Page 197 of Broken Bonds

I didn’t understand back then why she made me get undressed in the backyard and jump into the pool before I could come into the house, and why I had to immediately take a bath after that.

Adult me now knows the angry screaming session my Father burst into not long after he returned home, one that had him storming out and slamming the front door so hard it rattled the windows, probably had to do with my fun afternoon. I found Mom crying on the kitchen floor. When I hugged her and asked her what was wrong, she wouldn’t tell me. She wiped her face, smiled, and asked if I’d had fun that afternoon.

Of course I had. It was, at that time, the best afternoon of my life.

Then she hugged me tightly and begged me to never say anything about it around my father or my brothers. That it had to be our secret.

I don’t know what lie she told my father, but he never screamed at me about it. Adult me guesses he smelled the ponies on her, because she petted one or because of handling my dirty clothes, I don’t know. Somehow, she kept his anger focused on her and off me with a lie that made it look like I hadn’t spent the afternoon in little-boy cowboy-dreaming heaven.

From some-fucking-where Davis comes up with two gentle ponies and an impromptu stable is built inside the secure perimeter. Followed by several chickens and geese for the kids. The little kids get pony rides, and the bigger kids enjoy spending time grooming and caring for the ponies, and leading daily egg hunts with the little kids.

Alizée said it’s the best kind of therapy, giving them something to focus on that soothes their souls so they have a sense of normalcy among all this madness they’re mired in.

Todd explained the geese were practical because they quickly get to know who belongs and who doesn’t, and they raise a fuss around strangers. The outsiders from the covens and Morning’s people stay in several RVs parked inside the secure perimeter.

The traumatized adults, however, are another story. Many of them lost their master or mate—or both. Alizée found a shifter counselor willing to work with them, but all of them have a long road ahead. Not only did they lose their loved ones, but their home was destroyed. Alizée said she thinks they’re past the worst of worrying about any adults taking their own lives, but she hinted to me she’s been administering herbal medicine of her own concoction to some of the adults who were in the worst shape to try to keep them calm until they could get their feet back under them.

Meanwhile, the new guardhouse is going up at the pack compound’s main entrance, as are new fences and walls around the compound’s outer perimeter. They bring in several concrete Jersey barriers and erected a stockade fence topped with razor wire to block off the secondary entrance at the back of the compound. It rarely saw use anyway. There are still armed guards stationed there 24/7, but the pack understands why it’s necessary to have this security in place.

I don’t know how much money the vampires and Morning and his people have—or what kind of connections—but the day after the first load of refugees arrive, seemingly overnight every one of Kennedy’s security people are outfitted with military-grade body armor, top-end night-vision gear, and new assault rifles, among other “toys.”

According to Shawn, there are now military-grade cameras and sensors along the outer perimeter of the pack compound. The security team acquired ten drones that are equipped with FLIR, and they received training, so they can cover larger distances more effectively.

Today, it surprises me when Todd returns to the house earlier than I expected. It’s a Saturday, and he lovingly ordered me to take the day off while he worked.

I’m sprawled on the couch reading and tip my head back for a kiss, but that’s when I process his grim expression. It scares me.

I sit up. “What’s going on?”

He picks up the remote and quickly sets up the TV to cast from his phone to the screen. Then he sits next to me, holds my hand, and hits play.

It’s a press event for my father.

My hand clenches tighter around Todd’s as my fear grows.

He’s smiling, giving his usual smarmy answers. My three brothers and two of their wives stand behind him on the dais, as does Mom. Thad’s wife is missing.

My brothers smile like assholes, David’s and Harrison’s wives wear expressions between bored and forced joviality—which looks just as awkward as it sounds—and Mom…

I swallow hard.

She stands behind my father, trying to melt into the backdrop, wearing a neutral expression and with both hands tightly gripping the clutch bag in front of her. Like a shield.

I can’t even focus on my father’s words because I stare at Mom, wishing I could reach into the screen and pull her out, bring her here to me.

Want to call her and tell her there is a safe place.

That she doesn’t have to live like that anymore.

Tears sting my eyes and roll down my cheeks. As bad as everything was…

I miss my mom.

Then I force my attention back to the screen because a familiar voice speaks. “Mr. Sterling, where is your other daughter-in-law today?”

My father’s smile tightens. To anyone else, it still looks right, but I can tell.

“She wasn’t feeling well this morning and, of course, I told her to stay home.”