Coming Home

Forty

Casper continued to cling to me for a while after the call. The whole pack seemed to be clinging to each other. Sarah, Luva, and Danielle all seemingly able to fit on a single arm chair, Dalton, Quinton, Blake, Jace, Casper, and I all fighting on the three seater couch. It is an awkward fit even with Quin in Dalton's lap and Casper basically in mine, sharing a couch to fit three normal sized humans and somehow having three large men and three other men that are not large but not small not in anyway is a feat in itself.

The call has shaken everyone up, Casper more than anyone, but I just feel relieved. I said a lot of stuff that I really wanted to get off of my chest and I feel as if a large weight has just come off of my shoulders. I feel as if I can finally let myself fall back into my place here in the pack. I never thought it was possible to be in a place where I can finally allow what I did in the past to not hold me back. Where I can accept what I did was wrong, but that at the same time what Chelsea did was worse.

I had the best intentions when I told Chelsea about me and my family, but she took the information and used it to hurt people that I care about and to do it to our own brother, is when she finally crossed the line and that is what I can't come back from.

I will never be able to forgive all that she has done to me and my family.

"We need to talk about what we are going to do now. I'm sure it will only take a little while before Chelsea connects the dots between what she heard and how Casper is now a part of the pack and how he became a part of the pack. We also need to think about how we are going to utilize the allies that we have coming to help us with the hunters. Normally we would let something like this pass and hide out until it is over and done with, but this is personal and we can't back down because now they have hurt our pack and we have to show that we aren't weak." Jace commands as he brings up the events that have occurred recently.

"How do we know that we can really trust them. I know we need all the help that we can get but isn't it safer to just deal with this as a pack." Sarah asks as she gestures around all of us. I'm surprised she is the one that said something, she is usually pretty laid back and goes with what is said.

"These are people that helped me when I was at my most vulnerable. If I didn't trust them to help us, I would never bring them here. Some of them might be rough around the edges, maybe more than around the edges if I am being honest, but they won't hurt any one of us. They are going to be more than happy to help us, and if they aren't, then they can leave and never come back." I reassure everyone.

"I mean, they didn't kill you when they had the chance, so that must mean something. They definitely missed their chance to do something about you when they had you." Danielle jokes. I make her as I roll my eyes as throwing a random pillow at her. It hits her square in the face and she lets out a little shriek. She makes a move to come and attack me but Luva shoves her down before she can move too much.

"I'm not going to have the two of you fighting while I'm sitting here in the middle of this pregnant. Yeah, yeah, it's not all about me, but we know that as soon as Colton gets into something he can't finish, which we know he could never overtake Sarah no matter how much he whines that he can, we know he can't, he will start crying and beg me to help him since that is always what happens and I won't be able to say no because of his puppy eyes and then I will end up being hurt and it's not just me anymore, I got a baby on board and I'm not letting you go at each other." Luva rambles. Everyone just lets her get her piece in. Even before the pregnancy no one would ever dare to interrupt her or go against anything she says.

Somehow even Jace follows her every command. You would think that Luva is the Alpha just by the way that the whole pack follows everything he says.

"Whatever, say whatever you want. I don't always call for your help." I scoff as I feel my cheeks heating up. I very well know that I do always call Luva for help. It's been that way since High School and I first learned about the world of the supernatural.

Everyone laughs as they know it isn't true, even Blake, who wasn't around when we were all in high school. Casper pokes me in the faces as he laughs directly in my face. I swat at his hand and push him off of me and onto the ground where his body connects with a thud.

Casper shoots a look of betrayal and I laugh at him before getting up and flicking him the nose and going onto the kitchen to start making dinner. My punishment from going to the rave with Blake still in effect. I don't regret taking the fall for it, but it does become annoying to make meals all day every day.

"Do you need any help?" I turn around and see Jace standing in the doorway. I didn't hear him coming in, my werewolf-ness not working to let me know that someone is coming in. I guess I feel safe with him so I wouldn't worry when I hear him coming in anyways.

"I could use some company?" I say, already knowing I am probably just going to make some quick chicken alfredo, which is pretty simple to cook. Jace smiles as he sits on the counter where he won't be in the way. The nice perk of having such a large kitchen to cook in is that you don't need to worry about not having enough room.

"Company is something I can provide." Jace teases as he watches me work. I smirk at him as I continue to grate the cheese. Jace just sighs as we both sit in silence in the kitchen.

"I'm proud of how you handled your sister. I know it must of been hard, seeing as it was only you guys for a while. I know if I was in your situation I could not have done what you had to do for this pack, for Casper, and for yourself. I'm glad you have finally gotten out what you are feeling and you stood up to her. I know you have looked up to her, and I can only imagine how this has been for you." I briefly pause as I think over what he is saying.

I know Jace really wants me to open up to him about my feelings, but I still don't feel ready to let myself go with him like I did before. We told each other everything. I knew more about Jace than I really know about anyone else in the pack, maybe even more than I knew about myself.

"Jace, can we not talk about this right now. When I said we can talk more once this is all over, I meant when the whole pack is safe and there isn't an imminent threat that is trying to hurt all of us. I know you want to help, and I get that, I really do, but there are bigger problems going on. And honestly, I'm not really ready to talk about feelings." I stare Jace down as I wait for him to talk again. I know last time this conversation popped up Jace wasn't too happy that I was shooting down the conversation.

"Why didn't you just say that before?" Jace asks as he lets out a short laugh. I frown at him as I poor the noodles into the boiling water and put a cover quick on the sauce and chicken before turning to Jace.

"What are you talking about?" I ask as I lean against the counter where Jace is sitting. Jace raises his eyebrows at me before laughing again.

"The truth. The whole "my problems aren't important" bullshit wasn't sitting well with me. Anything that bothers a member of my pack is important to me and bothers me too. I just wanted the truth. And if you aren't ready to talk about it, then that is the truth, and I'll let you have your space until you are ready." I stare up at Jace's face for a few seconds before smiling shyly and heading back over to where the food is cooking.

Jace watches me for a few seconds before hopping off the counter.

"I'm gonna go get the others. Get someone to help us set the table." Jace mutters as he leaves the kitchen. I smile to myself as I think about what Jace said. I'm glad that we are finally on a good note. I feel as if every time we talk to each other we drive the other away. This conversation finally drew us back together, closer to what we used to be. Closer to where we both want to be.