“Of everyone it could have been, I’m glad you’re my brother.”
“Yeah, well I’m just glad I finally have a sister I can like.” He gave me a half smile and a gush of relief flowed through me.
“What about Rachel and Beth?”
“Rachel is only interested in one thing. Popularity. Make that two things. Popularity and Tristan.”
“Popularity won’t get her very far outside of high school.”
“True, but in Everod that will give her some control. She’s like Elin in a lot of ways. She doesn’t want to give up the benefits of the infection, but she wants freedom. Freedom to leave and become the newest celebrity. Freedom to break our laws without fear of consequence.”
“She’s not really interested in Tristan is she?”
“I don’t think so. For Rachel, Tristan is like a trophy.”
“If people knew that Tristan was supposed to find me, or at least what I’m supposed to be, then why was everyone shocked to find out?”
“Because no one thought it was possible. Since only Lukas knew about you, we all assumed we’d have to wait for the next generation. When Tristan started hanging around with you, we didn’t even think about what Ericka had said. We just figured he had the hots for you. Which now that I know you’re my sister is kind of disturbing. I can see why Justin was always complaining about the two of you.” His teasing helped me to relax that last little bit.
“And Beth?”
Kyle’s face tensed. “She and Rachel grew up together. She left just before you came. It’s better that way.”
I wanted to ask more, to know something about her, but Kyle came towards me. He sat beside me on the stool and began playing a song. The melody came effortlessly. Apparently, my talent did come from Lukas and not Elin.
The kitchen door swung open breaking the moment. Justin swept in with Seth behind him. Their laughter was contagious and I grinned like an idiot at their antics. Justin pulled up at the sight of Kyle and me on the bench.
“Damn, Janie. He’s only been your brother for a day and already you’re ditching me.”
“Ah, don’t worry Justin, I won’t ditch you, you’ll always be my first brother. If I didn’t have you who would I beat up on?”
We were all laughing when Tristan came in. The concern that had been hovering on the surface of his expression disappeared and when he took my hand, it was without the need to calm me.
Small talk dominated the dinner conversation. I looked at Tristan’s parents. They didn’t seem as sad about me not curing them as Lisa had. Something about our talk earlier was bothering me, but I couldn’t pinpoint it. She caught me staring and smiled. It was hard to think of her as nearly middle aged. The slow aging thing was kind of creepy the more I thought about it. Tristan’s parents were close in age, but what of other people in town? Would someone wake up one morning and find their partner went from twenty-something to seventy-something overnight? Then again with all Lycan confined to the two communities there were no unsuspecting spouses.
That’s when it came to me. What it was that Lukas said that didn’t fit what Lisa had told me?
“You said you and Elin left.” I said, looking at Lukas. Conversations stopped and everyone turned to Lukas. “I thought Ericka had all Lycan living in the communities?”
“We broke from the pack.” His avoidance of eye contact told us he was hiding something.
This time Tristan questioned him. “How is that possible? All Lycan are under the Alpha’s control.”
“That’s something I think we all need to know,” Adam said, his words tightly constrained with anger.
“Elin is an Alpha,” Lukas said.
“What does that mean?” I asked looking around the table.
“It means Ericka is no longer in control,” Adam answered.
Chapter 21
I was amazed at how ordinary the drive seemed. As if nothing had changed since Friday afternoon when we had pulled out of the drive and headed for the cabin. I could almost imagine that Tristan was normal and that everything I knew about my parents and this town was still based in reality. It wasn’t easy to look past the way the infection altered Tristan, but at the same time, it also gave him certain abilities and personality traits that I loved about him.
Once we got back to town, Tristan helped me carry my bag to my room.
“How are you feeling?”
“In a way I’m glad I finally know who he is,” I said. “And most of my questions were answered, so I guess it was a good thing.”
“Why didn’t you let him explain today?” he asked with no recrimination, just curiosity.
I lifted my head from his shoulder and looked him in the eye. “There is no way to explain how he left a defenseless child with Elin. I could see why, but not how.”
I suppose the difference was so minute that most people wouldn’t understand it, but it made a difference to me. There was a reason, but no excuse.
“I know you told him you would try to get along,” he said, not bothering to hide the fact that he’d eavesdropped. “But if being around him is too much…” I knew what he was offering, and I couldn’t let him.
“Tristan,” I interrupted, “even if I don’t think of him as my father, he’s a part of your family. Of Kyle’s family. I will get to know him, even if it’s only to learn more about the two of you.” I smiled and gave him a quick peck on the cheek, hoping to lighten his mood.
“Thank you,” he whispered, pressing a kiss to my lips. The familiar jolt shot though me, and I knew I’d made the right decision to stay with him. The kiss didn’t last long enough. I moved closer, pressing the length of my body against his and he quickly shifted away.
“You’re turning into a bad girl, Janie,” he teased as I followed him across the room.
“Why, because I know what I want?” I couldn’t believe the words came out of my mouth. I stalked him to the edge of the bed.
“Because you know that if Tim were thinking like an eighteen year old guy right now he’d be up here in a second.” He arched his brows at me and I flushed like a guilty child for taking advantage of the situation.
“Fine,” I huffed and walked over to the door, opening it a crack, then went back to the bed and sank down onto my back. I kicked my legs, letting them swing and brush the faded rug that covered the hardwood floors.
He fell face down beside me and groaned in his shared frustration. I wasn’t too stupid or too innocent to know why he’d drawn away or why he wasn’t letting me push the issue. In Tim’s house, with him downstairs worrying about me was not the time to attempt seducing my boyfriend.
His face was only inches from mine. I watched his irises gradually lighten as he lay there. I reached over and ran my thumb along his forehead. There was no scar, or bump, not even the hint of a line to speak of the ghastly cut that had briefly marred his skin.
“Does it hurt? When you get cut?” I asked.
“Yes, but it’s temporary, like when you put your foot in the hot water to test before you get in a bath. The pain is there but it’s gone within seconds.”
“Would you tell me about the…the shifting?” I hated that word but I didn’t know how else to describe it.
“It’s the last symptom to occur. The first time is terrifying, and excruciatingly painful.” His face tensed in memory.
“Is it still painful?”
“It hurts, yes. But nothing like the first time,” he answered.
“But if it hurts then why do you change? Why not just be a human?”
“It’s not always something we can control. Fear and pain can trigger it. Sometimes the wolf just takes over, like it’s been contained too long. Other times it gives us a freedom we don’t have as humans. We can move quicker and heal faster.”
He scooted over to me, shifting his body so that his forearms framed my head. He pressed a light kiss to my lips effectively distracting me. This kiss lingered, deepening until he pulled away.
“Who’s the bad one now
?” I teased.
“Still you. You’re too tempting.” His eyes grew serious. “Are you going to tell Tim? About Lukas?”
“Yeah,” I said. I knew I had to tell him. “If he found out that I’d kept it from him, he’d be hurt.”
“Good, because I think he’s coming up the stairs,” he said softly before rising abruptly and then sitting in my desk chair.
I leapt up just as there was a knock on my door. I shot Tristan a dirty look for not giving me more warning and then pulled the door completely open to face Tim.
“Yes?” I asked annoyed that he was interrupting my time with Tristan, that he was unknowingly forcing me to confront the events of the weekend.
Tim looked in and relaxed when he saw Tristan at my desk. “Tristan, it’s getting a little late.”
“Yes, sir,” he replied, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smile. “I was just leaving. Janie, I’ll meet you for lunch at noon.”
He walked to the door, running his hand down my arm, briefly taking my hand before dropping it as he passed by. Tim tried to look disapproving but there was happiness for me in his eyes. We followed Tristan downstairs and I waited by the door as he and Seth drove away.
I went back into the living room where Tim and Justin were watching the national sports cast. I sank onto the couch beside Justin and the shifting of the couch caused his strategically placed bowl of popcorn to spill onto the floor.
“Janie!” he roared.
“Well, you shouldn’t have put it there. That’s what coffee tables are for,” I said unapologetically. He bent to pick up the popcorn, managing to flick a few pieces at me in retaliation.
“So how was the trip?” Tim asked. “Justin was very secretive about everything. Did something else happen?” He carefully arched his eyebrow, his gaze drilling into me.
I looked over at Justin, just in time to see him make a hasty retreat to the kitchen with his popcorn bowl. I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to tell Tim. What Tristan had told me, although common knowledge to the townspeople, seemed too private and new to tell Tim. But I knew what I did want to tell him.
“I met my father.”
“Your father.” Tim’s words came slowly.
“My biological father,” I clarified. “He’s a friend of Tristan’s family.” I nervously stood and began pacing the room. “His name is Lukas Young.”
My stomach twisted into a dozen knots, each squeezing tighter with every second that passed without a word from Tim. I waited for him to say…anything, but he just watched me walk back and forth.
“Say something,” I demanded stopping in front of him.
“What do you want me to say, Janie?” he asked patiently.
“I don’t know, but aren’t you curious? Aren’t you a little angry?”
“Curious? Yes. Angry. No.”
“But…” I couldn’t understand how he wasn’t indignant that I had met Lukas.
“How do you feel about meeting him?”
I started pacing again. The knots tightened.
“I always brushed it off, you know?” I gave the carefully casual shrug I gave whenever I talked about him. “I didn’t want to know about him, because then I would have to think about him and how much it hurt that he walked away from me. He has three other kids. I have a brother and two sisters. They know him.”
My pacing faltered. “He left me, but they know him.”
“And? Did he explain why?”
“Yeah, but then I realized that it didn’t matter why he left. It was the how. How he could have left me with her?” I glanced at Tim. His lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything. He knew Elin and I had had a tense relationship, but not the extent of abuse I’d suffered. “How does a father just walk away? He couldn’t answer that.”
“No, and he probably will never be able to,” agreed Tim, his eyes tired as they followed my movements as I stopped in the middle of the rug.
“He’s not my father,” I said in little more than a whisper. I wrapped my arms tightly around myself, layering a protective shield over me.
“Oh, Janie,” he sighed, rising to come to me and add his own layer to cover me.
“He’s not. Fathers should love you, treasure you, take care of you, and protect you. He left me.” The last words came on a sob and I shuddered in Tim’s embrace. “He’s not my father.”
“I’m sorry you don’t have a dad, Janie.” Tim’s gentle words brushed my hair.
I unfurled my arms from around myself and curled them around Tim, squeezing with every ounce of strength I had. “I do. I have you.”
We stood there, father and daughter for a long time. Just holding on to each other. All those things daughters should feel were there in his hug. The smell of beer and popcorn, the rough texture of his hockey jersey, all made me finally see how real Tim’s presence in my life was.
“I’m glad you told me,” he said as I finally pulled away.
“Me, too.”
“Was that it? Or do you have another life altering revelation to make?” he joked.
I laughed. He was so close to the truth but had no clue. I couldn’t tell him about Tristan, or Elin or the infection. The impossibility of everything would make him suspect I was going crazy and then he would just worry. I wanted Tim to be his regular cheerful self, and selfishly I needed him to be for the sheer sake of my sanity.
“No, nothing else,” I answered, a tight smile spreading my lips thin.
Justin’s footsteps thumped loudly behind us as he made his way back to the couch, a half empty bowl of popcorn in his hands. He didn’t say anything, but I knew he’d heard the exchange between Tim and me and was respecting my decision not to share anything else.
I sat and watched a few minutes of the sports commentary, before boredom drove me to the kitchen. I pulled the milk from the fridge and poured a cup, sticking it into the microwave to warm. When it dinged, I carefully set the cup on the table and stirred in a package of instant hot chocolate mix. Fake marshmallows swirled along the top of my drink.
Justin came in with his bowl, empty again. He glanced at me from the corner of his eye as he rinsed the dish in the sink. The sound of the water reminded me of the waterfall and how easy it had been to finally accept what Tristan was. How the rushing droplets had washed away the problems.
“You didn’t tell him?” Justin’s hushed words were nearly drowned out by the muted sounds of the television.
“I need time,” I said simply.
“Time to do what?”
“I don’t know. Get used to the idea, I suppose.” I picked up my mug and joined him at the sink, washing away the remains of the chocolate.
“What if Elin tries to hurt you, Janie?” he asked anxiously. “What if your blood really does hold the cure and one of them doesn’t want to wait for their science to catch up?”
What if? A year ago, I had refused to even think those words, believing that any ‘what ifs’ would just bring pain and suffering to my life.
“I don’t know.” I slowly dried off my mug. “I guess we’ll have to see what happens.”
He looked at me like I was crazy, his eyes wide in disbelief. “See what happens?” he repeated. “And you’re not freaking?”
I laughed and gave him a playful bump with my hip, then placed my cup back in the cupboard. “See? Didn’t I tell you I was going to change?”
“Yeah, but I never figured you’d be so calm about something like this.”
“Honestly,” I sighed, knowing that I might be calm on the outside, I was in complete panic mode inside, “it’s just too much to start freaking out about.”
At this point Elin was the biggest concern, and based on experience, I knew there was little I could do to prepare myself for her wrath.
Chapter 22
The next morning I slept in and had a lazy morning, relaxing with a book before realizing I only had an hour before I was supposed to meet Tristan.
Justin had left earlier for the gym, so once I was ready, I walked
to the cafe. It was a hazy day, the sky not quite cloudy but not blue either. I walked through the front entrance and made my way to our regular booth. The sight that greeted me was not one I’d been hoping for.
Bryce and Rachel, their heads bent close to one another were talking quietly. Bryce spotted me first, straightening up and alerting Rachel to my presence.
“Morning,” I said, nodding a greeting as I sat down in the opposite booth. Just because they were rude didn’t mean I was going to stoop to their level.
“Well?” Bryce asked.
I pretended ignorance. “Well what?”
“Did he tell you?”
I looked at him then and saw the anger that gleamed in Bryce’s eyes. He was not going to let this go, even if it wasn’t any of his business. “Yes, he told me.”
“And?”
“And what, Bryce?” I demanded. “Do you want to know what he said? What I said? Well, tough. It’s personal and frankly none of your business.”
“We just want you safe.” Rachel looked like my friend again, concern furrowing her flawless skin. “You need to know everything. You have a right to know everything.”
I stared at her hard. “I know everything now, Rach.” I glanced at Bryce, not wanting to say anything else in front of him. He was giving Rachel a confused look and I realized that he probably had no idea I was supposed to fulfill the promise. At least Rachel hadn’t revealed that.
“Kas can change you, Janie. Just think about it, you’ll never have to worry about getting sick or suffering through old age. As a Lycan you’ll have so much power.” Rachel twisted in the booth so she faced me. The friend was gone again; her eyes filled with excitement.
“I know all of that.”
“So you’re with us?” Bryce’s mouth turned up. His triumphant attitude was goading.
“No,” I said, watching his eyes widen in surprise.
“So you’re siding with your boyfriend? You really think he’s gonna find some cure for this and you’ll just ride off into the sunset? Have a normal life?” Bryce sneered.
Waken (The Woods of Everod Book 1) Page 18