I nodded my head and sniffed again. How did he know what I was thinking?
I finally stopped my tears as the ceremony ended and stepped back from Michael. He handed me a tissue and I wiped at my nose and eyes, being careful not to ruin what was left of my makeup. “Thank you,” I whispered.
Dad hugged Michael and smiled at him. “Thank you for coming.”
Michael patted my Dad’s back. “Anytime, Alpha. Besides, I couldn’t pass up a chance to see Victoria again.”
Dad led us towards his SUV and I was surprised to see Michael climb in. “How’d you get here?” I asked.
He winked. “That’s a secret.” He had always told me things were secrets, just to irritate me.
“Already with the secrets?” I asked.
He laughed. “I’m sorry, but I couldn’t resist.”
“We need to make a stop at the house, okay?” Dad asked Michael.
Michael nodded his head. “That’s fine. My car is there anyways.”
I turned around and watched the tombstones as we passed by and felt Michael’s stare on the back of my neck. He had grown up a lot since I had last seen him. I couldn’t believe how handsome he was now. I honestly could not decide if Brandon or Michael was the most attractive.
We arrived at mom’s house and I stared at the building. Had it ever been my home? Michael opened my door and smiled warmly at me. “Come on, Vic. It’s just a quick visit for last minute items.”
I nodded my head and climbed out of the SUV. Michael was right. It was just a house anyways. I walked confidently to the door and then inside. I walked up the stairs to mom’s room and into her closet where I knew she hid a single picture of Dad, her and me together. I picked the picture up and looked at the smiling family that seemed like a dream or a scene from a movie.
I felt tears building again and tried to clear them, but they simply overflowed and slipped down my face. Why had I been born? Why couldn’t I have been a lion at least? Why couldn’t I do anything right?
“Vic, don’t cry,” Michael whispered as he hugged me from behind.
“She’s dead,” I whispered, “She’s dead because of me.”
Michael turned me around and stared into my eyes. “You listen to me Victoria Anne. Your mother’s death was not your fault. She is a grown adult and makes her own decisions. Were you driving the car?”
“My life caused it. If I hadn’t been born a hybrid then she wouldn’t have…”
“Stop it,” Michael commanded. I stared at him in shock, realizing that he was much more dominant than I remembered him being. “You did not cause any of this. It is not your fault that your mother couldn’t handle what you are. She knew what your Dad was and so she knew you wouldn’t be human no matter what. It is not your fault she could not deal with it.”
“No one can deal with it,” I said as more tears dripped down my face. “I have been alone my entire life because no one can deal with it.”
“I’ve been away too long,” he whispered more to himself than to me. He wiped my eyes and stared into my eyes. “Your grandparents are finishing up talking to your Dad. You and I are going to have a long talk when we get home, okay?”
Home. Was the pride home? It was where I had to live and where my friends and Dad were, but was it really my home? Or was I just an intruder in the pride? Had I ever really had a home or had I just called them home to make myself feel better?
He tugged on my hand and I followed him down the stairs and to the front door. Dad walked to us and then opened the door without a word. I turned and was about to wave to my grandparents, but I saw their fierce, hate filled gazes and decided not to. Michael put his hand on my lower back and pushed me forward gently, propelling me out of my mom’s house and down the walkway.
Dad stopped at the sidewalk and looked at Michael and me. “Can you ride with Michael back, Victoria? I need to take care of something on the way home.”
I looked at Michael. “You mind me riding with you?”
He frowned. “Of course not. Why would I mind?”
Dad smiled. “I would keep the radio off or you might dump her on the side of the road halfway home.”
I smacked my Dad’s arm and then hugged him. “I love you.”
He kissed the top of my head. “I love you too.” He handed me some cash out of his pocket and said, “Have fun and I’ll see you late tonight when I get home.”
We watched him drive away and then I turned to Michael with a smile and waved the cash. “Frozen yogurt?”
He smiled wide and it reminded me of the younger Michael I had grown up with. “Definitely.”
I started towards his car when I felt someone watching me. I turned around and gasped when I saw Bob standing beside my mom’s house. He smiled at me and was about to walk towards me when Michael came to stand beside me. He looked at Bob with an angry frown. “Who is that?”
“He’s from the Minters pack,” I whispered.
Michael growled and put his arm around my waist possessively. “Don’t worry. No one will touch you while you’re with me.”
Bob looked from Michael’s arm to my face and then to Michael’s. His lip lifted in a snarl, but instead of coming towards us, he turned away. I exhaled. “That was weird.”
Michael pulled me to his car and opened the passenger door. “Come on, we’ll get yogurt in the next state.”
I couldn’t argue with getting away from Bob as fast as possible, so I climbed in and let Michael drive in silence while he watched for any sign of the Minters pack. We crossed the state border an hour later with no sign. I exhaled in relief and turned to Michael. “I’m sorry.”
He glanced at me and then frowned as he turned back towards the road. “What? Why?”
“For getting you mixed up in this already. You haven’t even made it back home and you already have to protect me.” I turned towards the passenger window and bit my lip to keep from crying. “My presence seems to cause an endless amount of problems for anyone near me.”
Michael gripped my hand in his and then interlocked our fingers together. “You have no reason to be sorry and besides, you haven’t caused me anything, but happiness at being with you again.” I turned and looked at him in shock. He smiled. “I think I see a yogurt shop.”
We pulled over and walked into the yogurt shop. Michael draped his arm across my shoulders and looked at the menu as we waited. The last time I had seen him was when we were twelve and he did not have the muscles that he did now. His black shirt clung to his chest and wide shoulders, showing just how much he was cut. I bet he had a six pack underneath his shirt and couldn’t wait to see.
I shook my head sadly knowing that even if I wanted it, Michael would have the same problem as Brandon. Both wanted a lion mate and I was only a hybrid. I was screwed no matter which way I looked at it. It was finally our turn and before I could open my mouth Michael said, “One swirl with rainbow sprinkles, chocolate chips and chocolate syrup.”
I stared at him in shock. “You remember?”
He smiled at me. “Of course I remember. I know everything about you.”
I smirked and said, “One chocolate with chocolate sprinkles and toffee pieces.”
Michael’s smile turned into a smirk. “You remembered too.”
“I remember everything about you. I just don’t know about what’s happened or changed in the last five years of your life.” I paid for the frozen yogurt and then stood to the side as we waited for the cashier to make our treats for us.
“The same goes for me,” he said as he leaned against the counter. How could leaning be sexy?
“Where are you living?” I asked.
“Same town your mom was living in.”
“You have been living in the same town as me?” I asked in shock.
He shrugged. “Apparently. I didn’t know until I called your Dad to let him know I was coming home and he asked me to meet you guys at the funeral.”
All these years and we had never seen each other. What were the odd
s? And how handy what that have been to know when the Minters were after me? Why hadn’t Dad told us? “What school?”
“Wildhawks.”
That was the rival of my school. My old school. I corrected myself. “How do you like it?”
He shrugged. “It’s okay, but I miss the pride.”
“So I take it that means you haven’t found a mate then?”
He smiled. “I don’t want a human mate and since there aren’t any lions at Wildhawk that meant I didn’t find a mate.” He studied me a moment and then asked. “What about you? You seem much sadder than the last time I saw you, aside from your mom’s death.”
“I was going to school out here, but now I am going to be living with my Dad and going to school with the others.”
“Wasn’t the new guy going to school with you?” he asked.
I nodded my head. “Yeah, Brandon was going to school with me and living at my mom’s house.” I cringed when I thought about it, still not sure if that wasn’t what drove her into harder drinking.
“Why do you look sad?” he asked. “Is this new guy causing you problems?”
“Sort of, but it’s not what you think. He’s a great guy and we are friends, but…” I shook my head. “It just sucks being a hybrid.”
“Here you go,” the cashier said, interrupting Michael from whatever he was about to say.
I turned and took my frozen yogurt and Michael took his. We sat outside and I moaned after I took my first bite. “This is so good.”
He nodded his head. “I think the last time I had frozen yogurt was with you.”
I smiled. “Me too.”
We ate in companionable silence a moment longer and then he asked, “Why do you think it sucks being a hybrid?”
I licked my spoon as I debated how to answer him. “It sucks because it’s like I am perpetually stuck in limbo by being neither fully in the human world or able to find a human mate and not a lion and so not able to find a lion mate.”
“Why couldn’t you have a lion or human mate?” he asked curiously.
“A human could not handle the pride or what I am and a lion wants a lioness.”
He frowned at me. “Who has been spewing this crap to you?”
I rolled my eyes. “No one is spewing anything at me. It’s what I have learned from my life experiences.”
“So Brandon doesn’t want you as a mate?” he asked as he stirred around his treat.
I sighed. “He doesn’t know what he wants. He acts like he likes me, but then he also says things that make me believe he couldn’t have anything, but a lioness for a mate.”
Michael leaned back in his chair. “He sounds like an idiot.”
I reached over and smacked him. “Don’t be mean. He’s my friend, remember?”
“Doesn’t sound like much of a friend to me.”
“What?” I asked in shock.
“You don’t hurt your friends or upset them and obviously this whole charade of ‘I don’t know’ is upsetting you.”
I shrugged. “It is what it is. The Minters pack trying to kidnap and kill me isn’t helping my mood.”
His spoon snapped in half as he growled. “What?”
People looked over towards us nervously at his growl. I grabbed the broken pieces of his spoon and our empty cups and threw them away. “How about I drive and get you caught up on what’s happened?”
He nodded his head and handed me the keys, gold rolling over his eyes. I climbed into his car and started it up. Technically I didn’t have a license, but I had learned how to drive the same time Michael had. I waited until we were driving to start telling him about everything that had happened. Michael was the one person I would not keep anything from, so I replayed everything, including exactly what Bob had said to me instead of hiding parts like I had from Brandon.
When I finished Michael’s eyes were glowing gold. “I wish I had known this when we had seen that guy. I would have killed him.”
I laid my hand on top of his and he threaded our fingers together. It was strange how close I felt to him even though I had not seen him in five years. Holding his hand somehow felt right. And yet it felt wrong at the same time as I thought of Brandon. I started to pull my hand away, but Michael squeezed gently. “I won’t let anything happen to you, Victoria. I was serious about what I said earlier.”
I smiled at him. “I know, Michael.”
He watched me for a little while and then dozed in the passenger seat. I was worried that Michael would say something to Brandon or be mean to him, but part of me actually wanted that. It was awful for me to think that, but true. Teenager emotions were so chaotic and strange.
I pulled into the driveway, parked the car and unbuckled my seat belt. I would only have one try at this, so I had to do it right. I silently opened my door and then bent over Michael and nipped the end of his nose. “You’re it!” I yelled as I jumped away from him and out of the car. He smiled at me as I ran towards the forest with my dress hiked up as far as I could without showing everyone my butt.
Michael climbed out of the car and stretched. “I love being it.” He charged after me and reached the forest only a moment after me. I dodged around trees and laughed happily as he tried to catch me.
“Stop cheating,” he said with a huge smile plastered on his face.
“I’m not cheating. I’m surviving,” I said as I jumped over a fallen log and then hid behind the tree next to it. As expected Michael jumped the log and kept running.
I laughed as I turned and ran back towards the house and away from him. He laughed and pursued me. Brandon stepped out of the house and smiled at me. I waved and had just made it to the grassy area when Michael tackled me. I shrieked happily and he rolled me over until he had my hands pinned next to my head and was hovering over me.
“I win,” he said triumphantly.
I rolled my eyes. “I was distracted. I could have zigged or zagged and made you miss me.”
He laughed and bent down, softly nipping the tip of my nose. “I still would have tackled you.”
I struggled against his hold on my hands and sighed. “Let me up, please.”
He bounded up and ran a hand through his hair, making his bicep flex and messing his hair up in a sexy way. “Okay, but only because you said please.”
I stood up and brushed my dress off, but it was no use, I would need to wash it.
“Victoria,” Brandon said softly.
I turned and smiled at him. “Hey.”
He frowned at me. “You seem to be in good spirits.”
Michael draped his arm across my shoulders. “Of course she is. Everyone’s always in good spirits when I am around.”
A look crossed over Brandon’s face that I could not decipher, but for some reason it made Michael pull me closer to him. Was he being possessive? That didn’t make sense to me, but maybe he was trying to prove that he was more important or something.
“Brandon this is Michael. Michael this is Brandon.”
“Nice to see you again,” Brandon said, but it did not sound genuine.
“I thought I recognized the name when Victoria was talking about you. It’s good to have a face to put with the name. Nice to see you again as well pride brother.”
“Michael!” Sarah yelled as she came out of the house.
Michael released me to hug Sarah. “Hey, big sister.”
She kissed his cheek. “How’s my baby brother doing?”
Brandon walked towards me slowly and asked, “How are you?”
I shrugged. “Okay. Anything happen while I was gone?”
He shook his head. “No sign of the Minters or Bob.”
I grimaced. “Well that might have been because Bob was at my mom’s house after the funeral.”
His eyes widened in shock and he started examining me. “Did he hurt you?”
Michael growled. “Are you insinuating that I am not capable of protecting her?”
Brandon turned slightly towards Michael as he brushed off dirt from
my arm. “I don’t know you very well. I have no idea what your capabilities are.”
I stepped away from Brandon and towards the house. “I’m going to change.” I did not want to be here if they started fighting. Sarah could handle them if they did fight, so I wasn’t worried.
Mark was standing in the kitchen sipping a cup of coffee when I walked in. I walked up to him and leaned against his side. “Hey.”
He set his cup down and smiled. “Hello. Where’s Michael?”
My jaw dropped open. “You all knew he was coming and didn’t tell me?”
He laughed. “Michael wanted it to be a surprise. So, where is he?”
I pointed out back. “Probably getting in a fight with Brandon.”
Mark’s eyes widened. “Why would he fight Brandon?”
I shrugged. “I think Brandon might have insinuated that he didn’t think Michael could protect me from Bob since we saw him at mom’s house and Brandon started inspecting me for injuries and asked if Bob had hurt me.”
Mark sighed. “Crap. Okay, I’ll go help Sarah defuse the situation.”
“I’m getting changed. I will be out in a minute.” After changing into my bikini with shorts and a tank top over it, I walked out to find that most of the pride had arrived to greet Michael. Brandon stood off to the side frowning in deep thought.
“Hey,” I said as I stopped next to him.
He looked at Michael. “You guys were friends when you were kids?”
I nodded my head. “Yep, until we were eleven and he moved away.”
“He seems like a nice guy.”
“He is.”
He exhaled. “I’ll apologize to him later than.”
“Thank you.”
He gave me his famous smirk. “I’m not doing it for you.”
I shrugged. “Still, it’s good for me when my two friends get along.”
Daughter of Lions Page 17