Finding My Pack

by Lane Whitt

  "I got this for you too." Reed says as he holds out a box to me. I unwrap it quickly. There's a picture of someone holding a camera on the outside of the box. "I thought you might want to start taking your own pictures too. I'd love to see the world through your eyes Kitten." He whispers the last part in my ear. I shiver.

  "Thank you so much. I love it. I love all of it." I refuse to cry again so I press my lips gently to his, finding a different emotion. Reed kisses me slowly, lovingly. His hand caressing the side of my face. When we pull apart to breath, his mysterious eyes are brimming with happiness. Reed is no longer my sad boy. That was gift enough.

  After leaving Reed, the next card talked about puzzle pieces and I knew that was Remy telling me to meet him in his bedroom. As soon as I had the door open, Remy spread his arms wide in invitation. Naturally, I ran and jumped on him.

  Remy chuckled deeply. "Happy to see me, yes?"

  "Oh yes! Today has been so exciting. I feel like it's been forever since I've seen you." I press my nose into his neck, inhaling him as he takes a seat on the bed with me in his arms. I snuggle in deeper.

  "I have something for you as well, but I'm not ready to let you go just yet." His rumbly voice tells me. I'm not ready yet either. Eventually though, he does pull back. He reaches for two small boxes and places one by his side, bringing the other in front of me.

  He flips the top of it open, revealing a pendant with eight shiny stones in different colors, or well, two of them are the same color. "This one I bought for you. It's Cartier, you deserve the best. I had them add each of our birthstones, or as close to them as we know, into it. I wanted you to know that we are always with you."

  I stroke my fingers over the delicate looking chain. It's so shiny and pretty. "I already have the best Rem. I have you guys." I tell him. I mean it too. I may not have had much interaction with guys before, but I know there can be no better out there. Not for me.

  I lift my eyes to Remy's. His copper hair looks like fire in this lighting. "I hope you know that you guys don't have to give me things. I love all of your gifts, I really do. But it's you I want. Just the eight of you. I wouldn't trade you guys for all the Cart-tee-ya necklaces and cameras in the world. You know that don't you?"

  Remy leans down and presses a kiss to my temple. "We know that beautiful girl. We like spoiling you, just let us." He commands. I giggle at him and his eyes darken. "I love that sound." He tells me.

  He brings out the second box. "I had Ash make this for you, so really, it's from the both of us." He opens it and pulls out a copper circle. "In our time, women wore arm cuffs to show that they were taken, later women wore them to show that they were warriors, and even later, such in Tristan's time, they were a sign of status." Remy pulls at it and it opens a bit. It's then that I notice the head of a wolf engraved into it. It's beautifully crafted.

  He lifts my arm and slides the band slowly up it. "You, dear Kitten, are all of those things. You are our Princess, our warrior, and most certainly taken." My breath hitches once he gets it closed. It fits perfectly. I look back to his serious eyes. He means every word.

  I have no words for him. I don't think a simple 'thank you' will be enough. I crash my lips to his, trying to tell him with my lips what he means to me. I shift until I'm straddling his legs, my hands going straight for his fiery hair. Remy kisses me back, taking control of the kiss until I'm whimpering in his mouth. His hands grip mine, bringing them both behind my back. With one of his hands holding mine in place, he pulls away from the kiss, his other hand tracing my neck. I whine at the loss of his mouth.

  "Ah ah young lady. You don't yet know what you are asking for." His voice is deeper than normal and I swear his words are reverberating straight through me. I don't? I thought I was asking him to kiss me? Remy's fingers find the pulse point on my neck. It's beating erratically, I know. "So responsive....so delicate." He says lightly. He starts to lean forward, but stops himself.

  Before I know it, I've been released and am standing. Remy stands too, his tall frame towering over me. "Off you go." He turns me, swatting my behind harshly. I yelp in surprise, turning to see him smirking. "Logan will be in the basement, he's quite impatient, hurry along."

  I walk on shaky legs through the house. I shake my head, trying to clear the fog that has taken up residence there. When I get to the bottom of the steps in the basement, Logan excitedly shows me all of the things he's gotten for me. I should have known if anyone was to go overboard, it would be Logan. His excitement infects me and before I know it, I'm modeling all the clothes he's gotten for me. Most are made for skating, and some are just for fun, as Logan says. He even got me custom made Leo's.

  Once I'm in a black flirty skirt that flares out then I twirl and a tight pink t-shirt that's gathered on the sides and spiky boots, Logan sits me down and hands me two boxes. The paper is a shiny blue, like his hair. The bigger box contains a brand new pair of white ice skates. I squeal and Logan mocks me, squealing too. We both laugh at that. He also got me a music player called an IPod. I've seen the advertisements for these before. He shows me how to turn it on and shows me how to get to playlist he already set up for me. Including the song he played for me at the rink.

  I reluctantly leave Logan and go in search of Kellan. When I find him in the living room, he looks sleepy. I wonder if he nodded off while he was waiting on me. "Hi Kellan." I say shyly as I take a seat next to him on the couch.

  He scoots up, running a hand through his hair like he's trying to fix it. The shiny black locks look perfect to me. "Hey there. It's good to see you Kitten."

  "It's good to see you too. I feel like I barely to get to spend time with you."

  Kellan sighs. "I know, the clinic has been busy lately." He tells me.

  "I could always go with you. I mean, if you wanted me to. I'd like to see what you do." I bite my lip. I shouldn't have said that. I practically just invited myself to his work.

  Kellan's grassy eyes light up. "You'd want to?" I nod excitedly.

  "Well...I've always wanted a lovely little assistant." He says, grinning widely. He'd let me help? Yay! I wonder if he'd call me Dr. Kitten. How cool would that be?

  "Ha! I can tell you really like the thought of that, if the dreamy look on your face is any indication." He smirks at me. I blush at being caught.

  Kellan reaches a hand into his pocket in the front of his black jeans. When he pulls it back, I see something that looks old and worn. "Since we don't get much time together, I wasn't sure what you would want. This necklace belonged to my and Finn's mother. As the first born son, she gave it to me to give to the woman I wanted to spend my life with." He smiles sadly down at the necklace.

  "It's not designer or fashionable or whatever, but if you would...I'd like you to wear it. I've discussed it with Finn and he agrees that you should have it.” Kellan motions for me to turn around, so I do. He sweeps my hair to the side, placing the old leather band around my throat and tying it in the back. I pick up the pendant, the silver is bumpy, not smooth. It looks like a bunch of shapes locked together. I love it.

  Kellan turns me back to him, his arm going around my shoulders as we cuddle together on the couch. "I know we haven't known you long Kitten, but you're a part of us now. I know my brother loves you whole heartedly and I think you love him too, yes?" He quirks an eyebrow at me. I nod.

  "Yes well, I don't know if I'm there yet, or if you are with me. But I know that I want to get there. I want to love you. I want to be loved by you. I never imagined sharing a girl with my brothers, but in a way, I think it will be better." He continues.

  I peek up at him. "How will it be better?" I ask.

  Kellan chews on his pouty bottom lip, thinking. "Because the others can be there for you when I can't. When I'm at work, or anytime I'm away...you won't be lonely, you'll always have someone there for you. When I'm too tired to play, you will have Tristan or Logan. When I'm not strong enough to protect you, you'll have Remington and Ash. I don't really get art, but you seem to enjoy it.
Reed's here for that." I get what he's saying, but it still bothers me at how he is saying it.

  "Kellan...I don't care if you are tired sometimes. I understand that and there's nothing wrong with it. You work hard. You don't have to 'get' art for me to like you, or be as strong as Remy, or as playful as Logan. I like you the way you are. You know that right?" I ask him.

  His green eyes lock on mine. I see no worry in them, just understanding. "I do know that Kitten. I just think it's better for all of us. We men can still have our work, and each other and you. While you get to do everything your little heart desires because the chances are, at least one of us will desire it as well."

  As I'm about to respond, Jace bursts through the door. "There are officers here to collect Kitten." His face is clouded with worry and I instantly panic. "Come on...” Jace takes my hand and the three of us run down the hall, away from the front door.

  Chapter 30

  We enter a bedroom with bright purple carpet, neon pink walls, and an astonishingly large lime green bed. There are no windows but an entire wall is made up of a fish tank. An open door reveals a bathroom with a huge tub. It's mostly white, but with purple accents and I see a stack of fluffy pink towels. I'm so shocked about the overly girly room that for the moment, all thoughts of cops flee my mind.

  I look around the big room, now noticing that my stuff, including my gifts from today, are in here. Big Jace in the corner, my stuffed wolves placed on the bed with Noah, a bookcase with the books Finn gave me, a small table and two chairs with the shiny black case that I never opened. It's probably a chess set now that I think about it. There's a big mirror with a weird desk attached to it and a bench seat. I see the necklace Remy got for me in a wooden box sitting on top of it. My treasure chest is sitting at the foot of the bed. A painting of me hangs above the padded headboard, Reed must have done that. On shelves and the dresser are the pictures he gave me in the frames.

  "What is this?" I whisper to no one in particular.

  Jace walks towards me, clasping my hands in his. His face is pinched in worry. "This is my gift to you Kitten. I wanted to give you a room. A space that was just for you. Your own bed, your stuff. You deserve to have that. This whole place is your home now, but here, this is just for you. For always." He tells me.

  Tears stream down my face for the billionth time today. I tug his hands toward me, making him bend a bit. I reach up and kiss his lips. "Thank you so much Jace, you can't....it's...you have no idea what this means to me."

  His long, elegant fingers find my chin, holding my head in place. "Pretty girl....don't you know we would give you the world?" His golden eyes are intense.

  "Jace, I...." I'm cut off again when Kellan growls deep from his chest.

  "No....he can't...." Kellan's face pales and his shocked and worried eyes turn to Jace, who gathers me in his arms and holds me tightly. I don't know what's going on, and it's scaring me.

  .....................

  Remy

  "I still don't understand the whole scavenger hunt thing. If it means she wears outfits like she had on today then we should have more of them though." Ash was telling me. I agree. Especially if she straddles me again. Fuck that was hot. I got her to submit nicely to me too. I wonder if she even realized she was exposing her neck to me so prettily. It took every ounce of my self-control not to bite her enticing flesh.

  "Yo, you with me Rem?" Ash asks loudly.

  "Yes, your words just brought something to mind is all." I reply smoothly. He smirks, letting me know I didn't fool him about the subject matter of said thoughts. Ash knows me well enough to see that my control slips quite often when it comes to our little Kitten. In return, I know him well enough to notice the changes she's brought about in him. Like how Ash talks much more often these days, and he actually smiles as well. Not his usual predatory smile meant to make you mess yourself, but real smiles. I admit, it's going to take some getting used to.

  "We should shift and head out to..." I stop talking immediately, hearing cars coming up the drive. I look to Aeshlyn, his stormy expression telling he hears it to. He takes a deep breath. I do the same. "Humans." I say aloud. It's safe to speak now, humans won't be able to hear us from this far.

  "You better get back to the house. I'll shift and find out what I can." He tells me. That sounds good so I gesture for him to turn as I race around the house to the back door.

  I have time to enter the house, smooth down my clothing and peek out of a front window before the slow humans approach the door. They are police officers. I can't imagine they are here for anything other than Kitten. What the fuck now? I spot Jace at the top of the stairs, he must have heard them as well.

  "Hide Kitten. Now." I whisper, knowing he'll have heard me. I wait until he is well out of sight before I open the door and step outside.

  "Good evening Gentleman. How can I help you?" The short, fat officer in front looks taken aback for a few moments. Either from my formal tone or the fact that he didn't have to knock, I'm unsure.

  "We're looking for a missing girl." The guy behind him says, looking down at a folder in his hands. "A Mr. uh... Vanderson, informed us that this is where she's been staying. Her paperwork at her workplace confirms it."

  "What missing girl? Does she have a name?" I ask. If they give a last name, it might indicate who really wants her.

  "A Katerina Ivaskov. Long blonde hair, four foot, eleven inches, ring any bells?" The second man's tone tells me that he knows for sure she's here.

  "I know of her, yes. But she's not missing."

  "According to her father, she is. Katerina seems to have ran away a couple weeks ago. He's been worried sick. The Vanderson boy came to our offices this morning....said something seemed fishy with her."

  WHAT.THE.FUCK. How in the hell am I supposed to keep her from them? I could kill them.....No. Too much attention. Shit! I hate looking so young at times like these. To them I'm probably just hiding my runaway girlfriend. The second man isn't going to let this go. If I say she's simply not here, they'll obtain a search warrant and we can't have that.

  "Are your parents home, son?" The first man says kindly. He must see my inner struggle, but it's for different reasons than what he's thinking.

  "No, sir. They're vacationing in Europe. I'm of age and chose to stay here."

  The second man raises an eyebrow. "Of age huh? The girl in question is fifteen. You ever hear of statutory rape boy?" I curse myself for that one. He's purposely backing me into a corner. I know for a fact that she's older. Not that it matters.

  "I haven't touched her." I glare at him. Maybe I should kill them. At least him.

  The first man puts his hands up, taking a step toward me. "We're not saying you did." He says to me before looking back at the other guy. "We're just here to take the girl back to her father. He's not pressing any charges or anything, he just wants Katerina to come home."

  "Not yet. He's not pressing charges YET." The other fucker says. I want to tell them that her 'father' left her in a trash bin and he can go fuck himself. The best I can do here is make sure they take her back to the police station and not straight to the people who may want to kill her. I can get her out of there, it won't be a problem. I'll either hire someone to act as a caseworker or send in Miss Annie as the grandmother. I'm sure she'll be up for it.

  "Look, she's here, you know that. I don't want any trouble with you. Did her father happen to mention how he beat the shit out of her? She showed up at my door with bruises all over her. Looked like the asshole took a belt to her." Now they have to investigate. They can't take her back to him without first questioning her.

  The first man sighs, shaking his head. "I thought that might be the case. Usually is in these types of situations. Go ahead and bring her out here. You can accompany us to the station and give a statement."

  This is better than I thought. "My brother should come too then. I'll go get them." I don't wait for a response. Just turn and enter the house, slamming the door in the process.


  Tristan, Logan and Reed have all taken seats on the stairs, listening in. Good. As much as I'd like to take Ash with us, I know that's a bad idea. I need someone who looks younger than me. Ash is too big and scary and might send the wrong signals. Their expressions range from horror and shock to anger and disgust.

  "Here's what's going to happen." I talk quickly and lowly. "Tristan and I are going to accompany Kitten to the police station. Logan, you and Finn find someone to pretend to be social services. I don't care if it's a bum from the street you have dress up in my suit. Make it happen. Get Jace to make travel plans for us all. Private jet, out of country. As soon as we walk out of there, we're heading out. Understood?"

  "What if they don't release her?" Reed asks.

  "Then I'll pick her up and carry her to the car, I don't give a shit. We need to get her out of range." They nod, Logan and Reed racing off to do what they need.

  Jace and Kellan bring a shaking Kitten with them down the hallway. I see in Jace's eyes that they heard me as well. "Kellan, make sure everyone has what they need from here. We'll come back eventually and pack up if we can't remain here, but for now, anything we don't want anyone finding, bring it with us. Get Ash to the plane early, he'll want to do his own maintenance checks and we may not have time."