Masked SheWolf (MSW book 1)

Chapter 25 - Michael

JUNE 2022 UPDATE: Go read "Lucy", a spinoff of the Masked SheWolf trilogy, now updating on Wattpad, and its "Behind the Scenes" companion book that includes character profiles and a complete recap of the trilogy, as told by the characters in interview format.

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Ever been in a situation where you're doing something you know you're not supposed to do and suddenly you hear someone coming, so you scramble to hide the evidence and look as natural as possible? Well, I find myself in that very situation when I hear the front door open downstairs.

I frantically take the girly shirt off and throw it in the laundry basket, while Sadie paces and hovers around in my room, trying to figure out how she can help.

There's not enough time to wrap the bandages perfectly around my torso, and the end result comes out too disordered. I throw the baggiest hoodie I can find over my head in hopes that it will hide the mess.

"What do we do?" Sadie hisses at me as I hear footsteps going up the stairs.

Panicked, I make gestures for her to stop talking and motion to the bathroom. She's not happy about me trying to hide her, and she shakes her head in refusal. I don't get a chance to argue back because my bedroom door goes flying open and we both jump at the same time.

I don't know which member of my family I expected it to be, but I'm shocked when I find all six of them standing there. My brothers have somber expressions on their faces, but I can see traces of sympathy in there for me, too. Mom looks stern and my father's face is completely unreadable. When they see Sadie in the room with me, they all seem shocked. Dad is the first to talk.

"Sadie," he says with a tone of surprise. "I would have expected to find you at brunch with your family."

"Uh, no sir, Dylan and I were... um, hanging out," she replies nervously.

He glances at me. "Yes, I can see that," he coldly answers. "Mason, would you mind driving Sadie back to the compound? There's something we need to discuss with Michael."

Uh oh, I think with dread. Does he know that she knows?

It becomes apparent that he does when, after Sadie and Mason leave, he takes two steps in my direction and yanks at the bandage sticking out of my hoodie. In one rough movement, he rips the fabric too fast, which burns my skin. Then he holds it up in front of my face like a piece of trash.

"What were you thinking?" he hisses.

Let me be clear on something first; I am not a goodie-two-shoes when it comes to my parents. I listen to them because I know there's a purpose behind each rule they set out for me and my brothers... to keep us safe. But when I saw a way to be myself that wasn't risky, I took it. Their appearance right now is a complete shock, and there's no way I could have predicted it.

It's amazing though, how my dad can make me feel like a child again with one simple look. "She could have seen that. Do you know how easy it would have been for her to know you're hiding something?"

Surprise colors my face; so he doesn't know? But then why was he so mad when he came into my room?

"Steven, this isn't what we came here for," Mom reminds him in a tone gentler than her stoic expression.

"Why are you here, anyway?" I venture to ask, thinking that whatever it is, it can't be as bad as their reaction would have been if they find out Sadie knows my secret. "I thought you were going to that brunch with the pack?"

"We were. We did," Dad tells me icily. "But then I got a call, and we had to have a family meeting."

Choosing to focus on the topic and pretend not to notice his anger, I frown. "What call?"