of his face where I hit him. It would leave a bruise. Good, he obviously needs the reminder.
"Let me guess, you expecting me to go leaping into your arms and after all these years I would be just dying to be your mate?" I asked sarcastically.
"Well no, but I thought-"
"You thought?" I laughed harshly. "Yeah, unlikely. You know I've never really had any respect for you. But before you withdrew the rejection at least you could stick to your decisions." I shook my head. "If you think that this actually changes anything then you are dead wrong. As it is I'm think of all the ways I could kill you."
"Still have a temper," he said smiling. Maybe if I broke his jaw he wouldn't be in such a smiling mood. "You didn't often lose your cool but when you did, boy did everyone have to watch out."
I looked at him coldly. "You don't know me, Grant."
"You called me by my name for once, I much prefer that to Alpha Adams," he said.
"I'm done with this." I turned my back to him. "Tomorrow at noon you will have all of your trained and training wolves out back so they can be assessed. It's nonnegotiable."
I left slamming the office door behind me. I really wanted to hurt someone.
My sibling were waiting outside be Jason's car. All of my siblings. "Tyler?" I said forgetting my anger for a moment in surprise.
"Kate," he said in a hard voice. "Grant told me he took back his rejection."
"Is that why you're here?" I asked. "He sent you to further his case. To help him convince me to be his mate?"
He snorted harshly. I didn't think someone could even do that. "Like you need convincing. All you'd need is to hear that you'll be Luna. It's a great position, Beta Greyson. After all you left because you wanted to be in a place of power."
My eyes widened. Where the hell is that coming from? Trina growled. "What is your problem?" she demanded. "You're supposed to be Kate's little brother but you are nothing like how she described you. She said you were smart but only an idiot would think that Kate is a ladder-climber."
"You don't actually know her," Tyler spat.
"No, you're the one who doesn't know her. How can you hate her so much?"
His entire body was tense with anger. I edged forward ready to step in if things got violent. I wasn't the only one. Jason was cautiously placing himself between Tyler and Lily. "She'll leave you in a heartbeat. You're an idiot for trusting her."
I saw everything in slow motion. Trina's hand rising up, the anger on her face, and her slapping Tyler. His head actually turned to the side with the force of the blow. But I focused on Trina. Her face turning, her gasp of shock. She backed up tripping over a rock.
And everything snapped back to normal and I lunged forwards catching her. "He's my mate," she whispered in shock.
"I know," I said softly. "It's why he kept staring at you."
She shook her head and squirmed back into my arms. "Kate..."
I wrapped my arms around her, "I know Tree. It's okay."
"Release my mate," Tyler demanded stalking towards us.
"Get away from me," Trina snapped. "Kate Jason, let's go." She half ran to the car and made a show of locking her door when she got in.
"You saw it already didn't you?" Jason asked softly.
I nodded, "I recognized the look. I thought it would be easier for her if she figured it out for herself. I didn't think she'd hit him."
"Trina can be unpredictable but her heart was in a good place," Jason said.
"I know," I said frowning. "But what are the chances of this ending well?"
We looked at Trina, than Tristan. He wasn't paying attention us, he was too busy looking at Trina who was very actively not looking at him. "It's a problem for tomorrow Kate," Jason said.
"That won't stop me from worrying about it today," I whispered. "Jason when we're drafting a training schedule I want you to pair me with Trina."
"You're going to act as a trainer?" Lily asked. "Are you sure?"
I pressed my lips flat and nodded. "I'm going to do my job and keep an eye on Trina. I made a promise that I'd look after her and that is exactly what I'm going to do."
"With Trina you'd better use two eyes," Lily muttered. "Come on, let's eat and get some rest. It's been a long day." Way to go with the understatement of the century Lily. What's really sad is today isn't even in the top ten of longest days I've had. But I have a feeling that every day we stay here is going to be very, very long.
"I have a feeling this will be the last intimate family dinner for a while," I said looking at Tyler.
Lily linked her arm through mine. "You're probably right Kate. But don't worry about it right now."
Dinner wasn't very long. None of us really had an appetite after everything that's just happened and we definitely weren't in a chatty mood. Honestly, I think we all just wanting to go to sleep so we could try to forget about our problems for a few hours. We returned back to the pack house less than an hour later, but the truck was unpacked and Gina had fulfilled her promise to make sure my room was far from Grant's.
"Kate, hold up," Jason said before I went into my room. I waited for him to come down the hall and we stepped into the room. It looked just like any other guess room. "Tyler had said something earlier that I wanted to ask you about."
"Tyler said a lot of things Jason, you'll have to be more specific."
"He said Grant took back his rejection." I was silent. "Is it true?" Jason asked. I nodded. "When?"
"When you guys went downstairs," I answered. "He took back the rejection and kissed me. So I hit him."
His eyes almost popped out of his head, I would have laughed if he didn't look so serious. "You hit the Alpha of another pack?"
"In the face."
"Kate!"
I couldn't help but laugh a little. "He deserved it."
Jason sighed and wrapped his arms around me. "What am I going to do with you?"
I chuckled and hugged him back. "You worry too much Jase. You'll have a head of gray hair by thirty at this point."
"And I would have you and Lily to blame. Sometimes I swear you too exist purely to stress me out."
I grinned, "Well you make it so worthwhile."
He shook his head and kissed the top of mine. "Good night Kate."
"Good night Jason," I replied. I shut the door after him making sure to lock both the door and the lone window of the room. I changed into sleep clothes and crawled into bed. I didn't think I would be able to sleep with all the noise in my head. So much had happened in just one day. I'd come back to the place and the people I'd spent nearly eight years hiding my presence from. Trina and my little brother turned out to be mates. And Grant rescinded his rejection.
That last one troubled me most. I couldn't figure out why he would do such a thing. He couldn't wait to eject me back when we were kids. But then I guess that was it, wasn't it? We were just kids then. I had changed a lot since then. Maybe I'd changed into someone he considered to be his type. That was a disturbing thought. I didn't like the idea that by rejecting me Grant had forced me onto a path on which I'd unwittingly become his type.
But that doesn't make much sense either because he keeps trying to get me to be the girl I was before I left. So why would he take back the rejection? It really doesn't make sense.
Despite the troubles in my head I fell asleep moments after my head touched the pillow.