Page 77

77

Kaylee

Taking a deep breath, I ready myself to see the remains of my childhood home. Two days have passed since we killed Ramos and Marilyn—two days of getting to know our new packmates and organizing the mess that Ramos and Marilyn left behind. Yesterday, Simon, Amelia, and David took Lucas and me aside, a solemn look on their faces.

They had asked if there was a quiet place for us to talk, not wanting anyone else to overhear what they had to tell me. Lucas had taken us to his office and had shut the door. Nervous to hear what they had to say, I sat beside Lucas, clutching his hand. That’s when Simon broke the news that my childhood house had been burned to ashes. At first, I didn’t believe them, but Amelia called in Sarah, who sadly told me how Marilyn had ordered my childhood home to be burned after Lucas and Simon left.

Many of the wolves who still respected me and my family tried to stop her and put the fire out, but Marilyn had had the men who supported Ramos pour gasoline onto the house. From what Sarah remembered, the fire burned for three days until a storm passed through, and the rain finally put it out.

Now, sitting in my truck that two omegas from Ivory Fangs dropped off for me this morning, I face the forest trees, not sure if I can handle the sight of where my house used to stand.

“Kaylee?” Lucas calls out softly, taking my hand in his. “We don’t have to do this if you aren’t ready. We can always stay in the packhouse for now, until you’re ready to see the damage and rebuild your home,” he whispers, his scent of mint and vanilla calming my nerves.

“I need to see what she did,” I whimper, closing my eyes and feeling tears fall down my cheeks. Lucas says nothing, and I’m grateful.

After a long moment of silence, I push the door open and climb out of my truck. Lucas follows suit, quickly rushing to my side. I take a deep breath, breathing in the scent of ash that still lingers, and frown. I’m glad Amelia packed away the pictures the day we were banished. If she hadn’t, I would have lost every physical reminder of my parents because of Marilyn’s hatred for me.

Lucas follows me as I move towards the spot where my childhood home once stood. Everything but the basement and foundation had been burned down. The gardens my mother loved so much had been turned over and destroyed, with none of the plants I left behind remaining. Thankfully, the lilac bush is still firmly planted in Ivory Fangs. Amelia promised me that it would remain there safe and sound until I was ready to have it brought here.

“She really did burn it all down,” Lucas mutters in shock, his words echoing in my mind.

“What should we do?” I ask, tears falling freely from my eyes as I stare forlornly at the cement basement.

“Whatever you want. Now that his parents are dead, Simon is demolishing his childhood home to build something new for him and Evette,” Lucas answers, stepping behind me and pulling me back until his chest is flush against my back. “Maybe we can rebuild this place for us,” he adds, his chin resting on my shoulder as he breathes in my scent.

I smile softly, wiping away the tears that continue to fall. I’d always wanted a cottage of my own—small and easy to clean. Now, I miss the large house I grew up in. The scent of lilac floating in through the window and the purple walls of my room.

“I want a big family,” I state, leaning into Lucas’ embrace as I close my eyes and picture my childhood house in my mind. “I want a place filled with pups laughing and the warmth of a fireplace in winter. I don’t want a small cottage anymore,” I add, my voice breaking.

Sobs escape my lips, and Lucas turns me so that I’m no longer looking at the charred remains of my home. I clutch his sweater, my body shaking as I cry.

I thought killing Marilyn would mean I wouldn’t lose anything else to her. Ultimately, she took the one thing from me that I thought would never be taken away, even if I left it—my home.

“I can draw up plans for a new home if you’d like,” Lucas offers soothingly, slowly running his fingers through my hair. I nod, unable to talk through my sobs, as the wind blows around us.

Lucas scoops me into his arms, carrying me away from my childhood home. I cling to him, feeling the love and support he sends my way through our mate bond. It comforts me and helps me breathe through the tears until my sobs are small whimpers.

“Will you be okay long enough for me to drive us to the packhouse?” Lucas asks quietly, drawing circles on my arm.

“I should be,” I say quietly. Lucas takes a deep breath and kisses my temple before settling me onto the passenger seat. He quickly buckles my seat before he drives us back towards the packhouse.

***

Sitting in Lucas’ office with a mug of hot apple cider in hand, I quietly look out the window, watching wolves run in and out of the building. Amelia had been waiting for Lucas and me after visiting what remained of my childhood home and instantly pulled me into her embrace, her rose perfume helping to calm me further. She had walked me into Lucas’ office while Lucas gathered food for us.

I curled onto the couch, wrapped in her arms and motherly love, and sat silently while we waited for my mate. Amelia told me to grieve the loss of the home I grew up in, to take today to rest, and that she and Lucas would deal with Amos. Then she lulled me to sleep by humming a lullaby and running her fingers through my hair.

I woke up ten minutes ago to a note from Lucas telling me to relax and stay in his office if I needed to, with the mug of hot cider beside it.

“I see you’re awake now.”

Turning to the now open door, I find Lucas walking towards me with a clipboard in one hand and a basket in the other. With a quick sniff, I smell the unmistakable scent of pasta and garlic bread coming from the basket, making my stomach growl.

“I brought dinner,” he says, setting the basket on the coffee table.

“Thank you,” I mumble, a smile on my lips.

“Don’t thank me. As your mate, it’s my job to take care of you when you aren’t feeling good,” he says with a chuckle, placing the clipboard on the coffee table before digging through the basket.

He quickly pulled out a bowl filled with spaghetti and meatballs, warning me to be careful as it was hot. Next, he pulled out a plate with garlic bread, placing it beside me on the cushion before sitting on the coffee table.

I eat in silence under his watchful gaze, noticing the relief in his eyes grow each time I take a bite of the pasta and garlic bread. Crying had taken so much out of me that I didn’t realize I was ravenous until the large bowl of pasta was gone and the dishes returned to the basket.

“Feeling better?” Lucas asks, moving from sitting on the coffee table to the cushion beside me. I shift closer to him, snuggling into his side as I look curiously at the clipboard in his hand, the papers facing away from me.

“I am,” I answer, hearing Lucas sigh in relief.

“Good,” he says quietly, placing a kiss on top of my head.

“What’s with the clipboard?” I ask, playing with the string of his sweater.

“Why don’t you look and see?” Lucas suggests, moving his hand so that the clipboard is facing me. I study the pages for a moment, my eyes tearing up once more as I see the large front porch and bay windows. He’d drawn us a new home, the home he’d seen in his visions. I smile, tentatively taking the clipboard to flip through the pages.

“When can we start building it?” I ask once I’ve seen them all, feeling Lucas wipe away tears that have fallen once again.

“Soon. Simon and Titus are overseeing the site clean-up first. In a week, we can begin building our home for our large family,” he answers. “Amos wants to have a meeting tomorrow if you’re up for it,” he continues, changing the subject and placing the clipboard on the side table.

Taken aback, I ask what this meeting is about, and Lucas grins down at me.

“It’s about Nathaniel Cross and Blood Oath.”