Second Chance

Kiarra

The sun was up now, meaning Aidan and I had spent an entire night fighting over the motives of the Kendricks.

As I approached the pack house, I was relieved that Angela was outside and that Aidan hadn’t followed me this time.

The catch: She was busy chatting with the one person I could’ve done without seeing.

Rose.

I tried to calculate how many steps it would have taken before they noticed me and if I had enough time to skulk away.

No such luck.

“Kiarra! Hi!” Angela’s greeting was intensely exaggerated, but that was just her nature.

I grimaced, preparing for impact, “Hey, you’re up early.”

I tried to ignore Rose subtly; I wished she would just disappear.

I wished we could go back to being strangers.

She smiled brightly, looked rested, and exceptionally pleased with herself.

It made me want to puke.

All the things that my mate just loved so much about her.

“Well, I was headed for a run, but I ran into you, um…” Angela stumbled.

I felt my face flushing, and I wouldn’t say I liked it.

“Rose,” I replied with a blunt edge.

I hadn’t meant to offend her; I was just out of manners, and the day hadn’t started.

I was thankful she quickly caught my point. “Sure, yeah. Anyway, you need anything,” she raised her eyebrows, “you holler!”

I smiled and nodded in response to the quick wink she sent before prancing off toward the woods.

Now alone with Rose, I searched the crisp air for a scent of something to say, but she beat me to it.

“You look exhausted, sweetie, like you haven’t slept a wink!”

“Wow, I didn’t think it was that obvious, but thank you,” I returned, not missing a beat.

We stood there, mother and daughter by default only, and it was painful. I didn’t feel emotions for her but could do without the awkward silence.

“Were you looking for the grand hall?” I asked as I checked my watch, “They start serving breakfast and coffee in five minutes.”

Rose smiled knowingly as if she were this wise and all-loving representation of what a mother should be.

It irritated the shit out of me.

“I was looking for you.”

“Fortunately, you didn’t need to look too far this time, huh?”

It was a dig. It felt good. All my life, I’d been independent. I learned the hard way what life was about. Now that I’ve found myself staring into her face, there’s a reflection of me somewhere.

I wondered if she’d missed me all these years. Had she loved me still? Had she asked after me, hoping I was okay?

Most importantly, had Ares been full of shit?

“Kiarra, darling, we are sorry for what happened.”

I could tell Rose had rehearsed this speech. She was locked and loaded.

“Would you walk with me? Give me a chance. Give us a chance to be mother and daughter?”

Her question stunned me and made me nauseous at the same time. There was a note in her voice, something like a melody. Hypnotic, like a lullaby I couldn’t get out of my head.

I hated it. I hated her.

Against my better judgment, or Aidan’s for that matter, I agreed, “I’ll give you a chance to explain, but let’s not get carried away.”

That was as much connection as I was prepared to offer, but she seemed satisfied enough.

We headed to the north end of the territory, where the guest house was. I hadn’t intended to hang out with the Kendricks, but it seemed this was the next stop on the family train of bullshit.

Toot toot.

I wasn’t anxious, but I was curious.

I wondered what it would be like sitting with my parents, alone, as a daughter.

Not an up-and-coming luna.

I remained quiet, but it didn’t matter. Rose had mastered taking the lead, “Last night,” she began with a shake of her head, “I wish we didn’t do things that way. It was the wrong way to approach the idea.”

An image of Aidan and Alpha James ready to slaughter each other flashed in my mind.

“Of course, but how did you think Aidan would react?”

“We expected a much more diplomatic attitude. He does know very well how things are done.”

It was a garbage explanation that pissed me off, but I held my tongue.

“And me? You thought I was going to be excited or…?”

“No, you were the surprise in that situation. We expected you to oppose the proposition adamantly, but you delighted us, darling. Truly.”

I considered my reaction to their idea that night.

I was not the live wire I usually was, but then again, she didn’t know that was supposed to be a staged fight.

As we arrived at the pack house door, I hesitated.

Was this the right call? Would being alone with them somehow undo the magic between Aidan and me for good? Had I crossed the line?

Rose seemed to have read the very thoughts that ran through my mind.

“It’s just a friendly chat and a quick bite to eat; you’re not plotting a war, Kiarra,” she laughed lightly, but it made me uncomfortable.

What an odd thing to say.

I feigned a smile and followed her into the house. The smell of bacon and coffee crashed into my nose. My mouth started to water.

The place looked picturesque, like the perfect childhood dream: warm wooden cupboards, cottagecore furniture, and drapes with fruit patterns that matched the table linens.

I couldn’t remember the last time I ate, and after the night I’d just had, I needed a coffee like I needed air.

“Come on in, take a seat, kiddo!” James encouraged. He was a different man this morning.

Composed, yes, but I swore I detected a friendliness that hadn’t been there before.

It weirded me out and put me on red alert.

I wanted him to slip up. I wanted any excuse I could find to justify hating him.

I sat at the round wooden kitchenette in front of a plate made just for me.

It was a small gesture I didn’t know how to feel about.

I knew they wanted me to feel like I belonged, but that would never happen.

These weren’t my people.

“Thank you for seeing us again, Kiarra,” James began after he had taken his seat across from me.

“We wanted to clarify some things; I’m sure you have many questions.”

“Sure! Let’s start with why I spent most of my life in the foster system.”

I jumped right in. There was no use beating around the bush.

James’ face was grave, but he maintained the concerned father routine, “When you were a baby, the state of pack politics was dire. There were very opposing views about mixing bloodlines and safety.”

His eyes met mine as if he were expecting a smart-ass remark. I remained quiet.

Not because I was eating his bullshit up, but because I wanted the details.

“Many packs,” he continued, “had taken in humans. But humans aren’t wolves. They have a hard time adjusting, surviving.”

“What does this have to do with me? I’m not human; that’s been established.”

The memory of Ares crossed my brain.

Instantly, I was pissed off.

Maybe he was right. But, even worse, maybe Aidan was dead on the nail about these two.

“It caused a lot of madness,” Rose added, now seated beside her mate, “humans would die, and their wolf mates would either follow them or descend into madness.”

“The thing is, it started a domino effect that affected our numbers,” he sighed, “The ones who survived often turned rogue, and, well, the others…”

My patience was thin; I bit my tongue as I waited for them to hit me with the punchline.

“When you were a baby, we had enemies. A lot of them,” said James.

“Purest values will tend to do that,” I replied.

It didn’t jar them as I hoped; they just kept going the distance.

“No, they weren’t popular views, and that caused conflict with surrounding packs. So much so, one day, you were abducted as a means to get back at us.”

I looked down at my untouched plate. I hadn’t any appetite for bacon or this bullshit.

It was wild that they somehow seemed justified in their psycho-value system.

“Tell me something I don’t know. Perhaps whether you kept looking for me or missed raising me?

The look on their faces was sad.

There was no other way to see it.

I seemed to hit a nerve, but I still wasn’t falling for it.

“The thing is, we have you back now, and we couldn’t be happier!” James carried on.

“We know we came off too strong, so we wanted to try again,” Rose added, shining on with her infectious smile.

“We have always held out hope that you, our legacy, our firstborn, would come home one day,” James added with a fatherly smile.

“We know we made mistakes back then, and with you last night. We’re asking for another chance, Kiarra,” Rose continued.

I sat quietly, but my thoughts were the loudest they’d ever been.

Why couldn’t I have both? Why must I be forced to choose between the love of my life and getting to the bottom of being orphaned for so many years?

James seemed to sense what was on my mind, “I know you’re in love with Aidan. Rose and I accept that. You weren’t raised with us. Your ways are your own.”

I hadn’t expected this total acceptance angle. There was a game in play, that much was obvious.

“If you consider coming to Apex Pack, even briefly, we would like to get to know you. We know your sister would love that, too.”

I bit my lip. I began to feel anxious. I couldn’t work it all out in my mind fast enough.

Was this wrong? Was this a breach of loyalty to my pack?

“They’re my family,” I started, “my pack. I met them before you, and they’ve cared for me well. I can’t, and I won’t abandon them.”

James nodded, “We aren’t asking that. If you want Alpha Gold, then I will give you my blessing. Even if you choose not to come.”

Rose grabbed my hand gently, “You’re still our daughter, Kiarra.”

I recoiled. It was as much a habit as it was a survival mechanism I’d had in place for years.

I didn’t do the touchy stuff. With anyone.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door. I watched as Rose strode toward it.

A chocolate-colored wolf entered.

I knew it instantly; she was my sister.