Untamable Resolve: The Witheridge Witches

Ch. 20 - Charlotte

He knew. All this time, he knew and didn't tell me. He did it for my protection, but still, it stung. I'd been able to hide my emotions from Lucas up until my nervous breakdown a few days ago, but this was a new skill I was learning. I wasn't used to being bottled up like this. After I exploded on him, Lucas knew something was up. Even he wasn't that dim, and he was going to find out what it was. Perhaps, it could be all in my head, but I didn't believe for even a second that this trip was just out of the goodness of his heart.

We'd have to tread carefully now. I looked deep into my grandfather's eyes and, for a moment, failed to hide the mixture of hurt and sorrow from showing on my face from him. I engulfed him in a hug again and brought my mouth next to his ear but stopped. I wanted to tell him that we couldn't trust Lucas. I needed to warn him, but no words came out.

As I tried again to whisper the warning, it's as if my body turned on autopilot, and in the place of words coming out of my mouth, a steady breath exited my lungs and traveled into my grandfather's ear. I didn't even know spells could be done without being spoken. It almost felt like a reflex, and it scared me.

Slowly he turned his head glimpsing back at me and curtly nodded with a hint of amazement and concern in his eyes. He squeezed my right arm firmly signaling he understood before he shifted to dawn the most sincere smile I had ever seen anyone pull off in such a short period.

"My dear, I have missed you," he chimed happily at me.

As Lucas' heavy steps crept up behind me slowly making his way to us on the porch, I mimicked his charade with a smile stiffly stretching across my face. Interrupting our gaze, Lucas cleared his throat as I pulled away and stepped back towards him and away from my grandfather.

"I'm Lucas Arcadia, Beta to Silas Garnia of district one. I'm Jo's mate." Lucas stated firmly while simultaneously reaching his hand out for my grandfather to shake.

After a moment of hesitation, my grandfather accepted Lucas' hand, "Johnathan Woods. I'm assuming you're responsible for my day and night nurses?"

I left them to talk amongst themselves as I headed inside. As I walked through the door, I was hit with the bittersweet aroma of home. The old red brick that covered the floors had absorbed many different smells throughout the years. I closed my eyes and lifted my nose into the air and deeply inhaled. One not familiar with the house would be overwhelmed by a wet, musty scent. Still, if you stayed long enough to get to know it eventually, you would get whiffs of leather, old books, and different herbs, remnants left lingering by my parents from when they lived here. The smell only got stronger the closer that I walked to their old room.

I found myself switching on an old lamp looking in on their somewhat yellowed linen sheets on their bed in their room that remained virtually untouched since they had left that day. Startling me, Lucas began to enter the room as he juggled our luggage in his arms before I angrily put my hand on his chest, stopping him.

"This was my parents' room. No one sleeps here. I'll be sleeping on my daybed in the kitchen, and I'll prepare linens and a pillow for the couch in the living room for you to crash on. Unless you'd prefer my daybed?"

He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something then closed it biting his lip before saying, "I'm going to let you guys get settled. The day nurse just got here. Silas has asked me to meet with the Alpha and Beta of your old district. I'll be back in a few hours. Okay?"

I blankly stared past him and didn't respond as he placed the luggage down.

After Lucas left, I went into the kitchen and found my grandfather chatting away with who I could only assume was his day nurse.