Page 11 of His Sunshine Baby (The Silver City #2)

When I finally reach the Main house, I’m soaked but I couldn’t care less! All I keep thinking about are Levi’s words. Anyway, he said he would meet me here, and indeed, he’s the one to open the door. To think I have to wait for someone to invite me into my uncle’s house…

I can already hear people yelling. Damn, Reagan is furious. I follow Levi to the main room, only to see her at Xavier’s throat, with three poor wolves trying to separate them.

“You little son of a dog! Do you think you can mess with me? Brat! I was already a fighter while you were still crying on your mother’s lap! You shameless dog! You don’t even deserve to be called an Alpha!”

“Reagan!” I call to her, trying to get her away from my uncle, but she won’t release her grip. Iris and Chris run to me immediately.

“Elena! Where were you? They started fighting a while ago…” says Iris, a bit alarmed.

“They said Diego was spotted in the west! Did you know about this?” asks Chris.

“How would I have known?” I reply to the two of them, annoyed.

How did they expect me to be aware of all this? I didn’t ask for it! I walk past my cousins to try and get in between Reagan and my uncle. This time, with Levi’s help, we finally pull them apart, and I have to use all my strength to restrain my mentor, who is yelling her lungs out.

“You watch it, Xavier! Someone’s gonna have your head someday and that might be me, you son of a dog!”

“Watch it, Reagan! You might be tolerated on our grounds but that won’t be the case for much longer if you–!”

“If I what, huh? What will you do? You little mutt! You think you’re bigger than Clark? Than Sam?”

Damn, she said it. My dad’s name, to my uncle’s face. Xavier’s face turns from an angry red to dark purple, which is not any better. He starts vociferating a long list of insults, under everyone’s horrified eyes. But Reagan is just laughing at him.

“Go ahead, insult me all you want! Little mutt!”

“ENOUGH!”

This time, everyone shuts up. My order resonated loudly in the room, and everyone’s eyes are on me, with shocked expressions. Only Chris whistles a little in admiration, but I don’t have time for my cousin’s childishness right now. I glare at Reagan.

“Shut it now, old hag.”

She doesn’t reply, just snorting. I turn to my uncle, who is pissed, not only because I gave him an order, but because he obeyed. But unfortunately for him, I am the stronger alpha in the room, and we both know that.

“Is it true? He’s back?”

“That is not for you to–”

“ANSWER ME!”

He steps back, with a sullen look. I’m serious, and I’ll keep insisting for as long as it takes, whether he likes it or not. Xavier growls as a warning, but I growl too. My wolf is just as pissed as I am, and we want answers. After a while, my uncle’s wolf finally backs down a little, surrendering.

“Yes… He was spotted. In the west.”

“Why the hell is he back?” I ask, still growling.

“Isn’t it obvious? It’s almost time. He’s making it clear he will come back as soon as his banishment order is lifted.”

I clench my fist, hard.

“You said he wouldn’t come back.”

“I know what I said. But the ban was five years, Elena. Those five years are coming to an end, and if Diego comes back, I can’t stop him.”

“That guy is a fucking murderer!” I yell.

Xavier glares at me.

“Who is the murderer, Elena? You think we forgot just because you missed?”

I stand there, in shock. Is that really what my uncle thinks? I turn to my cousins, but Chris is looking down, embarrassed, and Iris isn’t saying anything. I can’t believe it. But someone puts a hand on my shoulder.

“Elena was pardoned long ago, and you all know that. She completed her sentence and earned forgiveness. You know it wasn’t easy for anyone, Xavier.”

I mouth a little thank you to Levi; he smiles at me.

“ You know I got your back, princess. ”

“Levi, this is none of your business,” growls Xavier.

But Levi isn’t afraid to growl back. Their wolves show their fangs for a while, and I wonder how Levi is not afraid to stand up to my uncle. He’s only a Beta, while my uncle is an Alpha. It’s only his protective instincts kicking in.

“Enough, both of you!”

I turn around. Clark just entered the room, visibly angry too. Following right behind him, Isabella growls at Levi.

“Don’t growl at an Alpha! Who allowed you to do that, Levi?”

But he only stops growling, not glaring, at Xavier and stays beside me. Now, Clark is the one furious at my uncle.

“And you! Can’t you control your own pack? Why do I have to come all the way here? In this shitty weather and at this late hour, too! What the hell, Xavier?”

“Say that to the old wench! She’s the one who came here to defy me in the first place!” growls my uncle, glaring at my mentor.

Reagan doesn’t even bother answering him, choosing to turn to my godfather instead. I’ve never seen anyone able to glare so long at Clark without flinching. But as expected, Reagan is an omega, she is not as sensitive to his Alpha Aura as regular wolves.

“Seriously, Clark? A five-year ban? That is all you could do?”

For the first time, the Alpha seems a bit embarrassed. He sighs, conflicted.

“It’s not like I had much choice, Reagan. No matter what, Elena was–”

“She was right to do whatever the hell she had to! Are you fucking kidding me, Clark? What is wrong with you alphas these days? If this mess had happened in my time, that guy would have been fucking killed right there and then!”

“Reagan, enough! You think that it was an easy decision for me?” pleads Clark, annoyed.

But my mentor only gets angrier.

“Hell yeah, I think it was! You took the easiest path possible and did whatever the hell those idiots asked you to! A five-year ban, Clark? That is nothing! What happened to you to allow such things?”

“I protected Elena!”

“Don’t fucking tell me you protected her!” yells Reagan. “You weren’t there, no one was! She was fucking sixteen, Clark! And where were you? Where was Sam?”

“Reagan, enough. Please,” I ask.

I’m not asking for Clark, but for myself. I don’t want to hear this. Not again. Reagan’s anger is only making things worse. I sigh, push my wet hair back, and turn to Clark to ask him very seriously.

“Can’t you do something about it?”

My godfather looks at me with a very sorry expression. I can see the guilt on his face, and I feel my heart sink. He shakes his head slowly.

“I’m sorry, Elena.”

Fuck.

I turn around and leave the house despite Levi and Chris calling my name. I don’t want any of them to hold me back. As soon as I step out, Reagan and Xavier start yelling at each other again, but I just don’t care anymore. I keep running, faster and faster, until I shape-shift mid-jump.

Running in my wolf form doesn’t make anything less painful, I’m just faster. I keep running, across the familiar streets, looking for somewhere to go. I don’t even know where to go. Not west, definitely not west.

I head north without thinking. I just want to be alone and cry my sorrow away. My steps naturally take me to our northern border, to the wild forest, where no one goes at this hour during such a downpour. I hear people calling me, trying to mind-link me, but I shut the voices out. I don’t want to hear or listen to anyone now.

I find a large tree to crawl under and curl up around some roots.

I finally let myself cry. It’s not just a few tears, I’m fucking bawling like a kid. I can’t remember the last time I cried so much. My tears melt with the rain, but I can only hear my wolf’s sorrow. I’m mad at the whole world right now.

It’s not fair. This is all so fucking unfair. Why do I have to go through all this shit? After everything I’ve already gone through? Haven’t I paid enough for my mistakes? I can’t go through it all again. I just can’t. I don’t want to let that nightmare happen again.

I freeze when I sense a wolf close by. Fuck.

“ Hey, babe. ”

The tawny wolf has to dig a little to take the small spot next to me. Thankfully, Danny is a little smaller than me. He crawls to get beside me, ruining his fur with the mud. My best friend’s green eyes finally meet mine, and I feel even more tears coming.

“ It’s okay, babe. Just go for it. ”

I let my tears flow, and Danny rubs his head against mine, trying to comfort me. Damn, thank Moon Goddess it’s him. Danny is probably the only person I’m willing to see right now.

I spend a long time crying, letting my feelings out without restraint. It’s like I’ve been holding it in way too long.

“ Danny… ”

“ I know. Levi called me. ”

“ What are you doing here? What about your seminar? ”

“ Are you kidding me? Who gives a shit about some stupid seminar? My babe needs me, so I ran here! ”

“ Gosh, Danny. I love you. ”

“ I know. But I’m taken, you know. And a bit too gay. ”

“ Idiot. ”

“ Yeah, yeah, love you too. ”

We stay like this for a while, two wolves curled up against one another. I don’t want to talk, and I don’t care about the rain drenching us. I just keep crying silently with Danny’s head resting on mine.

“ Elena… ”

I growl a bit. I don’t want to talk. But of course, Danny ignores me.

“ We need to think of a plan, babe. ”

I growl again. What plan? Aside from killing Diego, I can’t think of anything as satisfying.

“ What if you stayed with him? With Black, on his territory? ”

“ Are you nuts, Danny? On the Velvet Moon’s territory? You can’t be serious. ”

“ I am dead serious, babe. I know it’s not our turf, but anything is better than having you anywhere near Diego. ”

“ Nate has no idea, Danny. ”

“ Tell me he wouldn’t agree. ”

I think for a second. A few days back, I probably would have said there is no way he would. But after today, I mean, yesterday since it’s probably way past midnight... would Nate agree to it? I can’t believe I’m even considering the idea!

“ Elena, think about it, babe. Even that crazy-ass Diego wouldn’t dare to chase you all the way to the Velvet Moon’s territory. If you go anywhere else, he wouldn’t think about it twice, but that is the King’s turf. ”

“ The King doesn’t even know that I exist, Daniel! ”

“ He doesn’t need to know. Seriously, Elena. If Black hides you, you can stay away from Diego and his shit. ”

“ Then what, Danny? I stay trapped there forever? It’s not my turf, plus why should I be the one to hide? ”

“ Babe, I know it’s not easy. I know Diego should have paid much more for what he did, but- ”

“ I was the one who lost and paid the most, Danny! That son of a bitch got away with just a fucking ban after what he did! After killing my baby! ”

Daniel stays silent for a while but sighs eventually.

“ I know, babe. I know all that. But right now, I want to protect you and the only one who can do that is Nathaniel Black. ”