Sadie let out a long breath, as if she had been holding it for a while. She moved slowly to the arm chair and fell into it. “It sure was.” She leaned her head up and gazed at the ceiling, the hair that had come loose from her braid stuck out around her head.
I sat back down on the sofa and sprawled my legs onto the coffee table, flipping the TV back on to avoid conversation.
We were quiet for a while. Clearly I wasn’t the only one that felt uncomfortable. I glanced outside at the lake, where Nate’s red speedboat was docked. I craved the relaxation a ride would give me: the crisp air blowing through my hair, the water splashing my skin, cooling me from the hot weather. We hadn’t been out in quite some time.
I was watching the water slap against the hull when I heard Sadie sigh heavily. As I turned back around, she groaned.
“Is there something you’d like to talk about?” I asked, taking her not so subtle hint.
“I just wish I could change almost every decision I’ve ever made, you know?” She paused, twirling her long braid around her finger. Strands of brown hair curled along her skin. “Everything is so screwed up because of my decision fifty years ago. Nate is angry at Joe. And because I believed Charlotte`s lies, I put Marisa and Adrian through hell. I should leave. I’m just in the way here.”
I didn’t think it was possible, but I actually felt sorry for the girl that had kept Adrian from his sister. She didn’t mean to cause problems. She was just a pawn in Charlotte’s games. She shouldn’t feel responsible.
I hit mute on the TV and turned to face her. “Sadie, we all make mistakes. I’ve made my share and so have the others. Nate bit me. Adrian didn’t stop Charlotte from kidnapping me and Lauren. And Joe lied to Nate. It was his choice, you didn’t make him.” She dropped the braid and it fell behind her, resting on her back. “If someone told me that a child was in danger, I would have done the same thing you did. That is all on Charlotte. You didn’t know she was an evil bitch.”
Sadie pursed her lips and squeezed her eyes closed. Her body shook with a silent sob. “But if I had just looked into it more. What if they had family out there? I didn’t even look to see if there were grandparents who could have taken her. Living with humans would have been a lot better for her than being with a teenage werewolf that never ages.”
I sighed, feeling a sensation of deja vu. “Okay, I’m going to give you advice that Adrian gave to me six months ago.” I pulled my legs off the table and leaned forward. “As you know, Nate bit me.” When she nodded, I went on. “I was devastated. I couldn’t believe that the man I loved had taken away my humanity without asking me. I knew it was a mistake, but that didn’t matter at the time. I dwelled on the negative. Nate had bit me and I saw nothing else.
“I was miserable without him and he was miserable without me. We were mated and we were in love. But I was stubborn and refused to see anything other than his sharp teeth, piercing my skin.”
Sympathy washed in her chocolate brown eyes. “That is understandable.”
“What you may not know is that Lauren was turned as well, by Charlotte. Her DNA was diluted with a sleeping drug and Lauren had a hard time turning into a wolf. For hours she writhed in pain, turning back and forth.”
Terror for another werewolf flashed over her face. “That sounds awful.”
“It was and if Nate hadn’t bit me the night before, without either of us noticing, I would have suffered through the same torture.” I took in a breath, ready to get to my point. “What I’m trying to say is that Adrian pointed something out to me. Instead of dwelling on the fact that I would have turned into a werewolf, even if Charlotte hadn’t shot me with her DNA, I should focus on the pain that he had saved me from. It didn’t matter what might have happened. It was what actually happened that was important. Nate saved me from the pain and you trusted Charlotte. Plus, you took care of Marisa when Adrian couldn’t.” I winked, leaning forward even more to pat her leg. “And from what I have seen, you did a great job.”
Sadie smiled. “Thank you Megan. I appreciate your advice.”
I had been so wrapped up in my story that I didn’t notice Nate standing in the doorway. He was leaning against the doorjamb with a lopsided grin on his face. His eyes were filled with pride, as well as remorse as he gazed at me. I knew he was happy that I was trying to cheer up his friend. But he hated being reminded of that fateful night six months ago. Even though he was trying to hide it, the look of regret was just the tip of what he felt for that small act of carelessness.
“I guess you heard all that?” I asked when I noticed him.
Sadie swung around in his direction.
“Yes.”
I smiled shyly at him, feeling self-conscious with an audience. I stood up slowly. “I guess I’ll take my turn then.” I wanted a shower to freshen up after the long drive.
Chapter Sixteen
The Secret
We met Adrian and Marisa in the driveway of our cottage so we could all walk together to the main house. “Are we underdressed?” Sadie asked, eyeing Nate and me who had dressed for dinner. I was wearing a purple flowered wrap dress, while he had changed into a navy blue button down shirt and charcoal dress pants. Our guests were more casual, wearing the same outfits they had on this afternoon. Adrian was in jeans and a button-down black shirt. I should have said something to them before, but I didn’t know how to broach the subject. Nate and I were raised in mansions where you were expected to dress up for dinner. I’m sure he was way more agreeable to it than I was, but it was the lifestyle we were raised in. I hated doing it at home, only because of the company at the table. I didn’t mind so much with the Riley’s. We didn’t do it often.
“What you’re wearing is fine,” Nate answered, as he began walking up the driveway, gravel crunching beneath his feet. We could have taken the car, but the weather was so nice we decided to take advantage. The five of us had been cooped up in a vehicle for way too long.
“Are you sure?” Sadie asked turning to me. “Megan?” Her eyes were pleading; she wanted me to be honest.
I blew out a breath, worried my comments would hurt her feelings. “When the Riley’s have us over for dinner, we all usually dress up.” She cringed. “But not over-the-top and they won’t judge you because you didn’t. If we were going to my house to meet my very critical parents, I’d say you should change. But we’re not. Nate’s family are great. They won’t bat an eyelash.” When Sadie still hesitated, I added, “I promise, you’ll be fine.”
She nodded, taking Marisa’s hand for support as they started the trek behind Adrian and Nate.
“Megan, when are we going to look through your closet?” Marisa asked me, her hair fluttering in the breeze. Thankfully the humidity hadn’t returned. It was still a hot July day, but with the soft breeze it was comfortable. The smell of grass and flowers lingered in the air making our walk even more appealing. The clouds on the horizon reflected the bright rays of the sun, making the clouds glow an orangey-yellow color.
“Mari,” Sadie scolded her honorary daughter.
I shook my head and laughed. “It’s okay Sadie.” I glanced at Marisa. “We can go in the morning and afterward head out to get our hair done. The reception doesn’t start until eight o’clock.”
Marisa squealed. “I’m so excited,” she beamed, her whole face lighting up.
Her enthusiasm was contagious. I found myself feeling excited for an event that I would usually hate. Getting all dolled up and made up for a party my mother was throwing was something I normally dreaded. But doing it with people that didn’t usually have a chance to; I couldn’t wait to share it with them.
We walked the rest of the way with Marisa rambling on about what she was going to wear and how to do her hair. When we approached the main house Adrian stopped and smiled at me. “Thank you,” he said softly.
Knowing that he was referring to Marisa and our upcoming day of beauty, I patted his cheek. “No problem,” I shrugged, dismissing his gratitude. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.”
As we all gathered into the large living room Will called Nate into his office leaving us with Caroline, Nathan, Joe and Lauren.
“So, tell us about your trip.” Lauren suggested, leaning forward in her seat with interest. She was next to Joe on one of the comfortable suede sofas. Her one leg dangled over the other bouncing up and down, her strappy sandal flapping against her foot, making a slapping sound.
I stared at her pointedly, not knowing how to explain when I couldn’t talk about werewolves. “It was a long drive.”
Marisa must have picked up on my problem because she made a face. “And it felt even longer driving in Adrian’s stinky car.”
I snorted out laugher, happy she had come to the rescue. There wasn’t much I could say that didn’t involve us werewolves searching for another werewolf and the sister she took. “Oh, God, that was bad. It smelled like sweat and dirty feet,” I agreed, adding my own take on it.
Everyone except Adrian laughed. “Hey, it wasn’t that bad.”
“Yes it was. By the end of the trip, we were arguing over who was going to drive in Sadie’s car. I lost,” I exclaimed with a laugh.
Sadie grinned and gazed at Adrian, her eyes were alight with amusement and something else that could have been longing. The look was gone just as quickly as it appeared. For some reason the image of her wolf snapping at Adrian’s neck popped in my mind and I shook my head trying to clear the memory. I knew that wasn’t really her and she was reacting to the situation, but it was hard to separate the sweet looking shy girl and the dazed wolf attacking her mate. Pushing those disturbing thoughts away I forced myself to focus on the people around me.
“Will you all be going to Nate and Megan’s reception tomorrow night?” Caroline asked, pouring herself a glass of wine from the decanter that sat on an antique bureau. She had dressed for the occasion in a silk shimmery blouse and flowing skirt. Her hair was upswept into a bun.
“Yes,” Sadie answered nervously. She was smiling, but it was more to be polite. It didn’t reach her eyes and she kept fidgeting with her jean skirt.
I knew that despite my words she felt uncomfortable with what she was wearing. The rest of the family had dressed up like I had expected, with the exception of Joe. His clothes were similar to Adrian’s, dress shirt and jeans. It would take a lot to get him to wear anything fancier than that.
“Yeah, we’re all doing a day of beauty to get ready,” Marisa added, her grin widening.
“You don’t need it,” Nathan whispered. Me, Lauren and Sadie turned to him. I was smiling, but the other two appeared shocked. By the look on Adrian’s face he had heard him as well and he wasn’t happy.
Nathan shifted in his chair uncomfortably. He hadn’t expected anyone to hear him. But he didn’t realize that most of us in the room had heightened hearing.
“Oh that sounds fun,” Caroline exclaimed, oblivious to what had just occurred. “Are you going along with them Lauren?”
She smiled at her mother, resting her hand on Joe’s knee. “Yes, it’ll be fun.”
Caroline glanced at Sadie, her eyes flashed with curiosity. I could tell she wanted to ask her questions, but kept her mouth closed because Nathan was in the room. A silence fell over us. The only sound was the ticking of the grandfather clock in the hall and a bird chirping outside the large windows. We were unsure what to discuss since we were limited in all things werewolf. I was searching for a safe topic and was considering bringing up school with Marisa. But then I realized that we had covered that earlier when we first arrived.
Caroline’s eyes lit up as if she thought of something to say to break through the strained quiet. “Adrian, have you and Marisa settled into the carriage house?”
He nodded. “Yes we have, thank you. I’m going to take her shopping in a few days so she can get some things for her room.”
Caroline turned her focus to Marisa. “You didn’t bring anything with you?”
The conversation was heading into a dangerous territory, I was suddenly nervous.
Mari’s eyes shifted to Adrian and Sadie. “Uh…some, but I don’t have much. Most of my stuff is at our old apartment.”
Nathan perked up at that. “Where did you live?”
“Philadelphia,” Mari answered shortly.
“Then why was Adrian looking for you. I thought that was where he was from?”
All of our faces went white and each of us made some sort of uncomfortable gesture. I dug my healed shoe into the woven throw rug beneath my chair, while Adrian cleared his throat and Sadie stared at the floor.
Thankfully, we didn’t have to answer him. Nate and Will made an appearance. “Is everyone ready to eat?” Will asked.
We all jumped up, eager to drop the subject. “More than you know,” Adrian mumbled under his breath.
I smiled, but stared straight ahead of me, choosing not to acknowledge his words.
When we were all seated, Nate leaned against my shoulder and whispered into my ear, “Will is going to tell Nathan tonight.”
I winced, worried how he would take it. The secret in the family normally involved only Nate, but now it also concerned Lauren and me. Joe wasn’t a member of the family yet, but he most likely would be soon. It was a lot to take in for someone so young. But, I understood that he had to be told. Our earlier conversation was entirely too uncomfortable.
During dinner, Will and Joe discussed the store he was now working at to be close to Lauren and I noticed Nate glaring at his old friend.
I elbowed him. It was my way of telling him to stop. Lauren noticed and smiled at me in appreciation. I got the feeling that Nate’s anger towards her boyfriend was hard on her. The two men that were closest to her were not getting along; it must feel like she was stuck in the middle.
“Lauren, Nate was telling me that you were going to college. What are you taking?” Sadie asked, noticing Nate’s inappropriate behavior.
Lauren froze, her fork that held a piece of beef hovering in front of her. “I’m taking business so I can work for the company.”
Sadie smiled. “Oh that sounds great. Do you have any specific department in mind?”
Lauren had taken the bite when Sadie was talking, now she finished chewing before she answered. “I’d like to be a buyer.”
Will stopped speaking and turned to his daughter, surprise was evident on his face. “Since when?”
“I just decided a few weeks ago.”
Nate nodded. “That sounds like a good choice for you.”
Lauren raised her glass and gestured it toward him. “Thank you, Nate.”
“She will do well in anything she chooses,” Joe agreed taking Lauren’s hand and kissing her palm. She smiled shyly, her cheeks flushing red. I smiled at the affection between two of my favorite people.
“Do you feel different now that you’re married, Megan?” Lauren’s mother asked me, taking the conversation away from her daughter. I wondered if she approved of Lauren’s choice.
“No, I feel the same. But it does feel strange to call him my husband.”
Lauren’s face scrunched up. “That would be really weird.”
The dinner continued with idle chitchat. We couldn’t talk about anything deeper, besides work at the store, which I had to admit was really boring.
Nate insisted we leave as soon as dinner was over. He wanted to let Will talk to Nathan and I also think he needed to get away from Joe. Judging from the scowls he was shooting in his friend’s direction throughout dinner, he wasn’t even close to forgiving him.
Marisa asked Sadie to come over to their house to show her what she had done so far to her room, so we had the cottage to ourselves. After we changed into more comfortable clothes we sprawled out on the couch in front of the TV to watch a movie.
It was almost over when someone pounded on the door. It was Nathan. Nate and I exchanged a worried glance before he got up and opened the door.
Nathan stood on the porch, his blond hair messy as if he had been running his hands roughly through it. He w
as obviously upset. His face was cold, but his eyes were tortured. “How could you?” he screamed at Nate, his voice echoing into the night.
I got up and stood next to my husband for support. He hated this part of the Riley secret. He was so close to all of the family members, but when they found out who he truly was, he worried that he wouldn’t be accepted. It had happened twice and both times ended badly. His nephew James died with Charlotte and his favorite niece Emma left and never returned. Nate was crushed. She had been so much like his sister; all he wanted was to look out for her. They were finally reunited when I found her. She came to our engagement party and would be at the reception tomorrow.
“How could I what?” Nate asked with his voice laced with concern and sorrow.
“Let my sister become one of you!” Nathan dragged his hand through his hair. “A monster!” he yelled.
Nate flinched at the word. It was what James had called him when he tried to get the other relatives to kill him. It was also what he called himself when he wanted to punish himself.
Nate stepped forward onto the porch. Nathan stepped back. Nate winced and closed his eyes for a brief second. “I’m so sorry Nathan, but I had nothing to do with that.” His voice was soft and soothing, hoping to calm his nephew.
“I know it wasn’t you. But that woman wouldn’t have done it if Lauren didn’t know you.” His voice was filled with anger and pain, but most of all, confusion.
I couldn’t remain silent any longer, Nate didn’t deserve this. “Nathan, I know what you’re going through, but Nate is the same man you’ve always known. He’s a good person.”
His face twisted in anguish. “Of course you’d say that, you’re the same as him. And you’re his wife.” His last words were shaky; he was losing the strength in his voice.
I felt bad for him. His life had just changed drastically in only a few moments. “Come inside and we can talk.”
He hesitated, as fear flashed in his eyes.
“Nathan, you have nothing to fear from us,” Nate assured him.
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