Chapter Fourteen

Kane couldn't help but stare out the window from the second they reached the gates of the town. Maysville. It was beautiful. The entire town was filled with giant, elegant houses and littered with parks and lakes and community gardens. Kane had seen human towns like this, but in all of his life, he had never seen a town of wolves this nice.

He had expected them to find the house after only a few minutes, but they were still driving. The town seemed to be endless. It was in the middle of nowhere, and yet it was bigger than all the packs in his area combined.

He stared out the window with wide, interested eyes. He wondered what it would have been like to grow up in this place that seemed endless. He glanced over at Nora, her eyes didn't hold half the interest that his own did. Of course, she had seen these views countless times, but stupidly, he still expected some awe in her gaze.

"Take a left here," Nora told Sebastian.

Kane looked at his parents in the front of the car. His father seemed to be just as dumbfounded as he was. He had been staring at the town with wide eyes as he drove. Kane glanced at his mother, but she was texting, just as she had been for the past ten minutes.

"Are you texting Aunt Linda again?" He asked her. "I'm sure Grace will be fine."

Scarlett glanced over her shoulder at him. "I'm more worried about what Heath and Peyton will get up to with two days together."

"I'm sure Aunt Linda will keep a close eye on them," Kane assured her.

Scarlett went back to texting. "I hope so," she muttered.

Kane felt a hand in his own. He looked over at Nora who had scooted closer to him on the back seat. She was looking at him with wide, happy eyes. "I'm so glad you guys came here, even after everything that happened."

Kane smiled back. He was glad too. His father had considered cancelling the trip after the rogue attack, if you could even call it an attack. However, he changed his mind at the last minute and allowed them to go for just one night. Kane was glad to have a bit of a break from everyone. This way he could spend two days just focussing on Nora, and no one else. He really planned on taking Adam's words to heart.

"I'm happy it worked out. I can't wait to meet your family."

Nora beamed. "They are going to love you!"

Her hand was warm in his. He hoped that this meeting went well, for her sake. She had been let down enough over the past few days. She didn't need anything else going wrong. He promised himself that he'd be on his best behaviour.

"That's the house," Nora told everyone. Her finger pointed between the front seats and at the huge house at the top of the street. It hung high above the houses around it, and made them look small in comparison. It was a mansion, multiple stories high with giant windows that watched out over the streets. Kane half expected the house to be fake, empty and cardboard inside. It was unlike anything he'd ever seen in person before. It was elaborate to say the least.

"Oh my," Scarlet gasped.

"How many people live here?" Kane asked. His entire pack could have squeezed into that house.

"Almost the whole family," Nora replied. "It's been in my family since the pack was founded."

"Your uncle is the Alpha, is that right?" Sebastian asked.

"Yes. He is expecting us."

They parked on the long driveway, next to a couple of other cars. Kane felt more nervous as they approached the house. Nora must have noticed as she was by his side in an instant, her fingers wrapping around his.

Nora opened the door and Kane had expected to be greeted by an empty house, however, he was welcomed by the opposite. People were all in the main foyer of the room, which appeared to lead out to another large room. "Surprise!" they all screamed as they made their way into the house.

Nora let go of his hand and her hands flew to her mouth. Kane could feel that his eyes were as wide as they had ever been before.

A man and woman stepped up to them. The man had his arm wrapped around the woman. He was tall with the same piercing blue eyes as Nora. "You must be Kane!" he said with a beaming smile. "The man who stole our daughter's heart!"

The woman slipped out from under her husband's arm and wrapped Kane in a sudden hug. She looked like an older version of her daughter with the same light brown waves and olive skin. She even smelled like Nora. "Welcome to the family, Sweetheart," she told him. She pulled away and looked him up and down. She smiled brightly. "Such a handsome boy."

Nora sighed. "You're embarrassing me," she said with a laugh.

Her mother only laughed back. "I'm just happy to be meeting my son-in-law."

Kane smiled back at Nora's mother. "Well, it's lovely to meet you both."

Nora's mother looked towards Kane's parents who were still behind them. "Are these your parent's, Kane?"

Kane stepped back. He motioned towards his parents who were watching them with wide, happy eyes. "These are my parents, Scarlet and Sebastian."

Their parents starting hugging and chatting. It was weird for Kane to think that their parents were more excited at their own meeting than he and Nora were at theirs. Well, on Kane's side anyway.

He couldn't dwell on that thought for too long as Nora motioned for him to turn around. Kane turned to face the group of people behind them, but they seemed to be parting in the centre. Kane knew that the man walking through the group of people was Nora's uncle, the Alpha. His scent hit him like a wave, stronger the closer he got.

Nora ran and hugged him the moment he was close enough. She pulled him over to Kane. "This is my mate," she told the man.

The man stood tall, with harsh features. His kind eyes were the only reason that Kane didn't feel like his hands would start shaking. He was quite intimidating looking.

Kane straightened his back. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sir."

The Alpha smiled down at him. "Welcome to your second home."

Kane looked around the mansion that surrounded him. "Quite the home it is."

The Alpha laughed slightly. "Make yourself at home." He spotted Kane's parents behind them. "I'll steal your parents away for a moment if that's alright."

"Of course," Kane told him. He turned to his parents. "Alpha would like to speak with you two."

His parents both made their way towards them. They made introductions.

"Why don't you both come to my office," he told them. Kane could just make out some of his next words before they were lost in the crowd. "I have just gotten off the phone with your Alpha, Victor and I am aware of the situation-"

Kane wondered what the situation was that they were speaking about. He didn't have much time to wonder, as Nora was pulling him towards the group of people. He was passed around the room, making introductions with everyone. He met Nora's cousins, her aunts and uncles as well as her many friends. He wasn't able to remember many of their faces, let alone their names. He didn't know how Nora was so close with so many people.

Only one detail was putting him on edge. There wasn't a single strand of white hair in the room. There weren't any omegas at this party. He wondered and hoped that it was just a coincidence. Her friends couldn't exclusively be beta's, right? He didn't even want to think of that.

He lost Nora pretty soon after the introductions. He wandered through the crowd for a little while, making more introductions, but it all became a bit much after a while. Kane walked to the edge of the room, hoping to spot his parents. It didn't seem as though they had returned from the Alpha's office. He sighed.

Kane looked around. He spotted the entryway to what looked like a kitchen. He quietly weaved through the people, his mind begging for a break from the constant conversation. He made it into the kitchen, and to his relief, it was empty. He found a bottle of water in the industrial sized fridge and sat down at one of the many kitchen stools. With a sigh, he took a long sip.

He knew that he would have to go back out there in a moment. He had promised to be on his best behaviour, and hiding in the kitchen wasn't exactly fulfilling that promise. He allowed himself to take a few more minutes to relax. He pulled his phone out. There was a missed call from Adam and a text.

I'm sorry about the other day. I shouldn't have said what I did. It's your life, I should be more supportive. Call me back when you can.

Kane started to type out a reply when his phone buzzed. Another message came through, but this time it was from an unknown number.

Hi Kane, it's Mason. Tyler gave me your number, I hope you don't mind.

He replied, Hey there, philosophical boy. How's your arm holding up?

The three little dots appeared almost a second after the message was sent. Kane couldn't bring himself to finish his reply to Adam just yet. Instead, his eyes watched those little dots until the next message came up.

It's completely healed. Thanks for asking, bad decision boy.

I'm really not in love with this nickname.

Make some good decisions, and maybe I'll consider changing it.

Kane smiled as he typed his reply. What kind of good decisions would pique your interest?

Deciding to hang out with me when you get back into town?

Kane remembered Adam's warning. He wished that Adam hadn't said anything, now Mason's words seemed to have more meaning than they probably did. "I saw the way he looked at you tonight." What did that mean?

Kane decided to ignore Adam's comment. He wasn't going to discount this new friend just yet. He was certain that Adam would feel differently if he got to know Mason more.

Well that's an easy decision, Kane replied, why don't we go for a run together when I get back?

Because that turned out so well last time, lol.

I promise not to cut up your arm this time at least.

Enticing offer, but why don't we just hang out at my place. Less chance of danger.

"You must be Kane," a voice said.

Kane replied with a quick okay to Mason before looking up. Before him, on the other side of the counter, stood a tall girl that looked eerily like Nora. The wave of Alpha smell hit him quickly and he knew that this must have been one of Nora's cousins.

"That I am," he said with a smile. "You're Nora's cousin?"

The girl nodded. "I'm Jade." She lent with her elbows resting on the benchtop, her wavy hair just touching the marble. She had the same kind eyes as her father. "I was hoping to get you alone."

Kane couldn't help but tilt his head at that. "Why?"

Jade quickly looked around them. "Nora and I are like sisters. We've grown up together. We both lived together in this house since she was born. It's safe to say that we know everything about each other's lives. Do you know where I'm going with this?"

Kane bit at the edge of his lip for a moment. "I can guess."

Jade lowered her voice to an almost whisper. "She told me that you two haven't, you know, slept together. I'm not judging, not at all," she assured him. "I'm just," she paused for a moment, "I guess I'm just worried about her. She really loves you, she told me herself, but she doesn't understand why you aren't in love with her. She-" Jade checked that no one was listening in before continuing her sentence, "calls me and cries. She just cries and cries. She's so confused."

"She said this to you?" Kane asked. He didn't want to believe any of this. How did he not know how upset she was? He thought they had it under control. She was the one that said they would take it day by day. She had seemed to positive about it all, but had it been an act?

Jade nodded. "She wouldn't tell it to your face. She's too nice. She's trying to give you space to figure things out in your head, but I know that she's scared as all hell that you aren't ever going to love her."

Kane took a deep breath. He didn't know what to say. He felt like the worst mate in the world. Nora was in love with him. Nora's side of the bond was there, but his seemed so clouded. He just didn't understand why.

"I am, well, I was gay, up until I met her, so it's just harder for me to get my head around all of this."

Jade nodded. She already knew. "I don't have answers for you. I honestly don't know why it's taking you a while to feel the bond, or however it works, but I just needed you to know that it really is affecting Nora. Even if she tells you otherwise."

Kane sighed. He looked out past the entryway. He thought of Nora, putting on a brave face to those she loved. Pretending that she was happy with her new mate. Pretending that they were in love, when in reality, her own mate wouldn't touch her. The man who was supposed to want to kiss her all day long had in reality, only kissed her once. One kiss in desperation wasn't the same as one kiss out of love.

"Don't cry," Jade said suddenly.

Kane hadn't registered the tears that ran down his cheeks. He quickly swatted them away.

"I'm sorry," Jade whispered. "I shouldn't have said anything."

Kane shook his head. "You were right to tell me."

Kane took a deep breath. It was time to force this bond to fix itself. If a kiss was enough to clear up the bond for a moment, perhaps sex was the only thing that would fix it for real. He sighed. It was time to face the music. With his mind a mix of Adam's words and Jades revelations, he decided that tonight was going to be the night. It would make or break them. It would prove that their bond really was broken or it would prove that the Moon God's really didn't make mistakes after all.